From navigating quiet forest rivers in Germany to chugging along France’s canals fuelled by cheese and wine, our tipsters explore idyllic waterways

When the north Atlantic islands shut for a weekend to all but ‘voluntourists’ doing conservation projects, it was a win-win for locals and visitors

Strategy may involve tourist tax and closing down attractions in crowded regions

Only in bike-mad Flanders could they create an installation like Limburg’s Cycling Through Water, part of an art trail designed to regenerate the region – and be seen from a bicycle

A memorable journey on some of France’s famous trains, through stunning countryside, cities, hilltop villages, gorges and along the Med

As well as taking in these fantastic Spanish cities, this two-week itinerary also explores the ancient towns and dramatic landscape of Andalucía

There are plenty of opportunities to hop off the train between the two capitals and explore Sweden’s wilderness, lakeside towns and tiny islands