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The creative power of scenery and steam continues to inspireThe myriad tracks and carriages of the British rail network have proved fruitful inspiration for generations of writers.
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From body-building to ballet, the refurbished Jersey Opera House is the Channel Islands' new National TheatreAfter years in the wings, Jersey Opera House is back on stage. Claire Jackson reveals how a landmark restoration set the scene for an ambitious and diverse new era
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From Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to T.S Eliot: London Library's most literary members go digitalMembers of the public can now browse the institution's collection online, thanks to the recent digitisation of their membership records.
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'I know that Serena Williams doesn’t like him': Meet the people, dogs and harris hawk that really rule WimbledonWill Hosie meets the unsung heroes of SW19, whose work behind the scenes helps to make the Wimbledon Championships one of the greatest events in sport.
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‘They’re brilliantly bonkers, but who on earth would build a pier today?’In the face of ferocious storms and changing visitor tastes, how can the British pier survive and flourish over the coming decades, asks Jonathan Lee.
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What's the difference between Glastonbury and Wilderness? Apart from a posh loo, not much at allIt could be worse. You could be at Coachella.
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The real passion of polo is found in its ordinary playersAs pony-laden lorries line up like dominos along stretches of emerald turf up and down the country, Rupert Uloth explores the lure of non-professional or 'low-goal' polo.
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Royalty, racing drivers and the Riviera’s most charming reprobates: Inside Monaco's fabulous partiesZachary Weiss takes a look back at some of the most epic evenings (and daytimes) in Monaco history.
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'The Luftwaffe created plenty of space in the city that is ideal for a game': How the game of boules is taking over BritainThe game of boules was unfairly maligned by Henry VIII for inducing the deplorable state of English archery, but, in its modern incarnation, it continues to thrive in Britain, discovers Harry Pearson.
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Which club is right for you?As the Season gets underway this month, our Lifestyle Editor rounds up the ten clubs shaping life across town and country.
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Where to eat, where to drink and where to shop in Chelsea, according to the Country Life teamThere's more to Chelsea than just the Flower Show so we've rounded up some of the best places to eat, stay and shop.
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'Rocco knows that the four-hours-on, two-hours-off routine of an Atlantic crossing is nothing to the sleep deprivation of Cowes Week': A spotter's guide to the SeasonAs hats and morning coats are brushed off, picnic hampers are packed and shoes are polished, we pick some of our favourite characters from the Season's milieu.
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'You don't want to be cast out of Car Park One, do you? A snob's guide to Royal Ascot picnicsSophia Money-Coutts goes through the dos and don'ts of Royal Ascot.
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John Goodall: Every attraction has a visitor threshold and pushing beyond it is destructiveThe Natural History Museum is officially the most visited UK museum but, this week's Athena asks, how much do visitor numbers matter?
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Under the arches of the Grand Palais, Hermès proves it's the master of leatherPhotographs by Christope Taniere; videos by Louis Sheridan.
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‘Never back a grey horse’: Where the Cheltenham Festival superstition comes fromJack Watkins breaks down this piece of Cheltenham folklore, as this year’s festival begins .
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'It’s come to my attention that standards are slipping': Sophia Money-Coutts on how to behave at the theatreOur weekly columnist is calling out badly-behaved theatre goers.
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It has been hard to keep track of the cascade of good news about the Arts, so we've done it for you2026 is shaping up to be a bumper year.
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Don’t old towns need saving?Out with the old and in with the new isn't always a good thing, this week's Athena argues.
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‘They don’t just fling themselves at you — they choose you’: Everything you need to know about the Scottish terrierFrom Queen Victoria and Franklin D. Roosevelt to Rudyard Kipling and Humphrey Bogart — the Scottish terrier has been winning admirers for centuries, but it is a breed that chooses its people carefully.
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Jazz music has always made a case for revolution, and we're falling back in love againThere’s more than a whiff of swing in the air–and on the airwaves. Will Hosie explores the resurrection of one of music’s most exciting genres
