Passo campolongo

David Myers tests his sanity (and calf muscles) on the Alpenpässe-Weg – a journey of 40 cols and nearly 700km – to discover how the Swiss Alps were lived in and connected long before the combustion engine

Historians claim Nice was named after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, following a military triumph over the local Ligurian tribes. But sitting on my seafront terrace, watching the evening sun sett

For any cyclist, the name Fred Whitton sends a shiver down the spine. The annual Fred Whitton Challenge is among the most notorious sportives in Britain, serving its 2,000 participants with 180km of d

3 6.3km/3.9 miles/3-4 hours Ascent 760m/2493ft

Remote, secluded and surrounded by nature, these high-altitude escapes provide a breath of fresh air – and more often than not, a dose of luxury womanandhome.com 159

JB Smith goes searching for solitude in the forested folds of the Rhinogs – and finds himself falling under the spell of Eryri/Snowdonia’s quieter side