In fact, the Elizabeth Line will be the first service to use the station.
With 14 platforms in total, it will make the station one of the largest in the UK.
And while London Bridge might have more platforms (15 in total), the Old Oak Common station will actually be around two and a half times bigger than London Bridge.
There will also be 52 lifts and 44 escalators at the station.
Once complete there will be 14 platforms in totalCredit: HS2The Elizabeth Line and Great Western Railway services will also run through the stationCredit: HS2In total, services rom the station will head to more than 100 destinationsCredit: HS2
Eventually, there will also be a public park area outside the station where pop up events will be hosted including markets.
Old Oak Common will be one of the UK’s best-connected train stations as well, reaching more than 100 destinations.
Kim Kapur, HS2’s Old Oak Common Area Director, said: “Going into the underground box at Old Oak Common, you can immediately visualise how it will look as an operational station, including where passengers will board or alight HS2’s brand new trains.
“The scale of the work – and the station now taking shape – is remarkable.
“However, there is much more to do. This includes construction of the conventional, surface level platforms, completion of tunnels either side of the underground box and installation of the impressive station roof, which will begin next year.
“Old Oak Common will be transformative for the local area, providing a new transport hub, with a new vibrant neighbourhood developing around it.”
THE summer holidays are still in full flow and there’s still plenty of time to head down to the beach.
If you’re stuck on which ones to visit, Skyscanner has just announced the best ones in the UK, making it much easier to decide where you head next.
Beautiful Sandbanks in Dorset came in top spot on Skyscanner’s best beachesCredit: AlamyThe second best beach is Botany Bay in KentCredit: Alamy
The top picks were announced on its The Paradise Guide and were chosen from data like the average air and sea temperature to sun lounger availability and reviews.
On average, Botany Bay gets 58 days of rainfall each year – to put that in perspective, the UK gets an average 164 days of rain a year.
It’s also one of the warmest beaches in winter thanks to where it sits on the Channel with average temperatures of 9.5C.
Not only that but it even saw bright blue bioluminescent waters back in 2023.
In third place was St Andrew West Sands in Scotland.
St Andrew West Sands Beach in Fife came in third positionCredit: AlamyThe beach is just a 15-minute away from the town centreCredit: Alamy
Found in Fife, the beach is a 15-minute walk away from the town centre with “rolling dunes”.
Skyscanner said: “Made famous by the opening scene of Chariots of Fire, it’s a favourite for long walks, beach games and taking in sea views.
“At low tide, the expansive shoreline offers plenty of space to explore, while the nearby West Sands boardwalk provides an easy way to enjoy the surrounding dunes and coastline.”
While the beach is a little chillier at 15.8C, it has an average Tripadvisor rating of 4.7.
Skyscanner has introduced its new ‘beach match’ tool so travellers can find the ‘beach destinations that match’ their travel style.
Just pick the month you’re planning to travel and then choose from four categories.
These are ‘quiet and relaxed’, ‘lively and social’, ‘family friendly’ and ‘adventurous’.
Then choose amenities, the airport you’re flying into, how far you plan on travelling from there and a budget before finding your beach ‘match’.
Here are Skyscanner’s best beaches…
The UK’s Best Beaches
Sandbanks Beach, Dorset, England
Botany Bay, Kent, England
St Andrews West Sands, St Andrews, Scotland
The World’s most talked-about beaches
Palm Beach, Oranjestad, Aruba
La Jolla Cove, California, USA
Siesta Key Beach, Florida, USA
The world’s most underrated beaches
Embleton Bay, Northumberland, England
Rendezvous Bay, Montserrat
Castlerock Beach, Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland
A THEME park that has been left abandoned for a decade is set to reopen as a new attraction.
Pleasure Island Park in Cleethorpes closed back in 2016 but is now set to become a “Center Parcs-by-the-sea” style destination.
Pleasure Island in Cleethorpes is set to be transformed into a new attractionCredit: North East Lincolnshire CouncilThe theme park closed in 2016 and has been left abandoned sinceCredit: NB PRESS LTD
The £70million park is set to have 272 holiday lodges, as well as hotels, restaurants and shops.
There would also be a Lidl superstore at the site.
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Spanning across 60 acres, just a short walk from Cleethorpes Beach, plans include two hotels including one with 148 rooms and a casino, a drive-thru coffee shop as well as a cycle-hire destination.
The abandoned theme park currently has a lake in the middle, which would be turned into an angler’s hub.
Councillors previously said that the plans were “an effective use of the land” and would “contribute to the local economy and the vitality of the resort”, reports Grimsby Live.
In the latest update, councillors will decide on the plans “ideally as soon as possible”, according to a councillor.
However, only a few checks have been completed.
Planning was submitted back in 2023 but the process has been delayed due to environmental assessments needing to be carried out as well as legal challenges.
Little else is currently known in regards to the holiday park, such as when it would open if given the go-ahead.
The theme park opened back in 1993 and featured six themed areas including Africa, Kiddies Kingdom, Morocco, Old England, Spain and White Knuckle Valley.
Plans for the park include 272 holiday lodgesCredit: North East Lincolnshire Council
Attractions included rollercoasters, a carousel and dodgems.
A lot of the rides were sold off in 2018, but most of the buildings remain abandoned on the site now.
In the surrounding area, visitors can head to Cleethorpes Beach which features a long stretch of golden sand as well as the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway.
Anyone who is flying back home has been warned about the serious consequences
12:58, 18 Aug 2026Updated 13:15, 18 Aug 2026
The items are banned regardless of whether they have been bought at duty free (stock image)(Image: Getty )
Travellers flying home after a holiday are being warned not to bring back certain items, even if they were purchased at a duty free shop. According to government rules, people who disobey risk facing a £5,000 fine or possible prosecution.
In an alert posted on social media by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Brits returning home should not bring sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain. The agency also states that this applies regardless of whether it is packed or packaged, or whether it has been bought at duty free.
It explains: “Help protect UK farmers from the devastating threat of African swine fever (ASF) and foot and mouth disease (FMD) by not bringing back meat or dairy products from the EU into Great Britain in your personal luggage. This includes items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain – regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free.”
The government agency says it is illegal to bring in most meat and dairy products from abroad for personal use. This is to protect the UK from devastating livestock diseases circulating in Europe and beyond.
Most personal meat and dairy products are now banned from entry into Great Britain. You must not bring in sandwiches, meat (raw or cured, such as ham and salami), dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese) and animal-derived products. That includes items bought from duty free.
If you declare banned food products to Border Force officers at customs, they’ll take them away and destroy them. If you do not declare banned food products, you could be fined up to £5,000 (in England) or you could be prosecuted. Border Force can take away (‘seize’) your products if they think:
you’ve brought something into the country illegally
you’ve brought in too much of a restricted product
it’s been cross-contaminated, for example with blood from meat – if any clothing or a bag the item’s in is contaminated, it’ll be destroyed
These rules are in place to protect the UK from highly infectious viral diseases of livestock, such as foot and mouth disease and African swine fever. These viruses can persist in meat and dairy products for several months, posing a risk to susceptible animals.
Neither disease affects humans. Livestock diseases like foot and mouth and African swine fever have a devastating impact on animal welfare, farming, trade and affect food security
The Animal and Plant Health Agency reminds travellers: “If you break the rules, you are breaking the law. If you break the rules, you are risking our food and economic security. If you break the rules, you could be responsible for the death of millions of animals. If you are found with undeclared illegal meat and dairy products, you will have these confiscated and risk a hefty fine.”
What are you allowed to bring into Great Britain?
You can bring the following into Great Britain from any country without any restrictions:
bread, but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products
cakes without fresh cream
biscuits
chocolate and confectionery, but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients
pasta and noodles, but not if mixed or filled with meat or meat products
packaged soup, stocks and flavourings
processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads and frozen plant material
food supplements containing small amounts of an animal product, such as fish oil capsules
The area frequently pops up in rankings of the best places to live, but its beaches have a dirty secret, with an average bacteria score that’s over twice as high as the national average
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The area is known for its seaside charm(Image: Getty Images/RooM RF)
A district that includes one of the UK’s best places to live, and home to an iconic seaside town, has been named as the local authority with the ‘dirtiest’ sea water in England in a recent ranking.
The study carried out by online tour operator Exoticca.com looked at the Environment Agency’s publicly available bathing water statistics for all designated coastal swimming spots across England. The Environment Agency has an online tool where anyone can check the quality of beach and bathing water.
Water quality scores are based on two types of bacteria – Escherichia coli (E. coli) and intestinal enterococci – which can be an indicator of faecal contamination on beaches. Using this data, the study was able to rank local authorities across the country, and a surprising spot had the highest mean bacteria score.
The local authority with the highest mean bacteria score was Folkestone and Hythe, with a mean bacteria score of 3.273. Across all beaches in the study, the mean was 1.033, meaning bacteria levels on its beaches appeared to be three times higher than average.
Included in the study was Littlestone, which had a score of 8.213, making it the third dirtiest beach in England, while Dymchurch had a score of 4.173 and came in tenth, meaning both these beaches were rated poor by the Environment Agency.
However, the area did have two beaches where the waters were ranked as excellent; Hythe and Seabrook scored 0.627 and 0.504 respectively.
A Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesperson said: “We continue to champion the district as an extraordinary place to visit – whether that be our stunning coastline, breathtaking countryside or world-class creative and cultural scene.
“This council believes there should be out-of-season testing (between October and April) to try to establish the reasoning behind the deterioration of bathing water classifications. We continue to make this case to the Environment Agency and Southern Water.”
Folkestone beach itself ranked at number 20 in the list of individual beaches with potentially contaminated sea water in England. That comes as a surprise, given the seaside town has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. In 2024, it was included in the Times’ 2024 Best Places to Live guide, ranking as the regional winner of the best place to live in the South East of England.
Despite its appearance on the list, Dymchurch was once named best beach in the south east in The Sunday Times best beaches guide back in 2022. In the same year, it was one of the Kent beaches to receive the Seaside Award from Keep Britain Tidy, which according to the BBC “is presented to the best beaches in England and is used to celebrate the quality and diversity of resorts”.
A spokesperson for Exoticca.com said: “It’s important to remember that a local authority’s overall average doesn’t always tell the whole story for a specific beach. Coastal water quality can change a surprising amount in just a few miles.”
They added: “In Folkestone and Hythe, the local authority with the dirtiest water on average. Here, Seabrook’s water is classed as excellent with a score of 0.504 and Littlestone, which is just nine miles away, has the third dirtiest water in the entire country with a score of 8.213. A local authority average gives a great idea of a region’s water cleanliness, but it’s always best to look at the specific numbers for the exact beach you plan to visit.”
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
THE UK’S largest regional airline will cease operations at a popular base in a matter of weeks.
Three routes will be axed after the flights were deemed to be “financially unsustainable”.
A major regional airline will axe all routes to and from Dundee Airport later this yearCredit: facebook/@DNDAirportLoganair has made the decision to withdraw the flights after they were deemed ‘financially unsustainable’Credit: Alamy
The airline currently runs flights from Dundee to London twice a day, having swapped from London Stansted to London Heathrow back in 2023.
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However, this route, along with flights to Orkney and Shetland, will end on Friday, October 23.
A Loganair spokesperson said: “Following a review of the route’s long-term viability, Loganair can confirm that its Dundee–London Heathrow service will cease after Friday 23 October, and the operating base will close.
“Earlier this year, we served notice to the stakeholder group behind the Public Service Obligation route after the contract became financially unsustainable.”
The airline revealed that it had “explored alternative options but have not been able to identify a viable way forward that meets the objectives of the PSO while allowing the route to operate sustainably”.
The airline, which was founded by Willie Logan in 1962, has operated flights from the Scottish city for 12 years.
“We are also supporting Dundee-based colleagues and will explore alternative roles across the Loganair network wherever possible,” the airline rep added.
“These decisions reflect the same disciplined, decisive approach that has driven previous improvements in Loganair’s punctuality and resilience, protecting the long-term future of the airline, our people, and the lifeline connectivity we provide to communities across our network.”
OFFICIALS in Italy are cracking down on anyone attempting to bag themselves the best beach spot by leaving items on the sand all week.
From sunloungers to parasols, those caught trying to reserve a space in the morning or late at night could receive a fine over £400.
Officials in Torre del Greco are stopping tourists from reserving spacesCredit: AlamyAnyone caught out could be fined up to £425Credit: Alamy
On a coastal suburb in Naples called Torre del Greco, officials like coastguard staff and police have been removing ‘reserved’ spots.
Tourists have been leaving items on the beach overnight in order to keep their place.
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During a morning sweep of one of the beaches called Laghetto, authorities seized up to 40 items, as reported by The Guardian.
Others have complained that items like sun umbrellas and small tables have been left unattended for days by tourists reserving the space to use later on.
When David Lynch moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in the summer of 1970, he was stunned by the sunshine that radiated onto the city — the “most beautiful light I’d ever seen in my life,” he wrote with Kristine McKenna in his 2018 memoir “Room to Dream.” In that book, he described his first morning walking out of an apartment on San Vicente Boulevard.
David Lynch in 2016.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
“I kept kind of moving around with my arms outstretched and I almost got hit by a car wandering into the street,” he wrote.
That light — and Los Angeles itself — continued to inspire and energize the filmmaker and artist throughout his five-plus decades of calling L.A. home, until his death last year at the age of 78. In “Room to Dream,” he wrote about the “magical street” of Mulholland Drive and all its twists and turns: “It’s really got a history, and if you’re in Los Angeles long enough you start hearing stories about things that have happened on it that get your mind going.” In an interview with the Filmographers, he told the story of how his character in “Twin Peaks” was a name plucked from Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard,” which very well may have been inspired by Wilder’s commute to Paramount that passed the Hollywood streets Gordon and Cole. And the dissolve from Naomi Watts’ face in “Mulholland Drive” to rows of palm trees has become a classic shot for representing his work and his love for the city, hopeful and drenched in his beloved sunlight.
Much like L.A., the artistic legacy of Lynch is difficult to encapsulate — trying to describe his work is like attempting to explain a dream. His films so strongly defied categorization that they necessitated an eponymous term: Lynchian.
The Hollywood Sign, as seen from Beachwood Drive. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Palm trees, which Lynch often used as a symbol in his films, tower above the city. (David McNew / Getty Images)
Unsettling to many, beloved by more, he refused to explain his work, allowing and challenging his audience to parse through it and imbue their own meanings and discoveries. The reward, for him, was in the doing, in taking a daydream and forming it into an idea that he could shape into something real in the world, blending the mundane and the macabre.
Here are some places around L.A. that offer a glimpse into Lynch’s world.
Note: the Lynch compound and all other residential locations mentioned are all private residences, and not to be disturbed.
Classic diners, especially Bob’s Big Boy Burbank
Lynch would often to go to Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank to meet with creative collaborators, or simply sit and think
(Jill Connelly / For The Times)
Lynch was fond of the straightforwardness of a diner, and he considered them to be ideal for creative thinking and work meetings. In his book “Catching the Big Fish,” he said: “I’d have a milkshake and sit and think. There’s a safety in thinking in a diner. You can have your coffee or your milkshake, and you can go off into strange dark areas, and always come back to the safety of the diner.”
One of the most viscerally terrifying scenes of “Mulholland Drive” takes place behind the dumpster at the abandoned Caesar’s diner in Gardena. And he liked having meals with his family at what is now the Denny’s in Gower Gulch, a place where aspiring cowboy actors once congregated. But the most significant diner in Lynch’s legacy is Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank. He spoke of going to Bob’s almost every day from the mid-’70s until the early ’80s. In an interview with Charlie Rose, Lynch claimed he saw a man at the counter who inspired the Frank Booth character in “Blue Velvet.”
Signs of Lynch at Bob’s Big Boy: His headshot displayed alongside actors Kyle MacLachlan and Laura Dern; a milkshake at the counter.(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Lynch’s order included a chocolate milkshake and coffee, the cold sugar and caffeine fueling his ideas. He believed 2:30 p.m. was the perfect time to order the milkshake, specifically ”after the lunch rush when the machine had enough time to chill, the silver goblet would be frosted when it arrives at the table, and the ice cream is almost like butter, like cold butter, it’s almost solid, and it has specks of chocolate in it, and it almost gets a frost on it when it arrives,” he said in a conversation with the Filmosophers.
Today there is a framed photo of Lynch over the door of the Burbank location, indicating that his love for the restaurant was mutual. After his death, Bob’s became the de facto location for fans needing to pay homage to the beloved director, piled high with tributes of cigarettes, cans of Coke, donuts, slices of pie and tear-stained letters of gratitude.
Franklin Canyon Park
Leaves illuminated by sunlight under a canopy of trees in Franklin Canyon.
(Blake Fagan / For The Times)
Franklin Canyon Park was once a summer retreat for the Doheny family, who built a Spanish-style home at the base of the canyon in the 1930s. The 605 acres were purchased by the National Park Service in 1981.
A frame overlooks the water in Franklin Canyon, which stood in for many interstitial woodsy scenes in “Twin Peaks.”
(Blake Fagan / For The Times)
The mysterious woods are an essential element in Lynch’s world of “Twin Peaks.” While the pilot for the TV drama and the film prequel “Fire Walk With Me” were filmed in Washington (and there’s lots of scenic footage from the Pacific Northwest throughout the series), much of the show was filmed on Southern California soundstages. And for the many interstitial scenes in the woods, Franklin Canyon and its lush forest stood in. Lynch and co-creator Mark Frost opened an esoteric window to prime-time viewers with the concept of the Black Lodge. The filming location of its entrance, known as Glastonbury Grove in the show, is in Franklin Canyon Park.
Doheny landmarks
In an interview with Charlie Rose, Lynch stated that “everybody is a detective and the unknown is a magnet.” He invited his audiences to look at a door and investigate what lurks behind it. This philosophy ties to his connections with an L.A. legacy, one that contains its own mysteries and contrasts: the Doheny family and its historic properties:
The Doheny Mansion
Glimpses of the Doheny Mansion, clockwise from left: the music room; a stained glass sky light; a sculpture adorns a table in the Pompeian Room.(Blake Fagan / For The Times)
The sprawling and opulent Doheny Mansion, now part of the Mt. St. Mary’s campus, was built in 1899 by architects Theodore Eisen and Sumner Hunt. Patriarch and oil baron Ed Doheny and wife Estelle acquired the home in 1901 and the Doheny family made it their home for nearly 60 years. Lynch used the mansion as the home for Laura Dern’s character in his 2006 film “Inland Empire,” and also filmed an Armani commercial there in the 1990s.
Greystone Mansion
The central courtyard at the Greystone Mansion.
(Blake Fagan / For The Times)
In the 1970s, Lynch was a fellow at the newly founded American Film Institute, based at Greystone Mansion at the time. He eventually took over the mansion’s stables, converting them into a production studio and occasionally (and illegally) living there while he filmed his debut feature, “Eraserhead.” He slept in the room that became the bedroom for the character Henry. “I’d lock myself in there in such a way that from the outside it looked as if no one could possibly be inside,” Lynch said in Mark Altman’s 1990 book “Twin Peaks: Behind The Scenes.” “We’d put these special blankets up on the walls to deaden the sound for shooting and it was quiet.”
Scenes from the Greystone Mansion.(Blake Fagan / For The Times)
Greystone Mansion carried an air of secrecy in itself. Built in 1928 by Gordon Kaufmann, and a gift from Edward Doheny to his son Ned and his family, the stately Tudor Revival was home to a horrific tragedy. Months after moving in, Ned and his lifelong friend and personal secretary, Hugh Plunkett, were found in a guest bedroom, victims of a murder-suicide. While their motives were never defined for certain, the accepted belief was the tragedy was tied to their involvement in the Teapot Dome political corruption scandal and Plunkett’s looming testimony that could’ve implicated the Dohenys.
The city of Beverly Hills purchased the grand manor in 1965 and installed an underground reservoir, and leased the property to the newly formed American Film Institute in 1969 for $1 a year, with the agreement that the school would maintain the property. Greystone was dedicated as a public park in 1971 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
L.A.’s Transcendental Meditation centers
After moving to Los Angeles, Lynch started visiting the Spiritual Regeneration Movement Center in Santa Monica and it altered his life. Here he learned the methods of Transcendental Meditation, developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, with the focus of seeking enlightenment. His first meditation session was July 1, 1973, and from there, he practiced twice a day, every single day.
“Before I started meditating I worried that doing it would make me lose my edge, and I didn’t want to lose the fire to make stuff,” Lynch wrote in “Room to Dream.” “I found out it gives you more fire to make stuff and more happiness in the doing and way more of an edge. People think anger is an edge, but anger is a weakness that poisons you and the environment around you.”
Lynch became a staunch devotee of Transcendental Meditation and spoke about the positive effects he believed it could have for everyone, particularly veterans, those suffering from PTSD and women who have survived violence. He started the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace in 2005 to offer children throughout the world the opportunity to learn to meditate. The foundation recommends several Transcendental Meditation centers in Los Angeles, including the center on Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz.
The Pink House, David Lynch’s compound in Hollywood Hills and his final resting place at Hollywood Forever
The historic Tower Theater, built in 1927, was converted into the Apple Tower Theatre.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
On screen, Lynch loved the old glamour of Los Angeles — the majestic Tower Theater in downtown Los Angeles was used in “Mulholland Drive,” “Inland Empire” and “Twin Peaks: The Return.” His characters lived in equally memorable spaces, with the women of “Mulholland Drive” going from the grandeur of the Il Borghese apartments (architect Charles Gault, 1929) to meet tragic endings in the fairy-tale-esque “Snow White” apartments (architect Ben Sherwood, 1931) that are believed to have also inspired Walt Disney. (It’s worth noting that this theater has been refurbished into an Apple store. A beautiful achievement of preservation work, but it’s hard not to see the consumer-driven sleekness and think about a theme in Lynch’s work: the terrors lurking inside a changing America.)
Personally, Lynch loved modern architecture, and experienced love at first sight with the home he purchased in the mid-’80s in the Hollywood Hills. The Pink House, as Lynch referred to it, was designed by Lloyd Wright Jr. for writer Beverly Johnson in 1963. Lynch commissioned Eric Wright (Lloyd’s son and Frank Lloyd Wright’s grandson) to add a pool and pool house in 1991. He told the Wall Street Journal that he preferred Lloyd Wright’s work over his father’s, explaining, “Lloyd Wright is more minimal. More pure. But just as beautiful.”
The house is semi-secluded against a lush hill, beneath the actual Mulholland Drive, and has a subtle chevron pattern detail that runs throughout the house, similar to the floor of the “Twin Peaks” red room. Lynch loved this house and spent much of his time in Los Angeles here, particularly in his later years. He gradually added two neighboring properties to form what would become the Lynch compound.
A “Twin Peaks” coffee cup that was gifted to David Lynch by a fan.
(Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP)
When filming began on “Lost Highway,” he struggled to find the right location for the home of the lead characters, Fred and Renee Madison. This set piece would be crucial to building their sense of dread. Lynch then had an idea: He would use the Brutalist structure in his compound. He transformed the interior and altered the exterior windows, making it difficult for the characters to see the dangers circling outside. “Some people open windows of houses, but I like interiors and don’t care about windows,” Lynch wrote in “Room to Dream.” “I like to go deeper into a house and find things underneath things.”
For the next two decades, the compound was Lynch’s dream space where he could create anything he imagined, including his 2000s-era daily weather reports for local radio stations and his website, a hobby he revived during 2020. Homebound the last few years because of emphysema, he was forced to relocate during the Sunset fire in January 2025, and died shortly after. David Lynch’s final resting place is at Hollywood Forever, across from the Fairbanks Lawn where movies are shown, under the stars.
Jet2 issued an alert on Tuesday(Image: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Jet2 has issued a warning to holidaymakers who have booked a certain type of hotel room, amid a very busy summer for international travel.
The operator took to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday morning (August 18) to share some important safety guidance with those who will be staying in a hotel room with a balcony. Jet2 said: “Booked a hotel with a balcony? Follow the safety advice, avoid risky behaviour and keep an eye on friends who might be unsteady.
“Hotels can fine or evict you for unsafe behaviour – and your insurance might not cover balcony incidents. One slip can change everything.”
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) reminds travellers that Brits have been seriously injured, or killed, after falling from hotel balconies while abroad. Many falls involve alcohol and people are urged not to try to jump from balcony to balcony, or to climb up to get into their room from the balcony.
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Holidaymakers should also never jump from a balcony into a swimming pool. FCDO guidance for Spain adds that hotels and other establishments “will evict you if you behave dangerously on balconies”. You could also get a fine.
The FCDO advises Brits heading abroad not to take any unnecessary risks around balconies or other elevated areas, especially while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. “If you are staying in a room with a balcony, follow the safety advice at the hotel or apartment, and watch out for friends who may be at risk.”
In certain areas, you could face a fine or be thrown out of your hotel if you are found to be acting irresponsibly around balconies. Your travel insurance provider may not pay out for incidents that occur on a balcony or if you were under the influence of drink or drugs when the incident took place.
MORE Brits are facing problems at the border in Europe, with many being stopped and facing even longer queues – and it could affect thousands.
The new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires biometric checks from Brits, has been in place since April.
Brits are now required to register their biometrics with EESCredit: AlamyThe requirement has already resulted in long queues at multiple airportsCredit: Alamy
But a new report from The Telegraph has found that those with ‘faded fingerprints’ are being rejected by the machines – a problem associated with older passengers.
One 80-year-old woman told the publication how EES failed to recognise her fingerprints on a trip to Palma in Majorca.
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Angela Evans said: “I tried several times, on different machines and with assistance from a member of staff, but to no avail. My fingerprints would not register.
“I suspect this is because of my age – 80 – and that my fingers are probably worn smooth and not ‘ridgy’ enough to record.”
Another holidaymaker, Barbara, struggled to register her fingerprints at Salzburg Airport.
After holding up a “long line of passengers”, Barbara said she discovered she has “no fingerprints”.
Both women had to then see a member of airport staff and queue to have their passports manually stamped.
Another older couple couldn’t get through the EES gates at Naples Airport and had to join a queue that was so long it went outside the terminal.
After waiting for two hours and missing their transfer pick up, the couple were seen by a member of staff but said they were “put off flying” as a result.
While fingerprints don’t technically ‘fade’, they do change as skin loses its elasticity with age.
Older travellers have experienced issues getting through EESCredit: Alamy
The surface is then less defined and harder for digital scanners to read.
It’s not the first issue to come with the introduction of EES.
AN ICONIC landmark could return to a UK seaside resort after more than a decade.
Councillors will decide next month whether to bring back the staggering 164ft attraction.
The seaside attraction may appear once more in time for summer next yearCredit: getty
The Brighton Wheel could make an appearance back on Brighton‘s seafront, following a council cabinet meeting on September 17.
Brighton and Hove City Council will decide whether to award a 25-year lease to reinstate the iconic landmark back to its original site on Madeira Drive.
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Originally opened in 2011, the 164ft attraction operated until May 2016.
Following the expiration of its lease, the wheel was subsequently dismantled to make way for the development of the i360.
Now, the firm behind the Brighton Zip & Daltons Venue has proposed to re-install the wheel, while maintaining the current zip-line attraction in operation.
If approved, the firm will seek to have the wheel up and running by next summer.
Brighton & Hove City Councillor, David McGregor, said the return of the iconic landmark would “bring new energy” to the seafront.
McGregor said: “Brighton became Brighton because people came here to have fun by the sea.
“That’s part of our identity, and we should be ambitious about what a great seaside city looks like for the next generation.”
During its five-year run, developers of the Brighton Wheel believed more than 250,000 visitors would ride the landmark each year.
On what should have been a fun-packed summer holiday turned into a ‘nightmare’ after a family of six were ‘abandoned on the streets’ and told ‘we have no rooms for you’
09:40, 18 Aug 2026Updated 14:56, 18 Aug 2026
Yasmin has visited Turkey on numerous occassions(Image: Handout)
A mum-of-four has been left ‘devastated’ after what was meant to be a cherished family holiday turned into a ‘nightmare’, after they felt “abandoned on the streets”.
Yasmin Kauser, who hails from Stratford-upon-Avon, had been looking forward to spending some quality time with her four children, aged 4, 12, 14 and 18, and her husband during their annual trip abroad in August. For the occasion, she booked a 10-night package holiday to Turkey through Loveholidays for £4,863, and was set to stay at a four-star hotel.
Following a lengthy journey from the UK, the family of six arrived at their pre-booked hotel in Alanya, Turkey, at around 2am. “We were knackered, we just wanted to go to bed, and the children were sleeping everywhere,” Yasmin exclusively told the Mirror.
But there was an unexpected issue with their hotel reservation. “We were told there were no rooms available for us.”
She outlined: “We remained at the hotel until around 5:30am, when, after I became increasingly frustrated and distressed, they eventually provided just one room for six people instead of the two rooms that had been booked.”
Yasmin says she repeatedly contacted Loveholidays, before the family was “given arrangements to move to a five-star resort”. The family made their way to the resort on the second day of their holiday, around half an hour’s drive away. “I hadn’t slept the night before, and I was exhausted. I’m only human, and I was breaking down because I was that tired, and the kids were very tired.”
‘There are no rooms’
However, when they turned up at the next resort, there was another issue. “At the resort, we waited for around an hour, only to be told that they had no rooms for us,” Yasmin alleged. “I said to them, ‘But we’ve got a reservation from Loveholidays, and they said, ‘There are no rooms’, so you’ve got to leave the hotel’.
She continued: “At around 3pm, I was left with my children on the road with our luggage and without access to suitable toilet facilities or accommodation. We were sitting outside the hotel; everybody was walking out, and we were like homeless people – we were abandoned.”
Yasmin was in touch with Loveholidays to explain the situation, and in an email, the company advised the family to “wait inside the hotel lobby for their safety and the safety of their children”, and said they were working on the issue as a “matter of urgency”.
The mum of four recalled: “I wasn’t panicking as it was around 3pm, the weather was nice, we had some water and snacks from the shop, so we just sat out there.” Although Yasmin added that it was around 40C, and when it got to 9pm, that’s when things became worrying.
“As it started to get dark, I started to panic, thinking, what are we going to do. We’ve got the children, and it was peak season.”
She claimed: “We remained without accommodation until around 11pm. My sister in the UK eventually contacted the emergency number on our behalf. After a further wait of around two hours, Loveholidays arranged emergency accommodation at a three-star hotel.”
Yasmin said that when her sister reached out to Loveholidays, they said they had emailed Yasmin earlier in the day, but the mum claims she never received it. She had told the firm that she was switching between a standard SIM and an eSIM, and the travel company said they tried to rectify the situation promptly.
Yet, they went to the third hotel in the hope of securing a room for their holiday.
“Not knowing what the hotel was like, but being so long on the street, I was just thinking we just need to get into some accommodation and have a roof over our heads”, Yasmin said. “We had to take another taxi to this hotel and eventually received two rooms at around 1am.”
‘Strong smell of urine and mould’
While they successfully obtained rooms, Yasmin was left disheartened. “One of the rooms was effectively a small box room with no windows and was in a condition that I found extremely distressing. There was a strong smell of urine and mould, and I struggled to breathe comfortably in the room,” she said.
Yasmin said she struggled to sleep “in the mess” and, early the next morning, got back in touch with Loveholidays about their accommodation. She claimed: “During the conversation, I was told that they had provided me with ‘shelter’. I was subsequently left in the emergency accommodation for the remainder of the holiday, despite repeatedly raising my concerns.” The family were later moved to another room during their stay at the hotel.
After hearing that Yasmin was dissatisfied with the alternative accommodation, Love Holidays offered her £1,015.99 in compensation for the inconvenience. In addition, they offered the family the option to relocate to an upgraded five-star hotel on an all-inclusive basis, but despite ongoing attempts to reach Yasmin on multiple platforms, they never received a response.
Yasmin said: “I don’t know if I was more tired before I left the UK or after the trip. I was in survival mode all the way through. We should have just stayed at home. This has been the worst experience in my life.”
A Loveholidays spokesperson told the Mirror: “We are very sorry that Ms Kauser’s experience fell below our usual high standards, and are investigating the issues she faced with the relevant hotel suppliers as a matter of urgency.“Our On Holiday Support team worked hard to put things right for Ms Kauser during her holiday, including an offer of cash compensation and a relocation to an upgraded five-star property. Despite several attempts to contact Ms Kauser, we did not receive a response to either of these offers or our subsequent communications and, as a result, we were unfortunately unable to put these solutions in place during her holiday.“We are contacting Ms Kauser to apologise for the stress and inconvenience caused and offer a full refund of her holiday.”
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A MAJOR European airport continues to be impacted by a volcanic eruption.
Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy has has faced hundreds of cancellations and delays, as well as a multi-day closure over the past week.
Mount Etna on Sicily has now been erupting for over a weekCredit: Splash
It has since issued yet another travel warning this morning as Mount Etna continues to cause travel disruption.
In the latest statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to Etna’s eruptive activity, the closure of the airspace corresponding to Sector B1 has been extended.
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“Arriving flight operations have been restored to 12 aircraft per hour until 6:00 PM today, 18 August.
“There are no restrictions on departures. Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport.
The Malm Whale at the Gothenburg Natural History Museum is the only stuffed blue whale in the world, and it’s also once of Europe’s strangest tourist attractions
The whale is open to visitors on special occasions
Roughly 100 years ago, a young Swedish couple ruined it for the rest of us.
They were caught, trousers down, in the belly of the world’s only stuffed blue whale. Not quite the sex-positive Scandinavia it is today, the scandal led officials to snap its vast, gaping jaw shut, bringing an end to the days of ready access to the 16m long sea mammal.
“We must be content with the fact that it was two citizens of our own city that enjoyed this privilege,” the director of Gothenburg’s Natural History Museum said at the time, finding a silver lining in the moral outrage.
Although my efforts to track down the descendants of a couple that, I’d wager, are history’s only to have sex in a cetacean have so far failed, on a recent trip to Gothenburg, I fulfilled a long-held ambition to get inside a magnificent exhibit that remains the only real blue whale on display anywhere in the world.
“We only open it on special occasions, such as election days, because the Swedish word for vote (val) is the same for the word for whale (val),” explained Stefen Örgårdm the museum’s current director, as we walked up wooden steps into the whale’s mouth.
On special occasions such as Christmas, when Santa hands out presents from inside the tum, the top jaw is cranked open in an unnatural but convenient way, allowing tall Nordic visitors to enter without bumping their heads, then move on into the belly.
It’s more of a local village hall than Jonah in there, the organs having long been stripped and placed in barrels of ethanol kept in the museum’s cellar. Two wooden benches running beneath simple drapery have taken their place. We looked out through the baleen-trimmed jaws of the leviathan as Stefen told me of the coming autumn’s new exhibition on unloved city animals and why we should reappraise them.
Today, blue whales are among the most beloved of all animals. Mysterious, elegant and massive.
“The biggest animal that has ever lived on our planet: a blue whale. … It’s far bigger than even the biggest dinosaur. Its tongue weighs as much as an elephant. Its heart is the size of a car. And some of its blood vessels are so wide that you could swim down them,” Sir David Attenborough said in Blue Planet. They are the ultimate Guinness World Record animal.
Their population has bounced back from 5,000 to 25,000, after decades of commercial hunting brought it down from a pre-whaling 300,000 peak.
Back in October 1865, when fisherman brothers Olof and Carl Larsson discovered the whale helplessly beached just off the Swedish west coast, the animals were reviled.
Charitably, it was fear of this vast, mysterious beast that caused the Larssons to do what they did next. I will not repeat the details of the two days of barbarity here. Suffice it to say the whale was killed. And then transported by three steamships and two coal barges into Gothenburg, where the naturalist Augustus Malm purchased the body.
“I will stuff everything,” he declared, leaping onto the collapsing carcase to deliver a speech to the assembled masses. And so he did.
Dozens of butchers, plied with as much beer as needed to withstand the violent smell, hacked it into parts, scooped the organs out and removed the skeleton.
There is something about whales that sends people a little mad. In Nobel Prize winner László Krasznahorkai’s book The Melancholy of Resistance, the arrival of a huge whale on a circus truck sparks a riot. Famously, Ishmael is driven loopy by Moby Dick. And so with the Gothenburg whale.
After days of feverish work, Malm was forced to rest as nausea hit. Realising the whale’s owner had gone, a horde of locals rushed in and snatched blubbery souvenirs. Thankfully, enough remained for the whale to be reconstructed.
Its skin and baleen was cured with arsenic, mercuric chloride and a top coat of colourless copal varnish before being placed onto a wooden frame, 30,000 zinc and copper pins holding it in place. The structure was built in four separable sections, making it easier to transport the whale on trucks to its later resting place in the museum’s great hall. A magnificent photo shows the whale’s head being rolled through a hole in the outer wall.
The whale, still pungent all these years later, remains the museum’s prized exhibit, only competing for the title with a magnificent stuffed elephant.
When in Gothenburg, the museum is the must-visit. But there is much else in Sweden’s second city that is also worth exploring.
Head to Haga, Gothenburg’s oldest neighbourhood, and wander down the cobbled streets. They’re packed with excellent homeware, furniture, book and clothing shops, as well as Café Husaren, a cosy wood-paneled spot known for its massive hagabullar cinnamon buns. These seem to be the Swedish version of the stupidly big croissants everyone photographed for their Instagram last year.
The neighbourhood is now pedestrianised, having been saved from mass demolition in the 1980s and built up from a rough, rundown area into the lovely spot it is today.
From there, hop on a tram or bus and head for the city’s Art Museum. A long day wouldn’t quite be enough to get around all six of its floors, so if in a rush, I recommend the Nordic Fin-de-Siècle section to take in the stunning nature paintings of late 19th-century Swedes, before giving the collection of Carl Larssons their dues.
If not defeated by the earlier hagabullar, consider filling up on Sweden’s (much superior) answer to McDonald’s, Max Burger, or picking up one of the country’s famously weird pizzas and heading home.
Like many second cities, Gothenburg is famous for its friendliness. But also for its terrible weather. There is a good chance you’ll be rained on.
With a sliced banana, pineapple, curry powder and peanut pizza under my arm, I retreated from the deluge to my Airbnb on the outskirts of town. Like Stockholm, you’re never more than ten minutes from the natural world in Gothenburg, or more than 20 from a lake or pretty serious forest. Robert’s place in Ugglum was but a short ride from the centre, but could’ve been deep in the woods of remote Sweden, such was the green surroundings and calm of the place.
This was no corporate holiday let landlord spinning multiple properties, but a family home costing around £200 a night where kids’ paintings decorated the walls and a Barbie Dream House stood proudly in the bedroom.
Getting to Gothenburg from the UK is quick and is easy. Direct flights from the UK to Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport are operated by British Airways from London Heathrow, Ryanair from London Stansted, Manchester, and seasonally from Edinburgh, and Norwegian from London Gatwick. Return flights are regularly available for around £30.
Spanish authorities issued a new alert on Tuesday morning
08:38, 18 Aug 2026Updated 09:34, 18 Aug 2026
Warning issued to Spain holidaymakers and residents alike(Image: Daniel Garrido via Getty Images)
Officials in Spain have issued a ‘caution’ warning as temperatures are set to soar again from today (Tuesday). The European nation, which is a firm favourite with Brits heading abroad, has endured a number of devastating wildfires this year so far, amid a number of heatwaves.
In a new update issued on Tuesday, Spain’s national weather agency AEMET warned: “Fire danger increases this Tuesday due to the rise in temperatures.”
The social media post, which has been translated from Spanish, continues: “Wednesday will be very high or extreme in much of the Peninsula and Balearic Islands, especially in the Mediterranean area due to the arrival of very dry and overheated westerly winds. Caution!”
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) urges Brits who are in or who will soon be heading to Spain to visit Spain’s Civil Protection website for information on what to do in the event of a wildfire.
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FCDO guidance adds: “Immediately report any fire you see to the emergency services on 112. In the case of wildfires, the situation can change quickly, so you should stay up to date with official advice.”
Predicted fire hazard levels are “very high” across much of mainland Spain and the Balearic islands today and tomorrow – Tuesday, August 18 and Wednesday, August 19. NHS advice for staying safe during hot weather, which the FCDO signposts those heading to Spain to, suggests that individuals follow a four hour rule.
Holidaymakers are advised to reduce heat exposure and remain indoors where possible – particularly for the four hours between 11am and 3pm – typically the warmest period of the day. You should also use sunscreen, wear a hat and light clothing, and seek out shade where feasible.
A pilot’s wife has shared her top travel clothing tips, including what people should avoid dressing in. She said there’s a common item travellers need to stop wearing on flights
The pilot’s wife urged people to stop wearing it on planes (stock image)(Image: South_agency via Getty Images)
It’s that time of the year where many of us will be heading abroad. When travelling in summer, parents are constantly warned to check their children’s passports ahead of any trips.
Taking advice is best from an expert and who knows travel more than a pilot? Now travel guru Laurie is renowned for her helpful travel tips on her YouTube channel Travel Tips by Laurie. Recently she revealed some essential advice about what to avoid wearing on a flight. While it’s tempting to disembark the aircraft looking incredibly fashionable, Laurie maintains that comfort and practicality should come before style when selecting your in-flight attire, and she urges travellers to pay attention to her guidance, which she disclosed in a recent video.
Travel Expert Warns Flight Passengers Against Wearing White Clothes and Jumpsuits
In her online video, Laurie kicks off by explaining the kinds of clothing to steer clear of while flying. She suggests: “In the airplane, I recommend not to wear white.
“I did twice in my 23 years as a pilot’s wife at the beginning, and I got smudges on my jeans from bringing my luggage down from the overhead bins and pizza stains inside the airport that some other passenger had eaten and dripped some on the boarding gate seats.
“Do not wear complicated jumpsuits. Why? Because they’re complicated. They’re going to add stress to you, especially inside a tight, cramped lavatory inside the airplane.
“My travel tip is to pack that outfit and avoid wearing it in the airplane. Do not wear stiff leather or stiff denim, because it restricts your blood flow.
“While I sometimes wear trendy pieces, this video is going to focus on cosy, stretchy and versatile garments you should be wearing and a few to avoid. All that is so we maximise your comfort from boarding to baggage claim.”
While it may appear to be obvious advice to steer clear of jumpsuits, avoiding stiff fabrics is genuinely important. Although denim is generally considered acceptable for flying, experts actually warn against it due to potential discomfort problems.
The cabin pressure on flights causes abdominal bloating, and unforgiving materials can restrict movement while increasing the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). For both comfort and health reasons, loose-fitting clothing or athleisure wear are your safest options.
Health and Safety Risks of Wearing Tight Denim Jeans on Long Flights
There are several reasons why denim is a poor choice for air travel. First and foremost, tight waistbands can become uncomfortably restrictive as your body swells owing to reduced cabin pressure.
Beyond simple discomfort, constricting clothing can restrict blood circulation, raising the risk of DVT. What’s more, heavy denim and belts regularly cause hold-ups at airport security checkpoints.
In short, this material poses numerous drawbacks for air passengers. If you absolutely must wear denim, make sure you opt for high-stretch varieties only.
While pulling on a pair of jeans might appear to be a savvy way to save on luggage space, the downsides frequently outweigh the advantages. The general consensus points towards choosing more comfortable options such as joggers or leggings instead.
As we head further into 2026, this handy piece of advice sits at the top of Laurie’s travel tips. It’s definitely worth keeping in mind before you set off on your next trip abroad.
As the sun disappears behind the high tree line, our campfire spits and crackles. Four plump trout are sizzling on a flame-heated slab of rock, a cooking technique used by people in the Gurghiu mountains, part of Transylvania’s Eastern Carpathians, for centuries. Apart from gentle birdsong, it’s the only sound up here, 1,550 metres above sea level and far from any town or village.
“This area is very wild,” says Samir Teslovan, who drove us up through the densely forested peaks from his guesthouse in Toplița. “When I come here to the mountains, I charge my battery, charge my soul. I feel free, like the wind.”
Sitting on the edge of a fragrant forest of spruce, fir, beech and pine, our view stretches over the valley to misty mountains receding in layers to the horizon. Samir points to a far-off peak in the east, a pyramid on a ragged ridge. “That’s Ukraine, maybe 200km,” he tells us. Then, pointing west: “That way, 400km, is Hungary.” The forest is still home to bears, wolves and lynx, but it’s the solitude that brings him here. “I prefer wild zones, where no one goes,” he says. “There are places here that nobody knows.”
Across the vast forests and mountains of Harghita County in central Romania, there are many places that nobody knows. In fact, the whole region has flown under the radar of international travellers – 85% of visitors come from Romania itself, which feels bizarre when you discover the wonders here, as we did on a 12-day family road trip, staying at self-catering lodges and cabins along the way.
A holiday here costs a fraction of what it would in the Dolomites or the French or Swiss Alps. Even better, it’s remarkably uncrowded, which makes for a more authentic-feeling adventure.
The region previously belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire, butTransylvania, including Harghita, was awarded to Romania after the first world war.The local population remains largelyof Hungarian descent(about 85%), with most people identifying as Székelys (Szeklers), a distinct, Hungarian-speaking cultural group. And the Hungarian influence can be seen in the region’s food, from goulash to kürtőskalács (chimney cakes), and in the ornately carved székelykapu (wooden gates) outside houses.
Harghita has one of the highest densities of bears in Europe
We pick up a hire car in Brașov and drive north, in the opposite direction to Bran Castle and all the vampiric hoopla. Soon, we’re enjoying wide, open countryside, sharing the road with farmers on horse-drawn carts and passing churches with silvery spires and white storks nesting on top of electricity poles.
Our first base is Sâncrăieni, staying in Organicle Lodge,a lovely, quiet cabin with an upstairs spruce bedroom, spacious lounge and kitchen. While our four-year-old son races around the garden with the owners’ cats and French bulldog, we rest on our wooden deck, drinking Harghita beer, looking over a paddock, where a brown horse and white pony gambol and graze, and out towards the Harghita mountains. In the evenings, swifts flit about and white storks glide across pink skies.
We spend time at nearby Lacul Sfânta Ana (Saint Anne Lake), the only volcanic lake in Romania, wandering first through Mohoş Peat Bog, where the trees and curious plant life make it feel like stepping back into the ice age, then take a boat trip on the sparkling lake, surrounded on all sides by shades of forest green. In the evening, we head to Medveles Székelyföld observatory, where we watch four bears feeding on corn that’s laid out for them; Harghita has one of the highest bear population densities in Europe. The best sighting of our trip, though, comes during our drive to the lake, when we spot a mother and cub ambling through the forest and sniffing the air by the roadside.
Heading farther north, we spend a couple of days at Vila Adela, near Lacu Roșu (Red Lake), an orange house decorated with red geraniums, with fairy houses, windmills, animal statues, see-saw and slide in the garden. Our bedroom looks out on to the majestic limestone massif Suhardul Mic.
Later, we drive through Bicaz Gorge, gazing up at massive rock walls and structures, dominated byPiatra Altarului (Altar Rock), the summit marked with a metal cross. Stopping to climb the tower of medieval manor house Lázár Castle en route, we reach Toplița at the far north of the county, staying at Casa Samir, where Samir and his son David run wildlife photography and nature tours.
Reflected glory … lakeside in Harghita
After a steep and bumpy afternoon drive, we go hiking in the serene Gurghiu mountains. Golden sunlight winks through the trees as David points out the tracks of wild animals as we walk to where his father has parked and started a campfire. Along with trout, Samir serves a homemade salty sheep’s cheese, called burduf, and lamb sausage, both from his farm, and a bottle of palinka, a warming plum brandy. “I’ve been coming here all my life,” he tells us. “My grandfather and great-grandfather came here. I listen to the silence and the sounds of the forest, the birds and wild animals.”
Looping back around through the county, we make one final stop at Turul Guesthouse, a row of neat, two-storey, wooden lodges with hot tubs and a big trampoline. We wander among detailed models of Transylvanian castles, palaces, and churches, including Bran Castle, at Mini Transylvania Park and large-scale, moving models of ants, butterflies and the like at neighbouring Insect Park.
One morning, we hike up to the top of Harghita Mădăraș, at 1,801m (5,909ft) the highest peak in the Harghita mountains. Thunder rumbles and rain drenches us, as we reach the gold, white and blue Székely flag, the reportedly magnificent views blocked out by cloud that gives a sombre, funereal atmosphere to the cairns, flags, crosses and other memorials clustered around the summit.
We watch more bears at a tucked-away forest hide outside the Băile Homorod resort, including two mighty females who look as if they might clash over the feeding area, and spend one of our last afternoons at Zetea lake, where we take out a kayak. “It’s really a beautiful experience to be on the water,” Előd Tímár, co-owner of KayaKing, tells us. “Bears sometimes come to drink on the shore.”
Paddling south towards a forested peninsula, we’re surrounded on all sides by swaying trees. We pause in the vast expanse of open water and put down the paddles to float and drift for a while, and there it is again: a glorious, battery-charging feeling of peace, nature and being free, like the wind.
The provided text focuses on the historical significance and commemorative traditions surrounding José de San Martín, a pivotal leader in South America’s fight for independence from Spain. Recognized as a founding father and a national hero, his military efforts were essential in securing freedom for Argentina, Chile, and Peru. The source highlights that Argentina observes a national holiday on August 17th to mark the anniversary of his passing rather than his birth. Furthermore, the passage lists the various honorary titles bestowed upon him by different nations, such as the “Father of the Country” in his homeland. It also mentions that the highest state decoration in Argentina is named in his honor to preserve his enduring lega …
IT goes without saying that much of what an island holiday needs arrives by boat or plane.
The beer, the sunbeds . . . the bloke fixing the air con.
The trick here is that Halkidiki barely feels like the mainlandCredit: Alamy
And holidaymakers end up paying the difference.
Holiday comparison site TravelSupermarket has found five island faves where a week away can cost hundreds of pounds per person more than it does on the mainland coast of the same country.
Madeira is all verdant forests, cliffs and volcanic drama, and it charges for the privilegeCredit: GettyWhat the Algarve has that competes is the same coastal theatre with sandy beachesCredit: Poike
MADEIRA is all verdant forests, cliffs and volcanic drama, and it charges for the privilege.
What the Algarve has that competes is the same coastal theatre with sandy beaches.
The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail scrambles along golden cliffs between Praia da Marinha, regularly voted one of Europe’s best beaches.
And don’t miss the Benagil sea cave with its famous skylight.
Base yourself in Lagos for the Ponta da Piedade arches, or Albufeira for waterparks, dolphin-spotting boat trips and a full strip of restaurants.
IBIZA for COSTA BLANCA – Save £336pp
Nowhere can match Ibiza’s superclub DC10, but the Costa Blanca gets closer than you would thinkCredit: Getty ImagesAlicante’s old town, El Barrio, runs tapas crawls into club nights that finish at 3am, and the city has two miles of golden sand at San JuanCredit: Getty
NOWHERE can match Ibiza’s superclub DC10, but the Costa Blanca gets closer than you would think.
Alicante’s old town, El Barrio, runs tapas crawls into club nights that finish at 3am, and the city has two miles of golden sand at San Juan.
Benidorm, half an hour up the road, is a 24-hour operation with cabaret, karaoke and Blue Flag beaches.
For the stunning holiday snaps, there’s the whitewashed coastal towns of Altea as well as Calpe, where the 332m Penon de Ifach rock rears out of the sea.
SKIATHOS for HALKIDIKI – Save £180pp
The picturesque isle of SkiathosCredit: Getty
THE trick here is that Halkidiki barely feels like the mainland.
Sithonia’s pine-backed coves, including the turquoise waters of Kavourotrypes and the fjord-like bay at Porto Koufo, are a match for anything on the isle of Skiathos.
Kassandra has big organised beaches and hotels, with the northern resorts the easiest to reach from Thessaloniki airport.
Check out the boat trips that run along the monastery coast of Mount Athos.
MENORCA for COSTA BRAVA – Save £163pp
Menorca is known for its calas, small sheltered coves where a scoop of sand sits between pine-topped cliffsCredit: GettyThe Costa Brava has them too, along the Cami de RondaCredit: Getty
MENORCA is known for its calas, small sheltered coves where a scoop of sand sits between pine-topped cliffs.
The Costa Brava has them too, along the Cami de Ronda, the old smugglers’ path that links cove after cove.
Aiguablava and Sa Tuna below Begur are the postcard ones, and the clifftop walk between Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc takes 20 minutes.
Add the medieval walls at Tossa de Mar, the Dali Theatre-Museum at Figueres and tapas in Girona, and there’s more to do on the mainland on less sunny days.
MAJORCA for COSTA DORADA – Save £153pp
Majorca has been a popular family hotspot for decades, with shallow bays, kids’ clubs and waterparksCredit: GettyThe Costa Dorada does the same job for less, and it has PortAventura WorldCredit: Portaventura Park
MAJORCA has been a popular family hotspot for decades, with shallow bays, kids’ clubs and waterparks.
The Costa Dorada does the same job for less, and it has one thing the island can’t match — PortAventura World.
It boasts everything from the eight-loop Dragon Khan and the 100m-plus drop Hurakan Condor, to Ferrari Land and the Caribe water park.
Plus, Salou has two long sandy beaches and a lively strip, Cambrils next door is the seafood port, or check out Tarragona’s Roman amphitheatre by the sea.
IF YOU are thinking about where to go on your next holiday, then you might want to consider Albania.
New research has found that Albania is among Europe’s fastest-growing holiday destinations.
Holiday bookings for Albania are on the riseCredit: Alamy
In fact, according to Thomas Cook, bookings are up a staggering 293 per cent year-on-year.
And it isn’t surprising as Albania has loads to explore including pretty beaches with crystal clear waters, a quiet capital city and cheap wine.
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Recently, even the cast of TOWIE were in the country, filming the latest series of the popular reality TV show in Drimadhë – a small village near the Llogara National Park on the Ionian coast.
Brits wanting to head to the under-the-radar country, can fly direct from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Liverpool during the summer.
Tirana is the capital but you won’t bump into loads of crowdsCredit: Alamy
The capital of Albania is Tirana and despite being the capital, you won’t find heads of crowds here.
The city can reach 35C in the summer and is even one of the sunniest cities in Europe with more than 2,500 hours of sunshine each year. Pints in the city cost as little as £1.50 too.
Travel reporter Cyann Fielding who visited the city recently, said: “One thing I really love about the city is it still feels completely undiscovered by Brits, lacking crowds and the typical souvenir shops on each corner that tend to come with that.
“In the heart of the city, visit Skanderbeg Square, where you’ll be able to get a clear view of the surrounding architecture – a mix of traditional Albanian villas and Soviet grey concrete buildings.
“If you want to earn your pint, climb the city’s very own pyramid, which has spectacular views of the mountains that border the capital.
“Make sure to also look out for ‘pillbox’ bunkers which are littered across the city – many of which have been turned into vibrant and quirky bars and cafes.”
You could stay at Hotel Elisa Tirana, Affiliated by Meliá with a spa, cafe and bar, for seven nights from £360 per person.
Maldives of Europe
Ksamil is known as the ‘Maldives of Europe’ with pretty beachesCredit: Alamy
Albania is also home to the so-called ‘Maldives of Europe’ in Ksamil, which earns the nickname from its pretty beaches with soft sand and crystal clear water.
You can head to Ksamil Beach, where you will also find the hand of Ksamil, which is a set of stairs up to a platform that is the palm of hand, hanging over the water.
If one beach isn’t enough, you can also head to Lori Beach ans Paradise Beach, which aren’t a long walk from Ksamil Beach. On Lori Beach you can also rent sunbeds and umbrellas.
In the town itself you will find a number of bars and spots to grab a bite to eat as well.
You could stay at the four-stay Ventus Hotel right by the beach for a week costing from £171 per person.
UNESCO World Heritage sites
There are historical destinations such as UNESCO World Heritage sites you can visit as wellCredit: Alamy
If you prefer exploring history, Albania has some beautiful historical towns such as Berat and Gjirokastra – which are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Berat dates back 2,400 years and is known as the City of a Thousand Windows with boxy white houses and numerous Byzantine churches from the 13th century.
Gjirokastra, on the other hand, can be found in the Drinos River Valley and is known for its ornate 17th century houses.
Known as the ‘City of Stone’, visitors can explore a 13th century citadel as well as an old bazaar, traditional marketplace.
You could stay at the Te Gjyshi at Grandfather Hotel for seven nights costing from £199 per person.
Durres
Or visit Durres, less than an hour from TiranaCredit: Alamy
Less than an hour from Tirana, you could head to the city of Durres.
In the city, you’ll find the Durres Amphitheatre, which is one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in the Balkans.
Make sure to also head to Durres Beach, which boasts a long stretch of golden sand as well as shallow waters ideal for families.
Stop by one of the restaurants along the seafront as well, to try out a catch-of-the-day grill, often with mussels and squid.
You could stay at the four-star Hotel Alion in Durres, Albania from £165 per person, including flights.
Golem
Golem is ideal for beach lovers with along stretch of coastlineCredit: Alamy
Golem is a great destination for beach lovers, thanks to being sat on a long stretch of the Adriatic coastline.
This pretty spot is also less than an hour drive from the airport.
Visitors can head along the seafront and find a boardwalk full of cafes, bars, restaurants and shops.
Golem is also the perfect place to try out different water sports such as banana boat rides.
You could stay at the four-star Martiness Hotel in Golem for seven nights from £299 per person.
Sitting in the heart of the city and surrounded by museums and bars, the Hard Rock Hotel Madrid manages to be entertaining enough on its own
16:44, 17 Aug 2026Updated 16:50, 17 Aug 2026
The rooftop bar at the Hard Rock Hotel Madrid is one of the highlights of the whole place(Image: Tom Capon)
Music is the lifeblood of the soul, I firmly believe everyone needs to listen to music to stay alive. But there’s people who love music (human beings, birds) and there’s people who love music (Radiohead fans). I always thought the Hard Rock Hotel catered exclusively to the latter group, until I made a trip to their Madrid location in July.
In fact, the Hard Rock Hotel is a haven for anyone who has been to a live gig all the way up to those people who camp outside Wembley Stadium, just so they can feel what it’s like to be squished against a barrier for hours with the force of a thousand fans.
Located in Madrid’s Atocha neighbourhood and a few minutes walk from the station that shares its name, it’s also just a 20 minute drive from the airport. This makes it an absolute sweet spot for exploring the city – that’s as soon as you’re done with the inside.
Room
Madrid is hot, but Madrid in July may as well be located on the surface of an exploding star. However, the air conditioning in this hotel is next level – and it’s the first thing I noticed as I walked in to their lobby. That was seconds before my eyes clocked the museum of artefacts in the lobby.
A gorgeous Menina sculpture statue covered in song lyrics from Spanish popstar Rosalia sits on one side of the entrance, with a giant bull greeting on the other. The lobby is a cornucopia of musical artefacts alongside the art, with guitars and pics from famous rockstars and little explainers for those less in the know.
It’s difficult to have so much stuff everywhere and not feel too kitsch, but while it certainly straddles that line, it feels more exciting than it does over-the-top. A wonderful touch I enjoyed was that all the staff have their favourite artist on their name tags. While checking in, I had a lovely chat with a guy about the new Madonna album – it was Pride season, after all, and Confessions II is this summer’s gay album.
One thing that struck me was how friendly and helpful all the staff were here. This is my favourite thing about the hotel: I never felt like a burden, even as I asked questions about how to get somewhere or if I needed toothpaste brought up to the room.
I stayed in a double-bed room overlooking the lobby. The beds are dreamy – I was clocking in 30,000+ Garmin steps (if you know, you know) and resting my head on a cloud and my body on another, bigger cloud, really helped me keep the party going. Despite music pumping from individual rooms and a Pride party on the Saturday afternoon, I could at most feel a murmur and a vibration.
The rooms aren’t huge, which while not unfamiliar to a city centre hotel, may be an issue for those bringing suitcases of clothes. I brought a backpack and fairly easily expanded into the clothes storage space.
However, this was mitigated by some lovely touches – the soundbar makes getting ready an absolute delight and if you don’t have any playlists, they provide you with one. The rain shower was, also, desperately needed after walking about in 40 degree heat. The cherry on top is the ring light mirror too – you best believe I did a photoshoot.
Amenities
The hotel boasts a restaurant and bar in the lobby area, as well as a rooftop bar and a pool with access to a bar and food. I dined at the Sessions restaurant on one Friday night.
Its definite plus point is a huge menu, meaning even the most fussy eaters will have something to eat, from patatas bravas to croquettes to onion rings and ribs. I would say this is fairly standard fare – if you’ve eaten in a Hard Rock Cafe, you’ve eaten the food here. But good for those in a pinch.
However, I cannot recommend enough going to the rooftop bar at sunset. The city sets alight with golden hour glow – sipping on a gorgeous cocktail as Madrid reveals its beauty to me is something I will never forget.
The pool, meanwhile, is good for jumping in to cool down, but is not the biggest I’ve ever seen. The real stars of the pool area are the bookable cabanas, making it ideal for decompressing, reading a book and hoping the hangover doesn’t kill you off.
It’s also on the edge of the huge El Retiro Park, with so much inside (including a botanical garden) that it would take several days to explore. On the edges of this I found a smaller, free version of the Reina Sofia too, proving art is foundational to a Madrid experience.
Sol station is a 20 minute walk from the hotel – I arrived during Pride, so while I didn’t get to experience the area’s restaurants, this was the epicentre of the entertainment, with live singers on a huge stage and hundreds of people dancing.
And no trip to Spain is complete without some churros – a 29 minute walk from the hotel is the famous Chocolatería San Ginés, which has existed since 1894. Here you can get affordable churros in chocolate so good I’m surprised Arthur Slugworth didn’t go in to steal the recipe. It’s so good in fact Madrid’s police officers are often spotted in there.
Is it worth the trip?
It’s hard not to recommend the Hard Rock Hotel. Not only is the location one of the best in the city, the hotel is just so exciting to stay in. Couple that with comfy beds you can sink into, the minor issues were outweighed by the force of its riff. If you like fun, you’ll like the Hard Rock Hotel.
BELGIUM is currently seeing its largest wildfire on record, causing hundreds to evacuate.
Shifting winds have even caused smoke to drift as far as France and Germany as well.
Belgium is currently experiencing its biggest wildfireCredit: AFP
The fire first started on August 14 after temperatures reached 37C.
Here’s everything you need to know about the current situation and what to do if you are due to travel to Belgium:
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Where are the wildfires in Belgium?
The wildfires in Belgium are currently concentrated in the High Fens nature reserve, which is in the Liege province in the eastern part of Belgium, close to the German border.
The reserve is Belgium’s largest nature protection.
Currently, surrounding impacted areas include Waimes, Bütgenbach, Jalhay and Malmedy.
Some smoke and fire is also evident near the German border in the town of Monschau.
Currently, the wildfires have impacted around 7,400 acres, making it the largest wildfire in Belgium’s history.
In parts of Waimes and Bütgenbach, around 600 residents have been evacuated so far.
It started on August 14 after temperatures hit 37CCredit: Reuters
Is it safe to travel to Belgium right now?
Major tourist hubs such as Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp are entirely unaffected.
However, if you are planning or due to travel to the east of Belgium or the Ardennes region, you must exercise caution.
A recent rainfall and drop in temperature has helped to slow the fire spreading, but thick smoke has drifted widely and as far as eastern France.
Visitors and residents are currently being warned to not travel to the nature reserve, hiking trails or surrounding forests in eastern Liège.
Are flights still going to Belgium?
Flights are still operating as normal to Belgium.
The current fire zone is around 85 miles east of Brussels, and while the smoke has caused locals to evacuate it has not caused disruption to flights.
What if I have a holiday to Belgium booked?
As the Foreign Office has not warned against travel to Belgium, there are no special circumstances in place for holidaymakers to cancel their trip and receive a full refund.
Depending on what travel insurance you have, your policy might include natural disaster cover.
If so, your insurance policy should cover you for when you are unable to reach your holiday destination due to natural disasters, such as wildfires.
So it is worth checking your travel insurance policy.
It is also worth noting, that once in Belgium, open fires, disposable barbecues and wild camping outside official campsites are banned across Wallonian forests and nature reserves at the moment.
Can I cancel my trip?
If you want to cancel your trip or holiday, it is best to contact your airline and/or holiday provider.
Companies do not have an obligation to refund bookings unless Government advice changes.
