Any Londoners sad not to see Lumiere London return to the capital this year should head up to Durham for the weekend, to the original home of the festival.
Over 35 artworks will be lighting up the medieval streets of the Unesco World Heritage City from November 14-17 marking its 10th anniversary.
This month also sees the opening of Auckland Castle, a new visitor attraction around a 30-minute drive away in Bishop Auckland, the former home of England’s Prince Bishops.
Once second-in-command to the King, they had the power to raise an army as well as permission to mint their own coins.
Following a multi-million pound conservation programme, visitors can walk in the footsteps of the powerful medieval figures who advised Catherine of Aragon on her divorce from Henry VIII and later campaigned for the abolition of slavery.
Cheap ski in Bosnia
New direct flights from Luton to Sarajevo with national carrier FlyBosnia are providing another affordable ski holiday option for Brits this year.
The setting for the Winter Olympics in 1984, the pistes on which the Olympic races were held have been restored, with the rings still on display. And the two main mountains, Jahorina and Bjelsanica are less than an hour’s drive from the airport, with 45 kilometres of alpine trails at Jahorina, as well as eight lifts.
Sarajevo itself has also been rated one of the top ten cities to visit in the world by Lonely Planet.
A week’s skiing from December 21-28 costs from £489 per person with Ski Sarajevo, plus flights on the new route at £195 per person including hold luggage.
Inspired silliness at sea
Princess Cruises is launching a new Jim Henson-inspired show called Inspired Silliness, which will debut on its latest ships, Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess.
Exclusive to the cruise line, the 30-minute performances aim to recreate the earlier works of the legendary puppeteer, creator of The Muppets and Fraggle Rock.
The show will open on Sky Princess as it sails the Mediterranean, before opening on Enchanted Princess following her June 2020 launch.
The Landmark's new look
Celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, the Landmark London has unveiled a multi-million pound facelift, with 291 rooms and selected suites refurbished for 2019.
One of the grande dames of the London hotel scene, the iconic five-star hotel is one of the oldest railway hotels in the capital, a stone’s throw from Marylebone, and has also been named the AA Hotel of the Year London 2019.
The refurbishment, which started in 2017, has included the public spaces as well, preserving the ornate architecture from the early 20th century, before moving on to the rooms.
With the latest changes overseen by Alex Kravetz Design, some of the modern touches in the rooms include adding 49-55 inch Smart TVs and upgraded complimentary WiFi, along with new beds and furnishings, such as Italian marble in the bathrooms.
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