Search results for ""Bradt Travel Guides""

The new, sixth and thoroughly updated edition of Bradt''s Latvia remains the only standalone guide to this fascinating and ever-changing Baltic nation. This is a small but enchantingly varied country that will appeal to culture vultures, history buffs, outdoors enthusiasts and foodies alike.Latvia is best known internationally through its capital city Riga, whose centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site combining a medieval core providing testimony of its importance as a port of the Hanseatic League and an outer area containing the most extensive assemblage of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. Latvia is much larger than Denmark or Switzerland yet, with a population of under two million, is one of the most verdant countries in Europe. A low-lying landscape of forests, lakes and marshes offers an increasing range of rural tourism options facilitated by recent EU infrastructural investments. Why not go hiking or canoeing in Gauja National Park, go cycling or explore Latgale''s lakes? In summ

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Nicaragua is a land born out of poetry, fire and brazen revolutionary spirit. Few countries can boast such an authentic character. The 1979 Sandinista Revolution continues to inspire great national pride and endless passionate discourse. Fortunately, Nicaragua is today at lasting peace and very much on its way up. A rugged spine of more than 50 volcanoes punctuates the landscape, whilst it is also home to rainforests, cloud forests and wetlands as well as dazzling beaches and coral reefs. Whilst this emerging destination is attracting more and more visitors, tourism development remains patchy, which makes Footprint's 7th edition handbook an essential companion for any traveller making their way through this intense, diverse and rewarding country. * Great coverage of sights and activities from the romantic city of Granada to the enchanting Isla Ometepe * Loaded with information and suggestions on how to get off the beaten track, from the wilderness of Bosawas Biosphere Reserve to witnessing turtle migration in the cays * Includes comprehensive information on everything from transport and practicalities to history, culture & landscape * Plus all the usual accommodation, eating and drinking listings for every budget * Full-colour planning section to inspire you and help you find the best experiences From the energy & dramatic setting of Managua to the verdant hills surrounding the coffee fincas. Footprint's fully updated 7th edition will help you navigate this gripping, intense and poetic country.

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The shifting landscapes in these three southern-most countries in Central America reflect the diversity of each nation. Footprint s Costa Rica, Nicaragua & Panama will guide you through untouched Costa Rican rainforest, the tempestuous geography of Nicaragua and coral reefs off Panama s Caribbean coast. * Great coverage of the top activities and sights in the region, including volcano trekking, island escapes, unmissable fiestas, surfing and diving * Loaded with information and suggestions on how to get off the beaten track, from turtle watching in La Flor to the exploring the savage, impenetrable jungles of Darién * Includes comprehensive information on everything from transport and practicalities to history, culture & landscape * Plus all the usual accommodation, eating and drinking listings for every budget * Full-colour planning section to inspire travellers and help them find the best experiences From bohemian beaches to handsome Spanish plazas, Footprint s fully updated 3rd edition will help you navigate this colorful destination.

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A place of extremes and contradictions, Chile is home to a bewilderingly diverse geography and climate. Footprint's Chile Handbook will guide you from the endless and eerie Atacama Desert in the north to the creaking, fractured glacial ice of the south, with beaches, rainforest and vineyards to explore in between. * Great coverage of the top activities and sights in the region, including Easter Island, Chiloe, the wine routes, skiing, geysers and salt flats * Loaded with information and suggestions on how to get off the beaten track, from hiking volcanoes to whitewater rafting * Includes comprehensive information on everything from transport and practicalities to history, culture & landscape * Plus all the usual accommodation, eating and drinking listings for every budget * Full-colour planning section to inspire you and help you find the best experiences From Patagonian penguins to the buzz of vertiginous Valparaiso, Footprint's fully updated 8th edition will help you navigate this adventurous destination.

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South Africa has one of the world's most diverse tourist offerings. Attractions range from stately Cape Town with majestic Table Mountain, to the scenic winelands around Stellenbosch and the world-renowned Kruger National Park and adjacent private reserves. With hundreds of different national parks and reserves, Africa's longest coastline and several of the region's oldest and most vibrant towns, visitors are often dazzled and confused by the array of options. This compact Highlights guide, written by South African resident and travel expert Philip Briggs, focuses on the genuine 'must-see' sights, and will aid anyone planning their first trip to this magnificent country.

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In this new, thoroughly updated third edition of Bradt''s The Cotswolds, part of Bradt''s distinctive ''Slow Travel'' series of guides to UK regions, local resident and experienced travel writer Caroline Mills shares her favourite places in a region that remains as popular as ever. Drawing on more than 50 years'' living in the Cotswolds, and combining engaging first-person narrative with authoritative advice, Mills slows readers down and helps them delve deeply into a range of regions: the Cotswolds National Landscape Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); the Cotswold escarpment, hills and valleys; the Wiltshire Cotswolds and the area known as the Four Shires; three Cotswold ''gateways'' (Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath and Oxford); the lesser-known ''hidden'' fringes of the Cotswolds, including the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, which follow much of the youthful Thames Valley, and the Cotswold Way National Trail. The Cotswolds'' rich manmade heritage includes Oxford University (the world''s ol

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This new autobiography by wildlife celebrity Jonathan Scott celebrates the extraordinary life of one of the world's most popular wildlife presenters and photographers. From his childhood on a Berkshire farm in the UK to his rise to international fame as a presenter on the Big Cat Diary, one of the BBC Natural History Unit's most popular and long-running wildlife series, Jonathan Scott has lived a life that many people can only dream about. Following a degree in Zoology he travels 6,000 miles overland to Africa, where he becomes first a wildlife artist and then a safari guide in the Maasai Mara. His experience allows him to write his first major book The Marsh Lions, followed by The Leopard's Tale. At the same time, his TV career is launched when he becomes a presenter on the long-running American series Wild Kingdom. Over the years Jonathan's observations of wildlife prompt him to reflect on his own life, revealing a side to his character that he has struggled to overcome since childhood. Aged nearly forty, he finally finds peace through meeting and marrying his wife, Angela, and together with her two children they go on to prove you can mix domestic life and an adventurous career when you share a love of family and wilderness, art and photography. From their base in Kenya Jonathan and Angela travel to Antarctica, a continent which grips them no less than their adopted homeland, followed in later years by travels to India and Bhutan. Throughout, the call of Africa always draws them home, but Africa and the rest of the world are under siege from the tide of humanity that threatens to snuff out the last wild places. Having travelled the globe in search of award-winning photographs and lived a life of adventure, Jonathan and Angie find their world changes forever the day she is diagnosed with a cranial aneurism requiring urgent brain surgery. Facing up to that challenge draws them even closer together and forces them to examine the meaning of life, leading them on a spiritual journey to rival anything they have undertaken before. Ultimately, The Big Cat Man is a love story: one man's infatuation with Africa and his unfailing devotion to the woman who shares his passion. Jonathan's writing makes for a fascinating safari through a life lived in the world's most spectacular wilderness area. His book raises uncomfortable questions about the future of wildlife on a continent where the needs of the people sometimes seem overwhelming; it will bring hope to those who have struggled with their own demons and been afraid to seek help; but most of all it will be an inspiration for those who, like Jonathan and Angie, long to follow their dream, whatever it may be.

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Publishing to coincide with Bradt's 40th anniversary, The Irresponsible Traveller is a light but edgy collection of travellers' tales. Travel writers and celebrities alike recount their exciting, and often dangerous, adventures which include being chased by a sea lion, accosted by Brazilian kidnappers and a midnight raid to free turtles on the Amazon. Over 40 years Bradt has built a reputation for publishing books covering the road less travelled, and this collection celebrates exactly the sort of writing and storytelling about 'unusual' travel experiences that has helped to establish the company as a firm favourite amongst adventurous travellers. Featuring contributions from Hilary Bradt, Michael Palin, Ben Fogle and Jonathan Scott, the title is a perfect tome to dip in and out of.

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Open to the Western world since 1990, the 'Land of Blue Sky' is one of the few places on earth where travellers can tread on undiscovered ground and explore with a true sense of adventure. Homeland of the greatest conqueror of all time, Genghis Khan, vast tracts can be discovered on horse or camel, or in the comfort of a four-wheel drive. Written by Mongolian expert, Jane Blunden, this updated guide highlights its culture and customs, including the deel, the colourful national dress, herding rules and customs, Mongolian throat singing and Naadam, the annual celebration of wrestling, archery and horse-riding. For visitors keen to sample the unique pleasures of staying with nomads, she also explains how and where to experience the traditional lifestyle of a Mongolian ger. The guide offers tips on riding and biking tours, winter dog sledding and summer yoga camps and provides in-depth information on national parks and conservation. Wildlife tours and visits based around Buddhist temples are still Mongolia's strengths, along with the age old traditional herding culture and Nomadic lifestyle, to be seen throughout this vast country. This amazing lifestyle of nomads with their flocks of camels, sheep and cashmere goats herded on horseback, from the times of Genghis Khan, is disappearing fast as families become more settled. The capital Ulaanbaatar is undergoing major changes and offers visitors a taste of city life in contrast to the wide open spaces. The guide reviews new hotels and restaurants which are popping up as business is booming. Mongolia provides all the information you'll need to arrange an unforgettable stay with Mongolian nomads, enjoying the centuries-old lifestyle of a traditional ger.

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Madagascar is a land where lizards scream and monkey-like lemurs sing songs of inexpressible beauty. KKnown as the Great Red Island, it is a place where fossa and tenrecs, vangas and aye ayes thrive in a true 'Lost World' alongside bizarre plants like the octopus tree and the three-cornered palm. And where the ancestors of the Malagasy, as the island's 18 tribes are collectively known, come alive in rollicking ceremonies known as "turning the bones." This natural and cultural history of Madagascar is an exploration of what makes the island so extraordinary. It is the only book that combines cutting-edge science and conservation with adventure travel and historical narrative. Perfect for those about to travel to Madagascar for the first time or just want to learn more, much of the historical material will be new to those familiar with Madagascar, even researchers who have worked there for years.

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Thoroughly updated for this new third edition, Bradt's World War I Battlefields remains the only compact practical travel guide to cover both French and Belgian battlefield sites involved in one of the deadliest conflicts in human history, which changed the face of foreign policy and European geography forever. The 2014-18 centenary of the First World War was a huge catalyst for battlefield tourism, leading to a proliferation of innovative new museums, memorials, commemorative trails, statues and more - which are comprehensively covered in this update. Co-authored by two award-winning travel writers, this lightweight and pocket-friendly guidebook is perfect for visitors. It covers all the main sites, memorials and museums of the entire Western Front alongside practical information such as travelling there and getting around, and how to book the best guided tours. In the Belgian section of the book, chapters cover Ypres and the Ypres Salient; Poperinge, Heuvelland and Messines (Mesen); Diksmuide, Veurne and Nieuwpoort; and Mons. In the French section, as well as the Somme, battlefields in Le Nord and Lille are featured, as are those in Pas-de-Calais; Aisne; and Marne, Champagne and Verdun. Visiting well-known Somme sights - such as Thiepval, the Somme 1916 Museum, Longueval, Le Hamel and Villers-Bretonneux - is a must for many visitors. But so, too, are Arras and the information centre dedicated to the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Battle of Fromelles Museum, the Cambrai Tank 1917 museum, the Marne 14-18 Interpretation Centre, and the Sir John Monash Centre, which tells the story of Australian soldiers' Western Front experiences in both countries. This updated and expanded edition features new information on the valuable contribution made by Black, Indian and Caribbean soldiers. There is also refreshed, detailed advice on how to find the resting place of family members lost in battle. For history buffs, those on battlefield tours, relatives of those who fought, school groups and students, there is no finer guidebook to visiting Great War sites in both countries than Bradt's World War I Battlefields.

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In a world of globetrotting explorers and record-breaking journeys - of which he has been part himself - Johno Ellison decided to return to his roots and walk the entire length of the River Wharfe, the Yorkshire waterway beside which he grew up. In his new book for Bradt, Walking the Wharfe, Ellison retraces the steps of Victorian author Edmund Bogg to investigate how the riverscape and its communities have evolved during the intervening 120 years. While wild camping, meeting modern-day Vikings, wartime ghosts and the fearless 'Dales Dippers', and learning how not to deal with a herd of over-inquisitive cows, Ellison encounters a microcosm of English history and culture. Starting in the Vale of York, Ellison walks upstream to explore the region's Viking and Roman heritage, as well as more modern developments such as Tadcaster's disastrous bridge collapse in 2015. He examines a profusion of Victorian spa towns, considers the impact of the Industrial Revolution and enjoys rare wildlife such as red kites and an otter, creatures that have returned to the area following successful conservation initiatives. Traversing the Yorkshire Dales National Park, including along the Dales Way long-distance footpath, Ellison is first bewitched by local legends of giants, trolls and witches, then seduced into wild swimming in a chilly river - albeit not the Strid, a section of the Wharfe notorious worldwide for reportedly drowning everyone who has ever tumbled into it - before seeking refuge in a candlelit pub during a storm that caused a power blackout. During his ascent, Ellison learns from a family who have farmed the Yorkshire hills for five generations before reaching the Wharfe's trickling source amid a vast boggy moorland. This enchanting travelogue is a must-read for anyone interested in nature, 'the great outdoors', or English history and culture. Residents and fans of Yorkshire will love it, as will anyone who has hiked the Dales Way. Above all, by combining personal connections with journalistic curiosity and a nose for a story, Walking the Wharfe affirms that even lesser-known parts of the small island of Britain can hold their own against renowned tourist sites the world over.

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WINNER - TRAVEL GUIDE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 (British Guild of Travel Writers) Camping Road Trips: UK showcases a personal selection of 30 road trips throughout the UK and Jersey (Channel Islands), all suitable for campervans, motorhomes, long-distance cyclists and any other road user who likes camping. All have been handpicked by experienced travel writer Caroline Mills, who has over 20 years' experience of camping, caravanning and motorcaravanning. Whether a novice camper or experienced road-tripper, a solo adventurer or family group, these self-guided tours provide inspiration to explore a region of the UK slowly and intensively. There are routes of all distances, from weekends covering no more than 20 miles to routes of 500 miles and more for those enjoying a longer holiday - all while overnighting in some of Britain's most beautiful locations. Collectively the routes explore some of the UK's very best scenery - from coastal views and mountains, forests and national parks, vineyards, lakesides and riverbanks, to pastoral idylls, wilderness and vibrant cities brimming with architectural heritage. They follow rural lanes, mountain roads with cautiously exciting hairpin bends, national A-roads of historic note and the odd official touring route such as Scotland's famous North Coast 500. Routes allow time to explore unexpected destinations, while well-known places are here visited out-of-season to avoid congestion and encourage year-round camping. Many routes are themed, helping readers enjoy a region's food and drink, discover its gardens, or visit historic and cultural sites such as Lincolnshire's aviation history. Many encourage 'slow travel' activities like walking or cycling. You can explore Teesdale's traditional hay meadows and wildflowers on foot, let your tastebuds roam around England's increasingly influential sparkling-wine industry, discover the beauty of Northern Ireland's ancient Kingdom of Mourne, stay at a tea plantation on Dartmoor, or view Dover's famous White Cliffs from a rib. Camping Road Trips: Britain is written in a highly personal style, based upon the author's own travels - typically as a solo female or with her three children - and is designed to entice readers to explore a region further at their own pace, taking in their own interests to produce a relaxing and rewarding holiday.

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Wild About Dorset is a new collection of nature writing from award-winning journalist and author Brian Jackman. Drawing on a decade's worth of monthly columns in his local parish magazine, Jackman paints a 'year in the life' of wildlife and wild places in West Dorset's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), where he has lived for fifty years. A rumpled, tumbling world of green-gold hills, bordered by the Jurassic Coast's crumbling cliffs and melting away inland somewhere north of Beaminster, few corners of England are so rich in wildlife or so intensely rural. Arranged month-by-month, this book celebrates the only place in the British Isles that reminds Jackman of the lost countryside of his youth. Complementing Jackman's love letter are thirteen colour illustrations by celebrated nature artist Carry Akroyd, an award-winning member of the Society of Wildlife Artists. This is a book about nature - an account of natural history observations. Start the year by joining Jackman to watch sea trout and mating foxes, and close it with mistletoe and little owls. In between, watch peregrine falcons fly along Dorset's Jurassic Coast, marvel at mad March hares, glow-worms and dormice, and witness the fallow deer rut amid ancient oakwoods. This is also a book about place - celebrating the vigorously local and unequivocally rural even more deeply than his book Wild About Britain (also published by Bradt). Via Jackman's pen, explore the holloways (old sunken trackways) and lynchets (medieval field systems) that characterise West Dorset landscapes. Indulge in haymaking, beekeeping and the pleasure of log fires. Visit Powerstock, a thatched village straight out of Cider with Rosie. Marvel at Kingcombe, 'the farm that time forgot', which was declared a National Nature Reserve in 2021. And enjoy views from a giant Iron Age hillfort marking the geological divide between southern England's chalklands and the true West Country. Evocative, personal and authoritative, Wild About Dorset is a unique portrait of rural England's wildlife and landscapes, a breath of country air that will inspire reader to don walking boots and grab binoculars, then fall in love again with the great British countryside.

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This new, thoroughly updated and expanded second edition of Bradt's New Forest - part of the award-winning Slow Travel series of guides to UK regions - focuses on this peaceful, enchanting area in Hampshire. Walkers, cyclists, wildlife lovers, families and foodies are all catered for, with coverage of a wide range of attractions. The only comprehensive travel guidebook to this compact, increasingly popular national park barely 90 minutes from London, it contains all the practical information you need to enjoy time here, including accommodation options ranging from fine hotels to campsites where grazing ponies may nose at your tent flap. Such free-roaming animals are integral to both the New Forest's charm and its suitability for a Slow guide. Here ponies and cows routinely halt traffic, while donkeys peer into shop windows. In a region named one of the world's top 10 destinations for outdoors enthusiasts in the 2022 TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice Awards, truly wild creatures abound too. Sites of Special Scientific Interest cover over half the national park. All the UK's six native reptile species occur, alongside its largest population of Dartford warblers. Given the region's name, the landscape varies surprisingly. Wander through ancient, broad-leaved woodlands originally established as hunting grounds for King William I (William the Conqueror), or marvel at towering conifers at Rhinefield Arboretum. Explore miles of heathland, the yachting town of Lymington or the great coastal spit leading to Hurst Castle (where the ghost of King Charles I is said to wander by night). Alternatively, visit distinctive villages from 13th-century Beaulieu, with its abbey, palace and National Motor Museum, to Burley, infamous for witchcraft. Alongside providing practical information with a personal touch, experienced travel writer and local resident Emily Laurence Baker leads visitors behind the scenes to explain the 'working Forest', outlining how various organisations manage the land, how grazing animals have shaped it for centuries, and how the 'commons' system functions. She further brings the New Forest to life through interviews with local people, from butchers to conservationists, and agisters to verderers, making Bradt's New Forest the must-have guide for all visitors to this beguiling region.

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Now into its eighth edition and written by Philip Briggs, the world's leading author of African guidebooks, Bradt's Rwanda has been the go-to guide for visitors to the 'Land of a Thousand Hills' for more than 20 years. Still the only standalone guide in English to this increasingly popular destination, it remains in a class of its own for in-depth information. With fresh research into developments across the country, Bradt's Rwanda includes expanded coverage of Gishwati-Mukura National Park, which opened to tourism in 2021, and up-to-date details of rapidly modernising Kigali, considered Africa's cleanest city. Rwanda continues to change and develop at an unprecedented pace - no country has a higher proportion of female parliamentarians - and there's hardly a more accessible part of Africa. It's no less intriguing for the convenience, however, and Rwanda's superlative natural attractions constantly improve, with growing animal populations, as in Akagera National Park, where Africa's Big Five (rhino, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo) can be seen. This new edition also includes extensive maps and natural history information, while details of kayak and canoe excursions on Lake Kivu and the Mukungwa River complement advice about staying on tea plantations at Sorwathe or Gisovu. It contains everything you need to know about tracking mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park (workplace of primatologist Dian Fossey of Gorillas in the Mist fame) and chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park (East Africa's largest surviving montane forest, harbouring numerous endemic birds and primates) and Gishwati-Mukura (which is also the only location for the rare golden monkey outside the Virunga mountains). Also covered are Nyanza, with its hilltop Rukari King's Palace Museum, and the Ethnographic Museum of Rwanda, the top cultural site in Butare (Huye). A chapter on nearby cities and national parks provides key necessary information to take an excursion into neighbouring DRC, including how to see lowland gorillas. As not only the most in-depth guide available in English, but also the guide with the longest history in the country itself, Bradt's Rwanda is the indispensable companion for visitors, including wildlife enthusiasts and Africa aficionados.

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'The average woman will live 30 years after menopause. You can have lots of fun in that time. This is our third act, the time that many women learn to ROAR! I'm now marinating in all the things I love most and writing about them.' After retiring from a distinguished career in education and health, Jay Courtney found life rather beige. 'I realised that I didn't know how to do this part of my life' she says. 'There was no route map to follow, only a looming 'Exit' sign, so I went on a quest to find a colour that suited me.' Courtney's métier transpired to blend travel and inspirational writing, combined with a talent for finding others whose experiences resonate. In Juicy Crones she fêtes the lives of women embracing their 'third act' with gusto. Written by a Telegraph travel-writing competition winner and former Women's Hour guest, Juicy Crones is a joyous celebration of post-menopausal women life travellers. 'Crones were revered as wise women, warriors, speakers of uncomfortable truths, carrying with them the wisdom of life' says Courtney. 'As for the 'juicy' part, this is me thumbing my nose at language often used of older women as 'dried-up', wrinkled, barren. Many older women I have met have been the very opposite: beautiful, vibrant, outrageously funny, full of self-knowledge, free-spirited. There is no better group to be part of. What we lack in collagen we make up for in wisdom!' Courtney's debut is a unique title with an infectious enthusiasm for living life to the full, that blends adventure with feminism, women's health with well-being, and autobiography with self-help. This is a book for the UK's 12 million 'crones' and anyone who shares their life, for women adventurers and for fans of Raynor Winn's The Salt Path, Caitlin Moran's More than a Woman and Helen Lewis' Difficult Women. And the first subtitle? 'Free for the Strangest Adventure' is a quotation from Virginia Woolf in To the Lighthouse. 'For me it represents the state of mind that enables a Crone to be juicy!' says Courtney. 'This is when the magic happens.'

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The Inuit Way is a mesmerising take on polar travel by explorer and award-winning researcher Edward Cooper. It is a gripping account of the author's travels across northwest Greenland, where he spent several months living and hunting with the Inuit. From there, Cooper and teammate venture across the sea ice on to the Canadian Arctic islands. Here, Cooper's quest is to track down a note left by David Haig-Thomas, a British Arctic explorer, nearly a hundred years previously. Suffering from snow blindness and frostbite, Fighting off hungry polar bears, surrounded by the white wolves of Ellesmere Island, Edward Cooper and teammate, who was suffering from snow blindness and frostbite, discover a land steeped in culture and history. Part travelogue, part adventure and part history, this is a thrilling polar travel narrative that offers insights into the people that live in the Arctic year-round. Meet Mikael, a young Inuit hunter who sleeps in a small tent on the sea ice, and fishes for halibut during the winter months. Join Cooper in watching Inuit hunters coach crack teams of dogs across the ice in the year's first dog race. Get to know a former Danish drug smuggler turned hunter. Experience the realities of Arctic life - drinking water carved from icebergs by giant trucks, and the constraints imposed on sanitation by permafrost and freezing temperatures. And journey with Cooper on a life-endangering expedition, where he falls through a crack in the ice into icy waters while watching his teammate continue onwards, oblivious to danger. Reflecting on his experience, Cooper appraises Haig-Thomas's legacy from his time in Greenland, and considers how life has evolved for Inuit families across the following century. Above all, Cooper sensitively discusses Greenland as a litmus test for a world that is evolving geopolitically and through climate change. The Inuit Way is a fascinating book that will be enjoyed by intrepid travellers, adventure junkies, polar enthusiasts, and armchair or real-life explorers as well as people interested in the environment, fishing or indigenous communities.

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WINNER - TRAVEL NARRATIVE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 (British Guild of Travel Writers) My Family and Other Enemies is part travelogue, part memoir that dives into the hinterland of Croatia. Mary Novakovich explores her ongoing relationship with the region of Lika in central Croatia, where her parents were born.. 'Lika is little known to most travellers - apart from Plitvice Lakes National Park and the birthplace of Nikola Tesla,' she says. 'It's a region of wild beauty that has been battered by centuries of conflict. Used as a buffer zone between the Habsburg and Ottoman empires for hundreds of years, Lika became a land of war and warriors. And when Yugoslavia started to disintegrate in 1991, it was here where some of the first shots were fired.' Shipped off to Lika as a child during the supposedly golden years of Tito to stay with relatives she barely knew, Novakovich has been revisiting Croatia ever since, researching the story of her family's often harrowing life: in 1941 her aunt was the only survivor of Serbs massacred by Croatian fascists; and her mother saved her grandmother from being buried alive when she was thought to be dead from typhus. Amidst adversity there is resilience and laughter, too, with plenty of light to balance the shade. Eccentric and entertaining characters abound, showing typically sardonic Balkan humour. And, this being the Balkans, much of daily life revolves around food, which features prominently. Throughout, aspects of Croatian history that relate to Lika are woven into the narrative to give the story some much-needed context. And in recounting her own family's tumultuous history, Novakovich opens up a world that is little known outside the Balkans, telling the stories of people whose experiences weren't widely reported at the time, when the devastation in Croatia was superseded by the Bosnian conflict and media attention moved elsewhere.

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A slow journey through some of the best-loved and lesser-known gems of the British Isles, from the illustrator and publisher of The Traveller's Colouring Book. Over 50 illustrations of people, buildings, wildlife and landscapes from across the country, produced on elegant 150gsm paper - so no show-through! Each illustration is accompanied by an informative caption from one of Bradt's award-winning Slow Travel guides. After that, it's up to you. From Scotland to the West Country, Wales to East Anglia, an enticing mix of scenes is depicted, ready to be brought to life in full colour. Pencils at the ready for the Glenfinnan (Harry Potter) viaduct, the Isle of Skye, Whitby's 199 steps, Oxford and the Cotswolds, Windsor Castle, Exmoor ponies and delightful Fowey. Look beyond the obvious, too, with a nod to glass-blowing heritage, Devon gnome reserve, Italian chapel on Orkney and blooming wisteria in Notting Hill. Whether you're on the road or stuck at home, The Slow Travel Colouring Book is the perfect cure for wanderlust. Mindfulness has never been so enriching, inspirational - or colourful.

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History and heritage are among Britain's greatest passions. Travel writers and historians Helen and Neil Matthews have selected 52 places that are wonderful examples of natural, architectural, industrial or cultural heritage. Some are neglected or under-rated and deserve more attention. Others are famous locations waiting to be enjoyed from new perspectives. Heritage Weekends is here to help you explore and indulge your passion for Britain's past: from the Prehistoric era, through ancient, medieval, Tudor, Regency and Victorian times to the 20th century. With their inspirational guide you'll meet some of our greatest creative geniuses, monarchs and heroes, eccentrics and legends, giants and saints. And you'll find everything from the world's most famous map to a vision of Hell! As well as detailed descriptions of the sites, Heritage Weekends includes suggested itineraries, directions and top tips for accommodation and eating out. England, Wales, Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man are all covered, with weekends divided into in-depth and shorter entries. All weekends include detailed information on how to get there, as well as suggestions for further places to visit if you have time to spare. From St Albans' Roman remains at Verulamium to Avebury's stone circle, Windsor Castle to York's Jorvik Centre, Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon to the Neolithic sights of Orkney, there's more than enough to entice, stimulate and entertain. Chester's impressive city walls are also included, as is Portmeirion, the war tunnels and underground hospital on Jersey, and Margate's mysterious Shell Grotto. Literary buffs can explore Jane Austen's Bath or visit the home of Sir Walter Scott at romantic Abbotsford House in the Scottish Borders. Ideal for all the family, whatever your interest, Bradt's Heritage Weekends lets you create your own magical tour of Britain.

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Folkestone resident and globe-trotting travel writer Simon Richmond turns the spotlight on his home county in this brand-new title, part of Bradt's award-winning series of Slow travel guides to UK regions. Walkers, cyclists, families, food and art lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts are all catered for, with coverage of a wide range of attractions, as well as all the practical information you could need to plan and enjoy time spent in this delightful corner of England. The diversity of Kent is striking, from Canterbury Cathedral, part of a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, to Dungeness, Kent's southernmost point, an extraordinary location and home to artist and film-maker Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage. The village of Pluckley was once named England's most haunted by the Guinness World Records, while St Leonard's Church in Hythe has the largest and best-preserved collection of ancient human skulls and bones in Britain. This in-depth guide covers all the most popular places as well as many of the lesser-known ones, dividing the county into five easy-to-follow chapters. Explore Dover and spend time at its iconic White Cliffs, saunter through Vita Sackville-West's gorgeous gardens at the National Trust's Sissinghurst estate, visit the grave of Pocahontas in Gravesend, and contemplate the delightful and thought-provoking public art of the revitalised seaside town of Folkestone. History has been made in Kent, at Hever Castle, where Anne Boleyn spent her childhood and which was later restored by William Waldorf Astor, and at Chartwell, the family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill. Kent's food and drink offering is increasingly celebrated, with a growing reputation for high quality restaurants and boutique wineries, not to mention the world's oldest brewer and largest collection of fruit trees at Faversham. From flora and fauna to castles, watersports, beaches and wildlife, discover Kent with Bradt's unique Slow travel guide.

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In 1522 Ignatius of Loyola made a pilgrimage from his home in Spain's Basque Country to Montserrat and Manresa. This new guide from Bradt provides all the information needed to follow in his footsteps in a neat, easy-to-carry portable format, including an essential mix of practicalities, such as when to go, where to stay along the route, national parks and public transport, and a detailed breakdown of the route's 27 stages. Start and finish points, level of difficulty, duration, distance, ascent and descent, and route descriptions are all included, as well as elevation charts, maps and what to see along the way. This is a unique secular walking guide to a religious-themed walk which takes intrepid hikers from the imposing tower-house and sanctuary of Loyola in the Basque Country, up through the stunning Basque mountains and down to the beautiful town of Laguardia with its myriad wine caves. Through the vineyards of Álava and world-famous La Rioja, the trail visits lively Logroño and follows the River Ebro eastwards, through the lesser-visited cities of Zaragoza and Lleida. Navarre and Aragón autonomous communities are covered, then on to powerful, independent-minded Catalonia, allowing walkers to connect with a region of Spain less-visited than the sparkling costas or the huge conurbations of Madrid or Barcelona. For its grandstand finish, the route returns to Montserrat and then Manresa, where Ignatius lived for months in the spartan surroundings of a cave to write his seminal work, the Spiritual Exercises. Having had their pilgrim passports stamped along the way, walkers are rewarded with a certificate to demonstrate their resilience in completing the route.

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With an all-year-round tropical climate and relaxed atmosphere, Barbados is the ideal Caribbean destination for some fun in the sun. Bradt's Barbados offers extensive coverage of the famous and lesser-known sights, from the glamourous celebrity-studded Platinum Coast to the wild and untamed remoteness of the Atlantic east coast. In-depth advice on accommodation is included, from luxury villas to local guesthouses, and where and what to eat from gourmet beachside restaurants to Barbados street food and rum shops. Also covered are details of events that capture the culture, fun, music, food and drink of Bajan life, such as a Friday night 'lime' or 'fish-fry' and sports, festivals and the much-loved Barbados carnival. Whether it's beaches or duty-free shopping along Broad Street, nightlife or cliff-top hikes, traditional villages or local rum distilleries, Bradt's Barbados has got it covered.

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Bradt's Western Australia is the first guidebook focused on the long country roads, inspirational national parks and world-class vineyards of Australia's largest state. Local resident Scott Dareff has visited almost all the state's 137 administrative areas in the past five years, giving him an extraordinary insight into, and knowledge of, one of the world's great wildernesses. 'Travellers often associate Western Australia with Perth' he says. 'But Perth is just the staging ground for travel to this spectacular state. Much of the magic of Western Australia comes when you venture beyond its capital city. Ningaloo Reef is every bit as astounding as the Great Barrier Reef, but more accessible. you can just walk off the beach into the water, and you're in among its reefs. The Burrup Peninsula has rock art that is 50,000 years old, while Margaret River is one of the world's finest wine regions and the nearby karri forests contain one of the tallest species of tree in the world.' Bradt's Western Australia capitalises on the area's geography to help travellers create the ultimate road trips in spectacular remote locations, without having to rough it or give up air conditioning, en-suite accommodation or restaurant meals. What's more, this is the first major guidebook to stray from the coast to provide in-depth coverage of the West Australian interior. For travellers looking for a unique experience, and 'something different', this book makes the Outback accessible and affordable, busting the myth once and for all that a trip to Western Australia requires a four- wheel- drive, a month off work, and deep pockets.

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"A vivid and intoxicating account of these beautiful islands" - Victoria Hislop. "A must-read for anyone who loves the Greek islands" - Richard Clark 'There's something about abandoned places which moves me and captures the imagination.' So says seasoned travel writer Jennifer Barclay as she walks with her dog and her backpack through the deserted spaces of the Dodecanese, islands that were once bustling but are now half forgotten and reclaimed by the wild due to a mix of misfortune and the lure of opportunity elsewhere. Join her on a journey through abandoned villages and farms, cave-houses and captains' mansions, the homes of displaced Muslim fishermen and poets, as she discovers beauty in the ruins, emptiness and silence, and inspiration in the stories of people's lives. A long-term resident of Greece, Jennifer Barclay spent more than four years researching Wild Abandon, visiting islands multiple times and talking to local people to hear their stories. She travels from the very west to the very east of the Dodecanese, from the very south almost to the very north, taking in some of the smallest and the biggest islands, and highlighting different stories along the way to show the complex history behind these havens of tranquillity. She discovers a villa intended for Benito Mussolini's retirement, an island that links a gramophone from St Petersburg and a portrait in the American National Gallery via a pack of cigarettes, and reflects on the days when an economy based on sponges and burnt rock supported thousands. Wild Abandon is an elegy in praise of abandoned places and a search for lost knowledge through the wildest and most deserted locations.

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This new, fully updated fifth edition of Bradt's Oman offers all the information needed to plan a visit to this rapidly developing Arabian nation, written by experts Tony Walsh, a veteran of Oman's travel industry, and Diana Darke, who originally worked for the Omani government in 1980 and has remained acquainted with the country ever since. All parts of the country are covered, including areas not featured by other guides, and Arabic script for town names is detailed to aid on-the-ground navigation and exploration. New for this edition are coverage of the restored medieval walled town of Manah, with its labyrinth of passages and mud-brick houses, developments at the UNESCO site of Ubar at Ash Shisr, and in Muscat the fort at Mutrah, with its panoramic views over the Corniche. Also covered are the seasonal cloudforest in Dhofar in the south, the mountains of the north that leap from the plains to over 3,000 metres, the two major international airports in Muscat and Salalah, transport and road developments making access from Dubai quicker and improving the journey into the Wihibah Sands, and new hotels and restaurants, from luxury to simple. For outdoor enthusiasts, adventure tourism, extreme sports (including caving and the via ferrata climbing route) and catamaran sailing are all covered, as well as birdwatching. Whether trekking little used mountain paths or visiting small villages wrapped around date oases, browsing the local market or enjoying the weekend camel and horse races, Bradt's Oman is an indispensable companion. From the famed Rub Al Khali, the world's largest sand desert, to the northern coastal town of Qurayyat, it offers everything you need for a successful trip.

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Bradt's North Cyprus remains the most authoritative guide available to the fascinating and beautiful northern region of the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Thoroughly updated by expert authors and now into its ninth edition, it offers everything you need for a successful trip, from pre-departure and background information including when to visit, red tape, safety, history, culture and natural history, to accommodation, restaurants, shopping, festivals, transport and money. The region is broken down into four areas, each of which is covered in detail, including Girne (Kyrenia), Lefkos¸a (Nicosia), Gazimag?usa (Famagusta) and the Karpas Peninsula, with its population of wild donkeys. Where to go and what to see are detailed for each area and attractions such as Crusader castles, Buyykonuk's markets and eco-festivals, beaches and turtle watching are all covered. There are also contributions from local specialists on flora and fauna. Steeped in history, soaked in sunshine, North Cyprus offers a great deal both to those who want to delve deep into the past or to those keen to pull up a sunbed and simply relax. Girne is still the most attractive harbour on the whole island, while Lefkosa's old quarter exudes the ambience of an old Middle Eastern trading town. Gazimag?usa is fringed with some excellent beaches, while also being close to North Cyprus's most revered historic site, Salamis. With Bradt's North Cyprus, hike up to Buffavento, stroll through the cloisters of Bellapais Abbey or go barefoot on the golden sands of the Karpas Peninsula.

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An engaging and beautifully illustrated full-colour guide to some of the most exciting wildlife in the world in an area about to see a significant increase in visitor numbers as a direct result of changes in the ice cover of the Arctic Ocean. Bradt's Arctic Wildlife is an ideal companion on board and on shore. A fascinating and informative read. Visitors to the far north cruise the Arctic coast in the company of humpback whales and belugas, see polar bears hunt ringed seals, and come in contact with a host of shorebirds and wildfowl gorging on the abundance of summer food. This revised edition includes new illustrations, a section covering the distinct flora and fauna of the Bering Sea and the revised version of the Arctic Code of Conduct. Tony Soper's expert knowledge is richly supplemented with full-colour illustrations by award-winning wildlife artist Dan Powell.

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Bradt's Alentejo remains the only standalone guide to this emerging region, providing all the information needed to find that idyllic rural retreat, beachside boutique or romantic hotel set in a converted palace. Restaurants, wines, cafes and cultural sights have all been meticulously chosen and reviewed by the author and there is a wealth of background cultural and historical information to unlock the secrets of the Alentejo's colourful past and captivating present. This new second edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect all the most recent developments and includes a new section on castle towns, expanded information on Alandroal and Juromenha, new coverage of Alegrete and the Serra de Sao Mamede and new features on everything from The Siege of Badajoz to Alentejo wild flowers, Portuguese grape varieties and the Rebel Prince of Marvão amongst others. More hotels and tours have also been added, especially around Évora, Monsaraz and Marvão. The Alentejo is Portugal's Andalusia - without the crowds - a landscape littered with Moorish monuments, sleepy villages and Crusader castles. The beaches are glorious sweeps of white sand, broken by rocky coves nested by storks, or backed by caramel coloured sandstone cliffs. The towns and villages of the interior appear little-changed since medieval times - clusters of sugar-cube houses tumble down hills from heavy-set castles. There are palaces and there are myriad megalithic monuments - lost in the rolling countryside in the olive groves, or among orange trees and withered cork oaks. Wild boar and lynx roam the extensive forests and heathlands - which offer wonderful hiking and hill walking. And the food. fresh Atlantic bream, sizzling prawns, forest-reared pork and dozens of glorious wines with which to wash it down. Expert author and fluent Portuguese speaker Alex Robinson has been visiting, writing and photographing Portugal for more than 20 years and in this new edition has evolved his guide to the Alentejo even further to make an ideal companion for a successful trip whatever your interest, age or budget: hikers, wine and food lovers, weekend travellers, history enthusiasts and those looking for a second home are all catered for.

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This new edition of Bradt's Taiwan continues to offer some of the most comprehensive coverage available and has been fully updated to reflect all the most recent developments on the ground. Author and long-term resident of Taiwan Steven Crook has been to every corner of the main island and every one of the outlying archipelagos. He has written about Taiwan's cultural and scenic attractions for international newspapers and inflight magazines and he has a keen understanding of what international visitors are likely to enjoy and what they need help with to appreciate. This new edition includes an even greater emphasis on the Taiwanese favourite pastime of local food, as well as increased coverage of increasingly popular east Taiwan and expanded information about the National Palace Museum Southern Branch. Place names and other useful words and phrases (for ordering food and arranging transport) are presented in Chinese script for convenient communication. Detailed coverage of the capital city Taipei is complemented by a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of the rest of the country, from Hakka Country to Kaohsiung and Pingtung and the minor islands. More than 58% of Taiwan is covered by forest, making the country as interesting for its wildlife and outdoor activities as for its cities and towns. Taroko Gorge, Mount Jade, national parks, beaches and birdwatching, temples and monasteries, peaks and mountains are all covered, along with beguiling islands such as coral Little Liuqiu, saltwater hot springs, the East Rift Valley and popular Lukang. Taiwan is often described as 'more Chinese than China', but in reality it's a complex blend of 18th-century China, ancient Austronesia and 20th-century Japan, with dabs of post-war Americana and an abiding passion for anything that tastes good, wherever it comes from. Bradt's Taiwan is the perfect companion for discovering all of this, written by an expert who knows the country inside out and is well versed in delivering exactly what you need for a successful trip.

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This new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Falkland Islands remains the only standalone guide to this British Overseas Territory and is ideal for both independent and cruise visitors alike. New for this edition is a dedicated full-colour wildlife and natural history section, as well as all the most recent details needed for a smooth trip, from planning and history to Stanley restaurants and hotels, conservation issues, wildlife watching trips and how to explore beyond the capital. East and West Falkland are covered, and so too are Sea Lion, Pebble, Carcass, Saunders, Keppel, Weddell, Staats and Beaver islands. Situated in the South Atlantic Ocean over 300 miles from South America the Falkland Islands are one of the truly wild places in the world, a photographer's delight home to albatrosses, penguins and other wildlife as well as to over 3,000 people. The Falkland Islands are a must-visit location for those interested in the wild outdoors, especially anyone wanting to see penguins, seals and lots more. It's not all about penguins, though, as the islands' abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery along with comfortable accommodation, good wholesome food and welcoming people create a wonderful place to visit. The thriving town of Stanley gives way to the wild open spaces of the 'camp' with its scattered settlements, long sandy beaches, isolated islands and rocky outcrops. With Bradt's Falkland Islands you can plan how to fly between islands, discover the 'camp' (rural areas), visit multiple penguin colonies, sample a wide range of cakes and cookies at a 'smoko' (morning or afternoon tea break), watch Black-browed Albatrosses, and visit the magnificent collection of artefacts and curios from around the islands at the new Historic Dockyard Museum. Whatever your interest, this is the essential guide for a successful trip.

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This new, thoroughly updated edition of Bradt's Belarus remains the only full-blown standalone guide to the most westerly of the constituent republics that formed the Soviet Union prior to the break-up in 1991. Written and updated by expert author and Russian speaker Nigel Roberts, who has been travelling throughout the country for over 17 years, it is the definitive guide to understanding, and making the most of a visit to this much-misunderstood nation. Included in this new edition is a detailed focus on the capital city Minsk, the most likely destination for first-time travellers and now becoming a major European capital city thanks to an easing of visa regulations, as well as coverage of each of the other five cities and all six regions. Roberts draws on his years of experience and shares many stories and vignettes of his own adventures and experiences of everyday life, all of which help to bring the destination to life. In addition, there are recommendations and tips from his wide circle of contacts, including people at all levels of the tourism industry, charities working on the ground, local people and travellers from abroad, who regularly share details of up-to-the-minute information, changes and developments. With Bradt's Belarus enjoy the opportunity to put the cliché to the test; only ever described by Western media as 'the last dictatorship in Europe', travellers certainly do have the opportunity to experience elements of life as it was lived in the days of the Soviet Union but can also see beyond the cliché as Belarus seeks to free itself from the Soviet past and establish its own heritage and place in the modern world. Discover beautifully preserved and restored museum towns such as Mir, Njasvizh, Novogrudok, Pinsk and Polotsk; see Soviet-style brutalist and modernist architecture; explore accessible national parks and vast areas of unspoilt wilderness, with ample opportunity to study flora and fauna; visit historic palaces and castles stunningly restored; and enjoy the unconditional hospitality of a people who are anxious to interact with visitors from the English-speaking world.

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A unique, comprehensive and colourful guide to over 250 breweries, cider mills, vineyards and distilleries across Britain. "Entertaining and thorough. an essential handbook" Charles Maclean Recent years have seen a huge increase in the number of these places all over the country not only operating but also welcoming visitors, from small single-man producers working from home to large, world-famous labels, and from well-established brands to the revival of 200-year-old manufacturers that had almost been lost to prosperity. Now, for the first time, they have been gathered together in a single book which celebrates their craftsmanship, pinpoints their locations, describes who they are and what they do, and provides detailed information about how you can visit and sample their wares. Expert authors Ted Bruning, previously of What's Brewing magazine, and Rupert Wheeler, previously of Whisky Magazine, focus on places that are normally open during the holiday season, have a visitor centre and shop, and (in most cases) welcome families so you don't have to leave the kids in the car! Arranged by country, with chapters concentrating on individual counties and regions, no matter where you are you'll find a brewery, cider mill, distillery or vineyard within reach, many in historic, beautiful or quirky locations, from a brewery in a windmill to a distiller in the operating theatre of a former animal hospital.

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This thoroughly updated third edition of Bradt's Iraq remains the only dedicated guide to this ancient land. Up-to-date travel information is included, plus all the necessary safety details. Ideal for both armchair and in-destination travel, it covers history, archaeology and culture, including iconic sites such as Babylon and Ur, the stunning architecture of the country's mosques, the natural beauty and wildlife of the Marshes and beautiful Iraqi handicrafts. New for this edition are more archaeological sites in the south, including Telloh and Charax Sparinou, Alexander the Great's port city. Muslim sites and festivals are covered, as is the influence of Shia Islam and the geo-politics of the region. The modern development of Iraq is starting to look exciting and after years in which ancient sites have suffered destruction and neglect, archaeologists are now breaking new grounds and making new discoveries. Iraq's rich and inspirational history is easily forgotten in the tragic turmoil of recent years. This is where writing began and where zero was introduced into mathematics. Although parts of the country remain off limits to tourists, there is plenty to see elsewhere, from Kurdistan's capital, Erbil, one of the world's oldest inhabited cities, to the dazzling shrines of Kerbala, Najaf and Kufa, ruins of ancient Mesopotamian cities, sites of recent US military history such as Fallujah, and the grave of Gertrude Bell, who explored, mapped and excavated the world of the Arabs and provided military intelligence for TE Lawrence's military activities. You can visit the Tombs of the Iraqi Royal family and Ctesiphon, the largest free-standing brick archway in the world, see archaeological proof of the great flood, mentioned in the Bible and the Gilgamesh, and discover the treasures of the National Museum of Iraq. The authors bring their considerable knowledge and understanding of Iraq to provide all the practical and background information needed for a successful trip. Advice on cultural awareness and religious sensitivity in the context of Iraqi history, along with where to get the latest information on which parts of the country you can still visit, make this an invaluable guide.

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This fully updated fourth edition of Bradt's Borneo remains the essential guide for visiting this island paradise, focusing on Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei. With all the latest practical information, plus new features such as coverage of the gateway cities of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and a review of the political situation and conservation issues, Bradt's Borneo offers everything you need. Expert author Tamara Thiessen offers in-depth background chapters on the island's exceptional biodiversity and exotic tribal cultures, from the sultry rainforests and sapphire straits of Sabah to the incredible river journeys of Sarawak. Also included is insider information for touring the island, including regional capitals, rural outposts and national parks. As a world-recognised biodiversity hotspot, Borneo's variety and richness of plant and animal life is almost unparalleled. Just 10ha of Bornean rainforest can support up to 700 tree species -more than the number found across the whole of North America - while an estimated 5,000 of Borneo's flowering plant species and 500 animals are endemics, that is unique to the island, including the Bornean Orangutan, which spends more time on the ground than its purely arboreal Sumatran cousins. Also covered are internationally known locations such as Brunei's Ulu Temburong National Park, the stunning coral reefs of the east and west coasts and, in Sabah, the Danum Valley and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. From Brunei's mesmerising mosques to the limestone pinnacles of Sarawak's Gunung Mulu National Park, there's plenty to discover in this ideal companion for a successful trip.

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The new, fourth edition of Bradt's Zimbabwe remains the most authoritative guide available to one of southern Africa's premier wildlife and cultural destinations. Zimbabwe-based author, tour guide and archaeologist Paul Hubbard picks up the mantle of this new edition, ensuring that it remains bang up to date and an ideal companion for everyone from wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers to adventure seekers and hikers. All the most recent developments in the rejuvenation of Zimbabwe's national parks are covered, with in-depth information on facilities, advice on itinerary planning as well as how to select a safari. Also included is a range of clear, comprehensive maps that is unique to this guide, with many not being featured in other publications. With increased business confidence in Zimbabwe, scores of new hotels and guest lodges have opened countrywide. Comprehensive and detailed accommodation listings cover everything from luxury safari camps to budget stays for younger travellers who arrive overland, heading for the fast flowing waters of the Zambezi gorge, plus details of en-route accommodation not found in other guides. Recent years have brought significant change to Zimbabwe, notably with the fall of Robert Mugabe, resulting in increased investment and development in the tourism sector. Bradt's Zimbabwe is an invaluable aid for independent travellers as well as those on an organised tour. Many activities and off-the-beaten-track attractions countrywide are featured, plus historical and cultural sights such as the World Heritage-listed stone-built cities of Great Zimbabwe and Khami. Iconic Victoria Falls is also covered, and the mighty Zambezi River - perfect for adventure holidays - and the country's impressive range of birdlife which continues to draw enthusiasts year-round.

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A new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Australian Wildlife, covering habitats, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, the marine environment and where to go. Wildlife writer Stella Martin combines the encyclopaedic knowledge of David Attenborough with the enthusiasm of the late Steve Irwin to offer a unique guide which, compared to others, is variously more portable and more detailed, has a broader scope, goes beyond identification notes and includes an in-depth guide to ecosystems. It also covers all regions of Australia. Background chapters explain how Australia's wildlife evolved in isolation and how the geology, soil and climate affect its natural history. There is also a close look at Australia's infamously dangerous creatures, avoiding the clichés and putting their threat into perspective: although most of the world's most venomous snakes are found in Australia, they are by no means the deadliest. Essential advice is offered for avoiding hazardous wildlife and there are also useful first aid tips. Up-to-date information on conservation is included, including fire and its role in the Australian ecology and the effect of exotic feral animals and weeds. And there are tips on how to find, enjoy and identify wildlife with a 'where to go' section featuring a state-by-state overview of key wildlife sites, with maps. With a focus on interesting information about the general biology and behaviour of the animals - with some detail about the most commonly seen species - and explaining how the different ecosystems 'work', this guide is for visitors who want to know more about what they see but don't have room for an entire library of reference books. It is a book to read in bed - and encourage you to be up at dawn.

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This new, thoroughly updated third edition of Bradt's Kazakhstan remains the only guide available dedicated solely to the world's ninth largest country. This new edition covers all the most recent developments, including an updated history section, additional cultural coverage, more practical information to make independent travel easier, and the most up-to-date and relevant maps. Kazakhstan is more accessible than ever: tourist visas are no longer required and there are now numerous direct flights and connections from Europe. Tourist infrastructure has also significantly improved over the past few years and there are faster trains connecting east to west and north to south, as well as many options for internal flights. Kazakhstan is a modern country with a profound appreciation of its roots; numerous petroglyph sites with ancient rock art as well as the remains of Silk Road settlements testify to its varied history. The country offers a curious mix of Soviet nostalgia and architecture combined with the latest technology: Kazakhstan has better 4G coverage than Germany, France or Italy. For visitors, there are excellent opportunities for active tourism such as skiing, hiking, rafting, horse riding or simply gazing into the endless steppe. Bradt's Kazakhstan is indispensable for discovering this extraordinary country, a place that is as geographically diverse as its cultural mix: around 130 different ethnic groups calls Kazakhstan home. From snow-covered peaks with excellent skiing opportunities and hiking trails through river valleys to the secluded lakes of the Tian Shan Mountains, to endless semi-desert steppes and then on to the blue waters of the Caspian, Bradt's Kazakhstan is a perfect companion for all travellers, from nature lovers to cultural explorers, teenage backpackers to family groups.

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This new second edition of Bradt's award-winning Northern Belgium: Flanders with Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp remains the only standalone guide to this enticing region, home to more Michelin-starred restaurants per head than France and the largest number of comic-strip cartoonists in the world. Bradt's Northern Belgium provides in-depth coverage of Brussels, including the outer communes that are often overlooked but are home to excellent off-the-beaten track eateries and kooky museums. The guide covers every inch of the region, from the sandy stretch of North Sea coast, through medieval cloth-spinning cities like Bruges and Ghent, to quaint villages. Features include eyewitness accounts of what it was like living under the control of the Germans during World War II, a rare interview with one of the 29 Cistercian monks at Sint-Sixtus abbey in Westvleteren who brew the revered Westvleteren Trappist beer, and a guest contribution from Tim Webb, author of the best-selling Good Beer Guide: Belgium, who has written the section on beer, covering the best local tipples and which brewery to visit to try them. Also new for this edition is information on the new Brussels Airlines ' Hi Belgium Pass', a nationwide Belgian rail pass and city pass, a focus on the best Christmas markets of northern Belgium, and details of new WWI information offices and permanent artworks. Restaurant listings have been completely revised to keep pace with Flanders' dynamic dining scene and there is a new feature on quirky accommodation options and museums, including Brussels' Underpants Museum! Carefully designed walking tours of Brussels city centre are featured, and the guide includes more maps of the area than any other. With festivals forming a major part of Flemish social life, an in-depth list of events is included, from the hip Pukkelpop festival to the best village fêtes. Flanders has one official national park and several nature reserves, and this guide offers more coverage of them than any other. Emma Thomson has lived in the country for nearly a decade and her first edition of this guide won Best Guidebook at the British Guild of Travel Writer Members' Awards.

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Bradt's new Emilia-Romagna is the most thorough and in-depth guide available to this entire north Italian region (not just Bologna and the main cities) with a strong focus on history, background information, art and culture, as well as extensive detail on the Apennines along the Tuscan border, where you can escape the flatlands of the Po and go trekking, cycling and skiing. Here are some of region's prettiest villages, including Vignola, famous for cherries and lovely medieval Castell'Arquato and Brisighella. To the east, the Romagna part of this hyphenated region boasts long sandy Adriatic beaches, wildlife-filled lagoons around the Po Delta, and the world's smallest republic, San Marino. Written by expert authors Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls, possibly the world's most experienced travel writers on Italy, Bradt's Emilia-Romagna is the definitive guide to this diverse and authentic area. Bologna, the regional capital, is covered in detail, from accommodation and restaurants to galleries, museums, shopping and the new FICO Eataly food theme park. Emilia-Romagna combines the rich farmlands of the Po plain with dazzling cities strung like pearls along the straight-as-a-die Via Emilia. The capital, Bologna, home to the world's oldest university, and the smaller cities of Parma, Modena, Ferrara, Piacenza, Ravenna and Rimini are year-round destinations, each strikingly different, each filled with art and architectural masterpieces and fascinating museums housing everything from Etruscan vases to still life by Giorgio Morandi. Ravenna glitters with Byzantine mosaics; Parma, the town of Correggio, is mad about opera; Modena, with its stupendous medieval cathedral, is the hometown of Pavarotti and Ferrari; Ferrara has delightful early Renaissance frescoes; Rimini was immortalised by Fellini in Amarcord. With Bradt's Emilia-Romagna you can discover all of this and more. With 22 town and area maps, plus language, art and architecture glossaries, full practical information and all the background context you could need, Bradt's Emilia-Romagna is the perfect companion for art lovers, food lovers, families taking a beach holiday and city-break enthusiasts of all ages.

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Following on from the huge success of her previous titles, Wilderness Weekends (2015) and Britain's Best Small Hills (2016), outdoor guru Phoebe Smith returns with her top tips about wilderness cooking on a single stove, including fifty recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks. She also adds that secret extra ingredient to each recipe - an incredible sense of place - from moorland to coast, woodland, mountains or riverside. This innovative title is packed with advice on how to get the most out of walking in wild places, wild camping and wild cooking. Heading out into the wilds is incredible, but the food you eat when you go wild can be unimaginative - all pre-packed, dehydrated camping meals crammed with salt and colouring. This book, the first written specifically for wild campers, teaches you the tricks to make the tastiest food with limited ingredients and all at the lightest weight so that you can be assured of good food that won't break your back. Bradt's Wilderness Cookbook also includes countryside safety tips, information about understanding the countryside and suggestions and instructions for things to make on the fly, be it an item of cutlery or a driftwood den. The basics of foraging are also covered, from using sphagnum moss to clean your pots to finding cockles to add to your stew or bilberries to mix into your porridge. No matter where you are, what type of terrain you're covering or what season it is, this inspirational new title will have a recipe to fit the moment, from Turmeric Pitta Eggs or Cinnamon Lemon Muffins for breakfast to Brunch Burritos or Super Couscous for lunch, Campfire Rosemary and Nettle Mushrooms for dinner and, to round off, Real Ale Pancakes or Campfire Tarts for dessert. With Bradt's Wilderness Cookbook, you can ensure the wild food you prepare offers maximum taste and energy for minimum kit, weight and hassle.

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Hot on the success of Wilderness Weekends, one of the top selling guides in 2015, award-winning travel writer Phoebe Smith returns with more great outdoor experiences tailored not just for the hard-core wilderness enthusiast but for novices and newbie hillwalkers alike. Take a friend, or take the kids - or both! - and climb one of Phoebe's favourite hills. There are 60 of them detailed in this easy-to-follow guide which champions a new easy-access approach to hillwalking. With 20 hills each in England, Wales and Scotland, from just 120 metres to a manageable 609 metres, and from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands, there's bound to be a hill for you. 'When it comes to mountains society seems to be obsessed with height' says Phoebe Smith. 'But those who shun peaks based on measurement are truly missing out. Following on from the success of Wilderness Weekends, people are always asking me where they can take a friend, partner or young child that will help convince them that the outdoors - and hills - are worth the effort. Answering that need is this book, it's all about minimum effort for maximum results.' Each walk also includes tips on safety, kit, weather, walking responsibly, maps, tackling hills sensibly, and taking children, friends and reluctant walkers. For some walks there's also 'Added Adventure' - caves, ruins or a background story for example. Britain is home to hundreds of hills, neglected because they don't quite measure up, so here we showcase 60 of the very best. 'Who wouldn't want to experience some of the best views in Britain for minimal effort?' asks Phoebe Smith. 'Don't believe us? Walk this way!' With Britain's Best Small Hills, discover not only where to walk, but also curious facts and places, such as one of the best small hills with a café at the top, the hill where Captain Cook became inspired to travel, the only Wainwright the man himself couldn't summit, and the Welsh peaks where the rocks that form Stonehenge come from. Phoebe Smith knows good mountains. For over 10 years she's been exploring Britain's extensively and has written about them in a range of magazines and newspapers in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia as well as being the author of 7 books - all on the British wilderness and the joys of camping. In addition to writing Phoebe has frequently appeared on radio and TV talking wild camping, travel and women in the outdoors. In 2014 she became the first woman to camp at all the extreme points of mainland Britain on consecutive nights - these included the highest, lowest, northernmost, southernmost, easternmost and westernmost points of the country, also becoming the first person to include the centre of Britain in her quest. In 2015 and 2016 she was shortlisted for the National Adventure Awards in the Inspiring Others category. In 2016 she was named an Ordnance Survey #GetOutside Champion for her work encouraging everyone to have adventures in the UK.

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A new collection of award-winning journalist and author Brian Jackman's nature and travel writings from the past 40 years. This is a nationwide celebration of Britain's unspoiled coast and countryside, concentrating in particular on Britain's wildlife and the wild places in which its most spectacular species are found, but also touching on fishing, sailing and the way Britain's history has shaped the landscape. 'Wild about Britain is not a guidebook' says Brian Jackman. 'It's an extended love letter to the British countryside; a personal view covering more than four decades of travels in the wilder parts of Britain.' Complementing Brian Jackman's writing are a small number of illustrations from Jonathan Truss, one of the UK's leading wildlife artists who has twice won the Frozen Planet category of the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year competition. What makes the British countryside so special is its chameleon quality - the way its character changes with every few miles. Sometimes it can change dramatically; elsewhere the landscape undergoes more subtle shifts; but every region has its own distinctive qualities and is possessed of its own special magic. Brian Jackman writes eloquently and evocatively, conjuring up the sights and sounds of everything from barnacle geese on the salt marsh of an Islay loch to star gazing on Exmoor, of a seascape of headlands, cliffs and wave-smashed rocks at Lands End, of eagles on the Ardnamurchan peninsula and the autumn rut in the New Forest. Ancient oaks, red kites, huge mirror carp, the oldest path in Britain and Border reivers are all included. As a pioneer of eco-tourism, Brian Jackman has been writing on these subjects for 40 years, first as a travel writer for The Sunday Times and currently for The Daily Telegraph. Although more widely known for his knowledge of African wildlife and safaris - he is the author of The Marsh Lions and Savannah Diaries - it is his love of the British countryside that has brought him most of his awards. From Cornwall to Hermaness and from East Anglia to the Welsh Marches, Wild About Britain showcases Jackman's writing at its best. Winner of the British Guild of Travel Writers Best Narrative Travel Book 2018.

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This new third edition of Bradt's Angola remains the only dedicated English-language guide to this increasingly popular southern African nation. Thoroughly updated, it includes full practical and background information, everything you need to know about the capital city, Luanda, plus coverage of the rest of the country in 16 chapters. Also featured are 38 maps, including detailed city maps for all 18 provincial capitals, plus a specific section devoted to the sometimes-tricky process of applying for a visa. Bradt's Angola is written by expert author Oscar Scafidi who lived and worked in Angola for five years, has travelled to all the country's provinces, and who has successfully completed a record-breaking kayak trip along the length of Angola's Kwanza River. Thanks to his knowledge, Bradt's Angola is ideal for everyone from independent surfers and bird-watchers on organised tours to fishing enthusiasts, conservationists, surfers, NGO workers and overlanders, not to mention adventurous travellers simply wanting to discover this intriguing country. Angola continues to change at a rapid pace and offers everything from colonial Portuguese ruins to $100-a-plate sushi bars, landscaped waterfronts to grand public buildings, Portuguese and Brazilian heritage to frontier diamond towns, tropical rainforests to desert, and relaxed coastal resorts on 1,000km of unspoiled beaches. It's also the site of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Mbanza Kongo, once the centre of power for the Kilukeni dynasty, who founded the city almost 100 years before the arrival of the Portuguese. Whether wildlife watcher or surfer, business traveller or pioneering adventurer, Bradt's Angola provides all the information you will need to get the most out of this vast country.

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This new edition of Bradt's Croatia is thoroughly updated to reflect recent changes, especially since Croatia's accession to the EU in 2013. Bradt's Croatia offers the most detailed coverage of all the guides of the coast and islands, as well as the capital Zagreb and areas further inland. New for this edition are: more details of Slavonia, new accommodation options in all price brackets, new restaurants, plus new features on Croatian wines and Game of Thrones locations and tours in Dubrovnik. Sitting at the cross-roads of Europe, Croatia offers an unrivalled mix of culture and nature. It continues to seduce visitors with its beautifully preserved historic towns and cities, magnificent cultural sights, gorgeous coastline, outstanding national parks and delicious food-not to mention some of the clearest waters you are likely to find anywhere in the Mediterranean.

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Basque Country travel guide. Travel advice and expert tips on the French and Spanish sides of the border and neighbouring Navarre, including Bilbao, San Sebastián, Biarritz, Pamplona and the French Pyrenees. Also covers walking and pilgrim routes, surfing spots, cycling, birdwatching, local cuisine, txakoli wine, maps and practical information.

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Northern Scotland Slow Travel guide. Expert local tips and holiday advice to the north Highlands, including Sutherland, Caithness and Ross-shire. Features Inverness, Easter Ross, the Black Isle, the east coast, northwest Sutherland, John O'Groats, Assynt, North Coast 500 (NC500) driving route and Wester Ross. Includes castles, lochs and mountains.

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