This castle with a tumultuous history in the Welsh book town of Hay-on-Wye has been given a new lease of life as a cultural centre.
Hay Castle
Porto: Churches, bridges and bookshops
From a bookshop that wouldn't be out of place in Diagon Alley to a criss-crossed steel bridge and azulejos-clad churches, Porto is teeming with interesting sights.
Hay-on-Wye
Straddling the Welsh-English border, this town flanked by the River Wye and the Black Mountains is best known for its many bookshops and annual literary festival.
Poitiers
With its ancient churches, numerous bookstores and tempting food shops, Poitiers is one of my favourite French cities. Its medieval centre is a maze of winding streets filled with charming timber-clad buildings.
Dyffryn Gardens: The manor house
This beautiful Victorian mansion set amid 55 acres of gardens was built in 1895 by the Cory family, who made their millions from the coal fields of the south Wales valleys.
Little Old World 