Julie Alpine

There’s uplifting swimwear and then there’s Liandra swimwear – a celebration of sun, surf and Aboriginal culture. We take a tour of Darwin with the label’s founder and creative director, Liandra Gaykamangu

Get away from it all at this low-key, high-comfort stay in the heart of Australia’s wild Northern Territory

Make tracks to this laid-back new Hox for its sexy South American-inspired bar, banging brasserie and clued-up local collabs

The Dutch capital’s culturally switched-on, design-forward eastern district is a joy to get lost in, and the perfect home for Amsterdam’s heritage-rich new crash pad, Hoxton, Lloyd

From brutalist urban beauties to contemporary spas set amid soaring cedars, these are the Georgian boltholes to book for a culture-rich trip

Fancy a culture-packed city adventure where you have no one to please but yourself? Madrid is one of the safest, sunniest, most sociable capitals in the world

Chase away the January chill this Burns Night at one of the London venues offering the chance to feast on fine Scottish food, knock back a dram or two and make merry – tartan, optional

Art deco panache and Thai-Americana cuisine are proving catnip for culture-hungry west Londoners at brand-new The Hoxton, Shepherd’s Bush

The ritual of strolling around Paris’ sprawling Marché aux Puces – and other European flea markets – offers both a window into the past and some fabulous vintage finds. One writer joins a Parisian regular to prowl between the antiques

Million-dollar Paris views from sky-high, Philippe Starck-designed bedrooms that represent great value for money? The 13th arrondissement’s brand-new TOO Hôtel is worth shouting about from the rooftops

Scary situations experienced when travelling end up making us more resilient – and make for great stories when we get back, says Julie Alpine, in the latest instalment of a regular column

The Gucci Savoy luggage collection, available at the just-unveiled Gucci Valigeria store on the ground floor of the luxurious London landmark hotel, both honours a beautiful backstory and inspires travel in golden-age style

A sprawling, California-inspired base at which to bond with best mates in the tranquil Ibizan countryside, but that’s only a short drive away from the cream of the island’s nightlife? We’ll take it.

Stuck for where to travel next, and who to take along for the ride? Let the stars be your guide, with our sign-by-sign round-up of divine destinations.

Elegant yet rakish, small yet perfectly formed, new boutique Gatsby Athens charms with its good looks, sense of humour and devilishly indulgent food and drink offering.