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A MAJOR London road and tourist destination will be permanently pedestrianised.

Camden High Street will be fully pedestrianised following a year-and-a-half trial.

The high street is a well-known tourist destination in the capital, being home to the historic Camden Market – which around 250,000 people visit every week.

Camden High Street has been temporarily pedestrianised since last May from outside the tube station up to The Elephant’s Head pub.

Eventually, the pedestrianisation could be extended up to Camden Lock Bridge.

Following a consultation, 57 per cent of respondents said that they wanted the street to be pedestrianised permanently.

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Councillor James Slater said: “Camden Town is an important shopping and transport hub for local residents as well as being an internationally recognised destination that draws people in from across London, the rest of the UK, and the world.

“After 18 months, we asked this summer whether you wanted to see the pedestrianisation become permanent.

“Based on our consultation and the positive outcomes we have seen, we have made the decision to make it permanent.”

He added: “Better bus journeys around Camden Town are very important to us – that’s why we will be introducing a trial bus lane on Kentish Town Road with the aim of speeding up northbound bus journeys.

“We will also be introducing additional new community safety patrols as part of a £1 million investment in Community Safety Officer patrols around Camden’s town centres.

“We also heard that many of you are open to the idea of the pedestrianisation being extended over Camden Lock Bridge towards the junction with Chalk Farm Road.

“We will therefore be developing and testing a design for a potential extension over the next few months, and we will publish further information next spring to seek your views on it.”

It comes after the UK’s busiest street – Oxford Street – was pedestrianised yesterday.

The pedestrianised section stretches over half a mile.

Future plans will see more trees added to the street, as well as seating areas and two public squares.

Blue Badge holders travelling in Europe can now park in a major holiday hotspot, thanks to an agreement between the Department for Transport and Ministry of Disabilities

British holidaymakers with Blue Badges can now use it in a major holiday hotspot. The disabled parking permit assists people with severe mobility issues or hidden disabilities to park nearer to their destinations. It covers both drivers and passengers.

Now the Department of Transport has struck a deal with Italian authorities so the paperwork can be used in the boot-shaped country.

It builds on a similar arrangement agreed with France, where Brits have been using their permits since August last year. Work is ongoing with Spain to explore similar arrangements for Blue badge holders. Italian visitors travelling to the UK will also benefit, with Italy’s disabled parking permits to be recognised here.

Roads Minister Justin Madders said: “Disabled people shouldn’t have to worry about whether their parking permit will be recognised when travelling abroad. These new arrangements with Italy mean Blue Badge holders can relax and enjoy their trip, with easier access to reserved parking and exemptions from charges, whether they’re travelling for a holiday, visiting family or for work.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The definitive status of Blue Badge recognition across European Union nations – together with key neighbouring non-EU countries – falls into several distinct categories.

The Blue Badge is fully or partially recognised in the following countries:

• Austria — Fully
• Belgium —Fully
• Croatia — Fully
• Cyprus — Fully
• Czech Republic — Fully
• Denmark — Fully
• Estonia — Fully
• Finland — Fully
• France — Fully
• Germany —Fully
• Greece — Accepts non-EU parking cards
• Hungary — Fully
• Iceland — Accepts non-EU parking cards
• Ireland — Fully
• Italy —Fully
• Latvia — Fully
• Liechtenstein — Fully
• Lithuania —Fully
• Luxembourg — Accepts non-EU parking cards
• Malta — Fully
• Netherlands — Fully
• Norway — Fully
• Poland — Fully
• Portugal —Fully
• Romania —Fully
• Slovakia — Fully
• Slovenia — May not recognise non-EU-issued parking cards
• Spain (including Balearic and Canary Isles) — UK Blue Badge recognition decided by local administrations
• Sweden — Fully
• Switzerland — Fully

The DfT cautions that even in nations where the badge is recognised, disabled parking regulations can shift quickly or differ between towns. To steer clear of hefty penalties or vehicle removal, travellers should consult local tourist information centres or local authorities before departing.

Certain countries demand a local parking notice or clock disc be shown alongside the Blue Badge. The DfT also suggests carrying a doctor’s letter or a translated version of your Blue Badge, particularly when entering countries with stricter enforcement policies.

When parking you should always:

• look for any signage indicating disabled parking spaces
• make sure that your Blue Badge is displayed correctly and that you comply with any additional requirements, such as displaying a parking disc in countries such as Denmark

A recent Times review of the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center declares that the Endeavour space shuttle — displayed for the first time ever in launch position — “is, simply put, one of the greatest artifacts ever installed in a museum.”

While it may be true that visitors will flock to L.A.’s newest cultural haven just to see the shuttle, the 200,000-square-foot addition to the California Science Center contains plenty of other mind-melting artifacts to gawk at — especially if you’re an aerospace buff. If you’ve read Tom Wolfe’s riveting 1979 book “The Right Stuff” (or seen the movie) about the early years of NASA’s space program, you’ll likely feel downright starstruck when confronted with iconic pieces of history ripped straight from its pages.

But there’s much more than history at this tech-forward new museum. This list of must-see artifacts reminds us of all we know about air and space, and all we don’t — as well as the many novel and ingenious ways we continue to work toward fresh discoveries.

Hands-on experiences dominate the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, where encountering artifacts that highlight aerospace history is on equal footing with learning about its future.

The many interactive exhibits that dot the new building’s 200,000 square feet of gallery space are geared to entice and educate people of all ages. But kids will be especially intrigued. The center’s leaders, including Science Center President and Chief Executive Jeffrey Rudolph and Ken Phillips, curator of aerospace science, said during a recent tour that in many ways the museum is meant for kids. It’s not a childish place, but it does produce childlike wonder. It’s hard to remain cynical when you’re surrounded by physical evidence of the vast nature of the universe.

The sheer scale of it hits you all at once. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you step into the museum, with its planes hanging from the ceiling and its rockets jutting through the floors. This list of the best interactive exhibits on offer will help you plan a successful visit in advance. Just be sure to brace yourself for your children’s inevitable wails when you try to pull them away.

And expect lines — these experiences are likely to be in high demand.

A commercial airline pilot told the Mirror that falling asleep in the cockpit was common due to the long hours that aviators are required to work, following a damning European Cockpit Association report

Pilots are falling asleep in the cockpit because they’re so overworked, a damning new report claims. A survey of 7,200 pilots commissioned by the European Cockpit Association (ECA) warned of tiredness leading to “micro-sleeps in the cockpit”. One pilot told the Mirror that falling asleep while flying was common, but claimed that aviation insiders ‘do not care’.

The ECA has argued that there was “insufficient rest to prevent cumulative fatigue” and flight duties extended “beyond legal maximums”. The report suggests fatigue is “underreported across the industry”. “Airlines’ reporting systems are often seen as neither effective nor trusted, and a substantial share of pilots fly fatigued because of fear of a punitive reaction from their airline,” it noted, warning that the situation was particularly bad at low-cost airlines.

Ireland and Malta were identified as countries where the problem is particularly bad, but overall, more than three out of four pilots (77%) reported at least one microsleep while operating an aircraft in the four weeks before completing the survey.

One commercial airline pilot, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Mirror that he’d fallen asleep in the cockpit “many times”. “I have the responsibility of 234 souls, and I can legally work up to 14 hours straight, not including the repositioning. But after many years I realised nobody cares because, at the end of the day, no airplanes are falling from the sky,” he said.

“After many nights in-flight, you experience microsleeps from a few seconds up to two to three minutes, but you do not realise and it’s subtle because you might seem to be aware, but you are technically sleeping. It impairs your situational awareness and your judgment ability. But…as I said, nobody cares.”

Only 37% of those surveyed said that they report unfit when fatigued, while 24% confirmed flying when tired. Almost two in five reported a fear of punishment or a “retaliatory response” to reporting fatigue.

ECA president Captain Tanja Harter said: “The numbers in this report – and the lack of any meaningful improvement over the past three years – are a clear wake-up call for airlines, authorities and the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Something must change in the way Europe deals with pilot fatigue.”

BALPA, the British Airline Pilots Association, said the survey’s results were worrying and should lead to action. Joji Waites, BALPA director of flight safety, policy and regulation, said “The ECA’s survey of almost 7,200 pilots is a clear safety signal. That 24% of pilots usually continue flying rather than report themselves unfit due to fatigue is a concern. Aviation is the safest mode of transport through pilots’ expertise and professionalism in tandem with other aviation professionals; however, fatigue remains one of the most significant threats. Safety margins cannot hold if pilots are routinely rostered to the upper limits of their flight and duty time limitations (FTL).

“With almost half of pilots fearing repercussions for reporting fatigue, we fully support ECA’s call for EASA to strengthen fatigue rules and enforce non-punitive reporting and responsible calls on the use of commander’s discretion.

“BALPA thanks the ECA for the considerable work involved in gathering this data. We are still running our Realtime fatigue app to collect actionable intelligence on UK pilot fatigue, so combined with the ECA’s findings, we can create a clear picture of pilot fatigue, which will be fed into the CAA’s ongoing FTL review.”

One minute I’m cycling through an expansive dusty pink stretch of heathland with sloping sand dunes in the distant horizon, the next I’m winding through a fragrant Scots pine forest as sunlight filters through the branches of red-barked trees to make a kaleidoscope of white shapes on the trail floor ahead.

I’m in Hoge Veluwe National Park, a 5,400 hectare (13,000 acre) nature reserve in Gelderland, about an hour and a half from Amsterdam. It’s crisscrossed by 25 miles (40km) of cycling paths, and around 2,000 free-to-use white bikes are available for visitors to explore the ever-changing scenery.

I’ve been flitting back and forth to the Netherlands for years and have lost count of the times friends there have raved about the park and the wider Veluwe region, a forest-rich ridge of hills and diverse landscapes, stretching 37 miles, north to south. Finally I’ve come to see for myself and explore on foot and on two wheels over a few days – adding in a dash of culture at some of its historic towns and museums too.

My trip starts at Natuurcentrum De Ginkel, a charming nature and visitor centre near Ede outside Arnhem. Here I meet nature guide Hanna Pol who takes me into the forest. “Veluwe is very biodiverse,” says Pol quietly as we walk past verdant oak, pine and birch. Trees with autumnal tawny-coloured leaves line one side of the path and wildflowers, with pops of bright yellow sunflowers and vivid red poppies, the other. Pol reels off some of the wildlife here: roe deer, five types of woodpecker, beavers, wild boar and wolves. As we crunch through a carpet of fallen leaves, we spy a small brown frog on a log, a woodpecker dancing around a tree, and the outline of two rust-red deers in the distance.

We make our way to the wildlife observation area, an enclosed building with curved windows and a theatre-style set of wooden chairs. “The deer pass this way every night to eat,” says Pol. “Once we saw a really big fight break out.” She’s seen wolves too – they returned to the country in 2015 after about 150 years and it’s a controversial topic, with farmers worried about their livestock. We don’t see the elusive creatures, just a solitary bright white buzzard perching on a tree. On the shelves behind us, an assortment of skeletal remains includes antlers, skulls, the teeth of a wild boar and the foot of a deer.

That night I stay in a stylish and sleek cabin with floor-to-ceiling views of the forest at Buitenplaats Petersburg on the edge of the park. It’s a peaceful haven of lodges with fairy lights strung around the woods and an enchanting Italian restaurant, Il Lupo, with an outdoor terrace.

Besides its unspoilt natural wonders, Veluwe has plenty of other attractions. I visit Paleis Het Loo, a 17th-century royal palace in Apeldoorn, once the summer residence and hunting lodge of William of Orange III and his wife Princess Mary II Stuart. It’s an impressive building with ornate rooms, a staircase with the second biggest mural in the Netherlands, formal symmetrical gardens and an underground museum which tells the story of the Dutch royal family.

Hotel de Echoput, a family-run modern hotel nearby, surrounded by the forest, is my home for the night. Its Grand Bistro Echo is a treat, with a menu that focuses on local ingredients – I enjoy fried mushrooms with a creamy Dordogne sauce and a vegan cheesecake with basil and white chocolate.

The next morning, after a brisk walk in the woods with barely a soul around, I visit the historic Hanseactic city of Harderwijk, on the shores of Wolderwijd lake. I wander the narrow cobblestone streets, medieval city walls and Old Town Hall with guide Marianne van Limbeek. “Harderwijk means hiding place for shepherds,” she tells me. We bump into Hendrik Kaper, a local street organist wearing a flat cap who treats us to a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody on his portable wooden organ.

But it’s in Hoge Veluwe national park that I find the greatest sense of serenity – though one day a small adder with a dark zigzag stripe stops me in my tracks. Come outside peak times, as I have, and you might have some of the trails to yourself.

Within the park lies Kröller-Müller Museum, a revered national art museum and sculpture garden founded by art collector Helene Kröller-Müller, who along with her husband, shipping magnate Anton Kröller, bought vast amounts of land in Veluwe (their private estate was later donated to the state). My timing is great as all 88 of its Vincent van Gogh paintings are on show together for the first time since 1984 (until 3 January).

The sculpture park is one of the largest in Europe, and I stroll around the surrounding open grass and into the forest and stumble across various artworks (there are about 200 pieces dotted around). A short cycle away is Jachthuis Sint Hubertus, the former country residence of the Kröller-Müller family with a watchtower more than 30m tall (apparently Helene loved afternoon tea at such lofty heights) surrounded by a lake with a very athletic bunch of jumping carp.

I stop at Restaurant De Hoge Veluwe at Park Paviljoen for an early pasta dinner on the terrace before the sky turns a moody grey and rain looks imminent. Fortunately it’s only a 15-minute cycle to Otterlo, a pretty village with clusters of fairy lights and bunting decorating red brick houses and Vakantieoord Het Lorkenbos, a charming holiday park surrounded by trees. My bungalow is cute and, feeling as if I’m in a twinkling winter wonderland, I light a candle and look up the Dutch word for cosy. It’s gezellig – a perfect description of how I feel after my nourishing break in this wild and restorative part of the Netherlands.

The trip was arranged by Visit Veluwe. Entrance to Hoge Veluwe national park €13.85 per adult. Cabins at Buitenplaats Petersburg from €110. Camping at Het Lorkenbos from €23 a night, bungalows from €320 for two nights. Double rooms at De Echoput from €169. Omio provided train travel: Eurostar runs from London to Amsterdam

The new route gives Brits the chance to visit two Christmas markets this historic city which run from November to January and boast free entry, featuring classic winter scenes of chalets, Christmas trees, and an open-air ice rink

Ryanair has announced a brand new route in time for cheap getaways this winter and this Christmas.

The budget airline has revealed its new winter 2026 route from Manchester to Warsaw Modlin in Poland. Ryanair bosses shared yesterday (October 27) how the first of the Manchester-Warsaw Modlin flights took of this week.

Ryanair says it will operate six weekly flights on this “exciting new winter 2026 route, providing UK customers with even more choice at Europe’s lowest fares”. Ryanair’s full winter 2026 schedule is available to book now via the Ryanair app and website in time for cheap winter and Christmas breaks.

The new route gives Brits the chance to enjoy Warsaw’s two Christmas markets, including the huge Jarmark Warszawski at Plac Defilad, by the Palace of Culture and Science, and the traditional, historic market in the Old Town along the city walls.

Both markets run from November to January and boast free entry, featuring classic winter scenes of chalets, Christmas trees, and an open-air ice rink.

The first flight comes after Ryanair unveiled its newly expanded winter schedule last month, with 22 new routes from UK airports with Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and London airports benefiting the most. Ryanair also announced that it was adding nineteenth-based aircraft at Manchester Airport this winter, helping it to run one extra route from the North West hub.

Ryanair is increasing its flight frequencies on another 26 routes from Manchester, including holiday hotspots like Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Madrid, as well as city break destinations like Barcelona, Belfast, Venice, Porto, Prague and Krakow.

Eye-catching flights among the list included the new winter sunshine route from Birmingham to Marrakech, which regularly enjoys mild winter temperatures. The bulk of the other routes are to northern and western European destinations where more festive pleasures are on the itinerary.

The new route announcement followed the boss of Ryanair warning that air fares would “no doubt” rise next year for summer holidaymakers amid the surging price of oil and the Iran war.

Earlier this month, oil prices rose above 100 dollars a barrel for the first time since July after the latest round of strikes in the conflict.

Ryanair’s Director of Communications, Jade Kirwan, said: “ It was great to see the first flight of our new winter 2026 route from Manchester to Warsaw Modlin take off this week, bringing the first of many happy Ryanair passengers on their winter 2026 getaways.

“Our Manchester to Warsaw Modlin route will operate six times per week, offering our UK customers even more choice at the lowest fares in Europe. Ryanair’s full winter 2026 schedule is available to book now on the Ryanair app/website.”

PERCHED on the Sheringham promenade is a beautiful holiday home with views across the Norfolk coast.

Now, it’s a modern little escape, but visitors might be shocked to discover that what it used to be.

It was first built in 1897 and was used as a public toilet for over 100 years until its closure in 2006.

It was then bought by its current owner who transformed it into what is now called the Wee Retreat.

The coastal holiday home has spiral staircases and sleeps up to four people across two double bedrooms – both have with a private shower room.

For those wanting to make the most of the views, make sure to bag the bedroom on the first floor which has French doors which open onto a veranda.

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It has a modern kitchen with all the appliances for a self-catering break.

The open-plan lounge has a cosy seating area and is surrounded by floor to ceiling windows to let in all the natural light.

It also has a wrap around balcony where in the summer you can enjoy the sunshine, or during the winter, cosy up inside and turn on the underfloor heating.

To keep guests occupied, the Wee Retreat has some books and games too.

With Host Unusual, Wee Retreat can be booked from £611 for seven-nights – or £21pppn.

Guests have left reviews calling it a “one-of-a-kind”, others described it as “peaceful and beautiful”.

Of course, with Blue Flag beach on its doorstep, visitors can make the most of taking a dip into the sea or making sandcastles.

Aside from that, it’s minutes away from the centre of Sheringham which has lots of shops, cafes, restaurants, and even a theatre.

It’s home to the Poppy Line, a heritage steam railway, which takes visitors into the Georgian town of Holt.

Holt was recently named one of Britain’s poshest towns.

Travel Reporter Jenna Stevens, who is also a Norfolk local, suggests popping over for a visit.

She said: “Growing up in Wells-next-the-Sea in North Norfolk, Holt was always seen as the posh next door neighbour town.

“Byfords sits smack-bang in the centre offering afternoon tea – it even includes a free top-up on sandwiches.

“It’s definitely worth popping into Dottie and Oscar’s Children’s Boutique. Here you can pick out a new childhood teddy together or pretty, handmade outfit to rock on the beach.

“So if you’re visiting on a day trip, make sure to bring your extra pocket money, as this town’s full of independent boutiques and shops you’ll want to grab a souvenir from – but be warned, it’s easy to splurge.”

Also not too far away is Cromer, a seaside town that has been revealed to be one of the cheapest holiday destinations in the country.

It has a long sandy beach, soft serve ice cream parlours, sunny beer gardens and award-winning fish and chip shops.

Villa Vie Odyssey passengers have been ordered to disembark in Cambodia after the company suspended its continuous round-the-world voyage, blaming soaring fuel costs it says have been driven by conflict in the Middle East

Passengers aboard a cruise ship designed to carry on sailing forever have been told to disembark after the voyage of a lifetime was brought to an abrupt end.

On Monday morning, Villa Vie Odyssey’s journey ground to a halt in Cambodia. Randy Cassingham, one of up to 650 residents living aboard the 195m long, 24,344 gross tonnage vessel, claims that the following message appeared on passengers’ internal messaging board.

“Good morning, everyone. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure the fuel necessary to continue operations. As a result, the Odyssey will enter a temporary layup this afternoon, with crew remaining onboard to maintain the vessel and its essential systems. All residents must disembark by 2.00 PM today. For those who are unable to collect all their belongings before disembarking, please coordinate with guest services to arrange an orderly return using the shuttles, which will remain available until 6.00 PM tomorrow. This is all the information we have available at this time. We will share further updates as they become available.”

Have you sailed on the Villa Vie Odyssey? We’re love to hear from you! Email webtravel@reachplc.com

A spokesperson for Villa Vie Residences told the Express that it has “suspended operations in Cambodia as the company works to address extraordinary increases in fuel costs and evaluate restructuring and recapitalisation alternatives”. The firm has pointed the finger at soaring fuel costs, which have rocketed since Israeli and US forces launched their bombing campaign against Iran, resulting in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a significant drop in worldwide oil supplies.

“Fuel costs have risen sharply in the regions where the company has been operating. On an equivalent per-cabin basis, monthly fuel expense that historically averaged approximately $1,800 (£1,350) has recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company cannot simply pass increases of that scale on to residents, and the resulting shortfall has placed its current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure,” the spokesperson added.

“The company is working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements. Villa Vie Residences recognises that this is a difficult and disruptive period for residents, crew members, and employees, and is working to support those affected as plans develop”, reports the Express.

Villa Vie’s website promises that the vessel will call at 147 countries, docking at more than 425 ports on an endless voyage that would circle the globe every 3.5 years. “From the fiordlands of New Zealand to the temples of Southeast Asia, the spice markets of India to the shores of Sri Lanka – discover every destination on the world’s longest continuous residential voyage,” it entices.

Yet since February, the ship has been spending increasingly less time at sea. “Since the conflict began in late February, we have taken significant steps to reduce fuel consumption, including slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port. Those measures have not been enough to offset the extraordinary increase in fuel costs, and we have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses. Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees while we work toward restructuring and recapitalization over the next 60 days. That work is ongoing, and no outcome is assured,” the spokesperson added.

“Villa Vie Residences continues to evaluate potential paths forward, but no financing or transaction has been finalised. The company will provide further updates as material developments occur.”

The announcement is expected to be devastating for passengers, many of whom have invested enormous sums and upended their lives to be aboard the vessel.

Back in 2023, Meredith Shay was getting ready to set sail on the Life at Sea, then heralded as the longest sailing in commercial cruise history, when she received devastating news. The operator informed passengers that it had no functioning ship, so the forthcoming sailing was scrapped.

That left hundreds of customers who had ploughed their life savings into the project and had been ready to abandon their lives on land high and dry. “I did sell my house. I put everything into storage, moved out of my apartment. I was about to sell my car. But I am not a ‘woe is me’ person. There is a song over here, ‘dust yourself off and try again’. That is what I’ve done,” she explained in 2025.

“I had a 12-hour pity party, then said, ‘okay, you’re free. Do something’. No encumbrances at all.”

Undeterred, Meredith chose to press on with her dream, signing up for the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise, which is operated by several of the same individuals behind Life at Sea.

She took the plunge despite the collapse of the Life at Sea cruise and the early setbacks that plagued the Villa Vie Odyssey. The latter was scheduled to set sail from Northern Ireland in May 2024, but problems with its rudder stocks left passengers stranded in the city for over four months.

The vessel remained docked for so long that fellow passengers Angela Harsanyi and Gian Perroni had the opportunity to meet, fall head over heels, and eventually tie the knot on the banks of Belfast’s River Lagan.

Meredith pressed ahead regardless, securing a lavish eighth-floor suite for five years at a cost of $159,000, with monthly homeowner fees of $7,999, bringing the overall total to approximately $630,000.

YOU might be setting off on that bucket list family trip to Florida sooner than you think…

AttractionTickets.com are about to launch a HUGE Black Friday sale where you can save big on that dream Florida holiday – just make sure to sign up.

Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount

Why? Those signed up to the sale can save EXTRA on top of the discounts that will become available on Black Friday.

The sale will include popular theme park tickets, combo tickets for multiple attractions plus holiday packages with hotel or villa stays.

There will be discounts on popular Orlando attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Resort, as well as hotels and villas on-site.

After last year’s Black Friday sale knocked 20 per cent off hotels and attractions, holidaymakers are prepared for another round of big savings this year.

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In fact, Attraction Tickets has revealed that the savings this year will be just as big, if not bigger – with the typical customer saving hundreds on their booking.

The deals will be for holidays taken in 2027. The biggest savings are set to be for breaks during the school summer holidays.

If you’ve always dreamed of a Disney holiday, you’ll be able to save on trips to Walt Disney World in Florida as well as Disneyland Resort in California.

2027 is also a great time to visit Universal Orlando Resort, with thrilling new rollercoaster Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift set to open.

Both Disney and Universal resorts in Florida offer on-site accommodation.

At Disney, you can stay in the Hawaii-themed Polynesian resort with its own beach, or wake up to giraffes strolling past your window in an Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount

At Universal, Cabana Bay Beach has a retro 1950’s feel with its own bowling alley, pool and lazy river, while Endless Summer offers surf-themed suites sleeping up to six.

Both Disney and Universal resorts have waterparks, too, perfect for cooling off from the Florida heat. The most popular include Typhoon Lagoon and Volcano Bay.

If you fancy an LA trip, you can tick off the world-famous Universal Studios Tour on a discounted visit to Universal Studios Hollywood.

There will even be savings on Spanish attractions like PortAventura World as well as Siam Park and Loro Parque in Tenerife.

So if you’ve been craving that once in a lifetime holiday feeling, now’s the time to get it booked.

AttractionTickets.com even allow you to split up your payments without any fees or interest, so you can avoid a major dent in the wallet.

To make things even easier, you can also secure your holiday with deposits from as little as £50.

The travel website is an official partner of Disney and Universal, and have sold over 15 million tickets to over five million customers worldwide.

Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount

Prices correct at the time of publication.

IF YOU are thinking about where to head off to this winter, then you won’t be short for choice as several airlines are launching new flights from the UK to warm and sunny destinations.

Whether you fancy a city break in the sun or a beach trip to soak up rays, across October, November and December airlines are launching new flights.

And there are both short haul and long haul destinations.

Here’s a roundup of the newest flight routes coming this season from the UK, ideal for a winter sun holiday:

British Airways

British Airways has a number of new winter sun routes, with a couple already launched.

On October 23, the airline launched flights between London Gatwick and Colombo, Sri Lanka.

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The city of Colombo is known for its vibrant temples, such as the Buddhist Gangarama Temple.

Visitors can also visit bustling markets, such as Pettah Market, with local spices and handmade textiles.

Then on October 25, flights were launched between London Gatwick and Bridgetown, Barbados.

Bridgetown is the largest city of Barbados and has heaps of history to explore including the central area which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During December, temperatures reach around 29C.

The same day, flights launched between London Heathrow and San Jose, Costa Rica after being moved from Gatwick Airport.

San Jose is home to a mix of neoclassical architecture as well as sprawling markets and even active volcanoes.

Make sure to have a walk through Mercado Central (Central Market), which is an indoor market dating back to 1880 selling local produce and gifts.

Virgin Atlantic

Earlier this month, Virgin Atlantic launched flights between London Heathrow and Phuket, Thailand.

Phuket is a great destination for beach hopping, with white sand spots and beaches ideal for surfing.

Make sure to visit Phuket Old Town as well where you can spot colourful 19th century houses, as well as shops, cafes and local galleries.

It is also nice and warm in December, with temperatures reaching up to 32C.

EasyJet

Despite being an airline that mainly serves Europe, easyJet is launching three new winter sun routes over the coming weeks.

The first will be between Newcastle and Hurghada, Egypt, with flights taking off on October 27.

Hurghada is surrounded by the Red Sea that is full of coral reefs and colourful fish where you can head snorkelling.

Make sure to visit the Marina too at sunset where you can even see across to the minarets of the El Mina mosque.

This route will be followed by flights between London Luton and Rabat, Morocco, launching on November 5.

The capital of Morocco is known for its historic architecture and has up to just eight days of rain in December.

Then on November 9, Manchester will get a route to Giza Sphinx/Cairo, Egypt.

In Cairo, you can visit the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, which is the last surviving wonder of the ancient world with daytime highs of 21C.

Ryanair

Budget airline Ryanair will be launching flights from Birmingham to Marrakech, Morocco in late October.

The city is home to an abundance of souks selling spices and locally crafted items as well as a medieval Medina with hidden courtyards.

Around the same time, the airline will also start flights between Liverpool and Porto, Portugal.

The coastal city of Porto is known for its wine but also has a UNESCO-listed medieval riverfront, where you can stop by an outdoor cafe.

TUI

On October 25, TUI launched flights between the East Midlands and Antalya, Turkey.

The Turkish city is full of narrow cobblestone streets in its Old Town to get lost exploring, with Ottoman-era houses and artisan shops.

You’ll also be able to pick up a cheap pint, with beers costing as little as £3 a pint.

The airline will follow this by also launching flights to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from the airport in early November.

Sharm El Sheikh is great for an adventure holiday with snorkelling and diving in the Red Sea as well as desert activities such as quad biking, dune buggies and camel rides.

Later, in mid-December, TUI is then also set to start flights between Belfast International and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Punta Cana is known for its world-famous, all-inclusive resorts but also jungle adventures and vibrant nightlife.

Temperatures can reach up to 32C in December, which is the ideal weather for sinking a cool pint that will set you back as little as £1.80.

A HUGE new airport is coming to Turkey and it will be built directly on the sea.

The new airport in the Black Sea province of Trabzon in Turkey will be the country’s third airport built on the sea and is set to cost £732million.

The airport will eventually have a 3,000 metre runway that will be 45 metres wide, meaning it will be able to handle larger planes.

There will also be a taxiway next to the runway of the same width and length.

As for the terminal, it is set to span 110,000-square-metres and will be able to handle up to 10million passengers a year.

There will also be a new air traffic control tower.

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Currently, the airport has one runway that is 2,640 metres long and handles around three million passengers a year.

In order to build the new airport, more than 100million tonnes of ‘fill’ will need to be dumped into the Black Sea to create the airport.

A 6,000 metre breakwater will also need to be built.

Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said that the current runway is not suitable for the growing passenger numbers at the airport.

According to Daily Sabah, Uralogu added: “We will give Trabzon a new, higher-capacity, modern airport that meets international standards.”

The airport is set to be completed by the early 2030s.

The city of Trabzon is home to around one million people and is known for its cliffside monasteries as well as rolling green hills.

A NIGHT away in the UK can get expensive surprisingly quickly, once you’ve factored in fuel, dinner, drinks and expensive hotels.

So, I’ve been looking at what happens if you stick a flight on either end and head somewhere with a bit more va-va-voom – and found it could actually be CHEAPER.

One night away isn’t just a crazy idea – our booking figures at On The Beach show people are already choosing to head away for just one night, spending an average of around £200pp on flights and a hotel.

A quick change of scenery, dinner somewhere different and a night away from the usual routine – there’s a lot to like about that!

But you can actually do it for considerably less than that average; I’ve found seven one-night getaways from £75pp, including Dublin, Paris and the Algarve, but as you’d expect, the secret is in the flight times.

Leave in the morning and fly back the following evening, and one night away can give you a decent chunk of two days to explore – here’s how I’d do it.

1. Dublin one-nighter from £100pp

Dublin makes a very convincing case for the one-night holiday: good pubs, plenty to wander around and an evening that can start with “just the one” and develop its own itinerary from there.

The one-night wonder-deal I found is at easyHotel Dublin City Centre in Smithfield, a simple base for a trip where the city is the main attraction.

And at £100pp for flights and a night away, I can happily live without a pillow menu.

You leave Stansted at 6:35am on November 30, landing at 7:55am, then the flight home leaves Dublin at 8:35pm the following day.

I’d start day one with breakfast, then have a walk along the Liffey and across the Ha’penny Bridge.

Spend the afternoon exploring the centre, with a look around Grafton Street and a coffee stop whenever the early start catches up with you.

That evening, book somewhere for dinner, then find a pub with live music or wander through Temple Bar if you fancy it, but don’t feel obliged to spend the entire evening there.

After a night’s sleep, get a proper breakfast and take your time over the bits you missed with some more shops and a lazy lunch – before getting back in time for own bed.

2. Belfast one-nighter from £75pp

Seventy-five quid each for flights and a hotel – that’s just £150 for two people to have an actual night away, which is a very pleasing place to start before you’ve even chosen where to eat.

The deal I found is at The 1852, which has an on-site restaurant and two bars – handy if the plan for the first drink is simply “as soon as we’ve put our bags down”.

You fly from Manchester at 6:15am on November 18, arriving at 7:15am, then the return leaves Belfast at 5:20pm the next day.

I’d spend the first day getting a feel for the city centre, taking in City Hall and stopping for lunch before having a look around the Cathedral Quarter.

Come back here for dinner and drinks too.

The next morning, have breakfast and head towards Queen’s University for a wander around the university area.

Or, if you fancy something indoors, make the Ulster Museum your main stop.

Finish with lunch and one last Guinness before it’s time to head home.

3. Albufeira one-nighter from £80pp

This is the one that made me check the price twice.

A night in the Algarve, including flights, for £80pp – just £160 for two of you to go and have dinner and a night out in Portugal. Very, very tempting.

The deal I found is at Paladim & Alagoamar on a Self Catering basis, giving you the option to sort breakfast yourself.

The flight leaves London Stansted at 9:35am on November 29 and lands in Faro at 12:25pm, before you fly home at 7:15pm on November 30.

I’d keep the first afternoon simple: have a wander around Albufeira’s old town, make your way down towards the beach and stop for a late lunch or a drink with a view, before getting ready for dinner out together.

The following morning, have breakfast and head out for another seaside walk before finding somewhere for lunch.

It’s late November, so I’d make the trip about the coast, the food and the change of scenery – any sunbathing weather is a bonus rather than the thing the entire holiday depends on.

But Albufeira is still busy, with a decent amount of sunshine and looks gorgeous around this time of year.

4. Paris one-nighter from £125pp

“I’ve booked us a night in Paris” is a fairly efficient way of making a date night sound like you’ve put some serious effort in – but this deal is just £125 each, so won’t break the bank.

The deal I found is at hotelF1 Paris Porte de Montreuil, a straightforward budget base.

You leave Birmingham at 5:55am on November 15 and land at Paris Beauvais at 08:05am, with the return departing at 4:45pm the next day, getting you back for teatime.

I’d build the first day around a walk along the Seine, a look at the sights and a good lunch.

Choose one landmark you really want to see, rather than trying to collect the entire city before dinner.

Then spend the evening over a meal and a wander through Paris after dark – that’s plenty of romance for one day.

After a night’s sleep, find a café for coffee and breakfast, then have a final look around before heading home.

I’d keep the second morning nice and easy – there’s no need to make the last memory of your romantic break a furious speed-walk.

5. Amsterdam one-nighter from £135pp

Amsterdam is a good choice for a break where you don’t need to book something every hour, because this is the perfect place for wandering the streets and accidentally finding something unexpected to do.

The deal I found is at New West Inn in Nieuw-West – it’s a little out from the centre but has an on-site pizza corner, handy for a first or last meal in the city.

The flights give you plenty to work with: leave London Gatwick at 6am on November 30 and land at 8:25am, then fly home at 9:25pm the next day, getting back before 10pm.

One hotel night, with room to enjoy both days.

I’d spend day one exploring the canals, browsing the independent shops around the Nine Streets and stopping for lunch.

In the afternoon, carry on into the Jordaan, then find somewhere for dinner and settle into the evening – a couple of good food stops and a few miles of canal-side strolling make a very lovely first day.

The next morning, choose one bigger activity: a canal cruise or a museum you’ve been wanting to visit.

Book ahead where needed, then leave yourself time for a late lunch and another wander before the flight home.

6. Benidorm one-nighter from £120pp

A one-night Benidorm trip sounds like the kind of suggestion someone makes three pints into a Friday (speaking from experience).

But at £120pp including flights and a hotel, it actually deserves a sober second look.

The deal I found is at Benidorm City Olympia in the Old Town, with two beaches within walking distance and, for a short trip, having things you want to do close to your hotel is a big plus.

You leave Manchester at 7am on November 26 and arrive in Alicante at 10:50am, with the flight home leaving at 11pm the next day (landing around 1am on November 28) so loads of time to explore on your second day.

Worth remembering when you’re deciding what time to set the alarm the following morning.

I’d spend the first afternoon exploring the Old Town, stopping for tapas and taking a walk along the seafront.

Then get ready for the evening and take your pick of somewhere lively or a longer, quieter dinner – if you’ve ever been, you’ll know that Benidorm can accommodate both with ease.

After breakfast the next day, head out for another promenade walk, a coffee and a leisurely lunch or, if the weather‘s kind, have some time by the beach.

7. Copenhagen one-nighter from £145pp

Copenhagen sounds pretty far away, right? Well, with a flight time under two hours it’s one of the most logical one-nighters on this list.

The deal I found is at a&o Copenhagen Norrebro, a decent base with a bar on site and room upgrades available if you wanted to splash out a little more.

You leave Stansted at 8:15am on November 22 and land at 11am, then the return departs Copenhagen at 8:40pm the following day, giving you plenty of the second day to enjoy.

I’d start with lunch and an afternoon exploring the centre, including a wander around Nyhavn’s waterfront.

Have a look around the shops, stop for coffee and make dinner your main evening plan – you don’t need to fit a second city break in after dessert.

The next morning, find a bakery and give breakfast the attention it deserves.

Then spend some time around Norrebro’s independent shops and cafés, or take a walk through the King’s Garden by Rosenborg Castle.

I’d then finish up with lunch and one final coffee before heading home.

SPRAY painting graffiti on a wall was definitely not what I had planned for my first visit to Lisbon.

But there I was paint can in hand and even the appearance of not one, but two, police cars didn’t deter me.

To be honest I reckon they took pity on my miserably bad skills, as they stood, arms folded, watching, as me and my pals created our own masterpiece, under the watchful eye and helping hand of graffiti genius Miguel Brum

He’d taken us on a brilliant tour of the city’s most colourful and beautiful urban street art, including a few stunning creations of his own, before we got to try our hand at it ourselves.

Donning white all-in-one suits, blue booties over our trainers, rubber gloves and face masks, we looked like we’d stepped out of an episode of CSI!

I’ll confess, the design was all Miguel’s, all we had to do was fill in the blank spaces with the coloured spray cans he handed us. Like paint by numbers only on a grand scale, but we’re still chuffed with the final results.

Our adventure with Miguel, one of the city’s leading street artists, had been arranged through they city’s newest, and hippest, hotels, The Andaz Lisbon.

It only opened six months ago but is already one of the most popular in the city, with its roof top bar and the already award-winning Luzzi restaurant, serving up incredible creations from chef Bruno Alves.

Set in a beautifully adorned former bank building, inside the design is funky and trendy, with lots of fabulous pieces from local artists and sculptors.

Moody corridors, lined with eye-catching thick carpets, lead to equally stylish rooms, with all the mod cons, massive walk in shower, and dream-inducing beds.

Andaz has introduced a curated collection of six exclusive, bespoke experiences for guests to book, designed to reveal the capital’s hidden gems and help you get under the skin of the city.

As well as the graffiti tour, my pals and I went on a guided evening tour to discover Lisbon’s seven hills which house all the popular, as well as hidden, neighbourhoods and local treasures.

Starting with a chilled glass for Rose at one the Lisbon’s many traditional kiosks, before a cocktail at a hidden, vintage speakeasy, we ended with a soulful Fado experience where the wine flowed, accompanied by huge slices of custard tarts and glasses of chocolate mousse! Well it was a Friday.

Hopping back into our people carrier, we enjoyed a final night-cap at the hotel lounge, before it was ‘boa noite’ from us all.

The Andaz is set just one street back from the huge Praça do Comércio, Portugal’s most famous square and that’s where we headed next day.

Taking a walk through the main entrance, the Arco da Rua Augusta, we pulled up a seat at one of the bars under its majestic architectural arches, and drank in the view of the Tagus River and the Christ the King statue on the other side on the hills in Almada.

This place is where the palace once stood, before it, along with most of Lisbon, was destroyed in a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 1755.

If you didn’t know about the tragedy, you wouldn’t guess by looking at the city. The locals will point to ancient-looking buildings and say ‘this is the new one’ – but when they say new they mean built after the quake not the 21st century!

One area not to be missed is the waterfront district of Belem, with its colourful tile-clad houses and historic landmarks like the Tower of Belem.

The massive Jerónimos Monastery dominates the area and inside you’ll find the tomb of explorer Vasco de Gama, who charted the first maritime route between Europe and India, around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.

GO : LISBON

GO: ANDAZ LISBON

GETTING THERE: easyJet.com fly to Lisbon from Glasgow and Edinburgh with fares from £30.99pp. Visit Lisboa have introduced a fixed-price taxi service from the airport, with fares from approx £13.50 for Zone 1 and £16 for Zone 2, for up to four passengers with luggage. Weekend and public holiday fares from £17-£19.50. Get taxi vouchers from the Ask Me Lisboa Tourism Desk at the airport.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at 5* Andaz Lisbon start from around £234 per night on a room-only basis. See hyatt.com.
MORE INFO: Get a Lisboa Card from approx £26 which includes free public transport, free entry to 51 museums and monuments, fast-track access at selected attractions and discounts on a range of other experiences and services. For that and more on visiting the city, see visitlisboa.com.

Swing by the marina to ogle the yachts moored in the harbour and then take a trip up the sail-shaped Padrão dos Descobrimentos (or Monument to the Discoveries) for incredible views.

And here’s a top tip – forget Pastel de Nata. Belem is home to the original Portugese custard tarts and here they’re called Pasteis de Belem, first made at the historic Pastéis de Belém bakery way back in 1837, using a secret recipe passed to them by the monks from Jerónimos Monastery when it closed.

The queues here were insane when we arrived, but you can jump them if you opt to eat in the sit-down dining room or, like us, book a tuk tuk tour of the city which includes a visit to try the flaky little pieces of food heaven.

It was other tasty little bites that drew us back to the Andaz and the Luzzi restaurant, which recently won the Rooftop Category at the 2026 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, an award very well deserved, in my humble opinion. It’s simply stunning.

We shared moreish plates full of tuna tartare, grilled prawns, chicken dumplings, prawn moqueca( a Brazilian fav of mine) baked seabass and even a cauliflower vindaloo – who knew!

Earlier in the evening we enjoyed a pre-dinner Fado trio in the Andaz Lounge and after dinner we headed through to enjoy some chilled tunes from the DJ at the rooftop bar.

Next day we made a bee-line for Livraria Bertrand, the oldest bookshop in the world, where our pal Rashmi was delighted to find a guide book she’d help write for sale. Amazing!

The bookshop has been in constant operation since 1732 and has various sections dedicated to different themes and languages and if you wander right to the back, you’ll find a lovely courtyard cafe where you can pour over your purchase with a coffee and custard tart, of course.

And typical of Lisbon it features a marvellous mural of Portuguese poet and writer Fernando Pessoa painted by acclaimed street artist Tamara Alves.

Looking at this impressive work, I decided it was time to hang up my spray can and leave the graffiti to the professionals.

Walt Disney World holidays are a bucket list event but that can amp up the pressure to get ‘everything’ right – we take a look at some easy booking tips not to be missed

At 40 square miles, Walt Disney World isn’t just theme park. The entire resort is roughly the same size of San Francisco, with four theme parks, two water parks, countless hotels, and even Disney Springs, a dedicated shopping zone with a cinema, theatre and bowling alley. While all of that means heaps of rides, shows, attractions and play areas to discover, it’s not surprising that for first-timers it can feel overwhelming.

Mickey Mouse’s Orlando home is worth it; it genuinely lives up to the hype. The pyrotechnics, the immersion, the magic; it’s all brilliant. But a place this huge requires planning – it’s not somewhere you want to wing it entirely. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World three times and let me tell you; the difference between a magical holiday and a sweaty, feral meltdown can come down to some tactical decisions.

Here are my top tips for getting the most out of your Walt Disney World holiday…

1. Make use of Walt Disney world package deals

Booking doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, you can find Walt Disney World packages that include your hotel, flights and park tickets. British Airways Holidays currently offers seven-night packages in 2027 including your return flights, a Disney hotel stay, 2027 Free Dining + Drinks Offer and 14 days for the price of 7 Disney Magic Tickets. Package options include:

• 3* Disney’s All Star Sports Resort, from £1899pp
• 4* Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, from £2249pp
• 5* Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa from £3749pp

You can book by November 1 to make use of the deals on ba.com/orlando. Disney’s 7-day and 14-Day Magic Tickets cover all four theme parks (and park hopping), water parks, and a Memory Maker which gives you unlimited professional photo downloads.

You can find plenty more information and packages at disneyholidays.co.uk.

2. Download the Walt Disney World App

It is not optional. It is the holiday. Live wait times, park hours, maps, restaurant bookings, your photos and, if you’re staying on-site, your hotel room key all live in the My Disney Experience app.

Download it before you fly and learn where things are. Resort guests can book Lightning Lane passes up to seven days before their stay begins, so work out your must-do rides now. Turning up without a ride strategy is exactly how Snow White ended up exhausted, making a panicked apple purchase, and sharing one bathroom with seven strangers. My must-do rides? TRON, Flight of Passage, Rise of the Resistance and the new muppets-themed Rock N Rollercoaster.

Consider a MagicBand+ too. This handy watch can be used to tap into the theme parks, unlock your hotel door, scan into fast pass queues, and even download your ride photos straight to your account. There are some fun surprises along the way – one of which is how it syncs up to the evening fireworks!

3. Meal planning

Do not be a poor, unfortunate soul standing in a 40-minute queue for a cheeseburger. Nothing triggers a family mutiny faster than a hangry child in the Florida sun. Use the Mobile Order feature on the app. You tap a button, waltz past the sweating masses, grab your tray, and try to hide your supreme smugness.

For proper sit-down dining, you can book exactly 60 days out before your visit. Just be warned to get in early, as tables in the more popular restaurants feel like they vanish faster than Cinderella’s carriage at midnight. My elite tier? Space 220 and Via Napoli in Epcot, Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Hollywood Studios.

As for Character Dining, it’s worth the splurge. At the Grand Floridian’s 1900 Park Fare, I ate Eggs Benedict and gummy bears with Cinderella, Tiana, Mirabel, and Aladdin coming directly to my table. It is peak efficiency. Let the royalty come to you. (Prices for this experience cost £44 per adult and from £27 per child at 1900 Park Fare).

Currently if you book by November 4, Walt Disney World has a Free Disney Dining and Drinks deal for holidays in 2027, which includes school holiday dates. The offer includes free table service dining plans or quick service plans, along with one drink per meal (alcoholic or non-alcoholic, depending on the plan chosen). The offer applies to a minimum of five consecutive nights when booking a Walt Disney World hotel alongside a park ticket package.

4. It doesn’t have to be an intense holiday

You do not need to be strapped to a ride vehicle for 14 consecutive hours to “get your money’s worth.” The Florida heat is aggressive, and the daily walking can be tiring. Take breaks, like enjoying some downtime at your hotel. Do not become a Disney Villain just because you want to force your sobbing toddler onto Peter Pan’s Flight a third time.

Don’t dismiss the water parks either. I retreated to Blizzard Beach – a “melted ski resort” where you float down a lazy river in blazing sunshine surrounded by fake snow. It is an absolute fever dream of a concept, and it is glorious. Disney has been here for decades. The castle will still be there after you’ve had a lie-down.

5. Don’t underestimate the size of the place

Walt Disney World isn’t simply one theme park; in fact, the entire resort is roughly the same size of San Francisco. Leave the glass slippers at home and pack your broken-in trainers. You will walk a half-marathon every day, and wet shoes feel like walking on angry sponges. And for the love of Jiminy Cricket, bring a refillable bottle. Ice water is completely free at quick-service spots if you just ask.

Staying on-site at a Disney hotel comes with some handy perks; for example, you get free transfers from your accommodation to the parks, and you can get 30 minutes of Early Theme Park Entry. Half an hour may not sound like a huge amount, but it’s enough to get in the parks early and head to the biggest rides before the queues kick in. The easy transport options also mean you can park hop or head back to your hotel for a break.

My advice is plan the logistics for high-stakes elements such as key rides you want to do, or food you want to eat, but leave space on the itinerary for the plot twists, and even just time to sit by the hotel pool doing absolutely nothing. This is a holiday after all!

HUGE walkouts are set to affect both Italy and Spain this week with both flight and train journeys disrupted.

The biggest strike will be held in Italy where staff who work in public and private sectors are staging demonstrations across the whole country.

The nationwide strike is scheduled for October 30 from 12am to 12.59pm.

The 24-hour walkout includes some who work in airports, however it’s unclear how many will take part in this general strike and which airline workers will join.

However, there’s a separate strike set to take place in Tuscany on October 30.

Ground-handling companies at Toscana Aeroporti, which runs Pisa and Florence airports are planning their own 24-hour strike.

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These staff are essential to the running of the airport – they load bags, check in passengers and turn planes around between flights.

A walkout here could mean delays and cancellations even if pilots and airline crews are working normally.

However, it’s possible that this will be called off as the day of the strike falls within Italy’s protected period.

Between October 30 and November 5, strikes that affect flights and airports are normally prohibited as it is a busy holiday period in Italy with All Saints’ Day falling on November 1.

Even if airport workers don’t join the strike action, the walkout will have an impact on Metro services, and on motorways, staff and toll services are set to strike.

Dockworkers and port staff are also set to strike and on the day there could be closures at attractions like museums.

The walkout follows widespread protests across the county about the rising costs of living, a new government budget plan and students are protesting over school conditions.

Over in Spain, a rail strike is set to take place on October 29 between 12.01am and 23.39pm.

The train drivers’ union SEMAF is calling for members who work for train operator Renfe to walk out.

This is over an ongoing dispute over safety standards on the country’s rail network.

It could cause major disruption across the country as Renfe operates across the entire network of Spain connecting major cities like Barcelona, Seville, Zaragoza and Alicante.

Flight compensation rules

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When am I not entitled to compensation?

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

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

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

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

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

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

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

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

RYANAIR has announced a major new rule that will impact all its passengers.

From November 10, Ryanair will close its bag drop off services 60 minutes before flight departures.

This will change from the current rule, where the bag drop off services close 40 minutes before departure.

As a result, travellers will need to be at the airline’s bag drop off services earlier than currently.

The change was originally announced back in April.

The airline has commented that it will give its passengers 20 per cent more time to clear airport security and passport control queues.

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Though, passengers checking in a bag will need to ensure they are at the drop off desks earlier now.

The change will not impact passengers who are not checking in a bag.

Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady, said: “From Tue, 10 Nov, bag drop services at all Ryanair airports will close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, instead of the current 40 minutes.

“This small change will give the 20% of Ryanair passengers who check in a bag, more time to clear airport security and passport control queues and get to their departure gate before boarding begins, particularly during busy travel periods when airport queues can be longer.

“We remind passengers using airport bag drop services to arrive at the airport in good time and ensure they have checked in and dropped their bags before check-in and bag drop closes 60 minutes before departure.

“The remaining 80% of passengers who check in online and do not check in a bag are unaffected by this change.”

A new Which? reader ranking of the Canary Islands’ 15 biggest resorts placed Playa de las Américas in Tenerife at the bottom, with visitors criticising its value for money, tourist attractions, shopping and atmosphere

The worst resort in the Canary Islands has been slammed as unattractive, chaotic and overpriced, with some calling it the ‘new Benidorm’.

One person’s tropical haven is another’s nightmare. Plenty adore Benidorm with its budget Sunday dinners, towering hotels and lively entertainment district, while others would sooner stay home with the curtains drawn than venture to Alicante.

The same applies to Spain’s Canary Islands. A fresh Which? reader survey of the archipelago’s 15 largest resorts positioned a chic, upscale destination at the summit, and a spot notorious for all-night revelry and cut-price pints at the very bottom.

Playa de las Américas in Tenerife has landed at the foot of a Which? reader survey. Visitors criticised the resort’s value for money, tourist attractions, shopping and atmosphere.

Its accommodation performed more favourably, securing four out of five stars. At the opposite end of the rankings, Puerto de Mogán in Gran Canaria seized first place, with acclaim for its food, accommodation and scenery. Which? readers aren’t the first tourists to slate Playa de las Américas. One Mumsnet contributor remembered: “One of the overriding memories was the amount of cockroaches – they were EVERYWHERE.”

Travel guide Wikivoyage also cautions about overcrowding, noting: “The beaches are crowded during all hours of the day.”

Last year, Swedish content creator @amberleigh.travels attracted attention in the Spanish media after drawing comparisons between Tenerife and another well-loved Spanish holiday hotspot.

“I fear that Tenerife is slowly becoming like Benidorm,” she said in a TikTok video that has attracted more than 1.5 million views. She pointed out the abundance of mobility scooters in the resort and the large number of British tourists she came across.

It’s not difficult to understand why so many Brits flock there. EasyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair all operate direct flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Tenerife, with fares starting from as little as £30 this December.

In a recent piece titled ‘the brutal truth behind the Tenerife tourism trap’, journalist Ava Hughes suggested that the issues stretch beyond Playa de las Américas to other areas along the island’s southern coastline.

“For decades, the southern coast of Tenerife-specifically Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas-operated on a simple promise of sun, sand, and cheap beer. That model required constant expansion to remain profitable. Developers took every available inch of coastline, building upward and outward until the natural charm of the volcanic landscape was buried under layers of asphalt and breeze blocks,” Hughes wrote.

Yet other travel writers maintain that Playa de las Américas delivers precisely what it advertises. Nomad Traveller characterises it as a purpose-built destination created for mass tourism, rather than a peaceful getaway.

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“It does that job well, and on its own terms it delivers hard-to-beat value for sun, sea, and nightlife. But it is not trying to be anywhere else, and understanding that is the key to deciding whether it belongs on your itinerary,” the publication notes.

Which? takes a comparable stance, advising tourists to assess the resort based on its true nature.

“At the risk of sounding like a contrarian, can we suggest that the complaints are misplaced? To moan about budget tourism’s excesses in Playa de las Américas is like complaining that Las Vegas is brash. It’s in the place’s DNA. The resort has never pretended to be anything else since it appeared practically overnight in the late 1960s,” it says.

The consumer group also highlights more peaceful accommodation options and numerous attractions beyond the drinking establishments.

“Avoid Playa de las Américas beach unless you want to watch surfers. There are five other options for a beach towel, including calm Playa del Camisón. Hundreds of rental outfits, tour operators and Siam Park waterpark mean you’re as likely to run out of activities as bar options. It’s not even rowdy if you stay around Camisón beach. The trick to Playa de las Américas is to visit with your eyes open. Who knows, you may have a blast.”

The complete list of the 15 resorts can be found on the Which? website.

A NUMBER of major train services that head to the country’s biggest airport are currently suspended due to an incident.

Emergency services are dealing with an incident resulting in several rail lines that head to Heathrow Airport being closed.

The disruption is currently impacting the Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express, and Great Western Railway services, with all lines between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals and Reading closed.

Elizabeth Line customers are being advised to use bus connections between Hanwell and West Ealing, towards Ealing Broadway or Southall.

National Rail is also advising passengers that the disruptions could continue until at least 12pm.

It comes as a casualty was reported on the tracks shortly before 8am.

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Tickets are currently being accepted on London Underground, London Buses, Southwestern, Thameslink, DLR, South Western Railways and Chiltern Railway services.

If travelling from central London, the Piccadilly Line is still running so the London Underground is an option.

Though, to be on the safe side, travellers should allow extra time to get to the airport.

National Rail’s website currently states: “The emergency services are currently dealing with an incident between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading.

“So that they can safely carry out their work, some lines have been closed.

“Trains operating between these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised as a result.

“Major disruption is expected until 12:00.”

Meanwhile, there are also disruptions between Weybridge and Surbiton.

South Western Railway has stated on X: “A speed restriction over defective track is affecting the railway between Weybridge and Surbiton.

“Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised because of this problem.”

Polo Lam and his girlfriend Laura Matos say they only spent minutes on the phone to check Google Maps and the internet but were stunned at the final cost

A British traveller has warned holidaymakers about the risk of unexpected charges after spending just two hours in Monaco left him and his girlfriend with a £109 (€128.88) phone bill. Polo Lam, 30, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, was travelling across Europe with his girlfriend Laura Matos, 29, in September when the couple made a brief stop in Monaco.

Despite using just 18.66MB of mobile data between them, the pair were left picking up almost £85 (€99.79) in roaming charges, sending their monthly bill soaring to £109 (€128.88), compared with just £25 (€29.18) the previous month. Experts say 18.66MB is roughly the amount of data someone might use scrolling through Instagram for just three to 10 minutes, depending on the content being viewed.

The couple were enjoying a budget-friendly interrail holiday from Barcelona to Vienna, travelling through France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary. While staying in Nice, they decided to visit nearby Menton and make a short stop in Monaco, which hadn’t originally been part of their plans.

Laura, a psychologist and founder of La CoolMente, said: “It was actually my idea to visit Monaco. I’d heard so much about the luxury and the famous casino, and I wanted to see what it was like for myself.”

But it was only when they continued their journey into Italy that Polo checked their mobile account and discovered the their trip had cost more than they bargained for. Speaking to Nomad eSIM, Polo said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw the bill. We’d only been in Monaco for a few hours, and somehow our phone bill had jumped to £109 (€128.88).

“We’d barely used our phones. We only checked Google Maps and opened Instagram, but that was about it.

“What really scares me is thinking about what could have happened if we’d stayed overnight. If we’d spent a whole day or two there, we could potentially have been looking at a bill running into the hundreds, or even thousands of pounds.

“I’m pretty stingy when it comes to money, so you can imagine how I felt. We’d gone interrailing to have a relatively inexpensive holiday, and suddenly we had this huge phone bill.”

Laura added: “We were both confused about where the charges had come from. We’d only used our phones briefly to find our location, so we felt the bill was completely unreasonable. We kept talking about it for days afterwards because we’d been trying so hard to save money throughout the trip.”

Polo said the unexpected expense put a dampener on their holiday. “The worst part was thinking about what else we could have spent that money on. We were trying to keep costs down, and it would have paid for three or four meals out in some of the places we visited.”

Laura agreed that the money could have been put to much better use. She said: “We’d been avoiding expensive experiences to save money, so it was frustrating to see that money disappear on a phone bill without getting anything enjoyable in return.

“I’d much rather have spent it on a nice meal at a restaurant with a view, visiting a museum or even a more comfortable hotel. When you’re travelling around Europe by interrail, a bit of extra comfort can make a big difference.”

The experience left the couple more cautious about using their phones abroad, particularly when travelling between countries. Polo said: “I’d tell anyone travelling around Europe to check exactly which countries are covered by their mobile plan. Just because somewhere is in Europe doesn’t mean your normal roaming allowance applies. We found that out the expensive way.”

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Tim Page, Marketing Lead at Nomad eSIM, said: “One of the biggest misconceptions about mobile roaming is that travelling within Europe automatically means you’re covered by your usual mobile plan.

“Monaco is a perfect example. Despite being surrounded by France on three sides, it’s not part of the European Union and isn’t automatically covered by the EU’s Roam Like at Home rules. Introduced in June 2017, these rules generally allow customers of EU mobile operators to use their calls, texts and data across EU countries without paying additional roaming charges.

“This means travellers could be using their phones in Nice without additional roaming charges, then cross into Monaco and face significantly higher rates for exactly the same usage. Before travelling, always check which countries are included in your mobile plan, particularly destinations such as Monaco, Andorra and Switzerland.

“Even small amounts of data can result in surprisingly expensive bills, so consider switching off data roaming or using a travel eSIM that specifically covers your destination. If you do receive an unexpected roaming charge, contact your mobile provider as soon as possible. While there’s no guarantee, some providers may be willing to reduce or waive the charges as a goodwill gesture.”

On the gable walls of the tough, working-class streets of east Belfast, the mystical beasts of Narnia vie for brick space with balaclava-wearing loyalists. The murals of the city have long projected the power of paramilitaries, but in recent years they have also begun to reflect the more positive contributions made by other local people, including the author CS Lewis.

Lewis was born in Dundela in 1898 in an attractive terrace house that has sadly since been demolished to be replaced by rather unattractive flats. But elsewhere in this part of the city, the Lewis connection is being built on and celebrated. CS Lewis Square is in the Holywood Arches neighbourhood and has a short walking trail featuring metal sculptures of Mr and Mrs Beaver, Mr Tumnus and other beloved characters from The Chronicles of Narnia. The centrepiece is a gigantic Aslan, towering over all from atop a circular mound.

About 15 minutes’ walk away, St Mark’s church on the Holywood Road is the proud custodian of a much smaller lion that may have inspired Lewis’s creation of Aslan. His grandfather, the Rev Thomas Hamilton, ministered here, living in the rectory for 13 years, and his front door was decorated with a beautiful brass lion’s head doorknob. The original has been removed for safekeeping, but an exact replica attracts thousands of Lewis pilgrims each year.

Leafy Circular Road, half a mile away, is where the Lewis family moved in 1905 to a large, redbrick house that, back then, was on the outskirts of the city. The road has since been subsumed by the growth of the town, but remains the realm of the prosperous. The house, called Little Lea, is privately owned, but can be seen from the iron gates at the end of the drive.

“To a child, it seemed less like a house than a city,” Lewis wrote of the family home in his autobiography, Surprised By Joy. “I am a product of long corridors, empty sunlit rooms, upstairs indoor silences, attics explored in solitude.”

Little Lea appears in the opening two Narnia books, first when a boy exploring a large attic in The Magician’s Nephew finds a way into another world, and then in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when a game of hide and seek leads a group of inquisitive children to that same magical world a generation later.

Although it was close to east Belfast’s industrial heartland, it was also just a fence clamber away from the fields, hills and woodland glens that fringed the city like a vast adventure playground. As children, Lewis and his elder brother Warnie seem to have had a freedom to wander that would terrify modern parents. They would trek for hours up into the hills between Belfast and Strangford Lough, and travelling that way today still evokes a sense of romantic escapism.

The Belmont Road takes you up, climbing dramatically out of the city and into the expansive high ground that towers over Belfast, Bangor and Newtownards. There are many viewpoints up here. Lewis didn’t record the exact spot that inspired the following ethereal description of the views he loved, but for this writer, the crags of the Whitespots country park on the hill above Newtownards are a pretty good bet, especially as this place also chimes loudly with his descriptions of the stone table on which Aslan was sacrificed in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

“Looking south with a little east in it, a different world,” he writes in Surprised By Joy. “And having seen it, blame me if you can for being a romantic. For here is the thing itself, utterly irresistible, the way to the world’s end, the land of longing, the breaking and blessing of hearts. You are looking across … the plain of Down, and seeing beyond it the Mourne Mountains.”

Lewis once told Warnie that the view from the Mournes above Rostrevor looking down over Carlingford Lough was his idea of Narnia. The statement is now stencilled on a bench at a viewpoint in the town’s Kilbroney forest park. Sitting there, in the majesty of this area, it is easy to imagine, as Lewis later wrote in an essay, that a “giant might raise his head over the next ridge”.

Rostrevor is an hour’s drive south of Belfast, and an hour’s drive in the other direction will take you to the equally spectacular north coast, where Lewis holidayed with his mother as a young child. There’s an ongoing debate among Lewis scholars and his many passionate fans about whether it was Dunluce Castle or Downhill Demesne that inspired Cair Paravel, the castle capital of Narnia.

The ruins of Dunluce perch precipitously on the coast east of Portrush, while Downhill Demesne, near Castlerock, contains what remains of the old Downhill House but also the iconic Mussenden Temple, which much better fits the description of Cair Paravel looking “like a great star resting on the seashore”.

Lewis was writing his autobiography at the same time he was producing the seven Chronicles of Narnia. The experiences and landscapes he was remembering for his memoir very likely bled into the creation of his magical kingdom. And so the heavenly, pastoral landscapes of Narnia on the murals of east Belfast might feel familiar even to those locals who haven’t read the books or watched the screen adaptations. The wholesome images of his imagination being sandwiched between paintings glorifying terrorism is an unusual setting for a tribute to the world’s most famous Christian apologist, but perhaps in Belfast, as in Narnia, good will win in the end.

The first of Netflix’s new The Chronicles Of Narnia adaptations, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, will be released in cinemas on 12 February 2027 and on Netflix on 2 April. Surprised by Joy by CS Lewis © 1955 CS Lewis Pte Ltd, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis © 1950 CS Lewis Pte Ltd

HOLIDAYMAKERS are swapping Spanish escapes for bargain breaks to North Africa, where glamour comes without the premium price tag.

Tour operator TUI has seen a rise in British passenger numbers for this winter, with particular interest in all-inclusive, luxury holidays to Egypt as well as Tunisia.

Meanwhile, easyJet recorded a growth of 14 per cent year on year to North Africa.

Garry Wilson, boss of easyJet holidays, said: “Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco offer huge potential, with high-quality hotels, brilliant value, warm hospitality and great connectivity from airports across the UK.”

Sophie Sweitochowski shares her pick of premium North African getaways for 2027 that won’t break the bank.

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TAGHAZOUT, MOROCCO

THE Hilton Hilton Taghazout Bay Beach Resort & Spa is an absolute steal at under £700pp for seven nights with flights.

It’s chic and contemporary in style, with five swimming pools — one adults-only and a few overlooking the sea where you will spot surfers riding Taghazout’s notorious waves.

Bedrooms are generously sized and come with balconies, perfect for soaking up those 22C highs, plus there is a lavish spa dishing out local treatments like

Don’t skip brekkie. The extensive feast features freshly baked pastries, yoghurts, fresh fruits and live cooking stations as well as local honeys and traditional flatbreads.

GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the 5H Hilton Taghazout Bay Beach Resort & Spa is from £656pp including flights from Gatwick on December 3, plus luggage and transfers. See jet2holidays.com.

SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT

IT is impossible to feel bored at the Jaz Mirabel Beach Hotel.

The sprawling resort is home to an on-site waterpark with whirling slides, a water sports centre where you can try windsurfing, parasailing and water-skiing, plus an open-air amphitheatre for regular shows and entertainment.

The highlight is the location, bordering the Red Sea. Guests can use the hotel’s private jetty to plunge into one of the best snorkelling spots in the area.

Scenic boat trips and desert safaris to traditional bedouin camps are some of the bucket list excursions on offer from the hotel.

GO: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Jaz Mirabel Beach Hotel is from £762pp including flights from East Midlands on December 14. See tui.co.uk.

SOUSSE, TUNISIA

A CHAMPAGNE lifestyle on a lemonade budget is achievable in Tunisia, especially at the Sousse Palace Hotel & Spa.

Right in the centre of town, there are glam restaurants and bars right on the doorstep — not that you will need them with this all-inclusive package, however.

The main buffet restaurant operates around a theme of international dishes every night with live cooking and meat carving stations.

If you are willing to shell out a little extra, though, you should visit the hotel’s Le 12ème which serves elegant plates such as freshly-caught fish carpaccio and slow-cooked lamb shank.

Outside of the food, there’s a sandy beach, wellness centre with a traditional Tunisian hammam, steam rooms and massage suites, and several swimming pools.

GO: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Sousse Palace Hotel & Spa is from £360pp including flights from Gatwick on November 25. See easyjet.com/en/holidays.

MARRAKECH, MOROCCO

ON the hunt for a relaxing couples break? The Be Live Collection Marrakech is an adults-only haven, set back from the chaos of the city centre but with a free daily shuttle bus direct to Jemaa el-Fnaa square.

There is a quiet pool if you are after complete relaxation, while the activity pool has a livelier atmosphere.

If you have never experienced a traditional Moroccan hammam, this is the place to do it.

The wellness area is equipped with two authentic traditional Moroccan hammams where therapists use authentic black soap to remove dead skin cells.

Come night time, indulge in a drink at one of the four sleek bars.

GO: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Be Live Collection Marrakech is from £479pp including flights from Manchester on December 12. See loveholidays.com.

HAMMAMET, TUNISIA

ON a private beach and surrounded by greenery, The Sindbad offers pure luxury escapism in the heart of the town.

Its infinity pool looks a little like the sort you would get in a fancy Ibiza or Mykonos resort, only this place is a fraction of the price.

In to golf? The resort offers discounted green fees to Yasmine Golf Club and Citrus Golf Club, two of Tunisia’s top 18-hole courses, with free shuttle buses.

The buffet restaurant is excellent and a great opportunity to sample the local cuisine such as couscous and brik, a mashed potato dish usually served with fish.

GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the 5H The Sindbad is from £370pp including flights from Newcastle on December 10. See travelsupermarket.com.