Alicante is famous for its beaches; less so for its hiking. But in the Sierra de la Serrella, a short hop from the city, Isis Taylor discovers a network of trails that combine natural beauty with an insight into ancient cultures

T he whisper, sharp with excitement, cuts through the silence: “It’s a bear.” One of our group is pointing to a hillside in the distance, where beech trees tumble down into a valley veiled in drizzle.

Catalonia offers a dizzying array of habitats, and birds to match,

This week’s dream: a wild Canary Island’s creative ...

This week’s dream: the dazzling coral gardens of ...

Base yourself in this handsome villa on Tuscany’s timeless coastline and discover the region’s Etruscan history, says Rosie Paterson