North African hospitality in London’s West End: Vivienne DuBourdieu is inspired by the Saharaween Restaurant’s delicious non-alcoholic cocktails and scrummy vegetable soup.

Have you noticed that there are some special spiritual places that speak to you places that you want to practise yoga in?

“Come on you soppy thing!” says Steve, “It all happened over six centuries ago!” But I still can’t help shedding yet another tear. My partner and I are in Coimbra in Central Portugal and I am sitting by a picturesque waterfall flowing from an ancient spring, known as Fonte das Lagrimas, the ‘Fountain of Tears’. For this place and the verdant woods surrounding it are the setting of one of the most heart-rending tales in Portuguese history, the tragedy of Pedro I and his soulmate Inês de Castro, lady-in-waiting to his wife. According to legend, it was here, where the lovers enjoyed their trysts, that the beautiful Inês was stabbed to death on the orders of Pedro’s father, Alfonso IV.

Last summer, after three years of on-and-off asana practicing, I thought it was about time I did a few mental exercises too. So in early October I flew to Spain to take part in my first meditation course and, unbeknown to me at the time, entered into one of the most grounding fortnights I can remember.

Viriam Kaur finds spiritual peace in the Osho Meditation Resort

 Italy is more usually associated with la dolce vita Emily Hynes finds a haven of holism up a hill

 Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is undergoing a time of political upheaval yet there are peaceful places there for all to explore

Boasting some of the country’s most impressive open landscapesand rugged coastline, sacred grounds and ancientarchitecture, Durham is an ideal spot in which to experiencetrue peace and tranquility.