Happy Holidays

What did diplomats do over the Easter break? A survey suggests that despite wintry weather, most would have spent their time off exploring beyond the M25.

VisitBritain asked 17 ambassadors about their travel habits and revealed some adventurous answers.

Austrian Ambassador Gabriele Matzner-Holzer chose Iona Island, the mystical burial place of Scottish kings, while Hungarian Ambassador Borbala Czako plumped for Warwick Castle.

Fu Ying, the literary Chinese Ambassador (who used to smuggle books to read as a child) visited Jane Austen’s house in Bath, while Danish Ambassador Birger Riis-Jorgensen was impressed by Newcastle’s modern architecture. He also plans a cycling trip from Norwich to York through Dane Law country and a railway trip through Wales.

Swedish Ambassador Staffan Carlsson, meanwhile, enjoyed opera at Glyndebourne and visited Chartwell (Winston Churchill’s home) and Finnish Ambassador Jaakko Laajava, escaped to the Isle of Wight once a royal retreat of Queen Victoria.

For naval enthusiast Dutch Ambassador Pim Waldeck Dover was a must, while Czech Ambassador Jan Winkler listed Arundel Castle as a top trip.

Spanish Ambassador Carlos Miranda visited Beaulieu Village in the New Forest, home to the National Motor Museum.

Most popular on the must-see list was the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District and Cornwall.