The Spa Lover’s Guide to Europe by Sarah Woods, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-84773-818-9, price 14.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

Continuing this publisher’s highly successful travel guides, this one for spa lover’s followers the same format selecting the best destinations in Europe. The guide is full of fabulous photography that really makes you want to book a quick getaway. All the facts you need and a description plus there things you must not miss for each area of Europe. So wherever you wish to travel to in Europe, you can visit a natural spa or wellness centre knowing what to expect. There is a map to help you to decide from Iceland and Finland in the north to the Greek islands in southern Europe, from Spain in the west to Russia in the east. Full of interesting facts like the use of Ouzo during the Ottoman period in Greece. Enjoy thermal jet pools outdoors, the latest modern spas, thalassotherapy and ancient buildings. Find the treatments you want, where you want to travel.

Castles of Britain and Ireland by Lise Hull, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-84773-920-9, price 14.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

For anyone who loves castles, this is a beautiful book with superb photography and relevant text. There’s nothing like escaping the humdrum of life, getting away from the busy city and steeping yourself in history. Dramatic and majestic, castles evoke legend, lore and times gone by. The introduction tells us about different types of castle and fortification. The book is divided into chapters of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. There is a map at the beginning of each section. Each castle has essential information for visiting, historical and interesting facts. This is a wonderful compact book for the enthusiast of history and castles.

Wildflower Wonders of the World by Bob Gibbons, hardcover published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-84773-826-4, price 19.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in wildflowers. Seeing wildflowers in their natural habitat is awesome. If you cannot get to the sites in person, this is a wonderful book to transport you there. The photography is terrific and the book is so colourful. Bob Gibbons takes us to fantastic wildflower places from Europe including Ireland and the United Kingdom, Africa, Asia, Australasia and North America. See the machair of the Outer Hebrides, flowery hay meadows below Mont Aiguille in France, the grasslands of southern Transylvania, the Namaqua desert, rare orchids, mountain scapes and more. Soak up the colour and see flowers as they are meant to be. These natural habitats have a knack of making you realise just how beautiful the natural world is and why we should treasure and preserve such beauty. The text is interesting and informative. Each site has an information panel which helps you to decide when to visit and reasons to go. This is a book I enjoyed very much and is of interest to those who love natural flora, the gardener and the traveller alike.

Lost Cities of The Ancient World by Joel Levy, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1084773-991-9, price 14.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

This is an intriguing book that looks at ancient sites around the world. It covers the Near and Middle East, Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Far East as well as the Americas. From well-known sites like Macchu Pichu to the lesser known, this is a wonderful armchair traveller book. If you cannot get there, this compact volume will help transport you from your armchair to places dreams are made of. For the person lucky enough to entertain the idea of physically travelling, this book is a good introduction to the sites. It gives the historical background and key facts including dates. What really makes this book special is the photography. I have only visited one of the sites in the book, but this book is going to keep my dreams alive of one day visiting all of them.

Britain’s Best Historic Sites by Tom Quinn, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-84773-984-1, price 14.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

Celebrating a range of magnificent sites from prehistory to the Industrial Revolution this book fills the reader with wonder and awe. Each period is introduced with a map showing the sites in Britain. The fascinating information includes contact details and transport plus a description of each site. The book is illustrated throughout in colour. This book helps to bring history to life and helps you discover Britain’s heritage.

Royal Britain by Jane Struthers, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-78009-009-2, price 14.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

Subtitled ‘Historic Palaces, Castles and Houses’, this fascinating book takes the reader on a mini tour of Britain’s royal buildings. Information, interesting features and key dates are highlighted for each property plus a detailed description offering absorbing facts. It includes palaces past and present in England, Scotland and Wales. Illustrated throughout in colour, this is a superb book for royalists, those who love history or buildings. Its neat and compact format is easy to use.

Globetrotter The Best of Amsterdam by Robin Gauldie, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 1-84537-219-0, price 4.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

Slip this guide into your pocket for a weekend getaway or a midweek visit. It will provide you with all you need to know, giving the essentials in a simple format that is easy to use. There are pull out maps of Amsterdam and places to visit, but these maps are not easy to read, so you make want to pick up a map of the area. Activities, sightseeing, where to stay and eat, all the suggestions are here. I would have added the Trompenburg gardens in Rotterdam, a must for all gardeners but this book has more than enough to keep you busy.

The Food Lover’s Guide to Europe by Cara Frost-Sharratt, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-84773-817-2, price 14.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

This is a compact book full of information and good photographs. The book takes you through Europe with a brief introduction to each country giving travel details and indications as to the type of cuisine one might expect. It then looks at the main cities or areas with specialities of the region, markets and shops, suggestions on where to eat no matter what your budget and 3 things you must not miss for each region. Just two pages are devoted to each particular region or city. In addition, two typical recipes are given for each region. For the United Kingdom the book highlights Angus and Dundee, Monmouthshire, Shropshire, London and Cornwall. Some of the restaurants are rather predictable, such as Jamie Oliver’s in Padstow. I have eaten at the Old Coast Guard recommended as the mid-price budget for Mousehole and I can verify that the food here is wonderful. I think foodies will love this book.

London Dawn to Dusk by Jenny Oulton, hardcover published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1847739889, price 19.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

A lovely hardback book that will make you fall in love with London at any time of day. Great photography and sights from one of the greatest capital cities in the world.

Granada, Seville & Cordoba by Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls, softback published by New Holland. ISBN 978-1-86011-434-2, price 10.99 available from www.newhollandpublishers.com

This triangle of cities is popular with visitors and this book scores a big hit for including all three. I spent my year abroad for my Spanish degree in Sevilla and travelled to the other two cities. Whilst this has the practical information you need for a holiday, I thought something was missing. I did not ‘feel’ the ambience of the cities, there was nothing that explained to me the magic that is Andalucia, the soul of Spain. This is the 5th revised edition.