Travel Desk

Not too long after Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened at Disneyland in 2019, the land brought me to tears.

It was a summer weekend evening, and I was strolling the 14-acre area, mainly to people watch. I caught a commotion in the crowd out of the corner of my eye, and decided to follow the activity.

There, crouched along one of the walls of the fictional town of Black Spire Outpost, was an actor playing the role of Rey, the hero of the most recent trilogy of “Star Wars” films. Behind her was a crowd of more than a dozen, many of them young children. Rey turned to tell them to be quiet. They followed her as she shuffled along the walls, decoratively designed to look decades old and scarred with blaster fire and cracks.

They turned a bend and came upon two Stormtroopers, who jumped in surprise, and signaled that Rey was the person they were after. That’s when Rey held out her hand, palm up, to the troopers. She instructed those with her to do the same and to repeat after her. She and the crowd, now quickly growing, were collectively using the Force.

The “Star Wars” character of Rey leads guests in using the Force at Disneyland in the summer of 2019.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

The Stromtroopers turned, muttered that there was nothing to see here, and walked away. Rey faced her audience and begin hugging and shaking hands with those closest to her. This is when I welled up.

The promise of Galaxy’s Edge was tremendous. Audiences were invited to pretend, to become a hero or perhaps a rogue in a land designed to facilitate interactivity, and most importantly play. That a crowd was able to become a little silly, be a bit vulnerable and share a collective moment with a gaggle of strangers reinforced to me the importance of theme parks as communal spaces, ones that can get us out of our head, our struggles and our stressors.

As of last week, Galaxy’s Edge forever changed. I still love the land, and believe it one of the triumphs of Walt Disney Imagineering. But I mourn what it once was and never came to be.

A change in the Force

Leia and Han are now meeting with guests at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in an effort to infuse more classic characters into the land.

(Christian Thompson / Disneyland Resort)

Galaxy’s Edge has shifted its timeline. Out is Kylo Ren, and in is Darth Vader. Also new to Galaxy’s Edge are Han and Leia. Luke is there, too, returning after a limited run last year. The arrival of the so-called “classic” “Star Wars” characters will in fact breathe new life into Galaxy’s Edge. Already, they are pleasing crowds, as the Disneyland faithful last week cheered Vader’s entrance, heard now to a score of John Williams’ ominous “Imperial March.”

Rey still makes appearances, but when she does she is stationed near showcase attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Ahsoka Tano, as well as the Mandalorian and Grogu, are among the other characters who will meet with guests in various spots throughout the area.

Galaxy’s Edge will now become what it was never built to be: a hodgepodge of “Star Wars” characters and nods to past works rather than undiscovered tales. While many saw the absence of the most recognizable “Star Wars” figures as a flaw, it was part of its intended design. For the land’s creators, it was a tradeoff they were willing to make, a bet guests would be active archetypal “Star Wars” tourists rather than spectative consumers. It was a grand theme park experiment.

“It was not an immediately intuitive decision,” Scott Trowbridge, the key Imagineer behind the land’s ideals, told me in 2022 when asked about the choice to set the land in the timeline of the most recent “Star Wars” films.

Said Trowbridge: “Luke’s story, or Leia’s story, that we saw 10, 20, 40 years ago, we know those stories. We love those stories. But there’s not room for us in that world. We wanted to make sure we were leaving room for you and your friends.”

When Galaxy’s Edge opened, we heard the roar of spaceships and musings of war. Traditional theme park trappings — character meet-and-greets, passive rides and musical scores — weren’t found. It was instead designed as an invitation, a new, unknown location filled with lesser-known characters like rebel spy Vi Moradi, meant to serve as a living playset for guests to create their own tales. I saw this happen, too. Once, when strolling the land with my former partner, she turned to me and lightly punched me in the arm, saying, “What’s a respectable guy like you doing with a scoundrel like me?” That was the moment I knew I would fall in love with her, and it was facilitated by Galaxy’s Edge.

A failed dream

The centerpiece of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the Millennium Falcon.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

If I’m being honest, I am aware that Galaxy’s Edge seldom lived up to this promise. Imagineers teased many characters — a bounty hunter, for instance, who would hang in the cantina — who never appeared. In order to play, we need people to play with, and this playland often felt empty. Droids, for instance, would show up, but often only for a limited time. Teased features, such as Bluetooth technology that would allow the land to track a guest’s reputation, courtesy of missions they completed in the Play Disney Parks mobile app, never reached their fruition. That game itself, which is still available, thus lacks any meaningful payoff.

Galaxy’s Edge was a theme park risk, asking how deeply guests would want to engage in physical spaces. But it came with challenges, namely that as these lands grow, the level of activity needed to maintain the illusion increases. A promised dinner theater was never built, and a stage for a special effects-laden stunt show has largely sat barren. Disney also relied not on actors but its retail staff — cast members, in park parlance — to do the heavy lifting when it came to performing.

I wrote in 2019 that Galaxy’s Edge may, in fact, be too ambitious for the Walt Disney Co. I’m bummed that I was right.

Many on social media are musing that Disney is now fixing Galaxy’s Edge. Let’s be clear, Galaxy’s Edge was never broken. It just needed Disney to be a better steward and to fully support the ambitions of its Imagineers.

Last week at Disneyland, when Darth Vader walked on a Galaxy’s Edge stage through a smattering of smoke, the crowd erupted as if at a sporting event. It was fun, and clearly something some fans had been craving.

So bring on Darth Vader and the rousing music of Williams, I reluctantly say. Disney should do what it does well, and that is to create memorable character experiences. Operationally, the park had abandoned the initial goals of Galaxy’s Edge long ago, and the presence of Han, Luke and Leia will excite guests and at last give attendees more characters to interact with. It will be a busy, bustling place, and that I do applaud.

The week in SoCal theme parks

Changes have been reported at Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin.

(Christian Thompson / Disneyland Resort)

• You can now get a “Star Wars” ID card in Downtown Disney. Located inside the Star Wars Trading Post shop is a plastic ID-making machine (similar to the fake driver’s license one can get in the queue for Autopia) that will take your photo and allow you to pick a role in the “Star Wars” universe (bounty hunter, fighter pilot, etc.). It looks neat. I want one, even though I don’t know what I would do with it, but so far, lines have averaged 90 minutes to two hours or more.
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin has lost its spin. Disneyland removed the ability for guests to twist and turn their cars, an operational-driven-tweak, as the ride now allows for lap seating for younger guests and will allow for more to experience the attraction. While I can see how some may miss the spinning feature, I often tried to keep the car steady to soak up the environment, so my initial reaction leans positive, especially if it improves a family’s Disneyland day.
• Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first “Harry Potter” film in an all-encompassing environment. Inglewood’s Cosm isn’t a theme park, but its dome-like screen offers a theme park-like experience (think the golden days of Circle-Vision). Opening Thursday is a re-imagined “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” with newly added environmental effects. The core film remains untouched, but the screen surrounding you aims to come alive with enchanting movement.
• Magic Bands will soon disappear from Disneyland shelves. Disney reporter Scott Gustin, a friend of Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride, recently noted that Disneyland will not be replenishing its stock of the Magic Band+ once it sells through the remaining inventory. Those who have them (hand raised) needn’t worry, according to Disneyland officials, as Magic Band+ functionality, including the game Batuu Bounty Hunters in Galaxy’s Edge, won’t cease. But Magic Band+ has limited use cases at Disneyland, and never quite caught on here in the same way the wristbands have at Walt Disney World.
• Happy birthday to the Great American Revolution. Magic Mountain’s classic coaster turns 50 this week, having opened on May 8, 1976. As part of the anniversary festivities, the park has restored its original name of the Great American Revolution (it was recently operating as the New Revolution). The ride is known for being the first modern looping coaster with a tubular steel track, earning it landmark status from American Coaster Enthusiasts.

The best thing I ate at the parks

A scallop appetizer at Carthay Circle. Go easy on me, I’m not a food photographer.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

No churros or treats for me this week. I hadn’t had a chance yet to check out the spring menu at the lounge at Carthay Circle, Disney California Adventure’s fine dining restaurant, so I made my way there Friday afternoon. Carthay Circle is always a welcome respite, a calming, relaxing environment where the theme park day tends to slow down.

I was after the scallops appetizer. Now, priced at $16, I knew this wouldn’t be a large portion, but I was longing for something light and breezy and this plate of six small scallops in a sea shell delivered. Drizzled with macadamia nuts, the citrus-forward dish is designed to bring out contrasts in texture. Overall, it’s a little zesty, a little nutty, and as a seafood person I’m happy an affordable, delicate dish exists at the resort. If you’re really hungry, though, you’ll need a second item.

Ride report

Space Mountain has begun its yearly, temporary overlay as Hyperspace Mountain.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

It’s “Star Wars” season at the Disneyland Resort, which means Space Mountain has been remade into Hyperspace Mountain. Now, generally speaking, this is my rule when it comes to ride overlays: The original is almost always better. That’s the case for Space Mountain as well, as the 1977 classic still thrills, its near pitch-blackness keeping you guessing while its uplifting score seems to capture the exhilaration and optimism of space flight.

But Hyperspace Mountain has its charms. The projections of lasers and X-wings look great in the darkness, and the sudden dips and turns work well for the dogfight atmosphere. The John Williams score brings the energy, and there’s the right amount of chaos and shifts in direction to make us feel as if we’re in a “Star Wars” battle. I’m just relieved, however, it doesn’t stick around too long, as the original is such a magnificent coaster.

Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.

Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.

Ride on,

Todd Martens

P.S.

Love Soarin’ Over California? Then I point you to this piece from former Times staffer Sammy Roth, an environmental reporter who also appreciates Disney theme parks. Here, Roth goes scene-by-scene, looking at how Soarin’ represents a snapshot in time and analyzing how its locations have been touched by climate change.

The provided text explores the history of National Heroes and Benefactors Day, a public holiday celebrated in Belize every March. Originally established as Baron Bliss Day, the occasion honors an English nobleman named Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss who left a massive fortune to the nation. Despite being paralyzed and never actually setting foot on the mainland, Bliss developed a deep affection for the country while living on his yacht. Upon his death in 1926, his trust fundbegan financing essential public works and infrastructure projects that continue to benefit citizens today. The article details his biography and explains how his philanthropic legacy transformed into a broader celebration of national contributors.

As airlines have been granted a green light to consolidate or cancel flights with just two weeks’ notice, experts have warned of inevitable chaos this peak holiday season

Summer is well and truly in the air, but Brits looking ahead to their well-deserved week in the sun have been warned to take extra caution.

As the price of jet fuel has risen by 120 per cent since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, there are concerns of shortages in the coming months. Airlines have already hiked ticket prices, but further disruption is expected unless the Strait of Hormuz reopens soon.

Before the conflict, Europe as a whole had about 37 days’ supply of available. Now, this is likely to have dropped to 30 days, with the International Energy Agency (IEA) warning that 23 days is the critical point at which some airports would run out of fuel.

Now after airlines were granted a green light to consolidate or cancel flights with just two weeks’ notice, experts have warned that the traditional protections for those with additional needs are under threat. Crucially, the European Commission has signalled that disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East fuel crisis will be filed under “exceptional circumstances,” meaning holidaymakers may be unable to claim any financial compensation if their flights are changed.

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Travel expert Declan Somers, CEO of Mobal, warns that the biggest risk this summer isn’t just chaos at airports, but how passengers might be split. As airlines merge flights to conserve fuel, families who booked together may find themselves rebooked onto replacement aircraft where they are scattered across the cabin.

Notably, there is no UK law that requires children to be seated with their parents on a plane. Airlines can legally separate even those under five from their parents, although this would be against Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines. The CAA says: ‘Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults. This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children.” “

If airlines start consolidating flights, a family of four ‘may be rebooked onto the same replacement flight but not necessarily seated together,” Somers cautioned.

While UK guidance suggests airlines should aim to seat children near parents, there is no absolute guarantee. To mitigate this, Somers urges parents not to treat seat selection as optional: “Book directly with the airline, pay for seat selection, and call immediately to have assistance notes attached to the PNR (Passenger Name Record).”

The situation is even more precarious for those with disabilities or complex medical requirements. Travel expert Alexandra Dubakova warns that emergency rebookings often fail to account for specialised needs, such as extra legroom for mobility or specific seating for medical equipment. “There might be cases of passengers being de-boarded or rebooked again because the replacement aircraft lacks the specific configurations they originally paid for,” Dubakova explained.

She warns of a significant “erosion of consumer rights,” noting that under “exceptional circumstances,” airlines are under less financial pressure to provide their usual level of care. For those requiring special assistance – such as storage for crutches or priority boarding – Scope guidance mandates booking at least 48 hours in advance. However, with last-minute aircraft swaps expected, these pre-arranged protections are no longer a certainty.

The disruption is expected to hit hardest at smaller regional airports, which lack the on-site fuel storage of major hubs like Heathrow. Dubakova describes these smaller airports as the “canary” in the coal mine. For families and disabled travelers, the advice is to “build in a buffer.”

Experts suggest choosing the first flight of the day, flying from larger hubs where possible, and ensuring all medication is planned at least four weeks in advance. UK airlines have previously insisted that they are not currently facing supply issues, while the Government will also work with the sector to act quickly if needed.

Europe’s leading budget airlines remain confident they will be able to keep flights running as usual throughout the peak holiday season ahead. Jet2, easyJet and TUI have all committed not to impose any additional charges on passengers due to fuel price increases.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “There are no immediate supply issues, but we’re preparing now to give families long-term certainty and avoid unnecessary disruption at the departure gate this summer. This legislation will give airlines the tools to adjust flights in good time if they need to, which helps protect passengers and businesses. We will do everything we can to insulate our country from the impact of the situation in the Middle East.”

It’s understood that British Airlines would not allow to children sit alone away from their parent, with the team pre-seating families on the same Passenger Name Record (PNR) to ensure all those under 12 years old are seated with at least one adult on the same record. As per the BA website: “If you don’t choose your seats in advance, we always do our best to seat your family together based on flight seat availability. This may mean that you’ll be seated in adjacent rows or across the aisle. All children under 12 will be seated with an accompanying adult.” Tui and Virgin Atlantic also offer similar reassurances on their websites.

Meanwhile, as per the Ryanair’s Family Seating Policy, detailed on the company website: “For family bookings, children (aged 2 to 11 years) receive free reserved seating so they can sit beside a parent. When an adult purchases a reserved seat they can select up to 4 children’s seats beside them free of charge. If an adult selects a reserved seat outside of specific rows (depending on aircraft) they must pay the price difference. Similarly, if a seat is selected for a child outside of these rows, they will be charged the full reserved seat price of these seats.”

The easyJet website warns families who leave check in until the last minute may not be guaranteed sears next to each other, however, staff will “still make sure each child under 12 is seated close to an adult on your booking” An easyJet spokesperson told the Mirror: “easyJet is not seeing any disruption to fuel supply. We continue to operate our flights and package holidays as normal and are not making changes or cancellations. We remain in close contact with suppliers who continue to provide uninterrupted supply and are diversifying exporting from additional countries globally to bolster supplies going forward.”

Kenton Jarvis, CEO of easyJet, said: “I want our customers to book with confidence this summer. We are operating as normal and are not making changes or cancellations and we are looking forward to taking millions of people on their well-deserved holidays this summer.”

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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YOU might have thought going on a barge break would be relaxing, quiet and peaceful being surrounded by nothing but nature and water.

That’s what I thought too, before I moored up on what was one of the biggest party spots in the Midlands.

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Birmingham’s Gas Street basin is one of the most iconic stretches of canal in the world. So when we found a free mooring spot right there in the city centre we were delighted.

We tied up our rented barge to the metal posts and went out for dinner and a couple of drinks.

It was only when we returned to spend the evening on board that we realised it was going to be somewhat noisier than a few passing dog walkers or nesting geese at 5pm had initially made us realise.

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Because by 9pm, it felt like we were moored on the party strip in Ayia Napa. 

There were disco boats with banging music passing on one side, and large groups of boisterous pedestrians on the other – passing very loudly between one bar or club and another. 

We had inadvertently plonked ourselves right in the very party heart of the Midlands. 

One year-round barge user told me that he has moored in this very spot before only to wake up adrift – one of those boisterous party people had untied him in the middle of the night as a prank.

It wasn’t until after two in the morning when the last of the last orders were called that it began to quieten down – and we started to hear the sound of geese again rather than dance music.

Thankfully we were still tied to those posts though. 

So the next morning, after coffee, we moved the boat another half a mile to a quieter spot where we would spend our second night in Brum. 

It was the only blip on what was to be a terrific long weekend in the Second City.

Because although I’d been to Birmingham several times before I’d never really devoted any time to the place – just headed straight to whatever job I had and then gone off again.

This trip was an attempt to redress this miss. And it was great fun – Birmingham was a blast. 

We aren’t the first people to realise this. The city has had a lot of money spent on it and tourism here has had a shot in the arm – not least from the success of Peaky Blinders, which is celebrated across the centre. You can’t miss the many references. 

Thanks to our very central location, it was also extremely navigable: that meal we had, at Indian street food restaurant Indico Mailbox, was barely a five minute walk from our bed. 

And, as Londoners, it felt very cheap. Very cheap indeed.

At one point I confidently told a bar worker that she had only charged us for one of our two drinks. She hadn’t, it really was £5.25 for a pint and a glass of wine. 

That was the cheapest round of quite a few – we found, as we often do, that a good way to see the sights was by turning our day there into a pub crawl.

So although we did get into some set piece tourism spots – the very good city gallery, the cathedral with its spectacular stained glass windows etc – it was while walking from one pub to another.

And goodness, does Birmingham have a vibrant pub scene. 

The standouts were: The Wellington, with its incredible array of real ales and ciders, The Craven Arms, The Spotted Dog and the Woodman.

The latter is currently isolated in the middle of vast building works next door to one of the oldest stations in the world, Curzon Street, which will also become one of the newest when HS2 finally opens.

Remarkably it still functions as a top, top boozer despite this. So that was our time in the city – now onto how we got there.

And this was what they call a life hack: we realised that for the same money it would cost to spend two nights in a city centre hotel and eat out for every meal, we could hire a barge and do (most of) our own cooking, as well as picking our own berth (see above for the pitfalls in this aspect of the plan).

We went as a single couple but two couples sharing could do this even more affordably – most boats have two double rooms.

We picked up our boat from – and returned it to – the marina at Alvechurch, some 11 miles south of the city centre.

It’s an interesting journey into the city for two main reasons.

Firstly you get to travel through – and if you like, you can tie up to explore – the famous Bournville suburb, where the Cadbury brothers, real-life Willy Wonkas, built a model Victorian neighbourhood for their chocolate factory workers – and it remains largely unchanged. 

Then there’s the dramatic Wast Hill tunnel, at 1.5 miles one of the longest in Britain’s entire 3000 mile canal network, which takes longer to navigate by slow moving barge than the train journey through the Channel Tunnel.

It has an extraordinary and slightly ghostly atmosphere within: complete darkness except for that distant pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel. 

But the great advantage of this short trip is that there are no locks! Just a five-hour each way tour followed by one single, easy-to-perform U-turn at the end before your return leg. 

It is without doubt the least demanding, most relaxing canal trip I have ever done. 

The only thing that could have improved it would have been if I were still young enough to have taken advantage of all that nightlife on our doorstep – or rather barge step.

AFTER five years of being shut-off, one small island off the coast of Montenegro is set to reopen, as is its luxury resort.

Called Sveti Stefan, the pretty spot has been closed for half a decade due to backlash from locals.

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A few miles away from Montenegro‘s town of Budva is the small and beautiful island of Sveti Stefan which is home to a luxury resort, Aman Sveti Stefan.

The hotel is accessible only to its guests who have to walk across a small strip of land which connects it to the mainland.

Historically, the island has been popular with celebrity clientele like Marilyn Monroe, Princess Margaret and Brad Pitt.

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But the hotel closed back in 2021 due to a dispute between the property operator and locals over access to its public beaches.

When the hotel first opened in 2009, it made its surrounding beaches including Miločer Beach (King’s Beach) and Queen’s Beach accessible to its guests only.

Access for locals was made difficult with the luxury resort charging high fees around €200 (£172.63) for sunbeds and umbrellas.

However, these had historically been free for all to enjoy with space for locals to lay down a towel.

Restriction of the beaches caused a lot of backlash and there were even protests back in 2021.

The dispute between locals and the hotel ended up with the temporary closure of the resort which stretched on for five years.

In 2023, Europa Nostra, the European Voice of Civil Society committed to Cultural Heritage, said: “The Montenegro State has almost half privatised this national treasure and disenfranchised its own citizens from their own public domain.

“Public access to Sveti Stefan old town and other parts of the site has been forbidden, even during winter months when the hotel is closed, making it impossible for locals and non-hotel guest tourists to enjoy this cultural landscape.”

Five years on and the hotel operator, Aman, has confirmed the island retreat in Montenegro will be reopen on July 1, 2026.

The luxury resort still looks like a small village, and is made up of hand-restored stone cottages and suites all updated with modern furnishings.

Some of the more luxurious suites even have private swimming pools, courtyards and terraces.

Stays include a daily breakfast, in-room refreshments and access to snorkelling equipment and paddle boards.

A stay in the Deluxe Cottage which is based on an original island home starts from €2,973 (£2,566.12) per night.

The resort has a mainland retreat called Villa Miločer, that and its Aman Spa will welcome guests back on May 22, 2026.

As for its surrounding beaches, these are open to the public once more with free access – but there are no shower, changing cabins or toilets.

For anyone who wants a glimpse of Sveti Stefan, the nearest airport is Tivat which is a three-hour direct flights from the UK and as little as £38 each way with easyJet.

Nobody seems to know whose car it is or why it was left there

Video shows a car left on a beach submerged by the sea – and rowed over by paddleboarders. Locals in the Welsh seaside village of Abersoch were left stunned after seeing the luxury 4×4 become fully engulfed by the tide.

Beach-goers spotted the Land Rover Discovery half-submerged in the water on Sunday – less than two miles away from Bear Grylls’ private island.

The expensive car, which sells for around £80,000 was spotted by one paddleboarder at around 7.30am, just over two hours before high tide. The car could be seen floating in the water still attached to a tow rope.

The paddleboarder’s husband, who was walking his dog, then used his drone – which he had brought to the beach in an effort to spot dolphins – to capture imagery of the vehicle as it became fully submerged.

The 45-year-old then took video as she paddle boarded over the top of the car at around 8.55am – still just under an hour before high tide. Locals in the village say they have no idea who the car belongs to.

“It’s gone mental in this tiny little Welsh village,” the paddleboarder said. “I don’t know (whose car it is).

“The local farm pulled it out with about three tractors and diggers. It’s a very, very popular seasonal tourist village. Everyone thinks it’s hilarious, wonderful – there was a big crowd watching it being pulled out, but still no-one knows whose it is.”

The paddleboarder suspects the car must have been placed there overnight – with the previous low tide at around 4.30 in the morning.

She added: “Because of the tide, you know there was some kind of foul play on the beach at night, around 3 or 4am, for the tide to come in over it.

“It happens, but they usually get towed out. Because it was the middle of the night, it didn’t. It did have a tow rope on the back that was floating up out the water, so maybe someone tried to pull it out.”

68 Ryanair passengers missed their flight to Edinburgh from Lanzarote on Monday, reportedly due to issues with the airport’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) used to register third-country nationals including British travellers

Almost 70 Ryanair passengers missed their flight to Edinburgh from Lanzarote on Monday, reportedly due to delays at border control.

Those travelling back to the Scottish capital were left stranded at Lanzarote Airport on May 4, owing to passport control system failures, with several flights believed to have been affected.

A total of 68 holidaymakers failed to reach the boarding gate before it closed, due to problems with the airport’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which is used to register third-country nationals – including British citizens.

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Ryanair confirmed all passengers who presented at the boarding gate before departure were accommodated and travelled without incident.

According to local publication Canarian Weekly, the disruption affected those travelling to destinations outside the European Union, reports Edinburgh Live.

Under the EES, travellers are required to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and a photograph, to establish a digital record valid for three years, replacing the traditional passport stamping system.

The system is intended to streamline passport checks and track how long visa-free travellers remain within the EU, however it has been beset by delays, with lengthy queues reported at passport control across various locations.

Now Lanzarote Airport has become the latest to face disruption. Operations were reportedly thrown into chaos by 11am, “causing delays and confusion in departure areas”. Canarian Weekly reports that the disruption was triggered by “a failure in the passport control system” according to National Police sources, while other sources “suggested a wider disconnection issue across Europe, which slowed systems at multiple airports”. The issue was resolved by midday.

Ryanair has recently pressured EU governments to abandon the EES during the peak travel season, writing to administrations in 29 countries demanding they halt the new entry requirements.

The airline’s chief operations officer Neal McMahon said: “Governments across Europe are attempting to roll out a half-baked IT system in the middle of the busiest travel season of the year, and passengers are paying the price, being forced to endure hours long passport control queues and in some cases, missing flights.

“The solution is simple and already provided for under EU law (EU Reg. 2025/1534) – Governments should suspend EES until September when the peak summer travel season has subsided, just as Greece has done. This would allow passengers – many of whom are travelling with young families – a smoother airport experience for their summer holidays.”

The Spanish National Police Force were contacted for a response.

RYANAIR is considering cancelling all flights to another airport in Europe over a dispute in airport fees.

The airline is reportedly set to close its base at Makedonia Airport later this year.

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Ryanair currently operates three aircraft from its base in Thessaloniki, but is considering shutting it down from October 2026.

Reports have been linked to issues related to a 15 per cent increase in airport charges.

However, no official announcement has been made by the airline.

With the airline considering leaving the city, there are growing concerns about tourism within Thessaloniki – a place where tourists visit to see Mount Olympus and the beautiful beaches of Halkidiki.

The news has prompted Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis to call an emergency meeting with regional tourism officials to assess the situation.

A tourism representative told local media that the “priority for everyone is and must be the interest of the city.

“If the reason for the possible closure is the high increases, then Fraport should reconsider its pricing policy.”

Sun Travel has approached Ryanair for comment.

This isn’t the first time Ryanair has closed a base due to the rising cost of airport fees.

The budget airline confirmed last year they would be cutting 1.2million seats across Spain and closing bases in the likes of Valladolid and Santiago de Compostela.

The airline also recently announced that it would be reducing its flight schedule to and from Berlin by 50 per cent.

When it comes to flights being affected, this means Ryanair passenger numbers will fall from 4.5million to 2.2million by next year.

This will affect flights from the UK which includes routes from London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

Simon Calder described the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) as ‘passport roulette’

A leading travel journalist has suggested the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) could be put on hold for the entire summer following reports of chaos and significant delays at airports. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Simon Calder – who has branded the system ‘passport roulette’ – acknowledged that while some locations had performed ‘really well’, others were ‘struggling’.

EES is an automated system gradually replacing the traditional passport stamp. It requires people from third-party nations such as the UK to have their fingerprints registered and photograph captured before entering the Schengen Area, which encompasses 29 European countries, predominantly within the EU.

For the majority of UK travellers, the procedure takes place at foreign airports. The system saw a soft launch in October 2025 and was meant to be fully operational across all borders by April 10, 2026.

Yet there have been numerous accounts of passengers missing flights and enduring lengthy queues at airports as systems buckle under the sheer volume of people attempting to register. Several countries have suspended EES at various points, with Greece postponing the system for UK travellers over the summer to enhance the travel experience.

Portugal has halted EES for extended stretches to ease travel to and from the country, with speculation mounting that Italy may do likewise. Mr Calder indicated it was not beyond the realms of possibility. “It was always going to be really exciting to see what happens when you roll out a digital borders scheme and you ask 29 national governments to implement it,” Mr Calder said. “They have all gone their own way.

“Some of them have done it really well. Others, well, they are still struggling and we might find that, actually, the whole scheme gets put on a sort of hold for the rest of the summer.

“That’s certainly what a lot of airlines and train operators would like, not to mention the Port of Dover, where they haven’t even started taking biometrics from motorists yet.”

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What’s the problem?

Headlines were made in April 2026 when passengers travelling with both Ryanair and easyJet missed their flights from separate Milan airports owing to EES complications. Footage from one incident revealed a crowd gathering at Milan Bergamo, with exasperated passengers informing staff they had been held at the gate for over an hour, demanding to know what action to take.

It’s understood that approximately 30 passengers were left behind. Ryanair said in a statement: “Due to passport control delays at Milan Bergamo Airport on 16 April, a number of passengers missed this flight from Milan to Manchester.” One passenger claimed they were kept waiting until the aircraft had departed, only to then be informed they would need to arrange their own return flights. A number of travellers on a Ryanair service from Tenerife South to East Midlands on 10 April also missed their homeward journey, once again blaming hold-ups at passport control.

Ryanair recently issued a blistering statement on social media, demanding the EES rollout be postponed until September. The low-cost carrier tore into France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany for their failure to ‘ensure that adequate staffing, system readiness, or kiosks are in place’.

Branding the system as ‘half-baked’, the Ryanair statement said: “Despite knowing for over three years that EES would become fully operational from 10 April 2026, France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany have failed to ensure that adequate staffing, system readiness, or kiosks are in place.

“As a result, passengers are suffering long passport control queues and, in some cases, missing their flights.

“Ryanair calls on these EU Governments to suspend the rollout of the EU’s passport control Entry/Exit System (EES) until September to ensure that passengers are not needlessly forced to suffer long passport control queue delays at European airports during the peak summer season.”

Blogger Mark Wolters has spent two decades travelling around the world, but he says there are some seats he won’t sit on when he’s flying

An expert who has travelled to more than 80 countries says there is one seat you should never pick on a plane. Mark Wolters has spent the past two decades travelling around the world and documenting his trips.

He however says there are some seats that he refuses to pick on a plane, because they get his journey off on the wrong foot. Among those are any middle seat, which he says results in a “battle” for personal space.

He says travellers often end up cramped up when they are in the middle, saying they have “lost out”. However there is one row in particular that Mark says is the worst on a plane.

In a video on his Wolter’s World YouTube channel, Mark revealed the first row of the plane is “one of the worst”. He said: “One thing is, you have a bulkhead (wall) there.

“That first row, you don’t have the underseat storage in front of your space, so you have to make sure you get your stuff up above, but also you have no room to stretch your legs out because there’s not that underseat there, so sometimes you don’t have a tonne of space.

“But the really tough thing is, going back to the luggage, or lack of luggage space. If you’re flying in Spain, when they get on the plane, they put their bags in right away.

“They don’t wait to row 20. If you’re in row one or two, maybe you’re going to have to go to row five or six to put it up above and nobody’s going to let you go get it when it’s time to get out, which can be very frustrating.”

Mark went on to explain that the front of the plane often has the lavatory or the galley. And while he avoids sitting on the front row, Mark isn’t overly fond of the back either.

This is because you can often find yourself queuing to disembark the aircraft. He said: “If you have tight connections, guess what? You are the last one off the plane. And for my friends who do not like turbulence, if you’re in the very back of the plane, this is where the turbulence is.”

Mark says that the back, much like the front, can often be where the facilities are. In general he says he likes to avoid any seat next to the toilet, because you can “hear or smell” what is going on.

He also generally says he avoids sitting near to the galley, because it is “where the flight attendants work”. He explains this means the lights are constantly on and the area regularly “smells of food”.

He described the galley as “not really a quiet relaxing place,” which makes it more difficult to enjoy his flight. Elsewhere, Mark explains the exit rows are the “best” seats to sit in.

He said: “Those exit rows are the best for legroom because the extra row needs to be wider for exits, so it’s kind of like business class legroom for economy prices.”

A BELOVED British museum has been forced to shut permanently after the building was deemed unsafe.

The museum is dedicated to preserving over 50 historic trams – an integral part of the town’s transport heritage.

Electrical faults in the building have made Blackpool‘s Tramtown museum uninhabitable to the public, a structural engineer’s survey said.

The former working tram depot dates back over 100 years, becoming a dedicated museum in 2021 following seven years of heritage tours.

The museum had previously been given a £50,000 lifeline from the Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund to fix the major electrical faults in the building.

Blackpool Council suggested these repairs would allow the museum to reopen for a short term period.

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However, a video from April 28 on the Tramtown YouTube channel revealed the building could not be used, leaving volunteers concerned how they were previously allowed into the building given how unsafe it was.

This unique museum gave a rare insight into the history of Blackpool’s trams and illuminations, welcoming over 500 visitors in its opening week.

Affordably priced at £5 per ticket, or £2.50 for children, the museum included a small, donation-based cafe, built for visitors less than a year before its closure.

Blackpool Council leader Lynn Williams said: “While the work was ongoing fixing the electrics at Tramtown, an independent structural engineer carried out a survey of the building.

“That independent report has come back saying the building is unsafe.

“The only public entrance is unsafe and we can’t gamble with the safety of volunteers and visitors by opening an unsafe building.”

Blackpool council leaders now hope to submit a joint funding bid and steering group to maintain a long-term future for the museum.

“I want to make very clear that this is not the end of heritage trams in Blackpool. The news will double our resolve to set up a joint steering group to create a better future for Tramtown and our historic trams,” Williams continued.

Blackpool Transport’s new managing director, Lea Harrison, said: “Blackpool is as famous for its historic trams as it is for its tower and the Pleasure Beach and we are fully committed to preserving the town’s rich tramway heritage for future generations to enjoy.”

THE most beautiful museums in the world have been named but you will have to hop on a plane to visit any of them.

The 2026 list has been revealed Prix Versailles, with the architecture competition including everything from airports to train stations.

Yet the 2026 The World’s Most Beautiful Museums list only has one entry in Europe – and it wasn’t in the UK.

“Beyond welcoming their visitors, we hope these places will be sources of inspiration for all those who serve the common good of humanity.”

The only European winner was Lost Shtetl Museum in Šeduva, Lithuania.

Designed to look like a small town (being the Yiddish translation of Shtetl), the museum is based on the typical Lithuanian Jewish family.

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Tourists have raved about it, with one saying: “This museum is one of the best at least in Baltics, if not in Europe.”

Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, which opened in December last year and cost £502million to build, also made the list.

The museum goes back 300,000 years of the Emirates, and is a tribute to the UAE’s first president Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

It was even designed by the UK architectural company Foster + Partners (behind London’s Gherkin) and has a collaboration with the British Museum to offer more than 500 artifacts.

America’s National Medal of Honor Museum in Texas was also named, which features recipients of the highest military awards.

In Uzbekistan, the Islamic Civilization Center made the list, which is home to a museum as well as libraries and science labs.

Having opened back in March 2026, it has also been awarded a Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest museum of Islamic civilization.

China had two entries on the most beautiful museum list – the Xuelei Fragrance Museum (the largest fragrance museum in the world) and Shenzhen’s Science and Technology Museum which opened last year.

And finally, Japan‘s MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, which opened in March 2026, was also praised.

Jérôme Gouadain, Secretary General of the Prix Versailles explained: “The World’s Most Beautiful Museums List for 2026 stands out for the quality of its architectural interpretations and staging, elevating the sites with extraordinary narrative power.

“Together, these museums provide a real illustration of how strength and talent can be revealed through harmony, sensitivity and sharing.”

Previous winners on the list include Grand Palais in Paris (2025) and Grand Egyptian Museum (2024).

Here is one of the UK’s newest museums that opened last year.

As well as the UK’s newest most popular museum.

A POPULAR English lido is re-opening just in time for summer – and it’s had a total makeover.

The outdoor splash park featuring fun elephant slides and a lazy river will welcome back families later this month, following a refresh.

An opening date for The Strand Lido and Leisure Park in Gillingham has been confirmed.

The refurbished Kent lido, which has the UK’s only remaining riverside tidal saltwater pool, will begin bringing the summer fun from Saturday May 23.

It will first be open for weekends, before offering its facilities seven days a week in the school summer holidays.

Two pool sessions are set to run every day the lido is open. The first from 10.30am to 1.30pm and the second from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.

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Entry to sessions must be booked online. While children under three go free, adult tickets are £8.15, with junior and senior tickets priced at £5.35.

The spruced up lido was revived last year, funded by contributions from housing developments to Medway Council.

The Strand, which first opened in 1896, now features a new splash pad for children aged three to 11.

There’s also a beach-themed play area with 30 sensor-activated water jets alongside the large outdoor pool, elephant-shaped water slides and a 300 metre lazy river.

Those who love a long swim can make use of the open-air pool’s six 25 metre lanes.

After a day of water play, families can relax with a refreshment at the Victorian lido’s cafe, enjoy a hit on the refurbished tennis courts or take on a round of mini golf.

There’s even a miniature train for little ones to ride.

Sometimes, beauty is a burden.

Such is the case with Burney Falls, a Northern California waterfall whose loveliness became such a siren song to costume-wearing Instagram mermaids, selfie-taking TikTok tour guides and off-the-beaten-track road trippers that crowds grew and grew, until the natural wonder just couldn’t handle it any more.

Crowds in recent years have damaged trails, trampled plants and clogged rural roads.

Now, as part of a pilot program to reduce overcrowding, the California Department of Parks and Recreation will require advance reservations to visit the Shasta County waterfall on many days this summer.

“Burney Falls is a crown jewel of the California State Park System, and we want all visitors to have an enjoyable and memorable experience when visiting this one-of-a-kind destination,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement. “By allowing visitors to make a reservation in advance, we can help keep crowds manageable and not push the park’s resources past the breaking point.”

The reservations, which can be purchased online, will be required to visit the falls Fridays through Sundays and on holidays during peak visitation season, from May 15 through Sept. 27.

On those days, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park will offer 103 parking passes for 8 a.m. to noon, an additional 103 passes for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 35 passes for the entire day.

The day use passes will cost $11 per vehicle, according to State Parks, with discounts for seniors and people with disabilities.

California State Parks annual pass holders will pay no additional charge but must make reservations. Visitors with overnight campground or cabin reservations will not need additional passes for day use.

The 129-foot waterfall — a wide curtain of white water cascading from a basalt cliff face — generates its own rainbow and once was dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Visitors often endure long lines to get a selfie at Burney Falls. Here, Rachel Brussbau poses with her 1-year-old daughter, Sage, and Crysten Michol in July 2023.

(Paul Kuroda / For The Times)

But for much of its history, it “experienced limited visitation due to its rural location … and lack of publicity,” the State Parks department said in a statement.

“For generations of visitors, it had the reputation of a small, family-oriented park and one of California’s best-kept secrets,” the department said. “However, over the past decade, and especially with the growth of social media, that secret is now world-famous.”

Crowds swelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, when indoor public spaces closed.

A State Parks spokesperson told The Times in an email Monday that in 2015, Burney Falls had 121,495 visitors. Numbers “have steadily risen since that time, peaking at 322,192 visitors in 2020 during the pandemic,” the spokesperson said.

Since then, about 220,000 people have visited the park each year.

The spokesperson said the numbers account only for people who come in through the official entrance and not those who park illegally on the side of the road and enter off-trail.

Because so many people have veered off established trails, the park in recent years has experienced increased erosion and damage to sensitive vegetation and sacred tribal land, according to the State Parks department. Heavy traffic and illegal parking also have created unsafe conditions along State Highway 89, one of the heavily forested county’s main thoroughfares and a critical fire evacuation route.

“Campers with reservations are hesitant to leave the park, knowing that it may take up to two hours to re-enter on busy days,” the department statement read.

Because of limited parking, the gates often close for several hours each day.

“If lucky enough to gain entry, visitors inside the park are met with extreme overcrowding, long restroom lines, and overflowing trash cans instead of a peaceful, rejuvenating experience at one of the nation’s most awe-inspiring natural landmarks,” State Parks said.

In the summer of 2024, State Parks closed all access to the waterfall for the season to repair trails and slopes damaged by heavy crowds and storm erosion.

The department said it will evaluate the day use reservation system at the end of the summer and make adjustments if necessary for future peak visitation periods.

State Sen. Megan Dahle (R-Bieber), whose district includes Shasta County, said the pilot program “is likely to disrupt some trips” until word spreads.

“Unfortunately, for several years it has been clear something needs to change at Burney Falls,” Dahle said. “I hope this is an interim measure on the way to longer-term fixes to accommodate visitors.”

TWO more countries in Europe are set to ignore the new entry rules that have caused chaos at airports.

The new Entry/Exit System (EES) now requires all non-EU citizens to undergo biometric checks at the border.

Including Brits, this has resulted in queues as long as four hours and people even missing their flights.

However, Italy is expected to scrap the requirements by the May holidays in a bid to avoid the chaos, continuing to stamp passports instead.

And Portugal, while not scrapping entirely, has temporarily paused the EES rules if queues are too long.

Both Faro and Lisbon Airport have been some of the worst affected by massive waits.

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Yet passengers have said they are being waved through to ignore the biometric machines when there are huge crowds.

It comes after Greece also scrapped the rules ahead of summer.

The Greek embassy confirmed last month: “In the framework of the implementation of the Entry/Exit System, as of 10 April 2026, British passport holders are exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points.”

Eleni Skarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, added: “The Greek National Tourism Organisation remains committed to ensuring a seamless and welcoming journey for all visitors from the UK.”

Airlines such as Ryanair are calling on other countries to pause the rules too, with fears of more problems during the busy summer holidays.

Countries including Spain and France are yet to confirm if they will follow suit.

Here’s everything you need to know about the EES system.

And our Deputy Travel Editor revealed how to avoid the huge EES queues this summer.

THE UK is home to over 2,500 train stations and there is nothing better than your journey leading you to one that is super pretty and has special experiences.

From free cocktails to unique-looking Greggs stores, there are many UK train stations that offer more than just commuting options. Here are our top 10 train stations across the UK:

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Glasgow, Scotland

I’ve never seen a train station in the UK as pretty as Glasgow Central in Scotland and if it wasn’t for a day trip outside of the city, I would have completely missed this gem.

Sadly, part of the station recently burnt down but it is still pretty inside with several shops all with the same signage and colour palette, making them look more like museum exhibits than shops.

There’s even a Greggs that stands on its own, with a rounded brown front and cream signage, ditching the usually bright blue and yellow.

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And there’s the voco Grand Central Glasgow by IHG hotel which has a Champagne Bar overlooking the dreamy concourse.

– Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

Norwich, Norfolk

Norwich railway station looks more like a grand French palace than the modern commuter’s railway station.

It opened back in 1844, and despite its renovations since, this historic station still retains its charm today.

This grand, Grade II-listed building was designed in French Renaissance style, with striking red bricks, stone trimmings, and a large ornate dome and traditional clock face. Inside you’ll find a tall,  ballroom-like ceiling.

The grand entrance served as a carriage porch, designed to keep Victorian passengers dry as they hopped from their horse-drawn carriages.

This station serves the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England, as well as secondary lines to seaside towns such as Sheringham and Great Yarmouth.

Once you step outside, the calm canal of this cathedral city is just a stone’s throw away – as are its popular waterside pubs.

– Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

Bristol Temple Meads

Bristol Temple Meads, which opened in 1840, was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

The Grade I listed building has a mock-Tudor design using local stone.

On the concourse you’ll see tall stone and brick arches and then in the main train station there’s a vaulted glass ceiling.

The station has a number of shops too including an M&S, Starbucks and even a florist.

St Pancras, London

London St Pancras first opened in 1868 and later became an international rail hub in 2007, with trains to Europe.

It has a red exterior and then inside, glass features throughout the station and platforms.

Inside, you can also visit The Booking Office 1869 Bar and Restaurant, which features a long bar.

Visit at 5:05pm and you can get a free cocktail and history lesson…

And of course there’s Searcy’s, a cool champagne bar with yes, a champagne button, found in the train carriage-like booths and Europe’s longest champagne bar, stretching 98 metres.

There’s often live music in the station as well, thanks to pianos scattered around for the public to play.

– Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

York

York Railway Station opened in 1877 and is a great example of Victorian architecture and rich history.

When inside, visitors will be able to see the ‘Great Curve’, which is 244-metre curved platform that was designed to curve around the city walls.

Make sure to look up too, as the ceiling is glass with huge iron arches and is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Keep an eye out for other original details across the station as well, such as the Yorkshire rose and the restored two-faced clock on the main concourse.

Wemyss Bay, Scotland

You could happily take a trip to Wemyss Bay Railway Station in Inverclyde, even if you had no train to catch.

This award-winning station was one of only ten to earn five stars in Simon Jenkins’ Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations, and it’s often considered one of the UK’s most beautiful.

This Category A-listed station has a giant Edwardian curved-glass ceiling, which makes this railway station feel more like a beautiful botanical garden – especially since the station is also decorated with flowers and plants.

The magnificent iron and glass structure curves around the entire station, giving you plenty of space to wander around and admire.

For some more sightseeing, this station also contains the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminal, which connects onward to the Isle of Bute.

– Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

Birmingham New Street

Birmingham New Street is less historic than the other destinations on this list and more futuristic.

Redesigned around 10 years ago, the train station boasts a reflective stainless-steel facade and then as you head inside, you’ll see a giant, light-filled atrium that feels more like a spaceship.

Look out for ‘The Eye’, which is a 30 metre-wide screen in the station that is often used as a meeting point.

In the centre of the station look out for Ozzy the Bull, whose eyes light up and head even moves.

Edinburgh Waverley, Scotland

In the Scottish capital, you’ll find the second largest train station in Britain – Edinburgh Waverley – and it sits lower than the two sides of Edinburgh towering above it, with the Old Town on one side and New Town on the other.

The pretty Category A listed station was named after Sir Walter Scott’s novels and has a 13 acre (yes, really) glass roof.

You aren’t short of shops either with an M&S, Cafe Nero and WHSmith, or if you fancy a tipple, there is even a Brew Dog pub and The Booking Office Wetherspoons.

Even the film industry thinks it is special, with scenes shot on Platform 2 for Marvel‘s Avengers: Infinity War.

– Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

Cardiff Central, Wales

Cardiff Central train station is the largest and busiest rail hub in Wales.

Built back in 1850, it features eight platforms and an Art Deco style inside that emerged slightly later, between 1931 and 1934.

The Booking Hall is the main highlight, with a vaulted ceiling and Art Deco lamps.

Keep an eye out for original interwar design features as well, such as wall tiles with hands on pointing to different platforms.

London Bridge, London

As a regular commuter into London Bridge, I’ve come to appreciate just how great the station is compared to some of the others in the UK.

It has restaurants, coffee shops, and for retail therapy there’s the likes of Boots, M&S Food, and Pret.

There are also designer shops under the arches like Reiss and All Saints which might not be affordable, but it’s nice to window shop.

When you’re stuck in the station waiting for a train home, the Wi-Fi is easy to join and as you might not expect, actually reliable.

For quirky touches, it has a Meet by the Heart mural, a museum of artefacts, and even a pipe organ known as Henry – which you’re free to try out.

– Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

A 23-year-old who says he has visited every country in the world

A man who has visited every country in the world has named the one he believes is the “most annoying”. Luca Pferdmenges might only be 23 years old but he has already travelled to every country in the world.

The German national has amassed a staggering 2.9 million followers on social media as he shares his globe-trotting adventures with his fans. But he has now named the countries he believes are “overrated”.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “Egypt, France, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, most of the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. They’re often very touristy and often don’t have much besides pretty beaches.”

He went on to claim that the Caribbean is “super-overrated” before claiming one African nation was annoying. He added: “Egypt is the most annoying country for tourists in my opinion.”

Luca explained that a number of the Baltic countries were “underrated” along with the likes of Uzbekistan, Myanmar, and most of the countries in Latin America. He says the nations people “forget exist” are often “way more exciting and more affordable” than classic destinations.

He described Bhutan and Myanmar as “really unknown” and “some of the prettiest countries in the world”. Many of Luca’s fans on his thegermantravelguy channel were left annoyed by his assessment of Egypt, claiming he “must have visited the wrong places”.

The keen traveller was also asked which European nation he believes is the most dangerous. He went on to say that Belgium feels “super unsafe” at night, branding the country as “pretty ugly” and “grey”.

He also named Paris, London and Frankfurt as destinations he believes are more dangerous. Luca also urges holidaymakers to avoid countries such as France, Italy, and Greece.

This he explains is because there are “40 other countries worth being explored” across Europe. He added: “It’s surprising how little recognition places such as Montenegro or Slovenia get. They are some of the most beautiful countries in the world – and cheap – but nobody visits them.”

When asked to pick his favourite country, Luca says he doesn’t have just one, but instead has nine top travel destinations. They were Mexico, Brazil, Israel, Spain, Bhutan, UK, the UAE, Portugal and Austria.

He however says Lisbon in Portugal is his favourite city in Europe. In a video on TikTok, Luca said: “It’s honestly so gorgeous.

“I honestly love Lisbon, I was thinking of moving here at some point but not at the moment.

“I love coming back here and trying all of the vegan Portuguese food like vegan pastel de nata. It’s one of my favorite cities, maybe my favourite city in Europe, Lisbon, it’s gorgeous and has everything you need.”

This stunning Victorian Gothic Revival castle is hidden within ancient woodland, with a rich medieval and Victorian history just 22 minutes from a major city

Just a 22-minute drive from Cardiff sits a fairytale castle, tucked away within an ancient forest, its spiralling towers piercing the sky above the treetops.

It’s a picture-perfect spot, hailed by one passionate Welsh traveller as among the seven ‘wonders of Wales‘, according to Condé Nast Traveller.

Strikingly red, the 19th-century Gothic castle towers above the village of Tongwynlais in Wales and was initially constructed to safeguard the freshly conquered Cardiff.

This dates back to 1081, when the Normans held power and sought to monitor the passage along the River Taff.

History

Since those early days, it has undergone countless transformations and extensive refurbishments.

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Particularly significant was 1848, when John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, inherited the estate – then regarded as one of Britain’s wealthiest individuals, and he certainly invested that fortune into this venture.

The Marquess possessed a passionate enthusiasm for architecture and historical research; he commissioned a celebrated architect to reconstruct the castle and transform it into something far more magnificent than before.

William Burges embarked on ambitious renovations and adorned the property with lavishly decorated interiors and opulent furnishings, creating the masterpiece recognised today.

Burges sadly passed away in 1881 after developing a severe chill during a castle visit, and the project was handed to William Frame, who finished the interiors by 1891.

Despite its magnificence, the Marquess seldom visited the castle following its completion, leaving it largely neglected and underutilised.

Its owner passed away in 1900, with the castle remaining under his wife’s ownership before being acquired by another descendant of the Marques.

By 1950, the castle came under the guardianship of the Ministry of Works, and years later, in 1963, it achieved official listed building status.

Today, this historic treasure is safeguarded and managed by Cadw, which has overseen it since the 1980s as part of the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.

Visiting

Centuries on, members of the public can step inside this architectural gem, steeped in mediaeval and Victorian heritage. In fact, it regularly receives votes from the public as one of their most beloved buildings across Wales; it’s little wonder some regard it as a ‘wonder’.

One visitor shared on TripAdvisor: “A true fairy tale castle – but lots of steps. Interesting furnishings and displays. Take time to enjoy all the interior decorations – paintings, ceilings, and furniture. It’s amazing what lots of money and creativity can do together.”

Another wrote: “My family and I visited in August and were absolutely blown away by the beauty of the place. The castle is incredibly well-preserved, and the grounds are gorgeous. We spent hours exploring the castle, taking in the views, and learning about its history. I would highly recommend a visit to Castell Coch – it’s an absolutely incredible place.”

Visiting hours from March through to June are currently 9:30am until 5:00pm. These do vary throughout the year, with extended closing times of 6pm during July and August.

Adult admission is priced at £10.40, while children aged five to 17 are charged £7.20. Family tickets are on offer at a reduced rate, and pensioners can also take advantage of a discounted entry price.

Why go now

Madrid’s current boomtown dynamics are driving the city centre way upmarket, pushing the average punter to outer barrios in search of cheaper rent. As seen in New York and elsewhere, the creative class is moving too – crossing the River Manzanares to open studios in the former factories and metalworks of Carabanchel. Now the city’s most populous district, this used to be a separate municipality, which was annexed to the capital in 1948 and built up into canyons of high-rise flats to house the postwar influx from the provinces, and later from Latin America.

Today, old and new Madrid coexist here in a certain harmony: coffee roasters and bistros slot in beside weathered blue-collar tapas bars and Colombian or Peruvian cantinas, but the neighbourhood still feels a bit like an independent republic. Long-term residents roll their eyes at claims made for the area’s coolness, and some express pride, or resistance, through a popular T-shirt slogan: “This is not Soho. This is Carabanchel.”

Where to eat and drink

The district’s focal point is La Capa, a defunct 1960s cafe revived by three local men, who gave the original interior a good scrub and upgraded the kitchen to serve exemplary dishes such as chicken escalope with red pepper confit and premium wines from small bodegas, many sold at cost price.

Three actors have repurposed an old corner shop as a small, bright bar called Merinas. The walls are hung with caricatures of famous film directors, the palm-shaded patio creates a beach-like feel in a landlocked city, and the judicious menu runs to guest wines, charcuterie boards and spectacular sandwiches with fillings like cured tuna and payoyo cheese on organic sourdough rolls.

Cultural experiences

Sabrina Amrani recalls the opening night of her new Carabanchel gallery in 2019, when one guest almost cried while telling her that she had changed the map of Madrid by bringing art across the river. “Perhaps we helped open a door,” she says, “but many artists were based here before we arrived, and they generated a different kind of energy in the neighbourhood.”

While Amrani converted a car workshop into a showroom for work by international talents such as Alexandra Karakashian, native street artist Sfhir made space for more than 200 painters, muralists and sculptors in a nearby underground garage now called 95 Gallery.

Carabanchel has its own punky, DIY music scene, too, packed around a cluster of low-cost recording studios and rehearsal rooms, with raucous gigs at Gruta 77, battles of the bands at Madreams, and after-hours DJ sets at industrial complex turned arts hub CasaBanchel.

Where to shop

At Planeta Ganga, retired film producer María Arellano draws on her contacts in wardrobe departments to source and sell outfits seen in Spanish films and TV shows such as Elite. Prices are surprisingly low, and a big cut goes to an orthopaedic charity for kids (Arellano’s daughter was born with mobility issues).

Local rockabillies buy their Harrington jackets and boogie shoes at specialist boutique Rocket, and the barrio’s first dedicated bottle shop for natural wines also doubles as a tiny late-night hangout, Luz Verde.

Don’t miss

Far removed from the city’s historic core, Carabanchel has its own architectural legacy, from the modernist turrets and chalets of an early 20th-century writers’ colony, the Colonia de la Prensa, to the medieval brickwork hermitage of Santa María La Antigua – one of the oldest buildings in Madrid.

Where to stay

Cielo Studios offers stylish modern guest apartments from €80, with a rooftop garden and lounge overlooking the surrounding block of bars and galleries.

In the heart of the countryside and conveniently located just an hour from London, is a frozen-in-time town with a sprawling vineyard that offers an idyllic day out

Just outside London is a picturesque market town with independent businesses, rolling hill vistas and a vineyard with its very own wine train.

Nestled in the heart of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and just an hour’s train journey from London, is the charming market town of Dorking. While it’s a commuter town, often cited as a laid-back alternative to its neighbours, Guildford and Reigate, Dorking offers a scenic day out against its picturesque backdrop.

The historic town is said to have a ‘nostalgic’ feel, thanks to its timber-framed buildings, traditional coaching inns, and narrow alleys in a nod to its deep medieval roots. Travellers are said to have traditionally used Dorking as a stop between the South Coast and London, while its Victorian-era tales still run through the town.

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Its frozen-in-time setting is only enhanced by its renowned antique quarter on West Street, the town’s oldest street, with hidden gems, vintage items and ancient treasures. Dorking is also renowned for its independent scene of boutiques, coffee houses and eateries, alongside popular branded stores on the High Street.

When it comes to food, there are a few notable spots to point out, including the Michelin-starred restaurant Sorrel, offering modern fine dining from à la carte and tasting menus, to really savour the flavours. Elsewhere, there’s the steakhouse, Heaven’s Kitchen, a pizzeria, Monte Forte, Mediterranean dishes at Arto Restaurant, and, on the outskirts of the town, The Hillroom Restaurant, which offers a delightful afternoon.

Yet it’s well worth exploring beyond the main streets, as cosy squares are tucked among the picturesque town, including Old Kings Courtyard, Allen Court and St Martin’s Walk. That’s in addition to the Dorking Halls, where visitors can catch a theatre performance, watch live music, or sit down for a film.

A walk around the town is enough to warrant a visit, whether it’s to browse its independent retailers or explore its narrow lanes and stunning medieval architecture. But its selection of walking routes and famed Box Hill zig-zag cycle trail are another highlight in the area, offering the chance to really take in the picture-postcard scenes of the rolling Surrey countryside.

And a little further afield, an 8-minute car journey or 20-minute bus ride to be precise, is where you’ll find the vineyard with its very own wine train. The Denbies Wine Estate is England’s largest single-estate vineyard, spanning 265 acres, with its very own hotel and restaurant on-site.

Visitors can book a wine tasting or tour, enjoy one of their events, or book a stay at the vineyard hotel. But one of its most notable experiences is the outdoor vineyard train tour.

Guests can enjoy the train journey around the vineyard underneath the British sunshine while stopping for their next tipple of vino and soaking up the vistas of the Denbies Estate and the North Downs. With tickets starting from just £12.50 per person for the 50-minute tour, it might just be the best way to enjoy the spring weather.

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The Koh Phi Phi islands in Thailand deliver some of the most breathtaking scenery you’re ever likely to see, but they’ve also struggled with overtourism issues since featuring in Danny Boyle’s The Beach

An alarming crowd scene on the shores of one of the world’s most famous coastlines has raised overtourism concerns.

The Koh Phi Phi islands in Thailand deliver some of the most breathtaking scenery you’re ever likely to see. Sat in the Andaman Sea, they’re made up of dramatic limestone cliffs and white sand bays surrounded by turquoise waters filled with tropical fish.

The islands have long been popular among tourists, but particularly so since they starred in Danny Boyle’s The Beach.

The success of the film has been a disaster for the pristine, idyllic beach that gives the flick its name. Each year huge numbers travel to Koh Phi Phi’s Maya Bay, where it was shot, to bask in its impossibly blue waters and sunbathe on the golden sands.

Today, the reality of the Thai destination could not be further from the slice of paradise at the heart of the film.

A recent video from Koh Phi Phi shows a crowd of hundreds of sunseekers, packed shoulder to shoulder. They appear to be close to the dock, not yet having arrived at Maya Bay.

READ MORE: Tourists slam ‘paradise beach’ as actually being ‘most disappointing in the world’

OPINION

Liam Gilliver

The video has been met with negativity on Reddit, where it was posted. “Nothing about that looks fun,” one user wrote. Another added: “Absolutely not worth going. I went last month and it was so crowded it just wasn’t fun. At all.” A third wrote: “What a nightmare.”

Koh Tours, which offers trips around the archipelago, recently wrote a blog post about the situation there, explaining that efforts to tackle overtourism had proved difficult.

“Koh Phi Phi Leh — the smaller, uninhabited island with Maya Bay — was famously closed for three years after The Beach tourism wrecked the coral and stressed out the blacktip reef sharks,” the post reads.

“They reopened it in January 2022 with timed entries, boat limits, no overnight stays, no sunscreen allowed in the water. It’s genuinely better than it was in 2018. But it’s not quiet. A ‘boat limit’ of a couple of hundred visitors at a time still means a couple of hundred people standing in the same shallow bay.

According to Koh Tours, the archipelago’s other main island, Koh Phi Phi Don, also suffers from crowds.

“Koh Phi Phi Don is genuinely crowded. Not ‘it gets a bit busy in peak season’ crowded. Actually crowded. The village on Tonsai Bay — which is basically the whole flat part of the island between the two bays — packs in more foot traffic per square metre than most Thai cities,” the post continues.

Jub Yata is a destination manager at Intrepid Travel, a firm which specialises in sustainable tourism.

“Right now, you just walk around, you take the photos, then you have to leave. Everyone wants to see the beach from the DiCaprio film. It is beautiful, I can’t deny, but there are too many people,” she said of Maya Bay.

Jub works with Intrepid to take tourists to Thailand in a more responsible way that doesn’t overwhelm the most popular destinations. In recent years, this has meant visits to Koh Thap, Koh Poda, and Koh Khai.

Koh Thap is one of the most popular offshore islands around Krabi – a region in the west of Thailand, just across from Phuket. Most island-hopping tours come here to witness and photograph the amazing parting of the seas.

At low tide, a stretch of sand emerges from the waters, linking the larger landmass known as Chicken Island to Koh Mor and Koh Thap. The phenomenon is commonly referred to as Talay Waek, which means divided sea.

Koh Poda is a particularly quiet and tranquil place. One Intrepid traveller said that the island “felt like a completely deserted Robinson Crusoe island”.

Meanwhile, Koh Khai in Phuket is the most built-up and well-visited of the three islands included in the Intrepid tour. Made up of three small islands – Khai Nok, Khai Nai and Khai Nui – it is easy to hop from one island to the next, even in the space of just half a day. Khai Nai is the biggest of the three and has spectacular views and a white sandy beach which makes it perfect for snorkelling and swimming.

The extended shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has created what Goldman Sachs describes as “extreme tightness” in Europe’s jet fuel supply, and the UK is seen as particularly vulnerable

Britain is at risk of rationing jet fuel due to shortages stemming from the Iran conflict, an expert has claimed.

With supplies potentially dropping to “critically low levels”, concern has grown for Europe’s jet fuel market and the consequences this will have on travel this summer. Some airlines, such as KLM and Lufthansa, have already cancelled flights due to fears about fuel.

Now, Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s largest investment banks, has said the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz has created “extreme tightness” in the market and the UK is especially exposed due to its limited stockpiles, heavy reliance on imports, and constrained refining capacity. It means the prospect of rationing is believed to being considered to help sustain the travel sector.

Jet fuel prices have doubled since the war began on February 28, prompting bleak warnings from Keir Starmer that travellers may need to rethink their holiday plans.

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Goldman Sachs said in a research note: “The UK is the largest net importer of jet fuel in Europe, and it holds no strategic reserves, leaving commercial inventories as the primary buffer. As a result, inventories in some countries, especially the UK, could fall to critically low levels, increasing the likelihood of rationing measures.”

The Gulf region supplies around one-fifth of globally traded fuel, and with Europe heavily dependent on those flows, airlines are now competing for alternative sources — driving prices even higher. According to The Times, Goldman Sachs noted that the UK, as Europe’s largest net importer of jet fuel, lacks strategic reserves and relies primarily on commercial inventories as a buffer. Those levels, particularly in Britain, could fall dangerously low, increasing the likelihood of rationing.

Any sustained shortage would likely force airlines to cancel or consolidate flights while pushing ticket prices upward. Fuel accounts for as much as a quarter of airline operating costs. IAG, the parent company of British Airways, has already indicated it will raise fares to offset higher fuel expenses, acknowledging it is “not immune” to ongoing volatility despite hedging strategies.

Air France expects its jet fuel bill to rise by $2.4billion (£1.77million) this year, while American Airlines anticipates an increase of more than $4billion (£2.96million) — costs that are expected to translate into higher fares and reduced perks for passengers.

Although UK ministers have suggested supplies can be sourced from elsewhere, industry figures are less optimistic. Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary said airlines are “desperately” looking for flights to cancel and could begin doing so within weeks.

Fuel suppliers have also warned that the UK has the “most limited visibility” in Europe when it comes to jet fuel supply, largely because of its dependence on Middle Eastern imports.

The European Commission said it would issue guidance to airlines this week, with a spokesperson noting that uncertainty remains high and preparations are being made for multiple scenarios.

Analysts also pointed to the UK’s reduced refining capacity following the closure of the Grangemouth refinery — Scotland’s only oil refinery — last April. Concerns had also surrounded the future of the Prax Lindsey refinery in north Lincolnshire, though its new owner, Phillips 66, said the recent acquisition should help stabilise supply.

A report from the Tony Blair Institute argued that Europe’s climate-focused energy policies have contributed to higher prices — two to three times those of competitors — and increased dependence on imports.

Fuel suppliers said May demand should remain manageable but warned that disruptions could begin by mid-to-late June if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.