snow

Projected season opening date: By Thanksgiving, if Mother Nature cooperates, or by Yule on Dec. 21 at the latest.

What makes it special: Only 45 miles from Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains, Mt. Baldy has 26 runs spread over 800 acres and three mountains. It also has a respectable vertical descent of 2,100 feet with wide-open glades, tree runs, bowls, moguls, groomed runs, cornices and quarter pipes. For those who don’t ski or snowboard, Mt. Baldy also offers snow tubing.

What’s new this season: With upgrades, Lift No. 3 now features more comfortable carriers to the top of Thunder Mountain at 8,600 feet. Chair No. 4 on the west side has a new drive and control system, allowing year-round use with both uphill and downhill loading when conditions permit. Continuous improvements to snowmaking are also helping Mt. Baldy open earlier each season. The resort’s former Last Name Brewing has rebranded as Mt. Baldy Brewery.

Lift ticket prices: Mt. Baldy season passes are currently on sale through Christmas Day: adults are $549 (regularly $799), teens and seniors are $449 (regularly $639) and children under 12 are $279 (regularly $399). You can pre-purchase lift tickets online for a discount. Walk-up tickets are $129 on busy days when the mountain is in full operation.

Pro-tip: Mt. Baldy has the most steep runs in Southern California. Advanced and expert skiers and snowboarders might want to head to Chair 1 to try “Nightmare,” a 36-degree slope that maintains its drop for 1,000 vertical feet.

IF you are seeking snow this Christmas without heading to Lapland, there is one place that is guaranteed to have it.

The UK’s SnowDome is celebrating its 20 years of Santa’s Wonder Wonderland.

Being a ski and snowboarding attraction, this means there is real snow inside, all year round.

Returning from November 15, this includes a Winter Wonderland trail with 1000 tonnes of real snow.

There will also be a Christmas Village with alpacas, a carousel and festival games.

Guests will be able to meet Santa and the elves as well as watch down go down the Summit Slide and have snowball fights.

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New this year is a live pantomime show of Beauty and the Beast, running for 25 minutes so little guests won’t get bored.

Also new this year is the immersive attraction SledEx HQ.

Families can explore Santa’s post headquarters, complete with a letter writing station to send to Father Christmas.

Otherwise if you need a food break, there is the woodland lodge-style Aspen’s Bar and Kitchen as well as The Lifthouse Coffee Co with everything from festive snacks to hot chocolate

Launching from next week, the festive experience runs until January 3, 2026.

Tickets start from £20 and it is advised to book ahead, with the experience lasting around two hours.

SnowDome Director, Isabelle Chadbourne said they were “delighted” to be returning for their 20th year.

She added: “With our new SledEx HQ, expanded layout and continued focus on immersive fun, families are in for an unforgettable experience.

“It’s a joy to see so many return year after year – and we cannot wait to welcome new visitors to the magic.”   

Families have previously raved about the experience.

One mum wrote last year: “This is our 8th year visiting Winter Wonderland at the Snowdome and I’m yet to be disappointed.”

Another commented: “Santa’s Winter Wonderland at SnowDome is truly enchanting.

“The magical atmosphere, adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, creates a perfect holiday escape. 

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In the muffled silence all I can hear is the crunch and squeak of snow underfoot. The white path ahead of me meanders skyward through forests of larch and pine, their boughs glittering with snow. When I look back, I can see for miles – an icily beautiful panorama of crags and peaks.

I’m in the Lower Engadine, in remote south-east Switzerland, thanks to a tip shared by my Swiss friend Kaspar, when I was pondering a winter walking holiday away from the crowds. Over two weeks I’ll be exploring this fairytale landscape alone, following well-marked trails.

YOU’RE in the Alps for a ski holiday – you’ve got your gear, your lift pass and the optimism that you won’t wipe out on a blue run as kids whizz past you.

But what if skiing on a skiing holiday is optional?

What if there’s an Alpine world that doesn’t require you to throw yourself downhill at speed?

The wild and wonderful phenomenon of après-ski only gears up after the lifts stop — and the party gets going.

Après-ski is no small affair — this is not just drinks before dinner.

In the Three Valleys area of the French Alps, après is a daily festival and feels like a way of life.

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Picture this: a live band steps on stage ahead of a DJ surrounded by strobe lights, crowds are dancing on the tables (in ski boots) and bobble hats are thrown in the air.

This melee of strangers is swaying together, drinks in hand, as revellers sing at the top of their lungs.

This is a kind of Alpine Glastonbury, where people swap flower crowns and flags for puffer jackets and goggles.

And the best part? You don’t have to ski or snowboard to enjoy it.

The Three Valleys is known for some of the best slopes in the world, with almost 600km of pistes, as high as 3,000 metres, to pick from.

But interconnected Valleys resorts Méribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens also showcase thousands of music gigs.

The magic is thanks to London and Méribel-based agency Après Ski Bands, which books more than 3,500 such events per season across 130 venues.

These aren’t bog-standard cover bands — they’re high-energy pros, picked in X Factor-style auditions in the UK, who turn ski resorts into concert venues during winter.

In five days in the Alps, I saw nine superb acts without even trying — starting with party band Magnolia, ending with DJ and MC duo Rio & Rhymes and acts in between including emerging alt-rock talent Pattern Pusher and diverse après heroes The Wingmen.

For folk fans, there’s guitarist Chris Quinn, who opened for the Jools Holland Orchestra, and singer-songwriter Albert Jones, who appeared on BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

Performing in the Alps is hard graft, as musicians play up to 140 dates in a single season.

At Lodge Du Village in Méribel alone, there are 900 live gigs each winter — with Mondays to Wednesdays often wilder than Saturday nights (free shots for those who arrive early).

Le Rond Point — or Ronnie — in Méribel is one of those places where you show up for one drink and suddenly it’s four hours later, and you’re leading a conga line and wearing someone else’s unicorn onesie.

And let’s not forget ultra-Insta La Folie Douce, a venue likened to Ibiza in the snow. If it sounds like an attack on the senses, that’s because it is.

But if partying isn’t really your thing, there are other things on offer in the Valleys.

For a touch of luxury, hit a hotel spa or soak in your chalet’s outdoor hot tub with a glass of fizz, watching skiers from a distance.

If you want to be on the white stuff minus the face-planting, then snowshoeing or sled-dog walking are great for exploring at a gentle pace.

Then, of course, there is the ultimate Alpine sport — eating.

Food here is an attraction in itself, with Méribel’s Le Cro Magnon and La Terrasse du Village delivering everything from hearty Savoyard to refined French-British fusion.

If you come to the Alps and don’t eat fondue, tartiflette or raclette, did you even visit the Alps?

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And now it’s not just a winter thing, with resorts shifting towards year-round tourism, meaning the party doesn’t stop when the snow starts to melt in April.

Whether you’re dancing on tables, belting out rock anthems with a crowd of strangers, exploring snowy forests, or eating your bodyweight in cheese, you’ve made it down a black run to holiday heaven.

The return of winter has already claimed a life on the tallest mountain in the continental United States, with the death of a hiker on slippery Mt. Whitney, according to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department.

Over the weekend, the hiker fell in the notorious “99 Switchbacks” section of the main trail, said Lindsey Stine, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department. The switchbacks begin just above Trail Camp at almost 12,000 feet, where many hikers spend the night before making an early morning start for the 14,500-foot summit.

In the summer, when the trail is dry, the switchbacks section is a long slog, winding back and forth up two miles, and nearly 2,000 vertical feet.

When it gets a big snow, as it did earlier this month, the trail becomes buried and the whole slope becomes perilously steep.

Wes Ostgaard, who said he has climbed Mt. Whitney four times, posted on Facebook that conditions on Saturday were so treacherous he and his climbing partners decided to turn around.

“Winds were extremely intense, and with the recent snowfall, the wind was blasting snow in our faces,” Ostgaard wrote. The snow covered the trail and, in many places, rendered it “invisible,” he wrote.

When Ostgaard and his companions were descending the switchbacks they encountered the body of another hiker who had apparently fallen above a section of steel safety cables and then slid another 70 ft, or so.

“I believe it is highly unlikely he survived,” Ostgaard wrote of the hiker. “There was a fair amount of blood from [colliding with] the cables, and a lot of blood around a rock he made contact with.”

Ostgaard used Starlink to contact his father around 12:30 p.m., who then contacted emergency services. A helicopter arrived about four hours later, Ostgaard wrote.

Another hiker that day, Kirill Novitskiy, encountered the same conditions on the switchbacks on Saturday but made the “wrong decision” to keep climbing.

He made it up with just microspikes — little metal cleats that attach to the bottom of shoes and provide winter traction on flat ground — or on gentle slopes where falling would be no big deal.

But microspikes are notoriously inadequate for winter mountaineering, when a fall could be fatal.

As so often happens in the mountains, when Novitskiy returned to the steep switchbacks after a few hours traveling on relatively flat ground to and from the summit, he discovered conditions had deteriorated so much that he was in real danger and seriously under-equipped.

“I had a couple of dangerous places where the trail became a slope full of powdery snow, and it was very easy to slip off,” Novitskiy wrote on Facebook. “The worst part on the way back were the switchbacks. Almost all the trail was covered with powdery snow brought up with the wind, it was very hard to go with just microspikes.”

Near the cables he saw a pair of trekking poles with nobody around, and then encountered a group of five hikers at the bottom of the switchbacks who told him about the accident.

Anyone attempting to climb Mt. Whitney from this point on in the winter season should bring crampons — much larger spikes that attach firmly to mountaineering boots and dig deep into snow and ice to prevent falls – and an ice axe.

Experts also advise traveling in groups, and bringing a satellite communication device to contact help if anything goes wrong.

So far, the Inyo Sheriff’s Department has not released the identity of the hiker who died.

In January this year, a hiker from Texas died after attempting to climb Mt. Whitney in bad weather. His body was found at an elevation of 12,000 feet near North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail.

In June, a 14-year-old hiker became delirious on Mt. Whitney and fell off of a 12,000-foot cliff. He survived.

In Tallinn, Estonia, you will find the most beautiful Christmas market in the world

Last Christmas, Life reporter Christopher Megrath opted to forgo the typical British yuletide markets and venture to a less frequented European destination steeped in history. Christopher is chuffed he did because the Old Town Christmas market in Tallinn, Estonia, was hands down the most stunning one he has ever seen.

Unlike its renowned Christmas market competitors in cities like Vienna, Cologne, or Salzburg, Tallinn’s market is humble in size. He had never heard it brought up in chats about Christmas markets, nor did he know anyone who had even set foot in the country, yet what it lacks in global recognition it more than compensates for with its captivating setting, snug atmosphere and magical allure.

The Tallinn Christmas Market is nestled in the Town Hall Square. At its heart is the Christmas tree, which holds the title of the most significant Christmas tree in Estonia and has been erected in Town Hall Square since 1441, making it the first Christmas tree ever to be showcased in Europe.

The Town Square is relatively compact – you could stroll from one side to the other in a brisk minute. Christopher managed to clock up more than an hour during his visit thanks to the plethora of stalls, live music and scrumptious food on offer.

Just like a scene out of a film, snow gently started to fall and accumulate on the ground throughout the day. The warm glow of lights draped across the square felt snug in an otherwise frosty wonderland, with the 15th-century Town Hall Tower dominating the backdrop of every snapshot, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The Christmas market has everything you could possibly want – handcrafted baubles, sweet delights like chocolate and toffee, tree ornaments and cosy winter wear like hats, scarves and gloves. As per his personal tradition, Christopher made sure to bring back a good assortment of knick-knacks for his foreign holiday memento collection, including a miniature cathedral and town hall for around €20.

You don’t have to go far for some genuine Estonian grub, as Christopher managed to get verivorst (blood sausage) without even leaving the square. Although it’s not something he would recommend, there’s a vast array of truffles, gingerbread and sweets to indulge in if you’re more inclined towards sugary treats.

After several rounds of the market in search of new finds, Christopher found myself settling on the designated sideline benches with a hot cup of glögg – the Estonian term for mulled wine. A stage was erected at the front of the square where children performed and music filled the afternoon, contributing to an already festive atmosphere.

Christopher couldn’t fathom how picture-perfect the Christmas market was until he witnessed it firsthand. The quintessential depiction of the winter experience is brought to life by Tallinn, from the scenic setting to the festive food, drink and goods available.

The gentle snowfall throughout the day felt like it could’ve been a hired actor at this point.

Moreover, once you’ve had your fill of the market, there’s a wealth of attractions in the surrounding area. You’ll find yourself amidst contemporary shopping venues and eateries, ideal for a brief respite or a return to normality.

Winding cobbled streets will guide you uphill to Tallinn’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an Eastern Orthodox marvel where visitors can glimpse its breathtaking interior. The UNESCO World Heritage site is home to a plethora of hidden treasures if you’re up for the hunt, such as Maiasmokk, Tallinn’s oldest café dating back to 1864, and Pierre Chocolaterie nestled in the secluded Masters’ Courtyard.

Christopher would suggest simply losing yourself in the labyrinthine streets and secret pathways, allowing them to lead you to ancient castle walls and stunning town vistas.

If you’re on the hunt for a unique Christmas experience that still retains the holiday spirit, a trip to Tallinn’s Old Town Christmas market won’t disappoint.

Return flights to Tallinn from Manchester Airport are available for approximately £217, with a stopover in Helsinki en route. However, during his own visit, Christopher opted to stay in the Finnish capital and took a same-day return ferry to Tallinn for around €40, creating a relatively laid-back excursion that combined two holidays in one.

IF you ski down through the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise.

Especially when you are in Hundfjallet — one of four ski areas in the Swedish mountain resort Salen.

A magical beginner slope winds through a Troll Forest where dozens of wooden statues protrude from the snow, singing and telling folk tales.

My young kids liken this enchanted realm to the lands of Elsa and Anna in Disney movie Frozen.

And there’s even a ski-thru McDonald’s too — see right.

It is the first time I’ve taken my family skiing and the children are spellbound from the get-go.

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Making their way through the mythical woods of Trollskogen, they look in wonder.

The only things that stop them begging to return immediately to the top of the run are a log cabin serving hot chocolate near an open fire — and an open-air theatre with a dance show featuring the resort’s mascot, Snowman Valle.

Aside from it being wonderfully child-friendly, one of the best things about Salen is how quickly you can get there.

The resort, in west-central Sweden, near the Norwegian border, is just a two-hour flight from the UK then a ten-minute transfer.

Within an hour of landing at the airport, we had dumped our bags, got completely kitted out — including with ski pass, part of our deal from operator Sunweb — and were gliding down the pistes.

All of this was made even easier by our 4H “ski in and ski out” SkiStar Lodge apartment hotel, which has everything you could wish for within a short walk, from ski school, ski rental and sledging hill, to luxury spa, restaurants, playroom, creche and supermarket.

Salen is generally suited more to beginner and intermediate skiiers. But with 101 runs, including some nice off-piste, back-country routes, and a 45-degree black run called The Wall, there is enough to keep even the most advanced occupied.

If you are looking for an alternative to downhill skiing or boarding, the area also offers dog-sled rides, Ski-Doo snowmobile trails, and superb cross-country skiing.

After a tiring day on the mountain you can simply slide back to the hotel — which has a vast storage room for all your gear — and head to the bar for authentic Swedish apres ski.

Yes, that means Abba songs, as well as lots of sing-along tunes for the kids — while they energise on their slush puppies with marshmallows, and the adults relax with a beer and bowls of hot, salty chips.

Another great way to unwind after all that exertion on the mountain is the on-site Frost Spa, where you can look at the ski slopes from a steaming outdoor pool, relax in two tingling-hot Jacuzzis, melt away in the sauna and steam rooms, and get a Swedish massage — before a drink at the bar.

Salen also comprises the busier Lindvallen ski area — 20 minutes away on the free bus — where you can grab a burger and chips in the world’s one and only ski-thru McDonald’s.

Lindvallen also has a ten-pin bowling alley, arcade and the SkiStar Experium fun pool with surf simulator and two exciting waterslides for the kids to go wild in.

At day’s end, back at the hotel, the children can also enjoy free table tennis, pool and shuffleboard until they are ready to drop.

And when they are finally tucked up in bed, adults can settle down in front of the apartments’ giant TVs  and watch Frozen or listen to Abba songs.

Just Gimme, gimme, gimme another Swedish ski holiday.

AS I look down into the valley below, I spot the unmistakable outline of the Golden Arches gleaming in the snow.

Peeling off my gloves, I unlock my phone screen and hit the McDonald’s app, ordering two Happy Meals, a Big Mac and a McChicken sandwich.

I’ve never seen my children ski as quickly as they did to the hatch to collect our order.

The world’s only McSki in Sweden’s Lindvallen, is decked out like an Alpine chalet with stone and wood features and can seat up to 170 people.

It offers all the same menu items that can be found in other McDonald’s around the world and the prices are comparable to back home in England – with main meals costing around £7.

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This means you can get a pretty cheap lunch compared to other mountain restaurant options.

Who can say no to that?

For a “picture-perfect” festive season, this market is a must-visit and has been voted the top destination for a Christmas market

It may only be October, but many of us are already fantasising about a magical Christmas – and perhaps one final quick break before 2025 draws to a close.

And a European Christmas market that’s just over 2 hours from the UK has been declared the number one destination to visit this year for a “picture-perfect” escape.

Europe is celebrated for hosting some of the globe’s most enchanting Christmas markets that have delightful medieval backdrops, snow-covered pavements, sparkling illuminations, and fun festivities.

It’s essential viewing for both wanderlust seekers and anyone who adores the holiday period. Ranking the top 15 across the continent, The Travel Expert declared Krakow, Poland, as the finest to experience, reports Edinburgh Live.

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The expert revealed: “Home to Europe’s largest market square, Krakow is an excellent choice for a Christmas market break. The massive main square in the centre of the old town comes alive with hundreds of market stalls selling handmade gifts and souvenirs as well as traditional local food and mulled wine to enjoy.”

What’s even more appealing, direct flights from UK airports cost as little as £36 via easyJet. If a Christmas escape is on your 2025 wish list, here’s what you can expect on a visit to Krakow.

What does Krakow have to offer?

According to Visit Krakow, the festive market has been staged in the Main Square since the early 14th century. Krakow boasts three principal Christmas markets. The biggest can be found on Rynek Główny, the Main Square, while smaller festive gatherings operate at Plac Wolnica in Kazimierz and outside the Galeria Krakowska shopping centre.

Each market showcases a magnificent selection of seasonal presents and handicrafts, alongside substantial food offerings and warming mulled beverages. “In addition to pierogi dumplings and traditional Polish soups, there are kiosks selling skewers of meat and delicious grilled sheep cheese,” the website said. “Vodkas, liqueurs, and spirits really take the edge off a winter’s night. For pudding, there are waffles, gingerbread biscuits, and Eastern European pastries.”

Beyond food and drink, Krakow provides numerous seasonal activities. The Old Town and Kazimierz markets showcase stages hosting holiday performances throughout December, while the Galeria Krakowska market includes a small ice rink.

A standout feature of the city’s festive customs is the szopki krakowskie nativity scenes. Rather than conventional nativity displays, these vibrantly coloured models draw inspiration from the city’s churches and cathedrals.

A representative from Krakow Christmas’ official website also declared: “Krakow Christmas market is one of the most picture-perfect settings for a Christmas market that you can imagine. Krakow’s Main Square is huge.

“It is one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, and amongst all the Christmas market stalls is the beautiful twin-towered basilica of St Mary’s. In the centre of the square is the Cloth Hall. In Polish, the Cloth Hall is called Sukiennice (pronounced Sukyenitse). Krakow’s Cloth Hall is THE place to go for souvenirs throughout the whole year, and Christmas-time is no exception.”

The blog page also suggests there may be a chance of a white Christmas for those seeking the perfect winter wonderland. Experts say snow is most likely to fall in southern Poland, and Krakow sits close to the Tatra mountain, offering the city a much stronger prospect of a snowy backdrop – though, as ever, the weather remains unpredictable.

Is Krakow worth a visit?

A travel blogger called The Sunshine Seeker, who lived in Krakow and visited it at least 10 times, shared her view on whether the market is genuinely excellent. She said: “So is Krakow Christmas Market worth visiting? My answer is YES, but… It is worth it because Krakow is worth it.

“Krakow is one of the most beautiful yet affordable weekend getaways in Europe. However, I wouldn’t plan a visit to Krakow just for the Christmas Market, there are better destinations such as Dresden and Strasbourg for that. Or Wroclaw Christmas Market which is the largest in Poland.”

If you’re planning a visit, the 2025 market is set to open on November 28 and will run until December 26, with some stalls remaining open through the New Year. Direct flights from Edinburgh Airport to Krakow cost as little as £35.99 via easyJet. According to the Sunshine Seeker, the Christmas Market is open from around 10:00 until 8:00 pm, and the food stalls are open even later.

The optimal time to experience Krakow Christmas Market is during the week when it’s dark as it will allow you to soak up the atmosphere. Sundays are extremely busy. Krakow is a walkable city, meaning tourists can stroll to the Christmas Market from most hotels.

“I always recommend you stay in Kazmierz, my favourite neighbourhood in Krakow, or somewhere along the park that encircles the Old Town,” said the blogger. She continued: “I find Krakow Christmas Market one of Europe’s most affordable.

“The market has some more expensive items; however, Krakow, and Poland in general, is still quite affordable. You can expect to pay €3 – €10 for food, €4.5 for a draft beer and $5.5 for mulled wine.”

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The island was named the sunniest place in the UK by the Met Office – and it gets more sunshine than parts of Italy during the winter months

You don’t need to jet off to far-flung destinations for a dose of winter sun – there’s a UK island that boasts more sunshine than parts of Italy.

The Isle of Wight has been crowned the sunniest spot in the UK by the Met Office, outshining even Milan and Geneva during the winter months.

According to research from Isle Escapes, the island enjoys an average of 78 hours of sunshine per month between November and February.

That’s a staggering 12 percent more than Milan’s 70 average hours, 15 percent more than Geneva’s 68 hours, and 20 percent more than Paris’ 65 average winter sunshine hours.

This balmy climate could be due to the warming effect of the Solent – the strait that separates the Isle of Wight from mainland England, reports the Express.

The island benefits from its own micro-climate, which means it typically avoids extreme weather conditions like heavy snowfall and thunderstorms during the winter season.

Not only is it the sunniest place in the UK, but this is particularly noticeable during the winter, when the Isle of Wight basks in 42 percent more sunshine hours than the rest of the country.

If you’re keen to soak up some of this sun for yourself, the Isle of Wight offers a fantastic island getaway without straying too far from home.

Located just off the coast of Hampshire, the island is renowned as Britain’s dinosaur capital, with the remains of over 20 species discovered on the island.

The Isle of Wight is a top-notch destination for cycling enthusiasts, boasting numerous tracks and paths that crisscross the island.

For those up to the challenge, you can cycle around the island in a day – a well-signposted route of approximately 105km.

While mostly flat, there are some inclines that will give your thighs a workout, and it can get breezy, so be prepared.

If you’re after a more laid-back holiday, the Isle of Wight has plenty to offer. There’s a host of family-friendly attractions, including the Monkey Haven animal sanctuary, home to meerkats, gibbons, and even snakes, all cared for by keepers who love to chat about their work.

History buffs can visit Osborne – Queen Victoria’s country retreat and family home, now open for tours. After her first visit to Osborne, Queen Victoria wrote: ‘It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot’, and she wasn’t wrong.

A trip to Osborne offers something for everyone. Inside the house, you’ll get a glimpse into Royal life as you explore private apartments and grand reception rooms filled with beautiful furnishings and artworks from the Royal Collection.

And if the sun is out (which it likely will be), you can stroll through flower-filled gardens and relax on the beach where the Royal children learnt to swim.

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If you’re yearning for a trip to the Isle of Wight, it’s easy to reach from mainland UK. Daily flights depart from Heathrow and Gatwick, or you can opt to fly to Bournemouth or Southampton before hopping on one of the 150 ferry connections to the island which take as little as 45 minutes.

Since the Isle of Wight is part of the UK, there’s no need for your passport – just pack your bag and perhaps a sunhat.

In “The Last Frontier,” which premieres Friday on Apple TV+, a plane carrying federal prisoners goes down in the Alaskan wilderness outside a town where Frank Remnick (Jason Clarke) is the U.S. Marshal. Eighteen passengers survive, among them a sort of super-soldier we will come to know as Havlock (Dominic Cooper). Sad intelligence agent Sidney Scofield (Haley Bennett) is sent to the scene by her dodgy superior (American treasure Alfre Woodard).

I won’t go into it in depth, especially given the enormous number of reveals and reversals that make up the plot; pretty much everything not written here constitutes a spoiler. The production is excellent, with well-executed set pieces — the plane crash, a tug-of-war between a helicopter and a giant bus, a fight on a train, a fight on a dam. (I do have issues with the songs on the soundtrack, which tend to kill rather than enhance the mood.) The large cast, which includes Simone Kessell as Frank’s wife, Sarah — they have just about put a family trauma behind them when opportunities for new trauma arise — and Dallas Goldtooth, William Knifeman on “Reservation Dogs,” as Frank’s right hand, Hutch, is very good.

It’s as violent as you’d expect from a show that sets 18 desperate criminals loose upon the landscape, which you may consider an attraction or deal killer. (I don’t know you.) At 10 episodes, with a lot of plot to keep in order, it can be confusing — even the characters will say, “It’s complicated” or “It’s not that simple,” when asked to explain something — and some of the emotional arcs seem strange, especially when characters turn out to be not who they seem. Things get pretty nutty by the end, but all in all it’s an interesting ride.

But that’s not what I came here to discuss. I’d like to talk about snow.

There’s a lot of snow in “The Last Frontier.” The far-north climate brings weather into the picture, literally. Snow can be beautiful, or an obstacle. It can be a blanket, as in Eliot’s “Winter kept us warm, covering Earth in forgetful snow,” or a straitjacket, as in 2023’s “A Murder at the End of the World,” a Christie-esque murder mystery that trapped the suspects in an Icelandic luxury hotel. It’s part of the aesthetic and part of the action, which it can slow, or stop. It can be deadly, disorienting, as when a blizzard erases the landscape (see the first season of “Fargo”). And it requires the right clothes — mufflers, fur collars, wool caps, big boots, gloves — which communicate coziness even as they underscore the cold.

The snowy landscape in shows like “The Last Frontier” is part of the aesthetic and action.

(Apple)

Even when it doesn’t affect the plot directly, it’s the canvas the story is painted on, its whiteness of an intensity not otherwise seen on the screen, except in starship hallways. (It turns a moody blue after dark, magnifying the sense of mystery.) Growing up in Southern California — I didn’t see real snow until I was maybe 10? — I was trained by the movies and TV, where all Christmases are white if the budget allows, to understand its meaning.

It was enough that “The Last Frontier” was set in Alaska (filmed in Quebec and Alberta) to pique my interest, as it had been for “Alaska Daily,” a sadly short-lived 2022 ABC series with Hilary Swank and Secwépemc actor Grace Dove as reporters looking into overlooked cases of murdered and missing Indigenous women. This may go back to my affection for “Northern Exposure” (set in Alaska, filmed in Washington state), with its storybook town and colorful characters, most of whom came from somewhere else, with Rob Morrow’s New York doctor the fish out of water; “Men in Trees” (filmed in British Columbia, set in Alaska) sent Anne Heche’s New York relationship coach down a similar trail. “Lilyhammer,” another favorite and the first “exclusive” Netflix series, found Steven Van Zandt as an American mobster in witness protection in a Norwegian small town; there was a ton of snow in that show.

It serves the fantastic and supernatural as well. The polar episodes of “His Dark Materials” and “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” the icebound sailing ships of “The Terror” live large in my mind; and there’s no denying the spooky, claustrophobic power of “Night Country,” the fourth season of “True Detective,” which begins on the night of the last sunset for six months, its fictional town an oasis of light in a desert of black. In another key, “North of North,” another remote small town comedy, set in Canada’s northernmost territory among the Indigenous Inuit people is one of my best-loved shows of 2025.

But the allure of the north is nothing new. Jack London’s Yukon-set “White Fang” and “The Call of the Wild” — which became an Animal Planet series for a season in 2000 — entranced readers back around the turn of the 19th century and are still being read today.

Of course, any setting can be exotic if it’s unfamiliar. (And invisible if it’s not, or annoying — if snow is a thing you have to shovel off your walk, its charm evaporates.) Every environment suggests or shapes the stories that are set there; even were the plots identical, a mystery set in Amarillo, for example, would play differently than one set in Duluth or Lafayette.

I’ll take Alaska.

The Pantiles Christmas Markets will return this year, and will run between November 14 until Christmas Eve, December 24

An enchanting Christmas market is set to transform a historic quarter of the elegant Kent town, Tunbridge Wells, known for its great rail connections. The festive spectacle will feature timber chalets, twinkling lights and a decorated tree on the bandstand, and if we’re lucky, there might even be snow.

The area, known as The Pantiles, is such an idyllic setting for festivities that it has been chosen as the backdrop for at least two Christmas television adverts, one for Morrisons supermarket and another for online retailer Very. This year, The Pantiles Christmas Markets are making a comeback, running from November 14 right up until Christmas Eve, December 24.

When this Georgian colonnade is adorned with festive decorations, bustling with people against the backdrop of period architecture, it’s the perfect scene for a Christmas jigsaw puzzle.

There will be performances from musicians, choirs and local theatre groups, along with family-friendly entertainment including a lights switch-on, reports Kent Live.

Pantiles Events, which organises the market and others throughout the year, said: “This Christmas, The Pantiles will once again be transformed into a festive spectacle, offering an enchanting experience for traders and over 170,000 visitors alike.

“Join us for a celebration filled with festive cheer. Our annual Big Reveal takes place as part of the launch of our Christmas market, including a grand switch-on of The Pantiles’ dazzling lights, followed by family-friendly entertainment.

“Plus so much more. There’s sure to be something for everyone this Christmas at The Pantiles.”

The Christmas Markets are set to run on the following dates, all from 10am to 7pm:

November: 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30.

December: 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

The Pantiles, a Georgian walkway and popular spot for visitors, was previously named one of the UK’s Top 10 High Streets for Independent Shops by American Express, as reported by KentLive.

In recent years, there have been several new openings in the area, including Charlotte’s on The Pantiles, Essence by Atul Kochhar, and Kypseli Greek Taverna, which is run by the same family that operates the co-working space Hive on the same site.

You can learn more about the Christmas market here.

Jewells Chambers, an American expat who originally hails from Brooklyn, New York, detailed how she felt a “magnetic” pull towards the stunning “Land of Fire and Ice”

An expat who abandoned life in the US and relocated to a remote European nation has revealed one particular disadvantage she’s encountered. Jewells Chambers, an American expat originally from Brooklyn, New York, explained how she felt a “magnetic” attraction to the breathtaking “Land of Fire and Ice,” with its striking landscapes filled with volcanoes and glaciers.

Jewells, who currently makes $73,000 (approximately £54,200), first relocated to Iceland in 2016, after marrying an Icelander (they divorced in 2023) and securing a position in the marketing department at a local travel company.

Alongside this role, the 38-year-old also established the YouTube channel and podcast All Things Iceland in 2018, which offers viewers the “inside scoop” on the Nordic country, with Jewells making the brand her full-time focus in 2020.

However, despite appearing to relish her life in the nation, she did acknowledge one downside of residing there; Iceland is a famously costly country (eighth most expensive globally in 2023), with a cost of living allegedly 15.8 per cent higher than the US, according to Business Insider.

Speaking to CNBC Make It, Jewells revealed her living costs: “In general, Iceland is expensive, and in particular, when it comes to eating out, it definitely can be expensive.

“It is normal to pay somewhere between $25 to $30 (about £18 to £22) for one course at a restaurant, a main course. Often, when I’ve gone out and I had a three-course dinner, that would be somewhere around $100 to £120 (about £74 to £89).

“A cup of coffee also varies, depending on where you get it. It could cost you as much as $7.50 to almost $8 (about £5.60 to £6).”

Previously in the clip, the creators revealed a pie chart detailing Jewells’ monthly expenditure for June 2024.

Her total outgoings reached $4,667 (about £3,400), with $2,030 (about £1,500) going towards accommodation and utilities, plus $545 (about £400) on groceries.

However, her expenses have been mitigated somewhat thanks to a contract with a local vehicle hire company, which means she only covers petrol costs. She also takes advantage of Iceland’s free healthcare provision.

Iceland, a sparsely populated island in the North Atlantic, is known for its geothermal hot springs and geysers, as well as such natural attractions as the famous Blue Lagoon spa.

The country boasts 376,000 residents as of 2024, and this year secured third place as the world’s happiest nation in the 2025 World Happiness Report (just behind Finland in first place and Denmark).

The BBC reported that Iceland achieved the top score globally for social support whilst also earning impressive rankings for freedom and generosity, placing third and fifth.

Another element that allegedly adds to residents’ happiness is the country’s breathtaking scenery. US geologist Jessica Poteet, who also relocated to Iceland, discussed the matter with the corporation.

She revealed that living somewhere blessed with volcanoes, Northern Lights, “cotton candy-pink” skies, and snow-capped peaks during winter feels like a “dream” and something she “never” takes for granted.

A visit to Lapland to see Father Christmas is just a pipedream for most people, with a short stay generally costing thousands – but there is a far cheaper way to experience the magic of the snowy wonderland without breaking the bank

Whether you want to admit it or not, Christmas really is on its way and it will be here sooner than you think.

Your flip flops may still be lingering redundant at the front door in the hope of some warm autumn sun but they’ll be joined by hats and scarfs very soon, which you’ll be throwing on to rush out and get those last minute Xmas gifts.

If you’ve always hoped one of them would be to take the kids (or just yourself) to Lapland to see the big fella in his homeland, but never believed you could afford it – there is a much less costly way to make those childhood festive dreams of a trip of a lifetime come true.

The Santa Village and the Arctic Circle in Northern Finland is where Santa has lived for centuries and is a top destination for those in search of the all round festive experience. The village in Rovaniemi is open every day of the year but many prefer to go during the Christmas period.

We took a look at costs for a family of four to stay at the village itself for two nights during December and it’s fair to say most families would be priced out.

The family suite (double bed and a sofa bed and armchair bed) was the only option available with the cheaper cottages having sold out. It came in at around £1,683 for both nights.

For anyone who wants to splash out even more there is a villa which can be rented in its entirety or it’s also possible to rent half of it as an apartment. The smaller of the two apartments comes in at just over £13,000 in total for four people staying two nights on December 15 and 16.

Admittedly the accommodation appears to be the height of luxury and includes breakfast. There’s even the option of a private chef preparing it for you for £262 extra per morning if you can’t be bothered to pop your bread in the toaster yourself.

Father Christmas himself will even make a VIP private visit to the apartment for around 30 minutes but he doesn’t come cheap either, he’s a busy man after all. You’ll have to fork out around £778 if you want Santa on your sofa.

Return flights with Syscanner from London Gatwick to Rovaniemi on 15 December – 17 December come in around £862 in total for reasonable times but still won’t land until 18.10 on the first night. Obviously you’ll pay more for kinder flight times that don’t involve getting up or home in the middle of the night.

If you went for the cheaper option for flights and accommodation you would be looking at a total cost of £2,545 or £13,862 for the high end apartment. These estimates DON’T include travel to and from the airport or the cost of any meals, refreshments or added extras such as husky or reindeer sled rides (the luxury apartment includes breakfast).

However those wishing there was a cheaper way to enjoy the winter wonderland, could consider arranging alternative accommodation and adding in an extra festive experience that will also save money. It is generally cheaper to fly to Helsinki from the UK. We found an early morning flight leaving Gatwick for £218 in total for four passengers on the same date, again via Skyscanner.

Once there you can pick up the overnight Santa Express (sadly he doesn’t actually drive the double decker train), which runs from Helsinki to snow-capped Lapland in the north.

The journey takes approximately 12 hours which means you can really relish the beauty of the Finnish landscape as you head towards Father Christmas. If you’re lucky you may even get to marvel at the natural stunning phenomena of the Northern Lights which are often visible here before being rocked off to sleep, waking up in the Arctic Circle the next morning.

This option combines travel and the first night’s accommodation in one, making it so much cheaper all round. Standard sleeper cabins start from £43 and cabins with showers start from £65. It is advised to book early and directly through the Finnish national rail company VR.

Recent travellers on the Santa Express have shared their experiences on Tripadvisor, where the train has a 4.2 rating: “This overnight train ride was a fun and unique way for our family to travel to Lapland. It added to the excitement of our trip and gave us a chance to relax before arriving in Rovaniemi,” one wrote. “We would recommend it to families looking for an authentic Finnish travel experience.”

Another family were also pleasantly surprised: “The rooms/cabins exceeded our expectations. Admittedly, we had concerns about selecting this mode of transport between Helsinki and Rovaniemi but we were looking forward to a new experience. It really did help establish a festive feeling as we embarked on our first trip to Lapland,” they shared.

Once you arrive in Rovaniemi you can head straight to the Santa Village, where entry is free. There’s not even a charge to meet the man himself in his big red house but prepare for queues at busy periods. Added extras such as a picture with him will come with a price tag though.

The Arctic Circle runs through the village and you can cross it in the central square – again totally free. Make some lifelong memories by taking your own pictures of the family jumping or hopping across the line in the sparkly surroundings.

There are plenty of other activities in the village, such as husky rides and snowmobile safaris but for those on a tight budget there’s lots of fun to be had simply soaking up the frozen landscape’s atmosphere after a special meet with Santa.

Once your day in the village is over, rather than staying on site, it’s possible to find much cheaper alternatives in Rovaniemi itself. We found an entire studio apartment on booking.com just 0.6 miles from the city centre for £260 for the whole family. After a restful night full of festive dreams, you can catch a flight back to Gatwick from nearby Rovaniemi airport. We found one with Skyscanner for £392.

Below are the totals for both Lapland trips and the savings that could be made. Estimates are for a family of four staying two nights between 15 – 17 December. Neither includes meals, refreshments or extras. Prices were correct at the time of writing:

Total for the Santa Village suite (cheaper of the two): £2,545

Total estimate for the alternative Lapland package using the Santa Express: £956

Saving of: £1,589

The Snaefell Mountain Railway on the Isle of Man is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles and is steeped in history, culture and pure imagination

The only electric mountain railway in the whole of the British Isles is rich in history, culture and sheer wonder.

The Snaefell Mountain Railway climbs from Laxey to the peak of Snaefell – the highest mountain on the Isle of Man – standing a staggering 2,036ft above sea level, serving as the enchanting gateway to seven mythical kingdoms.

Constructed in 1895, the service typically runs from March to November and takes about 30 minutes for a one-way trip.

Travelling along a five-mile track, it uses electricity from overhead wires at approximately 550 volts to operate, remaining faithful to its original Victorian-era infrastructure, ferrying passengers who come from all corners of the globe to catch a glimpse of this world wonder.

Upon reaching Snafell, or ‘Snow Mountain’ as it’s often called, visitors will make their way into five wooden electric railcars. Each of them are numbered from one to six, though you’ll soon notice that number three is mysteriously absent, reports the Express.

It appears it was destroyed in an incident where the car derailed back in 2016. Whatever remained of it has been gathered and is reportedly due to be rebuilt at some stage, so stay tuned.

The main station on the line is the interchange with the Manx Electric Railway at Laxey. The only stopping place is Bungalow, the halfway point where the line crosses the A18 Mountain Road, notorious for the perilous and deadly Isle of Man TT race.

A stone’s throw away, visitors can find the Manx Museum in Douglas, a treasure trove housed in an ex-hospital with exhibits featuring Viking silver, Celtic crosses and the Tynwald – the world’s oldest continuous parliamentary body.

The museum’s creation aimed to revamp the Isle of Man’s image following tough times in the mid-19th century.

Sir Henry Brougham Loch, the lieutenant governor, played a pivotal role by initially promoting Douglas as a spa destination, triggering a seaside holiday surge.

An impressive 1,500 hotels were established to accommodate roughly 350,000 summer tourists. Yet, Loch recognised most visitors lingered only in the capital, prompting the construction of a railway network that would transport them across the island.

Andrew Scarffe, technical support officer at Manx Heritage Railways, told the BBC about the impact of the railway: “When the railway opened, it was like science fiction. Droves of people came over on the ferry just to see its electric technology and innovation.”

Scarffe shared a little-known fact: “What’s rarely spoken of is we were 130 years ahead of the rest of the world with green travel. We began generating our own power back in the 1890s to run the railway, and the electric tram cars are still doing what they were built to be doing.

“Slow travel by electric train? It all started here.”

In its heyday, the railway service boasted a million passengers annually. However, this grand Isle of Man tradition has seen a decrease in recent years, though an estimated 200,000 people still board the train each year, soaking up the immense historical splendour this small island has to offer.

Disney+ is offering a fantastic deal for streaming fans, with households able to get four months for £1.99 a month

Disney+ is presenting a cracking deal for streaming enthusiasts in the UK, offering four months of access for £1.99 a month instead. However, time is running out to grab it with the offer set to expire on June 30.

For less than the cost of a Starbucks brew or a meal deal, Disney+ streamers can indulge in Marvel Cinematic Universe shows, including WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel for much less than the usual price – and the rate will last until the end of October.

The platform also boasts a variety of Star Wars series, such as Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Clone Wars, ensuring there’s a wealth of content to keep viewers hooked for months. Classic Walt Disney animated films like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and The Lion King are also ready for your viewing enjoyment.

READ MORE: World-renowned dentists give teeth whitener ‘5-star seal of approval’ in tests

READ MORE: ‘I’m a TV Editor and these are the 5 Disney+ shows I’m bingeing’

There’s also new content including the new season 4 of FX’s The Bear (that premiered on June 26) and the riveting new sci-fi drama, Alien: Earth, which is set for release later this summer (August 13). These join the newly-released Snow White and Ironheart.

The Stolen Girl is another smash hit that has garnered critical praise. The Disney+ £1.99 offer lasts for four months, providing streamers plenty of time to explore the extensive library of content on offer.

Get Disney+ for £1.99 a month

£4.99

£1.99

Disney+

Get the deal here

Disney+ has brought back its popular deal that lets new and returning customers join its Standard with Ads plan for £1.99 per month for four months.

This means members can stream hit shows like Andor, The Bear and Alien: Earth, plus countless titles from Star Wars and Marvel, for a fraction of the usual price.

However, it’s crucial to remember that the £1.99 offer pertains only to the Standard with Ads version, so subscribers will have to tolerate commercials while watching their beloved shows, which may cause irritation.

Disney+ has been met with praise on Trustpilot, where one happy user commented: “Very good selection, friendly support and easy to cancel if you need to. Very easy to navigate their site, and the openness and transparency they show should be a model for others.”

Nevertheless, one disgruntled customer criticised the ad frequency, remarking: “Way too many adverts. Luckily I got it free for three months, but would not pay to extend it.”

For families seeking additional streaming services, numerous offers are available. Sky has its own streaming deals, such as the £15 per month Sky Stream package.

Furthermore, DAZN is giving sports enthusiasts an opportunity to sample its service through a limited-time trial offer. The Disney+ £1.99 deal can be snagged by households here.

Dan Snow explores the ruins of Machu Picchu in a compelling new show for 5. But the father-of-three was struck when he discovered the mummified remains of a young girl.

Scaling Machu Picchu, Dan Snow ’s latest adventure is anything but ordinary. But he was rattled by his encounter with a 600-year-old Inca mummy.

The historian and presenter, 46, fronts Machu Picchu: The Discovery with Dan Snow on Channel 5, diving deep into the secrets of the ancient Peruvian city lost to the jungle for centuries.

“It is the most splendid and overwhelming location for a historical site. Nothing can prepare you for arriving there,” he says, “I’d never visited before and it was one of my bucket list places. I was so desperate to do it.”

Alongside the stunning scenery came cultural revelations. “The Incas were very different,” he says, “To understand their belief systems, you have to turn everything you understand from the West on its head.

They used to keep their Emperors mummified, bringing them out on special occasions. Death wasn’t the end for them. That was difficult because it’s so different.”

He adds: “Seeing the way the landscape is kind of organised – like a great big Coliseum. Such beautiful mountains, river valleys and then stunning buildings.

All built with these extraordinary, exquisite stonemasonry techniques of the Inca. It is truly like a lost city in the jungle. It’s the thing you dream about when you’re a little kid.”

But one of the most striking of the show moments came when Dan encountered the frozen remains of a 12-year-old-girl, sacrificed to the mountain gods.

“She was perfectly preserved in ice,” he says, “I had to hold her for a minute. She was my daughter’s age. It was one of the most overwhelming things.”

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Dan has been married to criminologist and philanthropist Lady Edwina Louise Grosvenor since November 2010. Edwina is the second daughter of the 6th Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor. She and Dan lead a happy family life in the New Forest with their three children.

Hidden from Spanish invaders and swallowed by rainforest, Machu Picchu remained untouched for centuries. “It was just so inaccessible,” says Dan.

The Spanish never managed to get to it. Everything grows so fast that it was abandoned: The Spanish never found it, and before you know it the jungle had just taken over.”

But reaching it wasn’t easy. “It was a really challenging place to film. Carrying all our equipment over these mountain paths,” he says, “At one stage, we were swinging the camera, and I almost fell off into the valley below. It was exhausting.”

The altitude only made things worse. “People were having nosebleeds as we were trying to operate equipment,” Dan adds. “Even in Cusco, one of the highest cities on Earth. It was one of the more challenging places I have had to operate for sure.”

Now back from his visit, Dan’s wanderlust is far from cured. “I’d love to visit Easter Island,” he says, “There are Roman ruins in North Africa, even in China! The great happiness is that there’s always opportunities.”

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Europe is home to some fantastic cities and one has been voted the best for value – with a pint costing around £2.41. Here is why you should visit it this year

City breaks are a dream for those looking to quickly escape and hit the reset button. And if a European jaunt is what gets your travel juices flowing, then you’ve struck gold, as the experts at Flight Hacks have dished out a summer bargain travel list. They’ve crunched the numbers, factoring in daily averages for flights from any London airport, food and digs per night, to pinpoint the top bang-for-your-buck holiday spots.

Topping the charts as Europe’s most economical holiday spot is Bucharest, Romania. You can revel in all its delights for a neat £215.52 a day, with hotel stays hitting the jackpot as the continent’s cheapest averaging a mere £86.72 a night.

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So if you’re tempted by the cheapest place let’s take a look at Bucharest more closely.

What is there to do in Bucharest?

Nestled in Southern Romania, this historical gem not only served as the stomping grounds for Vlad The Impaler but also snagged the moniker “Little Paris” for its elegant early 20th-century architecture. It boasts a population of about 1.83 million (circa 2019) and promises a cultural feast.

Tripadvisor’s crowned jewel for the city is the Stavropoleos Monastery, scoring an impressive 4.5 rating. Dating back to 1724, it stands proudly among the capital’s oldest structures.

Culture vultures can either discover its charms solo or opt for a guided tour around the monastery, reports the Express. One visitor raved about a church on Tripadvisor, calling it “beautiful” among numerous five-star reviews.

A user remarked: “What I loved most was the quiet and cosy atmosphere of the place, even if this architectural beauty is located in the middle of Bucharest, in the most crowded place.”

Another shared: “One of my favourite places in Bucharest! Amazing monastery is full of peace and harmony. I recommend visiting it Saturday and Sunday at 6pm and to listen to the prayers.”

And a fourth enthused: “Standing inside this monastery, takes your breath away. The walls and high ceilings adorned with beautiful religious artwork, it hard to put to words just how beautiful it really Is.”

Other must-see spots in the Romanian capital include the world’s second-largest building, the Palace of Parliament, and of course, the Old Town is a must-visit spot.

Expect to discover a host of bars and eateries offering traditional Romanian cuisine there.

Bucharest is also a magnet for those seeking vibrant nightlife, with a pint going for as little as £2.41 according to Numbeo statistics. There are plenty of top-tier venues to enjoy, including Player Club, Shoteria, and Club Revenge.

How to get to Bucharest

Getting to Romania is straightforward with many airlines offering flights. Direct services are available from London, Birmingham, and Glasgow with carriers such as Ryanair, BA, easyJet and Wizz Air flying to the destination.

Kayak reveals that one-way flights to Bucharest kick off from the capital, with the journey clocking in just over three hours from London.

When is the best time to visit Bucharest?

The milder months of April, May, June, September and October are ideal to dodge the sweltering summer climes, as it can get quite toasty in those parts.

Conversely, winter might charm with snow, but be wary as it can throw public transport into chaos. Also, tourist hotspots sometimes shut their doors owing to harsh weather, and expect the nights to start nipping at 4pm.

Top 10 budget-friendly European destinations to visit (average cost per day):

Immanuel Debeer, CEO at Flight Hacks, said: “Going on holiday in Europe doesn’t need to cost an eye-watering amount of money. This study demonstrates that by exploring various travel sites and researching the cost of living in certain cities, you can visit some of the most beautiful and culturally rich areas Europe has to offer without breaking the bank.”