famous

This lively village beat seaside favourites from Brighton to Folkestone to be named the best beach location in the UK. But many people overlook it as a destination as a famous seaside town is just down the road

Set along the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, it’s easy to overlook this charming village. After all, you’ve got so much to see on this one stretch of coast, from the classic seaside town of Tenby to the family-friendly Pendine Sands.

Saundersfoot has often been snubbed as a coastal destination thanks to its famous neighbours, but it’s now topped Time Out’s list of the 16 best seaside towns in the UK. The publication summed it up as “an energetic village with one of Wales’ best-looking beaches”, praising its beachfront saunas, independent restaurants, and Blue Flag beach.

Its wide sandy beach has lifeguards during the summer, so you can take a dip in the shallow waters. Next to the beach, you’ll find a charming harbor area where you can see small fishing boats coming in, as well as browse a range of surf shops, cute cafés, and shacks selling snacks and ice cream.

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While you can enjoy strolls along the promenade, it’s not just the sea views that will keep you interested. A series of old tunnels, which used to belong to a railway, are open for walkers, taking you through the heart of the cliffs. The walk from the town to Wisemans Bridge includes lots of places to stop for a cup of tea on the beach, or sometime exploring rock pools when the tide is out.

Away from the seafront, Saundersfoot has a compact high street with the usual seaside town shops, and there’s a focus on independent businesses, so you can pick up artisanal souvenirs and arts and crafts.

Close to the village is the charmingly old-fashioned Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, a holiday park that has its own fairground with vintage rides such as carousels and dodgems. There’s also a small zoo with a barn where kids can get up close and stroke various friendly animals.

Manor Wildlife Park is also just a short drive away. This open-air zoo has a number of trails where you can spot exotic animals from around the world, and includes both an indoor soft play and outdoor playground, so there’s something for all weathers.

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Along the seafront, you’ll find a number of places to stay, such as the St Brides Spa Hotel, famous for its clifftop views across the harbor and beach. The Gower Hotel offers traditional seaside hotel vibes, offering three-star accommodation, as well as a bar and restaurant that serves freshly-caught fish from the sea just steps away.

Despite its newest honour, Saundersfoot remains a relatively inexpensive coastal property spot. According to Zoopla, the average house price last year was £279,000, making it a cheaper place to enjoy seaside living than many other towns on the Time Out list.

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THE Scottish capital is the perfect spot for a weekend break – and we’ve found an affordable but central hotel.

Here’s everything you need to know about staying at Novotel Edinburgh.

Where is the Novotel Edinburgh hotel ?

A beautifully-appointed city hotel, the Novotel Edinburgh Centre is extremely well-located, about a ten-minute stroll from the mighty castle and around 20-minutes from Waverley station (although it’s a very hilly walk).

What is the hotel like?

The property is made to feel like a home from home, with plenty of little nooks in the foyer to tuck yourself away in.

Hotel staff are attentive and everything is easy to find.

What are the rooms like?

Guests are well looked after here.

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We were greeted by refreshing fruit kebabs in our room, as well as cold water in the mini fridge, and a tea/coffee station.

There was ample room around our twin beds which meant we weren’t tripping over our luggage.

A shower in a separate room from the toilet made getting ready in the morning easy.

Classic family rooms cost from £168, sleeping up to two adults and two children.

Pets are allowed at an additional charge of £10 per day. See all.accor.com.

What is there to eat and drink?

The on site restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.

The buffet breakfast will keep any adventurer well fuelled with everything from a full Scottish fry up, continental options and a waffle station to cereal, fresh fruit and pastries — there are options for those who are lactose intolerance, too.

There’s ample choice for dinner, too.

I chose a light meal option, the Superfood Salad Bowl (£16) which was packed with paprika roasted chickpea, quinoa, asparagus, beetroot, avocado and feta while my pal opted for a heartier meal of grilled lamb chops (£25).

What else is there to do at the hotel?

Guests have use of a pool, sauna, steam room and gym on site.

Whisky fans will have their pick of tours.

Although choose carefully; a well-established distillery is a better investment if you are fussy about your tipples, although these tend to be a little more costly.

But if you only want to learn briefly about the distilling process and get a few drinks in you, the cheaper options should have you covered.

Otherwise the city’s stunning architecture, modern shops and restaurants are all within easy walking distance

If is family friendly?

Kids aged under 15 stay for free at the hotel, and get free breakfast with every paying adult.

Is it accessible?

The hotel has nine accessible rooms and there is a ramp to the entrance of the hotel, along with handicap parking.

At Dos Pueblos High in Goleta, baseball coach George Hedricks needed no excuses to start freshman Mattias Di Maggio, considering last name of DiMaggio is one of the best baseball names in the history of the sport. Think of the legendary Joe DiMaggio.

Well, it turns out Mattias is pretty good and also a distant relative to Joe DiMaggio. He’s his great grandfather’s cousin.

As a player this season, Mattias has 34 hits, is batting .515 and has hit nine home runs. He’s also a left-handed pitcher with four saves so beware of him on the mound in the coming years. He’s 6 feet 3 and 191 pounds.

“The most impressive thing hitting is he has over 20 walks and one strikeout,” Hedricks said. “He’s a pretty physical kid who can hit to all fields.”

He also leads the team in stolen bases. His brother was a standout at Dos Pueblos and plays junior college baseball.

One college coach said, “He’s good good.”

Hedricks can’t wait to see Mattias develop over the next three years.

“He can beat you 100 different ways,” Hedricks said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

ONE of the longest piers in the UK has taken the next steps to reopen.

Southport Pier was forced to close back in 2022 due to safety concerns over the stability of it.

However it was announced last year that £20million was being put into its reopening, and works have now started.

Local website Stand Up for Southport confirmed that contractors are now doing pre-construction work, with the full restoration expected to take up to 16 months.

This includes replacing the decking, as well as adding new gates and CCTV, while fixing the steelworks as well.

Sefton Council said: “The first task contractors will have is to assess the current condition of the existing paintwork on the structure’s columns. We want to ascertain if there has been any deterioration since previous assessments were undertaken.

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“If the condition is good it can be left as is, however if not we will also need to repaint the whole structure as part of the repair works.

“This pre-construction work will take at least five days to complete. Following this we’ll shortly be moving onto the ground investigation stage within the coming weeks, which checks the stability of the ground underneath and around the Pier for materials like scaffolding.”

Southport Pier is the oldest iron pier in the UK, dating back to 1860, and is the second longest (only behind Southend Pier).

However, the original pavilion was destroyed in 1897 by a fire, with another fire in 1959 damaging the decking.

It was later given Grade II listing in 1975. with a new £7million tram in 2002.

Councillor Marion Atkinson, leader of Sefton Council, previously said: “The Pier is a symbol of Southport’s identity, history, and now, thanks to the Council and Central Government, secured for the town’s future too.”

And it’s not just the pier that was at risk, but Southport’s beach as well.

New studies have found that the increase in sand will lead to increased vegetation – essentially turning the coastline into mud.

THINK crystal clear waters, dolphin spotting and independent boutiques – well, the UK’s best seaside destination has all of this.

Less than three miles from its popular and busier neighbour – Tenby – you’ll find Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

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

Named the best seaside spot in the UK by Time Out, it said: “Saundersfoot is one of Pembrokeshire’s most energetic spots” adding that it has a “lively spirit”.

One of the top things to do in the village is of course heading to the beach, which stretches more than half a mile long.

The Blue Flag beach is a popular spot for families as it has shallow water and boasts a lot of fun activities such as canoeing, windsurfing and swimming.

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The beach has also previously been named as one of the cleanest beaches in the world by TripAdvisor.

You might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of dolphins or a grey seal from the beach.

At one end of the beach you’ll find the harbour, which dates back to 1829 and was built as an industrial port to export coal from local mines.

Today, the harbour is a tourist hub for Saundersfoot, with a number of places to grab a bite to eat as well as a ship you can play crazy golf on.

If you like history, make sure to walk around the entire harbour, as at the end you’ll see Saundersfoot Lighthouse, which was built in 1848 to mark the entrance to the harbour.

From the harbour you can also hop on a boat trip with Saundersfoot Sealife Adventures to see local wildlife and Caldey Island for an hour and a half.

Each trip costs around £25 per adult and £20 per child.

Just steps away from both the beach and the harbour, you’ll find Hwyl Outdoor Sauna where you can enjoy a sauna session from just £9 per person.

Spread across a couple of roads, again just steps from the beach, there’s also the high street with independent boutiques, cafes and art studios.

Back in 2024, The Telegraph even noted how Saundersfoot is a “little-known hip town” that is the “perfect bolthole for those who want to see West Wales’s sights and lively towns but also enjoy quiet, sunset-watching downtime in the evening”.

From the village, you can head on a number of walks as well along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, where you will see amazing views of the coastline.

And just outside of the village, you can visit Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo which is home to a number of animals, rides and a recently updated play area.

The Pirate Adventure has a castle and a number of accessible play areas, including low level options for wheelchair users.

You can also opt to stay at the holiday park onsite, which in November was named one of the best family campsites in South Wales by the Campsites.co.uk awards.

There are other places to stay in and around Saundersfoot though, including Sunnyvale Holiday Park.

The holiday park has 53 caravans ideal for families and is less than a mile from Saundersfoot Beach.

Facilities at the park include a games room, kids play area, hot tubs, pet-friendly options and an indoor pool.

A two-night stay in August costs from £300.

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BEYONCE and hubby Jay-Z are looking to move to France — after ditching plans for a UK home.

The music power couple, who abandoned househunting in the Cotswolds due to concerns about flooding, are said to be eyeing up a stunning chateau near Bordeaux.

Crazy In Love singer Beyoncé, 44, and Jay-Z, 56, are already huge fans of the famous wine region – with the 99 Problems rapper celebrating his birthday there in 2023.

Sources say the US pair are looking at a 16th century estate boasting 10 bedrooms and eight bathrooms, nestled in a commune.

Locals have told how the area is abuzz with talk of the A-listers joining their community – which is described as the French equivalent to the Cotswolds.

Businesses have reportedly been sworn to secrecy about the couple’s potential arrival.

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One local said: “Everyone is talking about Beyonce and Jay-Z moving to the area.

“It’s all been shrouded in secrecy, with local businesses and tradespeople forced to sign non-disclosure agreements, but theirs are the names on everyone’s lips.”

Residents have reported a recent surge in private planes landing at the closest airport.

One source also told how a job description has gone on a local noticeboard for an experienced property manager working with VIP clients at an historic estate.

One of the requirements for the role is “absolute discretion”.

The superstar couple — worth a combined £1.5billion — were said to be buying a £7.5million 58-acre plot in the Cotswolds, following the footsteps of several celebrities.

Planning permission was secured for the seven-bedroom property.

But insiders said the pair, who have three children together, turned their backs on the area after learning it was prone to flooding.

A source told The Sun: “Beyonce and Jay-Z buying this plot of land was the talk of the Cotswolds, so many locals were excited about them moving in.

“But the plan appears to have fallen through.”

Despite their snub the Cotswolds have attracted a raft of celebrities including Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Kate Moss, Amanda Holden, Tom Cruise, Liam Gallagher and Lily Allen.

TV host Ellen Degeneres and wife Portia de Rossi also moved to the area and renovated a farmhouse which they are selling for £22.5million.

ONE of the most famous hotels in the world is closing its doors until next year.

The Burj Al Arab in Dubai, which opened back in 1999 and is known for being a rare ‘seven star’ hotel. is to undergo a major renovation.

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

The major project comes after the hotel was damaged by a drone being intercepted near the hotel in late February, which caused a minor fire and damage to the façade of the building.

However, the renovation was already planned before this happened.

As part of the refurb works, the hotel will redesign all of its 198 suites.

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Some of the hotels key interior design features will be kept, including the large aquarium and marble cladding.

The hotel’s spa will also be upgraded, as well as other guest areas.

The project will be led by French interior architect Tristan Auer, who is mainly known for his projects in France but has also worked on redesigning the interiors of the Royal Scotsman Belmond Train.

In a statement on the hotel’s website, it states: “Jumeirah Burj Al Arab is currently undergoing a carefully phased restoration programme designed to refresh and upgrade the hotel’s iconic décor while preserving its distinctive character.

“The programme has been developed through long-term planning, following more than 25 years of continuous operation.

“We would be pleased to assist with an alternative reservation in one of our Jumeirah properties in town.”

The hotel will be closed from this month and is expected to reopen in late 2027.

When staying at the Burj Al Arab, guests can expect a 24/7 butler service, an adult-only infinity pool and 10,000 square metre terrace.

If that wasn’t luxury enough, the hotel also boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant and an underwater aquarium experience.

It’s on its own man-made island and inside, some of its interiors even feature 24 carat gold.

Though, this doesn’t come cheap as it usually costs over £1,000 per night to stay at the hotel.

The Burj Al Arab is not the only hotel getting upgraded in Dubai either.

The Armani Hotel Dubai was closed on April 1 for a major refurb and is expected to reopen later this year.

JW Marriott Marquis is also partially closed to redesign all of its 1,608 rooms and suites.

Then, the Park Hyatt Dubai will close for a short period from May 2026 to finish off its renovation works that include upgrading rooms and refreshing the guest areas.

And finally, the St. Regis Dubai The Palm hotel is also currently temporarily closed for improvements.

However, Dubai remains on the do-not-travel list by the UK Foreign Office due to the ongoing Iran war.

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YOU won’t need to travel far if you want to head to one of the best destinations in Europe this summer, as it is right here in the UK.

Sissinghurst Castle Gardens near Cranbrook in Kent, have been named the third best place to visit in Europe this year.

According to Travel + Leisure, Jim Strong, a member of Travel + Leisure’s Travel Advisory Board and president of Strong Travel Services said: “Kent is known as the ‘Garden of England,’ and Sissinghurst Castle Gardens do not disappoint.

“The lawns and terraced colors of wildflowers of the area are a treat to the soul.

“A stroll around the grounds is tranquil in any weather, but spring and summer are the highlights.”

Originally starting out as a prison for around 3,000 captured French sailors in the 1700s, Sissinghurst Castle Gardens is a great spot for a family day out.

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When visiting today, you’ll mostly see what has been left by Vita Sackville-West – a poet and writer – and her diplomat husband, Harold Nicolson.

According to The National Trust, when Vita first saw the house she said: “I fell in love; love at first sight.

“I saw what might be made of it.

“It was Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.”

Together they transformed the castle in the 1930s adding the garden ‘rooms’ – different, walled areas of the garden – and planting colourful flowers.

One major feature of the destination is the 80-step Tower, which boasts panoramic views of the surrounding estate.

It used to be Vita’s Writing Room where she crafted her novels and poetry, as well as her weekly gardening column that featured in The Observer.

Her novels included All Passion Spent (1931) and Thirty Clocks Strike the Hour (1932).

If you are visiting for a day, you’ll be able to explore the garden ‘rooms’, including the Rose Garden and the White Garden.

There is then a ‘No Dig’ garden with vegetables, fruits and herbs as well.

Another part of the garden is called Delos – it is named after the Greek island and was inspired by the couples’ numerous visits there.

Delos also boasts a number of Greek artefacts including a number of Hellenistic altars that came from the island.

Inside the castle itself, drop by The Big Room (the library), where Vita and Harold used to host events and entertain guests.

If you fancy a little bit of retail therapy and have green fingers yourself, there is a Plant Shop that sells seasonal vegetables and plants that have been grown on site.

Alternatively, head to the main shop which sells a range of items including local products, homeware items and books, including works by Vita and Harold.

If there aren’t enough books in the shop for you though, there is a second-hand bookshop as well.

After all your exploring, grab a bite to eat and something to drink at The Old Dairy Cafe, where you can sit either inside or outside.

At The Granary restaurant, you can grab a bigger meal if you like as well as lunch boxes ideal for kids.

The destination is dog-friendly as well and has two walks you can head off on, which is a great way to see the estate.

For those who want an easier walk, there is a one-mile route but for those who want to enjoy a bit more time in nature there is a three-mile route as well.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden costs from £20 per adult and £10 per child to visit.

If you want to enjoy more time in the gardens, then you can opt to stay at the edge of the gardens in the Priest’s House.

The small brick house is thought to be part of the Elizabethan mansion that made up Sissinghurst Castle, but has been completely renovated inside to make it into a three-bedroom house with cosy fireplaces and wooden beams.

The cheapest Sun Travel could find is for three nights in January 2027, costing £779 (around £43.28 per person per night based on six people staying).

Alternatively, you could stay at Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse which has nine bedrooms on a bed and breakfast basis.

Rooms cost from £235 per night.

Last year, The Telegraph also named the village of Sissinghurst – which is just down the road from the castle – one of the prettiest villages in Kent.

The Telegraph commented that the village boasts “whitewashed, old brick and clapboard houses with a post office, a pub, a church and a village chippy”.

While there isn’t much to do in the village, you could grab some lunch from The Village Chippy such as cod and chips for £9.60.

One recent visitor said: “Stopped by for their seafood platter and oh goodness was it delicious.

“Food quality is excellent and the batter was so good and the chips were delicious – everything was cooked fresh while we waited.

“Highly recommend anyone to go there fantastic food.”

You can also grab a pint from The Milk House, which was the former coaching inn.

Dogs are welcome and there is also a garden area and terrace.

For more villages to explore in the UK, here are the quaint British villages with toy-town cottages, car-free roads and cosy pubs – handpicked by our travel writers.

Plus, here are five pretty English villages that will make you feel like you’re in The Holiday with cosy pubs and cottages.