Western Europe
Zandvoort, Holland
'A sunny day in Amsterdam-on-Sea, as Zandvoort deserves to be known, makes you wonder why holidaymakers bother going further afield,' says Simon. 'After a day on the beach, you can head into Amsterdam to enjoy the museums when the tourists have gone home; the Van Gogh Museum opens to 10pm on Fridays.' Beach Residence Zandvoort is minutes from the sand and boasts a cosy apartment that sleeps four from £80 per night.
Details www.beachresidencez andvoort.com
Andrew Mitchell: 'It's no good feeling hard done by'
In his first interview since 'plebgate', the former Chief Whip opens up just enough to concede that, in politics, you have to take the rough with the smooth
Corruption and the FCO: Blue skies, white sands, dark clouds
Special report: Met police call for criminal inquiry into former diplomat's Cayman Islands rule
Fallen angel: Winona Ryder bounces back
She owned the 1990s... but then she disappeared. Now, Ms Ryder is back with quite the bang in her latest role, as the wife of a notorious real-life Mob hitman.
Patrick Cockburn: Civil war looms in Iraq
The governor of Kirkuk - one of the country's most violent but successful provinces - fears the worst
Conquering Everest: 60 facts about the world's tallest mountain
The IoS marks the sixtieth anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first reaching the peak of the highest mountain on Earth
Killing with kindness: Burma's religious battleground
Six years ago, the world cheered the monks behind Burma’s Saffron Revolution. Now, a horrific new eruption of religious slaughter is being blamed on a 'Buddhist Bin Laden'.
Let's take it outside: Bill Granger's Bank Holiday feast
You can’t always depend on the weather – but you can avoid the pitfalls of the British barbecue by preparing an elaborate outdoor feast indoors ahead of time...