Among the world’s most popular tourist destinations, Spain receives a record high 96.8 million visitors last year - and is predicted to be the world’s most visited country by 2040.

A young man, a backpack, and a subcontinent that confounded, dazzled and ultimately overwhelmed. In this occasional series, recalling bucket list destinations, Group Editor Andrew Palmer recalls a journey that exceeded every expectation — and one monument that moved him to tears.

We set off after a leisurely wander around the town seeing the gentle bustle of the great country. Sri Lanka is a much calmer beast than India, its people are smiling, courteous, helpful and have a wicked sense of humour. At one street food stall we stopped for a vegetable roti (really well spiced and not hot….but with a ‘ball burning’ aubergine chutney to go with it) and fresh coconut milk.

Both restless and relentlessly curious, Nigel Buckland is the epitome of a traveller, in the gratifyingly anachronistic manner of Eric Newby and Wilfred Thesiger.

Our series of Motorhoming articles aims to share insights into the pleasures and adventures of this mode of travelling at home and abroad - along with the realities and practicalities involved.

Group Editor Andrew Palmer returns to his beloved Portuguese coastal retreat, where fishing village charm meets cosmopolitan sophistication—and discovers why some places improve with every visit As the train pulls away from Lisbon's Cais do Sodré station, I settle into what has become a ritual journey westward along Portugal's Atlantic coast.

Festive cruising continues to gain momentum with many cruise lovers seeking a tonic before, during or in between Christmas and the New Year to immerse themselves in the season’s vibrancy and bonhomie.

Is a walking break in the Peak District in December a sensible idea, or just a triumph of optimism over common sense? The days are short, the weather can turn on you without warning, and the romance of winter walking often looks better in theory than in practice. But sometimes you get lucky. We did.

There are few better times of the year than the winter to explore the Lake District, recently crowned the UK’s best staycation destination according to research conducted by Sykes Holiday Cottages - and you can get around all from the comfort of a Stagecoach bus.

Stepping into Blackpool’s Imperial Hotel is like discovering a major part of the resort’s history. The seeds of The Imperial’s story were first sown in 1863 when the North Pier was completed and became an attraction for elite visitors. Up until then Blackpool has only been visited by mill workers when factories closed down for the week.