Prancing horses and preening: Ferrari Factory Museum

By Jim Mathers in Maranello

It was a fitting start. A bus pulled up and a bunch of young Italian men, most of them sporting a Mattia Binotto hairstyle, jumped out, casually flicked their hair back and posed for a group photo under the Ferrari sign. They then scampered towards us to join the short queue to enter the Maranello Ferrari Museum. A block away, a Ferrari engine roared to life as a visitor jumped into the passenger seat for a paid ‘test drive’.

Cooperative Swiss: Shopping and saving in the Alps

There’s a Coop not far from the statue of the late, great Freddie Mercury at Montreux
… an extra bonus is the free loo near the entrance!

In Switzerland, the Coop is your friend. Jim Mathers loves the way Swiss shop.

While Switzerland is amongst the most scenically beautiful destinations in the world, it is also amongst the most expensive to visit. Coop is a chain of generally very well-stocked supermarkets (Migros is another, but we found Coop to be a bit better). You’ll find these outlets everywhere and you’ll almost always find one near a train station. One of the great things about Coops is their range of pre-prepared foods. You can pick up a ham and cheese sandwich, salad roll, a vege wrap, dozens of types of cheese, a sausage roll, a full salad plate, some fresh pastries and all manner of drinks, including beer and wine. This is handy if you’re jumping on a long-distance train and don’t want to spend big bucks on an onboard meal. 

Flash Lithgow, Wallerawang and Portland

An easy day drive or ride from Sydney and a historical centrepiece of the NSW Central Tablelands, Lithgow is easily overlooked as riders head west out to Bathurst and beyond

So I stopped in for an extended stay and exploration of the former industrial town and its neighbouring villages of Wallerwang and Portland. 

Ten facts and myths about Cuba

Cuba has long been a favourite destination among travellers. World traveller, Robert Fletcher, shares some observations from this energetic, welcoming and endearing destination.