Xin Nian Kuai Le! Or for the Cantonese speakers out there, Gung Hay Fat Choi! Wherever you’re celebrating Chinese New Year in 2013 we wish you well, and welcome to the Year of the Snake… It is officially this Sunday 10 February but expect fireworks, feasting and family visits for at least five days kicking [...]
What’s that you say? It’s nearly Christmas? Cue cold sweats, mild panic buying and a belated urge to sling on some knitted accessories, sing a merry tune and stock up on seasonal good cheer. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a festive assortment of great London activities that will sate yuletide appetites, scent your [...]
Queensland’s capital has all the hallmarks of a classic minibreak destination, with culture, nature and cool cafés, bars and boudoirs up for grabs. Here are our top Brisbane travel tips for things to do in this seductive tropical city… ART ATTACK Brisbane’s South Bank is a one-stop art shop, with a string of major riverside [...]
The Olympics are here! The British Library celebrates a century of games history with a new free exhibition of Olympian memorabilia – find out what Mr & Mrs Smith’s favourite exhibit is here…
Colonial charm, vibrant streetscapes and fabulous hawker-style fare – the Smith team is never short of excuses for a stay in Penang. For the next two weeks, there’s even more reason to swoop into this north-west Malaysian island, as the Georgetown Festival runs until 15 July. Photography exhibitions, opera galas, theatre, films and music are all part [...]
Karen Cleveland – Smith guest blogger and Canada-based doyenne of decorum – follows up her first post on Italian etiquette (How to… fare bella figura) with another manners-minding missive, this time on dinner-party protocol for globetrotting guests… •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Well done, you savvy traveller, you: your charm and witty banter has earned you a dinner invitation [...]
The Jubilee flotilla may have roused British spirits, but as the wake of the last boat fades and the red, white and blue streamers wilt, we’re looking to the skies. Forget Biggles and the Spruce Goose – Aviator hotel’s mix of sepia-hued suites and sleek futurism makes this sybaritic sensation first-class all the way. Style Silver Belle [...]
Let’s barbecue! Rain or shine (and let’s face it, the chances of the latter are never that high), you can’t beat a British garden party – so if you’ve left your jubilation-planning a bit late, we’re here to help. Even if you can’t get to a hotel for the Jubilee, you can still get a [...]
Whether you’re hoping to head to London to join a Jubilee street party, or making the most of your extra days off with a last-minute getaway, we’ve got some fantastic late availability at hotels and houses across Europe and the UK…
We’re not the sort that likes to sing our own praises (ok, we are, a bit), but we’d like to ask you to raise a glass of virtual prosecco in honour of our shiniest new gong: Best Travel Guide. Our Italy guidebook – the most recent addition to the Smith travel bookshelf – scooped the [...]
