Small islands turn simple pleasures into lasting memories. Our tipsters enjoy tavernas, beaches, footpaths and sealife from Rum to Andros

Andros, just a two-hour ferry ride from Athens, is inexplicably missed by most foreign tourists. Greener than the other Cyclades, it’s a walker’s paradise, with well-marked trails spanning the isle, and leading from hilltop monasteries through fertile valleys to hidden beaches. Base yourself in the sleepy main town, also called Andros, which can be reached from the ferry terminal by local bus. For those not inclined to exertion, there are beaches either side of town, and Explore Andros on the main street can organise guided visits to local waterfalls, a vineyard and botanic gardens.
Toby Dyke

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Rouen, Paris and London are better-known Monet destinations, but rural La Creuse’s rugged gorges, spectacular lake and medieval castle really captivated the artist

As my train inched its way into the station at La Souterraine, some three hours south of Paris on a blisteringly hot June afternoon, the woman in the seat next to me asked: “Vous descendez ici?” Her expression seemed to say “Really? You’re getting off here?”

I could see what she meant. Behind the wire fencing lining the platform lay a handful of industrial buildings alongside nondescript looking farmland.

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Our tipsters revel in whitewashed villages, mountain vistas, regional food and medieval architecture

Carved into the rugged coast of Asturias, Cudillero is a picturesque fishing village that lit up our recent tour of the north. After driving along the coast from Gijón, we were instantly struck by its vibrant colours. We enjoyed the freshest of seafood at one of the quaint harbourside restaurants, and found the arroz con bogavante spectacular yet inexpensive. We spent the rest of the day wandering through the village’s narrow, winding streets and after its seemingly endless staircases to unveil a panoramic view of the harbour.
Haldane

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The area is known for coach tours and A-lister escapes, but beyond the honeypots lie delightfully alternative communities, ancient walking trails and brilliant pubs

Think of the Cotswolds and you’ll probably conjure up images of chocolate-box villages in honeyed stone surrounded by dreamy patchworks of green fields, possibly farmed by Jeremy Clarkson. The region covers parts of six counties – most is in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, but also corners of Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Somerset – is a postcard-pretty holiday destination, and has been a hub for the wealthy since the heyday of the wool trade in the late middle ages.

More recently, the region I call home had a PR coup when Taylor Swift and her entourage based themselves near Chipping Norton this summer for her London tour dates. Then there are the stars of Bridgerton filming on the streets of nearby Bath, and traffic jams outside Clarkson’s farm shop, made famous by his TV show.

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