UK holidaymakers travelling to popular destinations like Spain and Greece could be turned away at airports
12:43, 24 Feb 2026Updated 13:08, 24 Feb 2026
If you have a British passport you’ll need to follow this rule(Image: Andy Soloman via Getty Images)
British holidaymakers jetting off to Spain, Greece and many other countries must follow a post-Brexit rule – or be refused boarding at the airport. While the prospect of an overseas getaway is thrilling, it’s important for travellers to be aware of all requirements before setting off.
This has become especially vital following Brexit, which has introduced new regulations in recent years. Prior to Britain’s departure from the European Union (EU), UK passport holders could visit the Schengen Area without requiring passport stamps and weren’t subject to any time limits on their stays.
However, British visitors are now limited to a maximum of 90 days during any 180-day period. To assist with this, an application called Schengen Simple has been developed.
George Cremer, founder of Schengen Simple, said: “We built a travel app that handles the 90/180 calculation for exactly this reason. The tricky part most people miss is that it’s a rolling 180-day window, not a fixed calendar period.
“So someone who did a long summer trip to Spain might unknowingly be restricted on a winter break months later. The European Commission has its own calculator, but it only looks backwards.
“It tells you how many days you’ve used, not how many you have left for a future trip. That’s the gap we fill. Users enter past and upcoming travel and can see exactly how long they can stay without risking an overstay.”
The Foreign Office’s guidance for all Schengen nations warns: “If you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit, you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to 3 years.”
The Schengen area consists of: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
HALF-TERM may be over but it doesn’t mean the fun has to be as there are lots of free activities taking place across this week.
Whether you want to head out for a walk to make the most of the sunshine or are wanting to pick up a new artwork for your home, this week has a great range of indoor and outdoor activities.
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With the sun starting to peek through the clouds, this week is the ideal time to get out and about and enjoy some free activitiesCredit: Getty
Europe’s largest artist and designer fair, London
This weekend you can head to Europe’s largest artist and designer fair at Chelsea Town Hall in London.
The Parallax Art Fair features over 10,000 works of art and design, that are all marked 40 per cent off of their usual price for the weekend.
The fair will also be playing music and there’s even a cinema.
The BRITs Art Trail, Manchester
Until March 16, you can explore a citywide art trail in Manchester with 21 artists.
The trail features wall murals, immersive window installations and billboards.
Visitors can explore the art and the city in the lead up to the BRIT Awards, with art in some of the city’s most loved spots.
Beryl Cook Sculpture Trail, Plymouth
In Plymouth, Devon, you can currently discover a series of life-sized Beryl Cook sculptures.
As if they have stepped straight out of the artist’s paintings, the sculptures celebrate humour and love for everyday life.
There are four sculptures to find before the end of July.
Wedding Showcase at Natural History Museum
Future brides and grooms can head to the Natural History Museum to catch the Wedding Showcase this weekend.
It starts at 7:30pm on Saturday and you will get to see what a wedding is like at the Natural History Museum.
There will be entertainment, dining experiences and even bridal styling.
You must book ahead of the event, but it is free to attend.
For example, you could head to a wedding show at the Natural History MusuemCredit: Getty
Viking Experience Day – Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle
On Friday, head to the Great North Museum in Newcastle to enjoy a day all about vikings.
Visitors will get to meet real-life Vikings as well as Viking experts.
For little ones, there will be storytelling sessions and riddles to solve as well as the opportunity to make your own rune stone to take away with you.
Fairy House Trail at Saltram House, Devon
At Saltram House in Devon, you can head on a fairy house trail until this Sunday.
Hidden around the garden of Saltram House you will find tiny fairy homes.
There are 10 in total to spot and as you discover them there are also some magical activities to participate in as well.
Or find hidden fairy houses at Saltram House in DebvonCredit: Alamy
After Dark Festival, London
On February 26, make sure to head to UEL’s After Dark festival to see a number of outdoor performances and installations that have all been inspired by the four elements.
The festival takes place at the Docklands Campus and includes light, fire and circus performances such as illuminated acrobatics and a glowing parade.
It will run from 5pm to 8pm.
Bristol Light Festival
Bristol Light Festival will finish at the end of this week, so make sure to explore the trail before it disappears.
There are different installations across the city to check out including a cluster of illuminated hot air balloons.
There’s also a wider event programme with walkabout performers such as stilt-walkers and jugglers.
And for adults there are comedy shows and a night market as well.
There’s also Bristol Light Festival this week, which has a whole events programmeCredit: Alamy
Big Days Out: Underwater Worlds – Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle
From Wednesday February 25 to Friday February 27, between 10am and 6pm visitors can head to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Newcastle for Underwater Worlds.
Visitors can explore the ocean by building underwater worlds and even having a dance at the Cereal Disco – where you can grab breakfast and have a boogie at the same time.
There will be a marine biologist on hand too for you to learn about marine life from.
At the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Newcastle you can head to a Cereal DiscoCredit: Alamy
Mini-museum hunt for 50 years of Aardman at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Love Wallace and Gromit? Then head to the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery to go on a treasure hunt around the museum.
Lots of tiny creations from the animation studio Aardman have been hidden around the museum, which guests can look for.
You can grab a map which helps you tick off each treasure.
Wallace and Gromit fans should head to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery to find hidden Aardman treasuresCredit: PA:Press Association
Cardiff Music City, Wales
To celebrate St David’s Day, head to Cardiff Music City festival, which features free performances at a number of venues.
For example, you could head to Cardiff Market on Saturday and Sunday between 5pm and 10pm for street food, independent traders and performances by Radio Sudd.
Heritage Weekend at Lauderdale House and Waterlow Park, London
Over at Lauderdale House and Waterlow Park this weekend, you can experience the annual Highgate Heritage Weekend.
On Saturday, the Local Heritage Fair Day will be on with 20 local organisations and special talks throughout the afternoon.
Then Sunday is the family day, with activities for all ages.
This breathtaking train journey is right beside the sea, where you can see black swans, quaint villages, and even see waves crashing into the tracks.
For just £8 you can enjoy miles of stunning views(Image: Getty)
It is often said that the journey matters just as much as the destination – and across the UK, certain train routes are so stunning they become an attraction in themselves. The Riviera Line is a railway route in Devon, England, renowned for its spectacular scenery, as it is one of the few railways in Britain that runs directly alongside the sea.
This train journey covers 28 miles from Exeter city centre to the town of Paignton, taking approximately 50 to 60 minutes. It is one of the most affordable ways to soak up the most picturesque landscapes of the English Riviera, where waves are known to crash across the train tracks.
A single ticket costs around £8 for an adult, with most websites pricing them at £8.40, and returns available at £10.70.
It has also been recognised as one of the “most scenic train journeys” in Britain by National Geographic, which highlights that it showcases “the best views the English Riviera has to offer.”
They said: “South Devon’s Riviera Line connects Exeter with Paignton, threading its way past towering cliffs, numerous estuaries (look out for egrets, one of the UK’s rarest birds), quaint market towns and Powderham Castle, with its deer-filled grounds.”
What can you see on the Riviera Line?
Once you depart Exeter, the train hugs the Exe Estuary, a vast expanse of water where the River Exe meets the English Channel, reports the Express.
Passengers are treated to breathtaking views of the shimmering sea, whilst numerous boats can be spotted making their way along the riverbanks. Have your camera at the ready the moment you arrive at Starcross, a tranquil rural village, as you’ll encounter the renowned sea wall at Dawlish.
Waves frequently crash spectacularly straight over the railway line, creating a stunning sight, and you’ll also witness the iconic sandstone cliffs, celebrated for their vivid rusty red hue.
Dawlish is equally famous for its black swans, though the region serves as a sanctuary for distinctive birdlife as you can regularly observe egrets, herons and waders along the coastline.
The train also passes through Teignmouth, a seaside resort recognised for its vibrant houses and enormous Victorian pier extending into the sea.
You’ll then sweep past the English countryside, where you’ll observe abundant green woodland, agricultural land, tiny hamlets, and you’ll also catch sight of the Dartmoor hills on the horizon
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As you near Paignton, you’ll begin to notice palm trees as the locale is renowned for having gentler weather than the rest of Britain and enjoys summers warm enough for tropical vegetation.
Be sure to sit on the right-hand side of the train at Exeter for the finest views, and you’ll be able to savour the best of Britain’s coastal landscape without requiring a car or ferry.
WHILE Greggs is a quintessential part of British culture, there is bizarrely a similar version of it more than 1,500 miles away.
The famous food chain recently revealed that it sells more sausage rolls at Newcastle Airport than at any of its other UK branches throughout the UK – suggesting that people really miss their pastries when going abroad.
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I tried the ‘Greggs of Greece’ during a recent trip to AthensCredit: Ryan GrayGregory’s opened 20 years after the UK GreggsCredit: Ryan Gray
And having recently visited Athens, I stumbled across the coincidentally named Gregory’s, which has more than 300 branches throughout Greece (as well as a few in Cyprus, Romania and Germany).
Serving a suspiciously similar fare, albeit with a bit of a Greek twist, a cursory Google search assured me that no plagiarism took place and that it is merely a happy quirk of fate that Greggs and Gregorys share such similar titles.
Both chains got their names from their respective founders, with John Gregg opening the first of the UK chain’s branches in Gosforth, near Newcastle, in 1951, while Grigoris Georgatos launched the first Gregory’s in Athens back in 1972.
Nevertheless, the similarities are so obvious that I decided to put the Greek chain up against its UK namesake, to see if it satisfies in quite the same way.
I ventured to one of the many Gregory’s branches found along the streets of Athens, easily recognisable by their twisty green neon signs.
The first thing I noticed is that, in comparison to Greggs, it has a much more extensive range of items.
If you’re there for breakfast, you can get all the typical morning pastries, from croissants to pain-au-chocolat and cinnamon rolls.
However, they also have some less expected choices, like toasted sandwiches filled with peanut butter and banana, catering for those with not quite so conventional tastes.
But I was there mainly to see if its pastry game was up to scratch and asked the woman behind the counter what the most popular items were.
She informed me that the plain cheese and the cheese and spinach pies were among their best sellers, so I followed her advice and ordered one of each, for the princely sums of £2 and £2.90.
The cheese and spinach stuffed pastry is a typically Greek choice, commonly known as a spanakopita.
And actually, it was more or less on par with some of the other spanakopita I tried from more reputable and higher priced establishments during my visit to the Greek capital.
However, I’m not sure it’s a filling that would be racing off the shelves in Greggs, were it to be given a chance back in the UK, and would arguably be more at home in the Marks and Spencer food hall.
Sadly the sausage roll options in Greece leave plenty to be desired.
The Gregory’s version of the iconic British stalwart was a poor imitation, instead being a hot dog sausage ‘pie’ wrapped in a crust for £2.90 (more than double the UK’s £1.35, even after a recent price increase).
It looked so hard and crunchy that I didn’t think it would be worth risking my teeth ordering one.
That was certainly the biggest disparity between the two, however, with the sweet options, the sandwiches and the hot drinks all very much on a level playing field with the Greggs I know and love.
Their version of the sausage roll looked a lot less appealingI was impressed with the rest of their pastries, howeverCredit: Ryan Gray
Afterwards, I still had room for one of their apricot tarts, which was tasty if unspectacular at £2.40, and pretty much what I was expecting from the outset.
Nevertheless, I don’t really have too many bad words to say about Gregorys, even with their weak sausage roll options taken into consideration.
In Greece, pastries are a big part of the local cuisine, and it provided me with an affordable and unpretentious way of introducing myself to this world I previously knew very little about.
While I’m certain there are better places to try these foods, this certainly opened the door and showed me what the basic level should be, and for that, it serves a great purpose.
It’s like a Greek person going to a Wetherspoons for a Sunday roast dinner or a Full English – it’s not going to be the best one they’ll ever try, but it does a job of demonstrating (in a round about way) something that is much less accessible back home.
Although it didn’t stop me grabbing another Greggs for the road trip home from the airport…
I swapped grey British skies for 23°C sunshine in a beautiful city this February
I visited a paradise 3 hours away
February in Britain typically brings relentless grey skies, persistent rain and blustery conditions whilst we eagerly await the arrival of spring. The dreary weather and bitter temperatures can make winter seem interminable. Yet just three hours away, I discovered myself soaking up 23°C sunshine in a destination many describe as “paradise.”
Determined to unwind beside a pool, I traded my heavy winter coat for summer dresses and sunglasses during my visit to Marrakech, Morocco. With quieter tourist numbers, exciting excursions, affordable accommodation and flights available from just £23.99 in March through Easyjet, here’s why you ought to consider a trip yourself.
Why it’s called paradise
When journeying to Morocco, fellow travellers may advise “you must stay in a riad” rather than a hotel to experience authentic Moroccan hospitality. The term riad means “garden” or “paradise” in Arabic.
“Moroccan riads were meant to represent the Muslim vision of paradise,” reported Moroccan Zest. “They were built and decorated by the best craftsmen from all over the Mediterranean area and enriched by Andalusian art to become the Moorish-style palaces we know today.”
My family and I ultimately chose a five-star establishment called El Olivar Palace in Marrakech, which featured private sections functioning as miniature riads, and it truly was paradise. The architecture was utterly stunning, whilst the entire hotel grounds radiated luxury and tranquillity.
This hotel provided an all-inclusive package featuring unlimited buffet dining with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and pudding. Despite being situated in a Muslim nation, the establishment continued to serve alcoholic beverages in the restaurant and at the outdoor bar.
The hotel boasts three swimming pools: two outdoor and one indoor, all surrounded by comfortable sun loungers. In the evenings, entertainment takes place in their indoor lounge, though throughout this quieter season it tends to be more peaceful, with reduced visitor numbers.
Moroccan tradition places great importance on warmth and hospitality. The hotel team were outstanding, incredibly friendly, and helpful. For most of our stay, we hardly needed to do anything as the staff attended to our every need as though we were VIPs.
Not only was our accommodation remarkable, but Morocco itself feels like an exotic haven wherever you venture. Despite the bustling streets of Marrakech, the city brimmed with vibrant culture and stunning views.
My preferred element was strolling past orange and olive trees, when suddenly you’d spot a lorry with a flock of goats or a donkey transporting merchandise. There were countless horses, cats, monkeys and snake charmers simply present in the town centre whilst motorbikes and scooters whizzed through the crowds.
When the sun starts to descend and the golden hour arrives, the country truly shines at its finest. The sky becomes the most magnificent sight to behold as its blue and orange shades blend together.
As the cotton-candy-like Atlas Mountains become increasingly visible, the large, luminous moon begins to appear. Once darkness falls, the sheer number of stars in Marrakech’s sky instils a tranquil serenity unmatched by any other location.
Morocco is also known as Al-Maghrib, translating to ‘the place in the West’. “In its simplest definition, the Arabic word maghrib means sunset,” as per The National News – an apt descriptor for this nation indeed.
Here’s my 72-hour itinerary
Like any holiday, venturing into a new country, it’s best to divide your time between adventurous pursuits, delving into the history and culture, and a day of relaxation. We spent five days in Marrakech, but this itinerary could easily be condensed into 72 hours.
For the first day, or rather the sunniest day of your trip, I’d suggest embarking on the desert excursion. We arranged this through Get Your Guide and paid a mere £15 for four activities spanning the entire day.
This included a visit to an Argan Oil Women’s Cooperative, where we savoured tea and bread with a variety of scrumptious dips (do try the peanut butter, it’s life-changing), followed by a tour and informative talk on the benefits of argan oil.
Next, you’ll embark on a camel ride; this was an utterly surreal and exhilarating experience, akin to riding a towering horse that moves like a seesaw. I’d recommend investing in a headscarf, as the sand can infiltrate your system.
Following that, you’ll team up for an exhilarating quad biking adventure, which proved an absolute thrill and a brilliant opportunity to bond with fellow travellers. Afterwards, you’ll tuck into a sumptuous three-course feast showcasing authentic Moroccan dishes.
To cap off the evening, you’ll witness a captivating, mesmerising fire performance that I promise will stay with you forever. For day two, I’d suggest taking things at a gentler pace. You ought to experience a hammam, an age-old, customary steam bath centred on purification and renewal.
This might sound extraordinary, but you’re instructed to undress entirely and provided with merely a modest cloth to preserve your modesty and a plush bathrobe that remains so toasty it feels freshly tumble-dried each time you slip it on. You’ll subsequently be bathed and thoroughly exfoliated before unwinding in the steam chamber.
Afterwards, you’ll be served tea and treated to a massage. I emerged from this experience feeling utterly refreshed, spotless and at peace.
Most residents indulge in this ritual weekly, and I completely understand why it’s become such a cherished custom. Next, make your way to Henna cafe for a stunning temporary hand design (resist anyone approaching you on the street offering it; visit a legitimate establishment to ensure you receive organic, genuine henna).
Finally, on your closing day, embark on a city tour and discover the captivating history of Marrakech. My personal highlight was the Bahia Palace.
Afterwards, wander through the souks, but stay alert to avoid being overcharged; negotiate firmly if you’re tempted to purchase anything! I spent £20 on a small kitchen bowl, and I’m still annoyed with myself for not insisting on a better price.
Three words: Morocco is paradise
I’ve never felt so calm and revitalised before, and I came back to a somewhat dreary UK looking radiant and recharged. February proved the ideal time to visit as there weren’t excessive numbers of tourists and the climate was favourable.
There were spells of rain as anticipated, but it felt crisp and pleasant after landing on a warm, sunny day. According to BBC News, this week the city is experiencing temperatures of 26°C, and it’s expected to climb higher as days progress.
I’d suggest packing a jacket, as evenings can turn cool, but I predominantly enjoyed wearing modest dresses and sandals.
Reflecting on our trip, my cousin Keisha remarked, “It was paradise, everything about it felt perfect, even the rain. Being there felt surreal and beautiful. Definitely worth another visit in the future.”
PLENTY of sunshine and highs of 17C – the UK is finally set to bask in some long-awaited warmth.
After weeks of rain and dingy skies, tomorrow the capital city is set to bask in high temperatures that make it on par with Barcelona.
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London will bask in highs of 17C tomorrow – you can head to Green ParkCredit: AlamyThe Duke of Edinburgh in Brixton also has a huge beer gardenCredit: Instagram / @dukebrixton
So if you’re stuck with what to do – here are some of our top suggestions for all ages…
Beer gardens
When the sun shines, why not do what us Brits do best? Head over to a beer garden.
London has plenty so you’re really spoiled for choice, but one of the most popular is The Duke of Edinburgh over in Brixton.
Last year it was named London’s best beer garden by Barratt London who ranked them on reviews, price, and the amount of sun each one gets.
It even has its own mini Paddington Rec Station with a wooden train, and swings too.
There’s also an adventure play section with a wooden play structure, rope bridges and a zip line.
The Cove at the National Maritime Museum is completely freeCredit: rmg.co.uk
In central London, head to the National Maritime Museum to explore The Cove – it has a play ship, Kraken, and even its own shark – it’s also free entry.
Exploring the world’s largest botanical garden is something that is better when it’s hot.
Attractions
Kew Gardens holds the Guinness World Record for its massive living plant collection, which includes over 50,000 plants.
Of course many of the exhibits are indoors and climate-controlled, but outside there are lots of trails and even more plants to see.
Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding went along late last year and said: “The gardens appear to sprawl on for miles and miles, with numerous different attractions and features to be explored.
“Another spot that is great for kids, is Kew Gardens’ new Carbon Garden. Having only opened in summer of this year, it is a great new spot to explore for returning visitors and children alike.
“The garden shows the essential role plants and fungi play in tackling climate change and in the centre is a pavilion that was created using low-carbon, natural materials.
“Elsewhere in the gardens, visitors will find the Treetop Walkway, which allows you to walk level with the tree canopy and even see London‘s skyline.”
Peak tickets cost from £24 online or £27 at the gate for adults.
Restaurants
In the evening, you can enjoy the last of the sun (for a little while at least) while tucking in to a riverside meal.
Darcie Green canal barge bar sits on Regent’s CanalCredit: Alamy
Time Out has revealed their top riverside restaurants in London – and here are best ones that you can go to tomorrow.
Ombra sits on the banks of the Regent’s Canal and is the perfect spot to sip on a spritz and indulge in some pasta.
The bright pop art Darcie Green barge actually sits on the water on Regent’s Canal and brings a taste of Australia to the city.
You can enjoy a ‘Bondi Brunch’ in mid-morning, or tuck into a tasty lunch of tuna steak, chicken parmigiana or sirloin steak.
It also has an extensive cocktail list – with an Aussie twist of course.
Disney California Adventure this month turns 25. Though Disneyland Park’s littler and much younger sibling, the park has grown into a respectable offering, one that ranks among my favorite Disney parks in North America. No small feat, considering its checkered, less-than-ambitious launch.
California Adventure is today emblematic of some of the best that Disney has to offer. And yet it remains a work in progress. The subject of constant tinkering, another reimagining is on the horizon.
With more Marvel, more “Avatar” and more Pixar due to be injected into the park, California Adventure stands at a crossroads. But also one with risks: Will it soon feel like a collection of brand deposits? This, of course, has appeared to be the vision of the company’s theme parks in the recent past. This doesn’t always have to be a negative. Consider it more a word of caution.
A “Coco” boat ride is destined for Disney California Adventure. The ride is under construction.
(Pixar / Disneyland Resort)
Few Disney properties, for instance, seem more ripe for exploration in a California-focused theme park than “Coco.” Under construction where Paradise Gardens and Pixar Pier meet, a “Coco”-inspired boat ride will give the park at long last a permanent home to recognize our state’s Latin culture and heritage. While fans may long for the days of original attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, those based on intellectual property — IP in industry speak — aren’t evil, especially when used to heighten the overall themes of the park. California Adventure’s own Cars Land is a key example.
When it starts to feel like retail, however, parks can become exhausting. Looking at you, Avengers Campus, a half-finished land with a bombastic orchestral score and familiar, urban design that wouldn’t be out of place in downtown L.A. In its current state, the land works best as a backdrop for live entertainment as it lacks the welcoming feel of Disney’s top creations.
California Adventure, at its most idealized, stood for more than an assortment of film properties. Its pitch was to show the Golden State as a romanticized destination, one that in the post-Gold Rush era has often given America permission to dream. It would capture our people, our nature, our food and our glamour through a lighthearted, optimistic lens. When completed, the park had a mini Golden Gate Bridge and giant letters that spelled out the name of our state (which were removed about a decade later).
By the time California Adventure opened in February 2001, it had already been the subject of much revision. The Walt Disney Co. wanted it to be a West Coast answer to Walt Disney World’s Epcot. Its plans at the time were well-documented, with the Walt Disney Co. initially giving Westcot, as it was to be called, a spherical answer to the Florida park’s Spaceship Earth. In time, and in attempts to quell neighborhood concerns, the globe’s design would shift to become a large, futuristic needle.
California Adventure in 2001 was meant to depict a romanticized vision of California.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
None of it was to be. Financial headaches, caused in part by the early-year struggles of Disneyland Paris, inspired Disney to change course. Disney California Adventure would open with few attractions that rose to the Disneyland level, and yet The Times was kind in its opening coverage, praising the park’s change of pace from its neighbor and admiring how its architecture blurred fiction and reality.
The hang-gliding simulation Soarin’ Over California was an instant hit, and Eureka! A California Parade was Disney theatricality at its weirdest, with floats that depicted Old Town San Diego, Watts and more. But California Adventure’s prevalence of dressed-up county fair-like rides failed to command crowds. Disney’s own documentary “The Imagineering Story” took a tough-love approach, comparing some of its initial designs to those of a local mall.
The grand opening of California Adventure in February 2001.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
And yet today it’s home to one of the Walt Disney Co.’s most fully-realized areas in Cars Land, which opened in 2012. Flanked by sun-scarred, reddish rocks that look lifted from Arizona, Cars Land is a marvel, and on par with the best of Walt Disney Imagineering’s designs (see New Orleans Square, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora — the World of Avatar). Nodding to our Route 66 history, the land is a neon-lit, ‘50s rock leaning hub of activity, complete with the showstopping Radiator Springs Racers.
Cars Land led a major makeover of the park that also included the nostalgic Buena Vista Street, a nod to the Los Feliz era of the 1920s. And by the mid-2010s, many of California Adventure’s most insufferable traits, such as its ghastly puns (San Andreas Shakes was bad, but the Philip A. Couch Casting Agency was cringe-inducing) as well as the short-lived disaster of a ride that was Superstar Limo, had begun to disappear.
Cars Land, added to California Adventure in 2012, is one of Walt Disney Imagineering’s grandest achievements.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
With the nighttime show World of Color, and a bevy of in-park entertainment, California Adventure pre-pandemic began to feel like something akin to a full-day park. It wasn’t perfect, of course — no park is.
The Little Mermaid — Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, though lightly charming, suffers from being a hodgepodge of familiar scenes from the film rather than a narrative tableau that can stand on its own. Too many empty buildings clutter its Hollywood Land area, the makeover of Paradise Pier into Pixar Pier did little but add garish film-referencing art to the land and the crowd-pleasing transformation of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout! was completed at the expense of the park’s prime Southern California theming.
Paradise Pier at California Adventure in 2002. The land has since been remade into Pixar Pier.
(Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times)
But there is much about California Adventure to adore. It shines during holidays, whether that’s Lunar New Year at the top of the year or the back-to-back combo of Halloween and Christmas seasons near its end. Here is when California Adventure’s entertainment comes to the fore, bringing the park alive with cultural tales that at last reflect the diversity of the modern theme park audience.
How grand it would be, however, if California Adventure were blessed with this level of entertainment year-round. The Hyperion Theater, a 2,000-seat venue at the end of Hollywood Land, and once home to shows inspired by “Frozen,” “Aladdin” and “Captain America,” today sits empty. If the Walt Disney Co. can’t justify funding the theater, jettison it with the park’s upcoming makeover, as it stands as a reminder of how fickle the corporation can be when it comes to live performance (also gone, the great newsboy-inspired street show).
Staff at California Adventure put the final bit of polish on the letters that spell out “California” ahead of the park’s 2001 opening. The letters once stood at the entrance of the park.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Looking ahead, I expect Disney to deliver a powerful “Avatar” ride, and early concept art has shown a thrilling boat attraction that appears to use a similar ride system to Shanghai’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, which is hailed by many as one of the company’s strongest modern additions. Worthy of debate, however, is how the pure fantasy landscape of “Avatar” fits in a park that still nominally tries to reflect California and our diversity.
And does it matter?
The company would likely argue that if the ride wows guests and extends the “Avatar” brand into another generation, that it does not. But Disneyland next door isn’t timeless because it has “Peter Pan” and “Star Wars.” It has endured for 70 years because its attractions, by and large, reflect cultural myths. And it’s a park we want to spend days in, thanks to its gorgeous landscaping, calming Rivers of America, and human tales of avarice, unity and romance spread throughout its attractions.
For theme parks, after all, can jump the shark, so to speak. Spend some time, for instance, sitting in California Adventure’s San Fransokyo Square. It’s a needless, post-pandemic makeover. What was once a simple food court has been transformed into a loud nook stuffed with a “Big Hero 6” meet-and-greet and gift shop. You’ll be transported, but to a place more akin to a marketing event.
So happy 25, California Adventure. We love you, and you’re a park worth celebrating, but like most post-collegiate kids, there’s still some room to learn.
The San Fernando Valley is back in the spotlight, thanks in part to Bravo’s reality franchise “The Valley,” where viewers may recognize a slew of Ventura Boulevard staples (we see you, Rocco’s Tavern).
Much of the show is filmed in and around Studio City, a neighborhood just west of the Cahuenga Pass, about 10 miles from downtown L.A. and within the city of Los Angeles.
That last fact is what usually throws people off guard.
“Isn’t Studio City a separate city from L.A.?” they ask.
Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now.
This is when I must reply no and launch into an explanation on the expansiveness of the 818, the identity crisis it never asked for and how its lore has endured for decades on the silver screen, from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” to “The Karate Kid” and “Licorice Pizza,” to name a few.
See, long before Kendall Jenner bottled our area code with her tequila brand or “The Valley’s” Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi created her Valley Girl jewelry line (a response to a castmate’s constant gripe that the area had no vibe), Studio City was already a vibrant L.A. hub. It claimed a roster of power players — “The Brady Bunch” soundstage, Laurel Canyon News and the iconic Studio City Hand Car Wash — all of which still transcend ratings or storyline.
The neighborhood was originally formed around film producer Mack Sennett’s studio, which later became Republic Studios and then CBS Studio Center. With the studio as the focal point, the U.S. Postal Service designated its branch in that area as the Studio City Post Office, formalizing the name Studio City. Not exactly poetic, but it stuck. By the 1940s, Studio City developed into a “just over the hill” refuge for Hollywood’s working families, with new restaurants and bars abuzz.
My first memories of Studio City were hanging out with a childhood friend whose parents worked at CBS, and back then, it felt like the ultimate suburban dream. Fast forward to the mid-aughts and I got to live it myself, renting an apartment a few blocks from Tujunga Village, the neighborhood’s own “small-town U.S.A.” I spent countless weekends perusing food stands and trendy coffeehouses, the flaky bread and baked goods reviving me after hours of line dancing at Oil Can Harry’s or a booze-soaked late night at Page 71.
As one of the Valley’s most social enclaves, where nature is within reach, strip mall sushi is world-class and shaded residential streets feel worlds away from the Sunset Strip, Studio City still feels like the perfect remedy. Sure, finding parking after 6 p.m. can feel like something out of “The Hunger Games,” but on any given weekend you’ll still find me channeling my inner Katniss, circling blocks and deciphering cryptic signage all to revisit one of the L.A. neighborhoods that raised me.
Studio City must be the place. Then again, it always was.
What’s included in this guide
Anyone who’s lived in a major metropolis can tell you that neighborhoods are a tricky thing. They’re eternally malleable and evoke sociological questions around how we place our homes, our neighbors and our communities within a wider tapestry. In the name of neighborly generosity, we may include gems that linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What L.A. neighborhood should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com.
The pool will be the Olympic standard 2.6metres deep and remain 67metres in length and 13metres wide.
Ahead of the launch, visitors can purchase a ‘Founder’ membership for £40 per month, which allows locals to swim and use the sauna as much as they like.
This membership is only available to the first 500 people though.
Normal membership fees are then £52 a month on a rolling contract for swim and sauna or £48 a month on a 12 month contract.
If you just want to swim, this will be £34 a month on a rolling contract or £32 a month on a 12 month contract.
Swim and sauna sessions are each £8, but if you fancy both you can pay to do both for £12.
The lido will be open between 6am and 9pm Mondays to Thursdays, 6am to 8pm on Fridays and 7am to 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
According to Portsmouth News, Judit Kollat, general manager at Hilsea Lido, said: “It is more than a pool, it’s a place with history and heart.
“We aim to create a vibrant hub for the local community, a centre for both mental and physical wellbeing.”
The lido has been closed for more than two yearsCredit: Portsmouth City Council
Councillor Steve Pitt at Portsmouth City Council added: “The reopening of Hilsea Lido will transform the north of the city, following the successful launch of the KGV Football Complex and ahead of the North Portsea Coastal Scheme finishing this year.”
The announcement about Hilsea Lido comes as the lido celebrates its 90th birthday.
Many people have taken to social media to express their excitement for the reopening.
One person said: “Can’t wait so many memories and I was a life guard there.”
Another added: “We’ll be over as soon as possible, we’ve watched the project from the beginning.”
The lido first opened in 1935 and at the time was known as the deepest lido in the UK, with a depth of 4.6 metres.
And over the years the lido has welcomed many celebrities including former James Bond, Sean Connery.
The last in this series of underexplored, overlooked, bypassed towns revisits three places loosely linked to somewhere I’ve lived at different stages of my life. Relocating is grand-scale vacationing, as there are a few months when the new place feels like a holiday destination – fresh, strange, not filtered and tainted by habit or prejudice. Going back years later is part-pilgrimage, part-funeral.
Harrow
The lexicon of suburbia – commuting, dormitory, cul-de-sac, privet hedge – resonates with not seeing. In densely peopled north-west London, you have to dig – with eyes, books and boots – to find the occluded past.
In a 767 charter, Harrow is Gumeninga hergae, the “heathen temple of the Gumeningas [tribe]”. The small hill – pronounced on old sketches – was a natural spot for practising worship; harrows are found all over England. Later it was part of the archbishop of Canterbury’s estate and by Domesday had 70 ploughlands, 117 households and 102 villagers, two cottagers, three knights, two slaves and a priest – a sizeable place for 1086.
Headstone Manor Museum explores Harrow’s history. Photograph: Brian Anthony/Alamy
Trees outnumbered people. The medieval manor boasted a 100-hectare (250-acre) deer park in Pinner. The name of Harrow Weald derives from the Old English for woodland, a reference to the Forest of Middlesex that once stretched from Houndsditch in the City of London, through Highgate and Mill Hill, to these outer reaches. It provided pannage (autumn feeding) for 20,000 pigs.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Harrow attracted gentry, who could easily reach court and parliament by coach and four. The wealthy landowner John Lyon founded Harrow school by royal charter in 1572.
On an 1868 map, Harrow on the Hill is a mere scattering of houses surrounded by parks, groves and school fields. The only nearby railway line is the London and North Western, arrowing away to Birmingham and Crewe. In 1930, there was enough greenery and wildlife to inspire Harrovian Tom Harrisson (later involved in the Mass-Observation project) to publish Birds of the Harrow District.
Metro-land would, by the 1950s, submerge the hill and its environs in housing, lasso it to London, spawn North, West and South Harrows and other subdistricts, and provide suburban living for more than 200,000 people. A more populous, less planned version of this greeted me when I moved there in the summer of 1987, to travel, as Betjeman puts it, “Smoothly from Harrow” on the Metropolitan line “fasts” to a dreary office job in Blackfriars.
Knowing, now, a little about this lost town’s historical layers helps explain the still tangible sacrificial feel of the place, the amorphous sensation of inhabiting a populous nowhere. Things to see and do: walk section 9 of the Capital Ring; Headstone Manor Museum; Zoroastrian Centre (former Ace Cinema).
Clitheroe
Holmes Mill, a deli-cum-bar, cinema, brewery and hotel. Photograph: Mark Waugh/Alamy
I recommend a slow approach to Clitheroe, to take in the setting. A walk into town allows time to admire the hill, the steep-sided lump on which sit the ruins of the Norman castle, with the “second smallest surviving stone keep in England”. From the top of the hill, the views are uplifting: weather coming in from the west, the Bowland Fells, slivers of Yorkshire’s Three Peaks, Pendle Hill.
The A59 Lancs-Yorks trunk road became a bypass at the end of the 1960s. Before then, cars and vans chugged up Moor Lane and along Castle Street, which remain the traffic-cluttered sections of the high street. The narrowness and low-slung 17th– and 18th-century shopfronts remind me, in a way, of Totnes, which is largely Tudor. There was a continuity to towns into the modern era, warped by redbrick Victorian pomp and finally shattered by the 20th-century’s brutal raze-and-redevelop wave of shopping precincts (many of them since condemned).
In some respects, Clitheroe is archetypalLancashire. The struggling one-time textile boomtowns to the south of Pendle Hill show what industry did and offshoring took away. Clitheroe, relatively speaking, is intact. Old places seem to weather booms and busts better. New money helps, of course.
There were factories here, though. Two former spinning blocks, a weaving shed and offices have been given a creditable makeover to create Holmes Mill: a combined deli-cum-bar, “luxury” cinema, brewery and alehouse, hotel and wedding venue, ticking aspirational boxes for affluent Lancastrians. Lively local boozers are dotted all around town, and Camra groups are probably Clitheroe’s main excursionists. The New Inn is riotously cosy. Georgeonzola does cheese and wine. There are three cocktail bars, at least. No clogs or caps there.
The River Ribble at Edisford Bridge, close to Clitheroe. Photograph: Paul Melling/Alamy
I live a couple of miles outside Clitheroe. It’s sometimes strange to think it belongs to the same county as St Helens and Warrington, where I was born and raised. Locals say “Pennine Lancashire”. I’m from the Plains. The rain is worse here, and the wind can be evil, but this north-facing town is a likable knot of streets and stonework; plenty to discover, still. Things to see and do: Edisford Bridge (a swimming spot in summer); walk up Pendle Hill or on the Ribble Way (ideal for winter); Whalley Abbey (by bus or train); the No 11 bus to Bowland and for Pen-y-ghent.
Princetown
Princetown in Dartmoor national park. Photograph: Peter Titmuss/Alamy
Devon is the least bleak county I know. It has balmy summers, rolling pastures of red earth and green grass, cove-serrated coasts, hamlets, high hedgerows and long lanes, an ecclesiastical city, a maritime city, and mild winters. Princetown is its sole flirtation with grim. Tourists do come, and not as seldom as other spots in this series, but they often look shocked when they get out of their cars or dismount their bikes.
The granite-grey Dartmoor prison is the dominant feature of Princetown, as well as the township’s reason for being. Thomas Tyrwhitt MP secured land from the Duchy estate of the Prince of Wales to establish a “depot” for prisoners taken in the Napoleonic wars. It was remote enough to deter escape and sufficiently inhospitable.
The first prisoners arrived in 1809 and soon Princetown prison was overcrowded. When US prisoners from the war of 1812 began arriving, conditions deteriorated, and diseases such as pneumonia, typhoid and smallpox became “natural” death sentences. The Depot closed when the conflicts ended, reopening in 1850 as a penal establishment for “common criminals” – which included, over time, the future Irish premier Éamon de Valera, the conscientious objector and MP Frank Longden and Zen poet Reginald Horace Blyth.
HMP Dartmoor. Photograph: Andrew Aitchison/Corbis/Getty Images
Tyrwhitt – now Sir Thomas – built a railway to shift quarry stone down to the port and bring up farm produce, coal, timber and lime for fertiliser. Prisoners and passengers used the line at various times until its closure in 1956. The prison was temporarily closed in 2024, due to “higher than normal” levels of radon, a cancer-causing gas formed by decaying uranium in rocks and soils.
The old railway is now a track down which runners and cyclists hurtle away from Dartmoor’s anti-twee, anti-wild camping, anti-tourism, possibly radioactive town, or “village”, by population if not for its looks. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stayed at the Duchy hotel, now the national park visitor centre. An escaped convict, Selden, has a pivotal role in The Hound of the Baskervilles. Between two farmhouses called High Tor and Foulmire and the great prison “extends the desolate, lifeless moor. This, then is the stage upon which tragedy has played, and upon which we may help to play it again.” For the modern, leisure-age gaze, the moor is a wild camping backdrop and, at least potentially, full of vitality, thanks to its airy solitudes; HMP Dartmoor in Princetown, emptied for now, is the tragic set. Things to see and do: Princetown to Burrator Reservoir mountain bike tracks; Dartmoor Prison Museum; Foggintor Quarry.
Chris Moss’s latest book, Lancashire: Exploring the Historic County That Made The Modern World, is published by Old Street Publishing at £25. His book based on this series, Where Tourists Seldom Tread will be published by Faber in 2026
A breathtaking tropical paradise that is warm all year — it’s the perfect affordable winter retreat for UK residents boasting unspoilt beaches, sparkling turquoise waters and jaw-dropping scenery.
It’s an island of unmatched beauty(Image: Getty)
A stunning sun-soaked paradise has been dubbed “unfairly beautiful” by visitors who simply cannot contain their admiration for its remarkable and diverse splendour.
Brimming with vibrancy, vivid colours, and rich culture, this radiant island basks in warmth throughout the year, cementing its status as the ultimate tropical escape for holidaymakers.
Striking landscapes, unspoilt beaches, sparkling turquoise waters and jaw-dropping scenery are just a handful of the treasures this enchanting destination has to offer.
With temperatures reaching 20C during February and March, this charming Portuguese gem is the ultimate winter bolt-hole for people living in the UK, desperate to flee the biting cold and relentless drizzle of the darker months, reports the Express.
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Drawing comparisons to other world-renowned beauty spots, one Reddit user has hailed it as “Europe’s Hawaii”, whilst another described the island as “both Bali and Thailand… a place of amazing beauty.”
An autonomous region of Portugal – one of just two alongside the Azores archipelago – Madeira is a spectacular destination packed with a wealth of activities and experiences for visitors to savour.
Getting there is a doddle – a direct one-way flight from London Luton Airport to Madeira Airport on both February 23 and March 2 costs just £33, with one cabin bag included. And the icing on the cake? The average price of a pint of beer in Madeira is a mere £2.10.
Located approximately 805 kilometres southwest of mainland Portugal, Madeira is regarded as Portugal’s southernmost territory and rests upon the African Tectonic Plate. The Madeira Archipelago comprises Madeira and Porto Santo (the only inhabited islands) alongside the uninhabited Desertas Islands and Savage Islands (Selvagens).
One Reddit user described Madeira as “an unfairly beautiful island, such a great place to explore”, whilst another declared, “Madeira is the most beautiful place in Europe.”
Another impressed visitor remarked about this tropical haven, “Madeira is spectacular and worth it,” with yet another sharing, “Visited in the fall and I think about this place every day.”
Things to do on this unique island getaway
Brimming with unspoilt beaches, Madeira represents paradise for seaside enthusiasts.
Calheta Beach, one of two man-made golden sand beaches in Madeira featuring sand transported from North Africa, ranks amongst the island’s most frequented destinations.
Positioned on the southwest coastline and boasting two sheltered bays – it’s perfectly suited for swimming and water activities including paddleboarding and kayaking.
The other celebrated artificial sand beach in Madeira is Machico Beach, an expansive sandy haven ideal for those seeking to unwind and relax.
The Natural Pools of Porto Moniz are yet another gem in this Portuguese island’s impressive collection of attractions, widely regarded as the standout highlights of the island’s northern coastline.
Forged from volcanic activity, these remarkable pools were shaped by cooling lava over thousands of years, their unique natural formation enabling a continuous flow of fresh seawater to replenish them. At just three euros (£2.62) per person entry, visitors have described it as “a truly unique experience”.
One Tripadvisor reviewer enthused about the natural pools: “Wow factor, The water is crystal clear and you can see the volcanic surface and there are colourful tropical fish everywhere, really beautiful pool.”
Another unmissable destination on the island is Seixal Beach – a breathtaking natural black sand beach celebrated for its striking verdant backdrop, sheer cliffs and the magnificent cascading waterfall, Miradouro do Veu da Noiva, which tumbles directly into the sea in a truly spectacular fashion.
Funchal, the bustling historic capital of Madeira, is equally deserving of exploration, with the Old Town (Zona Velha), Monte Cable Car & Toboggan Ride, the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, and the Mercado dos Lavradores market all ranking amongst the most celebrated attractions this captivating city has to offer.
Virtually untouched since its discovery over five centuries ago in 1419, the Laurissilva of Madeira is a 20-million year old forest and UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its remarkable biodiversity, unique flora and fauna, and its ancient, mist-shrouded evergreen landscape that acts as a crucial ecological water source for the island.
Nestled within the Madeira Natural Park, a protected zone encompassing approximately two-thirds of the island’s land, a stroll through this forest offers visitors a genuinely extraordinary experience.
Pico do Areeiro – the island’s third-tallest peak and a prime spot for catching the sunrise – is another essential destination for anyone visiting this tropical haven, particularly hiking fans.
Indeed, the trek from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo provides an exhilarating mountain adventure in Madeira, linking the island’s three loftiest peaks whilst delivering breathtaking panoramic views.
No discussion of Madeira would be complete without mentioning its eponymous wine, with Funchal, the village of Câmara de Lobos, and the adjacent island of Porto Santo recognised as the premier locations for wine tastings and vineyard excursions.
Visitors can easily catch one of the daily ferries from Madeira to Porto Santo and spend a night or two on Madeira’s companion island, which is equally brimming with thrilling activities and spectacular scenery.
Madeira is a dazzling jewel hiding in plain sight, offering something special for every kind of traveller to discover.
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This walk near Bridlington boasts a stunning 3km woodland trail leading to a secluded pebble beach with towering white cliffs, creating a tranquil bay perfect for peaceful coastal walks
It’s so secluded there’s often ‘not another person in sight’(Image: Thomas Tolkein/Flickr)
Stretching across 184 acres, this woodland trail guides you to a stunning beach whilst offering abundant wildlife sightings throughout your journey.
Danes Dyke nature reserve in Bridlington boasts the Headland’s most extensive woodland area, with a pathway leading directly to the coastline.
This distinctive sea and cliff habitat has earned protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, whilst the woodland itself gained official Nature Reserve designation in 2002.
Nature Reserve Walk
Visitors can start by using the spacious Pay and Display car park, which accommodates up to 80 vehicles. Located off Flamborough Road in Bridlington, simply follow the brown tourist signs pointing towards Danes Dyke.
Keen ramblers often favour the 3km circular route starting from the car park, though numerous alternative paths and distances are available to suit your preferences.
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After meandering through approximately 1km of woodland, you’ll emerge at the beach, where sweeping vistas of the bay unfold before you.
One visitor shared on TripAdvisor: “You must visit Danes Dyke if you are visiting the area. Even the drive to it is eerie but magical, and the huge dyke itself is spectacular and steeped in history.”
They added: “You can just imagine how the Vikings tried to etch out the area to make it a land of their own. The beach is great too.”
Nestled within the woodland reserve lies a remarkable prehistoric earthwork, comprising a substantial bank and ditch that cuts through the landscape.
While unconfirmed, it’s thought to date back to the Iron Age, serving as a defensive structure that severed the Flamborough Headland.
Beach
Yet the true highlight of this excursion is undoubtedly the final stop, Danes Dyke Beach. The sand is reached via a tarmacked path that’s rather steep and has suffered damage from water and debris, requiring extra care when navigating.
The undisputed showstopper here is the towering white cliffs that dominate the predominantly shingle beach. They enclose the shoreline, confining it to its own sheltered bay, which explains its popularity amongst adventurers seeking solitude and peace.
Its secluded bay is reminiscent of the type of area once used for smuggling contraband, ferried in by vessels from the ocean. The surrounding Flamborough Head area does indeed boast a smuggling heritage, with its famous ‘smuggler’s caves’ situated at neighbouring Thornwick Bay.
One rambler said: “The day that my wife and I visited Danes Dyke, there was not another person in sight, just the two of us, with the waves crashing in and the sea salt from the spray in the air – pure magic.”
Another commented: “Lovely clean beach with a picturesque cliff line and white pebbles. A short walk from the car park. Great place for the dog to run. Hardly anyone about.”
Place to rest
The closest village to Danes Dyke is picturesque Sewerby, which boasts several traditional and welcoming pubs. Following a peaceful and leisurely stroll, you can tuck into hearty pub fare or pause for refreshments at The Ship Inn or The Old Forge, or even treat yourself to highly-rated fish and chips from Blu Savannah along the seafront.
The Ship Inn features a spacious beer garden perfect for summer months, which stretches towards the cliff edges. It’s built quite a name for itself with its range of cask ales and is renowned locally for staging various live music performances and beer festivals, making it an ideal spot to visit following a weekend ramble.
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The waterfall is hidden at the end of a woodland trail through birch, beech and oak trees – and it comes alive in winter
It may not be the biggest waterfall compared to the highlands but in autumn it’s surroundings are like no other(Image: Getty)
There’s something uniquely enchanting about winter in Britain that transforms an ordinary walk into something truly special.
Wandering through a forest filled with crisp frost making the trees look like their coated in fairy dust feels like stepping straight into the pages of a storybook.
But when this splendour meet the sight of cascading water, it creates a spectacle that’s utterly mesmerising and simply unmissable.
Fortunately for British adventurers, nestled amongst misty hillsides and tranquil footpaths lies a hidden treasure that seems almost otherworldly, where moments appear to drift by at a gentler pace.
That enchanting location is Craigie Linn waterfall, tucked just beyond Paisley near Glasgow. The pathway and waterfall sit within Glen Park, which forms part of the wider Gleniffer Braes Country Park.
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While it might not be amongst the world’s most colossal waterfalls, Craigie Linn’s setting makes it genuinely captivating. The natural wonder was created by and continues to be nourished by the Glen Burn, tumbling approximately eight metres, around 26 feet.
It may not compete with the towering waterfalls of the Highlands in scale. Yet, regarding ambience, particularly during autumn, it truly comes into its own.
The waterfall itself lies concealed at the conclusion of a compact trail, which guides you through birch, beech, and oak woodland.
Spotlighting this hidden treasure, Experience Scotland’s Wild on TikTok unveiled the waterfall to thousands of followers. The video opens: “Hidden near Paisley, there’s a magical little spot called Craigie Linn.
“It’s just a short stroll through the woods, and you’ll find this waterfall. It’s especially beautiful in autumn when the colours make it feel like a fairytale escape. It’s definitely worth checking out.”
The video has sparked considerable interest amongst potential visitors. One said: “Looks fabulous in colour. I love how it changes with the seasons.”
Another added: “Stunning. Added to the list!”.
Visitors should also remain alert for spectral apparitions and supernatural encounters.
Gleniffer Braes previously provided refuge for Scottish rebels, and local legend suggests their spirits can still be glimpsed on foggy evenings.
Getting to the waterfall is remarkably straightforward. Most people begin their journey from the “Car Park in the Sky”, officially known as Robertson Car Park in Gleniffer Braes, before following the marked woodland trails down towards the burn.
The route is brief and picturesque, with some steeper stretches as you make your way through the woodland.
For those relying on public transport, Paisley is readily accessible by train from Glasgow, and from the station, local bus services or taxis can bring you nearer to Glenburn or Glen Park.
Entry to the area is complimentary, though parking spaces can become scarce on pleasant weekends, making an early start advisable.
The trails can become boggy or treacherous following wet weather, so robust, waterproof boots are essential – and following rainfall, the waterfall reaches its most spectacular state, with water cascading over the rocks in a foaming torrent.
The beautiful UK town boasts a historic high street and riverside setting
‘Quiet’ UK town with one of the best high streets – but house prices are sky-high(Image: stevegeer via Getty Images)
From quaint Cotswold hamlets to coastal retreats, Britain boasts an array of beautiful towns. England harbours some of the nation’s most enchanting villages alongside numerous riverside treasures, including Marlow.
Situated in Buckinghamshire on London’s doorstep, Marlow’s characterful high street and charming location draw visitors nationwide, whilst retaining a peaceful atmosphere.
Nestled along a picturesque stretch of the Thames and embraced by the undulating Chiltern Hills, the town is recorded in the Domesday Book as an established community, prized for its rich soil and river access.
Subsequently, as a crossroads and commercial hub, it flourished and gained recognition for its malting and brewing industries.
During the 19th century, bridge construction enhanced Thames crossings, whilst the later arrival of rail links strengthened connectivity and spurred expansion, reports the Express.
Today, it stands as a prosperous residential and recreational haven celebrated for its waterside location, rowing traditions and exceptional culinary offerings.
Visitors will find abundant attractions and activities, from hiring rowing boats to picnicking at Higginson Park to admiring the distinctive Marlow Bridge.
The high street proves equally popular, drawing crowds with its delightful independent boutiques, art galleries and specialist retailers. Notable shops include Mint Velvet, Whistles, The White Company, Space NK, Waterstones, plus independent favourites such as The Cheese Shed, The Marlow Bookshop, and The Dresser. The Marlow Regatta and rowing traditions form the backbone of local life, with competitive rowing firmly embedded in the town’s sporting DNA.
Marlow also hosts regular markets where shoppers can discover local produce, including mouth-watering ice cream and artisan sourdough bread.
The town has earned a strong reputation for its culinary offerings, boasting award-winning pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants.
The Hand and Flowers stands as the town’s most renowned eatery, having made history as the first pub in Britain to secure two Michelin stars – an accolade it maintains to this day.
Run by celebrity chef Tom Kerridge, it transforms traditional British fare through sophisticated techniques and punchy flavours within a laid-back, upmarket gastropub atmosphere. That said, eating here requires deep pockets, with set Sunday lunch prices hovering around £195.
Property and living expenses typically exceed the national average, mirroring its appeal and convenient commuter location.
Average house prices in Marlow have reached £735,793 over the past year. Most properties changing hands in the town during this period were detached houses, fetching an average of £952,833.
Currently, more than 200 properties are available for purchase in the town, with the priciest listing commanding an eye-watering £11 million.
The town also benefits from proximity to Maidenhead and Bourne End, with excellent transport connections.
In TripAdvisor reviews highlighting the town’s top attractions, numerous visitors recommended a riverside walk along the suspension bridge. One user commented: “It’s so peaceful and relaxing. There’s even an ice cream van in the summer months.”
Another shared: “We go here all the time in summer. Lots to do and I’d recommend the Compleat Angler pub.”
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THE Canary Island favourite is always a good bet for sun as March arrives, with temperatures averaging in the low 20s.
The family-friendly 4-star Alexandre Gala near Playa de las Americas on the sun-drenched south-west coast has two outdoor pools, one of which is heated year-round.
Tenerife is always a good bet for sun as March arrives, with temperatures averaging in the low 20sCredit: Getty
As well as a buffet restaurant and two bars, there is a spa and sports facilities.
Its central location means it is close to the beach, bars and restaurants and just 1km from the Siam Park water park.
GO: Seven nights’ half-board at the Alexandre Gala is from £677pp including flights from Birmingham on March 4. See thomascook.com.
WARMING up nicely in March, Cyprus offers average highs of 20C.
Set on the beachfront of Kato Paphos, the 5-star Ivi Mare hotel is designed exclusively for adults.
Warming up nicely in March, Cyprus offers average highs of 20CCredit: Getty
There are three restaurants — buffet, Mediterranean and Japanese — as well as two bars, two outdoor freshwater pools and an indoor one.
There also a spa with sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi plus treatments for a pamper between sunbathing sessions.
GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the Ivi Mare is from £969pp including flights from Gatwick on March 2 and transfers. See easyjet.com/en/holidays and ivimarepaphos.com.
YOU are guaranteed tropical sunshine on the Caribbean coast of Mexico — and the all-inclusive 5-star AVA Resort Cancun makes the most of it, with all rooms and suites featuring panoramic ocean views.
The 2.8-acre beachfront lagoon is perfect for sailing, kayaking and paddleboarding, while another six pools offer more water fun.
You are guaranteed tropical sunshine on the Caribbean coast of MexicoCredit: Getty
There are nine fine-dining restaurants and eight casual options, including street food and ice cream salons.
There are also bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues.
GO: Seven nights’ all-inclusive is from £2,175pp, including flights from Gatwick on March 11 and transfers. See ba.com and avaresortcancun.com.
AGADIR’S beaches are a hit with surfers thanks to the year-round swells.
And with temperatures sizzling in the high 20s around now, there is no better place to kick back on a sunlounger with a beer.
Agadir’s beaches are a hit with surfers thanks to the year-round swellsCredit: Getty
At this time of year, stays at the 5-star Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay are a steal, with luxurious rooms overlooking the ocean, two outdoor pools and a sandy beach just a 1.4km stroll away.
While golf enthusiasts are getting in the swing at the on-site 18-hole course, those seeking relaxation can book in at the Moroccan-themed spa.
GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay is from £449pp with Luton flights on March 10. See loveholidays.co.uk.
ALL you will see from your room is blue at the 4-star Fuerteventura Princess, where four sprawling outdoor pools look on to the ocean.
Lush palm trees, volcanic mountains and hot weather make the island seem like a far-flung tropical escape, yet it is just a four-ish hour flight.
All you will see from your room is blue at the 4-star Fuerteventura Princess, where four sprawling outdoor pools look on to the oceanCredit: Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld
This is the only UK destination that has perfectly preserved city walls – and you can follow them all the way around
The pretty city has a long and rich history(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Tourists have hailed this city as a hidden gem brimming with breathtaking scenery and vibrant heritage, whilst being steeped in Roman, Norman and English history. A brief train ride from Manchester, Liverpool and North Wales, this city ranks amongst Britain’s most picturesque cities.
Chester has claimed the top spot for UK city breaks in 2026, and it’s easy to see why. The historic walled city offers an impressive 71% of its attractions rated four stars or above on TripAdvisor, paired with hotel prices averaging just £80 per night.
At £66 for a meal for two and £2.38 for a pint, it delivers a genuinely affordable weekend away without skimping on things to see and do. Roman ruins, Tudor-era architecture, and excellent shopping along the famous Rows make Chester a destination that punches well above its weight.
Its city walls provide a beautiful 45-minute walk around the city. The fortifications are the oldest, longest and most complete in Britain, parts of which are almost 2,000 years old.
The walk gives enchanting views into the city and gives a fantastic insight into Chester’s long history.
Visitors can journey through centuries past whilst strolling the city’s meandering streets and Roman Walls – Britain’s most intact example. No stranger to accolades, Chester additionally features the nation’s largest outlet village on its periphery, with vendors operating from a delightful 700-year-old medieval gallery.
Chester Cathedral exceeds 1,000 years in age, showcasing remarkable period architecture and exceptional medieval mosaics. The award-winning Tower Tour can gives stunning panoramic Cathedral vistas from its view points.
The tour revolves around climbing the Cathedral’s tower, which looks out over five counties – you can even see Wales on a clear day.
Families looking for an entertaining day trip can explore Chester Zoo, home to 35,000 creatures distributed throughout 128 acres of rainforests, caverns and marshlands. The zoo lately unveiled sunrise-view safari lodges for visitors wanting a more long-term experience.
The city’s stunning meandering lanes also boast a thriving café culture, with numerous independent establishments on offer. Venues such as Bean & Cole and Jaunty Goat serve as popular destinations for speciality coffee, whilst The Hollies Farm Shop stocks delicious regional fare.
For those considering a summer trip, Chester’s prize-winning racecourse hosts meetings between May and October, providing an excellent choice for some spirited entertainment.
Chester also serves as the backdrop for renowned soap Hollyoaks, with unforgettable moments like the heartbreaking death of Lily McQueen captured at Chester railway station. Devotees of the programme can enjoy guided walking tours for photography opportunities.
The city originated in AD 79 as a Roman fortress, and prospered through commerce along the River Dee. Today, visitors can enjoy a more leisurely evening on a sightseeing cruise of Chester by boat, or participate in a themed evening voyage down the Dee.
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A charming fishing village on the coast of one of the UK’s most beautiful regions is the epitome of rural tranquillity – and it’s a true hidden gem
It’s an outstanding gem hiding in plain sight(Image: David Clapp via Getty Images)
Whilst Cornwall’s reputation for harbouring breathtaking villages is well established, with each seemingly more enchanting than the next, one particular hidden treasure manages to shine even amongst the county’s most impressive offerings. This delightful fishing village, nestled within the Lizard Peninsula between The Lizard and Coverack, is a picture-perfect hamlet cradled by a stunning shingle cove, with roots stretching back to medieval times when it consisted of little more than a handful of fish cellars.
Celebrated for its charming and historic character, the village appears “lost in time” – a quintessential fishing settlement where little has altered through the decades. It features picturesque clusters of thatched cottages and a modest yet impressive fleet of colourful and vibrant fishing boats that are hauled up onto its shingle beach and remain in active use.
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Famous for its rugged coastline, golden beaches, picture-perfect villages and rich maritime heritage, Cornwall is one of the most-visited corner of the UK. Sykes Cottages has a large number of holiday homes to choose from, with prices from £36 per night.
History of this coastal treasure
The village’s name derives from the Cornish term for “a thicket” and literally means “battle of trees”, most probably owing to the densely wooded valley in which it sits.
Originally known as Porthcaswydh, which later evolved into Por Cadjwydh, this gorgeous fishing hamlet is now called Cadgwith, reports the Express.
Developing from its modest fish cellar beginnings, the 16th century witnessed Cadgwith welcoming permanent residents, whilst fishing continued to be the primary occupation for those who lived there.
Homes, cellars, lofts, and capstan houses were gradually constructed using local stone and cob walls, whilst the distinctive thatched rooftops were erected along the shoreline and hillsides of the valley, lending Cadgwith its unmistakable “Cornish fishing village” charm.
Breathtaking scenery and terrain
Nestled within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), rebranded in 2023 as National Landscapes, Cadgwith boasts two beaches divided by a headland known as The Todden, which visitors are free to explore on foot.
The shingle beach, the larger of the pair, sits to the north-east and is widely recognised as Cadgwith Cove – a bustling hub where local fishermen are known to ply their trade.
The second beach, a blend of sizeable boulders and sand, lies to the south-west and goes by the name of Little Cove or Little Beach – an unspoilt retreat beloved by residents and holidaymakers alike for swimming, snorkelling, rock pooling, and diving.
Such is the breathtaking beauty of Cadgwith’s coastal scenery that it served as a backdrop for the 2003 film Ladies in Lavender, starring Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith. More recently, it was revealed that HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series will be shooting scenes at Cadgwith Beach and its beloved local watering hole, Cadgwith Cove Inn, in October 2025.
What to see and do in this coastal gem
No trip to this stunning Cornish hamlet would be complete without a visit to the much-loved Cadgwith Cove Inn. This charming 300 year old watering hole exudes a wonderfully warm and welcoming ambience, regularly hosting folk music evenings featuring the renowned Cadgwith Singers, making it the ideal spot for weary travellers seeking a wholesome Cornish meal and a refreshing pint.
Dishing up the freshest seafood – hardly surprising given its coastal location – this cherished establishment has garnered glowing praise on Tripadvisor. One delighted regular commented: “Cadgwith has a special magic about it, and its heart is the Cadgwith Cove Inn. I guess you’d call us regulars – we try to get here a couple of times every year, and have done for the last six years or so. If only it could be more often! Cadgwith has a special ability to make the troubles of life melt away when you drive down the hill into the village, and the Inn is truly special at the heart of that magic.
“Fridays see the Cadgwith Singers do their things with their sea shanties, and it is truly the best start to a week down here. But any day of the week this place has a special blend of people and place which is truly unique. The beer is great, and the food is better. What more could you ask for?”
Another essential stop in Cadgwith is The Old Cellars Restaurant, hailed as “a true Cornish treasure” positioned directly on the village’s fishing beach. This family-run café also offers alcoholic beverages and has earned its reputation for outstanding seafood offerings, particularly prawn sandwiches, locally sourced crab, fresh lobster, and hot paninis.
Boasting a delightful cobbled courtyard with breathtaking sea vistas, The Old Cellars Restaurant has become a local favourite. One reviewer says of the joint: “What an absolutely beautiful little gem in a stunning village, we had a traditional cream tea and it was delicious, lovely courtyard seating and friendly and welcoming staff, well worth a visit.”
During the summer season, Cadgwith draws plenty of visitors, with its swimming beach providing the perfect location for a cooling plunge whilst the fishing beach offers an excellent vantage point to observe fishermen in action as they land their daily haul. It’s important to note that whilst dogs are welcome throughout most of the year, four-legged friends are prohibited from Little Cove between July 1 and August 31 from 10am to 6pm.
The South West Coast Path winds through Cadgwith, and just a short distance north of the hamlet lies The Devil’s Frying Pan – a massive 100-metre deep crater in the cliffs created when a sea cave’s roof caved in, leaving behind the breathtaking rocky arch jutting into the ocean. Whilst this dramatic coastal spectacle alone justifies a journey to Cadgwith, the village is fortunately packed with numerous other attractions.
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This beautiful city is considered one of Europe’s sunniest destinations, with direct flights from the UK starting from as little as £20
The European city offers the perfect winter escape(Image: Getty Images)
Britain’s dreary weather has us fantasising about a sunshine-filled break, and there’s one European destination that ranks amongst the warmest spots to visit in March, boasting pleasant 21C temperatures.
At this point in the calendar, it’s tempting to believe we must splash out on a lengthy long-haul journey to some far-flung tropical paradise to soak up scorching heat. However, several mild European locations deliver welcoming sunshine during Britain’s chillier months, including the stunning Spanish city of Seville.
Under three hours from Britain, Andalusia’s capital features delightful narrow lanes adorned with orange trees, magnificent Moorish-influenced architecture and celebrated landmarks that prove just as breathtaking in reality as in photographs. Seville holds the distinction of being amongst Europe’s sunniest cities, blessed with sunshine throughout the year.
There’s no shortage of activities and attractions during a Seville getaway, though its architecture remains a particular highlight. Among its most renowned is the Alcázar of Seville, the city’s Royal Palace, showcasing Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque influences, which famously appeared in Game of Thrones.
Another must-see is the Catedral de Sevilla, amongst the world’s largest cathedrals, boasting a royal chapel and the Giralda tower, which provides sweeping vistas across the vibrant city. The Setas de Sevilla, nicknamed the ‘Mushrooms of Seville’, is another eye-catching monument – a massive timber structure featuring a rooftop walkway that’s become a popular spot for visitors hoping to catch Seville’s stunning sunset.
The sun-drenched city also offers Santa Cruz, the historic Jewish quarter characterised by blossom-lined streets and golden buildings, alongside Seville’s celebrated Parque de María Luisa, which runs alongside the peaceful Guadalquivir River. One of the city’s most iconic spots is the renowned Plaza de España, situated within Maria Luisa park, which features a moat crossed by four bridges representing Spain’s ancient kingdoms, plus 52 tiled benches depicting different Spanish provinces.
A visitor who explored Plaza de España last month wrote on TripAdvisor: “This is a beautiful place, the buildings are immense, the history amazing, and the atmosphere is superb. I visited twice on our recent trip once early morning and I was the only person and once on a sunny afternoon with my wife. The difference in feelings was great, but both were unforgettable experiences. A must when visiting Seville.”
Wandering through this stunning city is effortless, with its iconic architecture and rich heritage seamlessly woven into its lively, acclaimed culture. Visitors can also enjoy authentic Flamenco performances and experience the buzzing nightlife, whilst welcoming eateries serve up Spain’s finest culinary offerings through their famous tapas, and bars pour their distinctive orange wine.
Whilst summer temperatures can be blistering, particularly when sightseeing, a trip during the opening months of the year brings pleasant 21C warmth, making it a perfect winter getaway. What’s more, direct flights from London airports kick off at just £20 – what’s not to love?
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The cheapest European destination has been revealed for the Easter holidays, with golden sand beaches, sun-soaked rays and a charming town, for a fraction of the price
A beautiful coastal town is the ‘cheapest place to visit’ for an Easter getaway(Image: Getty Images)
A beautiful town with golden-sand beaches and clear turquoise waters offers the best bang for your buck with £2 pints and a balmy 25C during the Easter holidays.
The resort town of Marmaris, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, has been named the cheapest destination for a European escape during the Easter holidays. With sprawling beaches, scenic marinas and mountainous landscapes, it’s just over four hours from the UK, and is half the price of a trip to Paris during the same time.
When it comes to an affordable European getaway, thoughts can often turn to Paris, due to its convenient location, less than three hours from the UK by Eurostar or a swift flight that takes just over 90 minutes. While it’s a quick journey, the cost of a stay in the ‘City of Light’ can quickly rack up.
In fact, Which? revealed that Paris is the most expensive short-haul city break destination you could choose over Easter, setting you back on average, £1,310 per person. Meanwhile, after comparing more than 3,000 package holidays during the busy travel period, the travel experts found that Marmaris offered the cheapest Easter holiday this year.
According to Which?, a stay at the sun-soaked city would cost an average of £594 per person for a seven-night package – half the cost of a trip to Paris! What’s more, Marmaris can reach highs of 25C in April, compared to 16C in Paris.
Often dubbed the ‘King of the coast’, Marmaris is a haven for those seeking an escape in the blistering heat and days spent at their sprawling sand beaches, which are undoubtedly a big draw to Brits. One of the most popular is Marmaris Long Beach (Uzunyali), stretching 4km near the city centre and lined with restaurants and bars, with a selection of water sports on offer.
There’s also Icmeler Beach with calm, azure waters and a relaxed atmosphere, and Turunç Beach with pebbly shores and crystal-clear waters, just a short drive from the city centre. For those feeling a little more adventurous, they can take a short boat ride to the stunning Sedir Island, also known as Cleopatra Island, for a slice of paradise, with its soft white sand and ancient ruins.
The Marmaris coast is dotted with luxurious resorts catering to all holidaymakers, including those looking for a stress-free family getaway with a range of activities and swimming pools to keep the little ones entertained. There’s also plenty to do away from the shores, including snorkelling boat trips, jeep safaris and a visit to the Atlantis Waterpark, which kids will love!
The charming town of Marmaris is also worth exploring, with its lively Grand Bazaar, 16th-century castle, and dancing fountain. There are plenty of bars, cafés and restaurants in the area, including its famed Bar Street, along with shops to pick up a souvenir or two!
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
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AUDLEY End is home to family-favourite miniature railway that has been running for 60 years.
It’s now announced a new electric steam locomotive – which is the first-of-its kind in the country.
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A new fully electric steam-outline locomotive will come to Audley EndCredit: Audley End RailwayThe miniature railway is on the grounds of Audley End HouseCredit: Alamy
The team behind Audley End Enchanted Railway in Essex has announced that a “brand-new fully electric steam-outline locomotive” will be joining its fleet.
The electric steam locomotive will be the first-of-its-kind in the UK and visitors can hop onboard from March 17, 2026.
The new train, nicknamed part of the “Steamless Revolution” will combine timeless railway romance with cutting-edge green technology.
The miniature train will be fully electric, but designed to look and sound like a traditional scale steam engine.
Other locomotives at Audley End include Electra which was introduced on the 60-year anniversary.
Henrietta Jane is its long-standing diesel train and Robin, which is a diesel engine.
The attraction that has been open for more than six decades takes visitors along a mile and a half journey through Fulfen Forest on the Audley End estate.
Visitors can head along to Woodland Adventure Days from March 17, when the miniature railway reopens for the season, until October 4, 2026.
Families can hop onboard the train, but also explore themed play areas, hunt for hidden forest treasures, go on a fairy or elf walk, and join in eco-crafts.
Adults can take a pit-stop at the Woodland Café for a hot drink, and pick up a bite to eat there too.
A small fleet of trains run through Fulfen Forest on the Audley End estateCredit: Audley End Railway
The menu changes seasonally but visitors can pick up sandwiches, jacket potatoes, pizza, pies, salads and ice cream which can be enjoyed at one of the picnic tables on the grounds.
Throughout the year are seasonal events like Mother’s Day Weekend, Easter Special, and the Summer Festival with live music and dancing.
Later in the year is the Halloween Spooky Special and Christmas events.
Prices vary from free to £20.50 depending on dates, times and events.
Audley End itself isa 17th-century Jacobean country mansion in Saffron Walden, managed by English Heritage
It’s managed by English Heritage and visitors can go back in time to see how a great house worked in the past.
In the 1830s nursery, kids can try on costumes and play with replica toys.
Upstairs in the Coal Gallery, see how servants kept the house stocked with coal and hot water.
The Service Wing offers a unique insight into life ‘below stairs’ during the 1880s.
Audley End is on the outskirts of Saffron Walden, which in 2025 was declared the UK’s ‘best place to live’.
The Timeshas declared Saffron Walden as their winnerbased onschools,transport,broadbandspeed, mobile signal to culture, green spaces and high street health.
“Before I boarded the train for my weekend break, Essex conjured up images of Gemma Collins rather than a refined getaway.
“So it was a pleasant surprise to arrive at our cottage set in the splendour of Audley End House and Gardens, just outside Saffron Walden.
“If you are looking for a place to get away from it all, it’s perfect. Arriving after dark, we explored the handsome red brick property – formerly the Victorian Gardener’s House – and it seemed to be gloriously isolated.
“So, flinging open the curtains the next morning, I was slightly surprised to see an elderly couple taking a stroll outside the window.
“Turns out the cottage is not just on the estate – but in the middle of it.
“While Audley End House is a splendid Jacobean mansion, cared for by English Heritage, a £1.25million refurbishment has transformed the former Gardener’s House.
“If you have kids, you can watch them enjoy the adventure playground through the window.
“Refreshed after a night’s sleep, we explored the estate. The 17th-century manor has been visited by everyone from Elizabeth I to screen royalty Olivia Colman, who filmed scenes from the Netflix hit The Crown at the house.”
The first occasion, I spotted my mistake on the train to the airport just one stop from home and was able to make a quick return.
The second time, I was AT the airport before I realised my mistake.
Cue getting my husband out of bed and handing over the correct passport to a taxi driver who sped to the airport and passed it through the car window as I shoved £60 cash into his hands!
– Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
Wrong season clothes in New Zealand
My three months backpacking was one of my first big trips by myself, ready to explore Southeast Asia.
Packing just shorts and bikinis, I forgot to check the weather at my first stop – New Zealand.
Rocking up to Auckland in weather colder than the UK, I quickly realised I was going to struggle by the time we hit the ski town of Franz Josef.
My strict budget was eaten into when I had to invest in warm trousers and thick jumpers, costing a lot more than they would have in the UK and spending about NZ$120 (£53) in the end.
Safe to say I learned to check Met Office before going abroad.
– Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Scam Egypt tours
On my recent visit to Hurghada, I was expecting great things from the activities I had planned, having trawled through a generally positive mass of reviews on TripAdvisor and Google.
Sadly, these experiences turned out to be far from what was promised – dangerous transfers, private tours turned into large group ones and back alley services that pushed me way out of my comfort zone.
By tour three, I’d come to expect the unexpected and was so fed up, I asked to leave early – meaning I lost out on all the money I’d splashed for a dinner in the desert.
Of course, not all Hurghada excursions are like this. This area is known for its impressive coral reefs and windsurfing – and there are some cracking experiences you can book.
The best way to know you’re getting what you paid for is by going off recommendation.
Keep an eye on the price, too. If it seems too good to be true, with maddeningly cheap prices, it probably is.
And if that fails, scrutinise the reviews with a harsh eye. If they are listed as 5* but the review is very short and vague, it’s likely a false one.
That way you can ensure you’re not spending over the odds on something that’s no where near up to scratch. Pay cheap, pay twice.
– Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
Scams are common in Egypt unless you are carefulCredit: Alamy
Holding credit card fees in America
Sometimes you come across a bargain hotel deal that looks too good to be true – and sadly, sometimes it is.
When travelling across California in a group of three broke students, I was of course scouring the internet for the absolute cheapest hotels I could find.
I stumbled across a Sheraton hotel for our stop at LAX – a spacious room for 3 for just $60 (£44.50) each for the night was a bargain deal, plus I’d heard of the hotel chain before. All seemed well.
But in gunning for a bargain I’d missed the T&Cs of the stay, so when I was charged a $100 (£74) deposit for the night I was shocked to say the least.
$100 is an awful lot to a group of backpackers coming towards the end of their trip, and although you get your money back, I didn’t receive it back in my bank account until I was home in the UK.
Now I always make sure to scan the small print before booking a stay.
– Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter
Remember the credit card rules when in the USCredit: Getty
Roaming fee mistake in Switzerland
We all know about roaming charges since we left the EU – or so I thought.
My current contract allows me to use my phone for free across Europe.
Yet I completely forgot that Switzerland is not included in this, being part of the EEA instead of the EU.
My trip ended with a very expensive £50 phone bill after I arrived and forgot to turn it off.
Makes sure to always include a cap in your contract for out of service charges.
Without this, I wouldn’t have been alerted to hitting my £50 limit, and it could have run into hundreds.
– Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Check your roaming rules before you goCredit: Getty
Poor haggling in Morocco
It can be nerve-wracking to say the least heading into the markets to haggle for goods on holiday. Even if you’ve done your research and know how to bargain, it doesn’t make the reality of the moment any easier.
I knew I wanted to come home with a piece of jewellery to remember my holiday in Morocco’s Fes, so I headed into a shop glimmering with silver and gold handmade pieces.
A beautiful gold bracelet with a giant sage-coloured stone soon caught my eye, and the shopkeeper quickly noticed my interest. Before I knew it, I was having the bracelet fitted onto my wrist.
Facing the shopkeeper’s eager grin, I knew I’d gotten myself into the exact situation I’d been wanting to avoid. “1,100 MAD” I was quoted, which is about £90.
“I only have 400 MAD” I replied, and soon found myself paying 40 Great British pounds for a bracelet I was scared to search for on Temu in case I saw it pop up.
My moral of the story? Don’t be afraid to come in with an initial offer that feels almost unreasonably low – and don’t be afraid to simply leave the shop, either.
– Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter
You can get a bargain in Morocco – as long as you haggle rightCredit: Alamy
Sneaky Wizz Air boarding fees
When you fly, checking in doesn’t seem like the most urgent thing when you know you can do it at the airport.
But with Wizz Air you have a window where you must check-in online, and if you miss it – well, you have to check in at the airport for fee.
This set me back around £40 and all they did was print off my boarding pass…
To avoid, make sure to set up a reminder on your phone for when the check in window opens.
– Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter
Wizz Air has some sneaky rules to know regarding your boarding passCredit: Getty
A QUAINT village on the outskirts of Oxford has become a town – nearly 40 years after first applying.
Kidlington, which is one of the largest villages in England and sits close to the Cotswolds, first attempted to change into a town in 1988, although this was voted against at the time.
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Oxford Canal runs through Kidlington village, which will soon become a townCredit: Alamy
According to theBBC, the recent decision behind the status update comes after the government made changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and National Policing Guarantee last year.
As a result of those changes, towns can get extra protections, especially when it comes to both planning and policing.
Now as a town, Kidlington is also looking to build new houses that could see it rise from 13,600 residents to between 30,00 and 40,000.
Baz Daniels, a resident for more than 20 years, said at the time: “Kidlington is apparently being marketed by Chinese tourist agencies as a beautiful English village on the way to Bicester Village shopping centre.
“Many of the visitors live in cities and love to see things like the hanging baskets and little flowers in people’s gardens.”
When it comes to visiting nowadays, the quaint village-now-town boasts a 13th century church with a 220-foot spire and a number of pubs, such as The Black Horse, The Jolly Boatman and The Turnpike.
In one pub, The Black Bull, you can grab two cocktails for a tenner or head to monthly bingo events.
One visitor said: “The Black Bull is the best pub in Kidlington by far.
“Always such a good atmosphere – if you’ve not visited yet I would highly recommend you do.”
The Oxford Canal, which was completed in 1790, also runs through the village.
From south Kidlington to the canal’s end in Oxford, it runs alongside the River Cherwell making it a scenic walk in the village.
In in the surrounding area, just a nine-minute drive away, you will find Blenheim Palace as well, which is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
The palace is surrounded by 2,000 acres of gardens to explore and inside the palace itself, visitors can explore the State Rooms and a Churchill exhibition.
Of course, the picturesque university city of Oxford is just down the road too, where you can explore historic buildings such as the Bodleian Library or head to the thriving Covered Market.
And the village is just a nine-minute drive from Blenheim PalaceCredit: AlamyThe village features a church with a 220-foot spireCredit: Alamy
The Parish Council had previously tried to get town status in 1988, but residents voted for it to stay a village.
But this time round, Councillor Melanie Moorhouse asserted the decision “doesn’t mean that anyone has to start calling it a town – people can still say they’re going to the village”.
She added: “Our hope is very much that it will not change our community – it will in fact secure our very much community identity.”
Councillor Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council added: “Our proposal aims to better tailor services to meet the needs of local residents, and empowering town and parish councils across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire is an important part of that.”
Despite this, some locals are still not happy about the change.
One person commented on Facebook: “To me as an oldie and lived here all my life it will always be a village.”
Another added: “I will never call it a town!”
In other UK village news, here are five pretty English villages that will make you feel like you’re in The Holiday with cosy pubs and cottages.
