Casa Bonita Tropical Lodge is a boutique resort tucked in the heart of the rainforest. Formerly a private home the pretty 18 room hideaway has a canopy tour of the jungle and rooms have views of the Caribbean Sea or the Sierra Barahuco mountains. Barahona is the only place in the world where they mine larimar, a semi-precious stone the colour of the ocean. Locals say larimar can heal a broken heart. You can visit the mine and at Casa Bonita’s Tamana spa masseuse Miranda use

Ocoa Bay is the only vineyard in the Caribbean. Found in Azua about one and a half hours from the Dominican Republic’s capital Santo Domingo, its position between the Central Mountains and the sea has a dry climate perfect for cultivating grapes. I sampled a lovely Temparillo followed by a French Colombard of a quality to satisfy any connoisseur. Maria Claudia and Guillermo Mallarino left careers as oncologists in the USA when they fell in love with this location. ‘We noti

Denbies Wine Estate is a delightful 265 acre vineyard in an area of Outstanding Beauty which has been producing wines since 1986 and as English wines finally receive the recognition they deserve, the family owners have this year opened England’s first vineyard hotel. Overlooking the vineyard the 17 room Denbies Vineyard hotel has a charm that is both English country house and contemporary in style. There is a lovely conservatory restaurant and two pretty cabanas in the g

Famous for its pink sands, turquoise ocean and of course that infamous triangle, the small island of Bermuda with its quaint Englishness has a charm all of its own. And there is so much more to it than just the beaches. One of my favourite ways to see the island is by walking the disused railway line which stretches the length of Bermuda. Known affection ally as Old Rattle and Shake, the line was made into a national park in 1984 and over the past few years bridges connectin

In Montenegro, I fell in love the delightful man-made island of Our Lady of the Rock with its charming history. It was built by seamen in 1452 to house an icon of The Madonna and Child which they found washed up on the rock. To this day on July 22nd locals throw rocks into the sea to widen the surface of the island whose pretty blue-domed chapel has several striking paintings and tapestries, including one embroidered over 25 years by a lady from nearby Perast while she wait

image shows inside the Palazzo Bozzi Corso I am just back from the gorgeous baroque city of Lecce in Puglia, right down in the heel of Italy. Even a couple of days there is enough to explore the winding streets crammed with cherubs, gargoyles and gremlins grinning down from every glorious church. And then there is a fascinating Roman ampitheatre in the central Piazza Sant'Oronto which is just as busy as it would have been in days gone by, these days packed with people enjoyi

I am in LochAline which overlooks the Sound of Mull – it is a small place with one shop, one hotel and a social club but it turns out to be the ideal base to explore the enchanting Isle of Mull. Mull is steeped in legend and as well as the stag party there are eagles to spot while scuba divers can explore shipwrecks with the dive centre here. Mull Regular ferries reach Mull from LochAline to Fishnish from where a bus takes travellers to Tobermory. There is also a ferry to To

There is an exciting new food scene emerging on the little island of Ibiza with a wave of new restaurants and dining experiences. This month sees Ibiza set to host The Amorevore Food & Arts Festival (26-28 October) with stands of street food, wild food walks, long table banquets,pop up dining, cookery demonstrations and photography exhibitions.The festival highlights Ibiza’s growing status as an artisanal food destination and offers insights into global food issues. ‘Amore

Just a few minutes from the colourful West Cork village of Ballydehob, down a quiet lane, we find the lovely Pierce House, a wonderful B&B with its own two acre garden overlooking the sea. Perched in a high position with amazing views this has to be one of the prettiest houses in the area. Step into a breathtaking lounge with great views from floor to ceiling windows which showcase this beautiful part of Ireland. Pierce House is 3km (1.8 miles) from Ballydehob and 11km (6.

Looking back on our trip to Mexico last year which took us to Playa del Carmen, Izamal, Chichen itza, Merida, Vallidolid, Cozumel and, earlier in the year, Tumul and Coba, we found these lovely images, Rick Stein may have focused on the food in this colourful country in his recent TV series, but here are some of our favourite pictures of the amazing architecture we witnessed. Convent at Izamal Chichen Itza Valladolid Merida #Tops #Inspiration