Section: Travel:News Travel

DO YOU WISH you could live out the Mamma Mia dream on a remote island, away from cars, pollution and social media?

Well, in Greece you can, as one island is offering to pay people to move there.

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Antikythera is a small, eight-square-mile island found between Crete and the Peloponnese and is home to only 24 permanent residents.

One recent visitor even described it as “a small, peaceful planet that moves at its own unique pace”.

And the local church is inviting people to move to the island.

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Not only will those who move there be paid €500 (£433.49) a month for three years, they will also be given a newly built house to live in.

Of course, there are a couple of catches including that you must be a family with four children and you must have a skill or work in trade, such as fishing.

This is because the scheme is aiming to grow the island’s population as well as its economy.

To apply, you will need to contact the local council.

As for life on the island, it couldn’t be further from other tourist hotspots in Greece.

The entire island remains untouched and boasts natural, rugged beaches and to get to it, you’ll have to hop on a two-hour ferry from Kythera.

Once you reach the island’s port, you’ll see white houses and chapels, as well as a statue dedicated to a diver who discovered a bronze man, underwater, just off of the island.

The statue is believed to date back to between the first and second centuries and one of the divers mistook it for a heap of rotten corpses.

Today, you can see the statue in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.

While there isn’t much to do on the island, as you’d expect with Greece it does boast beautiful beaches.

One beach found near the port is Paralia Potamos Beach, which according to local reports, is about 80metres long, with pebbles and clear water.

A recent visitor commented: “Peaceful beach on a peaceful, charming little island.”

Another beach you can head to on the island is Xiropotamos, which is about a 20-minute walk from the port and is bigger than Paralia Potamos.

Across the rest of the island you’ll find ancient ruins, with the Greek Ministry of Culture often carrying out excavations on the island.

There’s also a number of small chapels and ruined windmills and just off its coast there’s a shipwreck that dates to around 82BC where parts of a mechanism thought to be the world’s first computer were found.

If you get hungry, there’s only one place to eat on the island – Strato’s Corner – which is run by one of the locals and sells typical Greek dishes as well as local goat and fish caught off of the island.

When it comes to shopping, the island has only one food store which doubles as a coffee shop, where you’ll often find the locals hanging out.

If you don’t fancy living on the island but do want to visit, there is a small hostel as well with 15 rooms.

And if you do travel to the island, make sure to head there on August 17 when the island celebrates its patron saint – Saint Myron.

The celebrations bring about 1,000 people to the island, where they enjoy a festival.

In addition to the ferry from Kythera, there is also a small airport in Kythera with flights to Athens, which take about an hour each way.

Or you can also catch a boat trip from the island to Crete or Athens, though these services are less regular.

For more inspiration on Greek holidays, here are our top five Greek islands with white-washed houses and pretty beaches as Emily in Paris heads to Greece.

Plus, forget Mykonos and Santorini – TUI says these four less-popular Greek islands are set to be huge in 2026.

A NEW “holiday tax” will add £500million a year to the cost of UK breaks, business leaders warn.  

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been urged not to allow mayors the power to raise funds by slapping a levy on overnight stays at hotels, campsites and B&Bs.

The Confederation of British Industry said it will drive up inflation, hamper investment and mean more red tape. 

Two hundred bosses from firms such as Butlin’s and Haven have written to Ms Reeves hitting out at the plans.

A consultation closed in February.

CBI head of tax policy Alice Jeffries said: “The Government should be sending a clear message that Britain is open for business and tourist visitors alike — not making it harder for people to spend their time and money here.” 

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She said the policy could apply a handbrake to investment, jeopardise jobs and squeeze margins for a sector facing one of the country’s heaviest tax burdens. 

UK Hospitality say it could add £100 to a two-week family stay based on £2 per person per night.  

Its boss, Allen Simpson said: “The Government should keep holidays relaxing, not taxing.”  

A Government spokesman said: “The final design of the visitor levy has not been decided.  

“We are clear it will ensure hugely popular areas benefit even more from tourism and mayors will have more money to invest in local priorities.” 

A HUGE new multi-million attraction based on chocolate is opening in Europe.

Maison Cailler, in Broc, Switzerland, is the home to Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brand as well as being a museum.

And it has has revealed plans for a whole load of new experiences to expand the land.

One of the largest additions are the Cocoa Bean Greenhouses, which will have real cocoa trees for guests to learn about the processes of making of chocolate.

A new tasting hall and shop will become the Emporium, while a flying theatre like ride will let guests go on virtual flights throughout Switzerland.

Original parts of the factory dating back to 1898 are also being restored, with plans to open to the public for the first time as “chocolate theatres”.

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And the current Atelier du Chocolate workshop is trippling in size to cope with the current demand.

Set to cost CHF400million (£379million), works could start this year with plans to open by 2030.

All of the new additions will turn the experience into a one-hour experience as long as six hours.

It hopes to more than double tourist numbers, from the current 500,000 to 1.2million a year.

Other plans include a new gondola connecting the attraction to the parking area, as well as new hotels.

President of the Gruyère-Chocolat Association behind the attraction, Olivier Quillet, emphasized that it wasn’t a theme park as they “wont have rollercoasters“.

Instead, he said: “We want to showcase the expertise, tradition, and heritage.

“From the moment they enter, visitors will be immersed in chocolate; they can taste it and watch it being crafted by master chocolatiers.”

Also in Switzerland is a Wonka-style chocolate attraction with a 30ft chocolate fountain.

In the mean time, here’s how to find the world’s oldest chocolate shop – and its easy to get to from the UK.

And of course there is the iconic Cadbury’s World, right in the UK.

THIS valley might look like your average spot in Switzerland with towering mountains and pretty chalet adorned villages – but it has a whopping 72 waterfalls.

It’s called Lauterbrunnen which literally translates to ‘loud springs’ after the crashing sound of falling water.

It’s known for its car-free mountain villages filled with pretty chalets and shops – but what draws visitors to it is the sheer amount of cascading waterfalls, of which there are over 70.

One of the largest and most well-known is the Staubbachfall Waterfall, which sits in the village of Lauterbrunnen – named after the valley.

It’s 297metres tall and is the highest free-falling waterfall in Switzerland.

In perspective, this is almost as high as London’s Shard, which stands at 309metres tall.

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There are lots of viewpoints to see the Staubbachfall Waterfall, and those who want to get up close and personal can take the small path to the foot of the falls.

During the summertime, the falls are illuminated in the evenings.

Another waterfall is called Mürrenbachfall, which is even taller, and the water falls from a height of 417 metres.

There’s also the Trümmelbach Falls which a series of 10 unique underground waterfalls – and the largest of their kind Europe.

These impressive waterfalls have made their way through a mountain valley over thousands of years.

Visitors can see them on man-made paths, which are ticketed and cost around £15.

Thanks to its position at the base of the Swiss Alps, Lauterbrunnen is also a sought out ski destination.

As part of the Jungfrau Ski Region, it’s a great place to hit the slopes with 275km of runs and 40 ski lifts.

The best time to visit depends on whether you want to see the waterfalls in all their spring glory, or explore the village in time for ski season.

For those who want to take advantage of hiking, visit between June and September.

Or for a winter wonderland experience, go between January and February.

Unsurprisingly, visitors have described it as “breathtaking” and like “stepping into a storybook”.

The valley has also been compared to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth.

And it could have been the inspiration for the author, who visited in 1911.

Not only can you explore the village of Lauterbrunnen by foot, you can also see it and its neighbouring villages by cableway.

Just opposite the main train station is a 100 person cableway that runs from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren.

In just four minutes it climbs 686 metres and has been said to have “breathtaking views.”

Other nearby mountain villages are Wengen, Mürren, Gimmelwald and Stechelberg.

For more on exploring Europe, one writer went on Europe’s ‘Route 66’ with 46 attractions and beautiful beaches along the way.

And another writer went hiking in Switzerland and found cheese, chocolate and a new set of muscles she never knew she had.

BRITS applying for a new standard passport will be charged more than £100 for the first time ever.

The fee for online applications for adults within the UK will rise on April 8 from £94.50 to £102.

Holidaymakers looking to renew their passport before the summer holiday rush will be stung unless they get their bid in soon.

The Home Office says the hike is to “move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.”.

But it will likely spark a backlash for putting up prices as many families face the pinch in a cost of living crisis.

The standard fee for kids will rise from £61.50 to £66.50.

Postal applications will increase from £107 to £115.50 for adults and £74 to £80 for children.

The charge for a next-day premium service made from within the UK will rise from £222 to £239.50. 

The Home Office said: “The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.  

“In 2025, where no further information was required, 99.7 per cent of standard applications from the UK were processed within three weeks.” 

TIME has named its Best Places to see and stay in 2026 this year, which included two spots in the UK.

I visited the V&A Storehouse in Stratford shortly after it opened last summer.

The London museum was the only other entry on the 100 places list that was in the UK, along with an afternoon tea experience The Maid of Somerset.

When it comes to the new V&A Storehouse – joining the likes of the original Victoria and Albert Museum and V&A Dundee – it isn’t your usual museum.

Right off the bat, it’s free, which is a huge bonus for trying to explore London on a budget.

Even better is that you don’t have to book ahead, and there are free lockers to use too.

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However, the museum itself is one for fans of the concept of museums, rather than any theme or designs.

For example, my favourite museum is the Kensington V&A, for its fashion exhibits while my mum-friends love taking their kids to the Science Museum.

But the V&A Museum feels more like an IKEA showroom, with a mix of collections rather than a set theme.

The website states: “There are curated mini displays across all three levels of Storehouse.

“Go behind the scenes and take your own path through the worlds of art, design, performance, fashion and more.”

Described as a “working museum,” it certainly has interesting elements.

One that has been praised is the Order an Object scheme which lets you ‘order’ on of the 1.25million objects across the V&A museums.

You then select a time and date appointment to come an see it up close.

But for standard museum goers, especially those with little kids, this museum might not be one for them.

It is three floors of metal walkways, so kids running around are likely to cause chaos.

And I found some of the items hard to understand, with some having limited descriptions.

It is certainly a fascinating and unique take on museums – but unless you are a fan of them as a concept, perhaps not one to go out of your way for.

It is now home to a David Bowie exhibit, a permanent archive of some of his most famous pieces.

And there are also a range of events, including the upcoming The Music is Black: A British Story this week.

Here is London’s weirdest free museum.

And we’ve rounded up the best free kids attractions in London.

THE top 50 cities to visit in 2026 have been revealed, and the UK hasn’t done too badly.

Time Out has teamed up with Intrepid for its annual Best Cities of 2026, speaking to 24,000 people living in cities around the world.

A panel of 100 Time Out city experts were also asked about the most exciting cities in the world, looking at data from 44 different criteria.

This includes food and drink, green spaces, culture, sense of community and Gen Z appeal.

While Melbourne came out on top, Edinburgh came in third, followed by London in fourth.

Edinburgh was praised for its famous Fringe Festival, as well as its “cherry-blossom-lined parks, cobbled alleyways and distinctive neighbourhoods that offer hours of exploration”.

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It was also one of the happiest cities in the survey, with it highly rated for both food and green spaces.

When it comes to London, its the new attractions that were praised such as the Museum of London in Smithfield.

And 99 per cent of Londoners praised its art and culture.

Bath snuck into the full top 50 at number 26, praised for its new hotels, good community feel and the celebration of 20 years of the Thermae Bath Spa.

Time Out Travel Editor Grace Beard said: “Every year, we survey locals in cities all over the planet to create our definitive annual ranking.

“Now in its tenth anniversary year. Time Out’s Best Cities with Intrepid Travel is not only a global snapshot of city living, but a celebration of the fun, culture and community that defines urban life.

“For 2026, we expanded our survey to reach 150 cities and added questions that dig deeper into the everyday lives of locals, including new categories for love, romance and community feel.

“The result is a truly diverse and exciting list of destinations, deeply informed by local insight and Time Out expertise, with smaller and second cities slotted between the world’s major metropolises.”

Outside of the UK, the highest rated city in mainland Europe was Zurich, coming in 11th place.

This was followed by Copenhagen (13), Krakow (16) and Porto (17).

The Spanish cities of Madrid and Valencia snuck into the top in 19th and 20th, respectively.

For long-haul destinations, New York, Bangkok and Tokyo all made the top 10.

Shanghai was praised for being easier to travel to this year, following the scrapping of visas until the end of 2026, while Seoul was one of the most popular with Time Out staff.

Another study named the 100 best cities in Europe, featuring 17 in the UK – here’s the full list.

The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor has been to more than 100 cities around the world and has named her favourite ways to do it on a budget.

And London was even named the world’s best city by Tripadvisor so we rounded up all of our top things to do in the capital.

Amazon slashes Ryanair-friendly cabin backpack

Amazon has slashed the cost of an underseat cabin backpack, which is designed in line with the airline’s new free luggage rules.

Pack your luggage in this to avoid getting hit with those pesky extra fees at the gate.

• Taygeer Underseat Cabin Bag, from £18.99 (was £29.99) – buy here

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