Articles written by Luke Waterson

30 kilometres north of Bucharest, Snagov Lake is far more than the capital's key recreation space: it also contains the purported resting place of Dracula.

Jun 23, 2011 - Luke Waterson

Eat your heart out, Singapore Slings. Last orders Long Island Iced Teas. Ever-inventive Copenhagen has a new cocktail to show off the city in liquid form.

May 30, 2011 - Luke Waterson

Poland has been intertwined with cutting edge classical music since the days of Frédéric Chopin. Now, musical pedigree provides some of its key attractions.

May 11, 2011 - Luke Waterson

Forming a fair chunk of the Poland - Czech Republic border, the crinkly ridges of the Karkanosze Mountains are a Mecca for outdoor adventurers.

Apr 12, 2011 - Luke Waterson

Mi Casa es tu Casa (my house is your house): so goes the classic Latino welcome, and nowhere epitomises this more than top Havana casa particular Casa 1932.

Apr 11, 2011 - Luke Waterson

Some of Ecuador's greatest train journeys are set to be reintroduced courtesy of a US$250 million refurbishment project by the government.

Mar 12, 2011 - Luke Waterson

Increasing numbers of people are tackling mid-winter blues with a ski holiday in the peaks of Poland and Slovakia's Tatras Mountains; and with good reason.

Feb 11, 2011 - Luke Waterson

For millennia Cappadocia's citizens have turned to the region's abundant caves to build their cities. Some forty are known in Turkey, and six can be visited

Jan 8, 2011 - Luke Waterson

The Caribbean may be famed for alcoholic drinks but Cuba, which invented mojitos and daiquiris, is the big daddy of cocktails. Here's how to make three.

Jan 4, 2011 - Luke Waterson

From the hot fish soup to the famous deserts, Hungarian cuisine is incredibly varied. Sampling it may be straightforward, but preparation is rather less so.

Dec 30, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Festooned with wonderful wild parks, full of fun hands-on museums and now even schooling the children of Angelina Jolie, Budapest is a great city for kids.

Dec 18, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Shopping for toys at Christmas and other occasions, it is hard to find outlets offering something truly different. The UK's old toy shops are one solution.

Dec 6, 2010 - Luke Waterson

A long-distance river hike isn't the first idea to spring to mind on a Prague holiday but the Berounka River is a great introduction to Czech Republic life.

Nov 29, 2010 - Luke Waterson

The budget flight bubble has burst. Taxes, hidden charges and waiting times mean even short European breaks are less hassle and more fun by boat or train.

Sep 2, 2010 - Luke Waterson

One of Bratislava's top attractions actually lies outside it. The suburb of Cunovo has reinvented itself as a capital of modern Slovak art-and water sports.

Aug 31, 2010 - Luke Waterson

London is renowned for its atmospheric watering holes, but those blessed with a stunning riverside view to boot are harder to find than many people think.

Aug 26, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Poised at the meeting point between the Sava and Danube rivers, Belgrade is the perfect place to start exploring either of these mighty waterways.

Aug 19, 2010 - Luke Waterson

The Croatia airport industry is booming with new cheap flight routes in 2010. Here's how to get from Croatia's three key airports to the cities they serve.

Aug 12, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Budapest is one of the key departure points for a Danube boat trip. It is also one of the most charismatic.

Aug 9, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Romanticised by Strauss, the Danube has long been enticing travellers. Bratislava, the first Eastern European port it passes, has many memorable boat trips.

Jul 31, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Bucharest's Lipscani district once got the city accoladed "Paris of the East." Caru Cu Bere is among the few eateries left from the 19th-century heyday.

Jul 28, 2010 - Luke Waterson

The Bulgaria Black Sea coast is known for long sandy beaches fronting dense development, but sun lovers can find fishing villages and lonely bays here too.

Jun 30, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Romanian Transylvania, with its brooding castle-dotted mountains, has a clutch of locations associated with terrifying tales about strigoi, or vampires.

Jun 28, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Eastern Europe's wild mountains, plains and forests are refuges for animals rarely seen elsewhere on the continent. Here's where in the region to find them.

Jun 24, 2010 - Luke Waterson

There is more to the Caribbean than the beaches. Here's a look at some of the other island highlights, from colonial Cuba to Montserrat volcano spotting.

Jun 16, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Zagreb is often overlooked as a destination by travellers bound for the inviting beaches south of the Croatia capital. But the city warrants a longer stay.

May 28, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Soaring a lush 318 metres above central Prague, Petrin Hill has long been the city playground of choice, and the wooded slopes contain hosts of attractions.

May 19, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Different aspects of London have inspired bands from The Clash to The Kinks into making music. Below is a selection of the very best London songs.

May 11, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Literary tours are increasingly vogue these days but few authors have left a legacy of sights like Franz Kafka's in Prague, the city he lived and wrote in.

May 10, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Birding is one of the greatest yet least appreciated activities in Eastern Europe-Birds are drawn by the mix of vast river deltas, grasslands and forests.

Apr 27, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Poles and a handful of Germans know the secrets of the Polish coast but otherwise this vast stretch of sand, ancient towns and remote forests remains relatively unknown.

Mar 26, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Few world regions can claim as astonishing a variety of drinks as Eastern Europe. From Balkan fruit brandy to Czech Absinthe, here's where to try the most inriguing ones.

Mar 11, 2010 - Luke Waterson

One of many novelties in Slovenia is its dinky coastline - the country has has just 46 kilometres of it - but they are 46 kilometres worth exploring.

Mar 8, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Many remnants of Eastern Europe's Communist era evoke grim images, but Poland's Bary Mleczne are the lasting proof that life under Communism was not all doom and gloom.

Feb 22, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Having emerged from the shadow of the Shining Path group which decimated the area in the 1980's, Ayacucho, the most beautiful Peru city, is again an enticing destination.

Feb 19, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Bland, dull, badly served: accustations a-plenty have been levelled against England's food. Yet there's a history behind why English cuisine looks and tastes how it does.

Feb 11, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Having been occupied by the Turks, Hungary had cafe culture before anywhere else in Europe. The suave Budapest coffee houses are integral to life in the Hungary capital.

Feb 5, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Finding appropriate Mothers Day messages or poems is hard - those in cards can be trite; those by famed poets, bleak. Below are some of the best-ever poems about mothers.

Feb 4, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Unlike the country's more touristy ski resorts, Vitosha National Park is where Bulgarians ski - with sublime scenery and top slopes right outside the Bulgaria capital.

Feb 2, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Author recluse Salinger died in January 2010 but Cornish, his New Hampshire home for 45 years, is set to continue as magnet for artists, writers and tranquility seekers.

Feb 1, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Train has been the most glam means of exploring Europe since the Orient Express made its first run. The more unfamiliar the territory traversed, the greater the appeal.

Jan 27, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Almost all visitors to Budapest will sample a spa during their stay. Yet Hungarian baths are a law unto themselves, and there are ground rules it is advisable to follow.

Jan 22, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Ljubljana hosts an abundance of classy drinking venues, centred around its trendy upper right riverbank district. A booze-up here means Al Fresco dining and chic décor.

Jan 18, 2010 - Luke Waterson

The advent of cheap flights has opened up Eastern Europe more than most holiday regions of the world. Here are some of the most worthwhile bargain destinations for 2010.

Jan 12, 2010 - Luke Waterson

As Eastern Europe celebrates two decades of being open to tourism, traces remain across the old Communist Bloc from the era when it was not. Bratislava is no exception.

Jan 11, 2010 - Luke Waterson

Croatia's islands are on the radar of most travellers as idyllic holiday spots. But with over 1000 lying off the coast, choosing which ones to visit can be overwhelming.

Jan 11, 2010 - Luke Waterson

These days Scotland isn't just a hotspot for whisky: there are also a network of breweries across the country. Of these, Orkney's Brewery is among the most distinguished.

Dec 22, 2009 - Luke Waterson

Britain is renowned for its eccentricities and its budget accommodation scene is no exception. Quirky cheap digs in the UK include a First Class train and a lighthouse.

Dec 17, 2009 - Luke Waterson

In a rarely-visited corner of Southeast London, Eltham Palace is among the Capital's top attractions: former home of Henry VIII and boasting outstanding Art Deco decor.

Dec 14, 2009 - Luke Waterson

Northwards of the bustling city of Vancouver, a wilderness opens up: no roads and no notable towns. In this lonely landscape survive many of Canada's 600 native peoples.

Dec 11, 2009 - Luke Waterson