The Sunday Times

From saunas and built-in speakers to easy grasses and striking pots, these are the alfresco trends to try now

One architect’s London home hadn’t been updated since the 1980s. After frustrations with builders, he got stuck in and helped to restore it himself

May is the perfect time to visit Dubrovnik. Notoriously crowded during summer, the city is noticeably quieter in late spring, before the school holidays start and cruise season gets into full swing. While it could still be a tad too chilly for a dip in the Adriatic, the bright sunny …

A British expat is one of many in physical and financial peril because of a rising tide of nationalism and a scramble for land and water in the age of climate change.

How fashion designer Louise Markey and her DJ husband revamped their rambling Cotswolds home

Each year the Post Office creates a report revealing which destinations are cheapest for British travellers when comparing the likes of food, drink, accommodation and exchange rates. The latest, released on March 15, had some surprises with typically expensive destinations such as the Algarve appearing more affordable than the likes …

Mauritius is a hugely popular winter sun destination but edges into low season by May, which means prices plummet in this expensive Indian Ocean honeymoon hotspot. Beaches are almost empty and attractions quiet, yet temperatures remain in the mid to high 20s and the sea is still gloriously swimmable. Humidity …

With its straight-from-the-movies sights and 24-hour buzz, New York City is always a good idea. By the end of March, it is starting to shrug off its winter chills and embrace spring just as the first cherry blossoms appear in Central Park. Further downtown, Macy’s, one of the world’s biggest …

French bistro chairs, chrome lamps, antique paintings … the design set have fallen for the humble car boot sale

Last weekend in Berlin — travelling with only hand luggage — I went from plane to city centre-bound train in a matter of minutes, leaving other passengers queueing at passport control. Visiting a friend in Barcelona recently, I was sitting down to tapas for lunch within an hour of landing, …

For high luxe at a low price, this fast-fashion label that doesn't follow trends is hard to beat

Inside the east London house that looks like a New York brownstone

‘My head was in my hands and I was shaking uncontrollably,” says Dr Claire Ashley, recalling an appointment in her GP surgery. “A patient had been very verbally abusive because they weren’t eligible for a sick note. After they left I started crying and I couldn’t stop. My next appointment …

The season of sniffles, colds, Covid and flu is here. And just as we prepare for chilly weather by getting out our jumpers, it is important to limber up the immune system too, nourishing and strengthening it with healthy foods to help fend off an onslaught of viruses.Our immunity thrives …

Qatar’s somewhat unlikely hosting of the 2022 Fifa World Cup thrust this small country, which sticks out, thumb-like, from the landmass of Saudi Arabia, into the spotlight....

Full disclosure: I’ve always loved skinny jeans. People say they’re uncomfortable but honestly, to me, there is nothing more comforting than having my calves hugged by soft, stretchy denim. So earlier this year, when Miu Miu, the instigator of all present trends, showed models traipsing down the catwalk in low-rise …

Full disclosure: I’ve always loved skinny jeans. People say they’re uncomfortable but honestly, to me, there is nothing more comforting than having my calves hugged by soft, stretchy denim. So earlier this year, when Miu Miu, the instigator of all present trends, showed models traipsing down the catwalk in low-rise …

‘I had no female role models,” Aneeqa Ali tells me. “I had no choice but to ask men everything I needed to know.”

Is that big black box dominating your living room? Here’s how to discreetly screen your screens

For the founder of Ameriacn Vintage, the perfect second home is only 40 minutes away.

A white neon sign and gold string lights draw in passers-by on the edge of a war zone. Down a set of stairs and past a small entryway with wall of a mirrors lies the Slot Games casino.It is dimly lit, windowless and has an open floor plan and the …

The firefighters were exhausted after spending three hours taming an inferno at a publishing house attacked by Russian missiles. They were covered in ash, soot, and blood from the bodies they had hauled from the flames. And they were not expecting much of a rest.It was Thursday in Kharkiv. For …

Rubber ducks in your master bathroom? Please! It’s all about giving children their own ‘wash space’

Forget switching off, the new way to maximise remote working is to plug in on ‘workation’

The soldiers had spent almost a fortnight digging trenches day and night to deter Russian forces from crossing the border north of Kharkiv, but at about two o’clock on Friday morning the enemy came crashing through. Russia’s new assault on Ukraine’s second city had begun.“It was silent at first, and …

On Britain’s high streets, there is a coffee shop on every corner and someone clutching a takeaway cup at every turn. Yet new research shows ordinary coffees have shot up in price by almost a third at high street cafés — and there are signs the boom may have peaked. …

Nearly 500,000 antidepressant prescriptions are being given out to children each year, despite guidelines that say they should be used only in the most severe cases. Experts said the figures revealed the scale of the mental health crisis among the young, with NHS services struggling to cope. Charities said many …

Custom home fragrances are the latest luxe flex — from roasted coffee beans to the smell of a beach holiday

From bar stools to banquettes via benches, we have the styles and the know-how for every type of seat.

A year spent knocking down walls has transformed this London semi into a family home as chic as its owner