With Europe on our doorstep it seems silly not to make the most of all the skills out there and try to learn some of them for ourselves. Who says the French should be the only ones to cook a decent meal, or that the Italians should make all the best wines, or that the Swiss … should make the best cuckoo clocks and knives – or chocolate, anyway (though the Belgians might have something to say about that)?

Learn a new skill and impress your friends when you get home with what you’ve learned about the place you’ve visited.

For some ideas and inspiration, try these:
Monte Carlo is perhaps most famed for its casinos, lack of taxes and car racing. But did you know that they’re also pretty nifty with perfumery? You can learn to develop your sense of smell, learn how perfume is made and blend your own perfumes if you take a tailored course at Galimard perfumers. The course typically lasts for around 2 hours, but you get to keep your perfume – and then there’s the rest of Monte Carlo to enjoy!

If you’d rather drink concocted liquids than smell them, then head off to Sicily, Italy, to learn how to make Limoncello. Closer to home, you could visit the Brighton Rocks Bar and learn all about cocktails – tried and tested recipes and how to create novel drinks.

If you’re more of a foodie then travel to Paris and learn to make croissants from the masters of the craft. At Montmartre you can learn how to make croissants, brioche and pain au chocolat with details of how to make your own dough and with ready-prepared (and risen) dough available to use to learn the techniques.

Or, back to chocolate, you can nip over the border and find out how to be a chocolatier in Brussels, making chocolate from scratch and using it to make various tasty treats.

Enjoy!

All this makes for a pretty interesting place to take a holiday. You can spend as long or as short a time exploring Pompeii as you might like, but it is highly recommended that you take a guided tour to really appreciate all that you are seeing. If you prefer to visit alone, there are plenty of good guide books that will give you all the information you could want about the town and surrounding area, but having a guide explain things to you and point things out in a clear, logical order as you walk through the town is much easier to follow and makes for a much more relaxing trip. Guides are normally available to hire privately from hotels or you can join groups in guided tours led by guides employed by the local tourist office.

If you are thinking of travelling to Pompeii, then there are any number of places you might like to stay along the Amalfi coast. Sorrento is a beautiful Italian city not far from Pompeii, with a view of Mount Vesuvius across the bay.

If you’re planning on staying close to Pompeii but want to see some other sights in that area, then you could hire a car (though you need nerves of steel to drive in Italy), take taxis or investigate the local public transport links. Italian public transport is excellent – cheap, on time and clean – you really can’t go wrong, and most hoteliers will be able to give you full details of what buses or trains are best to catch to reach your particular destination. Most bus tickets are bought from ‘Tabacs’ (newsgentsclose to the bus stops and last an hour from when you stamp them on the first bus you get on – so you can travel as far as you want and get on as many buses as you need within that hour.

Close to Pompeii is lesser-known Herculaneum, which is closer to Mount Vesuvius and was hit by the lava flow before Pompeii was – it is rather better preserved than Pompeii and is less touristy, too, so you’ll be able to see things a lot clearer and get a real understanding of what happened there. It was coated in mud and lava very quickly, whereas Pompeii received a barrage of fragments of pumice stones and ash.

At Herculaneum there is even a fishing boat beneath which lies the preserved remains of 25 people who tried to flee the eruption – their boat was tossed back to shore by a tsunami that was caused by the eruption and they were trapped underneath the boat. Grim, but nevertheless really interesting!

Surrounded by Pennine hills, scars, caves, cliffs and potholes, this is a fabulous place to find a B&B to stay at night whilst you explore the local region by day. A good idea, if you want to combine a walk with the steam railway, is to take a short trip along the line – perhaps one or two stops – and walk back. The walk on the way back is clearly marked and accessible with only one or two steep hilly bits to hike over. Along the way you’ll find small villages and hamlets where you can stop for a well-earned drink and some pub grub for lunch before continuing your walk back into Settle.

Settle’s market takes place on Tuesdays and is worth a look around. There are plenty of car parks if you haven’t got a space at your B&B. The town itself is proud of its many independent traders which offer variety and charm that big chain stores can’t compete with.

There is a huge range of accommodation available in the town, from static caravans, to B&Bs to luxury hotels. You can spend as much or as little time in the town itself as you like – there are plenty of shops and tea rooms to keep you entertained, but there is also a good deal to explore in the local area.

A little further afield lies the famous Three Peaks in the Pennines: Whernside, Penyghent and Inglebrough. You might want to hike up one or even all three to take advantage of some amazing views. Penyghent is visible from Settle town. The others are a little further afield. If you opt for Inlebrough you can combine your hike with exploring the White Scar caves there, which offer guided tours. The route also takes in the famous Waterfalls Walk, along which you will see several waterfalls on a circular walking route.

Whatever you choose to do in or around Settle you will be sure to enjoy yourself and feel utterly refreshed after your break. Enjoy!

The Plitvice Lakes and waterfalls are considered one of the most spectacular, colourful and awe-inspiring natural sights in the whole of Europe and are registered as a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sixteen lakes are linked by rivers and waterfalls and are clustered into two groups – an upper cluster and lower cluster, between which are some fantastic waterfalls. They are famous for their vivid colours, due to their mineral content from the mountains, and range from deep blue to grey to green depending on the light.

If you’re thinking of visiting, the Lakes are situated between Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, and the coastal city of Zabar. Their natural beauty is enhanced by their woodland location wherein reside many different species of birds as well as bears, deer, boars and wolves.

The Park in which the Lakes are situated is open every day, all year with an entrance fee of about £10 per day rising to about £15 during the peak summer season.

Take a hike through the forest and admire the beauty of these lakes and waterfalls, or take a boat across the largest lake to relax whilst you enjoy the picturesque scenery. There is also a little land train that you can ride through the park if you tire of the long walk – take it along the whole route or hike for part of the journey and hop on at one of the many stops along the way. There are several paths and routes for hiking, so if you think you’re going to need the land train at some point then make sure you pick the right route.

There is a restaurant close to the park’s entrance, and you can stay at one of the Park’s own three hotels or at the Park’s campsite, or at any of the hotels or B&Bs located in the nearby towns and villages.

But is Brussels worth the journey? What is there to do there? If you’re a politician, there is plenty to do of course, since Brussels is where the European Commission and NATO are based, but what if you’re a mere tourist who wants to explore this thousand-year-old city?

The two main languages in Brussels are French and Flemish, with speakers of both languages steadfastly avoiding talking to each other in anything other than their own language. However, both sides do generally speak English very well, though it is worth brushing up on your French or Flemish depending on which area you are planning to visit, just to be polite – they really do appreciate it.

The obvious place to start your visit is at the Grand Place. In winter, it is lit up in spectacular fashion with Christmas decorations and markets and it is worth a visit at that time of year to see those alone. But at any time of the year it is worth a visit to have a look at the typically-Belgian architecture in the form of guild houses and the town hall.

There are several open-air markets to explore, and in the outskirts of town you will find supermarkets that have chocolate counters like we have meat or dairy counters in the UK. They’re the best and cheapest places to stock up on selected boxes of chocolates to take home as gifts or to indulge in yourself on the journey home. In the main centre, though, there are chocolatiers (which are a bit more expensive but which make delicious chocolates), waffle houses, fritteries and beer bars and, on Sundays at Gare du Midi, there is Europe’s largest open-air market to explore.

Another product that Belgium is famous for is lace and you can buy large examples (such as tablecloths) of intricately-woven designs or tiny examples in the form of lace butterfly badges that are nice to pin on your handbag as a reminder of your trip.

The city centre is nice and compact and can be easily explored on foot, but if you want to go further afield the Metro (underground) will take you quickly, safely and cheaply to just about anywhere.

You don’t have to stay in the UK to enjoy a horse riding break – there are plenty of great holidays in Europe that offer fantastic horse riding holiday experiences, and whilst you’re there you could take the opportunity to explore some of the local attractions on foot, too.

Here are some of our choices of horse riding holiday destinations in Europe for you to consider.

1. Portugal
The Portuguese are famous for their love of all things equine and breed those gorgeous Lusitano horses that you often see in international dressage competitions. Take a riding holiday along the coastal paths and beaches of Alentejo on a Lusitano horse to enjoy the scenery and soak in the fresh air.

2. Russia
Russia covers such a large area that it has massively diverse temperate zones and landscapes to choose from. If you are a confident rider and want to explore somewhere really unique on horseback then head for a trek up the Siberian mountains for an unforgettable experience.

3. Spain
This country features a world-renowned equestrian centre – the Epona – which is situated in a Hacienda that dates back to the 1500s. You can choose from amongst 65 horses to ride and explore the local area or take part in other equestrian activities at the centre.

4. Tuscany
Tuscany is hard to beat when it comes to spectacular scenery with its rolling hills, red poppies and blue lavender interspaced with walled cities bursting with character and architectural beauty and majesty.
What better way to explore the region than on horseback?

If you decide to take a riding holiday, what should you pack?

Firstly, you should always take your own hat. You don’t know whether or not the hat you would be given by a tour company or equestrian centre would match up to the safety standards we have here in the UK, and nor would you know if the particular hat given to you had ever been damaged so as to make it ineffectual against a blow.

You should also be sure to take your own riding boots if you have them, with a heel to help you to stay in the stirrup and worn in so as to avoid painful blisters. If you had jodhpurs then you should pack those too, to make your ride as comfortable as possible so that you can enjoy the experience to the full.

Take a small rucksack or bum-bag to wear on your ride to take your personal belongings with you, like your camera and wallet along with any insect repellent and sun cream (depending on the climate you’ll be visiting).

But where can you go to enjoy a few days off? If you choose somewhere too far away or hard to get to you’ll spend too great a percentage of your break travelling. Choose somewhere too close to home and it might not feel like a ‘proper’ getaway.

Here are some top ideas for short breaks for this year.

1. Vienna, Austria
Gustav Klimt is perhaps Vienna’s most famous once-resident and 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of his birth. Visit the Museum of Fine Arts, the Leopold Museum, the Albertina and the Wien Museum to see a series of exhibitions celebrating his works from his early pieces to his diaries and papers.

2. Basilicata, Italy
Visit this lovely part of Italy and stay at Palazzo Margherita (designed by Francis Ford Coppola, whose grandfather was born in the city). Explore the beautiful countryside and soak up the relaxing atmosphere unique to this part of Italy.

3. Paris, France
This is an old standby favourite for a short break destination. It’s easy to reach by plane or train and takes very little time to get there, depending on where in the UK you begin your journey. And there are so many things to do and see in this fabulous capital: the Louvre, Notre Dame, a walk along the Seine, the Eifel Tower, etc. You’re never short of things to do in Paris.

4. Butrint, Albania
The quickest, cheapest way to get here will actually be via Corfu, since budget airline fares are about to become available from Luton at rock-bottom prices. So you can choose to spend a few days in Corfu or you can choose to take a trip across the sea to Butrint. Butrint is special because it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a national park with the remains of a Roman city. Well worth a visit.

5. Northern lights, Finland
This year there is a better than average chance of seeing this amazing phenomenon because the sun is at its most active (apparently its periods of activity peak every 14 years) so you’ll have the best chance of seeing the Lights. There’s plenty to do in Finland even if you don’t see the Northern Lights, from skiing and sledging to riding a sleigh pulled by huskies and staying in an ice hotel.

Enjoy your short break!

Poland has been part of the European Union since 2004 and since then it’s become rather more accessible to tourists, who arrive looking for something a bit special from their visit.

Krakow was once the capital of Poland (Warsaw became the capital back in 1596) and consequently there was once a good deal of money pumped into making the city look attractive and wealthy, a showpiece for the rest of the country. Because all of that investment took place such a long time ago, what we’re left with today is a city packed with ancient attractions like Wawel Castle and the medieval Market Square.

There are tours available from and in the city will take you to see Podgorze and Kazimierz (resurgent districts) salt mines, Ojcow National Park and, if you’re feeling brave, Auschwitz.

But the city itself is worth exploring on foot before you consider any major excursions. It has that fairy-tale quality about its architecture that you might conjure up when you think of classical Eastern Europe. Wawel Castle was once inhabited by kings and legend has it that this is where all those stories you were told about knights rescuing princesses from fire-breathing dragons were born.

The city has plenty of places to keep you fed and watered that are full of character and ambience. Visit an underground pub, café or theatre and soak up the atmosphere. The Market Square is filled with music flowing in off the surrounding streets as musicians vie for space with local artists and actors performing for the crowds: this is, after all, the European Capital of Culture. Because of this title there has been a growing number of cultural events carried out in Cracow.

If you can, try to time your visit to coincide with one of the city’s many annual events – such as the Festival of the Jewish Culture in Kazimierz, the Summer Jazz Festival, Festival of Street Theatres, Wreath-Floating on the Vistula River, and the ‘Music in Old Cracow’ (a series of musical concerts).

There’s plenty to see and do in Krakow for everyone – so what are you waiting for? Book your holiday now!

For example, there are some of the oldest houses in Europe and neolithic villages, standing stones, stone circles (dating back to the bronze age), iron age brochs (fortresses). There are few ages that haven’t touched the islands and all have left their distinctive marks. There is a cathedral that was built by the Vikings (St Magnus, Kirkwall) and there are enormous walls between some islands that were built during the second world war to prevent attacks by submarines (these were called Churchill Barriers). There are also plenty of local birds to spot – including puffins whose colonies can be visited easily enough.

The islands themselves are very beautiful, unspoilt and serene. The sky appears simply enormous and there is a special quality to the clouds and colours that is hard to define yet is so different from those seen over the more southern parts of the UK. The beaches, whilst cold(!) are perfect for walking along – clean, white sand stretching for miles in the utter quiet and tranquillity broken only by birdsong.

Local produce makes for fine dining experiences – they produce award-winning beef, shellfish and home-grown vegetables. Orkney also produces many things that you may like to buy as souvenirs as a lasting memory of your visit, from hand-knitted woollen garments to hand-carved Orkney Chairs or jewellery.

The Orkney Islands might feel like the back of beyond but they are not without their modern conveniences. Cash machines, banks and stores accepting credit and debit cards are not uncommon, and there are good public transport links (on buses) between Stromness and Kirkwall. There are few restaurants, but most hotels double as restaurants or cafés for residents and non-residents alike.

Wear lots of layers to compensate for the cool breeze and warm periods – and if you’re travelling in Spring or Summer be sure to pack some sun cream as it is easy to get burnt without noticing, since the wind-chill factor will take away much of the heat – but none of the danger – of the sun.