A freelance travel writer since 1998, Christian has written or co-written some twenty guidebooks, two travel apps and a host of related articles for magazines, travel websites and UK newspapers. Clients have included Rough Guides, Dorling Kindersley, AOL, Tripadvisor, Ink Media and UK newspapers The Telegraph, The Independent and The Sunday Times. In North America he's covered much of Canada (particularly the Rockies) and Colorado; in Europe he has focused mainly on Germany (particularly Berlin), Austria, Scotland and Tenerife. Even when not working he likes explore, usually on one of his ten bicycles.
Montreal deserves its reputation as a place to let your hair down after dark with lots of good nightlife and entertainment. It’s Canada’s most happening city and it’s packed summer festival calendar almost always ensures that something major is going on. The city typically turns out in force to celebrate – be it the World’s Largest Comedy Festival or a...
If you have the pleasure of 3 days to spend in Montreal be sure to first explore Old Montreal by following the Walk Montreal in One Day itinerary; then visit Mount Royal and Downtown in 48 Hours in Montreal; before making full use of the city’s fast and efficient Metro to move beyond the center on day three of your...
Few would argue that Glasgow is a pretty place, but its centre, with all its impressive Georgian buildings and smart contemporary developments, has a dignity too it. Wandering its key shopping streets is easy enough and the people-watching great, but you won’t stumble upon many of the city’s key sights there. Most of these are a little outside the centre,...
Without question one of Europe’s most attractive cities, Edinburgh is worth a day or two of anyone’s time. With a seemingly unending series of hidden corners to explore, it’s a great place to just wander fairly aimlessly, but for a solid introduction to Scotland’s capital try this itinerary… Morning Walk the picturesque Royal Mile, the key thoroughfare in the multi-level Old...
Every Cologne resident has more than their fair share of zest for life and partying spirit – it’s in their DNA. After all, Cologne is more than just a city – it is a matter of the heart, an emotion and an unfalteringly positive state of mind. At the root of this outlook are carnival, kölsch beer and, of course,...
This itinerary begins in Aberfoyle, which lies an easy and scenic hour’s drive north of Glasgow and close to some of the most magnificent parts of the Loch Lomand and Trossachs National Park around Loch Katrine. Then after time in the great outdoors here, it’s another beautiful drive through small villages and towns to Stirling, a small city with some...
It was along the tree-lined boulevard Unter den Linden, in today’s central Mitte district, where the Hohenzollern dynasty assembled all the trappings of an imperial city in the 18th and 19th centuries and where, as their power ebbed, Berlin’s government district took root. WWII destroyed much of it, of course, but it’s since been rebuilt and added to by a...
A weekend will give you a flavor of Banff National Park and time to visit all its must-sees. While you’re unlikely to experience real brushes with wilderness, you’ll still be stunned by peaks, amazed by beautiful lakes, witness wildlife and truly understand what all the fuss is about. It’ll undoubtedly whet your appetite for another visit. Before beginning, book your...
One night in Banff National Park won’t do it justice, but with an early start you’ll certainly be able to get a feel for what all the fuss is about. But be warned, it’ll probably whet your appetite for another visit! Day 1 in Banff Lake Louise Starting as early as you can from Calgary head straight to Lake Louise at...
Say you’re already in Calgary and you only have one day to spare, try this Banff one day itinerary. Don’t worry. It’s not ideal, but it’s still possible to get a feel for Canada’s Rockies. Banff National Park and the town of Banff are only ninety-minutes away. With time precious, drive straight to town and park in a downtown lot or...
Banff has all sorts of good hiking trails in and around town which are so close you can even walk to some of them. The key hikes not to miss – in order of difficulty are: • The Bow Falls loop: this riverside trail offers the best introduction to Banff without much effort. • The Fenland Trail: another easy option...
This itinerary follows the magnificently winding road through the brooding Glencoe, Scotland’s most famous glen with one of the country’s most scenic stretches of asphalt, to pass over lower hills en-route to the coast were gentler seaside landscapes await around the pretty town of Inveraray. Morning From Fort William drive to Glencoe and drop in at the visitor center to...
This 6- or 7-day scenic driving tour runs counter-clockwise around central and northern Scotland and keeps driving to a minimum, but provides an excellent taster of the country’s finest assets. That means inspiring landscapes, outdoor activities, castles, landscaped gardens, wildlife, distilleries, historic attractions and time in two vibrant cities. There’s a also bit of flexibility along the way if one...
This itinerary travels north from the fairly unremarkable regional town of Perth, up the A9, the main road that winds through Perthshire’s leafy rolling hills to the barren beauty of the Highlands around Aviemore. Trains run the length of the route, making the trip possible by public transport. Morning A good first stop is the pretty little village of Dunkeld,...
This itinerary starts in Aviemore and works its way out of the Highlands and into the rolling agricultural whisky country of Speyside. It then travels up to Findhorn on of a number of pretty fishing villages with sandy beaches on the Moray coast. You’ll need your own vehicle to follow this itinerary. Morning Ascend Cairn Gorm Mountain by rail then...
In 1492 Columbus made his final stop in the Canary Islands before crossing the Atlantic to “discover” the Americas, and this volcanic seven-island archipelago 100 km off the Moroccan coast have lured travellers ever since. Not only did the islands quickly became a vital stop on trade routes to the Americas, but in the 19th-century they became a darling of...
The Southern Uplands are probably Scotland’s most overlooked region. This is a place of rolling hills, sheep pastures, forested valleys, lazy rivers and with a Lowland culture of its own. History Over the centuries this border country between Scotland and England was repeatedly raided and destroyed by the English and was long a lawless zone in which Border Reivers (raiders)...
The Scottish Highlands are Scotland’s most romanticised region and evoke all sorts of Scots stereotypes: tartans; castles; lone pipers; bleak but beautiful heathery mountains; a strong sense of tradition; and a stoic pride. They’re also pretty sparsely inhabited; the more so the further north you go. Eventually it’s just a matter of single-track roads snaking their way between herds of...
Scotland’s largest city by far, Glasgow has all the traits of a proper big city: an underground system; a plethora of cafes, pubs, restaurants, shopping and nightlife; extrovert fast-talking locals; bombastic buildings; traffic problems; urban blight, social problems and suburbia too. The city first really hit its stride as British colonialism did, then declined as the country’s heavy industry died....
It’s hard to imagine anyone visiting Edinburgh and coming away disappointed. With its hilly, seaside location and rocky outcrops the city has been blessed with the perfect setting to create one of Europe’s most attractive cities. It’s also amazingly varied, with a little of everything from urban buzz to rural nooks; from cosmopolitan variety and boisterous festivals to cosy relaxing...
In travel the greatest surprises and excitement generally lie in the unknown, so places that I knew little about or had the lowest expectations of were often the most remarkable.
A week long stay in a Tanzanian village stands out: the accommodation ended up being a solo stay in an old missionary house looked after by a maid who cooked amazing dishes over an open fire and seemed determined to seduce me. Better still, two locals who took me under their wings to show me around: a monkey colony; various waterfalls; the country’s oldest man (124!); a cow being slaughtered by hand; and the questionable delights of banana beer. They also helped stop me falling through a wooden bridge at night, which was every bit as unexpected as the rest!
Many underrated places are less than a day trip away. Often finding a new activity in them is enough for a fresh perspective and experience. In terms of countries, Germany’s the most underrated: travel is easy and there’s a little of everything there.
Bicycles travel at the right speed to fully appreciate everything: every breeze, hill and sight. You can to stop for photos at a moment’s notice; easily get off the beaten track; enjoy justifiably pouring over maps and earn a sense of achievement. And by the end of the day you’ll deserve a big meal and probably have a good night’s sleep waiting too.
It’s me that’s foreign.