Advertise on podcast: Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Greenland, Iceland, Lapland – their names alone might make you shiver. Then there's the geological instability of Iceland (remember the volcano?) and the geopolitical instability of Greenland – the 51st state, if Donald Trump gets his way. But Clive Stacey, founder of specialist operator Discover the World, says there is a special appeal to the far north. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is finally fully open on the edge of Cairo. It tells the story of this amazing nation in what has become one of the world's key cultural attractions. Philip Breckner of Discover Egypt says the museum is turning Cairo into a city break destination – with nearby Alexandria also worth visiting. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That's the perhaps surprising message from Paul Griffiths, chief executive of the world's leading international airport: Dubai, whose code is DXB. Paul also tells me about Dubai's remarkable growth trajectory – and how close DXB will come to the magic figure of 100 million passengers this year. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a great city? The man who knows is top geographer David Gilbert, Professor of Urban and Historical Geography at The Royal Holloway Centre for the GeoHumanities. He tells me the key virtues of cities, and kindly takes part in a quickfire round in which he has less than a second to decide whether a city is great or not. You may be surprised by some of his answers ... This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Captain David Sanders, who has a long and distinguished career in aviation, tells me how passengers could help themselves by turning up on time and not drinking to excess; the joys of flying; and the most beautiful flightpaths. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Travel Desk Tuesday, and cruise writer Marc Shoffman is bringing me up to speed on the joys of river cruising – in Europe and beyond. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon Cleator has been travelling to the lovely south coast of Portugal for 40 years. She knows the Algarve like the back of her hand, and now offers a travel concierge service that you can track down online at Sharon’s Solutions This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trevi fountain in the Italian capital has been overrun by tourists for many years, and now the Roman authorities are seeking to impose some order. But top Rome cultural guide James Hill is unimpressed. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second part of my conversation with Buenos Aires local Stephen Melton, we discuss the highlights of Argentina beyond the capital. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the beautiful wrought-iron market of San Telmo in Buenos Aires, British teacher and all-round Latin legend Stephen Melton has been telling me about the Argentinian capital – what to see, and what to watch out for. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That’s the title of a challenging event being organised by campaigning group Flight Free UK. Director Anna Hughes talks to me about exploring Europe by rail, bus and ferry rather than taking to the skies – ahead of an online event on Thursday 5 February that anyone can attend. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/flightfreeuk This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first UK tour operator to China in the 1970s was Regent Holidays. Neil Taylor, now a tour leader and travel guide writer, was the man behind the trips behind the "Bamboo Curtain". He contrasts then with now, and offers advice for anyone seeking to take advantage of the new visa-free status of British holidaymakers. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am talking to Wendy Wu, founder of Wendy Wu Tours, a leading provider of holidays in the People's Republic. She believes red tape for China could be untangled in just a few days. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, has had its knuckles rapped over its charges for larger pieces of cabin baggage. I have come to London Gatwick airport, its main base, to explain the issue – and what lies behind it – and hear from passenger Helen Baillie who never pays more than she needs. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once again I am talking to Kaya Niedenthal of the Currency Online Group – but in unusual circumstances. He is a busy man so I could interview him only on the move, from his high-rise office in London’s Waterloo to the nearby station. The dollar is king, the euro is queen and the pound is still more a prince than a joker, is my conclusion. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.