Tourism

Cruise passengers who dock for the day in Barcelona now face having to pay a hefty fee per passenger per day, as the mayor looks to slash the number of short-stay cruise visitors to zero

Barcelona’s city council has approved plans to triple the amount that cruise passengers pay when they take a day trip to the popular city break hotspot.

The levy for cruise ship passengers will be hiked from €8 to €24 per passenger. In addition, a €6 regional tourist tax is already payable to visitors who spend less than 12 hours in Barcelona, which means the cost of setting foot in the capital for cruise passengers will rise to €30 per person, just under £26.

The hike is part of Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni’s plans to slash cruise tourism to the Catalan city according to cruise news outlet Deep Arrival.

Barcelona welcomed around 16 million visitors in 2025, 3.99 million of which were cruise passengers, with campaigners claiming that the influx puts a strain on public services and leads to overcrowding during the peak summer months. The tax increase is aimed at discouraging cruises from visiting the city completely, rather than just reducing overall numbers.

In July 2025, the city’s council approved plans to gradually increase the levy paid by cruise passengers gradually over four years, but reports within cruise trade publications indicate that this timeline could be sped up, and higher charges could be implemented as soon as 2027.

Cruises that begin or end in Barcelona would not be charged this increased fee, as these sailings are seen to have a postive impact on the city compared to day trips. A report on the sustainability of cruises on the city showed that day trippers from cruises spent an average of 5.7 hours in the city, and mostly visited popular attractions as as the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell.

Last year, Barcelona cut the number of cruise terminals from seven to five, and began to reroute larger cruise ships away from the most central ports, which now prioritise smaller boats and local marine traffic.

It’s not just cruise passengers who’ll pay higher fees in Barcelona. As of April 1, general accommodation tourist taxes have also increased, making them among the highest in Europe. Visitors pay both a regional and a municipal surcharge, meaning the total tourist tax ranges from €7 to €12 per person per night (approximately £6 to £10.38).

Barcelona has been at the heart of the overtourism protests sweeping Spain, and in June 2025 the city hit the headlines as protestors marched through the streets holding signs with slogans such as “Your Airbnb used to be my home”, and people sitting on outside terraces were squirted with water pistols.

Further protests are expected this summer from groups such as Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism More Life), including protests in Palma, Majorca set for July 26 to coincide with the start of school holiday season.

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The national park’s a hotspot for tourism, but this particular walk felt like, at points, I could have been hiking in a tropical destination, with its bright green rugged cliffs

The more I travel around the UK, the more I am in awe of its natural beauty which seems to be overlooked by a lot of keen travellers, and this particular spot feels like a real slice of paradise.

You don’t need to hop on a plane to experience a sense of the tropics; it turns out you can immerse yourself in the brightest hues of green and walk along waterfalls in the north of Wales. While, of course, Snowdonia National Park is no secret, especially to avid hikers, cyclists and explorers, it was my first time visiting, and this specific route is one that blew me away.

It’s often cited as one of the best hikes in Snowdonia (Eryri). Cadair Idris is an 893-metre mountain in the southern part of the park and is renowned for its wild and rugged scenery. To me, it looked like its surroundings could belong in the likes of Peru or Southeast Asia, with its tropical plants, waterfalls and vibrancy of its green grass.

But of course, like any beautiful place in Wales, it reminded me exactly where I was when I spotted sheep dotted around its cliffs, even on the steepest parts. It looked as though the sheep could fall off the edge of the world, taking me with them, as I fought for hours against the growing pain in my shins, with each step up and up to the peak.

The route

I was taken up the Minffordd Path route, which is described as the shortest yet steepest route to the mountain’s summit, tackling a demanding 10 km walk. Overall it’s set to take up to four to five hours to complete, and in turn you are rewarded with dramatic and captivating views of the national park’s landscape.

The route begins at Dôl Idris car park and takes you past the Cadair Idris visitor centre, which quickly fills up. We were recommended to get there early in the morning to beat the pile-up and were thankful that we did; setting off on our walk at around 8am meant we got to experience the quietness of the route in all of its natural wonder. Albeit, the lie-in would have also been appreciated.

Running parallel along the stream which runs parallel to the stream which leads to Llyn Cau, the lake at the heart of the base of the mountain. It was immediately, when taking on these steep steps along the river, that I felt like I could be abroad.

Not only was the sun shining down on us, but the water was trickling down, with tropical plants growing around us, and it felt as wild and wonderful as the experiences I had in Thailand or the pictures I’ve seen of hikes in Vietnam or Peru.

This continued as we made our way out of the forest area and into the open air, with nothing but pure greenery around us, and the mountain stood proudly ahead. The second phase levels lightly as you enter a rocky amphitheatre, with up-close and personal views of the lake.

Pushing past slate and rocks, many of which are loose and therefore can be difficult to navigate, this section and throughout the walk, requires concentration and care with each step. A quick trip or fall could have you stumbling, and that’s why lots of hikers opt to go armed with sticks to help gain their balance and push them through.

By the time I made it to the top of the mountain, the weather dramatically changed, from sunny to high winds which were extremely cold. It’s this that can catch a lot of amateur hikers out, and I think it’s always best to go armed with windproof and waterproof layers, as they say ‘don’t dress for the car park’.

The real treat after that consistently steep hike upwards is this – the flat walk along the edge of the entire mountain before reaching its penultimate peak. Seeing it all from a circular angle gave you a real treat at each point whenever I decided to stop and take a breath.

Wales is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to my explorations, and Cadair Idris was no exception to that. If you’re willing to take on the circular route and the real challenge of its steep and unsteady ground, then you will be rewarded with a touch of paradise and views you’ll continue to daydream about.

The abandoned village was once home to 2,000 people who worked at the nearby Quarry – but in 1927, they were all relocated to a brand new village, leaving their old home to be reclaimed by nature

An entire village was created after all 2,000 of its residents were forced to up sticks and relocate. All that remains of what was once a bustling community are buildings completely reclaimed by nature, smothered in moss and vegetation.

The deserted village of Talysarn, nestled in the Nantlle Valley of Gwynedd, North Wales, is a former settlement that has been slowly swallowed up by the earth as the years have passed. It was once home to workers and industrial buildings serving the nearby Dorothea Quarry slate mine.

Throughout the 19th century, these mines provided a vital source of income for thousands of people across Wales, but as the quarries expanded, the village was forced to grow alongside them. Eventually, when 1927 arrived, the decision was taken to move thousands of residents to a brand new village built from scratch.

By the 1840s, production at Dorothea had climbed to a remarkable 5,000 tonnes annually, but output would soon soar even higher. By the 1870s, that figure had surged to more than 17,000 tonnes — well over three times what had been produced just 30 years earlier.

Despite the quarry’s seemingly promising future, it was plagued by severe flooding problems. This was tragically highlighted in 1884, when several men lost their lives after the pit was overwhelmed by water while they were working on site.

In response, the river was realigned and deepened to better manage the flow, and while this resolved the issue temporarily, it would go on to cause further problems further down the line. To combat the problem, a Cornish beam engine was constructed on the site to replace the waterwheels, and it still stands there to this day.

Indeed, this is one of the abandoned village’s most impressive sights — a towering structure with its original machinery still intact.

Another focal point of the old village is its 18th-century hall, which has remained untouched since 1946 and now stands as an ivy-covered building, heavily daubed with graffiti, its brickwork slowly crumbling away.

The abandoned village as a whole has become a hugely popular destination for avid explorers and walkers eager to unearth its secrets and snap an eerie photograph of the overgrown ruins. Today, the site sits within the UNESCO Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales and is protected as a piece of history, frozen in time.

Wild Guide Wales author Daniel Start wrote about what remains of the site, likening the ruins to a Welsh Angkor Wat. He said: “Only the baboons are missing. It’s a vast, wild site with many fascinating, overgrown ruins, including a Cornish beam engine and the overgrown remains of the chapel at Plas Talysarn.”

The quarry finally closed in 1970 and has since flooded, creating a lake reportedly exceeding 100m in depth in certain areas. This too forms part of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site.

One visitor left spellbound by the village’s remnants is photographer Tony Harnett, who runs the website Gems of Snowdonia. He previously told WalesOnline: “I’d seen photos of Plas Talysarn and knew it was an interesting place, but I thought that’s all there was.

“When I went there, I did not expect to find so many other old buildings in the area. Some I just stumbled across, others I could see in the distance but didn’t have time to visit.

“I arrived late in the day, for the golden hour for photography, so I only had two hours there. But I could easily have stayed for the whole day, there’s so much to explore.”

A couple who booked a trip to Barcelona shared their ‘expectations’ of the city, but soon discovered the ‘reality’ was vastly different from what they’d imagined

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia in northeastern parts of Spain, is a popular for Brits looking for a weekend break or a summer escape, thanks to its mix of buzzing city life, Mediterranean coastline, and world-famous architecture. And it’s not only Brits who are drawn to the Spanish city, as it welcomed around 16 million tourists last year alone, a 2.9 per cent rise from 2024.

But officials in the city have warned that tourism levels have resulted in residents being priced out due to the number of homes being converted into holiday lets. In a bid to tackle the problem, the city ramped up its tourism tax in April 2026, with a charge of up to £10.91 (€12.50) per night for holiday rentals, up from £5.45 (€6.25) previously.

Yet this doesn’t appear to have deterred visitors, as countless holidaymakers regularly flock to social media platforms like TikTok to share their experiences in Barcelona.

But many have discovered it’s worlds apart from what they might have imagined. Among them are Lara and Laurens, a Dutch couple who chronicle their travels on TikTok.

In a recent clip, they revealed how their dream vision of Barcelona had been ‘ruined’ because of the sheer amount of roadworks under way during their stay.

The pair kicked off by outlining their ‘expectations’ for the trip. This included soaking up the stunning architecture across the city, enjoying sangrias, and people-watching while strolling along the lively streets.

And Lara went on to reveal the ‘reality’ of a trip to Barcelona, which featured an abundance of roadworks, building sites, and makeshift pedestrian routes flanked by wire fencing, all making way for construction projects taking place on the pavements and roads.

“Would you still visit Barcelona right now?” Lara and Laurens asked viewers in the caption of the video.

Lara wasn’t alone in her observations either, as viewers quickly descended on the comments section to share their own experiences of visiting the beloved Spanish city. “This! And every single water fountain was turned off when we went,” one person shared.

A second viewer chimed in: “Yep! I was there recently and tons of construction going on!” Another added: “Pffff no nice. I hope you can enjoy your travel.”

Not everyone agreed, however, with one person pointing out: “That’s ONE street.” Another echoed the sentiment, writing: “It’s just one street by the market! Everything else is great!”

“I’m here right now. It’s a beautiful city. All cities have construction here and there,” one further commenter remarked.

“How dare cities upgrade their infrastructure while you’re on vacation!” someone else wrote.

Lara was quick to respond, saying: “Haha no it’s great that they’re doing it. It was just a lot on the same time. Still love Barcelona.”

This method of transport is a cheap and easy way to get around the city, but it has caused hundreds of accidents in the past year. Now there are calls for a ban across the European Union

A European city has banned a mode of transport that’s popular with tourists on day trips, after a huge number of accidents were reported in the past year alone.

Brussels will rid its streets of shared e-scooters as of January 2027, with authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region announcing the move last week. Currently, the Belgian capital has two remaining scooter operators offering shared e-scooters, Bolt and Dott, and once their licences expire at the end of 2026, they will not be renewed, according to the Brussels Times.

Authorities voiced their safety concerns around the use of e-scooters and the nuisance they can cause to local residents. The move means Brussels follows other European cities who’ve removed shared e-scooters, including Paris, Madrid, and Prague.

Brussels mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt and minister-president Boris Dilliès made a shared statement about the ban, calling shared e-scooters a “growing nuisance to other road users”, and pointing out that 666 accidents involved e-scooters in 2025, a year on year increase of 26%.

They also highlighted that rental scooters were often used for criminal purposes, and were involved in the cases of 25 shootings in Brussels last year.

Boris Dilliès said: “The decision to exclude self-service scooters from the Brussels urban landscape is part of a clear and consistent policy. Often synonymous with disorder, self-service scooters are a source of nuisance, cause serious injuries, clutter the streets and are, unfortunately, increasingly being used by organised criminals. Self-service bicycles, on the other hand, remain for us an essential part of a mobility policy.”

However, in a statement, e-scooter rental firm Bolt argued: “When scooters are the subject of public debate, whether regarding road safety or parking, private and shared scooters are almost always lumped together, even though they are fundamentally different.

“Banning [shared scooters] will not stop people from getting around. It will drive users towards private, unregulated, untraceable and genuinely dangerous scooters, or towards more polluting modes of transport. Neither of these scenarios serves Brussels’ objectives regarding safety, congestion or the climate.”

Since the ban was announced in Brussels, the Benelux Union, a partnership between Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, has called for the European Commission to create a single framework for all EU countries, which could make it easier for other countries to make their own regulations.

Benelux pointed out there are inconsistent safety standards among member states, and not all vehicles on the market were safe and suitable to be used on public roads. The lack of guidelines also make it difficult to prevent unsafe vehicles from being put out for hire.

The UK has banned privately owned e-scooters from public roads and pavements, meaning the only legal place to ride your own e-scooter is on private land. There are a handful of legal rental schemes in some areas of London, Birmingham, and other cities, with strict criteria such as limiting the e-scooters to 12.5mph, banning riders under 18, and requiring a provisional licence to hire one.

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The quirky coastal destination has been named one of the best to visit in 2026 by Time Out, thanks to its vibrant shopfronts and historic harbour

Thanks to the arrival of the long-awaited King Charles III Coastal Path, the UK’s coastline can now be walked in its entirety, and many are setting their sights on its stunning seaside towns to experience it all this summer.

According to Time Out, this is one of the must-visit destinations in 2026, and with an abundance of attractions set against a stunning seaside setting, it’s not difficult to understand why.

Outshining the likes of its well-known neighbours such as Margate, Whitstable and Brighton, Folkestone has carved out a reputation as a rewarding coastal escape for a picture-perfect break. Situated on the southern fringe of the North Downs, tucked into a valley between two cliffs, lies the historic town, overflowing with offbeat character.

With greater incentive than ever to forgo the flights and discover the UK coastline, Folkstone makes an excellent starting point, coming in at number four on the list of seaside destinations.

Creative Quarter

At the centre of this town lies a thriving cultural hub, overseen by the arts charity Creative Folkestone. Its mission has led to the restoration of more than 90 buildings, now home to a wealth of independent studios, cafes and businesses all rooted in creativity, which permeates the entire town.

Awash with colour, it’s this quarter, comprising winding and meandering streets, that makes Folkestone stand out as a destination. The rainbow-hued painted shopfronts and flourishing independent businesses are what distinguish it and make it immediately identifiable from a single photograph.

On visiting for the first time, one guest wrote on TripAdvisor: “Today was my first visit to Folkestone, and we wanted to visit the Creative Quarter. Was not disappointed.

“Fabulous sunny day, helps, of course. Cobble streets and set on a hill. So might not be great for some. Wonderful galleries and fabulous eateries. Quirky shops and friendly people. I will visit again.”

Visitors could easily find themselves whiling away hours browsing in and out of shops, picking up unique souvenirs, books, homeware and artwork.

Harbour

Steeped in history and buzzing with events throughout the week, the Harbour Arm is a true centrepiece of Folkestone. Once serving as the railway terminal for the Folkestone-Boulogne Ferry and a departure point for troops heading to the Western Front, it has since been transformed into a stunning setting for drinks, food and live entertainment with family and friends.

The picturesque promenade, stretching out towards the sea, is home to more than 70 independent food, drink and retail vendors, meaning visitors are genuinely spoilt for choice. If there’s one thing that rings true about Folkestone, it’s the town’s wholehearted dedication to championing local businesses throughout every corner of its tourist offering.

One impressed visitor shared: “Folkestone Harbour Arm has been transformed into a remarkable destination – a vibrant blend of artistic flair, seaside heritage, and excellent food.

“We thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful walk to the lighthouse, passing a compact market area and plenty of great food stalls. The fresh sea air and creative atmosphere made it a joy.”

Beach

Folkestone boasts several sandy bays and pebble beaches, but one in particular has earned a reputation as a firm favourite with visitors, and tends to get packed out during the warmer summer months.

Nestled by the harbour is Sunny Sands, the go-to beach for many, thanks to its soft sands perfect for sandcastle building and sunbathing, plus its convenient location near the heart of the town.

According to visitors, while it suits everyone, it’s ” especially great for children”, owing to its well-maintained facilities and opportunities for water sports. What’s more, this is among the nearest beaches to London, less than an hour’s journey from the capital, making it a popular choice for Londoners craving a breath of seaside air.

Adding to its appeal is the parking available directly beside the beach at the Harbour Arm Car Park, though expect it to fill up rapidly during peak tourist season.

One visitor summed it up simply, saying: “Beautiful beach, lovely day out. fabulous views and scenery. Great for all ages. Lots to see and do. Very clean beach, worth a visit.”

I’ve never visited anywhere like it.

They may enjoy some of the country’s most stunning coastal views but for residents in the UK’s seaside towns and villages life by the sea comes with less visible challenges. While tourists might nip in for a day trip here and there, for people who spend their lives here factors such as over-tourism, anti-social behaviour and limited job opportunities can contribute to lower levels of happiness and wellbeing.

But when I visited this unique fishing village in north Devon I was greeted by nothing but warmth and happiness, with locals ready with a smile, a friendly greeting and a genuine sense of hospitality. After paying £10.90 just to get into Clovelly, I instantly felt at home. It is a truly unique village for a number of reasons. Perched on a 400ft cliff, the village is entirely owned by one man, John Rous.

The 75-year-old, who inherited the village from his mother, Countess Mary Rous, in 1983, is the sole landowner and operates every property in Clovelly. Everyone who lives or works in the village rents their home or shop directly from Mr Rous.

All prospective tenants are interviewed to ensure they fit the community, ensuring the harmonious atmosphere is maintained without any disturbance.

And unlike other villages and towns across the UK there is a fee to enter Clovelly. Visitors must pass through a visitor centre and pay £10.90 for adults and £6.25 for children aged seven to 16. You may think this strange, especially at a time where millions of Brits face soaring bills and increasing supermarket prices, but there is a very good reason: the money does not go to lining the pockets of the owner but is instead redistributed in the village, including on the upkeep and maintenance of homes.

The car-free village has around 250 residents living in 80 cottages. It also welcomes around 150,000 tourists every year — and everyone seems happy. As soon as I arrived and strolled down The Hobby Drive and onto the cobbled High Street, I felt welcome. There were no strange looks from locals, wondering who I was or how long I would be there.

Instead, people gave a passing smile and were happy to stop and chat. It was clear they revelled in the peaceful environment, with their lives centring around tradition and respect. It was the same in both The Red Lion Hotel, an 18th century four-star inn that stands on the quay alongside the stunning harbour, and the Bay Tree Cafe, which sits at the top of the village. Every member of staff I encountered had a smile on their face and couldn’t do enough for me.

The village’s strong sense of community became even more apparent when I spoke with residents. They were quick to ask whether I was enjoying my visit and were always eager to recommend other locals to meet or places to explore. As the village is set on steep, cobbled streets, all vehicles are prohibited which ensures the air remains clean and the atmosphere quiet. There is no such thing as rush hour traffic, car crashes or miles of congestion in Clovelly.

All of the homes in Clovelly are occupied by full-time residents who rent from Mr Rous. This means that, unlike some seaside resorts, there are no empty holiday rentals or abandoned hotels.

It’s easy to describe the views in any seaside town or village “amazing” but this truly is the case in Clovelly. The cobbled streets wind down to a serene ancient harbour which offers sweeping views over Bideford Bay. It’s fair to say that Clovelly is unlike any seaside village or town that I’ve ever visited. It is truly unique and one of the happiest places I have ever been.

It is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK but a 20-minute drive away you’ll find a much better beach.

Cornwall is famous around the UK and beyond for its beauty, whether it’s the quintessential seaside towns and villages, seafood, dramatic cliffs, golden beaches or azure sea. Each beach and cove has its own unique charm, but some, like St Ives on the north-west coast, are more famous than others. In fact, it is going to be the most popular place for staycations in the UK this year, according to Sykes Holiday Cottages.

And that’s just the latest accolade for the town, which has also been called the “artsiest” in Cornwall. In 2011, the postcard-perfect town outshone rivals from Spain, France and Italy to be named one of Europe’s top beach destinations. However, despite its picturesque appeal, when I visited during a recent summer I found that St Ives was marred by murky waters and an overwhelming number of tourists (including me, of course). And those considering a Cornish getaway might discover a more enchanting spot just around the corner, just like I did.

Is St Ives a good place to visit?

In short, yes. St Ives is brimming with attractions, boasting five sandy beaches and a gently sloping shoreline perfect for families and those looking to bask in the sun. The beachfront is well-equipped with amenities including lifeguard patrols from Easter through September, deck chair rentals and water sports equipment available for hire, including kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and more. On a sunny day, Porthmeor Beach buzzes with activity, earning its reputation as the town’s “premier” beach.

Just beyond the beachfront, visitors can explore a delightful labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with pastel cottages, which play host to several restaurants, bars and cafes. Local dining spots serve up authentic Cornish fare, with traditional dishes like pasties, crab and mussels. It’s also been called “Cornwall’s art mecca” by virtue of being home to the Tate, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, historic studio Leach Pottery, the award-winning Porthminster Gallery and a swathe of smaller indie galleries.

If you’ve never been, like I hadn’t until last summer, it’s a must-visit. Arriving with high hopes, the bay looked breath-taking from afar (that is, from the bustling car park at the top of the town). The honey-coloured stone buildings in the streets below were inviting but once I set foot on the beach reality hit.

Families and groups occupied every bit of sand on a weekday afternoon in July. Even at 4pm, Porthmeor beach was still crowded, including its far side. With a Cornish pasty in hand, I finally found a spot to sit, only to be met by an army of seagulls that had clearly spent the day gorging on litter left on the sand.

The real let-down came when I went for a quick swim in the sea. Having visited Kynance Cove and Pedn Vounder Beach just days before, I was underwhelmed by the slightly murky water that seemed polluted by heavy footfall and frequent boat activity. I questioned why I was swimming here when Cornwall is home to so many clear, secluded coves.

Is there a better alernative?

Later that same evening, when I drove further up the coast towards Hayle, I discovered a gem. Gwithian Towans Beach is at the far end of St Ives Bay and boasts a wide, spacious sandy beach that is popular for surfing but rarely crowded. It’s approximately a 24-minute drive via the Hayle Bypass to this incredible beach, which is backed by massive dunes perfect for a long walk.

When the tide recedes, the nearby Godrevy Beach seamlessly blends with Gwithian to create a vast expanse of beach. At high tide, it transforms into a distinct cove, framed by cliffs and the National Trust-owned headland. Situated at the far end of St Ives Bay, Godrevy Beach is a neighbouring treasure, famed for its iconic lighthouse and a small colony of seals.

The water here is noticeably clearer, likely due to its exposure to Atlantic swells that disperse sediments. A swim here is invigorating and less daunting than in St Ives itself. On the beach, you can find a private spot behind dramatic rocks, even on a bustling afternoon. However, the true marvel of this westerly location is the sunset views.

Is there parking?

Parking is available at the top of the headland in a National Trust car park, from where it’s a short walk down to Gwithian beach for a quick dip. This is arguably more accessible for visitors than parking at the top of St Ives and navigating the steep streets down to the shoreline there. Facilities are somewhat limited, with a small cafe and surf shop at Gwithian and a National Trust cafe at Godrevy. Limited toilet and shower facilities are available in the Gwithian parking areas.

A picturesque Northumberland seaside village has secured a coveted spot in Time Out’s top 10 best UK seaside towns for 2026, outranking popular destinations including Bamburgh and Berwick

The Northumberland coastline is grabbing attention this summer as holidaymakers hunt for wallet-friendly getaways, and with the newly opened King Charles III Coastal Path, the entire UK shoreline can now be explored on foot.

Thanks to the coastal path encircling the whole country, enthusiastic walkers and adventurers are scouting their next staycation, and this peaceful village offers an ideal starting point.

Time Out unveiled their ranking of the finest UK seaside towns to visit in 2026, and an overlooked treasure in Northumberland secured a spot in the top 10. Alnmouth is celebrated for its wild natural beauty and soft sands, discreetly positioned along the coastline, sitting between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Outranking some of the nation’s most beloved seaside resorts, including St Ives and Brighton, and climbing above its nearby neighbours Bamburgh and Berwick, it’s evident that Alnmouth is one to keep an eye on this year.

The beach

Alnmouth lies within one of Northumberland’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and consequently, it brims with unspoilt corners and abundant wildlife. Alnmouth Beach is precisely one of these treasured locations, cherished by both tourists and locals for its expansive stretch of sand, providing a delightful day by the sea.

One recent visitor shared on TripAdvisor: “Nice wide sandy beach with convenient shops and cafes nearby. Parking right behind the beach. Not over-commercialised.”

Another visitor added: “Really lovely beach! Was nice and quiet when we went so was so peaceful. Great place to chill on a day out. Good fun wading in the water! Would definitely return!”

The beach warmly welcomes four-legged friends, making it a brilliant destination for the whole family. It’s divided into three sections, offering ample room to spread out and have fun.

Many visitors choose to arrive via the Northumberland Coast Path, making their way from neighbouring towns and villages while taking in the stunning coastline in its entirety.

Restaurants

According to TripAdvisor reviews, the top spot for a hearty meal in the village is Bistro 23, which serves up brunch and coffee during the day alongside evening dining in the bistro.

One delighted diner left a glowing review: “Wonderful food and super service at this amazing restaurant. We have visited a number of times and have never been anything other than delighted.”

For a touch of elegance, the delightful Whittling House is a country restaurant that prides itself on using locally sourced produce packed with flavour. It also boasts 10 guest rooms, making it the perfect base for a full weekend away, with their exceptional food and drink keeping you going throughout your stay.

For something a little more traditional, The Red Lion — which also operates as a bed and breakfast — offers an extensive pub grub menu. Well-behaved dogs are made to feel at home in the bar and beer garden, where you can enjoy a pint while soaking up views of the boats.

Art Gallery

Celebrating the work of local talent, The Old School Gallery makes for a wonderful pit stop during a day spent exploring the coastline, nestled inside a charming period school building. It boasts an accessible collection of inspiring artwork from artists across Northumberland and beyond, all of which can be enjoyed alongside a delicious coffee from their very own in-house café.

One reviewer wrote: “Very friendly staff with a warm welcome. The gallery is varied to suit all tastes and budget. We only went for a coffee and ended up buying a print by a local artist.”

Another visitor added: “A lovely old English school turned into a gallery and café, what couldn’t you love about this? The food is great and they have an amazing gift shop.”

Whether you’re wrapping up for a bracing winter stroll along the shore or seeking out a tranquil spot to soak up the summer sun, the quaint village of Alnmouth is the perfect place to take a breather and drink it all in.

HAVANA — Spanish hotel chain Meliá has joined a growing list of companies with a long-standing presence in Cuba that are withdrawing or limiting their operations on the island after the U.S. announced new sanctions while upholding an oil embargo.

Meliá will cease operations at 15 of the 34 hotels it manages on the island, according to state website Cubadebate, dealing a blow to Cuba’s vital tourism sector, which has plummeted since its 2018 peak.

The report on Wednesday stated that Meliá’s decision was based on “a sense of corporate responsibility and external factors that have significantly affected the operation, legality and security of these establishments.”

The decision was announced May 26, just weeks after President Trump signed an executive order expanding sanctions against the island. Most of the sanctions targeted Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate operated by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, with the U.S. asserting it was a threat to its national security.

The executive order freezes the assets of foreign companies, seizes their accounts in the United States and prohibits travel by their shareholders, investors and employees— virtually eliminating their activity in the U.S. financial system.

GAESA, a Cuban conglomerate created in the 1990s, owns a wide range of businesses, from car rentals and retail stores to transportation companies. It is Meliá’s partner in hotel management through one of its subsidiaries, Gaviota.

Meliá deals new blow to Cuba’s crumbling tourism sector

Meliá is one of Cuba’s most important partners in its vital tourism sector. Until its partial withdrawal, it operated some 14,000 rooms.

Spanish and Canadian firms are the biggest investors in Cuba’s hotel sector, noted Lee Schlenker, a research associate at the Quincy Institute’s Global South program, a Washington think tank.

“With the lack of international tourism, the fuel shortages, and just the broader decline since COVID…I’m sure that these companies will be rethinking their operations in Cuba with major implications for the people of Cuba, not just GAESA,” he said. “There are thousands of Cubans who work in these hotels.”

Several of the hotels that Meliá abandoned in idyllic destinations like the resorts of Varadero, Cayo Santa María and Jardines del Rey “were already closed and inactive due to energy problems and the drop in demand in Cuba,” according to Cubadebate.

Cuba’s government has blamed the U.S. energy blockade for prolonged blackouts, water shortages, supply problems, deficiencies in the healthcare system and disruptions in all aspects of daily life.

Those who work in Cuba’s crumbling tourism sector lamented Meliá’s announcement.

“It’s going to affect us, our families, and everyone involved in tourism. Our pay and income depend on this,” said Erich López, a driver of a green 1950s Dodge who has been driving for two decades to support his family.

For Carlos Luis Carbonel, a 62-year-old parking attendant who works in front of the giant Meliá Cohiba hotel in Havana, the situation “is going to be a blow.”

“This is terrible for everyone: for tour guides, for parking attendants, for hotel workers, for everyone,” he said.

Other major hotel chains including Canadian-owned Royalton and Spain’s Iberostar have limited or suspended operations in Cuba in the past week.

Tourism in Cuba, which reached a peak of 4.3 million visitors in 2019, saw a significant drop in the number of tourists arriving in the first quarter of this year, 48% lower than in the same period in 2025.

Only 298,000 tourists arrived in Cuba in January, February and March, compared to 573,300 international visitors during the same period last year, according to government data.

Cuba struggles to breathe

On Wednesday, the enormous and iconic sign of the Royalton Paseo del Prado hotel at the entrance of Old Havana was removed, as confirmed by The Associated Press during a visit. Meanwhile, the 500-room Iberostar Selection — also known as Tower K — the most modern and luxurious of the hotels slated to open in 2025, standing over 490 feet tall, has remained closed for days.

Airlines including World2Fly, Air France and Iberia have canceled flights to and from Cuba.

Also on Wednesday, Cuba’s Central Bank announced that Visa and MasterCard operations on the island would be suspended following the termination of relationships between foreign entities and FINCIMEX S.A., a Cuba-based agency affiliated with GAESA.

Last month, Canadian miner Sherritt International Corp. signed a non-binding agreement with Gillon Capital LLC, a family office linked to a former Trump adviser, to sell its stake in a mining business in Cuba.

In late January, Trump threatened tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba, as his administration pressures for a change in its political system and government. The move has deepened a crisis caused by seven decades of U.S. sanctions.

While U.S. and Cuban officials held talks earlier this year, tensions have risen. In late May, former President Raúl Castro was charged in a U.S. indictment for his alleged role in the downing of two civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles in 1996 in Cuban waters.

Rodríguez writes for the Associated Press.

THE release of Rivals series two has thrust the Cotswolds into the spotlight once more.

Brits are seeking out the pretty scenery of Rutshire with its stone cottages, rolling countryside and delightful pubs in beautiful villages like Kemble.

Data from Trainline revealed that since Rivals returned on May 18, passengers to Cotswolds ‘gateway stations’ have risen by an average of 22 per cent.

That includes the tiny town of Kemble which is a 12-minute drive away from Cirencester.

Kemble is considered a ‘rail gateway’ for the southern Cotswolds as it’s one of the smaller spots that actually has a train station and a direct link to London.

With Great Western Railway, visitors can get from London Paddington to Kemble in just over an hour.

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The small train station was built in 1882 and is now a listed building.

It’s considered one of the prettiest in the country thanks to retaining its original Victorian features.

It even has its old water tower which was once used to fill steam trains that called by the station.

Outside of the train station and visitors can easily explore Kemble, as it’s pretty tiny.

Kemble has a school, village hall, village shop, Cotswold-stone clad cottages and a pub called The Tavern Inn.

The Tavern Inn is a mere 10-minute walk from the train station and is ideal for a pint pit stop or hearty pub grub.

One visitor to the pub said: “Fantastic Spot. What a lovely place. From the moment you step inside you know you have found a gem.”

Another added: “Food and staff fantastic home from home feel – a lovely beautiful spot.”

A third said it serves up the ‘best’ Sunday roast.

The village is popular with hikers too, many take on the River Thames walk.

From Kemble, this walk takes you to Thames Head which is the official source of the River Thames.

Heading south, the path heads to the Cotswold Country Park & Beach which has the UK’s largest inland beach.

Along with the beach, it has swimming lagoons, snack huts and visitors can get on the water with paddleboards, pedalo swans or rowing boats.

During the summer it also has a huge aqua inflatable.

Right next door to the village is Cotswold Airport which is mostly used for private jets and charters.

But it is open to the public on certain weekend for events.

This year, Cotswold Airport Open Weekend is between July 4-5 with an aircraft, vintage aircraft displays, classic cars, live music and tours.

For those who want a great view of the runway, the airport has its own restaurant called AV8 where visitors sit on the terrace and look out over the airfield.

Other villages in the Cotswolds that have seen an increase in visitors since the release of series two of Rivals are Moreton-in-Marsh and Charlbury.

BANGKOK — With summer around the corner, soaring prices and other complications from the war with Iran are straining the tourism-dependent economies of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia.

The region’s peak tourist summer season is at risk as elevated jet fuel costs coupled with ceasefire uncertainties prompt flight cancellations and higher ticket prices.

Tourism in Asia has yet to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, many countries are coping with the war’s repercussions on global energy supplies and prices, which hit Asia first and hardest. Some families are pulling back on travel as gas and groceries get more expensive worldwide. Crowds have thinned at some places once synonymous with travel.

“With gasoline prices rising and tourism declining, how can we make money?” asked Siv Pech, a 58-year-old rickshaw driver in Siem Reap, home to Cambodia’s centuries-old Angkor Wat temple complex.

Tourism is an economic lifeline for many developing nations. It contributes nearly 13% of gross domestic product in Thailand and nearly 9% in Vietnam, and it underpins millions of jobs in Cambodia. Travelers bring in much-needed foreign currency for import-dependent economies such as the Philippines and Nepal.

Those tourism dollars are more crucial than ever as war-driven spikes in oil prices push up the cost of fuel imports, especially for parts of the world that relied on the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast as a conduit for much of their oil and gas. Iran essentially shut down the strait to commercial traffic after the U.S. and Israel launched the war more than three months ago.

The war will determine which tourism businesses can survive long enough to benefit from the eventual return of travelers, said Jitsai Santaputra of the Lantau Group, an energy industry consulting firm. “This, happening within five years of each other, first the pandemic and now the war, is horrible for the tourism industry,” she said.

Travel costs

Jet fuel shortages and surging costs have led Vietnam Airlines, the Malaysia-based AirAsia group, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and other carriers to cut flights or otherwise adjust schedules.

European carriers face a squeeze for similar reasons.

Airspace closures across the Persian Gulf early in the war and the intermittent closures of certain Persian Gulf airports cut off key layover locations for Asia-bound flights or forced commercial airplanes to take longer, costlier routes.

Airfares have jumped, with airlines such as Air India and Cathay Pacific implementing sharp increases in fuel surcharges.

Cathay Pacific’s fuel surcharge for medium-haul flights has jumped to $80, up from $34 before the war. For long-haul flights, it increased to $174, up from $73.

“Jet fuel prices remain at highly elevated levels” and have increased cost pressures, said Lavinia Lau, Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer. Travelers are booking closer to their departure dates, she said, indicating growing unease.

Sandra Awodele, a freelance travel writer in the Washington area, often plans year-round international trips and hoped this summer would be when she finally crossed off Asia from her bucket list.

In March, she began planning a long-awaited vacation to Thailand, envisioning one to two weeks of exploring. Her plans hit a wall when she checked airfares.

“I looked at flight options and that’s where it ended,” Awodele said.

On the ground, rising fuel costs in tourism-dependent Southeast Asia are squeezing taxi and ride-hailing app drivers.

Pech, the Cambodian rickshaw driver, said he used to earn up to $20 a day toting tourists around Siem Reap. That’s plummeted to about $5 a day.

His gas bill eats half of that. The rest goes to food. “Some days, I don’t earn even a cent,” he said.

Slow summer expected

Tourism is vital for many regional economies, accounting for nearly 11% of economic activity in the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations in 2019, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

An analysis by Moody’s Analytics estimated effects from the war would probably reduce economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region by 0.1 to 0.4 percentage points in 2026.

“The conflict will weigh on growth mainly through higher production costs and consumer prices, along with weaker external demand from trade and tourism,” said Albert Park, chief economist at the Asia Development Bank.

Higher airfares and weaker travel confidence can quickly spill over into household livelihoods and public revenues in economies where visitor arrivals are a major source of jobs, income and foreign exchange, according to a recent report by the United Nations Development Program.

Travel is often the first expense people cut when the economy worsens, said Le Tuyet Lan, who runs bed-and-breakfast properties in Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

In times of crisis, luxury travelers tend to shift toward mid-range options, mid-range travelers move toward budget hotels, and the cheapest tier of the market becomes the most vulnerable.

“This will disrupt the whole industry,” she said.

‘We are feeling it’

Tourism in Thailand is “a big industry and we are feeling it,” said Santaputra with the Lantau Group in Bangkok, one of Southeast Asia’s most visited cities.

The number of visitors to Thailand fell 7% year-on-year in April, while European arrivals fell almost 16% and Middle Eastern arrivals sank 57%, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

In neighboring Cambodia, Sokha Sambo, owner of the popular Sambo Khmer & Thai Restaurant in Siem Reap, said the rising price of liquefied petroleum gas used for cooking has strained her budget, hindering her ability to dish out her signature green curries.

“I’m worried about gas and goods inflation. It makes the business less profitable and difficult to cover employees’ salaries,” said Sambo, who has 14 staff members.

In the first four months of 2026, the number of recorded international and domestic visitors to Siem Reap dropped by 37.5% compared with the same period last year, according to the province’s tourism department.

“This has greatly affected all of us,” Sambo said.

Delgado and Chan write for the Associated Press and reported from Bangkok and Hong Kong, respectively. AP writers Aniruddha Ghosal in Hanoi and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas and freelance journalist Sinorn Thang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, contributed to this report.

The Canary Islands are experiencing a tourism crisis, with activists warning the coastline is unsustainable as locals say the ‘land is being destroyed and speculated on’

The Canary Islands have witnessed mounting demonstrations in recent years. Frustration has been building amongst residents, who argue the surge in tourism to the sun-soaked Spanish archipelago is unmanageable. They point to outdated regulations that allow property speculators to purchase land for hotels and holiday flats, while paying only minimal tax.

Consequently, Canarians claim they receive the lowest average salaries in Spain and face difficulties securing affordable accommodation. Yet now they have a further complaint against holidaymakers. The islands are suffering coastal erosion at an alarming pace. Campaigners say the Canary Islands’ coastline is on the brink of disaster.

Each year, based on a report from SOS Costas Canarias, approximately 21⁄2 miles of coastline disappears. Anne Striewe, the foundation’s director, states that hotels, apartment blocks, housing estates and marinas, amongst other structures, are being constructed on this “lost” territory.

The organisation cautions that throughout the eight islands, roughly 18% of the territory within the first 500 metres from the sea has already been developed. Beyond protected natural areas (PNAs), this figure skyrockets: it surpasses 40% on multiple islands and coastal sections, reaching 43% in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.

Nearly 20% of the living space on the Canary Islands is dedicated to tourism – in comparison to around 4% on the Spanish mainland. Five municipalities on the Canaries possess more tourist beds than permanent inhabitants: Yaiza (Lanzarote), Pájara (Fuerteventura), Mogán (Gran Canaria), San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Gran Canaria) and Adeje (Tenerife).

Ms Striewe highlights that, beyond holiday accommodation, there is a vast array of tourist-related infrastructure including access roads, golf courses and desalination plants, which fail to show up in hotel occupancy figures yet remain part of the same problem.

Sharon Backhouse, director of GeoTenerife, told Sky News that the Canary Islands are a “biodiversity jewel in the Atlantic,” yet local authorities provide minimal protection for the islands’ natural habitats.

She warned that each year more “beautiful landscapes are cemented over” to make way for new tourist resorts.

She added: “The problem with these resorts is that we just don’t have enough resources in terms of water, what happens to all the rubbish, how is it all recycled.”

Carmelo Javier León, director of the UNESCO Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPCG), describes a conflict between those who wish to protect the islands’ natural beauty and “the development of ever more accommodation options.”

The authors of the SOS Costas Canarias report are demanding an immediate halt and the scrapping of planning permissions for undeveloped coastal land.

They argue that the seemingly relentless construction not only obliterates irreplaceable natural habitats and undermines the very scenic beauty that attracted tourists to the islands in the first place, but also dramatically heightens the risk of localised flooding. Approximately 80,000 inhabitants are already vulnerable to coastal flooding risk, yet almost half of flood-susceptible territory has already been designated for housing.

Irma Ferrer, a lawyer for Urban Planning Transparency and Civic Action Against Corruption, highlights that this demonstrates the institutions are failing to operate properly. “In urban planning and environmental matters, legislation is not enacted to defend the public interest,” she complains.

She added that the islands now possess an economy which is essentially “based on the destruction of the land and on speculation.”

The Cotswolds is famous for its beautiful scenery, charming market squares and iconic stone houses. However, a common issue keeps springing up when the sun is shining

This Bank Holiday weekend promises glorious sunshine, and plenty of us will be seizing the opportunity to venture out on day trips.

Britain boasts an array of stunning destinations right on our doorstep – the Cotswolds among them. The region hasn’t just served as a backdrop for films, it’s also become a social media sensation, drawing visitors from across the globe.

Countless people relish wandering through the lush countryside, picturesque stone cottages and bustling market squares. They also descend in their thousands upon the wealth of pubs, independent shops, farm outlets and tearooms.

Yet the storybook villages aren’t always quite so perfect in reality. That’s because many have been hit by overtourism in recent years.

Traffic jams, parking disputes and pressure on local amenities are among the problems that have emerged. In fact, residents are so fed up they’re urging people to stop going altogether.

Illustrating the effect on both locals and tourists alike, a visitor named Chloe recorded footage in Bourton-on-the-Water this month. The stunning Gloucestershire village is renowned for its river and distinctive bridges.

On quieter days, it feels wonderfully tranquil to settle beside the water and absorb the surroundings. Yet it becomes extremely busy during peak season and on sunny weekends, with bottlenecks forming on the bridges and along the riverbank.

Following her visit on a sunny day, Chloe cautioned: “What should have felt peaceful was packed and overwhelming.

“The sheer amount of tourism must keep local businesses thriving – but it was hard not to feel like the charm is being worn down in this quaint, rural village. Visit with caution and maybe at 6am in the morning to beat the crowds.”

Chloe’s video struck a chord with many, racking up more than 13,100 likes alongside a flood of comments from frustrated locals struggling to go about their everyday lives.

One resident pleaded: “Please stop coming here, I’m just trying to get to work.” Another sympathised, writing: “My mum lives there and says it’s a battle just to get to the shops for some milk. I couldn’t do it!”

A third added: “I live here and genuinely don’t remember the last time I took my kids down to the river or even for an ice-cream on a nice day because it’s just too overwhelming. I’ve never seen traffic like it. It’s taking some people over an hour to get from one end of the village to the other just to get home.

“It’s a pretty village, yes, but other residents and I feel something needs to be done with how stupidly busy it gets.”

Nevertheless, some offered helpful tips for those planning a trip. Visiting during the off-season is widely recommended as the best way to soak up the surroundings without the mayhem.

One commenter suggested: “I prefer visiting the Cotswolds during autumn and winter because it’s much calmer. It’s mostly spring and summer that is so busy. The Cotswolds can be very quiet when it’s colder – and in my opinion the atmosphere is so much better on colder days.”

A second visitor agreed, adding: “We went in March. Had the place to ourselves. We had been before in summer and it was hell, so learnt our lesson!”

Visitors to one Italian destination say it’s “incredible”, but it was once a place shunned by many

Italy is a beautiful country with each province very different from the next – and each Italian area has its own identity and culture. While holidaymakers typically flock to the Amalfi Coast, cities such as Florence or Rome or Lake Garda or Lake Como, there’s a lesser-known spot that has left visitors speechless with delight.

Once famous for being the ‘shame of Italy’, Matera, a city based high on a rocktop in the southern Basilicata is now a luxurious tourist getaway. Here, a collection of old cave dwellings forged into the mountains in an area called Sassi offer a peaceful inland holiday infused with history.

The cave dwellings were evacuated by the Italian government in the 1950s, hailed as slums at the time with poor living conditions. Thousands of residents were transferred into modern housing and Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi, of the time, described Matera as a “national disgrace”.

It’s likely that not all the locals wanted to leave their Matera homes at the time, but the spot was deemed a health hazard with no ample sewage system or electricity – and it was poverty-stricken.

One former Matera resident once described living conditions as “brutal,” with “families of maybe nine or 10 children, sleeping next to mules and pigs”.

“We were dying of hunger”, said Luigi Plasmati recalling his family’s life in Matera several years ago, when he was 89-years-old.

These days things have really turned around – and several Airbnb cave-style accommodation stays are described as “exceptional” by those who visit.

Sassi di Matera covers two districts, with the city of Matera situated on a mountain top.

One TripAdvisor review by a guest staying in Pietragialla, which looks across to the city of Matera, described their cave stay as an “incredible experience”.

The cave stay reviewer wrote: “I am speechless for how good we felt. It was an incredible experience and everything was unbelievable. The room is fantastic. The bathroom is the best bathroom I’ve ever been and the bath tub is from another planet. But the most incredible thing is the silence.”

The visitor went on to describe “pure sleep” they experienced in the cave due to the peacefulness and darkness as the cave has “no windows”.

Breakfast, they went on, was already prepared the previous night so you “can have it at any time” and it included fresh fruit, juices, marmalades, fresh local bread, almonds and even almond milk.

The TripAdvisor reviewer added: “Once you leave the room you have in front of you the whole city centre, it looks like a fairy tale. Pietragialla is an experience that needs to be done once in life at least.”

The Sassi district boasts museums such as the Cave House in the Sassi of Matera, which show visitors what peasant life was like in the region just a few decades ago.

There are also churches made of rock that date back to the 13th-century, with St. Lucia alle Malve (a Catholic church in Matera) being described as the “most beautiful” with its ancient mosaics dating back centuries.

Beer lovers prayers have been answered as this Coach firm has just launched a 250-mile-long pub crawl starting early at 9:15am from Dolgellau and taking in many famous Spoons along the way

Nobody loves an organised pub crawl more than the Brits – but this one may have just topped them all.

While some make pilgrimages to a significant place or worship or set out on a journey to deepen their spirituality, this particular tour will have travellers doing less thinking and more drinking.

Lloyd’s Coaches has launched the ultimate ‘Spoons Pilgrimage’, a 250-mile round journey visiting a whole load of JD Wetherspoon pubs throughout North Wales, and venturing slightly beyond the border as well. The route begins and ends in Dolgellau.

It’s such a brilliant idea that other travel companies are likely kicking themselves, wondering why they didn’t come up with the scheme first. Yet the concept is pretty simple.

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For the very reasonable price of just £20, not including any drinks bought along the way, passengers can embark on a day trip like no other.

Departing nice and early from Dolgellau, Wales at 9.15am, the coach will head towards the inaugural Spoons in Oswestry, known as the Wilfred Owen. It’s expected that the coach arrives at noon, with attendees given a 45-minute stop to knock back a pint or two.

Then it’s time to get back on board and head on towards The Castle Hotel in Ruthin, under an hour’s drive away. Here they’ll have another 45-minute stop, before carrying on to The Picture House in Colwyn Bay, a further 45-minute drive.

It’s shaping up to be a long day on the road already, but fortunately, it’s a shorter drive this time around to the Palladium in Llandudno: the most impressive of all the establishments on the route. At this point, six county boundaries have been crossed, but there’s still plenty more to go.

Perhaps feeling a little bit giddy from all of the drinking thus far, punters will head to Tafarn y Porth in Caernarfon, then Pen Cob in Pwllheli for 7.30pm, for the final drinking stop.

Lloyds Coaches announced in a statement: “Ready for a legendary day out without the ‘who’s driving?’ debate. Grab your mates and hop aboard for the Lloyds Coaches Wetherspoons Tour. We’re hitting some of the most iconic pubs across North Wales and the border. Whether you’re in it for the affordable ales, the legendary breakfasts, or just to check the carpet patterns, this is the trip for you!”

The never-before-seen Wetherspoons Tour is set to be held on Saturday, June 27, and with the initial Facebook post gaining so much traction, who knows, it could go on to be a regular event.

Full of excitement, the travel firm later added: “We’re filling up faster than a pint of Ruddles on a Tuesday. At this rate, we’re seriously asking ourselves: ‘Do we need to add another coach’.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Lloyds Coaches added a second coach on the same day, after the first sold out.

It was once owned by William the Conqueror and is one of the few privately owned villages left in the UK.

The honourable John Rous has a proud smile on his face as he tells me: “The village is built on a 400ft cliff overlooking a gorgeous bay with a living community, there’s nothing else like it.”

Mr Rous inherited the privately owned village of Clovelly on the North Devon coast from his mother, Countess Mary Rous, in 1983 and has since continued to develop and preserve what is one of the UK’s most unique destinations. Clovelly was recorded in the Domesday Book in the 11th century as the property of William the Conqueror. The estate was later inherited by his wife, Matilda of Flanders, England’s first crowned queen, before being purchased in 1738 by the Hamlyn family for £9,438.

Today, Clovelly remains one of the few privately owned villages in the UK and is now owned by the Hamlyns’ descendants, the Rous family. It continues to function as a thriving community, with around 250 residents living in 80 cottages throughout the car-free village, while also being a popular tourist destination that welcomes around 150,000 visitors each year.

When you arrive in Clovelly, you must pass through a visitor centre, where admission costs £10.90 for adults and £6.25 for children aged seven to 16. After taking over the estate in 1983, Mr Rous explains how there was a backlog of repair work that needed to be done. In order to pay for the work and maintain the upkeep of the village, he decided to create a visitor centre where all of the money raised would be redistributed into the village.

“We put together a plan to create the visitor centre and the money created there helps the maintenance of the whole village which is great,” Mr Rous, 75, said. “Fortunately, it all worked out financially and we’re still here today.”

After passing through the visitor centre, visitors can stroll down The Hobby Drive before reaching the cobbled High Street which leads down to Clovelly’s harbour 120m below. Cassandra McFarlane moved to the village from South East London in 2021 and now lives at the top of the High Street in a cottage she describes as “the best in the village”.

“I’ve been here around five years now and absolutely love it,” she says. “It’s like time has stood still in Clovelly, it’s like going back to 1950s Britain. Everyone talks to you, everyone’s polite, you don’t get anti-social behaviour. It’s just a blissful place to live. It’s so peaceful.”

She adds: “It’s very, very safe here. There’s no cars or noise and you have these amazing views. It’s beautiful. You go to sleep at night and hear the owls hooting and you wake up to birdsong or the village woodpecker. It’s just an idyllic place to live and visit.”

While Mr Rous has focussed on developing a tight-knit living community, he also understands the importance of tourism to keep Clovelly intact. The village attracts up to 150,000 people every year, with the majority of them visiting for just a day.

Ms Mcfarlane says: “People sometimes ask me if I get fed up with the tourists and I say: ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds you’. We’re very lucky they still want to come and see the village because all of the money they spend to get in here is reinvested in the cottages.

“But also, I meet such lovely people who visit. Most people come here for a day and arrive at 10am and are gone by 4pm. Then it’s back to just the 250 of us.”

Mr Rous adds: “We’re quite fortunate to have a number of day visitors. They arrive after 10am, enjoy the village, and then are mostly gone by 5pm. The village then returns to its sleepy self. We do have people staying in the hotels obviously but they always appreciate and respect the village.”

As well as boosting tourism numbers, the decision to charge an entrance fee to Clovelly, rather than a car park charge, has allowed for a renovation of the historic cottages. Some of the properties date back to the 15th century and require regular maintenance throughout the wetter and windier months.

The regular income has also allowed Clovelly to maintain its policy of having no second homes or absentee landlords. Mr Rous, who lives on the estate which also includes 700 acres of woodland, three large farms and a sawmill, acts as the landlord for every cottage in the village and maintains a close relationship with the tenants.

“I say to people that if you love a traffic-free area or have always wanted to live by the sea, but you can stand visitors, Clovelly will be perfect for you,” Mr Rous explains. “We advertise for the properties but do like to speak with more than one applicant to see who fits the village best.

“We have some families that have been here for generations but also have new ones coming in which is great. The older people give stability to the village while the youngsters give it vitality. It’s the best of both.”

Another feature that makes Clovelly a truly unique village is its use of sledges, which largely replaced donkeys by the 1970s, to transport groceries, laundry and furniture up and down the 400ft cobbled high street. While the sledges might seem like a gimmick to visitors, they perfectly represent how the community has adapted to modern times while preserving its 1,000-year-old past.

“Everyone has their own sledge and they go past every day. I’ve even seen someone take a grand piano down the hill! It’s truly unique,” Ms McFarlane explains.

As there are no chain supermarkets in the village, locals order their groceries to be delivered. When the delivery drivers see “Clovelly” on the address, they give the customers a 15-minute warning so they have time to head to the top of the High Street with their sledge.

Ian Roberts, the manager of The New Inn located half-way down the High Street, is one of 70 staff who are employed to work on the estate throughout the year.

“The New Inn is around 500 years old and remains steeped in history. We [the village] have been here since the days of William the Conqueror and try to keep some of that history,” the 62-year-old says. “There’s so much history in Clovelly, it’s a very unique place. Visiting here is a great opportunity for people to see real history.”

The New Inn has also benefitted from a sympathetic restoration in recent years, preserving its character and enduring charm. The hotel once hosted Charles Dickens who wrote of the cobbled streets and cliffs in “A Message to the Sea”.

Likewise, Charles Kingsley, the 19th-century novelist and poet, lived in the village as a child. After his wife visited Clovelly for the first time in 1854, he wrote: “Now that you have seen the dear old Paradise you know what was the inspiration of my life before I met you.”

“It really is unique here. Places like this are very difficult to find in the UK now,” Mr Roberts, who manages The New Inn with his wife Theresa, adds. “It’s well worth a visit and the views alone are stunning – it’s Instagramable!

“People come here to eat, sleep, rest, relax and enjoy themselves. They come here to get away from the real world and refresh themselves.”

According to the hotel manager, Clovelly can become flooded with visitors over the warmer summer months, including coach loads of day-trippers from across the UK. Two of those tourists are David, who has visited Clovelly once before, and Margaret Herbertson, who is visiting for the first time.

“We didn’t know much about Clovelly before we got here,” Margaret, 75, says. “We obviously Googled it, and did a bit of research, and it looked amazing so we thought we’d come for a visit.”

While standing at the top of the High Street, overlooking the historic 14th-century harbour, David, 78, adds: “Yes, we’ve read about the donkeys going up and down with sledges to transport items. I found that interesting. It’s just a beautiful and peaceful place. I’ve been here once before when I was younger and it doesn’t look like it’s changed much.

“Where we’re stood now overlooking the sea it’s amazing. I don’t think there are many places like it around.” Margaret adds: “It’s unique, isn’t it? What I love is how quiet it is. There’s no cars and no rush.”

While Clovelly is a tranquil fishing village with just 250 inhabitants, there is still plenty to do for visitors. As well as soaking up the sweeping coastal views out the Atlantic, visitors have access to the South West Coast Path, which includes a hike to Mouth Mill Beach.

Ms McFarlane adds: “There’s also loads to do here which people don’t always realise. You can take the ambience in, you can go for walks in the area, we’ve got a museum, we’ve got a few nice little shops, the beautiful harbour, blissful gardens.”

The Clovelly Court Gardens, located at the top of the village, are a perfect spot to relax while visitors can also learn about local history at the Fisherman’s Cottage and the Kingsley Museum and Shop. The village is also the proud host of a number of festivals every year, including the Seaweed Festival in May, the Maritime Festival in July, the Lobster and Crab Feast in August and the Herring Festival in November.

“Around 120 years ago, Clovelly was just a fishing village with a lot of fishing a little bit of tourism. Now, it’s a little bit of fishing, which I’m keen to preserve through a number of festivals like the Lobster and Crab Festival, and a lot of tourism,” Mr Rous adds.

“We’ve maintained a living community while avoiding becoming a seaside village full of holiday lets. It’s such a welcoming place and the people are so proud to be associated with the village.”

With snow-capped peaks tumbling towards the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park is one of the jewels in Colombia’s tourism crown.

But behind the picture-postcard views lies a more sinister reality.

Armed groups are holding local businesses to ransom and terrorising Indigenous communities.

The signing of a 2016 peace deal between the Colombian state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) ended more than half a century of war and helped propel a country long associated with druglords and rebels onto the global tourism stage.

Since then, thousands of visitors have poured into the Sierra Nevada each day, trekking through pristine jungle to white-sand beaches or climbing towards Colombia’s mountaintop Lost City, which predates Peru’s Machu Picchu.

Few notice the men in camouflage watching from a distance.

They are members of the Self-Defence Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN), a group of former paramilitaries that controls cocaine trafficking routes in the region and is also involved in illegal gold mining.

Extortion has become another lucrative business for the group. The “Conquistadores”, as ACSN members are often called, demand a cut of the earnings of hotels, tour bus companies and Indigenous communities, whose hand-woven hammocks and bags are snapped up by visitors.

“We are afraid and anxious about the future,” said Atanasio Moscote, the governor of the Kogui Indigenous people, who live high up in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park, which the Kogui consider “the heart of the world”.

In February, the government closed Tayrona National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking the Caribbean, for more than two weeks following threats against park rangers, allegedly issued by the ACSN.

Authorities have accused the group of pressuring Indigenous Wayuu residents in the park to resist a crackdown on illegal activities such as logging.

Together, Tayrona and the Sierra Nevada national parks received more than 873,000 visitors last year.

The influx of tourists marks a dramatic shift from the 1980s and 90s, when the region was a battleground for brutal clashes between paramilitaries and FARC rebels.

Ten years after FARC laid down its arms, the ACSN – founded by a paramilitary leader who was later extradited to the United States – holds sway in much of the area.

In recent months, Colombia’s biggest drug cartel, the Gulf Clan, has tried to muscle in, vying for control and prompting clashes with the ACSN.

Caught in the middle are Indigenous communities “who don’t speak Spanish, and who live off their crops and their traditional knowledge”, said Luis Salcedo, governor of the Arhuaco people, who also live in the Sierra Nevada.

Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president in modern history, included the ACSN in his bid to negotiate the disarmament of all armed groups in the country.

But four years after he launched his “Paz Total” (total peace) campaign, the ACSN still dominates the Santa Marta area, said researcher Norma Vera.

Extortion has now emerged as a key issue in the campaign to elect Petro’s successor in polls starting on May 31.

The Ministry of Defence says it has received more than 46,000 extortion complaints since 2022.

Omar Garcia, president of the hotel association in the coastal city of Santa Marta, a gateway to the Sierra Nevada, said he fears for Colombia’s fragile tourism boom.

“Any news affecting the image [of a destination] and visitor safety makes tourists think twice,” he said.

Seoul – Shekinah Yawra had no other option but to spend the night at a South Korean jjimjilbang, a 24-hour bathhouse, after every hotel near central Seoul sold out in late March.

But sleep was secondary for the 32-year-old Filipino who had made her way to Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square at 7am to secure a spot in a crowd that city officials estimated would grow to hundreds of thousands.

All this was for a glimpse at the seven-member K-pop supergroup BTS, who returned to the stage on March 21 after almost four years away from the limelight for their staggered, mandatory military service.

Though she failed to secure one of 22,000 free tickets for BTS’s first return concert in the square, Yawra was still ecstatic to stand on the sidelines and watch the concert live on a big screen set up for the occasion.

“We all came just for this,” she told Al Jazeera, recounting how friends had flown in from the Philippines for a single night to catch the concert.

Worldwide, more than 18.4 million viewers tuned in for the Netflix livestream of the concert.

With an estimated 30 million fans worldwide – who refer to themselves as the BTS ARMY – the K-pop group is the most visible symbol of “Hallyu”, or the “Korean Wave”, and the global surge of interest in South Korean popular culture and the financial revenues being generated as a result.

In late March, BTS’s 10th studio album, Arirang, topped the charts in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom, the world’s three largest music markets. The group’s upcoming world tour is expected to generate more than $1.4bn in revenue across more than 80 shows in 23 countries.

Domestically, inbound tourist numbers for the first 18 days of March rose 32.7 percent from the previous month, according to Ministry of Justice data, as the return concert approached and hotel prices surged across central Seoul amid the demand for rooms.

In the week leading up to the concert, sales of BTS merchandise – from BTS glow sticks to blankets – surged 430 percent at the Shinsegae Duty Free retail outlet in central Seoul, the company said.

Over the concert weekend, revenues also rose 30 percent at the city’s Lotte Department Store and 48 percent at Shinsegae overall, compared with the same March weekend a year earlier, in 2025.

As far back as 2022, the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute (KCTI) – a government-sponsored think tank and research organisation – estimated that a single BTS concert in Seoul could generate up to 1.2 trillion won ($798m) in overall economic impact.

KCTI researcher Yang Ji-hoon told Al Jazeera that a sample study of the crowd at the BTS comeback event at Gwanghwamun Square highlighted the uniqueness of fandom-driven tourism. More than half of those at the concert were foreign visitors and many required long-haul travel to attend.

“In Europe and the United States, travel tends to be concentrated within its own regions,” Yang said.

“So, for people to overcome such travel barriers and come to South Korea, it usually requires more than just ordinary motivation or typical spending – it’s not something that happens easily,” he said.

K-pop’s transition to the global mainstream

The scale of BTS’s return to the entertainment world reflects a broader state-backed strategy.

When music promoter Hybe requested Seoul city support for the Gwanghwamun square comeback concert, authorities approved it on public-interest grounds, treating the event as a showcase of national cultural influence.

Almost befitting an official event, more than 10,000 state personnel were deployed for security, logistics and crowd control.

According to data retrieved by South Korean publication Sisain, through a public information disclosure request to the Seoul government, close to 130 million won ($87,400) of city funds were spent as part of logistics for the comeback concert.

South Korean government support for BTS has a precedent.

As members of the boyband approached South Korea’s mandatory military service age, policymakers debated special exemptions for members of BTS, which was estimated to have generated $4.65bn annually to the country’s economy.

After BTS’s forthcoming concerts in Mexico City sold out in just 37 minutes, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung to “bring the acclaimed K-pop artists more often”, noting nearly one million fans in Mexico had attempted to secure 150,000 tickets.

South Korea’s cultural influence is also extending beyond music.

South Korea’s cosmetics exports surpassed $11bn last year, according to global accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), overtaking France in cosmetics shipments to the US, while South Korean food and agricultural exports reached a record $13.6bn, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

KCTI researcher Yang described the growing interest as a phase of “transition to the global mainstream”, where South Korean products are internationally recognised and content output is measured against worldwide benchmarks such as the Billboard charts and the Academy Awards.

He also warned that structural reform is now essential to keep pace with the wave of interest in South Korea.

“As the industries expand in scale, they must also evolve in its underlying systems, infrastructure, and workforce,” he said.

“Rather than focusing solely on direct financial support, future governmental policies should move toward strengthening foundational conditions – such as improving labour environments, addressing unfair practices, building relevant infrastructure, and establishing more robust statistical and data systems,” he said.

Politicians appear to be paying attention.

During his election campaign last year, President Lee framed the next phase of cultural expansion as “Hallyu (Korean Wave) 4.0”, with promises to grow the sector into a 300 trillion won ($203bn) industry with 50 trillion won ($34bn) in exports.

In line with this vision, the government set the budget to bolster “K-content”, support the “pure” arts sector and strengthen the overall culture-related fields at a record 9.6 trillion won ($6.5bn) — reflecting the president’s view of the cultural sector as a strategic national industry rather than merely a consumer market.

South Korea’s strategy appears to be paying off.

South Korea now ranks 11th globally in “soft power”, according to Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index, placing the country as both “influential in arts and entertainment” and “products and brands the world loves”, just behind the US, France, the United Kingdom and Japan.

The darker side of K-pop: Pressure to become a perfect idol

Amid its global success, the darker side of the K-culture industry has received more scrutiny.

Mega-promoter Hybe has been embroiled in a prolonged dispute with K-pop’s New Jeans, a band considered to be a potential heir to BTS and their all-female colleagues Blackpink. The highly public legal dispute that started in 2024 highlights industry tensions over creative control and artist autonomy.

Since the early 2000s, K-pop has also grappled with the legacy of “slave contracts”, or highly restrictive agreements limiting artists’ freedom. Although reforms by the Fair Trade Commission have improved protections for performers, contractual obligations in the K-pop industry are exacting on new performers and their strict work routines have long been documented.

From their trainee years, aspiring idols endure gruelling schedules that involve long workdays and little sleep.

Many top stars often face contractual restrictions on socialising, using their phones or dating. They are also typically limited in what they can say publicly, relying on agency-managed messaging to communicate with fans and the media.

While the rise of social media and other online platforms has opened new avenues for more direct expression and interaction in recent years, concerns over burnout and depression have continued to shadow the industry, with several high-profile stars taking their own lives.

Beauty standards associated with the K-culture genre have also become another flashpoint for controversy.

A 2024 report by South Korean economy news site Uppity found 98 percent of 1,283 respondents born between 1980 and 2000 viewed physical appearance as among the most desirable “social capital” an individual can possess.

Nearly 40 percent of respondents in the survey had undergone cosmetic procedures, while more than 90 percent held neutral or positive attitudes regarding undergoing medical procedures to enhance beauty.

According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, South Korea has the world’s highest rate of procedures, with 8.9 per 1,000 people compared with 5.91 per 1,000 people in the US and just 2.13 per 1,000 in neighbouring Japan.

Yoo Seung-chul, a professor of media studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said that K-culture has reinforced the normalising of beauty as a significant metric of personal and social value.

“K-culture has reinforced systems and structures around self-expression,” Yoo told Al Jazeera.

“With the rise of webtoons that incorporate themes like plastic surgery, there has been a noticeable reduction in the stigma towards going under the knife among younger audiences in their teens and early twenties,” Yoo said, explaining that popular plastic surgery platforms such as Unni have further normalised the trend by connecting people to clinics and reviews of these clinics and their surgeons.

At the same time, globalisation has reshaped the K-culture industry itself. Many new K-pop acts now include international members to broaden appeal.

Hybe has expanded this strategy through its US subsidiary, Hybe America, producing globally oriented groups like Katseye, which only has one South Korean member in its six-member girl group.

The shift has prompted debate.

Even BTS’s latest album Arirang – a nod to South Korea’s most iconic folk song – has divided fans over its use of English lyrics and foreign producers.

“K-content is being designed with global audiences in mind from the outset. In film, there has been a noticeable rise in genres like horror and science fiction, which are easier to export internationally,” Yoo said.

“This global orientation is also reflected in K-pop agencies recruiting foreign members for idol groups,” he said.

But international audiences do not always prefer highly globalised versions of Korean content, Yoo said, adding, in fact, that many are drawn to K-pop’s “sense of locality”.

As audiences increasingly seek authenticity, Yoo argues the industry faces a defining challenge.

“Industries and companies need to figure out how to preserve a sense of local identity while effectively marketing to global audiences,” Yoo added.

“Striking that balance will be crucial in shaping the next phase of Korea’s cultural exports.”

Holidaymakers planning a trip to Spain who haven’t yet booked their flights are being warned to do so know amid speculation that escalating oil prices could soon drive up the costs

A Spanish tourist boss has warned that Brits who haven’t yet booked their summer holidays should book flights as soon as possible to avoid “price fluctuations”.

Jordi Hereu, Spain’s Industry and Tourism Minister, made the comments to Spanish news outlet Expansion yesterday (April 27), warning that growth in the tourist industry could be dampened by rises in the cost of flights. Last year, Spain welcomed 97 million tourists through its borders, and was expected to hit the 100 million mark this year.

He said: “What ⁠we’re recommending is that ‌people buy their tickets now because it’s true that (airlines) are currently using kerosene that was purchased some time ‌ago, and therefore there’s an element of ‌price fluctuations involved.”

“It’s already clear that prices have risen and this could affect demand.” he added. He went on to reassure holidaymakers that authorities were looking at ways to prevent fuel shortages as the busy summer season looms.

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But Mr Hereu also warned: “If the countries ‌that send tourists to Spain had problems, we would have them too.”

Many airlines have been foreced to cancel flights this spring and summer due to the rising cost of jet fuel as supplies run law, as a consequence of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the Israeli and US attack on Iran.

Keir Starmer said the UK was doing “everything we can” to reopen the Strait, although the UK PM warned: “I don’t want anybody to think that, once the Strait is open, that that’s the end of the damage. It will go on longer than that.”

He went on to tell Sky News: “I can see that, if there’s more impact, people might change their habits… where they go on holiday this year, what they’re buying in the supermarket, that sort of thing.”

Corneel Koster, Virgin Atlantic’s chief executive, told the Telegraph: “I was looking at improving our financial results by a really significant chunk. And then this happens. We have never seen jet fuel at these levels, with prices more than doubling. The industry cannot absorb increases like this.”

In recent weeks, the cost of a barrel of jet fuel has increased from £63 to as high as £148 amid the conflict in the Middle East. The cost of fuel accounts for around a quarter or more of operating expenses for airlines, meaning it can have a big impact on profits.

According to reports by the BBC, the lowest-priced economy tickets currently cost 24% more on average than this time last year. In response, airlines have asked for measures such as a cut or suspension to Air Passenger Duty to be put in place to balance out the costs for consumers.

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A number of airlines have already cut services, such as Lufthansa, which has axed 20,000 European short-haul flights, which it claims will save around 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel. The German airline will offer customers options, including refunding fares or booking them on alternative flights with other airlines.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

The pier has been extensively redeveloped and is widely regarded as one of Britain’s top seaside family attractions, perfect for a day out by the sea

When Brits picture a quintessential pier experience, their minds often drift to the likes of Blackpool or Brighton, while overlooking one of the UK’s finest piers.

Yet nestled in the South West, along the Bristol Channel in North Somerset, lies a coastal gem that delivers a pier experience unlike any other.

Weston-super-Mare pulled out all the stops when it decided to elevate its Grand Pier, preserving its heritage while simultaneously raising the bar on the main seafront stretch.

Today it caters to modern families in exactly the way a holiday spot should, boasting an indoor venue packed with excitement, entertainment and all the British seaside essentials.

Originally opening as the Grand Pier in 1904, it has since achieved listed building status, safeguarding a rich history of seaside tourism in Weston.

However, during this period, the pier has evolved from a simple viewing platform to a comprehensive attraction offering hours of amusement.

Sadly for visitors and residents alike, throughout its existence, the pier has been devastated twice by fires, the first in 1930 and subsequently in 2008. It was the 2008 disaster which granted it a completely fresh start and ushered in the reconstruction of the pier as it stands today.

In 2009, North Somerset Council gave the green light to proposals for a new pier to be constructed, with contractors John Sisk and Son chosen to build a new pavilion.

The revamped Grand Pier threw open its doors for the half-term holiday on 23 October 2010, with an official reopening for the tourist season the following July.

While the pier still offers traditional seaside rock, fish and chips and a host of arcade games — including the much-loved 2p machines — there is a great deal more on offer these days.

Fifteen years on, it continues to delight families seeking a fun-filled day out, with activities spread across two floors and stunning views of the surrounding sea.

Top indoor attractions include a house of horrors, glow-in-the-dark go-karts, mini golf, a free fall ride, a sidewinder ride, dodgems and much more besides.

One visitor shared their experience on TripAdvisor, writing: “We spent pretty much the whole day there and could easily go again the next day as we didn’t do everything (didn’t make it to soft play for the little ones) even though we did do the ghost train twice!

“Absolutely great day out at a beautiful venue. Wristbands are great value for money, and so much is included. 100% recommend – great destination. We will be back!”

On arrival, guests can pay a £2 entry fee per person at the door, or book tickets in advance to save the hassle of carrying loose change.

The pier’s website features a range of deals, including unlimited ride access or combined entry and ride packages for the whole family, making advance booking both straightforward and cost-effective.

As with any pier, visitors should expect to part with some money once they reach the pavilion, with individual attractions and games each carrying their own separate charges.

There’s no need to head off-site for a bite to eat either, as the Grand Pier has your mealtimes well and truly sorted with its range of cafés and dining options.

From classic fish and chips to sugary doughnuts, ice creams and more, the pier has everything you’d need for a perfect summer’s day or seaside trip.

A recent visitor shared: “Can clearly see a lot of thought and investment has gone into the grand pier. The couple of hours we spent there were enjoyable.

“There’s something and everything for all ages. Even if it’s just sitting out on a nice sunny day enjoying a nice drink. £2 entrance fee doesn’t break the bank.”

Weston-super-Mare is also home to a second pier, though there’s little in the way of entertainment on offer, as it remains derelict. Birnbeck Pier stands as a piece of history and a listed building, currently undergoing restoration work with hopes of reopening sometime in 2027.

Having first welcomed visitors in 1867, the once-stunning structure has lain dormant since 1994. Weston hopes to see it restored to its former glory, breathing fresh life into the seaside town as the only pier in the UK connected to an island.