Colourful Nice! Spending a week here exploring the area on lots of day trips by bus and train

This week I'm heading to the South of France – staying in Nice and heading out on day trips around the region and into Monaco and Italy. The South of France is a great area to explore by train, like in this Provence and Côte d’Azur itinerary buff.ly/3W46fGE

*New* How to spend a weekend in Neath Port Talbot, South Wales (AD hosted): Discover the secrets of the Dramatic Heart of Wales in this two-day itinerary, featuring historic abbeys and castles, scenic walks and waterfalls Dramatic Heart of Wales buff.ly/3xO8m7z

The bluebells are out in force in sunshine in the Cotswolds this weekend – these beauties were spotted in @Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Siccaridge Wood yesterday

Magical Malta is a great place for a spring or autumn break, with over 3000 hours of sunshine each year. And I've just updated my Malta guides with the latest information for visiting Valletta, Gozo and exploring the island without a car: buff.ly/3WcPLfk

*New* A complete guide to public transport in Symi, Greece: How to get around Symi without a car using the island's buses, taxi boats and on foot ontheluce.com/symi-without-a…

*New* Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire is one of the largest and grandest stately homes in England – find out all about its fascinating history and everything you need to plan your visit with our new post explorethecotswolds.com/visiting-blenh… Blenheim Palace

Last chance to win a free copy of my new Edinburgh guidebook! Just sign up using the yellow form at ontheluce.com/my-book/ [winners will be picked at random at the end of the day and notified via email, and copies sent by standard mail]

I'm just back from a spring break in Neath Port Talbot Dramatic Heart of Wales (AD hosted) It's one of Wales' lesser-known spots with a mix of industrial heritage and outdoor adventures, including waterfall walks, ruined abbeys and castles, mountain biking and miles of beaches

Fancy winning a free copy of my new book? I have two to give away – to enter just visit buff.ly/4aoB1P4 and sign up for the On the Luce monthly newsletter [winners will be picked at random on 15 April 2024 and notified via email, and copies sent by standard mail]

*New* My latest Greek island guide is all about Symi, a charming small island in the Dodecanese just a short ferry ride from Rhodes, with a colourful Neoclassical harbour, hilltop old town and clear waters ontheluce.com/things-to-do-i…

If you're planning a trip to Greece this year (I can't seem to stay away), I've just updated all my Greek content with the latest info, from Santorini to Skiathos, Hydra to Olympia: ontheluce.com/tag/greece/

Last up in my tour of underground Paris is the weird and wonderful Arts et Métiers Metro – a steampunk-style subway station inspired by Jules' Verne's Nautilus submarine. You can find out how and why it was built here: buff.ly/4ceXS0C

*New* Eight scenic walks from Bourton-on-the-Water: Explore the Cotswolds' countryside and its pretty towns and villages on these Bourton walks, which range from 1.5–13.5 miles explorethecotswolds.com/walks-from-bou…

After visiting Paris' cemeteries and sewers, I couldn't miss the city's best known spooky attraction – the Paris catacombs, where a network of former quarry tunnels have been turned into a mass grave that’s become one of Paris’ more unusual attractions buff.ly/2HfefKN

*New* Visiting Paris on a budget: I've pulled together all my best Paris money-saving tips with 17 of the best ways to cut your costs in the French capital, from discounted museum entry and free tours to cheap Paris transport and low-cost viewpoints buff.ly/2SOd22Z

Planning my first proper trip to Norfolk this spring – please send any tips and blog posts my way, hoping to visit the Broads and coast with my parents – and without a car!

After that time I booked tickets to the Top of the Shard the week it opened and it snowed, I can’t be all that surprised lunch at the top of the Sky Garden ended up with a view of the inside of a cloud and not much more!

*New* 13 of our favourite gardens in the Cotswolds which make a great day out, from traditional English country gardens to exotic plantings inspired by Italy, India and the Far East explorethecotswolds.com/gardens-in-the…