Two centuries ago, in August 1819, the patriot commander Simón Bolívar defeated royalist Spanish forces to liberate Colombia and kick-start the South American independence movement. But who was he – and where can you follow in his footsteps?

You’ve dreamed of delving into the Amazon to spy macaws, spotting jaguar in the Pantanal or hiking the trails around the jagged spires of Torres del Paine – now discover a roster of less-well-known retreats.

For some three months from May to early August, Barbados shakes its booty for the island’s biggest, loudest, wildest party – but what is Crop Over, and how can you enjoy it?

In AD 711, an Islamic army from North Africa crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and began an invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. That conquest resulted in the creation of Al-Andalus, a domain of the vast Umayyad Caliphate. Though the last Moorish ruler was expelled from Granada by the Christian monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand in 1492, Spain still boasts many extraordinary Moorish monuments to explore…

Visit eight astonishing theatres across the globe – from ancient Roman arenas to extravagant opera houses and dramatic avant-garde architectural masterpieces

Got a sweet tooth? Check out seven hot choc spots to taste the world’s finest confectionary – and find out how cacao is grown, processed and transformed into the seductive delights we know and love