From Conquistadors to Aztecs, we follows the 'Route of Corts' the old road from Veracruz on the east coast to Mexico City, with a guide who knows his history and architecture as well as where to eat well and dance. There's nothing like getting off on completely the wrong foot, and Belinda from Tufnell Park managed a spectacular gaff in her first few words. She said that Corts had 'discovered' the cities of ...

 Welcome to another At Home and Away with Judith Chalmers, the magazine that always reminds me of the lovely places I have been to this year! One of the great joys of travelling for work is getting to meet so many people who love pointing out the best things about their country – they really are the true ambassadors. I’m always amazed by how much more there is to discover wherever I go. Thi ...

It's not easy finding the ideal family holiday destination at the busiest and most expensive time of the year: half-term and summer holidays. But it can be done, says Joanna Symons, and here are some great choices. Costa Rica Costa Rica is an ecotourist's paradise – and a great way to bring biology and geography lessons alive. Spot toucans, parrots, hummingbirds and even the rare quetzal in the pristi ...

It’s rare in these media savvy days for a journalist to get to talk to anyone in the public eye without a minder, such as an agent, or PR manager – in some cases both and on rare occasions there’s even a bodyguard as well. Such extra company is not conducive to a one-on-one chat. So it is always a great relief to ring the doorbell of Judith Chalmers’ comfortable, lived-in house in nor ...

The search for holiday home bargain buys is expanding and there are some potential goldmines to be found in the old Eastern bloc. But always look before you leap. It seems all the world is a holiday hot spot these days but nowhere is it more true than in Europe where former Eastern bloc countries are now clamouring to join the European Union and to do that they have to make themselves ultra attractive to th ...

 Fancy a weekend break this winter? Instead of heading for the sun, jet off to Iceland's capital city of Reykjavik for a weekend in the snow.  It's guaranteed to leave you revitalised and fortified, says Melanie Whitehouse. It's midnight, the sky is inky black, the stars are twinkling and our jeep is parked by a borehole up a snowy track while we wait for the Northern Lights to appear. We've been ...

Judith Chalmers and husband Neil Durden-Smith take the ultimate drive on California's celebrated Highway One. It's a journey that's filled with history, style and stunning views as Judith discovers. How often do you get to gaze at a white shark in Monterey, shop in Carmel, visit the Hearst Castle and admire the sunset from the same terrace where Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles had a bolt-hole? Not only that ...

Bungee jumping in New Zealand, cycling in Morocco, riding in Kyrgyzstan, you name an adventure and we'll find the holiday for you, says Minty Clinch. In an ever- shrinking world, global gypsies have never had it so good. Riding in Kyrgyzstan, lemur spotting in Madagascar, cycling in Morocco, hiking in Catalunya or Peru or Nepal?  Take your pick, get online and book it up.   It sounds simple, ...

No heart could fail to be moved by the trail of destruction caused by the tsunami that washed over Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and their islands. Instead of joy, the year 2005 began with an overwhelming sadness and helplessness at not being able to do more for the hundreds of thousands killed, barely surviving or those desperately seeking missing loved ones. It is said that out of all tragedy and ...

St Petersburg was built on the grandest possible scale and it’s changed little in the intervening three centuries, says Ross Young. Don’t expect narrow side streets – this is a city of wide boulevards, vast squares and perfectly-realised proportions. Breathtaking in its scale, stunning in its architecture, and home to some of the finest collections of art anywhere in the world, St Petersbu ...