European

AARHUS, Denmark — In the windswept gardens of a Danish chateau, President Volodymyr Zelensky and some of Ukraine’s main European backers weighed options Thursday for filling the gap after the Trump administration paused weapons shipments to his country.

The U.S. move affects high-demand munitions, including Patriot missiles, the AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile and shorter-range Stinger missiles. They are needed to counter incoming missiles, bring down Russian aircraft or counter drone attacks.

But they are in short supply, none are cheap, and some simply can’t be sourced elsewhere.

“We count on the continuation of American support because there are some items which Europe … doesn’t have for today,” Zelensky told reporters in Aarhus, Denmark, as a military helicopter hovered above and security personnel watched nearby woods.

Chief among them: Patriot missile systems and interceptors. “This is crucial,” he said.

Russia’s new push to capture more territory has put Ukraine’s defenses under severe strain, with the war now in its fourth year. Russian missiles and drones are battering Ukrainian cities. U.S.-led efforts to find a peace settlement have stalled.

It’s still unclear even to Zelensky what the White House intends for the weapons shipments. “I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump,” he said.

Europe’s reason to act

Many in the European Union are keen to step up. They see Russia’s invasion as a threat to their own security. Officials have warned that President Vladimir Putin could try to test Europe’s defenses in three to five years.

“All of us hope that the U.S. will continue the support for Ukraine,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, flanking Zelensky. “But if there are any gaps, then I personally believe that we should be willing to fill in.”

Denmark — a key Ukraine backer — has just taken over the EU presidency for six months.

“The war in Ukraine has never only been about Ukraine. This is a war about the future of Europe,” she said. Most EU countries are members of NATO, which has just agreed that allies should invest 5% of the gross domestic product in defense.

Russia is the chief threat that warrants such spending, although Trump did cajole the Europeans and Canada into agreeing on the figure, which will require them to spend tens of billions of dollars more over the next decade.

Sourcing defense funds

Since the Trump administration warned that its security priorities lie elsewhere and that Europe must fend for itself, the European Commission’s priority has been to find extra money.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched the EU’s big funding gun with $176 billion that countries, including Ukraine, can use to make joint purchases of priority weapons.

The EU’s executive branch also has loosened the rules on countries running up debt if they use the money for defense purposes. It hopes that hundreds of billions of extra euros could be made available, if members use the opportunity to spend more.

Then there are sanctions against Russia. EU nations are working on yet another raft of measures, but they are getting harder to agree on. It now falls to Denmark to try to chaperone the latest sanctions through.

“Russia is on the brink of recession,” noted von der Leyen, standing next to Zelensky. “Russia’s overheated war economy is coming to its limits. So for us, it is important to increase the pressure so that [Putin] comes to the negotiation table.”

Investing in Ukraine, the Danish way

Frederiksen’s government has led the way in investing in Ukraine’s defense industry, which can produce arms and ammunition more quickly and cheaply than elsewhere in Europe. She believes it’s the most effective way to help.

She also recently invited Ukrainian companies to set up shop on safer ground in Denmark, and the first companies could start production there in September. Danish officials are urging their European partners to follow suit.

Ukraine estimates that about 40% of its defense industrial capacity could be capitalized on if more European money were spent there.

Security and EU membership

Frederiksen said that helping Ukraine to join the EU is a security priority, but Hungary stands in the way. Prime Minister Viktor Orban insists that Ukraine should remain a buffer zone between Russia and NATO countries.

EU membership is meant to be a merit-based process, and Denmark has said that “all political and practical means” will be used to persuade Hungary — a small EU country and the only one standing in Ukraine’s way — to lift its veto.

Zelensky said Thursday that Ukraine has made significant progress in aligning with the EU’s rules despite the war, and called for the first phase of membership negotiations to begin as soon as possible.

“Sometimes it’s just difficult to be together in one building, all the government [and] the parliamentarians because of the attacks,” he explained.

Less palatable options

Calls are mounting for the Europeans to use Russian assets that they froze after the full-scale invasion in 2022 to help Ukraine. At the end of March, about $320 billion worth — the bulk of the assets — was being held by Belgian clearing house Euroclear.

The interest earned on those assets is being used to fund a $50-billion scheme set up by the Group of Seven powers to keep Ukraine’s economy afloat.

Some European leaders worry that confiscating Russia’s assets would deprive Ukraine of those profits — estimated at more than $3.5 billion a year. They fear it would also be fraught with legal obstacles and could harm the reputation of the euro single currency on international markets.

Another possibility might be for the Europeans to buy weapons directly from the United States but asked Thursday about that possibility — as well as the confiscation of Russian assets — neither Frederiksen nor von der Leyen would comment.

Cook writes for the Associated Press.

Lexie Limitless, real name Lexie Alford, became the youngest person to travel to every country at the age of 21 and has since travelled around the world, sharing her experiences

A globe-trotting traveller who’s visited every country in Europe has claimed one nation on the continent has the bluest water she’s “ever seen”. Lexie Limitless, a US YouTuber who became the youngest person to visit every country at the age of 21, has opened up about her experiences exploring Europe, highlighting some of the continent’s “underrated” nations.

The adventurous traveller, real name Lexie Alford, boasts half a million YouTube subscribers and broke the record after exploring all 196 countries and now boasts the impressive following. In a Europe-themed video, she reveals six less-traditional but breathtaking destinations across Europe.

Lexie, who also goes by Lexie Limitless on Instagram, described one nation as a cultural “melting pot” with a blend of Islamic and European “influences”, and another as having the most stunningly blue river waters she’s ever encountered.

She remarked: “I would say that one of the top underrated places has to be Slovenia. There are some incredible hiking paths and literally the bluest water I’ve ever seen in rivers.”

Slovenia, formerly part of Yugoslavia, is a small nation situated in Central Europe. It is bordered by Austria in the north, Italy to the West, Croatia to the south, and Hungary to the northeast.

In addition to its dazzling waters, Slovenia also boasts many impressive caves. In fact, it’s home to more than 10,000, including the World Heritage-listed Krizna Jama Cave and the 20km Postojna.

She gushed: “I also loved Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Again, incredible river running through this city that really felt like a melting pot between both Islamic and European influences, with a lot of very rich history to learn while you’re there.”

Further sharing her travel tales, Lexie said: “I think also the cutest little village I’ve ever been to, which I actually saw in one of those…while I was on one of those river cruises, was a place called eský Krumlov in the Czech Republic.”

Describing the locale, Lexie spoke of its “crazy bridges” and “aqueduct-looking architecture”, as well as its “beautiful rivers” and “adorable cafes”.

She referred to it as “quintessentially” the European village of everyone’s Disney-inspired dreams.

However, not stopping at just these gems, Lexie also praised Sweden in the summertime, the picturesque Valle Verzasca in Switzerland, and the enchanting Bruges in Belgium, which cinephiles might recall from the 2008 Colin Farrell movie ‘In Bruges’.

Topping her list of favourite countries globally is the secluded mountain kingdom of Bhutan in Asia, which is nestled between India and China. Lexie highlighted Bhutan for its unique distinction of being deemed the “happiest country in the world”.

She also hailed Bhutan as one of the globe’s “best-kept secrets”, insisting that the world has “so much to learn from this tiny country”.

China and the European Union are marking 50 years of diplomatic relations this month. At the core of their partnership is trade.

They are the second and third biggest economies in the world after the United States.

The Chinese foreign minister is visiting EU headquarters this week as he seeks closer ties in what he has called a “volatile” world.

Under President Donald Trump, the US has increasingly turned to sweeping tariffs to get what it wants.

Although Beijing and Brussels are hoping to improve their economic ties, they have disagreements on a number of issues.

So what will that mean for global trade and the economic order?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Karel Lannoo – CEO, Centre for European Policy Studies

Victor Gao – vice president, Center for China and Globalisation

Raffaele Marchetti – director, Center for International and Strategic Studies at LUISS University in Rome

Great Britain finished fifth overall at the European Athletics Team Championships in Madrid.

The GB team, captained by discus thrower Lawrence Okoye, finished on 381 points, 3.5 points behind the Netherlands in fourth and three points ahead of sixth-placed Spain.

Sarah Tait, making her international debut, was one of the standout performers on the final day, adding 15 points to GB’s tally with a second-placed finish in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase – just three hundredths of a second behind Finland’s Ilona Mononen.

There were also third-place finishes for Revee Walcott-Nolan in the women’s 1500m and Toby Harries in the men’s 200m.

Bekah Walton, who had surgery on her throwing arm just five months ago, threw 58.63m to finish fourth in the women’s javelin, while Scott Lincoln also finished fourth in the men’s shot put.

Jazmin Sawyers continued her comeback from a 20-month lay-off with an Achilles injury with a sixth-placed finish in the women’s long jump.

In the final event of the night, the 4x400m mixed relay team of Lina Nielsen, Toby Harries, Emily Newnham and Samuel Reardon finished finished third with a time of three minutes 9.6 seconds – the same time as second-placed Italy – to earn GB their final 14 points.

On Friday, 21-year-old Reardon set a championship record and ran a personal best time of 44.60 to win the 400m.

The time places the double Olympic bronze medallist seventh on the all-time list for European under-23s.

Eugene Amo-Dadzie, nicknamed the ‘world’s fastest accountant’, clocked 10.07 as he claimed top spot in the men’s 100m.

Italy successfully defended the crown they won in Poland in 2023.

Stag dos have a rowdy reputation, and it appears the hard-drinking Brits have returned with a vengeance following the pandemic, with European cities now cracking down

Stag do hotspots are witnessing a rowdy resurgence of booze-fuelled Brits but cities are now clamping down on disorderly visitors after numbers spiked again.

While many of the go-to destinations in Europe got some respite during and after the pandemic, the amount of tourists heading over for a good time are on the up – and with it comes problems for locals. Now, some cities are fighting back as they look to restore order again.

“The bachelor parties dropped off sharply during Covid and now they are picking up again,” Budapest tour guide Daniel Seres divulged to The Telegraph, discussing the popular Hungarian destination. “We need the income from tourists, but these big party groups only go on the free guided city tours [rather than paid], and they keep locals awake as they sing, stumble around and are sick on the streets.”

Budapest has battled the disruption, banning “beer bikes” in 2017 over noise and safety issues. Come 2020, steps were taken to rein in the red light district, and by 2023, District VII escalated fines for noisy nights and indecent acts, distributing English leaflets at airports alerting tourists of the heftier penalties. That year also saw the power granted to establishments to reject bookings from large groups.

But it’s not just Budapest that’s tightening the reins; six additional European destinations have had their fill of misbehaving stag groups, reports the Express.

Amsterdam

In 2023, the Dutch capital banned boozy guided tours and cannabis smoking in its infamous Red Light District. In the same year, Amsterdam also launched its “Stay Away” digital campaign targeting young British men with warnings about fines and arrests. Restrictions were also introduced on short-term rentals and alcohol sales during specific hours.

Barcelona

The Spanish city’s actions against undesirable tourists include strict enforcement of noise and behaviour fines, cracking down on unlicensed party promoters and short-term rental properties, and implementing tighter restrictions on public drinking.

Prague

The iconic Czech city of Prague has also prohibited “beer bikes”, increased police presence in central areas and discouraged promotions related to sex tourism and stag parties, including stag tours.

Krakow

The Polish city of Krakow has strictly regulated advertisements for strip clubs and “gentlemen’s entertainment” and is discussing stricter curbs on alcohol sales. Smoking has also been restricted to designated areas in some venues.

Lisbon

Actions include tightening regulations on short-term rentals, particularly in popular nightlife districts like Bairro Alto and Alfama, and increasing police patrols on weekends.

Dublin

Many hotels and venues in the Irish capital have adopted policies to refuse bookings for stag and hen parties. Targeted messaging also promotes “cultural” tourism over alcohol-fueled excursions.

Thousands to march in Hungary’s capital despite government ban, highlighting EU-wide resistance against anti-LGBTQ laws.

A record number of people are expected to attend a Pride march in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, defying a ban that marks an unprecedented regression of LGBTQ rights in the European Union.

The event on Saturday comes after Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling coalition earlier this year amended laws and the constitution to ban the annual celebration. Orban’s government has consistently argued that the legislation defends traditional family values and protects children.

While the prime minister has been emboldened by the anti-diversity offensive of President Donald Trump in the United States, his own initiatives have drawn protests at home and condemnation from the EU and rights groups.

The nationalist leader on Friday said that while police would not “break up” the 30th edition of the Pride march, those who took part should be aware of “legal consequences”.

Despite the risk of a fine, more than 35,000 people are expected to gather at 2pm (12:00 GMT) near Budapest’s city hall, an hour before the march begins.

Ministers from several EU countries and dozens of European politicians are expected to attend in defiance of the ban, reminiscent of events in Moscow in 2006 and Istanbul in 2015.

“We’re not just standing up for ourselves … If this law isn’t overturned, Eastern Europe could face a wave of similar measures,” Pride organiser Viktoria Radvanyi said.

Earlier this week, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called on the Hungarian authorities to reverse the ban.

Thirty-three countries have also spoken up in support of the march.

While parade organisers risk up to a year in prison, attendees can face fines up to 500 euros ($580). The latest legal changes empower the authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who take part.

Freshly installed cameras have appeared on lamp posts along the planned route of the march.

However, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony has insisted that no attendee can face any reprisals as the march – co-organised by the city hall this time – is a municipal event and does not require police approval.

“The police have only one task tomorrow, and it is a serious one: to ensure the safety of Hungarian and European citizens attending the event,” Karacsony said during a briefing with visiting EU equalities commissioner Hadja Lahbib.

Far-right groups have announced multiple counterprotests along the planned route of the procession.

Justice Minister Bence Tuzson this week sent a letter to EU embassies cautioning diplomats and staff against participating because of the police ban.

Several EU countries have informed their citizens of the potential of fines through travel advisories.

Since Orban’s return to power in 2010, the country of 9.6 million people has been steadily rolling back LGBTQ rights.

Legal changes have, in effect, barred same-sex couples from adopting children, prevented transgender people from changing their name or gender in official documents, and a 2021 law forbade the “display and promotion” of homosexuality to under-18s.

In March, politicians passed a bill targeting the annual Pride march, amending the 2021 law to prohibit any gathering violating its provisions.

A month later, parliament also adopted a constitutional change to strengthen the legal foundations for the ban.

“Orban is employing a tried-and-tested recipe ahead of next year’s election by generating a conflict,” political analyst Daniel Mikecz told the news agency AFP. Orban was “polarising society”, he added.

Voter opinion polls suggest Orban’s Fidesz party has been losing ground to the opposition.

The first Pride march was held in 1970 in New York to mark the anniversary of the city’s Stonewall riots in June 1969, which created the gay rights movement.

Wildfires have broken out in several European countries loved by British holidaymakers, with Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Turkey and France all impacted as a powerful heatwaves roasts the Continent

Wildfires have broken out across Europe as the Continent battles with ferociously hot temperatures.

The mercury could reach a ferocious 47°C in Spain this weekend, while road surfaces are beginning to melt in Italy. Those in France, Portugal, Turkey and Greece are also struggling to deal with stifling, brutally hot days and nights.

As well as the heat being a danger to the health of locals and holidaymakers alike, with one tourist already having lost their life to heatstroke in Majorca, the risk of wildfires is sky high in countries across Europe, and have already broken out in several.

It’s unlikely the heat will relent anytime soon, thanks to the heat dome currently hanging over Europe. The meteorological phenomenon occurs when a high-pressure ridge traps a thick layer of warm air in one region, acting like a lid on a pot.

The impact of human-driven climate change has only made the risk of such heatwaves worse.

Have you been impacted by the heatwave? Email [email protected]

Greece

Greece has borne the brunt of the wildfires in Europe so far this summer, with serious blazes breaking out in several areas.

A fierce blaze ripped through the area south of Athens on Thursday, leading to evacuation orders and forcing officials to shut off sections of the vital coastal route from the Greek capital to Sounion — home of the historic Temple of Poseidon and a key draw for visitors.

As a dozen aircraft and helicopters swooped in to combat the blaze from above, they supported a ground operation of 130 firefighters and their volunteer counterparts near Palaia Fokaia, on the outskirts of Athens.

The coast guard announced that two patrol boats and nine private vessels were on standby in the Palaia Fokaia area, ready for a potential sea evacuation. Fire department spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis revealed that 40 individuals had been evacuated by police, while evacuation orders were issued for five areas in total.

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The wider Athens area, along with several Aegean islands, is currently on Level 4 of a 5-level scale for wildfire risk due to weather conditions, with the heatwave predicted to persist until the weekend.

Earlier this week, it took hundreds of firefighters four days to control a significant wildfire on the eastern Aegean island of Chios. Over a dozen evacuation orders were issued for Chios, where the flames consumed forests and farmland.

Wildfires are a common occurrence in Greece during its sweltering, arid summers. In 2018, a colossal fire engulfed the coastal town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping residents in their homes and on escape routes. The disaster claimed over 100 lives, including some who tragically drowned while attempting to swim away from the inferno.

Spain

So far, wildfires have been limited in Spain, but the threat is rising as the country braces for seriously high temperatures over the coming days. The mercury could reach a ferocious 47°C in Spain this weekend.

On Thursday, a forest fire broke out in the Talavera de la Reina region, creating a column of smoke visible from the city. A total of 10 vehicles — two of them aerial — and 38 personnel were called in to put it out.

The Canary Islands government has issued a warning for Gran Canaria starting this Saturday due to high temperatures across the entire island. There is a risk of forest fires at altitudes above 400 metres.

Temperatures in Gran Canaria are expected to exceed 34°C this weekend and will likely approach 37°C, with strong winds increasing the danger. The Canary Islands government is urging the public to avoid lighting fires — even in barbecues or recreational areas — and to avoid using tools or machinery that could produce sparks, such as chainsaws, brush cutters, or welders.

A pre-alert for heat has been issued for the rest of the archipelago, with temperatures expected to be around 30–34°C (86–93°F) on El Hierro, La Gomera, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura, as well as on the eastern, southern, and western slopes of Tenerife, and 26–32°C (79–90°F) on the northern coast of Gran Canaria.

Portugal

Wildfires are serious business in Portugal.

Last year, there were 6,267 individual wildfires recorded, with 16 people losing their lives as a result. In total, 137,000 hectares were destroyed — an area four times larger than the previous year. So far this year, 22 people have been arrested for arson, according to Público.

The total financial loss last year in Portugal — including materials, biomass for energy, fruits, and stored carbon — reached around 67 million euros and affected 2.36 million cubic metres of wood.

While last year was, hopefully, an outlier in terms of wildfire severity, with temperatures nudging 40°C in parts of Portugal this weekend, blazes are likely.

Italy

The boot-shaped country is also facing the risk of wildfires this weekend, with unrelenting sunshine and highs nudging 40°C in the south.

Today, two fires broke out near Rome and in Dragoncello. Flames and smoke rose up, threatening to engulf several properties.

Turkey

Wildfires broke out in eight provinces in Turkey on a single day this week. Most were in western provinces — areas where many Europeans travel on holiday.

All fires were brought under control after coordinated air and ground efforts. According to the General Directorate of Forestry, five of the fires began in rural areas and later spread to nearby forests. “Fifty percent of wildfires start in agricultural zones. Small acts of negligence can lead to major disasters,” the authority warned, urging the public not to “set our future on fire.”

One of the most dangerous blazes broke out in the Osmangazi district of the northwestern province of Bursa. Fueled by strong winds, the flames quickly spread from forested areas to nearby residential zones.

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France

France has yet to be hit by major wildfires this year, but firefighters are on high alert this weekend.

The Bouches-du-Rhône is on orange alert, and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Vaucluse are on yellow alert due to the intense heat expected to persist into the weekend. Strong winds may make matters more difficult to control if a blaze does break out.

According to La Provence, the “risk of major fires is high.”

Let me know if you’d like this shortened or rewritten for publication (e.g., news website, print, or social media).

Swap surfing in California for Santa Cruz in Portugal

Sprawled on a towel, observing silhouetted surfers chasing the ocean-plunging carmine sun, I don’t need to squint to imagine I’m in the Golden State. But my sandy toes and salty hair are products of the Atlantic, not the Pacific. And this Santa Cruz belongs to Portugal’s Costa de Prata, not California.

Mutual monikers are not the only parallels: this coast has 300 sunny days a year, top-notch surf (after Malibu, nearby Ericeira was the second place to be designated a World Surfing Reserve), and blond sands stretching towards wave-carved coastal bluffs and ocean arches.

In this former fishing village, just an hour’s drive north-west of Lisbon, tranquillity flows like the tides. A soul-healing clutch of low-slung, whitewashed streets waymarked by an out-of-place beachside crenellated turret – the sole remnant of a palace plan thwarted by the 1929 Wall Street crash – it’s the kind of delightfully textbook Portuguese place you stumble upon serendipitously. And once you do, you won’t want to leave. Japanese poet Kazuo Dan visited in 1971 to have a “conversation between Heaven and Earth” – a chat he continued for 16 months.

If you’re a surfer, you’ll instantly agree. If not, lessons will leave you convinced. Check-in at chic Noah Surf House (room sleeping four from €320 B&B), complete with an ocean-view infinity pool and skate park, and arranging all-age surf classes is effortless. Flawlessly renovated Villa Galega (doubles from €115 B&B) affords a more homely escape.

Santa Cruz and surrounding Torres Vedras boasts 11 beaches certified as pollution-free – more than any other Portuguese municipality. Tread the dune-crossing boardwalk to river-wrapped Praia Azul to flop on the finest sweep.

Back in town, beachside feasts don’t come better than breezy Bronzear. Split a steaming pot of arroz de peixe, a seafood-stacked rice stew, or take plump, signature crabs as your table’s centrepiece during September’s Festival da Sapateira. California cravings? Noah’s grilled cheese and portobello burgers hit the spot. Pair with a local Touriga Nacional red wine – a robust stand-in for a Cali Cab Sav – or slip away to the family-run winery Quinta da Almiara for a vine-hemmed, in situ tasting.

Evenings usually end ringing the doorbell of Manel, the town’s oldest bar, for jazz-accompanied candlelit cocktails and Lisbon-brewed IPAs. Out front, an engraved stone shares Kazuo’s words contemplating chasing the setting sun to the end of the sea – the haiku that Santa Cruz’s surfers now scrupulously honour.
Daniel James Clarke

Swap a cabin in New England for a mökki in Finland

Almost two centuries after it was written, Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Henry David Thoreau’s book about the two years he spent living in a self-built cabin on a lake in Massachusetts, still inspires generations of Americans to go in search of what he called the “tonic of wildness”. It’s an American dream of simplicity and self-sufficiency that was also beautifully captured in the 1981 film On Golden Pond, in which Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn fish, paddle and ponder life for one last summer in Maine (though it was filmed in New Hampshire).

But North America doesn’t have a monopoly on this kind of bucolic escape. The Nordic countries know all about the appeal of cabin life – and Finland, with 19 hours of sunlight in midsummer and sublime wild landscapes, is an idyllic alternative.

Mökki, or Finnish summer cottages, sit on lake shores or on rocks by the seashore and are often passed down through families. With about 20% of Finns living within the Helsinki metropolitan area, these cabins are a sanctuary for spending time in nature: fishing and messing about on the water in summer; skiing, ice-swimming and snowshoeing in winter. Many are off-grid, so part of the ritual includes splitting wood, gathering water, warming up in the wood-fired sauna … and letting your phone battery die. You’re free to roam the coast or forage in the surrounding forest too – the Jokaisenoikeudet or “everyman’s rights” law gives everyone the freedom to wander and collect wild food.

You don’t need to have friends or family with a mökki to stay in one – there are an estimated 500,000 of them and only a fifth of Finns own one outright, so many are available for those new to mökkielämä (Finnish cottage life). Lomarengas and Finland Cottage Rentals allow you to rent directly from owners, while on Sviskär in the southern Åland archipelago you get a 28-hectare (69-acre) island all to yourself – perfect for foraging, sea dipping and the “tonic of wildness”.
Sian Lewis

Swap the Appalachian Trail for Europe’s even longer E1 path

In 1948, Earl Shaffer, a US second world war veteran, set off on a long walk. He had his ex-army rucksack and some old boots, but no tent or cooker. His goal was to be the first person to complete the 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail in one continuous yomp, a thru-hike as it came to be known. When 67-year-old grandmother Emma Gatewood repeated the feat in 1955 (with even simpler kit), the Appalachian Trail was on its way to becoming the world’s first long-distance celebrity footpath.

These days about 3,000 people attempt a thru-hike every year (about a quarter of those succeed) but the experience is now very different, with huts every six to eight miles, water stashes left by “trail angels”, and well-established support logistics.

In Europe it can be harder to find sustained remoteness, but the 2,050-mile Scandinavian section of the E1 long-distance footpath is about as close as you get.

This full 4,420-mile route had its origins in post-second-world-war rapprochement ideals and was devised by a team from the then European Ramblers Association led by the British walker Arthur Howcroft (who died in 2023 aged 96). The path starts at Norway’s North Cape and officially finishes in Palermo, but it is in Scandinavia that it crosses the greatest amount of wilderness.

The early stages are well inside the Arctic Circle and not to be underestimated, with navigation, river crossings and snowfields constant challenges. Long stretches are unmarked. There are some concessions to practicalities: both Norway and Sweden have excellent systems of mountain huts.

Once you reach Halmstad on the Swedish coast, you have almost one Appalachian Trail’s worth of walking under your belt, but there is no need to stop: in E1 terms you are not even halfway. A ferry crosses to the Danish port of Grenaa, and the path begins again, continuing across Germany and the Alps with several long, tough days. Some great stages then cross Tuscany and Umbria, but once in southern Italy the path, by all accounts, can be a bit sketchy and seems to fade away in Campania, though route-marking is improving.

After his failed attempt to complete the Appalachian Trail, author Bill Bryson described the benefits of long-distance trails succinctly: “For a brief, proud period I was slender and fit. I gained a profound respect for wilderness and nature and the benign dark power of woods. I understand now, in a way I never did before, the colossal scale of the world.”
Kevin Rushby

Swap New York for Berlin

Buzzy and culturally rich, with extensive museums and galleries, oodles of nightlife and concerts – from classical venues to techno clubs – lush green spaces, family-friendly activities and striking architecture, New York and Berlin have plenty in common. But as someone who knows both cities well, Berlin gets my vote.

While NYC’s nightlife is diverse – and has bounced back since Rudy Giuliani’s ugly, destructive campaign against it in the 1990s – it’s way more commercial than Berlin, whose underground electronic scene, especially techno, is edgier and more experimental. From Berghain to Sisyphos, Berlin’s clubs also stay open longer (sometimes for days; it truly is the city that never sleeps, at least on weekends). They also don’t tend to have dress codes – unless you count skimpy lingerie and kinky harnesses. VIP areas and even mobile phone photography are strictly verboten. Berliners can quaff beers openly on the streets, and indulge in a bit of public nookie at nightclubs – as distinct from official swinger or sex spots such as KitKat.

Berlin gives great gastro, too, excelling at affordable, mid-range restaurants that tick all the trend boxes – small plates, natural wines, plant-based menus found at buzzy neighbourhood spots such as Kreuzberg’s vegan haven Happa, Neukölln’s La Côte and Sorrel, and Prenzlauer Berg’s Estelle. And while it doesn’t have a Chinatown or a Little Italy, you can find every national cuisine on the planet (albeit with less spice, to appease the sensitive German palate).

NYC certainly has fantastic cultural big-hitters, from the Guggenheim and the Met to Moma and the American Museum of Natural History, but Berlin has the Unesco-heritage Museum Island, Mies van der Rohe’s slickly modernist Neue Nationalgalerie and its own natural history and German history museums. It also excels in unusual venues that New York doesn’t have, such as the Hamburger Bahnhof, in a former railway station, the Boros Collection inside a second world war bunker, and Silent Green, an art and concert space in a former crematorium.

As for green space, New York’s Central Park may be one-and-a-half times the size of the Tiergarten, but Berlin has vastly more green recreational spaces overall, with about 2,500 inner-city parks and unique areas such as the sprawling Tempelhofer Feld, a former airport, and the massive Grunewald forest.

One last thing: with much lower population density and fewer tourists (12.7 million people visited Berlin in 2024 versus the 64 million who went to New York), there’s more room on the streets and fewer queues for the major sights. Bis bald (see you soon) … y’all.
Paul Sullivan

Swap the Grand Canyon for Montenegro’s Tara River Canyon

Let’s get one thing straight: size wise, the Grand Canyon sprawls for 278 miles along the Colorado River, whereas the Tara River Canyon covers a mere 51. But what the Montenegrin canyon lacks in size it makes up for in depth: as Europe’s deepest gorge, it plunges 1,300 metres (4,300ft), only 300 metres less than the average depth of the Grand Canyon (and just over 500 metres less than its deepest point).

As this Unesco world heritage site slices through northern Montenegro’s Durmitor national park and eventually slides across the border into Bosnia, it adds even more drama to this section of the Dinaric Alps’ forbidding mountains and glacial  lakes.

For adventurers who like a challenge, Tara means one thing: white-water rafting. The choice of excursions all around the region is enormous, but you can get a taste of it in a few hours by joining one of the trips from the town of Žabljak, which in winter is one of Montenegro’s ski centres. Eventually, you’ll be rafting under the soaring concrete arches of the awe-inspiring Đurđevića Tara Bridge, whose beauty is best admired from below.

There’s a whole mini industry set up around the bridge, including ziplining and stalls selling souvenirs. As someone at the opposite end of the daredevilry scale – and thanks to speeding cars and a concrete path that’s barely a foot wide – I found it scary enough just walking on the bridge to take in the admittedly extraordinary view.

But there are other ways of enjoying the beauty of Tara without worrying about Montenegrin motorists. Not far from Žabljak is the car park for the Ćurevac mountain peak and viewpoint, which is reached after a 40-minute hike and offers sweeping views of those magnificent gorges. It’s only one of scores of hiking routes that wind above and alongside the river, some of which are part of the 1,200-mile Via Dinarica trail that goes from Slovenia all the way to Albania.

Right by the border with Bosnia and the confluence of the Tara and Piva rivers is another collection of rafting centres as well as campsites offering mellower ways of exploring Tara. Boat trips along gentler stretches  of water give you the chance to swim in absurdly clear waters, lunch on organic food and drink cold beer brewed with spring water. And in this land of €3 pints, you’ll find your euro going way further than your dollar ever would.

Stay at Green Top near Žabljak, which has well-equipped one-bedroom self-catering wooden chalets with gardens, barbecues and mountain views from £95 a night.
Mary Novakovich

Swap the Mojave desert for Tabernas in Spain

When the Italian film director Sergio Leone chose to shoot his westerns in Europe, there was only one place that could convincingly double for the American west – the Tabernas desert in south-east Spain. With its dry riverbeds snaking through arid mountains and sandstone canyons, it’s easy to imagine yourself in California’s Mojave desert.

Tabernas might not have the Mojave’s famous Joshua trees, but it is home to flora, fauna and a landscape reminiscent of the US desert. Prickly pears, giant aloe and palm trees line the trails, while lizards scuttle among otherworldly rock formations and eagles soar in the vast sky.

Tourism is still low-key here. For decades this barren part of Andalucía was not on the radar of the Spanish tourist board, and large areas are monopolised by swathes of plastic greenhouses. But with a growing appreciation for Tabernas’ unique status as Europe’s only desert, as well as the renaissance of Leone’s movies, its charms are being re-evaluated. You can take a guided horseback ride through the desert with the Malcaminos ranch and pitch your tent at Camping Fort Bravo (€45 a night), one of the original movie sets still in use today. For a little more comfort –and to live out your California homesteading fantasy – you can book into one of their western-styled log cabins (from €80).

It’s an easy sell for me. Bewitched by cowboy lore as a teenager, I rode across the American deserts in search of the mythical west (admittedly on a motorcycle rather than horseback), seduced by the romance of life on the trail – billy cans boiling over campfires and a wide-open wilderness that promised a freedom unimaginable in fenced-off, old-world Europe.

Joshua Tree national park in the Mojave desert became my go-to destination each time I found myself in California. But in recent years, I’ve been exploring Spain, scouting routes for the forthcoming Spaghetti Western Trail, and finding the same magic in the Desierto de Tabernas. The scale is of course smaller than the Mojave, but the silence, the stillness, the hint of sage on the warm air and the sense of exploration are as thrilling as my early US road trips.

Leone was enthralled by American style and myth but always from a distance. “I can’t see the US any other way than with a European’s eyes,” he said. “It’s a country that fascinates me and terrifies me at the same time.”

If you feel the same way right now, but still yearn for a cowboy adventure, you could do worse than follow in his footsteps and head for Tabernas.
Lois Pryce

Swap Yellowstone for Carpathia in Romania

The jaw-dropping landscapes of the US’s 63 national parks lure millions of visitors to the great outdoors each year. Yellowstone, established in 1872, is the oldest of them all – a sprawling 3,472 square miles of dazzling scenery including canyons and active geysers. Mostly in Wyoming but stretching into Montana and Idaho, it’s home to wildlife from grizzly bears and wolves to bison and antelope, and is crisscrossed by thousands of miles of trails.

Although it can’t compete in size, the rugged, forested Făgăraș mountains in Romania offer a thrilling taste of the wild and exciting wildlife-spotting opportunities closer to home. This area of Transylvania, on the southern edge of the Carpathians, is among the wildest places in Europe, where brown bear, wolves, lynx and – recently reintroduced – bison roam.

It’s where the Foundation Conservation Carpathia is working to create the continent’s largest forest national park, buying land for conservation and reforesting clear-cut areas on its mission to establish a 200,000-hectare wilderness reserve, which has been dubbed a “Yellowstone for Europe”.

As I hike through forests on steep zigzagging paths with my guide Răzvan, the thrill of the wild is real – we see a viper and pass fresh bear prints. Gouge marks on a tree and overturned stones reveal the bear’s hunt for food. I watch with bated breath as a group of bison wander on a hillside close by – thankfully upwind of our scent.

We stay at Bunea hide, a wooden shelter overlooking a lake, with bunks, a double bedroom, a kitchen and huge soundproofed windows that make the most of the views. As night falls, I stare into the dark as if glued to a movie. Something moves in the half-light – and slowly a young female brown bear wanders into view, sniffing the air, rubbing against a tree. It’s not long before a large male appears, just metres away from the hide. I’m mesmerised as I watch him pawing the ground for food before sloping off into the woods.

Unlike the vast lodges in Yellowstone, staying in these tiny cabins mean you’re close to the action, engulfed by the landscape. We hike higher to Comisu hide, at 1,600 metres, with sweeping views over the mountains as a storm rolls in. Owls call out in the moonlit night as I drift off to sleep, dreaming about this vibrant wild world.
Jane Dunford
Visit Foundation Conservation Carpathia for more information

Swap seafood in New England for Normandy and Brittany

For all our sniffiness about American cuisine, few people dispute the quality of the country’s seafood. Although you can no longer get a lobster roll at McDonald’s in New England, the fast-food joint is one of the few places in the region where they’re not on the menu. Cycling down the Atlantic coast last summer as part of research for a US travelogue, I rejoiced in the casual abundance on offer at the roadside – baskets of fried clams in Connecticut, oysters in Maine, crab benedict in Massachusetts … 3,000 miles and a world away from the grand silver fruits de mer platters of Europe.

You don’t have to fly across an ocean to get your shellfish fix, however. While you’re unlikely to find yourself tempted by a lobster surf and turf burger in France, seafood can be surprisingly accessible if you swerve Parisian bistros and go straight to the source.

La Cale, in Blainville-sur-Mer on Normandy’s Cotentin peninsula, an easy drive (or a day’s cycle) from Cherbourg, is typiquement français for its pride in local produce (oysters, whelks, clams etc, as well as galettes and spit-roast meat), but rather less so in its casual feet-in-the-sand ethos and informal service. Remi, the proprietor, is described online as “eccentric” – his van is graffitied with the words “Rosbeefs welcome … frogs too”. Do not pass up the moules frites, or the teurgoule, a traditional Normande spiced rice pudding.

Further down the coast, in Brittany, I’ve earmarked Cancale, in the Bay of Mont Saint Michel, for a return visit, because if you ever wanted proof that the French can let their hair down, look no further than the people sitting on the sea wall with paper platters of oysters and plastic cups of cold sancerre. The oysters come from the seafront marché aux huîtres, which offers a bamboozling selection, all shucked to order, and the wine from an enterprising booze van parked nearby. The shells, once you’ve finished, are thrown on to the beach.

One step up, in that there’s table service, but with no more steps between sea and plate, is Maison Quintin, on the Atlantic coast near Saint-Philibert, where you can feast on the family’s own oysters under the pines as the sun sets over the estuary, supplemented with skewers of plump prawns and langoustines, crab, grilled lobster, and their homemade seafood rillettes on toast. Reservations essential – laid-back vibes guaranteed.
Felicity Cloake
Peach Street to Lobster Lane: Coast to Coast in Search of Real American Cuisine by Felicity Cloake is published by Mudlark (£16.99)

Swap the Florida Everglades for Italy’s Marano Lagoon

It was on a slow journey through the extensive wetlands that border Italy’s Adriatic that I first came upon the little-known Laguna di Marano, a carefully preserved eco-paradise, barely touched by tourism. This gossamer web of interlocking lagoons, canals and river deltas stretches from Venice all the way up to Trieste. Local legend has it that Ernest Hemingway called these wetlands and the adjoining sandy beach resort of Lignano “piccola Florida”, because it reminded him of the Everglades and the Florida Keys.

The US author first came to this part of Italy as a volunteer at the end of the first world war. He returned in the 1950s to find inspiration for his book Across the River and Into the Trees while duck hunting and fishing on the Marano Lagoon – though for sea bream and mullet rather than marlin, his favourite quarry in the waters around Florida.

At the bar of the rustic Trattoria Barcaneta in the bustling medieval port of Marano Lagunare, I order a glass of refosco dal peduncolo rosso, a rustic local red wine favoured by the writer. It may not be as glamorous as sipping a Hemingway martini in a Key West cocktail bar, but it was the perfect aperitivo before tasting chef Claudio Moretti’s exquisite cuisine, a delicate carpaccio of sea bass and grilled eel from the nearby Stella River delta, both freshly caught by the port’s many fishers.

Marano Lagunare is the perfect base for exploring the surrounding wetlands. The tourism office can arrange activities from canoeing and kayaking to walking and horse riding. Renting a small boat with a guide is my choice, a retired pescatore (fisher) for the perfect insight into local life on the water. While the vast, open expanse of the lagoon is breathtaking, dotted along the edge of the water is something you will never see in Florida – traditional casoni thatched huts still used today by fishers.

The landscape changes dramatically as we enter the protected reserve of the Stella delta. Here, the freshwater channels become narrower, bordered on both sides by tall golden reeds – definitely a feel of the Everglades – as we catch glimpses of pink flamingos, purple herons, egrets, cormorants swooping down and a neat squadron of geese flying past. It may be smaller than the Everglades (62 square miles as opposed to 2,357), but the one thing truly different from a Florida nature excursion is that there is no need to look out for alligators.
John Brunton

Swap California’s Highway 1 for Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

My left foot shook on the clutch – not from tiredness, but from something resembling fear. Conor Pass had seemed like a good idea at breakfast. One of Ireland’s highest and narrowest mountain roads? Why not? The car seemed to float as the road narrowed to a one-lane ledge between cliff and sky. No turning back now – just a slow crawl upwards with mist curling over the bonnet from the valley below.

Still, this is the scenery the Wild Atlantic Way promises – and delivers. It’s a 1,600-mile coastal drive from Malin Head, the country’s most northerly point, in County Donegal, to Kinsale in County Cork in the south-west – and Ireland’s answer to California’s Highway 1, the 656-mile Pacific Coast route that skirts sea bluffs, redwood groves and epic coastal views.

Big Sur’s iconic Bixby Bridge resembles the Mizen Head footbridge in West Cork. Highway 1’s “million dollar view” is eclipsed by the Atlantic sweep from Slieve League, or the cliffs that tower above powder-white Keem beach on Achill Island. Connemara’s Sky Road and the Burren’s Atlantic Drive echo Big Sur’s drama, winding between limestone and ocean. However, my favourite stretch – the Dingle peninsula – is hard to match. Its mountain-to-ocean setting is visual theatre dialled to max.

Inch beach, a long curve of sand stretching three miles into Dingle Bay, is a gentle introduction before I turned north to hair-raising Conor Pass (optional and clearly marked) and descended into Dingle town.

The road then turns otherworldly along the Slea Head Drive with Ventry beach’s three miles of bone-white sand perfect for barefoot walking – somewhat like Highway 1’s famous Moonstone beach.

As I drove on I stopped at every layby I could, because there’s always something around the corner; a hidden cove or early Christian monument. At Coumeenoole beach, I stepped out on the headland and watched the surf pound the shore ferociously as if it was punishing it for some ancient grievance.

And then came Dunquin Pier – the lane zigzags down a steep slope like a spiral staircase that plunges into the ocean, which was enough of a reason to ditch the car on the roadside and walk down. This is where the boats leave for the Blaskets, and it feels like the edge of the world.

Offshore, the Three Sisters – three jagged peaks rising from the ocean floor – remain in focus, their silhouettes a reminder of the sea stacks off Big Sur. About halfway along the Slea Head Drive, the magnificent Blasket Centre delivers staggering island views.

Vic O’Sullivan

The card allows you to access state healthcare services in most European nations. Here’s all you need to know about the free travel document

Brits eager for a sun-soaked European trip this summer are being reminded to snag an indispensable card at least a fortnight before they jet off. This cost-free card opens doors to complimentary or discounted medical care while gallivanting abroad.

The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), succeeding the erstwhile European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), is an essential bit of kit for voyagers. Although hearty encouragement still goes towards nabbing travel insurance, the GHIC lets globetrotters tap into state healthcare services across most European countries.

The NHS spells it out: “The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.”

For those clasping a still-in-date EHIC, it’s good until its last breath. Once it’s kicked the bucket, a fresh GHIC needs picking up.

Remember, getting your hands on a GHIC through the mail could take a fortnight, so it’s savvy to apply with bags of time before your planned departure, reports the Liverpool Echo.

How to get one sorted

If you’re living in the UK, then you’re in the running for a GHIC, and you can include family members on your application. When you’re signing up, be ready to provide:

• Your full name
• Address
• Date of birth
• National Insurance number
• Health and Care number (for Northern Ireland residents)

Each member of the brood needs their own card. You’ve got the chance to throw in your partner and littluns when you’re filling out the form.

Kick-start your journey by registering your personal details, then follow the prompts to request extra cards. If there’s a need to add more family members later, just reach out to NHS Overseas Healthcare Services with your reference number, full name, date of birth, and address ready.

Upon application submission, expect a confirmation email from the NHS within a day confirming your approval status; don’t forget to check your spam just in case!

They may need more information or documents before giving the nod.

If a trip is looming and you’re cardless but in need of urgent healthcare abroad, worry not – simply ask for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) to tide you over.

Using Your Card Abroad

Flaunt your shiny card for all necessary state-provided healthcare while overseas, which can’t be delayed until you’re back on British soil – known as “medically necessary healthcare”. This includes:

• Emergencies and A&E admissions
• Management or standard care for ongoing or pre-existing conditions
• Routine maternity care, as long as you’re not going abroad to give birth

Routine maternity care – provided you’re not jetting off specifically to have your baby elsewhere.

For treatments like dialysis or chemotherapy, give the health service in your destination country a heads-up to ensure they’ve got space for you. Local capacity can be an issue, after all.

The call on whether treatment is medically necessary is made by the healthcare provider in the country you’re visiting.

Healthcare provided by the state isn’t always free outside of the UK. You might have to fork out for treatments that are free on the NHS if a local resident would be expected to pay in the country you’re visiting.

Before jetting off, it’s wise to research the state-provided healthcare services in the country you’re visiting and any potential charges you might face.

You can find information on how to access treatment in the country you’re visiting by checking the relevant country guide on GOV.UK.

However, a GHIC (or EHIC) card does not replace travel and medical insurance or cover services like:

• Medical repatriation (being flown back to the UK)
• Treatment in a private medical facility
• Ski or mountain rescue

For this reason, the NHS recommends that you also have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip. A UK GHIC can be used when visiting:

• A country in the European Economic Area (EEA)
• Montenegro
• Australia
• Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man
• St Helena, Tristan and Ascension

If you’re one of the following, you can use a UK GHIC:

• A British national
• A Swiss national
• An EU citizen
• A refugee
• A stateless person
• A family member of someone who holds one of the above nationalities or statuses

The UK government is in talks with various countries to broaden the applicability of the UK GHIC, so it’s always wise to verify coverage prior to your journey. For further details, visit the NHS website here.

As the table above shows, 29 players have won the U21 Euros and then a major senior tournament – including Laurent Blanc, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Totti and Manuel Neuer.

Not just counting the winning team, many of the world’s best players have impressed at previous European Under-21 Championships.

Among the players to win the best player of the tournament award were Rudi Voller, Blanc, Davor Suker, Luis Figo, Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo, Petr Cech, Juan Mata, Thiago and Fabian Ruiz.

However, there are a few outliers.

Renato Buso and the late Francesc Arnau never won a senior cap for Italy or Spain respectively, while Royston Drenthe only played once for the Netherlands. Arsenal’s Fabio Vieira, 25, has yet to feature for the Portugal senior team.

Sweden’s Marcus Berg had a good goal-laden career, although never played for one of Europe’s top clubs.

The list of Golden Boot winners is more of a mixed bag.

Andrea Pirlo, despite being a midfielder, Alberto Gilardino and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar were among the previous winners.

But Massimo Maccarone, Maceo Rigters, Jan Kliment or Luca Waldschmidt are unlikely to have any statues made of them.

Germany’s Nick Woltemade is the top scorer in this tournament with five goals – two clear of three different players.

Heimo Schirgi’s first big job in soccer was as head of operations for UEFA, the largest and most influential of the global game’s six geographic confederations. Part of that job involved planning and managing the UEFA Champions League, the largest and most influential club soccer competition in the world.

So when Schirgi moved into his current job as FIFA’s chief operating officer for the World Cup, he brought with him the knowledge that the Champions League, for all its prestige and gravitas, also had one weakness: its field was limited to the 55 soccer-playing countries of Europe.

“You have all these club competitions on a confederation, continental level, right?” he said. “But you don’t have it on a global level. You never had clubs from South America competing against European clubs in a serious tournament with high stakes.

“I’m personally interested how the rest of the world’s clubs are going to fare. There’s only one way to find out.”

That one way is the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicked off in the U.S. 10 days ago. And while the tournament has many flaws, it has gone a long way toward answering Schirgi’s curiosity. Europe, it seems, isn’t so dominant after all.

Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning European champion, lost to Botafogo, currently eighth in Brazil’s Serie A. Iconic English club Chelsea was beaten handily by Flamengo, another Brazilian team. Mexico’s Monterrey played Inter Milan, the Champions League runner-up, to a draw. Real Madrid, Europe’s most decorated club, tied Al Hilal, which finished second in the Saudi Pro League.

And Spanish power Atlético Madrid, which made the round of 16 in the Champions League, didn’t even make it out of the group stage.

Those results may still prove to be little more than a stumble on the way to an all-European final four. Or not. And that uncertainty, Schirgi insists, is why the Club World Cup was created.

“Our sport is a sport where underdogs have a genuine chance, right?” he said. “It’s not just the money game. We know that club soccer is at a very high level.”

The real winners through the tournament’s first 34 games have been Latin American teams: Five of the six South American clubs entered Monday unbeaten, as did Mexico’s Monterrey. And if there’s been a big loser, it’s arguably been Major League Soccer, which has shown it’s not ready to play with the big boys.

Although the U.S. league made history when Inter Miami beat Porto 2-1 in a group-stage game, marking the first time an MLS club has beaten a European team in a competitive match, the league’s other two entries — LAFC and the Seattle Sounders — combined for just two goals and were shut out three times in their first five games, all losses.

But if the first Club World Cup has proven to be surprisingly entertaining, even compelling, there have been a few hiccups. Attendance was hurt by several early weekday kickoffs and high admission prices, which forced FIFA to essentially start giving away tickets. The average announced attendance of 36,043 through the first 34 games was matched by nearly as many empty seats.

Just one game has sold out; six others drew fewer than 14,100 fans.

Porto’s Rodrigo Mora tries to cool off after the FIFA Club World Cup group match on Monday.

(Adam Hunger / Associated Press)

The weather has also proven difficult with several players complaining about the heat and humidity. It was so bad in Cincinnati last Saturday, Borussia Dortmund’s substitutes watched the first half on TV in the dressing room. And it’s only going to get worse. Temperatures are expected to top 100 degrees on Tuesday in New Jersey, where Porto plays Al Ahly, and an excessive heat warning has been issued in Philadelphia, where Chelsea and Esperance de Tunis meet.

High 90s temperatures are also forecast Tuesday for Nashville, Tenn., and Charlotte, N.C., where afternoon games are scheduled. That, however, will serve as a wake-up call for next summer’s World Cup, which will be played in similar conditions.

Perhaps the most complex problem FIFA faces in attempting to make the Club World Cup a significant quadrennial event, however, is the crowded fixture schedule. The World Cup will expand from 64 to 104 games next summer. Recent years have seen tournaments such as the Nations League added to the international calendar while club competitions including the Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup expanded.

Others, such as the Leagues Cup, were created out of whole cloth.

As a result some players have played more than 70 matches for club and country in the last year. The fixture schedule has become so packed that the only place left to accommodate a monthlong tournament such as the Club World Cup was the traditional early summer break between one European season and the next.

FIFPRO, the global union representing soccer players, has cited scientific research in its call for a mandatory four-week break each year. FIFA, the Club World Cup organizer, responded by offering a $1 billion prize-money purse to get teams to play through that break.

“With the introduction of the new Champions League format and the new Club World Cup, which extends for over a month, the workload on teams and players has increased significantly,” said Giuseppe Marotta, chairman and chief executive officer of Inter Milan. “However these competitions also represent a huge opportunity in terms of visibility and revenue. For this reasons, they must be safeguarded.

“Adjustments should instead be made to the rest of the calendar to lighten the overall load.”

Marotta suggests shortening league schedules, which means diminishing domestic competitions while giving more power to the likes of FIFA and UEFA. That could be a slippery slope, one that would make the world’s game less local and more global.

But if the Club World Cup follows the trajectory of the Champions League, Schirgi thinks that’s a trade worth making.

“The beginnings of the Champions League, it was not always this huge, great event,” he said. “There is a lot of growth that needs to happen and a lot of education. We are super excited that we are part of history.”

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

Travel expert Dale Peterson has visited every capital city in Europe, but there are three cities in particular that left him feeling underwhelmed and he wouldn’t rush to get back to

With so many stunning European cities just a short flight or train ride from the UK, there’s never been a better time to explore the continent.

While popular destinations like Paris, Lisbon, and Barcelona continue to attract tourists, there are also plenty of underrated gems waiting to be discovered – especially when you can get there for as little as £20. As concerns about overtourism grow, with protests erupting in some of Europe’s major cities, you might want to reconsider your next destination.

If you’re looking to avoid the crowds and discover somewhere new, one seasoned traveller has shared his expert insights after visiting every European capital city.

Dale Peterson, a full-time travel writer, revealed in an article for Business Insider that three cities left him feeling “underwhelmed” after his visits. With some pre-trip research, you can avoid disappointment and discover hidden treasures instead.

Travelling during peak season can be overwhelming, so considering a trip during the shoulder season can lead to a more relaxing experience.

Despite the incredible range of cities Europe has to offer, from exploring the medieval old town of Prague, taking in the street art on the Berlin Wall, or visiting the ancient ruins of Rome, here are the cities Dale would choose to skip, reports the Express.

London

With its iconic landmarks and world-class museums, London attracts approximately 20 million international visitors annually, yet Dale believes the city is “overhyped and expensive”.

The travel writer asserts that there are “so many other worthwhile destinations in the UK”, particularly in the “UK’s picturesque countryside”, such as the Cotswolds or the Lake District.

However, another adventure traveller who runs the blog The Bucket List Mermaid has a vastly different opinion about London, claiming the city is “absolutely” worth the hype.

Amsterdam

Boasting more than 100km of picturesque canals, earning it the nickname “Venice of the North”, and with more bicycles than residents, Amsterdam also features on Dale’s list of cities he wouldn’t revisit.

Despite drawing an estimated 20 million tourists annually, the travel writer remains unconvinced.

“Unfortunately, though, I thought the centre of Amsterdam felt like an overpriced theme park full of souvenir shops and crowds,” he stated.

However, one traveller on Tripadvisor had a glowing review of Amsterdam, describing it as a “wonderful city” with “helpful citizens”.

They praised its compact size, making it easy to explore on foot, and its efficient public transportation system. They also highlighted the city’s great museums, interesting neighbourhoods, and numerous places to eat and drink.

Helsinki

Located in Finland, the happiest country in the world, Helsinki is an ideal destination for exploring Nordic sauna culture. Last year, it was named the world’s most sustainable travel destination by Condé Nast Traveller.

However, Dale found Helsinki to be lacking in excitement, saying: “There’s no denying Helsinki is a clean city. But in my opinion, it feels a little too sterile, lacking in liveliness and exciting things to do.”

On the other hand, Jessica, who runs the blog Bon Traveller, believes Helsinki is perfect for those looking to slow down and connect with nature.

She highlights the city’s incredible design scene, which makes a trip to Helsinki “an experience to remember”.

Spain has long been the favourite holiday hotspot for Brits. But with rising prices and furious anti-tourism protests, sunseekers are taking their suitcases elsewhere

For decades, Brits have been flocking to Spain in search of sun and sangria – but there’s been a notable shift in recent times that’s driven beach lovers elsewhere.

Overtourism protesters have been taking to the streets in Barcelona and the island of Majorca recently, brandishing water pistols against holidaymakers.

Spain has been at the forefront of the anti-tourism protests currently sweeping Southern Europe. Campaigners are calling upon local and central governments to adequately regulate the industry. They have also taken issue with firms such as Airbnb, which they claim are pushing up rents.

Meanwhile, rising costs and packed beaches have been driving British travellers away from popular Spanish resorts, in search of affordable tranquillity elsewhere.

Back in 2024, Spain hosted a record 84 million international visitors, compared with 83 million in 2019, but it’s expected this could well change this summer, with sunseekers instead making a beeline for a lesser-known hotspot with plenty to offer.

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Greek travel experts at Ionian Island Holidays have now revealed that more Brits are opting to travel to Greek islands such as Thassos, Lefkada and Agistri, the Daily Star reports. Here, they can relax for less while enjoying all the authentic local charm these picturesque islands have to offer.

With scenic beaches and unique cultural gems, you can be assured of a memorable stay. Best of all, this little slice of paradise won’t cost you the earth, and you could well find yourself gazing out across the ocean with a £1 or £2 pint in hand.

According to a spokesperson for Ionian Island Holidays: “British holidaymakers are craving a slower pace and better value. Greece’s smaller islands offer both—plus hospitality and scenery that rivals any postcard.”

The travel company has noted a significant upturn in bookings for these destinations, particularly during shoulder seasons such as May, June and September.

Travellers can enjoy evenings out at family-run establishments where they can expect a warm welcome, and likely a complimentary glass of ouzo. The spokesperson revealed: “Many of these tavernas have been in families for generations. They care more about welcoming guests than maximising profit.”

Thrifty foodies will be in their element, on the islands of Kalymnos and Agistri, where it’s not unusual to order Meze dishes of grilled vegetables, fried cheese or seafood for under €5 (£4.30), washed down with a 500ml draught beer or a carafe of house within the region €1.50 and €2.50 (£1.30 to £2.10).

You can also enjoy classic Greek mains such as moussaka or souvlaki for €6 to €9 (£5 to £8), with many tavernas focusing on fresh, quality local ingredients. Expect fish caught in the nearby harbour, homegrown herbs, and locally pressed olive oil.

Ionian Island Holidays shared: “It’s not just cheap—it’s authentic. These aren’t tourist menus; they’re cooking for neighbours, too.”

For just £25 to £35 per night, you can book yourself a double room at a guesthouse on Thassos or Lefkada. However, the focus here is on a community feel, which locals and visitors alike hope to protect.

Ionian Island Holidays continued: “Visitors often say they feel like they’re in a real community, not a tourist zone. That authenticity is priceless.”

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Riga, Latvia

Quite why the Latvian capital remains so under the radar is a mystery; the cobbled streets of the Vecrīga (old town) and the elegant art nouveau architecture make it one of the most beautiful cities in eastern Europe. Long summer evenings, with temperatures rarely topping 30C, form the backdrop for rooftop bars thrumming with live DJs, as well as alfresco concerts in leafy parks, while the beautiful sandy beaches of seaside Jūrmala are just a half-hour bus ride away.

Any visit should begin with a wander along the banks of the city canal and down Alberta Street, lined with ornate art nouveau mansions. Stop to refuel at the sprawling Central Market, housed in five former German Zeppelin hangars, offering dozens of local cheeses, smoked meats and classic dark rye breads – perfect sandwich fare.

The streets kick into life in summer, with free weekly concerts on Wednesday nights in Dzegužkalns park and in the Vērmanes gardens on Fridays in August, while jazz and world music fans should visit between 2 and 5 July for the Rīgas Ritmi music festival.

Where to stay Behind an art nouveau frontage, Hotel Neiburgs (from €114 B&B) combines the flexibility of self-catering apartments with hotel add-ons such as an excellent restaurant, fitness room and small spa.

Antwerp, Belgium

Anyone who thinks Belgium is a bit boring has never been to Antwerp – an artsy, quirky city packed with cocktail bars, coffee shops and independent art galleries that sparks into alfresco life in summer. On sunny weekends, Sint-Anneke beach (on the left bank of the River Scheldt) fills up with locals dipping their toes in the water and lunching on mussels at one of the many bistros that line the riverbank. Parks and open spaces become venues for street theatre, circus acts and open-air cinema, particularly during the Zomer van Antwerpen arts festival (19 June to 31 August).

To get an idea of the city’s rich history, visit MAS, an architecturally striking museum on the river, with each floor charting Antwerp’s history as a global trading port, topped with a huge rooftop terrace that gives spectacular 360-degree views.

Antwerp runs on its stomach, with microbreweries, chocolate shops and moules frites on every corner. The latest addition is Wolf, a food market with 10 restaurants. Pick up a picnic to eat in the gardens of Middelheim Museum’s world-class sculpture park. It features six zones exploring the relationship between humans and nature through abstract installations and strikingly innovative pieces, such as Erwin Vurm’s boat curving off a jetty, Misconceivable.

Where to stay In the historic centre, Hotel Matelote (from €115 B&B) features chic, minimalist design within the framework of two 16th-century buildings.

Bolzano, Italy

The capital of the South Tyrol – a fusion of Germanic architecture and history with Italian culture and food, set among the spectacular peaks of the Dolomites – is a gem. Surrounded by vineyards and lush mountain plateaux, it has one of the best summer music scenes in Europe. Jazz fans should visit between 27 June and 6 July, when the Südtyrol jazz festival offers more than 50 concerts across the region, while the Bolzano Festival Bozen (5 August-7 September) is a treat for classical music lovers, with performances held in some of the city’s most beautiful buildings, including Dominican cloisters and the 13th-century Castel Mareccio.

Most visitors to Bolzano head out to explore the spectacular scenery – at its loveliest in the summer months – either on foot along the city’s greenways or by taking a cable car up to the Ritten plateau. The Guncina Promenade is a 2.8-mile (4.5km) walk from the centre of the city out into the hills, with lovely views back across the skyline, while hiking trails unfold from the 1,227-metre high cable station at Oberbozen, along with the South Tyrol’s only surviving narrow-gauge railway. The big historic draw in Bolzano is Ötzi, a 5,300-year-old mummified iceman found by hikers in 1991 and sensitively displayed at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology.

Where to stay Goldenstern Townhouse (doubles from €149 room-only) is set in the city’s medieval arcades and makes a wonderful base.

Gothenburg, Sweden

As summer temperatures soar in the Med, Scandi cities look increasingly enticing, and nowhere more so than Gothenburg on Sweden’s west coast. Näsetbadet and Askimsbadet beaches are short bus rides away, while a tram to the ferry port opens up the tranquil waters, unspoilt villages and long sandy beaches of the Gothenburg archipelago. Explore by kayak or island-hop by ferry, with the waterside deck at Tullhuset restaurant on Hönö island a great spot for a seafood lunch, before a paddle on the long stretch of sandy shoreline on Rivö island.

Gothenburg is famed for its oysters and seafood, best sampled at Feskekörka, the city’s waterfront fish market hall, which houses a clutch of excellent restaurants and a sunlit outdoor terrace. The city also has a centuries-long history of craft brewing and 40 independent breweries, many with tap rooms and restaurants. Sink a couple at Poppels Citybryggeri, or try the innovative brews at Sad Robot, open on Friday and Saturday nights.

Need to clear a thick head? Dip into the city’s sauna culture, spanning everything from a free public sauna in Jubilee Park to Dyrön electric sauna, a short boat ride from the city, with a spectacular three-mile hiking trail from the door.

Where to stay Hotel Bellora (from 806 krona/£62 B&B) is a slick boutique affair with one of the city’s best rooftop bars.

Geneva, Switzerland

Geneva is far more than a gateway to the Alps, and in summer has a laid-back, beachy feel, with a dollop of Swiss style thrown in. Popular spots for a swim include the artificial beach at Eaux-Vives on Lake Geneva (including a doughnut-shaped overwater deck and central pool), the floating “beach platform” at the Quai de Cologny and the Genève-Plage, where all manner of watersports, from yachting to paddleboarding, are on offer alongside a straightforward dip.

A great choice for vinophiles, the lattice of streets in the Vieille Ville (old town) are dotted with wine bars, from sleekly modern Soul Wines to the more traditional Vino Olio Caffe. Most roads lead to the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, where the imposing vaulted exterior is a precursor to the spectacular lake views from its towers. After sightseeing, there’s plenty more to enjoy; truffle out vintage finds at the Plainpalais flea market (Wednesdays and Saturdays), learn about the city’s watchmaking history at the Patek Philippe museum, or soak up live music at the Genève-Plage with three nights of alfresco performances at the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande festival (21-23 August).

It’s a pleasingly indulgent city, too, filled with fromageries and farmers’ markets (the best are at the Plainpalais on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and Eaux-Vives on Wednesday and Saturday). For the ultimate treat, snag a table at Le Gruyérien for fondue, best worked off with a hike across the green slopes of Mont Salève – just a five-minute cable-car ride from the city.

Where to stay In a city of ruinously pricey hotels, the Tiffany by Fassbind (from 122 Swiss francs/£109 room-only) is a relative steal, tucked away on a quiet street in the Les Bains neighbourhood with a chic terrace restaurant.

Accommodation prices correct at time of going to press. These are the lowest available rates for July/August

June 21 (UPI) — Leaders of many European nations say they need to do more to develop technological infrastructure to ensure digital sovereignty instead of relying on services from global tech firms.

A recent forum discussion on the market dominance of global corporations assessed the “blurring of the boundaries between economic and political control” among European nations by tech firms.

A consensus of attendees at the ongoing Berlin Summit 2025 agreed European nations need to coordinate their efforts to develop infrastructures to “avoid path dependencies and long-term dependence on global platform players,” Forum New Economy reported on Friday.

“European countries are highly dependent on companies from the USA and China in a variety of technological infrastructures, from cloud services and social media to generative artificial intelligence,” Forum New Economy reported.

Such companies dominate European markets and are increasing their control of digital infrastructures, innovation networks, supply chains, data flows and research agendas.

An example is Microsoft earlier this year suspending the business email account for International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan.

The action occurred within months of the ICC issuing a warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although the tech firm suspended Khan’s ICC email account, Microsoft officials said it still is providing services for the ICC.

The company also announced their intent to support the digital sovereignty of European nations.

“We’ve operated in Europe for more than 40 years, and we have been and always will be a steadfast partner to Europe,” Microsoft Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said in a social media post on Friday.

Microsoft is supporting European sovereignty and that of its respective nations with several existing and new tech offerings, Nadella said.

The services include Microsoft Sovereign Cloud, Data Guardian, External Key Management and Sovereign Private Cloud.

The existing and new offerings “bring digital sovereignty to all European organizations” and”unlock new sovereign ways to run private sovereign clouds,” Nadella said.

“These new offerings build on decades of pioneering work in sovereign cloud solutions by ourselves and to our partners,” he added.

The three largest European nations by population, Germany, France and the UK, held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday, in an effort to avert a protracted war in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump, who has said he will decide within two weeks whether to join the assault on Tehran, denounced the talks with European leaders as a failure.

“Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one,” he told reporters.

Araghchi had said Iran was not attending the talks in Geneva to negotiate anyway, only to listen.

However, he added, “There is no room for negotiations with the US [either] until the Israeli aggression stops,” as Iran and Israel traded salvoes of missiles and drones.

The US has been Israel’s chief ally and supporter in all its wars, and is the only country with major military assets deployed in the region, which might be able to alter the course of the war.

Why are the Europeans getting involved?

Germany, France and the UK – referred to as the E3 in the context of Iran talks – helped negotiate a 2015 treaty with Iran.

The 2015 treaty, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), saw Iran agree to develop only peaceful nuclear programmes and to submit to independent monitoring. Russia, China and the United States also helped negotiate it, as did the UN.

But Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA in May 2018, during his first term as president. The E3 tried to keep the treaty alive but failed. Iran abandoned it a year after the US did.

On Saturday, the EU high commissioner for external action, Kaja Kallas, who also attended the talks on Friday, issued a statement reaffirming “commitment to Israel’s security” and “longstanding concerns about Iran’s expansion of its nuclear programme, which has no credible civilian purpose, in violation of almost all the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) provisions”.

But Israel’s war in Gaza has divided the E3 over their approach to Israel, weakening European foreign policy unity further, although all want to avoid another war on Europe’s doorstep.

How are the E3 divided in their approach towards Israel?

The E3 positions on Israel have diverged since Israel’s war in Gaza began in October 2023.

Germany has remained the most ardently pro-Israel, refusing to criticise Israel for indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Gaza and halting its funding to UNWRA, the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees, which Israel accuses of aiding Hamas.

Originally pro-Israel, the UK somewhat changed its stance after Labour’s election victory last year. Earlier this month, the UK joined four other countries in formally sanctioning Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for “incitement of violence” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Israel called the decision “outrageous” and “unacceptable”.

France is even more sceptical towards Israel. It was one of four EU members that started calling for a Gaza ceasefire in April last year. A year later, on April 9, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would formally recognise the state of Palestine within months, partly because “at some point, it will be right”, and partly to encourage Arab states to recognise Israel. France was reported to be lobbying other European nations to follow suit. Spain, Norway and Ireland all formally recognised Palestine the following month.

What leverage do the E3 have with Iran or Israel?

They are the three biggest economies in Europe, with a collective gross domestic product (GDP) of about $11 trillion.

Two of them, France and the UK, possess aircraft carriers and expeditionary forces that have deployed to the Middle East and North Africa regions. They are also nuclear powers.

Ultimately, though, none of these things is enough to sway either Iran or Israel on matters of national security. The true value of the E3 lies in their “acceptability” to both Iran and Israel as good-faith mediators and their ability to work towards common goals with the US.

“Germany, France and the UK have attempted to mediate for more than 20 years, and their approach has been milder than that of the US,” George Tzogopoulos, a lecturer in international relations at the European Institute in Nice, told Al Jazeera. “The same is happening now. We have a war crisis, and these three prioritise diplomacy for the conflict to stop if possible and for negotiations to restart.”

Could the E3 broker a deal between Iran and Israel?

It would be difficult, given their failure to resuscitate the JCPOA without the US.

“The main reason [the E3 failed with the JCPOA] is the conclusion, made by both the Trump administration, President Trump himself, and the Israeli government that diplomacy cannot work in the case of Iran and, therefore, the role of the three was sidelined,” said Tzogopoulos.

But it is also difficult for them to coordinate with the US. Trump has now sidelined his own intelligence community to adopt the Israeli view that Iran is developing a bomb. On Friday, Trump told reporters that his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was “wrong” when she testified that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had not re-authorised the country’s suspended nuclear weapons programme.

“If Israel has evidence that Iran was dashing for a bomb, I think it needs to come out more publicly and share that, because nobody else is confirming that assessment,” said Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, a nongovernmental organisation based in the US.

“If there is some coordination between the US and the E3, we might be more optimistic, but for Europe, for the E3 to act autonomously, I wouldn’t bet my money on their potential success,” he said.

“The Europeans have very low chances,” agreed Angelos Syrigos, a professor of international law at Panteion University in Athens. “The only people who can intervene seriously are the Americans. But I don’t know if the Iranians are open to that. To have final peace, you usually need a decisive defeat,” he said, referring to the Yom Kippur War between Israel and Egypt of 1973, which led to the Camp David agreement six years later, and US intervention in the Yugoslav War, which led to the Dayton Accord in 1995. “One party has to understand there is no military solution.”

Could the United Nations Security Council find a diplomatic solution?

No, say experts, because China, Russia and the US disagree on Israel and Iran.

“The Security Council won’t find a solution to this,” said Syrigos. “Either the US or Russia or China will veto it. The difference is mainly between the US and China. The Chinese have invested a lot in Iran in recent years. That’s where they buy most of their oil; they send [Iran] materials for nuclear weapons. It’s China that is mostly connected to Iran.”

Russia has called on the US not to attack Iran, because of the risk of destabilising the region. But Russia also does not have the power to come to Iran’s aid, said Syrigos.

“Right now, Russia is going along with the US. It doesn’t want to get involved. It hasn’t the power. So, it’s turning a necessity into a voluntary act,” he said.

“The logic of war will guide diplomatic efforts at this point, and we cannot know how the war will go, or the extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear programme,” said Tzogopoulos.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez warns the spending hike would undermine EU efforts to build its own security and defence base.

Spain has reportedly asked to opt out of NATO’s proposed defence spending target of 5 percent of GDP, risking disruption to a key agreement expected at next week’s alliance summit.

In a letter addressed to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the alliance to adopt a more flexible framework, according to media reports.

The letter, seen by the Reuters and Associated Press news agencies, called for either the target to remain optional or for Spain to be exempt entirely.

“Committing to a 5% target would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive,” Sanchez wrote, warning that it would undermine efforts by the European Union to build its own security and defence base. “As a sovereign Ally, we choose not to.”

Sanchez insisted Madrid does not intend to block the outcome of the upcoming summit. But any agreement on increased defence spending must be approved unanimously by all 32 NATO members, giving Spain leverage to delay or water down the deal.

Spain currently spends approximately 1.28 percent of its GDP on defence, the lowest among NATO members, according to alliance estimates. While Sanchez has pledged to accelerate the country’s path to NATO’s current 2 percent goal, he argues that going beyond that risks harming the welfare state and compromising Spain’s broader policy vision.

NATO’s push for higher spending follows calls by US President Donald Trump and others to share the burden more fairly across the alliance. Rutte has suggested a new formula that allocates 3.5 percent of GDP to core military spending and an additional 1.5 percent to broader security needs.

Pressure to increase defence spending

The United States, NATO’s largest military contributor and Ukraine’s main backer since Russia’s 2022 invasion, is estimated to have spent 3.38 percent of its GDP on defence in 2024. Trump has repeatedly claimed European allies are not pulling their weight, and has threatened to withhold support for those who fall short.

Sanchez, however, said rushing to meet a 5 percent target would force EU states to buy military equipment from outside the bloc, damaging the continent’s attempts to bolster self-sufficiency in defence.

The proposal also faces resistance from Spain’s political left. The left-leaning Sumar party, part of Sanchez’s coalition, opposes the move, while Podemos, not in government but often a key parliamentary ally, has also rejected it.

“If the government needs parliamentary support to approve spending, it will have a very difficult time in the current situation,” said Josa Miguel Calvillo, a professor of international relations at the Complutense University of Madrid, speaking to Reuters.

Italy has also raised concerns, reportedly seeking to shift the proposed deadline for the new target from 2032 to 2035 and drop the requirement to increase spending by 0.2 percent annually.

One senior European official told Reuters that Spain’s rejection complicates talks but said discussions are ongoing. “It doesn’t look good, indeed, but we are not over yet. Spain has demonstrated to be a steadfast ally so far.”

This small seaside hospot is perfect for those who want to jet away but keep the costs down – and it’s based right on the picturesque coast, perfect for catching some sunrays

If you are dreaming of a summer holiday but don’t want to fork out thousands, this gorgeous European city might be your answer. With summer in full swing, you may be thinking about jetting off, and now this Turkish city has been labelled as a ‘Dubai dupe’.

With flights to Antalya for a five day trip costing around £640, it’s much more convenient than the same trip to Dubai costing a huge £896. The sunny spot is located on Turkey’s picturesque Turquoise Coast, and is the largest city on Turkey’s western Mediterranean coastline, which is both classically beautiful and stylishly modern.

Spanning across West Asia and Southeast Europe, Turkey (Türkiye) boasts a balmy climate, sugar-like sand, cobalt waters, and acclaimed water parks – making it a great seaside resort for tourists.

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Travel site Lonely Plant said Antalya is “very much a destination in it’s own right and said: “The old city wraps around a splendid Roman-era harbour with clifftop views of hazy-blue mountain silhouettes that are worth raising a toast to. Just outside of the central city are two beaches and one of Turkey’s finest museums.”

One of the most popular and best-rated attractions on Tripadvisor is Kaleci, its seafront historic district that dates back to the Roman era. Lonely Planet said it “offers atmospheric accommodation in the finely restored Ottoman houses on its winding lanes.” And within its windy streets, visitors will come across Hadrian’s Gate, the city’s clock tower and the Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Cami, an Ottoman-era mosque.

But aside from the attractions, what makes Antalya so special are the beautiful beaches, and tourists can explore the best of the Turquoise Coast’s spectacular views.

Konyaalti Beach is the region’s best-rated on Tripadvisor, where holidamakes can enjoy crystal-clear water and gorgeous views of the mountains. Whle another popular area on the Turquoise Coast is Lara Beach, which is renowned for its golden sand and stretches for 8km long.

It’s an easy destination to get to, with Jet2, British Airways, easyJet, Pegasus and TUI all offering direct flights from the UK to Antalya and the duration is around four and a half hours long. If you’re a true savvy bargain hunter you can get the flights for anywhere between £70-£90.

There is also another spot in Turkey that is quickly becoming a bucket list hotspot four tourists. Goreme, a small town with just over 2,000 residents, is located in the Cappadocia region of central Turkey. It’s close to other notable cities like Nevsehir, Urgup, and Avanos. Despite its modest population, Goreme attracts over a million visitors annually, making it a popular destination for those seeking something different.

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Barcelona is now creating a new ‘zone’ strategy after crowds of eager tourists put themselves in danger to compete with an emerging TikTok trend

Authorities in Barcelona are planning to construct a special zone for people to “take selfies” after a dangerous trend took hold outside its most famous landmark.

A recent TikTok video which went viral in Barcelona saw the tourist-clad destination overrun with social media users clogging metro exits. It’s reported they had been eager to try their hand at replicating the same act in city’s famous square – that is, until the city council stepped in.

Plaça Gaudí, the square in front of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, was fraught with TikTok-enthusiastic tourists balancing their phones on metro escalators to film themselves while the iconic monument appeared in the background.

The sheer amount of visitors looking to capture their individual shots led to severely clogged station exits and was eventually banned. Subsequently, Barcelona City Council has now decided to construct a special zone beside the Sagrada Familia where visitors can take selfies before entering.

The 6,200-sqm ‘anteroom’ will be located between the Nativity façade of the basilica and Plaça Gaudí on Carrer de la Marina. “The new project helps to resolve a space where it is difficult to reconcile uses between visitors to the temple and the neighbourhood,” the city council said.

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Construction on the gathering zone is scheduled to begin after the 2025 summer and be finished by April 2026 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. The €2.7 million (£2.3 million) project is part of a wider €15.5 million (£13.2 million) plan to improve infrastructure and visitor management around the sacred site.

In 2024, the city launched a €44 million plan to regulate crowds in 16 tourist hotspots by deploying more cleaners and police officers to maintain order and safety.

The Sagrada Familia is the most visited tourist attraction in Barcelona and welcomes millions of visitors every year. That said, entrance queues can be quite long so you should be prepared with water and sunscreen.

The Sagrada Família is Antoni Gaudí’s best-known work and has been under construction since 1882. Although the architect Francesc de Paula Villar was originally commissioned to carry out the Sagrada Família’s project, just a year later he was replaced by the young Gaudí.

The Nativity façade and crypt have been awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. To learn more about the history of the building, you can book a walking tour of the church, which also include skip-the-line tickets.

Despite the introduction of a new zone to battle tourist and selfie-stick wielders, Barcelona – like many other popular European cities – is still having a standoff with foreign tourists.

Spain hosted a record 94 million international visitors in 2024, compared with 83 million in 2019. Locals have even taken to shooting water at tourists as a way to protest their presence in cities like Barcelona.

“The squirt guns are to bother the tourists a bit,” Andreu Martínez said in Barcelona with a chuckle after spritzing a couple seated at an outdoor café. “Barcelona has been handed to the tourists. This is a fight to give Barcelona back to its residents.”

A new report has named one Canary Island destination the most tourist-dense island in all of Europe, and singled out one EU country in particular for overcrowding

As housing shortage protests grow in intensity across Europe, one EU country is still taking on the brunt of overcrowding. A new report reveals that Spain is home to Europe’s most overcrowded islands.

Using data from the European Commission, the report from BookRetreats.com ranked Europe’s islands by tourist density – measured in overnight stays per square kilometre. The spatial metric reveals how physically saturated some destinations have become, especially on islands where land, housing, and infrastructure are limited, according to the analysts.

Malta topped the list with the highest tourist density of any island in Europe. Equally significant, the report revealed that four of the top five most tourist-dense islands on the continent are Spanish islands.

Across these islands, tourism levels have reached the densities of most major cities. According to the report, while Malta is small enough to fit into London five times over, it sees more than 38,700 overnight stays per km². Of these year-round visitors, British travellers make up the largest share.

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The tourist impact is most visible at peak sites like the Blue Lagoon on Comino, where daily summer crowds reach up to 12,000. In response, authorities have recently capped visitor numbers at 4,000 per day and introduced mandatory booking to help protect the fragile coastal environment.

Protests are also growing across the country and governments are now considering enhanced restrictions to manage the pressure on infrastructure. In Ibiza and Formentera, officials have responded with new Tourism Containment Measures. The reforms ban new short-term lets in apartment buildings and step up enforcement against unlicensed holiday rentals in a bid to ease the strain.

On Sunday, June 15, the Menys Turisme Més Vida platform also organised a protest in Palma calling for an end to touristification. The group issued a statement the next day, insisting: “Let us be clear. We will not stop. This fight does not end here.

“We will not allow one more measure of tourism growth, nor one more attack on our language and culture, on migrants, on the territory, or on the working class.”

Elsewhere in Spain, governments have pushed back even further on holiday lets, including a crackdown on 65,000 Airbnb listings. In the Canaries, a new holiday rental law could also ban newly built properties from being used by tourists for 10 years after construction.

“Tourism has transformed many of Europe’s islands, but the pace and scale are no longer sustainable,” says Sean Kelly, co-founder of BookRetreats.com.

“When local systems are stretched and communities are pushed out, it’s a sign something needs to change. That’s why it’s so important we look at the data, understand where the pressure is highest, and start making more informed choices about where and how we travel.”