An Amsterdam canal with boats and historic waterfront buildings
Photo: Airam Dato-on / Pexels
TRAVEL NOTES

The details make the difference.

Planning a city break or a day at a famous sight? Find advice on getting around, what to bring and the details worth checking before you go.

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Lighthouse in Farol village on an island reached from Faro

A Ria Formosa island day from Faro: what to plan

An island outing from Faro needs a little preparation around the boat, the conditions and the return. Keep the city part simple that day, carry sun and wind protection and check the operator’s current details before leaving the quay.

Historic houses along a cobbled street in Faro

10 things people forget when visiting Faro

Faro’s compact old town can be one part of a trip that also includes a lagoon crossing or beach afternoon. These ten reminders help you plan the city and the coast as connected outings with different clothing and timing needs.

Captivating alley in Fes, Morocco, showcasing traditional architecture and vibrant art.

Bou Inania and Bab Boujloud: a short first walk in Fès

Keep your first Fès outing close to the western medina entrance. Bab Boujloud, Talaa Kebira and Bou Inania form a clear sequence, with carved architectural detail and a nearby café break.

A view of traditional leather tanneries in Fes, Morocco with workers in action.

Chouara Tannery: a considerate viewpoint visit in Fès

Chouara is a working tannery, seen from terraces above the vats. Approach it as an optional short visit, with clear expectations about shop access, stairs and photography, then return through the eastern medina at your own pace.

Beautiful sunset view over Fes, Morocco with a sprawling cityscape and hills in the background.

A first weekend in Fès: two manageable medina days

Give Fès two different days: one around Bab Boujloud and Bou Inania, another deeper in the craft quarters. A museum, a proper lunch and optional stops make this a usable weekend rather than a race through the medina.

Explore intricate Moorish architecture of Museo Nejjarine, Fes, Morocco. Elegant wooden carvings and arches.

Nejjarine Museum and fountain: woodwork in a Fès fondouk

Give Nejjarine more than a passing photograph. The fountain square and former merchants’ fondouk make a compact outing, with wooden galleries and a museum devoted to the craft of working wood.

The blue dome and geometric bands of King Abdullah I Mosque in Amman beneath a cloudy sky.

A first weekend in Amman: ruins, downtown food and the blue mosque

Spend two flexible days in Amman rather than squeezing the capital between long day trips. Put the exposed ruins first, leave time for downtown food, and make the second day a gentler mix of mosque architecture and contemporary art.

Visitors crossing Anıtkabir’s open courtyard toward the monumental columned mausoleum.

A first weekend in Ankara: citadel lanes and Anıtkabir

Spend one day around the citadel and another with the capital’s memorial and museums. Keep the climbs, meal breaks and indoor alternatives realistic rather than crossing Ankara repeatedly.

Antalya’s old harbour and stone breakwater beneath the city’s cliff-edge buildings at dusk.

A first weekend in Antalya: old town and coast

Give Kaleiçi one day and the coast another. This Antalya weekend balances an old-town circuit with a choice of beach or waterfall, keeping travel, shade and a proper evening meal in the plan.

Black-and-white detail of the elephant and kneeling figures at Wat Damrey Sor, the White Elephant Pagoda in Battambang.

A first weekend in Battambang: shophouses, temple sculpture and bats at dusk

Give Battambang’s centre a day of its own, then plan a separate countryside afternoon. This two-day starting point links the market, the White Elephant Pagoda and a Khmer meal before an optional circus evening and Phnom Sampov’s bat flight.