That's the title of the latest series from the great historian Bettany Hughes – being broadcast starting Saturday 2 August on Five at 6.30pm. I caught up with Bettany during her latest shoot, and she told me more ...

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Thousands of airline passengers are waking up where they did not intend to be after the temporary shutdown of UK airspace on Wednesday. What are passengers' rights?

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I'm talk to executive producer Dan Adamson about the new BBC series.

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Global travel editor Annabel Grossman tells me: the slightly posher seats and service are excellent, shame about the inflight food.

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I'm overlooking the harbour in Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos. Even at 7.30pm, the heat is intense. Over the weekend we have seen more wildfires in Greece, as well as soaring temperatures in Turkey. What are travellers' risks, and options?

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On 25 July 2000, all 109 passengers and crew aboard an Air France Concorde departing for New York JFK died when the supersonic plane crashed shortly after take-off from Paris CDG. Four people on the ground were also killed. Concorde was grounded shortly afterwards and, despite a short resurgence with British Airways, made her final passenger flight in October 2003. Leading aviation figure Jonathan Hinkles has been telling me more – and explaining why supersonic travel may never return.

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I've been talking to Thomas Woldbye, chief executive of London Heathrow – the busiest airport in Europe. He explains why there won't be another runway until at least 2035 ... who will pay for the multibillion-pound project ... and what he plans for passengers in the meantime.

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With figures from aviation analyst Cirium, this coming Friday, 25 July, will see 3,255 flights out of the UK with 585,189 seats on board. Paul Charles, chief executive of PC Agency – and former Virgin Atlantic communications director – has advice for the days ahead, and advises visiting Puglia and Provence.

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It's Travel Desk Tuesday, and joining me today is The Independent's US Travel Editor, Ted Thornhill. He's been to the US and back in business class on United – by most measures, the biggest airline in the world. Besides the experience itself, he was in New York to learn about what is in store with the launch of Polaris Studio suites.

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I'm at the UK's busiest port, watching ferries zipping back and forth across the Channel while I talk to Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover. He has useful advice for a smooth journey to Calais or Dunkirk this summer.

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