Travel Desk

One particular route was also named the least punctual with the airline, as Birmingham to the Greek party hotspot of Zante had an average delay of 46 minutes

A popular airline amongst British holidaymakers has been ranked among the worst for punctuality — and it isn’t easyJet, Ryanair, BA or Jet2. Budget carriers easyJet and Ryanair occasionally face criticism from passengers for a whole host of reasons, yet timekeeping doesn’t appear to be one of their shortcomings.

An airline that also offers package holidays widely favoured by Brits has apparently earned a reputation for poor punctuality.

TUI Airways has landed fifth on a list of the five worst airlines for UK flight delays, with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data revealing an average delay of 20 minutes and 24 seconds last year.

One particular route was singled out as the least punctual of all — Birmingham to the Greek party island of Zante — with an average hold-up of 46 minutes. Operating out of more than 20 UK airports, the carrier is owned by TUI Group.

Aage Dunhaupt, from TUI Group, told the Mail that “minimising delays remains a top priority”, noting that TUI Airways runs flights “wherever possible, even if they are delayed, rather than cancelling them”.

He said: “If we were to follow broader industry practices of cancelling flights more readily, our punctuality ranking would improve significantly. However, this would come at the expense of our customers.”

Air India was ranked the worst performer for the second year running, with average delays exceeding 36 minutes, while Scandinavian Airlines topped the table as the most punctual, averaging a mere eight minutes.

Taking second spot for the poorest performance was Blue Islands, which ceased trading at the end of last year, followed by TAP Air Portugal and Saudia.

On a more positive note, average delays have fallen from 18 minutes, 18 seconds in 2024 to 14 minutes, 48 seconds.

A spokesperson for trade body Airlines UK told ITV: “The vast majority of UK airline flights depart on time and CAA data shows customer satisfaction levels are at an all-time high.

“Most delays are the result of issues that are entirely outside airline control, such as adverse weather, forced reductions in the number of planes that are able to land and take off each hour, and industrial action.”

They added: “When these delays do occur, airlines work hard to support customers and get them where they need to be as quickly as possible.”

This follows a flight attendant revealing her top five “basic” habits she “absolutely loves” to see passengers doing. Taking to TikTok, she started by saying: “When you take your headphones out as I walk up to your row.

“Instant respect. You see me. I see you. We’re already besties.”

Her other habits were paying attention during announcements, offering a smile and a sincere thank you, keeping shoes on, and not treating the plane like your living room.

She added: “It’s really that simple. Kindness + awareness + basic hygiene = elite passenger status.”

LOOKING forward to a seaside staycation with the family this summer?

It can be hard to know where to book your next UK seaside holiday. With many Brits picking the same overcrowded spots, you can soon feel like you’re fighting for every square inch of sand on the beach.

Luckily, there are plenty of off-the-radar stunning seaside towns and villages where you can enjoy a summer holiday without the crowds.

We’ve gathered travel insiders from Cornwall, Devon, Norfolk and Kent to share their favourite lesser-known holiday spots – with cheap pints, quiet beaches and stays from £30 a night.

Norfolk

Travel Reporter, Jenna Stevens

I grew up on the North West Norfolk coast, going quay jumping and crabbing after school with my friends.

Over the years, I’ve seen tourists flock to the same overcrowded spots time and again, while some of the prettiest towns and villages stay pretty much deserted.

While Cromer and Great Yarmouth make for great cheap and cheerful holidays, there are much prettier and less crowded options further west along the coast.

Wells-next-the-Sea is the picture-perfect seaside town. Walking down the high street, Staithe Street, feels like stepping back in time.

You’ll wander past an old-fashioned butcher’s, bakery and greengrocers on your downhill stroll towards the sea – plus plenty of trinket shops selling seashell earrings or buckets and spades.

The high street leads to the picturesque quay, where the Victorian Granary gantry jets out over the water, and you can watch fishermen haul in fresh catches throughout the day.

Here you’ll find the old-fashioned Pop Inn Amusements, a sweet shop selling giant lollies and classic sticks of rock, plus my favourite surfer dude-feel coffee shop, Wills of Wells.

Not to mention the fact that there’s a massive, golden, award-winning beach lined with colourful beach huts backed by a sprawling pine forest.

There’s a large beachside cafe too, plus you can stay by the sea at the Pinewoods Holiday Park, with camping and touring pitches from £30 per night.

While Wells is absolutely worth visiting, tourists have certainly caught on to its charm.

Further into West Norfolk, there are small towns and villages that offer true peace and quiet – where your only neighbours are grazing sheep.

Some of these best-kept secrets are Fring, Shernborne, Wolferton and Anmer.

They’re the kind of remote, rural villages perfect for a countryside walk where you won’t pass anyone but horse riders out on a hack.

Stay at nearby Bircham Windmill, where there are camping pitches for £36 a night.

In fact, this site makes for a fantastic family day out, where you can bake your own bread from scratch for £3.95 and climb up to the top of the mill for stunning views of the surrounding villages and fields.

Although it’s quiet, there’s plenty more to do nearby. Bottle feed lambs and hand feed deer at Snettisham Park, tour the royal grounds of Sandringham Estate, or sit down for a pint of local ale in the gloriously British pub The Rose and Crown.

Devon

Travel Reporter, Cyann Fielding

Devon or Cornwall? I’m here to tell you don’t need to look further than Devon – with fewer crowds, heaps of beaches and the quaintest of villages, nothing quite beats it.

As a born and bred Devonian, one spot I will always shout about is the English Riviera.

Formed of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, the coastal towns boast an unusual micro-climate for the UK that has allowed palm trees to thrive.

Named after the French Riviera, you can expect a similar vibe but for a fraction of the price.

Stay at the newly opened £20 million seafront Hotel Indigo by IHG in Torquay from £74 per night (and there are dog-friendly rooms) – you can’t get closer to the sea with only a road separating you from the beach.

From the hotel, stroll down to Abbey Sands Beach, where you will find red-pink sand backed by a green area and the famous Torre Abbey, which you can visit for £11pp.

On the other side of Abbey Sands, walk around the harbour, which is currently under development to make it into a swish seaside hub of restaurants and cafes.

Drop by Pier Point for some fish and chips on the way – which are often voted best in the country.

For more traditional and quieter seaside towns, head to Dawlish or Teignmouth, where you will find seaside arcades and cheap cafes selling freshly made Devonshire delicacies such as pasties and cream teas.

It’s not all about the seaside in Devon, though – Dartmoor National Park sprawls over 368-square-miles with over 160 rocky tors, ideal for lengthy country walks with dramatic views.

One of the most accessible spots is Haytor, where you can head up to the tor from a car park – and don’t worry, it isn’t too steep a climb – and then nearby check out Haytor Quarry, which appears frozen in time with disused machinery still present.

Keep an eye out for wild ponies too, of which there are about 1,500.

For a historic spot – head to Exeter – a university city with a sandstone cathedral and bustling high street.

The city even has links to Harry Potter as J.K. Rowling once studied there, and it is thought that she based Diagon Alley on Gandy Street in the city centre.

For another unique spot, pop to Totnes – a town that has often been noted for its hippie lifestyle, free of big brands and chains.

Drop by on a Friday or Saturday to catch the antiques and food market, for bargain finds and huge Lebanese wraps setting you back a tenner (but big enough for two!).

In the North of the county, head to Woolacombe for the perfect holiday park break.

You could head to Golden Coast Holiday Park, for example, which costs from £219 for a seven-night break for a family of four – so just £7.83 per person per night.

The beach stretches over three miles, and there is an abundance of holiday parks around the town, many of which have evening entertainment, hot tubs on chalet decks and indoor and outdoor pools.

Kent

Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

Kent has seen a huge resurgence in recent years, aided by the pandemic, which saw thousands of people leave the Big Smoke for sunnier and sandier climes.

As one of the many who did so, I’ve since lived in both Folkestone and Margate, which are both on the rise as trendy destinations.

(I have a soft spot for both Whitstable and Deal as well, although both are much more established seaside towns).

When it comes to Margate, there are two new boutique hotels, Fort Road Hotel and No.42 Guesthouse, which have opened in recent years, the latter of which has a fantastic rooftop bar in the summer.

I love heading to the George & Heart pub just outside of the Old Town, or Rose In June for a cosy pub pint.

If you want a bit of weird and wonderful, make sure to hit up the Shell Grotto – whose origin remains a mystery – or the Crab Museum, free to visit and the largest crab museum in Europe.

Both the Turner Museum and Dreamland are free too, so you can easily visit on a budget.

The tidal lido is worth the trek, and you’ll be joined more by locals than tourists, but hop in before warming up with a coffee and sauna session.

But to me, Folkestone is winning on all sides.

It’s 52 minutes by train from London; you’ll never have to fight for space on the massive beach; it has the UK’s biggest beach sauna; it has so much art, including a Banksy – the hooks are endless.

Live music takes place at the Harbour Arms most weekends, and I highly recommend the Sunset Sessions at The Tasting Rooms for three courses and live jazz for £35.

Chase it with some oysters and a glass of champagne in The Lighthouse Champagne Bar – and you can even see France on a clear day.

Perhaps controversial, but even the touristy Good Yard food market is well worth a visit. No tourist traps here!

For an affordable place to stay, The View Hotel Folkstone has rooms from £67 per night.

Cornwall

Travel Writer, Katy Bright

Growing up in Cornwall, I’ve always had plenty of pretty places to explore. If I had to plan the perfect day in my home county, here are some places I would not miss.

Start the day off right with one of the best breakfasts around. Bude cafe The Coffee Pot offers £5 breakfasts with bacon, eggs, sausages and a hash brown, which cannot be faulted.

I may be biased, but I think Boscastle truly is one of the most beautiful places in the UK.

It’s a peaceful seaside sanctuary with a fascinating witchy history and beautiful walks, such as the one to Willapark Lookout.

Plus, it offers some of the best pub grub around – you’ve got to try the Cobweb Inn’s steak and ale pie (£13.95). Wash it down with a traditional Cornish ale.

Many tourists, of course, flock here, so it is important to learn to avoid the tourist traps.

Newquay, one of the most popular holiday destinations in Cornwall, is just way too busy during school breaks.

If you’d like to visit, I would definitely recommend going outside of the school summer holidays, when it is quieter, and the queues are much less manic.

If you are a coffee or matcha fanatic, Blend makes some of the best drinks I’ve ever tasted. Their banana bread iced matcha is a personal favourite of mine.

Something we all look for in a holiday to Cornwall is the best spots with a pint and a view – and my top pick for this is Trebarwith Strand’s, Port William.

A pub perched over the sea, it even offers cosy rooms for guests to stay in.

If you visit between mid-April and early May, you’ll be in my home county for one of my favourite events of the year.

Although it sits right on the border of Cornwall and Devon (so some may be a bit offended by me putting it in this list!) Strawberry Field Lifton’s ‘Tulip Fest’ makes for a very wholesome day out.

Picture a field full of half a million multicoloured tulip bulbs. There is something about walking around a field of endless tulips that just feels so whimsical.

An underrated place to stay is Whitsand Bay Fort holiday park. It’s very highly rated in online reviews, and it’s no surprise to me as a local – this is one of the best places to stay around.

Open all year, it offers both rooms and tent pitches with amazing views of Whitsand Bay. Pitches start at £15 a night, making it a super affordable and proper Cornish alternative to other popular places to stay.

The Prime Minister announced he would be leaving his role

Martin Lewis has moved swiftly to rule himself out of any political role following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation. Sir Keir confirmed earlier today that he will ‘resign as leader of the Labour Party‘.

The announcement follows a slump in poll ratings and Andy Burnham’s resounding win in the Makerfield by-election. In an emotional address outside Downing Street, Sir Keir announced his departure less than two years after sweeping to power in a landslide victory.

As has happened before, the news prompted widespread calls for money-saving expert Mr Lewis to be put forward as a potential Prime Minister. Fresh data from Focaldata indicates the 54 year old would prove an enormously popular pick amongst the British public, alongside the much-loved Sir David Attenborough.

However, in a post on social media, Mr Lewis firmly ruled himself out of the running by saying, ‘I don’t want to join any political party’. He said: “After a few “throw your hat in the ring!” messages…

1. I don’t want to join any political party

2. I’d rather wire my nipples to electrodes (& not in a good way)

“Tho the geekdom of this pop-culture politics piece is a mix of flattering, funny & scary.”

The Focaldata research revealed that Sir Keir, Reform leader Nigel Farage, and Green Party leader Zack Polanski were amongst the least favoured candidates for PM. Kemi Badenoch was the sole major party leader to achieve a positive approval rating (+2), pointing to wider cross-party appeal.

It read: “Martin Lewis and David Attenborough, who would immediately surpass William Gladstone’s record for oldest serving Prime Minister, are the breakout leaders. They sit head and shoulders above everyone else with best-worst scores of +37 apiece, practically putting them in their own “national treasure status” sub-quadrant.

“Both command cross-party consensus, recording positive scores across every voting intention group. Stephen Fry, Big John, and Louis Theroux also have positive best-worst scores across every major party.

“Piers Morgan, Jeremy Clarkson, and Gary Lineker, somewhat unsurprisingly, varied a lot from party to party. While Piers Morgan and Jeremy Clarkson are viewed positively by Conservative voters, Reform voters, and those intending not to vote, they are viewed negatively by parties on the left.

“Gary Lineker is almost the exact opposite, doing better among Green, and Labour voters although he is still viewed as a good candidate for PM by those saying they won’t vote.”

The survey presented 1,060 Brits with the names of 25 celebrities, TV personalities, politicians, and sports stars. These were then matched up against each other in groups of five, with participants asked in each round who they would most and least like to see as PM.

Passengers flying on popular budget airlines this summer have been warned over a 32kg bag rule that many holidaymakers don’t know about, and it can see your suitcases turned away at check-in

There are endless packing hacks online to help you minimise the amount you take on a plane, but let’s face it, some of us just like to take a lot of extra stuff when we go on holiday.

And it’s not always out of choice. If you’re travelling with a baby, or you need to pack medical equipment, the size of your suitcase can soon grow and the luggage scales at the airport could end up groaning under the weight of your luggage.

Some passengers who travel as a group will use a bag-pooling hack. This means their luggage allowance as a group is spread between multiple cases. For example, if you travel as a couple and buy two 20kg bags, you could have one that weighs 30kg and one that weighs 10kg. But this travel hack does have a major exception some travellers don’t know about.

Not only do airlines’ policies vary on bag-pooling, with each one having its own rules about whether you can use this method, there’s also a strict upper weight limit for a single piece of luggage.

This rule isn’t about the airlines trying to charge extra for luggage. Bags need to stay under a certain weight due to baggage handlers having restrictions on how much they can lift. For most carriers, this is a strict 32kg weight limit for a bag or any item being checked in. Anything tipping the scales over this weight could therefore be refused at the check-in desk.

Here’s a look at what the UK’s most popular airlines say about upper weight limits and whether they allow bag pooling on their flights.

EasyJet

On easyJet’s website, it explains the rules about upper weight limits and sharing baggage allowances: “If you’re travelling with family or friends on the same flight and booking, you can pool your total weight allowance.

“This means that the total weight allowance can be split among the total number of bags booked, as long as no single item weighs more than 32kg. Maximum total size (length + width + height) = under 275cm.”

Jet2

Recently, a passenger with a booking for 10 people took to social media to ask Jet2: “If one person is over does all the weight pool together or does everyone individual need to be 22kg?” The airline replied: “Yes you are able to pool your luggage providing you do not go over your overall weight limit and no one bag weighs more than 32kg.”

The customer then followed up to ask: “So one person won’t be charged if their case is overweight slightly and the rest are under?”, to which Jet2’s customer service representative replied: “That’s correct. If one bag is slightly over, but others are under, you will still have room within your overall allowance and will not be charged.”

TUI

Passengers flying with TUI should check their booking to see whether the flight is operated by TUI airways itself, or another carrier. Some packages booked through TUI fly with third-party airlines.

TUI’s website states: “If you’re travelling with TUI Airways, you’re allowed to pool your luggage allowance with anyone else travelling on your booking. However, each bag can only weigh up to 25kg.

“If you’re unsure of your luggage allowance, then you can find this on your booking confirmation or by logging into Manage my booking”. Passengers who have booked a TUI package with a flight on a different airline should contact the company they are flying with directly for advice.

Ryanair

Ryanair’s FAQs are very clear about bag-pooling, saying: “Yes. Bag pooling is allowed between passengers with check-in bags on the same flight reservation. This means that if you have two 20kg Check-in Bags (40kg total) on your booking, one of those bags could weigh 15kg while the other weighs 25kg.”

But it was clear about its upper weight limit, saying: “However, no bag can weigh more than 32kg.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

A savvy traveller has shared a clever packing hack to beat Ryanair’s baggage allowance fees on a £15 flight — but it comes with risks if you’re caught at the airport

A clever traveller has taken the internet by storm after unveiling his ingenious trick to outsmart Ryanair’s notoriously rigid baggage rules, which frequently leave holidaymakers shelling out extra cash at the airport.

Rob Adcock, from Stoke-on-Trent, who regularly dishes out budget-conscious travel tips to his online following, has gone viral with his latest scheme to dodge luggage charges on a £15 Ryanair flight — a move that could save passengers a tidy sum given the airline’s hefty fees for additional bags.

In a clip that which now racked up over 2.4 million views from cost-conscious travellers, Rob shows how he managed to squeeze 20kg of luggage aboard without spending a single penny extra, by using a vacuum pack machine to compress his clothes down to a fraction of their original size.

With a laugh, he holds up his squashed clothing and quips: “Look at it.”

He then carefully stuffs the vacuum-packed bundles into his rucksack, which is allowed on board as a complimentary carry-on item, and breezes onto the plane without forking out a penny in hold luggage fees.

The video is captioned “POV: You’ve vacuum-packed all your suitcase to fit into a free Ryanair bag so you don’t have to pay for the hold luggage.”

As well as being a crafty way to sidestep additional costs, it carries the welcome bonus of avoiding the often frustratingly long wait at the baggage carousel on arrival.

Scores of fellow travellers found the cheeky wheeze hilarious, with one crowning it the “packing cube final boss”. However, sceptics pointed out potential drawbacks.

One baffled commenter questioned: “How are you supposed to vacuum it back up before going back on the plane when going home?”

A second chipped in with a laugh: “Vacuum packed stuff is HEAVY,” alongside a pair of laughing emojis.

Meanwhile, one female traveller highlighted the disadvantage that this approach would leave garments “creased” — hardly perfect for anyone wanting to look presentable on their break.

What’s more, you do risk being spotted by Ryanair staff at the airport.

One TikTok user shared: “Literally saw someone get caught doing this in Budapest today. It didn’t end well.”

Ryanair imposes a 10kg restriction on cabin luggage, and being caught out at the weighing scales could result in forking out additional charges for your trip.

It’s a risk that might not always work out — but for this passenger, it proved a success!

EUROSTAR has cancelled a number of trains to and from the UK this week due to the hot weather.

The train operator cited “adverse weather conditions” as the reason for the cancellations.

The cancellations include two services a day between London St Pancras International and Paris‘ Gare du Nord.

The affected trains are:

• Monday – 10:07am from Paris to London
• Monday – 1:31pm from London to Paris
• Tuesday – 10:07am from Paris to London
• Tuesday – 1:31pm from London to Paris
• Wednesday – 1:31pm from London to Paris
• Wednesday – 6:08pm from Paris to London
• Thursday – 1:31pm from London to Paris
• Thursday – 8:08pm from Paris to London

No trains have been cancelled on Friday yet but this could change later in the week.

RAIL-Y BAD

Eurostar cancels trains as travel strikes hit TWO popular European countries

CHEAP SEATS

Eurostar launches flash sale across ALL its destinations with £35 tickets

Eurostar said in a statement: “Due to expected adverse weather on the Eurostar network, your train is cancelled.

“We’re so sorry for the disruption and any inconvenience caused.”

Passengers affected by the cancellations can move their booking to a later time and date.

Otherwise a full refund can be claimed, either with an e-voucher which can be used up to 12 months later, or a full refund (which doesn’t include booking fees).

The UK is set to high record temperatures for June this week, with highs up to 38C expected.

This would beat the previous hottest June temperature of 35.6C, which was in 1976 in Southampton.

Events and public transport have been cancelled with public drinking banned

Health warnings have been issued for peopel across Europe including in France, Italy, Spain and Germany. France has been cancelling trains, concerts and sports events and cracking down on public drinking as an exceptional heat wave unfurled across parts of Europe.

Multiple drownings were reported as people sought relief in whatever water they could find About a third of France is under “red alert″ heat and temperatures reached 40C in some areas, in a country where air-conditioning is not widespread.

The forecast for Monday is even hotter. The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues set up misting stations to cool crowds, among a raft of measures introduced by authorities to minimise risks. Tourists in Rome dunked in fountains.

Spain’s Basque Country cancelled some sports and cultural events. More than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes over the last four years, and most of the fatalities were preventable, the World Health Organisation’s Europe office said this month.

More above-average temperatures are expected this summer, which can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke. Human-caused climate change is tied to increasing extreme weather events and UN climate agency projections say the next five years should shatter more heat records.

A rapid study found that human-caused climate change was responsible for killing about 1,500 people in an unusually early European heat wave in May. In this latest European hot spell, French media reported that four children drowned on Saturday.

Summer drownings are an annual problem that health authorities say worsens during hot spells. France’s annual Music Day on Sunday was of particular concern. The nationwide summer solstice celebration involves thousands of concerts in village squares, rave venues and Paris clubs, bringing communities together and increasingly drawing British and other international visitors.

Some of the concerts outside Paris were cancelled. The French government banned public drinking in “red alert” zones, and ordered organisers of music day events to limit alcohol consumption to “preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable”.

Scores of French trains were cancelled, and the national rail authority dispatched thousands of extra staff to deal with potential problems as the heat threatened rails and electrical cables. Authorities are notably worried about people living in the baking streets, and elderly people in nursing homes or isolated in their homes.

About 15,000 older people died in France in a 2003 heat wave that became a national reckoning. The government mobilised emergency services and military forces for reinforced wildfire readiness, imposed tightened surveillance of water supplies to France’s many nuclear reactors, and ordered 845 schools to close on Monday.

Spain kicked off the summer with large parts of the country on alert because of temperatures expected to hover around 40C — even in the interior of Basque Country, a northern region that typically experiences cooler temperatures. Authorities have suspended outdoor sports and cultural activities in the region.

The heatwave is expected to scorch Spain at least until Wednesday. In Italy, authorities expanded heat warnings — referred to locally as “red flags” — to eight cities on Sunday in northern and central parts of the country.

Temperatures there are mostly in the upper 30s. At one farm outside Milan, owners set up fans and sprinklers to keep cows cool, while visitors to Milan Fashion Week huddled under parasols and clutched fans.

In Rome, tourists dunked their arms and occasionally their faces into the city’s famed fountain pools. The German Weather Service is forecasting temperatures of up to 37C for Monday and Tuesday, and up to 39C on Wednesday.

A 23-year-old man drowned on Saturday in a lake near Rheinstetten in the south-western region of Baden-Wurttemberg, the German news agency dpa reported. Three other people are missing after swimming in the Rhine River, a police spokeswoman told dpa.

Thunderstorms also threatened regions in Germany and Poland. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is convening a new government heat crisis meeting on Sunday, and ordered government ministers to plan for better adapting France to heat waves in the future — including “via air conditioning, if necessary”.

Why go now

South of the city centre, Le Mourillon is Toulon’s characterful and unpretentious seaside quarter. Once a fishing village, Le Mourillon is home to little shops selling Provençal produce such as huge garlic bulbs and tomatoes in vibrant shades, alongside lively bars and restaurants. It’s not as glamorous or polished as the likes of Antibes or Saint-Tropez – you won’t find designer brands – but it’s all the more charming for that.

The hilly, narrow streets wind down to Le Mourillon’s star attraction: its beaches. Widely recognised as the second sunniest city in France, Toulon practically guarantees year-round blue skies and sunshine. The clear, azure sea sparkles and the beaches are lined with restaurants and date palms. While cruise ships come and go from the city’s main port, Le Mourillon is far enough from the centre that you only see them in the distance, alongside sailing boats and fishing vessels.

Where to eat and drink

Eating and drinking is one of the main pastimes in the south of France, especially on Sundays when many shops are closed. Le Mourillon is home to some of the best restaurants in Toulon, most of which celebrate Mediterranean cuisine and ingredients. Try AOC 41 for fresh, seasonal fare and some of the most flavoursome meals I’ve had, such as confit beef open ravioli with sand-grown carrots and bourguignon jus whipped with bone marrow (starters from €12, mains from €26). If you fancy a pre- or post-dinner drink, pop round the corner to Havana Cafe, which in the summer months spills out across the whole square.

Down by the beaches, restaurants offer everything from a p’tit dej formule (classic French set breakfast of bread, a pastry, coffee and juice) to freshly caught fish of the day. La Sorga serves an incontournable (unmissable) caesar salad with breaded chicken and oven-baked potatoes, best enjoyed with a glass of rosé overlooking the sea. This being the south of France, the wine is cheap and you certainly won’t be rushed.

Cultural experiences

Created in the 1970s, the four human-made beaches are the main attraction in Le Mourillon. Swim in the (usually calm) Mediterranean or rent a paddleboard or kayak from the yacht club. While strolling along the promenade, take in the local people playing pétanque and beach volleyball, while children play mini golf, bounce on trampolines and enjoy churros.

At one end of the beaches, next to a little fishing harbour, you’ll find Fort Saint Louis – built in the 17th century, it’s still used by the French navy (albeit for staff lunches rather than warfare).

Back in the heart of Le Mourillon, Saint-Flavien church, built in 1868, is a beautiful building worth admiring, and you might get lucky and hear some music or singers. Art lovers should visit the Museum of Asian Art, just back from the beaches, or head inland to one of the many galleries on Rue Lamalgue, Le Mourillon’s main street, such as Galerie d’art Toulon Inna Khimich.

In the height of summer, Toulon’s jazz festival (26 July-8 August) brings free concerts to Le Mourillon’s beaches. Every year on 15 August, the Feast of Assumption is marked with a spectacular fireworks display from the fort. In spring, La Fête de la Mer sees local producers and winemakers set up stalls in the port to sell fresh oysters, baked goods and local wine and beer. Tables are filled with les Toulonnais, who arrive en masse to settle in for a day of live music, drinks and seafood.

Where to shop

Rue Lamalgue is a narrow street lined with Provençal buildings in shades of pale pink and terracotta with faded blue shutters, decorated with strings of bunting and floral arrangements on the lamp-posts. It’s the heart of Le Mourillon and home to many independent boutiques and cafes. For tasteful gifts, from vases to children’s toys, visit Oblada, and try Acanthe for chic French clothing for the whole family. But be warned: most shops close for up to 3.5 hours over lunch, as well as all day Sunday and Monday.

Pick up artisan cheeses at Fromagerie Grosso, meat at one of Lamalgue’s multiple boucheries, fruit and veg at Primeurs Vitamine, wine at Cave Faubourg du Mourillon or La Dégust Nature, and bread, pastries, chocolates and cakes at one of the many bakeries. Of course, there’s a market too, selling fresh produce every morning except Mondays. Saturday mornings is when Le Mourillon is most alive, as local people amble around, picking up fresh bread and stopping for a coffee and croissant.

Don’t miss

Walking along the beaches of Le Mourillon is lovely, but the best trails are the coastal paths that continue from each end. If you go east, past the yacht club, the path winds around the coast with various sets of steps down to tiny beaches. Keep going past Fort Cap Brun, and you’ll eventually get to Anse de Méjean, one of the most beautiful coves in the area, which almost feels like a tiny Greek fishing village. Toulon may not be as bougie as Cannes or Nice, but you might still see a family sail in on a yacht for lunch at L’Escale, a hidden gem of a restaurant that is well worth a visit (bear in mind it closes in the winter).

Walk the other way from the beaches of Le Mourillon and the path winds round to Plage de La Mitre, another beautiful stretch of sand.

Stay

There aren’t many hotels in Le Mourillon, but Hôtel Les Voiles offers simple accommodation with sea views (doubles from €112). A little more upmarket is the four-star L’Eautel in central Toulon (doubles from €119).

Eleven UK travel firms have collapsed into liquidation since 2025, leaving customers seeking refunds after flights and holidays were cancelled and staff made redundant, amid wider uncertainty in the travel industry.

Eleven travel companies have collapsed into liquidation over recent months as the travel industry has been battered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The closures since the start of the year have triggered flight chaos and left staff facing redundancy as a result.

In a number of cases, holidays have been cancelled outright, leaving customers scrambling for refunds or compensation.

In Oxfordshire, coach and passenger land transport firm Oxfordshire Travel Limited, based near Kidlington, went into liquidation in October 2025.

The company had traded for a decade before liquidators were brought in, after it was determined the business was no longer able to continue operating or settle its debts.

Set Sail Cruises Ltd, also based in Oxfordshire, was dissolved on March 17, 2026, with all planned sailings cancelled as a consequence.

The agency was just two years old, having been incorporated on February 4, 2024.

In the same county, The Padel Travel Club Limited also shut its doors with approximately £41k in short-term debts — any trips that had yet to depart were subsequently cancelled.

The business was incorporated in February 2023 and has since been struck off the Companies House register following a voluntary strike-off.

Documents suggest the company folded with short-term debts of just over £40,000 and insufficient assets to repay creditors in full, though a final liquidation statement has yet to be made available. Several other travel firms have also felt the full force of the struggling industry.

London-based Regen Central Ltd, an ATOL-licensed travel agency selling flight-and-hotel packages to Europe and Southeast Asia, lost its ATOL on January 13.

Following this, the company fell into liquidation and cancelled all bookings.

Another travel firm, Simply Florida Travel Ltd, based in Glasgow and well-known for selling “dream holidays” including trips to Disney World, was stripped of its ATOL holder status after dissolving in early January.

Holidaymakers were left chasing refunds as all packages and flights were subsequently cancelled.

Gold Crest Holidays, a coach-tour operator running trips across the UK and abroad, also collapsed and ceased trading in early 2026.

Following the liquidation, all members of staff were made redundant.

Numerous other travel companies have also stopped trading or dissolved since 2025. These include Asiara UK Ltd, Jetline Travel Ltd, Great Little Escapes LLP and New Era Travel.

Most recently, Strachan Travel Ltd, a Lancashire-based firm incorporated in 1983, entered voluntary liquidation.

Resolutions to wind up the company were recorded on June 11, with liquidators appointed on June 16, according to The Gazette.

The collapse of these firms comes amid a period of widespread uncertainty in the travel sector, following warnings issued by the Government and airlines in response to the conflict in the Middle East.

However, with a peace agreement now signed and several travel restrictions lifted, there is renewed hope for the industry.

The provided article explores the cultural and historical significance of the Andean New Year, a public holiday in Bolivia celebrated during the winter solstice. Occurring annually on June 21st, this event historically signaled the start of the agricultural cycle for indigenous farmers in the high-altitude regions. Modern festivities frequently center around the ancient ruins of Tiwanaku, where visitors gather to witness the sunrise through megalithic structures designed for astronomical tracking. While the day is a national holiday that closes schools and businesses, the text notes local political controversy regarding its official status. Some critics argue the celebration favors a minority ethnic group over th … 

The adaptation of a much-loved Jane Austen novel has long been hailed a classic so watching it at the outdoor cinema at Kew Gardens was truly magical

More than 25 years since its release, this adaptation of a beloved classic novel is still winning over new fans.

Hailed a film masterpiece and dubbed the greatest ever made by devoted fans, Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadyen, tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet and her Mr Darcy.

Based on Jane Austen’s novel of the same name, released in 1813, this timeless love story follows our couple as they go from sworn enemies to something far deeper.

Austen’s classic work was adapted for the big screen by Deborah Moggach and was directed by Oscar-winning director, Joe Wright, as his first film.

With a star-studded cast that also includes Donald Sutherland as heroin Elizabeth’s long-suffering father, Mr Bennet, and Brenda Blethyn as her meddling mother, Mrs Bennet, along with Rosamund Pike as older sister Jane, Carey Mulligan as Kitty and Tom Hollander as the ever annoying Mr Collins. Judi Dench’s appearance as Lady Catherine de Bourgh is one of the many highlights of the film.

Just imagine watching this masterpiece period drama in one of the most dramatic of settings – an outdoor cinema in the middle of the stunning Kew Gardens in London.

Fans and critics alike can’t get enough of the film and it has an impressive 90 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

One critic said: “Between Wright’s magnetically captivating vision and the impeccable performances, Pride and Prejudice 2005 shines as a leading benchmark of a breathtaking adaptation, earning a rightful stamp of approval from countless longtime fans.”

While another wrote: “Wright embraces the tactility of touch, the energy of chaos, and the beauty of stolen glances. Regardless of which Austen is your favorite, it’s easy to fall in love with Wright’s visual feast of a movie.”

Meanwhile a third added: “With the earnest, yet simple depiction of love and the gorgeous, dreamy visuals, Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice remains an enduring classic.”

Fans also adore Pride and Prejudice with many describing it as the “greatest period drama ever made”.

One wrote: “Everything about this movie is perfect. The soundtrack and cinematography are truly incredible and I will always say that this is my favourite adaption of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It has also been my comfort movie for the last 10 years of life.”

While another added: “This is the best movie I’ve ever seen!!! Beautiful cinematography, The acting is by far the best thing about this movie everyone had such amazing chemistry and understanding of their characters. This really captures the essence and the tone of Jane Austen.”

What better place to watch a beautiful classic film than in one of the most stunning settings in the country – outdoor cinema at Kew Gardens.

As part of a weekend long series of outdoor showings, which included Jurassic Park, The Gruffalo, Mamma Mia and Dirty Dancing, sitting surrounded by the greenery and calm of Kew was the perfect way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Run along with Adventure Cinemas, the weekend of movies was a sell-out success and it’s easy to see why. Enjoying a picnic, or even a tipple or two, while watching some of the most iconic cinema ever made in such a stunning and incredible location feels like something out of a dream.

While this year’s event is now complete, when tickers become available again, run don’t walk to the front of the queue.

For more information about upcoming events at Kew Botanical Gardens, visit the website.

Under plans by the local authority, work on the link road was expected to finish this year and open to traffic in early 2027 – eight years after the junction was originally built

The opening of a £50m ‘dead-end’ motorway junction near Bristol that was built seven years ago and has never been used could face further delays, it has been announced.

National Highways completed the bulk of the work on the two-bridge junction off the M49 – a stretch of road between Avonmouth and Severnside – in 2019. But plans to link the junction with a nearby industrial estate used by companies such as Tesco and Amazon stalled after a dispute arose over who was responsible for building the connecting road.

Now “defects” have been identified at the junction, National Highways has revealed. The body responsible for England’s roads said it was looking at options for remedial work following an engineering survey carried out by independent specialists.

“Discussions with our contractor are ongoing,” National Highways said in a statement. “We expect this will impact the opening of the South Gloucestershire Council link road, which is in construction.

“We remain committed to opening the junction as this will benefit the regional economy and communities. For safety reasons these defects must be addressed before we can connect it to local authority roads.

“We realise how frustrating this news will be to communities and businesses and we are working with the council and other partners on next steps.”

A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said the news was “incredibly frustrating”.

“We share the anger and disbelief felt by local residents and businesses,” they said. “The council has committed to deliver the link road to connect to the M49 junction, and we remain on track to do so by the end of 2026.

“However, the opening of the junction once the link road is complete is solely a matter for National Highways.”

Under plans by the local authority, work on the link road was expected to finish this year and open to traffic in early 2027 – eight years after the junction was originally built.

But, according to South Gloucestershire Council, National Highways has not confirmed a programme or timeline for resolving issues affecting the junction and does not expect to provide an update until the autumn of this year.

“This uncertainty is deeply concerning for residents in nearby communities, who are affected by significant numbers of large vehicles using local roads,” the council spokesperson said.

“The delay is also a problem for businesses in Severnside, an area we all want to see grow and which needs to be properly connected to the strategic road network as soon as possible, in order to attract the investment to create jobs.

“We are pressing National Highways to provide as much information as possible, as soon as possible, about how and when they will make the junction ready for traffic and when we can expect the link road to be connected to the motorway in the way we have long planned. We will continue to press for answers and share updates as soon as further information becomes available.”

When the M49 junction was first proposed, it was hoped it would create an economic boost for the region and ease congestion on local roads by connecting the Port of Avonmouth and the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area.

But the project, which secured another £7m from the Department for Transport last year, has been hampered by delays, much to the chagrin of local residents and businesses.

Landownership issues, disagreements over responsibilities and navigating ecological challenges have all contributed to slowing up the opening of the so-called “ghost junction”, reports BusinessLive.

‘It is farcical’

The MP for Thornbury and Yate, Claire Young, has slammed National Highways for taking so long to disclose the issue.

“It is farcical that National Highways has waited until now to tell us there is a problem with the M49 junction they built,” she said.

Ms Young said National Highways was “unable” to reveal what the problem was.

“It means that the opening of this long awaited ‘ghost junction’ will almost certainly be delayed. My thoughts are with the long suffering local residents who will have to continue to deal with lorries thundering down their roads from massive warehouses that were located specifically to use this motorway junction.

“The surrounding roads are being ripped to shreds by lorries they were never designed to carry. Communication throughout has been poor; businesses and some local people are only now being told about the issue. I will continue to press National Highways and the government to sort out this mess as quickly as possible.”

Peter Tyzack, chair of Pilning and Severn Beach Parish Council, said it was “very disappointing and frustrating”. “Residents and businesses have waited a long time for the junction to open,” he said. “The parish council has made clear that, while safety must come first, the local community cannot simply be expected to absorb the impact of further delay without support.”

The land owner of the distribution park, Delta, has also been contacted for comment.

IF you’ve spent the last few months telling yourself you’ll book your summer holiday “next week,” don’t panic. You’re in good company.

This year, British holidaymakers are leaving it later than ever to lock in their summer breaks.

Normally, playing chicken with the calendar is terrible news for your bank balance. But right now, I’m seeing something interesting.

Because summer is staring us down, hotels with empty beds and airlines with empty seats are gently slashing prices to get bookings over the line.

And the result is some genuinely surprising short-haul beach bargains are sitting on the board for under £400pp.

I’ve crunched the numbers and picked out ten spots where your late-booking budget will stretch way further than you think.

Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote, Spain

If you want a completely foolproof option, Lanzarote rarely misses.

Puerto del Carmen is an absolute staple, and right now, it’s delivering significantly better value than a lot of mainland Spanish resorts.

You get the reliable Canary sun, decent beaches, and enough life going on that you won’t get bored.

I spotted a five-night stay at the THB Flora from £370pp this August.

What makes this hotel a solid pick for me is the location – it’s close enough to the main strip when you want a drink, but tucked far enough away that you aren’t fighting a crowd just to claim a sunbed in the morning.

Icmeler, Turkey

Icmeler has always been the smarter, slightly more sophisticated neighbour to Marmaris.

The bay is stunning, the beach is framed by pine hills, and it completely avoids the chaotic mega-resort energy you find elsewhere in Turkey.

And this year, it’s consistently overdelivering for the price.

Case in point: five nights at the Petunya Konak Boutique Hotel is coming in from £385pp this August.

This hotel feels way more boutique than your standard package hotel too.

The pool setup is hidden away in the gardens, giving you a level of quiet that is gold dust during peak August.

Cavtat, Croatia

Dubrovnik may be grabbing all the headlines these days, but Cavtat remains one of Croatia‘s smartest-value coastal towns.

It serves up the exact same crystal-clear Adriatic water and postcard waterfront dining, just minus the suffocating levels of tourism.

If you’ve never done Croatia, a five-night stay at the Epidaurus Hotel from £385pp this August is a brilliant place to start.

The real win here is the logistics: you’re perfectly placed to enjoy Cavtat’s laid-back vibe, but you can hop on a quick boat ride into Dubrovnik whenever you fancy a bit of sightseeing.

Lagos, Algarve, Portugal

Lagos might just be my favourite corner of the Algarve.

It manages to balance unreal, cliff-backed beaches and a character-packed old town without feeling like a plastic tourist trap.

Finding peak summer deals here under the 400-quid mark is a massive result.

I dug up five nights at the Aqualuz Suite Hotel Apartamentos from £388pp this August.

And the selling point at this hotel, for me, is space. Because you get an apartment setup to actually spread out in, while still being an easy stroll from both the sand and Lagos’ top-notch independent restaurant scene.

Qawra, Malta

Malta doesn’t always get the attention it deserves for a summer beach break, which on this occasion plays into the hands of us holiday deal finders.

Because it offers guaranteed scorching weather, great swimming spots, and some of the warmest evening temperatures in Europe.

If you’re bored of the usual Spain or Turkey rotation, it’s a top shout.

You can grab five nights at the Best Western Premier Malta from £295pp this August.

And frankly, this place looks and feels much more expensive than the price tag suggests.

The rooftop pool alone looks like it belongs to a luxury city-break hotel rather than a budget summer deal.

Puerto Pollensa, Majorca, Spain

If you want Majorca but want to skip the neon lights and rowdy strips, Puerto Pollensa on the north coast is tough to beat.

It’s got a beautiful, relaxed bay and a classic, old-school Mediterranean feel.

I’ll be honest – this is normally a premium area, but 2026 keeps throwing curveballs that I love catching.

Because I found a five-night stay at the Club del Sol Aparthotel from £393pp this August, giving you a foothold in one of the prettiest, most civilized parts of the island while keeping your budget completely under control.

Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria, Spain

Gran Canaria is a reliable destination for Brits for a reason.

If you’re scrambling for a last-minute getaway, Playa del Ingles is an easy win thanks to its massive beach and lively town center – this place is built for convenience.

I clocked five nights at the Servatur Waikiki from £400pp this August.

It’s right on the money in terms of location too, as you’re close to the beach, close to the nightlife, and it serves as a great, no-nonsense base for a classic sun-and-beer holiday.

Elounda, Crete, Greece

Elounda is proof that you don’t need a luxury budget to stay in one of Crete’s most scenic spots.

It’s known for its clear waters and charming little harbour, and is exactly the kind of place that usually charges a premium just for the view.

However, I spotted a five-night stay at the Alikes Hotel Apartments from £373pp this August.

And this hotel puts you right in the heart of the village, so you can easily wander between the tavernas and waterfront bars without needing to budget for taxis.

Sunny Beach, Bulgaria

Bulgaria has been sneakily dominating the budget travel market for years, and while Sunny Beach is famous for being cheap, the actual standard of the hotels has shot up recently.

Which now puts the destination in a perfect spot – overdelivering on quality compared to what you pay.

Just look at this: I found a five-night stay at the Lion Sunny Beach from £388pp this August.

And this place perfectly highlights what modern Bulgaria does well: it’s contemporary, stylish, and comfortable, without ever making you feel like you’ve compromised just to save a few quid.

Vlore, Albania

If there’s one destination you need to look at before everyone else ruins it (sorry), it’s Albania.

The Albanian Riviera has been gaining serious traction in the last couple of years, and Vlore sits right in the perfect spot.

The beaches are stellar, the water rivals Greece, but the prices haven’t caught up with the quality yet.

But in my experience, that window won’t stay open forever.

This summer, you can lock in five nights at the Valza Boutique Hotel from £388pp in August.

It’s a sleek, boutique property that you’d easily pay double for if it were sitting across the water in Italy or Croatia.

My advice? Get this one booked before the rest of the UK finds out.

*Prices correct at the time of publication.

WE all know that Universal is building its very first European theme park right here in the UK.

While it’s setting up base in Bedford, it could have been somewhere else completely – and it happens to be the ‘coolest’ city in Britain.

Planning documents revealed that Universal had previously considered building its upcoming theme park on the outskirts of Milton Keynes.

But when certain “terms could not be agreed”, a site in Bedford was picked instead.

Milton Keynes is just a half an hour drive away from Bedford but is completely different being a city, and in Buckinghamshire.

Last year, Milton Keynes was named one of the top ten destinations for Brits to visit in 2025 behind the likes of Milan, Rome and Tokyo.

SCHOOL’S OUT

Just 6 weeks until school summer hols! Cheap all inclusives where kids go FREE

CHEAP DATE

Our fave cheap European destinations with flights under £20 & hotels from £24pp

The city was even declared one of the ‘coolest’ places to live last year by The Times.

There’s plenty of activities to do in Milton Keynes – most of which you’ll find at Xscape.

Inside there’s everything from indoor skydiving to bowling, arcades, climbing walls, trampolines, escape rooms – even indoor ski slopes.

For restaurants, there are high-end spots on 12th Street and plenty of bars too.

Milton Keynes has its own theatre too with plays and touring West End musicals on throughout the year.

Nearby is Willen Lake which is popular for watersports like paddleboarding, kayaking, aqua parcs and open water swimming.

There’s also Woburn Safari Park and Woburn Abbey which has a 3,000-acre deer park.

Bletchley Park which was once the top-secret home of Britain’s World War Two Codebreakers sits just outside of the city centre.

Visitors can spend the day at the attraction which celebrates the place where Alan Turing helped to crack Enigma and save millions of lives.

Tickets for adults start from £25.87, for children (between 12-17) entry starts from £13.50, for children aged 8-11 tickets cost £6.75.

The new Universal theme park will be constructed in Bedford and it has recently announced that it will be officially called ‘Universal United Kingdom Resort’.

The park was given the green light last year with work on the site starting in early 2026.

Once open, it will be the first Universal theme park in Europe, and it’s scheduled to open in 2031.

As for what kind of themed lands and rides would open at the UK Universal, very little is known.

But there are rumours suggesting that some could be based on James Bond, Paddington, Lord of the Rings, Minions, Jurassic World, and Back to the Future.

There’s also expected to be hotels on-site as well as a new train station.

SWIMMING with sharks in the dark and no cage? Well that is a Jaws-droppingly bold idea.

Just a couple of hours after arriving at the Sun Siyam Iru Veli resort in the Maldives, and being wowed by my over-the-water villa, I’d plunged straight into the aquatic action with an intense but exhilarating experience.

My group of five guests would be night swimming by a coral reef with nurse sharks, which are generally docile around humans.

But they are up to 10ft long and have around 75 teeth!

As the sun set over the Indian Ocean, we gathered at the dive centre to get kitted out and be briefed by guides Alex and Ammaday.

I’m an experienced snorkeller, but it took me a while to get the hang of following the group and coping with the current and waves.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

I was definitely not hanging back to avoid being first on any shark buffet.

Armed with underwater torches, we spotted colourful fish and corals before several nurse sharks swam towards us, some of which were 8ft in length. Absolutely fin-credible.

It is one of various extra-charge activities (£80pp) at the cosy five-star all-inclusive resort in Dhaalu Atoll, now with Privé Collection status after Maldivian-owned Sun Siyam rebranded to mark its 35th anniversary last year.

And now that the Foreign Office has scrapped its advice against travel to destinations such as Doha, flights to this sun-soaked hotspot will be smooth again.

The bucket-list experiences don’t end with sharks.

Another on offer at this resort is the chance to be “cast away” on a desert island, a couple of miles offshore and only accessible by speedboat.

Just us and a resort host on a 200-yards-long by 30-yards-wide sandbar surrounded by pristine sea that’s perfect for snorkelling.

Like the radio show, your Desert Island Discs-covery comes with a “luxury item” — a Japanese bento box and prosecco lunch under a sunshade to refuel you while you enjoy blissful seclusion (experience costs £158pp).

There are plenty of activities included in the price of a stay, too, including guided daytime snorkel tours of the house reef (I found Nemo) and a trip to neighbouring island Ban’didhoo, where some of the 125-villa Iru Veli’s staff live.

Most of the 600 inhabitants work in the fishing industry and our guide Altho showed us the marina where mackerel, yellowfin and bluefin tuna are landed.

To stop overfishing, only rod and line is legal.

After checking out the 17th-century coral-walled mosque, kids’ parks, outdoor gyms and a football ground financed by Sun Siyam, I nosed around a souvenir shop, a 24/7 convenience store (Maldivian WD-40, who knew?) and the small shipyard by the beach.

While there are no resorts on this local island, there is one guest house, the friendly Divhoni, with clean rooms from £55 a night B&B. It’s well worth seeing where Maldivians actually live and work.

As for the other excursions, guests staying at Iru Veli are also entitled to a complimentary sunset cruise to spot dolphins, and £77pp spa credit or scuba, if PADI certified.

All of the swimming and snorkelling requires high energy and the resort’s restaurants can certainly help with that.

Much as I liked the food at the Aqua Orange main buffet, which is included in the price of a stay (the butter chicken curry with ginger pickle was awesome), the most memorable meal was at extra-charge Japanese-themed Teppanyaki, with incredible egg juggling, groan-worthy jokes and stellar chicken, steak, lobster and yellowfin tuna from chef Irvan (set menu £108pp and veggie £71pp). No prizes for guessing where the tuna came from.

One paradise island is never enough, though, and I spent the second half of my week at Sun Siyam’s five-star Iru Fushi resort in the North Male Atoll; like Iru Veli, a 45-minute seaplane transfer from the international airport.

And no sooner had I arrived than I was leaving!

Wild horses couldn’t normally drag me away from a tropical beach, but the throbbing 200 horsepower of a four-seater white “Rolls-Royce” jet car was irresistible.

After a briefing, I was behind the wheel of the £51,000 car-boat, driving across the ocean and getting 007 vibes like the scene with the aquatic Lotus Esprit in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me.

But you don’t have to be a secret agent facing down metal-mouthed baddie Jaws to bag this showstopper.

Starting at £94 for two, you can take the jet car out (escorted by a guide on a jetski) for a thrilling 45mph blast across the ocean that you’ll be telling your mates about for months.

Add drone videos to smash it on socials.

It’s one of various extra-charge activities at the gorgeous Luxury Collection all- inclusive resort.

Others include an Insta-fave floating breakfast in your villa’s infinity pool (£108 for two with fizz).

But there’s so much already included, you can have a brilliant week without spending more than the cost of your holiday in this archipelago of 1,200 islands.

Top of your list will be the Secret Sundowners pop-up bar (alcoholic and non- alcoholic cocktails at Sun Siyam resorts are terrific), wine tasting, kayaking and SUP, guided reef snorkelling and the excellent Sax On The Beach music session.

Food is also a highlight of any Maldives getaway and Sun Siyam’s inclusive restaurants and buffet are so good, you don’t necessarily need to visit a la carte venues.

However, the prawn thermidor I had at Islander’s Grill was sensational.

As was my accommodation, an over-the-water butler-service villa larger than some flats I’ve lived in and with an infinity pool, spa bath and direct sea access.

Iru Fushi has 221 villas and you will rack up your daily steps count getting around this sizeable resort, be it to the dreamy, award-winning Thalgo spa, Fluid bar and its terrific family pool, the adults’ pool and adjacent beachfront No Mistake bar (an unmissable spot), the highly-rated (and included) curry and pan-Asian restaurants or the water sports and dive centre.

You could just lie on the blissful beaches in the Maldives — or you could also drive on the sea like Bond and swim with sharks in the dark.

The choice is Jaws . . . 

A travel journalist who travelled to Italy said they were nearly caught out by a rule introduced in the city of Venice to improve cleanliness

A travel journalist who visited Venice said they nearly lost £86 after breaking a rule they didn’t know about. Joey Handler, a travel journalist, spent six days in Italy travelling around the iconic European country, visiting various popular cities en route.

However, in one of their latest pieces, they admitted they had five regrets from their time in Italy which formed part of a two week trip around Europe.

Reflecting on the trip, back in October 2022, the Joey touched on how at one point in Venice they were stopped by the authorities for doing an act they thought was innocuous.

Joey said the incident occurred after she had completed a walking tour and went for some lunch. Eventually, after passing full restaurant after full restaurant she said she cut her losses and bought an ice cream before deciding to sit down.

However, it was the sitting down that was the problem. The Business Insider journalist explained: “I eventually cut my losses and stood in line for gelato before sitting on a shaded step to enjoy it.

“As I was about to take my first bite, the nearby authorities waved their hands up and down at me — a gesture I could only take to mean ‘get up’. And there I was, committing an etiquette violation that, according to the City of Venice, may result in a fine of 100 to 200 euros.”

As well as being informed by the local authorities about the rule, tourists and others can also be informed by the local government website. On this rule, they said: “Do not consume food and drink sitting on the ground, do not sit or lie down on banks and foundations, monuments, bridges, steps, puteals and high-water walkways

“Fine: 100 to 200 euros DASPO – Urban banning order (offenders will be immediately banned from the place where the offence was committed).”

This means that offenders could be fined anywhere between £86.74 and £173.48 if they’re caught. On why such rules, which include not swimming in the canals, dumping rubbish, walking around in a swimsuit, feeding pigeons and seagulls, not cycling, and not bivouacking in public areas, are in place, the local authority say is to preserve the environment.

They explained: “Current regulations enforced by the Venice City Council Municipal Police forbid certain behaviour, in order to preserve urban cleanliness and landscape, and also for reasons of safety and public hygiene.

“The violation of such regulations involves the application of administrative fines – from €25 to €500.”

This isn’t the only charge people can face if they travel to Venice with tourists als facing an entrance fee which was introduced in 2024 by the city. This fee is around €5 (£4.34) and originally applied on peak days between April and July before being expanded.

However, the new mayor of Venice Simone Venturini, has talked about the possibility of increasing this to €50 (£43.37). He told Corrier della Sera: “If today it ranges from €5 to €10, my proposal is to increase it to €30 to €50.”

Whilst move was in part a reaction to the sheer number of tourists, opponents have warned it risks not being true to the city itself. Former mayor Massimo Cacciari went further and called for the scheme to be removed altogether: “There is no other city in Italy or Europe where you have to enter with a ticket, as though it was a museum.

“It is barbarous, uncivilised and, in my opinion, against the constitution. It is simply obscene. I thought that Venturini would be more intelligent than his predecessor and would scrap the fee.”

The Foreign Office has issued travel advice warning UK holidaymakers

British holidaymakers are being warned that they risk being slapped with a 500 euro fine when visiting one of the most sought-after destinations in Europe.

Millions of Brits are set to head overseas during the summer months, desperate for some sun, a change of scenery, as well as a well-deserved rest. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Government’s foreign affairs department, plays a key role in keeping UK citizens informed when travelling abroad – offering travel guidance covering more than 220 countries and territories across the globe.

In its travel advice for Italy, the FCDO cautions that “some Italian towns and cities have specific laws, and you could be fined for breaking them”. This, the FCDO noted, can include activities such as eating and drinking near major churches, historic monuments and public buildings.

It is also against the law to enter or bathe in public fountains across numerous towns and cities, including Florence and Rome, or to swim in the canals of Venice. The island of Capri is enormously popular with tourists and can be accessed by ferry from both Naples and Sorrento.

The stunning island nestled off Italy’s Amalfi Coast is celebrated for its Mediterranean charm and rich ancient heritage. However, visitors are being made aware that bringing any disposable plastic items onto the island – such as bags, cutlery, plates, cups, food packaging, trays and straws – is strictly prohibited.

Should you be caught doing so, you could face a penalty of up to 500 euros. Additional FCDO guidance regarding Italy adds: “Illegal traders operate on the streets of all major Italian cities. It is illegal to buy items from unlicensed street traders. If you do, you could be stopped by the local police and fined.

“It’s illegal to remove sand, shells or pebbles from coastal areas in Italy. You could face a large fine for doing so. It’s also illegal to collect various species of flowers, plants and herbs from mountain and wooded areas. For more information, check with the regional authorities of the area you’re visiting.”

DRAGGING your kids away from their screens can be a never-ending battle – but I think I’ve found the solution.

Tucked away in Brean, a short walk from the sea, Unity Beach holiday park in Somerset is a hive of activity.

With everything from swimming and football to archery and axe- throwing, the caravan site will make iPads seem dull to young eyes.

I was visiting with my lads Wilf, nine, and Jasper, six, plus their dad Simon — and for the first time ever, it was a doddle finding varied entertainment that suited everybody.

While Jasper and I were sticking coins in the 2p slot machines at the Family Fun Arcade, Wilf and Simon were getting stuck into an energy-burning axe-throwing class.

Wilf had so much fun that he was still proclaiming it as his holiday highlight by the end of the trip.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

The staff were excellent, too, giving him lots of tips and hyping him up as he launched the axe at the targets ahead.

The fun doesn’t stop there, though. For young footie fans inspired by the World Cup, there’s a superb football skills class with first-rate coaches.

There are also entertainer-led activities at 11am every morning at Unity Beach’s family pub, Wonky Donkey.

Jasper particularly enjoyed the Wizard’s Workshop, where he created a magic wand and cast lots of silly spells.

The swimming pool is not to be missed, either. It’s large and all one depth, which meant my youngest could swim in safety as his feet always touched the bottom.

Next to the pool, there’s a fun splash park complete with little slides, flumes and equipment, but my kids were too obsessed by the mini inflatable jet skis.

Bookable for little ones aged three to ten, these mini motors look just like the real deal, only smaller, and kids love racing each other up and down the water.

And if that’s not enough water fun for you, come the school summer holidays, families will also have access to a brand new lido and flumes.

Swimming and the site’s soft play area — which my kids were too old for but looked fun — are included in the price of a stay if you book directly with Unity Beach.

Other activities can either be pre-booked or paid for on the day.

If you prefer the beach to a pool, you won’t have to wander far to reach the shores of Brean.

It doesn’t quite have the same clear seas as Devon or Cornwall as it is situated on the Severn Estuary, but the vast golden sands are perfect for playing cricket, tennis, football or frisbee.

A word of caution, though — it is very important to read the beach’s warning signs because as the tide goes out, the sand can get rather muddy and is not safe to walk on.

When we weren’t getting stuck into mini jet ski action or playing games at the beach, our three- bedroom platinum caravan was the perfect place to unwind.

I must admit, I was expecting something a little like the scruffy caravans of my Nineties childhood, but this was smartly decorated and with a very modern feel to it.

It felt like a home away from home and the boys really loved the simplicity of evenings spent indoors gobbling up homemade pasta (the caravan has a well-equipped kitchen) followed by a night of board games.

If you don’t fancy cooking though, there are so many restaurants onsite that you could have a different dinner every night of the week.

Scoop & Swirl was a big hit for ice creams and other sweet treats, plus there are takeaway options for fish and chips, pizza and fried chicken.

Our foodie highlight was breakfast at the Wonky Donkey, where the grown-ups tucked into a huge full English while the kids wolfed down decadent waffles drizzled with maple syrup.

There’s also RJs — a restaurant that dishes up burgers, pizzas and chilli con carne with a side serving of entertainment.

From kids’ discos to energetic magic shows, there’s something on here every night of the week, so you’ll never get bored.

And to top it all off, we didn’t have one single request for the iPad.

That’s the biggest result of all, if you ask me.

CAMPING is always fun for the family, but why not throw in some beach time as well?

New research has revealed the best coastal campsites across the UK.

Money-saving experts at Idealo have ranked the best UK campsites based on several areas including the nightly pitch price and proximity to the beach – read below for the full list.

Machrihanish Holiday Park, Argyll

Coming out on top was Machrihanish Holiday Park in Argyll Scotland.

Sat on the Kintyre Peninsula, the holiday park has non-electric pitches available from £26 per night (working out to £13 each a night).

Machrihanish Beach is less than half a mile away too.

Read more on travel inspo

TRAVEL TIP

The £2.99 SIM hack that can save Brits HUNDREDS abroad

STAYCAY

Our travel experts’ best-kept-secret UK holiday spots for summer – from £37 a night

The beach stretches on for three miles and is often said to be a good spot to go shell and sea glass hunting.

One recent visitor said: “This is a beautiful beach with stunning views across to Islay and the Paps of Jura.”

At the campsite, visitors can expect hot showers, toilets, an onsite shop and even Wi-Fi.

Your furry friend doesn’t have to be left out either as dogs can stay for free.

Beryl’s Campsite, Devon

Coming in second place is Beryl’s Campsite in Devon, which is tucked down a lane and sits on a meadow surrounded by trees.

Not too far from Beesands Beach, a pitch costs from £27 per night (or £13.50 each) per night at the campsite without an electrical hookup.

At the site visitors will find hot showers, toilets, an onsite shop and a fire pit area.

Dogs are also allowed at the site, for 50p a night.

If you are lucky enough, you might spot a deer while pitching your tent.

Beesands Beach features shingle and is backed by fields and even a freshwater lake.

The beach has previously won awards as well including a Blue Flag status.

If you fancy taking a dip in the water, it is a great spot for sailing and windsurfing.

The Hollies Leisure Resort, Suffolk

Rounding out the top three is The Hollies Leisure Resort in Kessingland, Suffolk.

A pitch at the site costs from just £23 per night (£11.50 each) without a hookup, or you can get a pitch with a hookup for £28 per night.

At the site there are also showers, Wi-Fi, a picnic area and an outdoor play area.

If you aren’t the biggest fan of pitching a tent then you could opt for one of the safari tents onsite sleeping up to four people and costing from £365 for four nights.

And Kessingland Beach is just 1.8 miles away, just south of the popular seaside town of Lowestoft.

The sand and shingle beach is backed by cliffs and sand dunes and is known for having fewer crowds than Lowestoft Beach and Southwold, which is also nearby.

Here’s the full list of the top 10 coastal campsites:

1. Machrihanish Holiday Park, Argyll
2. Beryl’s Campsite, Devon
3. The Hollies Leisure Resort, Kessingland, Suffolk
4. Llanungar Caravan and Camping, Pembrokeshire
5. Watermouth Valley Camping Park, Devon
6. Manor Farm, Norfolk
7. Beadnell Bay Camping, Northumberland Coast
8. Burnbake Forest Lodges and Campsite, Dorset
9. Watertop Farm, Antrim
10. Treveague Campsite, Cornwall

The tour operator will offer both standalone flights and package holidays to the sunny destination, which offers both beautiful beaches plus lots of cultural and historic attractions

Jet2 has announced it’s launching flights and holidays to Tunisia for summer 2027, with the airline opening bookings for holidaymakers looking to get away from May 1 to October 31 next year.

The tour operator will offer new flights from Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, London Stansted, and Manchester. Customers who book a package holiday will be able to choose from a range of 3 to 5-star hotels situated in the resorts of Port el Kantaoui, Skanes, Mahdia, Sousse, Yasmine Hammamet, and Hammamet.

All flights will arrive in Enfidha–Hammamet International Airport in the north of the country, close to the capital of Tunis and some of Tunisia’s most popular resorts.

Jet2’s new flight schedule will offer twice-weekly flights on Wednesday and Saturday from Birmingham and London-Stansted, plus two flights a week covering Manchester on Tuesday and Friday. East Midlands and Leeds Bradford airports will get weekly flights.

Once you arrive, there are lots of places to explore, from the vast Medina of Hammamet to the palm-tree lined seaside of Sousse. Take a day trip to the Roman Amphitheatre of El Jem, full of incredible stories about the wild animals caged in its dungeons and its gladiator battles, where 30,000 spectators once cheered on its bloody spectacles.

Further south, you can discover desert landscapes and shimmering salt flats. Explore the filming locations for the original Star Wars trilogy, and visit traditional Berber cave homes carved deep into the mountains.

Visit Tunis for the day and explore the labyrinth of market stalls, mosques, and houses all found in one concentrated, slightly chaotic space. Dating back to 698, this colourful medina is now home to one-tenth of the city’s population. But if you enter, be sure to watch out for landmarks, as it’s easy to get lost within its walls.

You can also visit the Bardo National Museum, home to the largest collection of Roman mosaics in the world, and artefacts found in the city of Carthage from the days when Tunisia was a major trading hub for the Ancient Mediterranean.

This announcement brings the total number of Jet2 destinations for summer 2027 to 70, and the tour operator has recently announced new services to Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, as well as Kavala in the north of Greece.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, said: “With year-round sunshine, rich culture and fantastic sunshine, Tunisia has something for everyone and we know how immensely popular it will be.”

Fakhri Khalsi, acting UK Director at the Tunisian National Tourist Office, said: “We are delighted to welcome the launch of Jet2’s holiday and flight programmes to Tunisia starting in summer 2027. This announcement represents a significant milestone in our efforts to strengthen Tunisia’s position as a leading Mediterranean destination and reflects the growing confidence of major travel operators in our tourism offering.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

GREECE

Toes in the sea on Kastellorizo

Just 2km from the Lycian coast, Kastellorizo is much closer to Turkey than mainland Greece. Ferries from the Turkish beach town of Kaş, as well as Rhodes and other Dodecanese neighbours, dock at the island’s tiny harbour, lined with colourful neoclassical houses. One of them, an ochre-painted mansion with pistachio green shutters, is Hotel Mediterraneo, which is so close to the water that you can practically roll out of bed and into the sea from the ground floor suite.

Mediterraneo’s owner, Parisian architect Marie Rivalant, is one of many artists and creatives who have fallen for Kastellorizo’s sleepy charms. She took over the quayside pension 25 years ago, painting the seven bedrooms in sunny colours and layering them with rugs, cushions, antiques and artworks (if you like her bohemian style, there is a small shop at the hotel selling her finds). Breakfasts blend influences from her travels too: flaky Turkish börek pastries, Greek yogurt and freshly baked croissants, served on the terrace.
Doubles from €170 B&B, mediterraneokastellorizo.com

A shipshape foodie stay in the Dodecanese

In the 19th century, the Greek island of Symi grew wealthy on sponge-diving, shipbuilding and seafaring. This brought merchants, with silver, spices and sponges traded in a neoclassical building on the Kali Strata, a stone stairway that connects the harbour of Gialos with the upper village of Chorio.

Today that building, with its high-ceilinged historic grandeur, is The Old Markets hotel. In the bedrooms, antique maps, old globes, nautical paintings and silverware nod to its past life. There are only seven rooms and three suites spread between the old market and the neighbouring Captain’s Mansion, but the hotel has an outsized culinary reputation thanks to its rooftop tasting-menu restaurant, Agora, and huge Greek breakfast feasts of Symi orange blossom akoumia (rice doughnuts) and toasted tsoureki (sweet brioche-like bread). Like many islands, Symi is best explored by boat, bobbing from Agios Nikolaos beach to St George Bay and on to the monastery at Panormitis, before heading back to the pretty horseshoe-shaped harbour.
Doubles from £150 B&B, theoldmarkets.com

SPAIN

A ducal palace in northern Spain

Spain’s paradors – state-run hotels in heritage buildings – are windows into the country’s history, from Moorish castles to medieval monasteries. In the hilltop town of Lerma, in the Castile and León region, the imposing 17th-century Ducal Palace is now Parador de Lerma, a place where royals married, princesses were born and even Napoleon stayed (walk in Bonaparte’s footsteps in room 313).

Several works by the great poet of Spain’s Golden Age, Lope de Vega, were first performed in the central covered courtyard surrounded by colonnaded galleries. The Duke of Lerma was also one of the great collectors of his time, and the parador is lined with moody oil paintings, Flemish tapestries and works by contemporary Spanish artists. The vaulted restaurant dishes up local favourites such as roast suckling lamb and Burgos cheeses. Nearby, the Arlanza wine region turns out muscular reds – try them at Bodega Palacio de Lerma.
Doubles from €124 room-only, breakfast €22, paradores.es

A hillside retreat near Barcelona

Set above the Costa del Maresme, the romantic manor of Can Casadella is a peaceful escape from Barcelona’s summer throng and just half an hour away. Magda and Josep allow visitors to have the run of antique-filled sitting rooms, cosy library and colonnaded terraces, where a hammock swings in the breeze. Outside, the old pond has been turned into a natural swimming pool, and there are orchards of orange, lemon, fig and almond trees. Freshly squeezed orange juice is served at breakfast, alongside homemade lemon and rosemary marmalade, breads, local cheese and sausages.

The nine large doubles and twins have original tiled floors and wooden beams, some with sea views and their own terraces. It’s enough to check out of the world for a few days, but Magda can also organise cooking workshops and yoga in the garden, and recommend hikes in the Parc de la Serralada Litoral next door or the best beaches a short drive away.
Doubles from €132 room-only, breakfast €12, cancasadella.com

A colourful hideout in Andalucía

Cortijo Genesis, a reimagined farmhouse, opened its doors last summer outside the whitewashed village of Gaucín, 40 miles west of Marbella. There’s a retro, Palm Springs-esque glamour to the pink scalloped parasols and wrought iron loungers in the garden, and the interior is just as colourful: a rainbow-painted ceiling in the reading room, a yellow-tiled kitchen and five bedrooms inspired by semi-precious stones – citrine, cornaline, morganite, lapis lazuli and aventurine.

Belgian co-owner Valentina Geyer is a reiki practitioner and equine therapist, and there’s a strong wellness focus, with meditation zones, yoga and pilates retreats, reiki healing and equine coaching. Much of the food is homegrown and homemade, with eggs from their hens, honey from their beehives, and herbs, fruit and vegetables from the permaculture plot. Good fuel to explore the hiking and biking routes through the hills nearby, or simply dip in and out of the swimming pool.
Doubles from €180 B&B, cortijo-genesis.com

FRANCE

A quieter side of the Côte d’Azur

Halfway between the hip grit of Marseille and the glitz of Saint-Tropez, Hyères is one of the quieter corners of the Côte d’Azur and known as Hyères-les-Palmiers for the thousands of palm trees that grow along boulevards and gardens. Part of its sleepy charm (and why it has stayed that way) is that its old town lies not on the beach, but a couple of miles inland, looking down on the Med from a hilltop perch.

It’s here that the Lilou Hotel opened a couple of summers ago, giving a Haussmann-esque building a fashionable twist, with cream and ochre paintwork, poplar burr wood furniture and rattan touches. There’s a slip of a pool outside and the restaurant dishes up coastal plates of bouillabaisse croquettes, tuna crudo and langoustine risotto. Down on the coast, l’Almanarre beach is a beautiful curve of sand popular with kite- and windsurfers. And just offshore are the islands of Porquerolles (home to a contemporary art institute and white sand beaches) and Port-Cros (a wild and rugged nature reserve) to explore.
Doubles from €145 room-only, breakfast €22, lilouhotel.fr

A seaside spa hotel in Brittany

On the blustery Finistère coast, a 45-minute drive east of Roscoff, the Grand Hôtel des Bains in Locquirec has a timeless New England air with its shiplap panelling and jaunty stripes. The chic decor is thanks to late owner Dominique van Lier, who edited a Belgian interiors magazine and tastefully transformed what had been a stuffy spa resort. The Marine Spa is still a huge draw, with massages, magnesium therapies and beauty treatments from Breton skincare brand Thalion. There’s also a sauna, hammam and warm indoor pool with knock-out views over Baie de Morlaix.

Most bedrooms have sea views, and there are beaches to walk to either side of the hotel’s rocky promontory, from tiny coves to the sweeping sands of the Baie de Locquirec. While the look here is East Coast US, the food and service are decidedly French (oysters, roasted lobster with seaweed butter) and the hotel also owns Brasserie de la Plage on the quayside for a change from the white-tablecloth dining room.
Doubles from £198 room-only, i-escape.com

An artist’s resort in Normandy

Claude Monet painted the luminous cliffs of Étretat more than 50 times during the 1880s, capturing the ever-shifting light on the white rock faces and dramatic sea arches. There are views of those famous chalk beauties from Le Donjon Domaine Saint Clair, which is set high above the Normandy seaside resort. One of the hotel’s bedrooms is named after Monet, while others honour novelists Guy de Maupassant, who lived in Étretat for part of his childhood, and Gustave Flaubert, a frequent visitor.

Less than three hours’ drive from Paris, Étretat is a popular spot with French tourists in the summer, who flock to the Alabaster Coast for locally caught seafood at waterfront bistros and the pebble beach between the cliffs. Built in 1862, Domaine Saint Clair is an imposing castle-style house with an idiosyncratic charm: bedrooms are tucked up and down little staircases and there is an open-air Jacuzzi atop the tower. There’s also a heated outdoor pool, a petit spa and a cocktail bar, which harks back to the town’s golden age.
Doubles from €190 room-only, breakfast €25, hoteletretat.com

Basque elegance in Biarritz

With its imperial palace on the headland overlooking wetsuit-clad surfers catching the waves, Biarritz has a funny duality of belle époque grandeur and salt-crusted beachiness. But it works. A few blocks back from the beach, Hotel Saint-Julien has a similar mix of elegance and ease. The typical 19th-century Basque house, with a whitewashed facade and painted shutters, has good bones – high ceilings and original wooden floors.

More recent updates have given an easy breeziness to the 26 bedrooms, all slightly different but decorated in muted colours with vintage furniture – the top floor has views over the rooftops to the sea. There’s a homely chambre d’hôte simplicity, and the restaurant has a rotating cast of visiting chefs and pop-up residencies. Restaurant Anema (until October) serves a daily changing menu of whatever is freshest from the fish market – on balmy nights bag one of the tables on the terrace.
Doubles from €180 room-only, breakfast €19, hotel-saint-julien-biarritz.fr

Chic Cannes at less haute prices

Cannes turns on the full red-carpet sparkle for the film festival each May, but with its superyacht-filled marina and beach clubs, it is a prime people-watching spot any time of year. The French Riviera town is known for palatial institutions such as the Carlton, Hôtel Martinez and Le Majestic, but a short walk from La Croisette, the newly opened Hôtel Lepoussin gives Haussmann-style glamour at less haute prices. There’s a mid-century feel to bedrooms, with sunny yellow textiles and wide curving wooden headboards; downstairs there’s an honesty bar in the lobby and a dinky plunge pool.

Keep the costs down further by skipping the beach-club fees and head instead to the public Plage Macé or Plage de la Bocca, stocking up on a picnic from the Marché Forville first. Or nip across to the Îles de Lérins on the ferry, exploring quiet coves, coastal walking trails and the fort where the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned.
Doubles from €135 room-only, breakfast €19, lepoussinhotel.com

PORTUGAL

A royal resort on the Portuguese Riviera

In 1870, King Luís I chose Cascais, 20 miles west of Lisbon, as his official summer residence. Aristocrats followed his lead to the Atlantic coast, building Italianate villas and ornate mansions, and turning the former fishing village into a fashionable resort. The Pergola Boutique Hotel was Cascais’s first hotel when it opened in 1985, transforming two chalets into an elegant 15-room retreat, the facade decorated with hand-painted tiles. Rooms are filled with art and antiques, and in the garden is a restaurant run by the team behind Lisbon favourite Café de São Bento.

The hotel is only a two-minute walk from the station, and arriving by train is easily the loveliest approach, with the line hugging the coast all the way from Lisbon. While Cascais still has a refined air, the coast is rugged and breezy – walk the boardwalk by the sea to neighbouring Estoril, catch a wave on the sandy stretch between Estoril and Carcavelos, or hike over cliffs to remote Praia da Ursa.
Doubles from £199 B&B, mrandmrssmith.com

Rococo grandeur in the Algarve

This incredible rose-coloured palace – now Pousada Palácio Estoi – was built in the 19th century by the Viscount of Estoi, with more than a passing nod to Versailles. Outside there are immaculate French-style gardens with clipped parterre hedges, statues and fountains, while inside is full-throttle Louis XV: ceilings frescoed with cherubim, ornate plasterwork, giant gilt mirrors and huge chandeliers. The 63 bedrooms, on the other hand, are a curious minimalist counterpoint, housed in a new wing that flanks the palace – slick and white like a visual palate cleanser from all that bling.

The extension is also home to a spa, with hammam, saunas and treatment rooms, and the restaurant dishes up Portuguese fish stew and Algarve orange tart in the old palace kitchen. From here, it’s a 20-minute drive to Faro, where boat trips depart for the lagoons, pristine beaches, birdlife and barrier islands of the Ria Formosa natural park.
Doubles from €122 B&B, pousadas.pt

ITALY

An artist’s guesthouse in Piemonte

Italian-Canadian artist Bruno Billio knows hotels – he spent 18 years as resident artist at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. But now his creativity, which spans installation, sculpture and design, comes to life in a new way at his four-bedroom guesthouse, La Giardina, which opened this spring in the hills outside Turin.

It’s a handsome conversion of a 12th-century convent, and deeply personal too, with rooms named after family members and a wedding picture of his parents in the sitting room. Billio’s sculptural installations (found objects bound in vibrant thread; porcelain figurines dipped in black rubber) and original paintings by other artists grace the guesthouse. There are views towards the tall peak of Monviso and the Alps, with vineyards and hill towns just beyond the estate’s gates.
Doubles from €140 B&B, lagiardina.com

A nonna’s house on Lake Como

Alessandro and Andrea Motti’s grandmother was born in this house in the village of Laglio on Como’s western shore, and when the brothers were little they used to play with the chickens and rabbits in the garden overlooking the water. Now they’ve turned their nonna’s old home (and the neighbouring one) into a charming bed and breakfast, Cà Spiga. All eight bedrooms have lake views, and a breakfast spread from the family’s deli, Da Luciano, is laid out on the terrace each morning. Recently they have started serving Sunday lunches in the garden too, with dishes from local bistro La Piazzetta in Cernobbio.

Alessandro is full of tips to sidestep the Como crowds. Follow his lead and drive to the beach on the northern part of the lake at Domaso, before lunch at Osteria Aquila d’Oro in the Valle del Dosso del Liro, finishing at his favourite cocktail bar, Lo Scalo in Cremia.
Doubles from €225 B&B, caspiga.it

Views to the lighthouse in Puglia

Jutting out into the Adriatic, the Gargano peninsula, the spur to Italy’s boot, is a place of dramatic white limestone cliffs and sandy beaches, rugged mountains and deep forests – a wilder, quieter alternative to southern Puglia. At its very tip, the whitewashed town of Vieste is a place Italians flock to in summer for its clear waters and medieval centre.

In a historic building overlooking the marina, Tra Cielo e Mare has just six rooms, all decked out in white and wood. Three have balconies overlooking the sea, and breakfast is served on the terrace with views towards the lighthouse, which sits on its own little island. Spiaggia del Castello, a sandy stretch framed by the huge Pizzomunno monolith is 15 minutes’ walk from the hotel. And the whole peninsula is part of the Gargano national park, which is crisscrossed with cycling and hiking trails.
Doubles from €190 B&B, welcomebeyond.com

Prices are for late June/early July and were correct at the time of going to press

The provided text describes the historical origins and symbolic design of the Argentine flag in honor of National Flag Day. Created by General Belgrano during the War of Independence, the banner was originally designed to distinguish revolutionary forces from the Spanish crown. While the modern version features horizontal blue and white stripes, the first iteration actually utilized vertical bands when it was first raised in 1812. The source clarifies the distinction between the Official Ceremonial Flag, which contains the Sun of May, and the simpler ornamental version. Furthermore, the article notes that the specific colors were inspired by those used during the May Revolution of 1810. This digest entry serves a …