European

A EUROPEAN theme park that is a great Disney alternative has revealed it is opening a grand new hotel in just months.

Park Asterix in France, which is cheaper than Disneyland Paris and is under 19miles from the centre of Paris, is opening a themed hotel for up to 750 guests in March.

Opening on March 26, The Odyssey will be the park’s fourth hotel and boast 301 rooms across four themed sections.

The hotel will have a more “mineral theme”, designed around Asterix’s travels to the Orient.

The hotel will be inspired by caravanserais – typical fortified buildings used as a lodging by merchants and their animals in the likes of Egypt.

The hotel will have four facades surrounding a central courtyard with a number of common areas on the ground floor and bedrooms then on the upper floors.

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In the courtyard, there will be four areas around a central oasis.

Each will be a garden with a different theme including Persian, Phoenician, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian.

And then the interior of each facade will correspond with one of the four themes.

In the Mesopotamia area, for example, there will be different artisans.

Then in the Phoenicia area, the theme will centre around welcoming merchants.

And finally the Egyptian section will transport guests to the banks of the River Nile.

The entire roof of the hotel will then also feature lots of plants.

When it comes to the bedrooms, each will have a double bed that can be separated into two single beds if needed and an alcove with a bunk bed in.

Rooms will be able to host between three and six people.

And if you fancy something a little more lavish, there will be four suites and large terrace on the second floor as well.

The four-star hotel will be twice the size of the other three hotels at the park.

When it comes to dining options, there will be two all-you-can-eat restaurants – La Table des Rois (The Kings’ Table) and La Table Gourmande (The Gourmet Table).

A bar is also in the plans, at the centre of the gardens.

The new hotel was first announced in October last year when the park was also revealed to be the second most visited theme park in France.

And the hotel is part of a wider €250million (£212.6million) investment project to expand the park by 2030.

This year, the park transformed its Egypt area including the re-theming of the Oxygénarium attraction to become The Descent of the Nile.

Les Chaises Volantes then also became The Flight of Ibis and the Le Cirque restaurant became Le Comptoir d’Epidemaïs.

In 2027, the park will also open a new Greek zone with two family attractions, a playground and a restaurant.

And in 2028, there will be a Londinium Zone which will be an indoor area inspired by Asterix in Britain comic books.

Veronica Lorraine , Gardening Editor and Associate Head of Features, who recently visited the park, said: “With more than 50 attractions, there really is a ride for everyone, regardless of age, or fear factor — you definitely need more than one day if you want to get round all of them.

“Disney certainly has the monopoly on world-renowned characters and a blow-out budget to create that real wow factor, all of which seems impossible to compete with — yet somehow Parc Asterix does.

“The tickets are cheaper, the food is better, the shows are spectacular and the rides are a total revelation.

“Add in a sprawling protected countryside backdrop just 30km outside Paris, with three separate hotels within the grounds at very reasonable prices, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

“It’s pure escapism, based all around the cherished world of Asterix — the man who, in famous French comics, protected France from the Romans.”

EASYJET is set to strike tomorrow at several major airports in a popular European country.

EasyJet flight crew will walk out of airports across Portugal from tomorrow, with flights expected to be cancelled.

The airports include Lisbon, Porto and Faro.

The strike will run from October 2 to 6 and has been called by the SNPVAC union, which the airline’s cabin crew in Portugal belongs to.

Overall, it is estimated that the strike over the coming days could ground around 500 flights which includes 35 to and from the UK.

This includes two return flights and one outbound flight from London Southend Airport.

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EasyJet operates from a number of UK airports including Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, London Gatwick and London Luton.

The strike comes due to an ongoing dispute with the airline about pay, rostering and working conditions for cabin crew in Portugal.

Any travellers due to fly to or from Portugal during the strike dates are being advised to check their easyJet app or emails for updates.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese government has promised that there will be a minimum of one Lisbon to London and then London to Lisbon flight per day during the strike.

On the other hand, it appears that no UK flights to or from Faro or Porto remain protected.

The SNPVAC union has announced further walkouts later on in the year in December between 19–23.

A spokesperson for easyJet told Sun Travel: “We are extremely disappointed that the union representing our Portugal-based cabin crew has announced an industrial action from 2 to 6 October, despite our willingness to continue a constructive dialogue and reach an agreement to meet our employees’ requests and protect the sustainability of easyJet business in Portugal.

“We are sorry for the impact the unnecessary action will have on our customers and we are doing all we can to minimise disruption, including actioning some cancellations in advance to allow our customers to rearrange their travel plans.

“Customers whose flights are cancelled have been informed directly and offered options including a free transfer or a refund.

“We advise customers travelling to or from Portugal between 2 and 6 October to check the status of their flight via our Flight Tracker.”

The travel expert highlighted one spot as a stunning and affordable autumn city break destination

For many people mapping out an autumn escape, short-haul European city breaks promising late-season sunshine tend to top the wishlist. But as one of Britain’s most respected travel journalists, Simon Calder, suggests a more affordable and “very exciting” destination.

During an appearance on Holly Rubenstein’s podcast ‘The Travel Diaries,’ Simon shone a spotlight on everything from ancient cities in Algeria to Cape Verde and the Azores. Another unexpected destination on his radar was Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, is becoming an increasingly popular choice for a city break, offering a mix of historic sights, delicious food, traditional wine, famous thermal baths and relatively affordable prices.

Why visit Tbilisi?

Tbilisi’s historic centre is packed with colourful wooden balconies, winding streets and beautiful churches, alongside architecture reflecting Georgian, Persian, Russian and European influences.

The city takes its name from its natural hot springs, and the Abanotubani district is home to traditional bathhouses where visitors can enjoy the famous sulphur-rich waters.

One of the must-visits in the city is a ride on the cable car towards Narikala Fortress offers impressive views across Tbilisi and the Mtkvari River. From the fortress, you can also glimpse the iconic “Mother of Georgia” statue.

Simon said: “It used to be the case that you couldn’t fly from Tbilisi in Georgia from the UK. And suddenly, within a couple of days, British Airways and easyJet launched flights to Tbilisi.”

The travel guru continued: “And that’s a very exciting part of the world. Central Asia, Uzbekistan, is very much getting back to being more mainstream as well. So much exciting stuff to do,” reports the Express.

What’s Tbilisi like in autumn?

Autumn can be an attractive time to visit Tbilisi. September is typically warm, while October brings cooler temperatures but can still offer pleasant days for exploring the city. Early autumn can also feel considerably warmer than the UK, making it an appealing option for travellers looking for a break from cooler weather.

Tbilisi comes into its own during autumn for a whole host of reasons. While temperatures back home in the UK begin to plummet, Georgia’s capital basks in a pleasant climate, with average highs of 19.5C in October.

This mild, sunny weather is perfectly suited to exploring on foot, and with very little rainfall to contend with, you can safely leave the waterproofs behind. Tbilisi has earned a reputation as a remarkably budget-friendly travel destination, especially for visitors from the UK and Western Europe.

While prices have risen slightly in recent years owing to increasing popularity, the city still offers exceptional value for money.

In the Georgian capital, a pint of local beer in a bar or pub will set you back around £1.75, while meals out typically cost between £8 and £15.

Tbilisi’s charm lies in its fusion of old and new. The city’s ancient heritage is prominently displayed in the delightful Old Town (Dzveli Tbilisi), where a maze of cobbled streets winds past traditional houses with characteristic wooden balconies.

You can explore this historic quarter and uncover the domed roofs of the renowned Sulfur Baths in the Abanotubani district.

For a modern architectural wonder, walk across the Bridge of Peace, a contemporary pedestrian crossing that illuminates with thousands of LED lights after nightfall.

Georgian cuisine is a standout feature of any visit, and Tbilisi is the ideal spot to sample it. From the warming comfort of khinkali (spiced meat or cheese dumplings) to the cheesy delight of khachapuri (bread with cheese), the local food is a hearty and flavoursome experience.

Wash it all down with a glass of locally produced wine from one of the oldest winemaking regions on the planet.

Travel Local reveals that Georgia is widely regarded as the birthplace of wine. Archaeological findings of winemaking activity stretch back more than 8,000 years, making it the oldest continuous winemaking tradition in the world.

Remarkably, the very word “wine” is thought to have originated from the Georgian term for it, ‘ghvino’.

Tbilisi boasts a fantastic selection of wine bars and tasting rooms throughout the city, but the most celebrated vineyards and wineries can be found in the Kakheti wine region, considered the heart of Georgian winemaking.

It’s a well-loved and straightforward day trip from Tbilisi, typically requiring around a 1.5 to two-hour drive to reach the region’s principal towns such as Sighnaghi or Telavi.

October is also a particularly vibrant time to visit the city, as it plays host to the Tbilisoba festival, a grand celebration of the city’s rich history and harvest season. The streets burst into life with music, folk dancing and food stalls, offering an unforgettable insight into Georgian culture.

Siegfried Muresan’s loss of the confidence motion increases the prospect for snap elections.

Romania’s pro-European Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Muresan has failed to win a parliamentary vote of confidence, prolonging a political crisis seen as a boost for the rising far right.

Muresan, a liberal European Parliament member who was the latest of three designated prime ministers, secured only 182 votes out of the 233 required to secure the confidence motion on Wednesday, according to the official count.

The far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) largely boycotted the vote.

The 45-year-old had proposed what he described as a “reform-oriented” governing programme under his centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), which teamed up with the Save Romania Union party, or USR, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party.

President Nicusor Dan said he would nominate a new prime minister candidate on Monday afternoon, after holding talks with the leaders of the parliamentary parties, to avoid snap elections.

Romania saw the collapse of a pro-European coalition government in May, when governing social democrats, together with the opposition far right, ousted liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in a no-confidence motion at that time.

The far right, which comprises about a third of Parliament, threatened to impeach the president if he does not call early elections once the conditions are met.

Romania, a member of the EU and NATO that borders Ukraine, has not held snap elections since the fall of communism in 1989.

Political analyst Cristian Pirvulescu told the AFP news agency that snap elections would lead to another fragmented Parliament, but with an emboldened far right.

“Early elections mean that, from the moment they are called, it would take four months before a new government could be formed,” Pirvulescu told AFP. “Due to political instability, Romania finds itself in a very complicated economic situation. Four months is already a very long time.”

The country of 19 million has been struggling for months with the highest public deficit and inflation in the European Union.

IF you want to be ahead of the curve, there’s a country three hours from the UK with beautiful coastal resorts, high summer temperatures and cheap beer.

Not only that, but there are more flights from the UK and with new hotels opening – so it’s set to be the must-visit destination of summer 2027.

Bulgaria has it all from vibrant cities like Sofia to coastal resorts like Sunny Beach, Golden Sands and Albena.

In the summer, Bulgaria has highs of 30C – and in June, return flights to Sofia as little as £62.

It’s affordable too, according to Wise, as beer in Bulgaria can be as little as 90p with an inexpensive meal at a restaurant costing around £6.

TUI has a number of hotels in Bulgaria already, but is expanding in time for next summer.

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One of those is the TUI BLUE Arabella in Golden Sands near Varna, which is currently undergoing renovation and is set to reopen in summer 2027.

When open, guests will be able to paddle in its four swimming pools, one main pool, a children’s pool, one for relaxation and the indoor one too.

There will be on-site restaurants and bars, wellness area with a sauna, gym and tennis court.

On-site are 290 rooms which will range from suites to double and family rooms with sea views and balconies.

Guests will also have access to the waterpark at nearby GRIFID Bolero hotel.

Another is in the SUNEO collection which is budget-friendly stays with 3- and 4-star beach getaways.

Called the TUI SUNEO Compass 4*, the pretty hotel is set within peaceful gardens and is also set to open next summer.

Already existing hotels include the TUI SUNEO Serenity Bay in Tsarevo and TUI SUNEO Perla in Sunny Beach.

An all-inclusive stay at TUI SUNEO Perla in May starts from £591.33pp – or £84.47pppn.

This includes a stay for seven-nights in a Deluxe Double Room with a balcony or terrace and return flights – it also has an outdoor swimming pool and restaurant.

Another of the existing TUI hotels includes the TUI BLUE Nevis in Sunny Beach which offers all-inclusive family holidays.

It has a huge swimming complex with swimming pools, splash zone and waterslides as well as kids’ clubs and a buffet restaurant.

There are plenty of flights from the UK too – TUI has flights to two destinations in Bulgaria, Sofia and Bourgas from 21 UK and Ireland airports.

TUI Group CEO Sebastian Ebel said: “Bulgaria has enormous potential as a tourism destination. The country combines attractive beach holidays on the Black Sea with culture, nature, hospitality and very good value for money.”

Jet2 also flies regularly to Bulgaria with flights from 11 UK airports to Bourgas.

These include London Stansted, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford, Bristol, Newcastle, London Gatwick, Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow, and Manchester.

From Bourgas, it’s easy to get to Sunny Beach, Nessebar, and St Vlas.

Adding to its popularity for next year, Bulgaria will be the host country for the Eurovision Song Contest after winning this year.

It will take place on May 11, 13, and 15 at the Arena Burgas – and in time for the event, Jet2 will add new flights from the UK to Bourgas.

Otherwise want a mega cheap holiday? Loveholidays has four-night all-inclusives from £219pp.

FIFA accuses UEFA of attempting to influence its presidential election, in which Gianni Infantino is seeking a fourth term.

FIFA has accused European football’s governing body, UEFA, of waging a “misinformation campaign” and trying to influence the race for its presidency amid a growing governance crisis in the sport.

Football’s global governing body urged a court in the United States on Tuesday to reject UEFA’s ⁠⁠discovery request linked to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial investment proposal for rights to the World Cup.

Last month, UEFA asked a US federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino over a now-abandoned plan to transfer ⁠⁠World Cup commercial rights into a subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

In its response, FIFA said UEFA’s brief contained “numerous false or misleading statements about FIFA and Infantino”.

“With no basis whatsoever, UEFA suggests that Mr Infantino sought to profit personally from the FFE proposal,” FIFA said in a filing in the Southern District of Florida, opposing UEFA’s motion for discovery.

“As explained, the FFE plan was subject to approval ‌‌by both the FIFA member associations and FIFA Council, and FFE would have been subject to oversight by both groups within FIFA,” it said.

“UEFA’s suggestions that Mr Infantino violated any law or ethical principle are categorically without merit.”

UEFA alleged Infantino developed the proposal in secret with a small group of advisers and investors, bypassing the global body’s normal governance processes and failing to consult FIFA Council, regional confederations or member associations.

The European body said in the legal ⁠⁠filing that investors would have paid $4.2bn for a stake in FFE, valuing ⁠⁠the business at about $20bn.

It said the valuation significantly undervalued FIFA’s commercial rights and alleged it had not been subjected to an open auction or tested by an independent valuer.

“UEFA, whether deliberately or through ignorance, conflates equity value with enterprise value,” FIFA said.

“It is undisputed that FFE’s ‘initial equity valuation’ — meaning ‘the ⁠⁠value that remains for the shareholders after any debts have been paid off’ — was $20 billion … Materials distributed to FIFA’s member associations reveal that FFE’s total ‘enterprise value’ on the other hand — meaning the ‘entire ⁠⁠value of the business’ — was well over $30 billion.”

“Indeed, FFE’s enterprise value was well ⁠⁠in excess of twice the equity value, and therefore far above the value UEFA says would be fair.”

‘Attempt to influence election’

The FFE project was abandoned in July following opposition from confederations, including UEFA, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football and the Asian Football Confederation, over a lack of consultation, with the dispute fuelling demands for ‌‌changes to FIFA’s governance.

Last week, Infantino wrote to all 211 member associations proposing an independent review of the governing body’s decision-making processes.

The Swiss administrator is up for re-election in March, and FIFA has alleged that UEFA’s legal filings are an attempt ‌‌to ‌‌influence that election.

“Just before FIFA’s election, UEFA filed this 1782 Application (and three others) spreading misinformation regarding Mr Infantino,” FIFA said.

“This court should reject any attempt to influence FIFA’s presidential election based on these grounds.”

Earlier on Monday, Infantino said he was willing ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌to discuss the disbursement of millions of dollars to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠its member associations with the exact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠amount of the distributions to individual nations set to be on the agenda of the FIFA Council’s October 15 meeting.

EASYJET flights are set to be disrupted across Portugal for five days due to strikes – and it starts this weekend.

Staff are staging walkouts which will see flights cancelled at airports in cities like Lisbon, Porto and Faro.

Members of the SNPVAC union, which the airline’s cabin crew in Portugal belongs to, has announced walkouts from October 2–6.

The union has estimated that the strike in October could ground around 500 scheduled flights overall.

Some UK flights have already been cancelled ahead of the strike action.

Two return flights and one outbound flight from Southend Airport have been cancelled.

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No flights from London Stansted Airport have been affected so far, according to reports.

From the UK, easyJet operates flights to Portugal from the likes of Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Gatwick, Luton, Southend, Manchester and Newcastle.

Passengers due to travel to or from Portugal during the strike dates are being advised to monitor communications from easyJet.

The Portuguese government has ensured that there will be a minimum of one Lisbon-London-Lisbon rotation per day during the strike.

No UK service from Faro or Porto appears on the protected list, and the order does not identify specifics when it comes to flights.

Anton Radchenko, aviation expert and CEO of AirAdvisor advised that “passengers should wait for a flight-specific decision and preserve the exact time of any cancellation notice.”

He added: “If easyJet cancels and they still need to travel, they should request rerouting at the earliest opportunity, including on another airline where that would reach the destination materially sooner, rather than automatically accepting a refund.”

It comes after cabin crew workers for easyJet previously held strikes in France between August 15 and 16.

Last month, easyJet pilots, again in France, staged a walkout across two days in September.

Members of the SNPL pilots’ union staged the strike over a pay dispute between September 13-14.

The SNPVAC union has announced further walkouts later on in the year in December between 19–23.

A spokesperson from the airline said: “We are extremely disappointed that SNPVAC is planning strike actions despite our willingness to continue a constructive dialogue.

“We had just started a conciliation process through the mediation of DGERT with the aim to reach an agreement to meet our employees’ requests and protect the sustainability of easyJet business in Portugal.

“The current union demands are unworkable especially given that our crew are already paid significantly above the Portuguese national average

“We are doing everything we can to minimize the impact of the strike on our customers including actioning some cancellations in advance to allow our customers to rearrange their travel plans.”

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

CATANIA Airport has been forced to cancel more flights until later today after a volcanic eruption on Mount Etna.

Volcanic ash drifting in the airspace means that flights have been suspended for safety.

The airport briefly opening this morning, but has since suspended “all flight operations have been suspended until 3pm today, Tuesday, 29 September.

“Passengers are kindly requested to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport.”

Catania Airport did reopen temporarily this morning and flights resumed, but since the closure these have started being diverted or cancelled.

One easyJet flight heading into Catania from London Gatwick at 10am has been delayed.

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A Ryanair flight departing from London Stansted at 10.45am remains on the schedule with a few minutes of delay.

An easyJet flight returning to London Gatwick at 10.35am is delayed by almost an hour.

A Ryanair flight heading to London Stansted is running a few minutes late from its scheduled departure time at 11.10am, at the moment.

The airport first stopped incoming flights on Saturday due to ash in the airspace with limitations also placed on departures.

Some passengers over the weekend had to travel across to Palermo Airport instead to get a flight home.

It’s only been two weeks since the last time that Catania Airport had to close due to volcanic ash after an eruption.

Previously in August, ongoing eruptions from Mount Etna forced the airport to shut for five days in a row resulting in hundreds of cancelled flights.

WITH ancient ruins like the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus, Athens has long been considered one of the oldest cities in the world – but it’s about to get much more modern.

A new billion-pound seafront regeneration project with a towering skyscraper and luxury shopping has resulted in the city being dubbed the ‘new Dubai‘.

Major changes are happening in Athens especially on the riviera where an enormous development is underway.

A regeneration project called The Ellinikon an estimated €8billion (£6billion) is set to completely transform the area to become its first ‘smart city’.

At its core is an enormous skyscraper called Riviera Tower – once transformed it will be the tallest building in Greece at over 650 feet high.

Inside will be around 170 luxury apartments including penthouses and each one will have panoramic views over the coastline.

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It will also have private infinity pools, spa and gym as well as shared wellness spaces and greenery and plant filled terraces around the building.

The skyscraper was formerly part of Ellinikon International Airport which served the city until 2001.

The Ellinikon will also have new additions including ‘Little Athens’, a new neighbourhood right next to the beach with apartments as well as small shops and cafés.

The Riviera Galleria will be a new complex for luxury shopping with 80 new shops covering 10,000 square metres.

At the galleria will also be upscale restaurants, artisan ice-cream parlours, beauty salons and organic markets.

The upscale and luxury aspect mirrors what visitors expect when heading to the seafront neighbourhoods of Dubai.

In order to entice expats into Greece, the country is also offering tax breaks – much like Dubai which is a playground for the wealthy.

Since its debt crisis in around 2009, Greece has made a ‘remarkable economic recovery’, according to the IMF.

Part of this is thanks to tax breaks aimed at families, young workers and expats.

Under new rules this year, investment professionals who relocate to Greece can pay five per cent on “carried interest” – this is a fraction of the rate in the UK. 

Talking to The Times, Henley & Partners, which organises residence and citizenship planning for the rich says interest in moving to Greece has surged.

It’s now the second-most popular destination after St Kitts & Nevis for relocation.

Mario Rafael, a managing director at the firm. said: “Greece is increasingly competing for the attention of the same internationally mobile families considering places such as Milan and Dubai.” 

If it does turn into a Dubai-alternative, for Brits it’ll be much easier to get to as the flight is around four hours less.

While it might not be the winter hotspot like the city in the UAE, Athens still has scorching summers too.

IF you are thinking about your next trip but can’t decide where, you don’t have to pick one location…

Instead, you could get an Interrail Pass and travel to multiple destinations across up to 33 countries including Spain, Italy and Greece.

And the good news is that there is currently up to 50 per cent off Interrail Passes.

The sale ends September 30 though, so you’ll need to be quick – though even if you buy today or tomorrow, you’ll have 11 months to use your pass.

Different passes allow you to travel on trains as many times as you like across a set amount of time.

Instead of £454, you can spend £227 and get a month youth (for 12 to 27-year-olds) rail pass – meaning you can travel on as many trains as you like across the 33 countries for a month.

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If you are 28-years-old or above, then it will cost you a little more – £303 instead of £606.

You’ll also have to pay extra if you want to reserve seats on trains or if you want a paper Pass instead of a digital Pass.

There are a number of other Passes available as well, depending on how long you want to travel for.

You can choose between a Flexible Pass or Continuous Pass depending on your travel plans.

For example, you could get a four days in a month Pass that allows you to travel on as many trains as you like on each of your four travel days, costing £209 per adult.

You can use your four travel days any time within a month of your Pass’ start date.

Other options include five and seven days within a month and 10 days or 15 days within two months.

These passes cost between £235 and £409 per person.

If you know you are travelling continuously across a time period to a number of different destinations, the Continuous Pass might be better.

The different time options for these Passes include 15 days, 22 days, one month, two months or three months in a row.

These passes range between £303 and £433 per adult.

If you suddenly decide you don’t want the Pass, then you can refund or exchange it within seven days as well.

CATANIA Airport in Sicily has been forced to cancel all its flights again today after yet another eruption on Mount Etna.

Volcanic ash in the airspace has resulted in the suspension of inbound flights until at least midnight tonight.

The airport first stopped incoming flights on Saturday due to ash in the airspace and limitations have since been placed on departures too.

This morning, a warning on the airport’s website explained that due to “volcanic activity and weather conditions” cancellations and delays are expected until “23:59pm today, Monday, September 28.”

Flights to and from London Gatwick and London Luton remain on the schedule – but are likely to be cancelled due to the flight limitations.

Some passengers took to social media over the weekend explaining they had travelled across to Palermo to get a flight home from there instead.

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It’s only been two weeks since the last time that Catania Airport had to close due to volcanic ash after an eruption.

Some UK flights were affected then too, either being cancelled or diverted to Palermo on the northwestern coast of the island.

In August, ongoing eruptions from Mount Etna forced the airport to shut for five days in a row resulting in hundreds of cancelled flights.

Families who had their flights cancelled were left stranded with videos on social media showing holidaymakers sleeping on the airport floor and even luggage belts.

Last time Mount Etna erupted, nearby Malta International Airport had to cancel 19 flights due to volcanic ash.

Catania is Sicily’s busiest airport handling around 12.4million every year – which works out to around 40,000 passengers each day.

Olympic medallist Mallory Franklin completed her return to action by winning canoe gold and kayak cross silver at the Paddle Europe Slalom Championships in Ivrea.

The 32-year-old delivered a flawless, penalty-free run of 100.47 seconds to beat France’s Doriane Delassus by 0.03 seconds and claim her third career European C1 title.

Victory marked Franklin’s first individual medal since the birth of her daughter, having opened her week in Italy with a bronze medal in the team event.

“It’s a really nice way to end the year. It’s been a tough one coming back and getting back on the start line,” said Franklin.

“I’ve been building throughout the year and it’s just a nice way to finish it.”

Franklin went on to complete a full set of medals on the final day, battling through the kayak cross knockout rounds under the floodlights to secure silver behind the Czech Republic’s Tereza Kneblova.

Great Britain enjoyed double success in the kayak cross as two-time Olympic medallist Kimberley Woods took individual gold, winning the morning time trial in 48.02 seconds ahead of Poland’s Klaudia Zwolinska.

And there was bronze in the men’s K1 team event for Ben Haylett, Sam Leaver and Joe Clarke, to go with the one won by Woods, Franklin and Ellis Miller in the women’s C1.

In the men’s events, Clarke and Sam Leaver missed out on the podium in the kayak final, finishing fifth and sixth respectively behind Czech winner Jakub Krejci.

The Premier League has joined three of its top European counterparts in calling for “fundamental” reform of the way that Fifa is run, claiming its president Gianni Infantino has “actively promoted exploitative ideas”.

In a joint statement with Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, and Italy’s Serie A, the English top flight says it is speaking out “because we understand how Fifa’s relentless expansionism affects everyone”.

The four leagues say the shake-up is needed to make world football’s governing body “transparent, objective, proportionate and inclusive” and claim that “our sport cannot grow globally if its foundations are undermined”.

It comes days after Infantino proposed an external review of how Fifa operates amid the ongoing crisis over his failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, which sparked a global outcry.

Referencing “one of the biggest abuses of power in Fifa’s history”, the four leagues say that “while football’s stakeholders ultimately forced the withdrawal of the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme, the conditions that led to FFE remain”.

The statement added: “The Fifa president has now acknowledged the need for reform, but it is not enough for surface-level, process changes to be explored in the aftermath of FFE – fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within Fifa, including confidence that individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference.”

That is known to be a reference to the cancelled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup after US President Donald Trump called Infantino asking for the striker’s ban to be reviewed.

“Fifa’s governance problem goes far beyond the role of one individual,” the leagues added.

“The wider question is whether Fifa’s president should simultaneously wield such regulatory, commercial and political power without effective checks and balances, including the agreement of affected stakeholders… governance that concentrates unchecked regulatory, commercial and political power in a single office, while relegating affected stakeholders to mere advisory status, is not fit for purpose.”

Fifa has been approached for comment.

This stunning island, less than five hours from the UK, has been named the best destination for October sun

As the weather starts to drop and we head further into autumn, you may be looking for somewhere to jet off to for a week or two in order to enjoy some sun. Some of our favourite summer destinations can always carry a bit more of a weather risk in autumn, and British holidaymakers are increasingly likely to get caught in the rain while away.

With this in mind, the travel experts at Solmar Villas have looked at average weather patterns across Europe to determine the top 10 destinations for sun between September and November. Topping the list was Ayia Napa in Cyprus, with the beautiful island taking all four top spots, with Limassol and Larnaca in second and third, respectively, and Paphos in fourth.

It is perhaps unsurprising that Cyprus topped the list with an average of just 2.3 wet days per month during autumn, and an average temperature of 24°C to 29°C.

According to Skyscanner, the flight fare can be as little as £31 one-way, and will take around just four and half hours for most UK flyers.

Ayia Napa may be best known for its summer party scene, but in the autumn it begins to quieten down (although there certainly is still some nightlife for those wanting some), and you’ll certainly get a much better price than in party season.

The resort town is full of stunning beaches, from Nissi Beach with its beautiful white sands, and the clear waters of Makronissos Beach.

Taking to TripAdvisor, a September visitor to Nissi Beach wrote: “Nissi Beach is heaven just around the corner! Probably one of the most popular beaches in Cyprus—and for good reason.

“Crystal-clear water, beautiful soft sand, and that creamy, turquoise texture that makes you feel like you’re in paradise. Add the amazing atmosphere and beautiful people, and you have the perfect beach experience.”

While an autumnal visitor to Makronissos commented: “The most beautiful beach, clean, lots of sunbeds, clear warm waters, absolutely amazing. The best beach we found. Lovely atmosphere. Bravo municipality, this beach and its staff do you proud. The sunbed prices are the same on every beach, ten euros for a set, so cheap compared to most places, bravo.”

Top 10 destinations for autumn sun:

1. Ayia Napa, Cyprus
2. Limassol, Cyprus
3. Larnaca, Cyprus
4. Paphos, Cyprus
5. Athens Riviera, Greece
6. Lanzarote, Spain
7. Fuerteventura, Spain
8. Rhodes, Greece
9. Kos, Greece
10. Malta, Malta

Great Britain’s Chantelle Reid and Damar Thomas will fight for gold at the European Boxing Championships after semi-final victories on Wednesday.

Reid defeated Serbia’s Milena Matovic 3-2 in her light-middleweight semi-final, while Thomas triumphed 5-0 over Azerbaijan’s Mahammad Abdullayev in the men’s super-heavyweight competition.

Team-mates Callum Makin and Dimeji Shittu are also guaranteed medals in the men’s middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions respectively after victories in their quarter-finals.

Reid, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, was behind after the first round against Matovic, but she was the unanimous winner of the second and did enough in the third to seal victory at Asics Arena Sports Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria.

“It was a really good bout. She’s a really good girl and I hope we get to share the ring again one day,” said Reid.

“On to the next. Each bout’s gone better, each opponent’s gotten better and I’ll be boxing the best out of the weight category in two days’ time.”

The 28-year-old will face Busenaz Surmeneli in the final on Friday, after the Turkish boxer defeated Russia’s Nadezhda Golubeva 3-2.

Thomas, the 21-year-old Commonwealth gold medal winner, will face Russia’s David Surov in Friday’s final after the Russian also completed a 5-0 victory over Austria’s Ahmed Hagag.

Shittu, who had to settle for Commonwealth Games silver in August after a controversial defeat by India’s Ankush Panghal, made sure of a European medal with a 5-0 win against Austria’s Lucky Aimufua.

The 24-year-old will fight Russia’s Cheerav Ashalaev on Thursday for a place in the final.

“My first performance wasn’t the best, but that’s what I’m like, I go back to the drawing board and showed what I’m really capable of,” said Shittu.

“Credit to my opponent. He was game, he was strong, but ultimately skills paid the bills, booked me a place in the semi-finals and a guaranteed medal.

“Last time I brawled, now I want to show that I can box. And the end of the day it’s hit or not get hit. So I went out there, put on a show. Got the medal, let’s go change that colour.”

Makin, a bronze medallist at last year’s World Boxing Championships, won 3-2 against Armenia’s Marat Mikaelyan.

The 22-year-old will face Azerbaijan’s Saidjamshid Jafarov in Thursday’s semi-final.

The remainder of Great Britain’s fighters experienced defeat on Wednesday, with Lauren Mackie and Amy Broadhurst both losing in the quarter-finals.

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Mackie lost 5-0 to Lenka Bernadova of the Czech Republic in the women’s bantamweight division, while Broadhurst was beaten 4-1 by France’s Sthelyne Grosy in the women’s lightweight.

Abdul Burton also represents Britain on Thursday, facing Turkey’s Semih Gumus in the men’s super-bantamweight semi-finals.

He and Shittu compete in the session starting at 11:30 BST, while Makin’s bout with Jafarov is among the fights scheduled from 16:00.

RYANAIR has announced that it is cutting more than half a million seats to two European countries before the end of this year.

The budget airline will scrap 550,000 seats from Estonia and Lithuania this winter, which means it will reduce its capacity to the two countries by around a quarter.

The airline has said that the decision comes after higher airport costs in the two countries.

According to Ryanair, airport charges in Lithuania have risen by 30 per cent since 2023.

In Estonia, on the other hand, there has been an increase in charges at Tallinn Airport.

It isn’t clear how many UK flights will be affected, but overall it works out to as many as 3,000 overall.

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Ryanair is now looking at increasing capacity in other destinations with lower airport charges.

For example, Riga in Latvia will gain around 40,000 seats this winter.

This means that the airline will operate 16 routes to Riga during this winter.

Ryanair has also decided to increase capacity on a number of other routes including Barcelona and Milan.

A number of other destinations will also lose Ryanair seats this winter.

Greece is set to lose around 700,000 seats and 12 routes.

In Belgium, there will be a reduction of one million seats and 20 routes.

And the airline has already axed flights from a number of airports across Spain, Portugal and Germany.

The news comes just days after the airline said that it plans to have 11 million seats across Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania by 2031 and increase its aircraft in the region from seven to 16.

Great Britain are guaranteed at least three medals at the European Boxing Championships in Bulgaria after Chantelle Reid, Damar Thomas and Abdul Burton reached the semi-finals.

Reid cruised to a 5-0 win over Ireland’s Evelyn Igharo in a women’s light-middleweight contest at the Asics Arena Sports Hall in Sofia.

The 28-year-old Commonwealth Games silver medallist will face Serbia’s Milena Matovic in the last four on Wednesday.

Thomas won by the same margin in a men’s super-heavyweight fight against Georgia’s Nikoloz Begadze and the 21-year-old will take on Mahammad Abdullayev of Azerbaijan in the semi-finals.

Burton, 20, beat home favourite and Olympic bronze medallist Javier Ibanez 3-2 to secure a meeting with Turkey’s Semih Gumus.

“Sometimes you have got to dig in and when things went against me I had to get stuck in and show who I was,” Burton said.

“I am young, hungry and here to take over.”

Lauren Mackie, Amy Broadhurst, Callum Makin and Oladimeji Shittu are all due in quarter-final action on Wednesday, but over half of Britain’s squad of 15 are now out.

On Tuesday, flyweight Ruby White was beaten 3-2 by Olympic silver medal winner Hatice Akbas of Turkey while Emily Asquith suffered a 5-0 defeat in her light-heavyweight bout with Ireland’s Lisa O’Rourke.

In the men’s heavyweight division, Commonwealth Games champion Isaac Okoh bowed out with a 3-0 defeat by Germany’s Kevin Lebowski.

If you love a pint after a long day of sightseeing then this city break is a must-visit for autumn. Its self-serve beer fountain means you can try beers from across the region for just a few Euros

After a long day of exploring a new destination, the highlight of a city break for many of us is sitting in the town square, enjoying a nice cold pint of local, reasonably-priced beer.

And if you visit a small, but charming Slovenian town, you can not only order a pint, but pour your own from a ‘beer fountain’ that offers a variety of local brews to sample.

Žalec in the Lower Savinja Valley is a town that’s beer-obsessed. Even its coat of arms features a beer hop. The region is known as the Valley of Green Gold, named for the color of hops as they ripen in the sun, and it has 150 years of beer-making experience.

Next to Žalec’s marketplace lies the Green Gold Fountain, a unique attraction composed of a variety of shiny silver beer taps. Visitors buy a small glass for €12, just over £10, which pays for the souvenir glass plus six 100ml tastings of various local beers. The cups come with a chip, which is scanned by the fountain, so you can serve yourself.

The fountain opened in March and is set to run through October, so visitors can make the most of the crisp autumn weather while they sample local beers. The 150-year anniversary means there will be a larger variety of ales this year, with 34 craft beers from 25 Slovenian breweries expected to be on tap.

Alex Dyer, a managing director at Ski Famille, highlighted the unusual spot. He said: “The fountain is memorable enough to be one part of the day without making beer the whole purpose of a family visit. I think parents will enjoy the stop more when younger travellers have something of their own to look forward to nearby, because that keeps the day balanced rather than leaving anyone waiting around.”

The town’s visitors can also follow an official tourist route called the Path from Hops to Beer, which is just over 3-miles long, taking in a Roman necropolis and caves along the way. Once you’re back in town, the Eco-Museum of Hop-Growing and Brewing Industry is an interactive way to learn about the town’s proud heritage.

Visitors from the UK can fly from London, Manchester, or Edinburgh to Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, which takes just two hours and 20 minutes, making it perfect for a short weekend break. EasyJet has flights in October to Ljubljana from £45.99 one-way.

Žalec is less than an hour from the capital by car, taking you down some seriously steep mountain roads and through the untouched Slovenian countryside. But a more relaxed alternative is the 90-minute train ride, which runs along the River Sava in parts, taking you past charming traditional villages as you head to beer country.

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

ONE airline has announced it is axing all flights from three UK airports next year.

It cited “high fuel costs” and “changing consumer demand” for the cancellations.

Turkish carrier Corendon Airlines will reduce its schedule for next summer which includes cutting the UK airports it serves from six to three.

It will stop flying to Antalya from Gatwick, Birmingham and Newcastle in 2027.

The airline increased its offerings with additional flights from the UK just last year.

Despite the reduction, Corendon Airlines will still fly to Antalya twice-weekly from Glasgow with three flights a week from both Manchester and London Stansted.

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The airline confirmed it will take a “disciplined approach to capacity for 2027 following a year shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, high fuel costs and changing consumer demand”.

UK country manager Matthew Carpenter said: “In response to a difficult trading year owing to the impact of the Iran conflict, we’ve therefore decided to reduce the number of UK airports we serve. 

“We have also decided to end some aircraft agreements, with a consequent reduction in the overall fleet, which has a natural impact on our UK schedule and capacity.

“This is a short-term reaction and we plan to review the trading conditions again in January and hope to re-introduce flights to Birmingham, Newcastle and Gatwick as soon as oil prices stabilise and trading conditions improve.”  

Corendon Airlines will continue flying to Crete from both London Gatwick and Manchester Airport.

The airline was first formed in 2004, and launched its first flight one year later.

In 2025, Corendon Airlines reportedly carried 10 million passengers a year across Europe.

A WOMAN from the UK was stopped at the border abroad after she was told she had overstayed in Europe – despite her not.

Paula Pugh was going on holiday to Italy but was taken back to the UK after systems showed she had overstayed her limit of 90 days in a 180-day period in the Schengen Area.

EES has been causing chaos for lots of Brits since it was first introduced earlier this year including airport delays and missed flights,

But now, it is also causing problems for passengers by incorrectly claiming they are staying too long in Europe.

Talking to The Telegraph, Paula Pugh, 60, explained how she was escorted out of Italy and taken back to the UK because of the error.

Travelling with her husband and cousin for a five-day trip to southern Italy, Paula was flagged at border control shortly after landing.

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She was accused of overstaying her 90 limit in the Schengen Area despite taking just three short visits to Spain and one to France – which totted up to 22 days.

Talking to the publication Paula explained she “wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without a police presence.”

Paula was put on a flight home on the same day from another airport with Ryanair along with her family.

Her passport was given to the captain for the duration of their flight.

She added: “My husband then asked the cabin crew where I would get my passport, and we had to walk to the front of the plane.

“Somebody came onto the plane, took me off the plane, had a look, gave me my passport, and said ‘There you go.’ As though it was all over and all forgotten.

“I’m still very upset when I think about it.”

The cancelled trip and return flights home cost the family around £2,000.

Now, Paula is trying to get her record corrected.

Previously, Brits were manually stamped in and out of a country at border control. EES has replaced that with the taking of biometrics and fingerprints.

However, in some cases where EES has been turned off at airports due to faults, or delays, the exit for Brits has not been recorded and the days spent in the Schengen Area continues without them knowing.

A UK Government spokesman told The Telegraph: “While EES is an EU scheme, we recognise this is a significant change for British travellers, and advise that they read the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Travel Advice about the scheme before travelling.“

In August, the UK Foreign Office altered its advice to Brits asking them to carry evidence of when they last left the EU, to avoid being wrongly refused entry.

Brits travelling from the UK to Europe can spend 90 days out of every 180 in the EU – staying over this limit will mean both refusal of entry and a fine.

In some cases a fine can be as much as £8,550.

Advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) reads: “If you believe you have been incorrectly entered into EES or your record of time spent in the Schengen area is incorrect, approach border officials when you next cross the Schengen border and request a correction.

“If you are exempt, carry documentation confirming your status. If you believe your time spent in the Schengen area has been recorded incorrectly, raise this with border officials and be prepared to provide supporting evidence if requested.”

If you want to check the days left on your record before travelling, the The European Commission has an EES online tool.

MORE flights are being cancelled at a major airport in Europe due to continued strike action.

Charleroi Airport in Brussels is expecting to cancel around 34 flights today with a further 21 flights set to be rescheduled.

So far, 16 departures have already been cancelled including one to the UK.

Around 20 arrivals have also been cancelled including one from the UK.

It comes as the air traffic controllers have been carrying out strike action since September 16 regarding the management of night-shift bonuses.

The unions for the air traffic controllers have warned that strike action could continue until October 10.

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Strike action takes place during every night shift from 10pm to 8am the following morning.

Since the strike began, around 160 flights have been cancelled.

Last week, Ryanair confirmed that it had cancelled at least 30 flights so far.

The budget airline flies to the airport from Newcastle, Manchester and Edinburgh.

So far one flight to the UK has been cancelled today, which is to Manchester with Ryanair at 7:40pm.

The airport said in a statement: “We are monitoring the situation very closely and sharing verified general information through our official channels.

“For information regarding your specific flight, we encourage you to regularly check the communications from your airline.

“We share our passengers’ frustration and hope that the social conflict at Skeyes will be resolved quickly.”