Marianna Hunt

Finally, after more than three years of delays and a couple of ripped up budgets, the Elizabeth Line is set to open this month. This new purple squiggle on the TfL map will mean we can zip from Paddington to Canary Wharf in just 17 minutes (half the current time) and, when the next sections open in autumn, from Tottenham Court Road to Ealing Broadway in just 13 (down from 28). These super-fast connections will open up a whole new world of dining opportunities and put underappreciated restaurants in far-flung locations on the proverbial map. These are the five places you need to discover.

This May Turin’s stately boulevards and grand piazzas will be flooded with sequin-clad divas and flag-brandishing fans, as it gears up to host the 66th edition of the Eurovision song contest. This is only the third time ever that Italy has hosted the competition, following Rome in 1991 and Naples in 1965. The country’s first ever capital (from 1861 to 1865) and the urban hub of the stunning Piedmont region (a foodie haven) – Turin is an under-appreciated gem among European city breaks. There's no better to time to discover the best of what the city has to offer ahead of the Eurovision Grand Final on 14 May. What to do With a seductive mix of Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, and Art Nouveau buildings, Turin (or Torino) is best explored on foot.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is mere weeks away – the floral spectacular that inspires us all to head out into gardens once again. In May and June a host of British flora comes to life, with dabbles of bubblegum peonies, shocking fuchsia azaleas and the syrupy smell of lilacs in the air. So why not draw inspiration for your own backyard by visiting some of the UK’s best and most beautiful gardens. RHS Chelsea Flower Show, LondonImage: Getty Rather than confining yourself to visiting one garden, head to this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, which brings together more than 30 – curated by some of the world’s leading landscape architects and designers.

Wine tourism is booming. France alone attracts 10 million oenophile tourists each year, generating almost $6 billion (£4.6 billion) annually, according to CNBC. But with places like Bordeaux, Champagne and Napa Valley in the US suffering increasingly from overtourism and rising prices, many wine lovers are seeking more offbeat destinations. From tiny islands to primordial forests and buzzing metropolises, here are the surprising places which make excellent wine breaks. Budapest, HungaryThere's more to Hungarian wine than Tokaj For most people, Hungarian wine starts and ends with the golden syrupy nectar that is Tokaj. But the country’s wine culture is far more nuanced than this lets on.

With around 15,000 options to choose from, how can a London restaurant stand out? Some have pulled out all the stops – setting up kitchens on water, in the air or offering something completely new. Here is our selection of the venues that best combine uniqueness with top-notch cuisine. Hawksmoor Canary WharfHawksmoor's newest opening This new East London joint sits on a floating pontoon that softly rises and falls with the tide. Diners must walk the plank (well, bridge) to enter the sleek lounge, which is complete with the 1920s-style sconce lighting, leather banquettes and marble-top bar we’ve come to expect from Hawksmoor’s restaurants.

When planning a food and wine tour to Italy, the first ideas that spring to mind might be a road trip through the Tuscan hills or feasting at a sun-soaked villa in Puglia. Few would imagine themselves hurtling down a red slope amid rugged snow-capped scenery. And yet, unbeknownst to many, the Dolomites is arguably the gastronomic (and viticultural) capital of Italy. South Tyrol, the local region, has 19 Michelin-starred restaurants (24 stars in total) – making it the most decorated province in Italy. In the small resort of Alta Badia alone, there are four Michelin stars –all attached to one restaurant, the St. Hubertus. Up till recently it had another two star-studded eateries. Not bad for a resort with a population half the size of the Isle of Skye’s.

After spending last Valentine’s Day locked down, this year it’s time to celebrate in style. Since life has been short on new experiences, hotel bookings this 14 February are expected to surge. Avoid the crowds and book one of these secret escapes to make Valentine’s Day 2022 a date to remember. Storrs Hall Wild, remote and topographically breathtaking: the Lake District inspired writers from Wordsworth and Coleridge to John Ruskin – the perfect backdrop for those seeking romance. Storrs Hall, a Grade II listed manor, has proven a particular draw for artistic souls in the area. Wordsworth did a famous recital of his Daffodils poem in its drawing room and Beatrix Potter visited to attend Storrs’ glamorous parties.

Until Covid hit, the Dutch Royal family had not once missed their annual ski trip to Lech in 60 years. This mountain village in Austria has a population of just 1,600 or so – roughly the same as Tintagel in Cornwall. Yet during 'the season' it transforms into the playground of European royalty, where you might find yourself in a cable car with Queen Maxima of The Netherlands or Princess Caroline of Hanover (Grace Kelly’s eldest daughter – who has a chalet in neighbouring Zürs). Lech is most famous for being the favourite ski resort of Princess Diana – it was on the slopes here that William and Harry learnt to ski – and has hosted F1 drivers Sebastian Vettel and Niki Lauda.

Holiday makers tend to divide themselves into two camps – those seeking culture and those for whom a holiday is not a holiday without a chance to flop on the beach or by the pool (with a good book and a cocktail for company). The good news is that in Italy you rarely have to sacrifice the former for the latter. Travel abroad has been slowly cranking into action again since September. And, whilst Omicron might have put a dampener on immediate holiday plans there's still plenty of opportunity to dream about next summer. Fully vaccinated travellers are currently allowed into Italy without the need to isolate which bodes well for a 2022 getaway.

What gift is good enough for the Queen? A crop of French Perigord black truffles (worth £150-£200 per 100g) is no bad choice – as Prince Philip discovered after 12 years of fruitless attempts to coax the mushroom into growing on the Queen's Sandringham estate. Aside from making the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly the first person to cultivate black truffles from English soil, the success also fulfilled a decades-long obsession he had developed with the elusive fungi. His love affair with these 'black diamonds' is said to have begun in the 60s after the Duke was taken on a truffle-hunting excursion in Italy by his uncle, Earl Mountbatten of Burma. 'We were never allowed to buy fresh truffles at the palace.

Birds eye shots of Aston Martins cruising along hairpin roads, steamy scenes on chalk-white beaches: the choice of James Bond filming locations has the power to put new holiday destinations on the map. Here we round up the best places to visit from No Time To Die - and rediscover old favourites from the archive. Puglia, Italy Some of the most nail biting scenes in the latest film involve Bond jumping from an aqueduct into a ravine to escape his pursuers then hurtling round the sidestreets of an ancient Italian town on a motorbike. Most of the scenes are shot around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Matera in southern Italy. Known as The City of Caves, it sits on a rocky outcrop with troglodyte settlements carved into its base.

After Cabinet members recently took to the microphone for a karaoke evening, is Westminster's new favourite hobby on course for a winter comeback? With summer days of al fresco cocktails and late-night picnics in the park almost behind us, a let-your-hair-down evening belting out karaoke could be just the answer. Here’s our guide to London’s best booths. Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes Bloomsbury bowling lanes Cosy rooms with vinyl records covering every inch of wall, studded leather sofas and low-lit kitschy lamps create a perfectly funky vibe for an evening of crooning along to Otis Reading and Stevie Wonder.

August 28 hails the great British getaway as people look to make the most of the looser restrictions and three day weekend. But you’ll have to travel far to escape the crowds this Bank Holiday. Follow our guide to the best, most far flung places. North NorfolkHolkham beach The white-gold beaches of North Norfolk feature regularly on lists of the UK’s most beautiful. Given the county’s relatively low road infrastructure, with no motorway to speak of, they are also blissfully crowd-free. Holkham Beach - which provided the backdrop for the closing scene of Shakespeare in Love - is a particularly lovely spot. On the shore there is a semi-circular basin which fills up at high tide to form a bluey emerald lagoon.

From slurping up pad thai noodles amid the petrol fumes of passing motorbikes, to dissecting a colossus king prawn from its shell under the beachy shade of coconut trees: part of the magic of eating Thai food is the experience that comes with it. It’s hard to replicate that among the skyscrapers and shopping centres of London. But for your best bet this side of the Andaman Sea, these are the seven spots not to miss. Smoking GoatSom Tum from Smoking Goat, made with Dorset clams Formerly a strip club, this Shoreditch joint still has something of a grungy look, with exposed brick walls, industrial lighting and vinyls playing in the background. However, it also serves outstanding Thai food and creative cocktails (we like the Thai-style michelada).

While most of us won’t be making it abroad to sip Apérols and swan around piazzas at dusk, London offers the next best thing. From rooftop feasts in Mayfair to fine dining among a wildflower meadow, these are the best summer terraces for al fresco drinking and dining. Kutir, Mayfair The rooftop of this Mayfair townhouse-turned-restaurant has been covered with a lush lawn and borders of topiary to create the feeling of a private garden, suspended among the chimneys of the surrounding mansions. Cosy candle lit tables sit among the shrubbery surrounding a glass skylight with views into the restaurant below. Ring the posh doorbell outside to enter. Kutir specialises in contemporary Indian cuisine, drawing inspiration from the country’s wildlife.

The long-delayed 2020 Olympic Games finally kicked off on July 23 in Tokyo. Events are being held without spectators after a spike in coronavirus cases locally. Even so, the breathtaking feats of athletic prowess will be enough to inspire many people to get off their sofas and into the great outdoors. Here are the best UK holiday spots to try out Olympic sports, from mountain biking to sailing. EquestrianCoworth Park, Ascot With dressage, eventing and jumping, equestrian disciplines require both skill and style. One of the best places in Britain to learn the basics of horsemanship is Coworth Park: a country estate and five-star hotel on the edge of Ascot. Explore the estate’s 240 acres acres on horseback including wildflower meadows and a polo pitch.

While weddings have been given the green light to go ahead with (some) degree of normality, overseas holidays have not. This means that soon-to-be newlyweds dreaming of jetting away somewhere exotic after the ceremony will have to make alternative plans. Fortunately there are plenty of very romantic honeymoon spots dotted around the UK. Here's our pick of the best. Isle of Eriska, West Argyll A private 350-acre island, Eriska was for centuries only accessible at low tide, via ford, or by boat. Thankfully there is now a bridge so that visitors to the five-star Eriska Hotel can schlep over with their bags and golf clubs.

While most parades and public fireworks displays have been called off for 4 July, it is still an excellent excuse for a good old American knees up. Good food and drink are key to any Independence Day party. From smoky barbeque joints to slinky speakeasies, here are the best places to celebrate in London. The Stafford The Stafford Hotel’s American bar was designed to dispel any sense of homesickness among visiting Americans in 1920s and 1930s London. Day-to-day items donated by visitors over the decades, from baseball caps to toy aeroplanes, dangle haphazardly from the ceiling. It is one of the longest surviving American bars in the city and a plaque on the wall commemorates world war two resistance fighter Nancy Wake, who stopped by every day at 11 a.m.

The fickle British weather has turned back in our favour – which means it is the season for the spontaneous mini break. However countryside hotels and campsites have been booking up fast. Make hay while the sun shines and book one of these boutique options for a countryside getaway, while spaces are still available. Ellenborough Park Hotel, Gloucestershire This country castle, which dates back to the Tudor era, has the honeyed yellow stone and crenellated turrets you’d expect of a Cotswold estate. Now a five-star hotel and spa, once you tire of exploring the 90-acre grounds, you can relax in the jacuzzi, sauna or heated outdoor pool. A half spa day costs £80.

As the weather warms up, it’s time to swap heavy dinners for fresh, light salads and outdoor dining. Often unloved and reduced to the role of a side dish, a good salad should be colourful, filling and able to take centre stage in any meal. Follow our guide to London’s most exquisite options. Zuaya The signature salad at this Latin American restaurant is a fiesta of textures. Melt-in-your mouth duck encased in a crispy batter contrasts perfectly with crunchy peanuts, silky leaves and a sticky sauce of cinnamon, cloves and fennel. The Ibérico duck is slow roasted for hours, before being rolled into balls and flash-dipped in a light tempura.