You should have been there

An underwhelming new dawn for our railways, an inadvertent phone error by an airport boss and the unveiling of a "slow" race across the world.

We talk about the challenges of settling into French village life, review races across the world and wonder why we need a new airline linking the UK with the USA.

Join Simon on his tour of beautiful Croatian Islands and share your thoughts on holiday souvenirs, Voyages a trois and "Trevi Fountain wishes" for ways to make travel better.

Electricity blackouts, cancellations, widespread delays............We discuss how to hedge your holiday bets in an era of chaos and confusion. The photograph is of a work by the Argentinian artist, Pablo Suarez.

Enjoy our guide to the varied and often surprising charms of the country at the heart of Europe, and just a train ride from the UK.

One of the delights and challenges of a trip abroad is deciding where to eat. We discuss listeners' opinions on what to look for and what to avoid!

Mike Parker, author of the best selling "Map Addict," joins us to share his love affair with maps and his thoughts on the politics of cartography and the strong feelings that it provokes.

Author and professor, Jean Mcneil, joins us to talk about her new book, Latitudes, and leads us into some of the world's great wildernesses. Danger, adventure and thought-provoking reflections pepper the book, which is published by Barbican Press

Which country should you choose for your first visit to South America? We assess the attractions and weigh up the pros and cons of four big-hitters: Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Peru.

We discuss legendary music museums, Chinese airlines, sustainable breakfast buffets and the pros and cons of travelling with donkeys. Thanks to Florian Giorgio for his photo on Unsplash

Foragers take on anti-foragers in the great breakfast buffet debate, we continue the train limerick challenge and feature a topical update on romantic destinations. The website for info on the Robert Louis Stevenson trail is chemin-stevenson.org and thanks to Jill Sauve for her photo on Unsplash

We welcome Mark Smith, well known as "the man in seat 61" to discuss the bicentenary of the first official railway journey, a gift from the UK to the world. Mark's guide to rail travel is at www.seat61.com And thanks to Roland Lösslein for his photo on Unsplash

We discuss the possible impact on travel to the USA of the impending Donald Trump presidency while Simon reports from Florida on the often fraught interaction between humanity and manatees. With thanks to NOAA for the photo of a manatee and her calf.

Simon and Mick share their favourite travel moments from 2024- best views, meals and cultural encounters- before looking forward to 2025. Happy New Year, fellow travellers!

We talk to Dylan Harris, founder of Lupine Travel, about his tour company, how they decide on their destinations and what it's like to organise trips to "no-go" areas like the Darien Gap, Yemen and Afghanistan.

Simon recounts tales from his recent trek through Nepal's Lumba Sumba pass and, inspired by Rome's Trevi fountain we launch a strand of travel wishes!

Simon Calder and Mick Webb compare their recent lofty experiences in Nepal and La Gomera respectively.

We wonder if Brown Bears are good or bad for tourism, hear listener Sally Naylor's tale of her split-second travel decision and discuss whether the world is becoming too samey.

Philosopher and travel writer, Professor Emily Thomas, joins us to provide a cerebral take on motorways and their service areas.

Thanks to David Dixon for his photo of the M 40 services on geograph.org.uk/photo/3299492

We look back at the last 5 years of travel, at the changes, the experience of Covid and Brexit and at the best and worst of the 200 podcasts that we've made since 2019

We look back at the recent holiday season and mull over the highlights and headlines. What should we learn from them?

Our guest is Gordon Stone, editor of "Strider," the magazine of the Long Distance Walkers' Association. We discuss good treks, good preparation and staying safe in hazardous conditions. And we reminisce about our great and not-so-great experiences.

Taking bikes on trains, tussling with tensators and the trouble with tea bags. We share our, and listeners', tales of travel's challenges.

We welcome weather presenter Jo Wheeler to discuss the part the wind plays in our travels. Should we pay more attention to its wily ways? And what on earth is a "medicane" ? Follow Jo on X @weatherdolly and send us a voice note to YouShouldHaveBeenThere@hotmail.com

We unveil the charms of this multinational and multicultural peninsula: food, drink, landscapes, historical sites and modern attractions. Is it the perfect holiday destination? Meanwhile, the great tea debate rumbles on.

We hear what people look forward to most about coming home from a holiday

And discuss the challenges facing the new government when it comes to travel, transport and tourism

We enjoy the perfect day's walk along the Vanguard Way in southern England, taking in the forest haunts of Winnie the Pooh along the way. Plus a warning to travellers about the latest travel scam.

We discuss the merits of visiting Australia in the wake of Mick's trip to the less fashionable West and North of this vast country. On the agenda: strange pronunciations, marvellous marsupials, loud and lovely birds and the very important distinction between Salties and Freshies, just in case you meet a crocodile.

We reveal some truths about the legendary Orient Express, including who was responsible for "murdering " it. Plus more travel miracles and updates for summer tourism. With Simon Calder and Mick Webb

We discuss the controversial new tax on day visitors to Venice and look ahead to the charms and challenges of this summer's travel, including the best month to make your get away.

We explore the contrasting attractions of dark tourism for eclipse chasers and disaster seekers, while Simon tries not to miss his flight from New York. The website mentioned is dark-tourism. com.

We delve into "Type 2 fun" and discuss some places that might be considered necessary evils on the way to more enjoyable destinations. Like the Central American city in the photo.

Our guest is Mike Mackay Richards, author of "The Travelling Ape." Mike has visited 155 countries and has a perhaps surprisingly upbeat view of people and most, if not all, places. He advises us to get out there and enjoy the world rather then "vegetating in a little corner of it." His book is available from Amazon.

We muse on the weeks travel headlines about Air Traffic Control chaos and plunging planes, while Simon reports from the vast Berlin Travel Show where the whole world of travel is revealed.

We talk to Jonny Bealby, founder of the adventure travel firm, Wild Frontiers, about his life as a traveller and businessman. On the agenda: his favourite countries, most terrifying experiences and the item that he won't travel without. Website: www.wildfrontierstravel.com

Simon recounts the tale of his unbelievably cheap Irish journey and Dylan Harris of Lupine Travel reveals the rewards and challenges of running an adventure travel company.

We discuss listeners' thoughts on when their holiday really starts: as the front door closes, as you clear airport security, the train/plane/ferry begins to move.... ? With particular thanks to Cathy Adams of Times Travel and filmmaker, Ben Garfield

We showcase the strange restrictions encountered by listeners on their travels and compare our own recent visits to intriguing islands.

We hear listeners' tales of passport nightmares while Simon exposes a documentary faux-pas in a current Channel 4 drama series.

The wait is over. Here are the solutions to our "12 Days of Travel" Christmas Quiz.

The final destination makes a fitting conclusion to the 12 part quiz. Find the place then work out what connects all the answers.

We're in the heart of Europe for today's destination, the 11th of the 12 days.

A lesser-known, UNESCO-recognised delight is the tenth destination of the quiz. Can you work it out?

We go offshore for today's destination, the ninth in the series of 12 mini podcasts

Guess the destination one, a very popular European city, in the eighth of our mini podcasts.

The clues should lead you to a European port, the seventh destination.

Head for the Balkans to find this city, the sixth of our twelve destinations. Can you see a link emerging between these places?

The clues will reveal the fifth of the twelve destinations. It's in England!

Can you work out today's destination? A well-visited location with a well-loved building

Test your travel know-how and guess the third destination.