FOR us folk in the North-east of Scotland, travel to so many places involves a change of planes in the south... now there is another, more civilised way.

PRAGUE has become one of the most popular destinations in Europe, and it is easy to see why.

A VISIT to the Jungfrau mountain is one of the must-do trips, ever since we Brits invented tourism and discovered the Alps. Interlaken in central Switzerland has become well established and has a range of hotels from the superb Victoria-Jungfrau Hotel to backpacker hostels.

SLOVENIA is one of the smaller EU countries; it is about half the size of Switzerland and has a population of two million, with 269,000 people living in the capital Ljubljana.

CORSICA is a special place. It has a great sense of identity and pride; it is unlike any other part of France. It has the hot Mediterranean climate, but being an island the sea, glimpsed through narrow alleys in old cities and castles, keeps a freshness and lightness to the air.