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YOU’VE heard of the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell – but you may not have heard of this other magnificent site that’s in the middle of the city.

It has over 600 years of history and is now an incredibly impressive Art Nouveau Site worthy of being just as famous as its grand neighbours.

Sant Pau is a former hospital turned historical attraction found in the Eixample district of Barcelona.

In fact, it’s only 6 minutes away from the famous Sagrada Familia.

The site was previously called the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau – as it was a working hospital up until 2009.

The impressive complex was built between 1901 and 1930 and was designed by Catalan modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

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But its history dates back 1401 when six medieval hospitals in Barcelona merged to form the Hospital de la Santa Creu – was transformed into a modernist complex years later.

The site is made up of 16 pavilions which are connected by underground tunnels and was designed to be a “garden city” for the sick.

Inside are lots of open spaces and natural light as well as pretty gardens which were constructed in the hope of promoting healing.

The layout was revolutionary at the time with Lluís Domènech i Montaner believing that a natural and beautiful environment would help the recovery of patients.

The design of multiple pavilions also helped to stop the spreading of diseases.

The building is the largest Art Nouveau complex in Europe, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997 and it’s considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful hospitals.

Due to its role as a hospital, Sant Pau isn’t as well-known as other nearby sites – and it gets approximately 375,000 visitors each year.

In comparison, the Sagrada Familia gets around 4.5 million visitors per year, as does Park Güell.

It wasn’t until 2014 that the site was restored and reopened as a museum and cultural center.

If you’re wondering what happened to the patients when the hospital closed – they were transferred next door into a modern facility.

Inside are beautiful decorations like mosaics, stained glass, and glazed tiles which visitors can marvel at.

Quite often there are events held there too – the site recently held the Sant Pau International Chamber Music Festival.

Over Christmas it’s been lit up with lights, 18 interactive instillations and of course, there’s a huge Christmas tree.

For those who want to explore it at their own pace, you can do so with a self-guided visit and a map for guidance at €11.90 (£10.44).

Guests can also take a guided tour and on Saturdays at 10.30AM tours will be taken in English.

You can buy tickets from €21 (£18.42) or €5 (£4.38) for children between 3-11 years old.

Plus, check out this abandoned Victorian church that has been turned into one of the UK’s most beautiful swimming pools.

And this eerie Victorian-era asylum is being transformed into a luxury 5-star hotel and spa.

An amber weather warning has been issued on an island loved by Brits as locals and tourists have been told to stay ‘vigilant’ amid harsh conditions

A major Spanish island loved by British tourists has been hit by a winter storm that has covered the hotspot in snow and seen it battered by massive waves.

Locals and visitors sought cover from a freak hailstorm that brough extreme weather to Majorca, with a weather warning being issued for today. Tourist resorts on the island were turned white when a blanket of snow fell amid chilly temperatures on the Balearic island. The Spanish weather agency AEMET issued an orange weather warning on Thursday and told people on the island to be careful as even more harsh conditions could batter the holiday hotspot.

AEMET said: “Be vigilant and check the current weather forecast regularly.”

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The agency also warned people to be especially careful while visiting beaches and the coast, as 40ft waves are expected to batter the east of Majorca. The AEMET added: “Damage to people and property is possible, especially to vulnerable individuals or those in exposed locations.”

This storm led to terrifying 90kmph winds, which are expected to continue into the day. The shock winter storm also brought a blanket of snow to the island on Wednesday, amid the hailstorm.

Shocking images showed the size of these pieces of hail that smashed onto the island, with some locals saying they were the size of walnuts.

Yellow weather warnings was issued across the island yesterday but forecasters said the worst of the weather could be seen today.

A winter storm across southern Europe has seen temperatures dramatically drop across the typically mild area – and be a possible reason behind the shock conditions on Majorca.

Weather warnings were also issued on the Spanish mainland, with the heaviest snowfall expected around Santander, Bilbao and the Cantabrian Mountains, where 25cm of snow could drop within 24 hours.

Mountain zones inland from Santander were some of the areas on alert for around 20cm of snow, while several well-known places near Navarre and northern La Rioja could see up to 10cm. Even the normally milder inland region near San Sebastián is forecast to receive around 5cm as the cold air digs deeper across the north coast.

This comes as Brits could also be hit with heavy rain and snow in a storm that could reach the UK in just a few days. As much as 10cm of snow could settle in some parts of the nation.

Weather maps have predicted the chilly weather could sweep across the UK in the early hours of December 4. Rain is set to fall over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and southern parts of Scotland, while central and northern Scotland could see some serious snow.

Maps for December 5 show snowfall in England – initially be centred around the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines before spreading throughout the day. They suggest towns and cities like Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield could also see snow at around 3pm on that Friday.

ICONIC spots like Yellowstone and The Grand Canyon are about to get much more expensive for Brits.

National Parks in the US are making entry fees more expensive for tourists in an effort to “put American families first”.

The US government has announced that beginning January 1, 2026, non-residents will have to pay an additional fee to enter its National Parks.

Non-residents will have to choose between buying a $250 (£189.23) annual pass or paying $100 (£75.69) per person “to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, in addition to the standard entrance fee”.

The current entry cost for Yellowstone is $20 (£15.14) for anyone on foot – so in this case, the new fee would cost $120 (£90.82) under the new bill.

Passes can be bought online and downloaded onto mobile phone – or linked to physical cards for convenience.

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President Trump signed an order back in July to raise entrance fees at national parks for overseas tourists.

The additional fees will go into funding for conservation and maintenance at each site.

The Annual Pass cost for residents of the US will be $80 (£60.55) and throughout the year there will be ‘resident-only patriotic fee-free days’.

These include Memorial Day (May 25, 2026), Independence Day weekend (July 3-5, 2026), and Veteran’s Day (November 11, 2026).

In 2024, National Parks around America saw a record number of tourists with more than 330 million visiting its sites.

The country’s most visited parks are the Everglades in Florida, Yosemite in California and Colorado‘s Rocky Mountains.

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said: “President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first.

“These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.” 

Along with the price hike for National Parks, visitors heading to America now face a ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ under new rules.

The new fee falls under President Donald Trump‘s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ and has seen Brits paying substantially more to visit America.

The fee applies to anyone who needs a ‘non-immigrant visa’ – which includes people travelling for business, study and temporary work for more than three months.

It will cost around $250 (£189.22) and was introduced on October 1, 2025

The cost is on top of all existing visa application fees.

Individuals will pay the fee once a visa is issued and if an application is denied, then you aren’t charged the fee.

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For more on America, hear from one Travel Reporter who ditched New York City for upstate and found hundreds of vineyards, NASCAR racing experiences & world famous waterfalls.

And another writer who visits New York on a budget – from the best times to book cheap flights and where to find the tastiest pizza.

HOLIDAYS are set to get more expensive both in the UK and abroad with new tourist tax rules and a rise in Air Passenger Duty.

Regional mayors will be given powers to introduce the levy on overnight stays at hotels, holiday lets and B&Bs, it was announced in today’s budget.

Measures announced in today’s Budget include…

London mayor Sadiq Khan, Liverpool‘s Steve Rotherham and Manchester‘s Andy Burnham have all backed the tourism levy.

But the Tory mayor of Teesside Ben Houchen vowed to shield visitors to his North East region and blasted the idea.

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He told The Sun: “If Labour hands me these powers, I won’t use them.

“People in Teesside and our local businesses are already feeling the squeeze from Labour’s last budget.

“Piling another tax on working people isn’t the answer and won’t drive growth.

“This is yet another cash grab that will hammer the fantastic hospitality businesses we have across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”

It comes just two months after Tourism Minister Chris Bryant told MPs the government “had no plans to introduce a tourism tax”.

Luke Petherbridge, the Association of British Travel Agent’s (ABTA) Director of Public Affairs said: “ABTA has consistently raised concerns about the cumulative impact of increasing taxes and charges on tourists and tourism businesses, with the UK already applying much higher rates of VAT than many countries and levying the highest air departure tax in the world.

“Against that backdrop, it’s hard to see how a further tax will not simply worsen the UK’s situation when it comes to competitiveness.

“We will be engaging with industry partners to respond to the consultation in the coming weeks.”

Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, slammed the move as “another shocking U-turn”.

She added: “I know the Government is worried about the cost of living, but a holiday tax is little more than a higher VAT rate for holidaymakers.”

Yesterday, EasyJet boss Kenton Jarvis warned the Chancellor against imposing a tourist tax across cities in the UK.

The airline chief said it might encourage tourists to go to rival European cities instead, such as Paris or Berlin.

Mr Jarvis said: “Any increase in tax that impacts the competitiveness of the UK visitor economy would not be a good thing.

“Last year, easyJet flew 15 million tourists into the UK and they spent just under £10 billion across the UK economy… so it’s very important to the visitor economy.”

And the cost of holidays abroad is set to go up as well.

The government will increase all rates of Air Passenger Duty (ADP) in line with the rate of inflation from April 1, 2027.

APD is a ‘tax’ on passengers flying from UK airports, built into the price of a flight ticket.

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Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary previously slammed some of the plans to increase the cost of flights.

He warned he would axe hundreds of flights from the UK if APD is increased.

Josh Reekie was due to fly to Phuket, Thailand, with wife Eden for their honeymoon but the electrician encountered an issue at Manchester Airport around his passport

A groom was “absolutely gutted” to be banned from boarding a flight to Thailand for his £2,000 honeymoon — due to a problem with his passport.

Staff at the Etihad Airways check-in desk inspected Josh Reekie’s passport and, reportedly after 30 minutes, he was told he would be unable to catch his flight due to damage on the document. The faint smudge, from on a 2019 travel stamp, was deemed water damage and sufficient for staff at Manchester Airport to deny Josh travel.

But Josh and Eden, whose passport was fine, had forked out £2,400 on flights and accommodation for their two-week TUI package holiday to celebrate tying the knot. Furious with the experience, Josh, 31, said today: “They said there was a stamp that had smudged slightly from Thailand 2019.

“Fair enough there’s a smudged stamp, but who’s to say that didn’t happen when they stamped it and closed the passport. I can’t think of a time where it’s come into contact with water, the picture page was perfectly fine.

“They said I couldn’t fly because it was damaged. We went and stood outside and just didn’t know what to do. It’s a very surreal feeling walking into an airport then walking out the departure lounge. We were stressed because of all the money we’d spent.”

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Josh, who is an industrial electrician, claims he has travelled with the same passport 12 times in the last year with no issue. Nevertheless, he frantically applied for a new document after leaving the airport to try and make the rest of their holiday.

But Josh, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, says holiday provider TUI cancelled the return flight and accommodation in Thailand after the couple were unable to board their outbound flight. Devastated, the couple forked out for a last-minute getaway to Cyprus, but claim Etihad Airways and TUI should now refund them.

Josh said: “We were really looking forward to it. I hadn’t long flown with that passport so I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. I travelled 12 times in 11 months with that passport and had no issues.

“We arrived at the Etihad Airways check-in and we got to the desk and he looked at both our passports and said they were both water-damaged.

“The duty manager started checking them and taking photos of them. Half an hour passed and I kept asking what was happening. No one told us anything about what was happening, she just turned around and said ‘I’m really sorry but you can’t fly’.”

The electrician, who was eventually able to get a new passport within two days, has complained to TUI and Etihad Airways and is demanding compensation. He added: “I felt really disappointed because there was no empathy or remorse from Etihad Airways.

“I know they probably see it daily but people save up all year to go on holiday. For someone on the check-in desk to just say ‘you’re not going’, I can’t understand how someone can have that authority to refuse you and not be able to get a second opinion.

“If it was the picture page, I could understand it, but the fact it was the stamp page just annoyed me. We were absolutely gutted, it was soul-destroying. I just hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else. We’d like our money back. We’ve had no help from TUI or Etihad.”

An Etihad spokesperson said: “A passenger flying from Manchester to Phuket on 7 October was denied boarding due to visible water damage in their passport at the time of check-in.

“Etihad consulted Thailand’s immigration authorities who advised the airline not to board the passenger based on the passport’s condition.

“Check-in staff therefore did not allow the passenger to board in compliance with regulatory guidance and destination entry requirements based on the condition of the passport at the time of travel.

“British passports must be machine-readable and fully intact, with no torn pages, water damage, delamination or illegible details, to comply with Thailand’s immigration policy.”

The Mirror has contacted TUI for comment.

The tourist’s bathroom dilemma amused social media users when she admitted her problem

People have been left stunned after an American tourist admitted she didn’t know how to use the sink in her hotel room. The blogger, Angelica, has been posting about her UK travel on TikTok under the username @angelicajenniferr.

In one video from her recent trip to London, the tourist encountered an unusual problem. She told viewers: “Okay, I’m currently in London and guys, I don’t know how to make my sink water go away. I have tried clicking it.

“Am I dumb, or is it like, right in front of my face? Or is it broken? I’m like, it doesn’t click. Is there a button I’m missing?” Asking for help, Angelica said: “Yall, how do I make the water go away?

“Um, can anyone who lives in London or European help me? Because my sink is broken or, I don’t know if it’s broken or if I’m being dumb. The water isn’t going away.” In her caption, she added: “I feel so dumb but also I’m totally about to call the front desk.”

Fortunately, Angelica soon realised her mistake. In a follow-up video, she told viewers: “Let me go down the list of things that you told me to try, and it still didn’t work, and then I’ll tell you what did work.

“Okay, for starters, I have been pushing on this thing. My knuckles will be bleeding soon. People said to pull this down, to pull this. Nothing works. There’s nothing around the sink, okay.

“I had to call someone and be like, I think my sink’s broken. And I was like, the water isn’t going down, I’ve tried everything. And do you know what they told me? Let me tell you. They were like, flip it like a coin, which I know you guys said that. I was like, you’re kidding. You are kidding.

“So look at me. That’s so much easier. I have nails, and I was afraid to break them.” She joked: “Anyways, blonde moment. It flips like a coin. So I learned something new.”

The videos went viral, with the second clip racking up over 200k views. Reacting to the video, some commenters were shocked by the post.

One viewer replied: “Not trying everything then lol.” A second commented: “Standard hotel sink…” Another commenter said: “So if you didn’t think to try this, you obviously hadn’t tried everything.” Someone else wrote: “My sink is like that. I can’t believe you didn’t know how to do that….”

However, others rushed to defend the tourist, saying they would have struggled as well. A viewer said: “Italian here. Never seen anything like that. In fact, I would have been in trouble too… It should also be said that it seems like a very unhygienic solution.”

A second added: “As a Brit, I would have been lost too, don’t worry. I know these sinks exist, but they’re not everywhere.” Someone agreed: “I’m a Brit and have never seen a plug like this. Don’t worry, you’re not alone!”

A FAMOUS UK castle is being turned into a ‘world-class tourist attraction’ with a major £10million development.

The Scottish palace with over 1,000 years of royal history is getting a dramatic facelift, and it’s set to become an exciting new tourist destination.

The spectacular Scone Palace is a listed historic house near the village of Scone in Scotland, which is close to the city of Perth in Perthshire.

The palace, where kings including Macbeth and Robert the Bruce were crowned, is set for a massive transformation after plans for a “world-class visitor attraction” were approved this week.

The stunning redevelopment will see the fomrer stables turned into a modern visitor centre complete with a restaurant, shop and ticket office, as well as a huge adventure play park and solar meadow with 2,000 panels.

There will also be new walking and cycling routes from Stormontfield Road.

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The £10million project has been a decade in the making, with local councillors finally giving it the green light on Wednesday after years of debate.

The revamp comes just in time for the palace’s 60th anniversary of opening to the public next year, marking a new chapter in the site’s long royal story.

Although the plans were given the go-ahead, councillors insisted on a few tweaks.

Most notably, the proposal to finish the stables in shiny copper cladding was scrapped, with Perth and Kinross Council’s Conservation team saying this look was “not appropriate” for such a historic building.

Viscount William Stormont, whose family has owned Scone Palace for generations, said the upgrade would help the famous site “punch high” in Scotland’s increasingly competitive tourism scene.

He said: “We – and indeed Perth Museum – need to compete with the likes of the V&A and Stirling Castle to draw people to visit and stay in Perth.

“Visitor expectations have increased.  Visitors demand special and memorable experiences. Our unique heritage in the stories we tell meet expectations.

Our interpretation and facilities do not. This is why the stables project is so important to Perth, Scone and the region.”

He added: “Next year is a special year, our 60th anniversary of opening to the public – a bold decision my great grandparents made and committed huge resource to.

“It is our hope that the stables project will allow Scone to prosper anew for the next 60 years.”

Convener Councillor Ian Massie said: “This proposal is not only ambitious in scope but deeply respectful of our heritage.

“The development at Scone Palace represents a rare opportunity to enhance one of Scotland’s most historically significant landmarks, while securing its future as a sustainable, inclusive and economically vibrant destination.”

It’s one of the largest surviving examples from the Roman occupation of Britain, and —hiding in plain sight — it is completely free to visit all year round.

History buffs are in for a treat as a massive Roman amphitheatre is hiding in plain sight right here in the UK.

Nestled next to Cirencester — the largest town in the Cotswolds — lie the earthwork remains of a gigantic amphitheatre, which at its height, was one of the biggest Roman amphitheatres in Britain.

History of the amphitheatre

Constructed in the early 2nd century AD – when Cirencester was known as the Roman city of Corinium and was second only to London in size and population – this amphitheatre could accommodate up to 8,000 spectators. The Cirencester Amphitheatre began life as a simple quarry, with the majority of the stone used to build the town believed to have come from it.

By the time most of the town had been built, its layout already closely resembled that of an amphitheatre, complete with tiered seating.

In modern-day Britain, the Cirencester Amphitheatre is considered one of the largest surviving examples from the Roman occupation of the island. After the Roman army departed Britain in AD 408, life in Cirencester quickly declined without their pay, which was a key support for the local economy and helped maintain order.

With no central authority to take the reins, the town’s urban heart was left lifeless. Private benefactors who had promised to fund public games were conspicuously absent. This led to the amphitheatre being abandoned as a place of entertainment, and in a brave bid to keep their community alive, the town leaders transformed the renowned structure into a fortress.

A trench was carved along the southern side of the building, and its entrances were made narrower. However, these efforts seemed futile, as by AD 577, a stronghold thought to be Cirencester was reported to have succumbed to the advancing Saxons. The amphitheatre then lay deserted for several centuries.

Archaeologists have since unearthed remnants of timber buildings from the 5th century at the once-celebrated site. During the Middle Ages, it is said that the Abbot of Cirencester enclosed the area to use it as a rabbit warren. Its local moniker, ‘the Bull Ring’, suggests that it may have later been used for bull-baiting – a potential nod to its original Roman-era purpose.

Architecture and Structure

Unlike the circular designs of the amphitheatres at Silchester and Dorchester, the Cirencester Amphitheatre was oval-shaped, with an entrance at each end of the structure’s longer axis.

The vast earth banks, the only remnants of the once towering structure, held rows of wooden seats built on terraced drystone walls. It’s thought that there was also a standing area for spectators within the building, reports Gloucestershire Live. The amphitheatre’s seating area alone could accommodate around 8,000 people — a figure not far off from the entire population of Corinium at the time (approximately 10,000).

A wall separated the audience from the arena, which was covered with sand and fine gravel. During a later renovation, two small chambers were built on either side of the entrance’s inner end. Indications suggest that one of them was dedicated to Nemesis, the goddess often honoured in amphitheatres from the Roman Empire.

Getting there

Cirencester Amphitheatre is free to explore as it’s not a ticketed site. However, visitors should be aware that some parts of the site are uneven, making them unsuitable for wheelchair users. There’s also a small flight of stairs at the entrance of the structure which may pose an accessibility challenge.

Dog owners are welcome to bring their pets to Cirencester Amphitheatre, provided they are kept on leads. Free parking is available in the car park at the eastern end of Cotswold Avenue, and shops, toilets, and food outlets can be found in the nearby Cirencester town centre.

Bethany Clarke and her best friend Simone White were backpacking together around Southeast Asia when they drank bootleg shots laced with methanol – and it proved tragically fatal for Simone

A woman has died after unknowingly drinking shots laced with methanol.

Bethany Clarke, 28, from Orpington, southeast London, went backpacking around Southeast Asia with her best friend, Simone White, 28, last year.

Both the women drank the bootleg alcohol, and tragically it proved fatal for Simone.

Bethany and Simone started their backpacking in Cambodia and went from there to Laos. They had spent the day tubing down the river – a popular tourist activity – before returning to their hostel for a night of drinking.

Bethany said: “We had methanol-laced shots. We had five or six each, just mixing them with Sprite.

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“The next morning, we didn’t feel right, but we just assumed it was a hangover. It was strange though – unlike any hangover I’d had before.

“It felt like being drunk but in a way where you couldn’t enjoy it. Something was just off.”

Despite their condition, they continued on with their plans, heading to the Blue Lagoon and kayaking down the river again.

Bethany added: “We were just lying on the backs of the kayaks, too weak to paddle. Simone was being sick off one of them. Neither of us wanted to swim or eat – which, we later learned, are early signs of methanol poisoning.”

It wasn’t until hours later, after they’d boarded a bus to their next destination, that things worsened, with Bethany fainting and Simone continuing to vomit.

Eventually, they were taken to a local hospital – one that Bethany described as “very poor”.

She said: “They had no idea what was wrong, they talked about food poisoning, but we hadn’t eaten the same things. It didn’t make sense.”

Still confused and deteriorating, the women made it to a private hospital. But by then it was too late.

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Bethany said: “They told me they’d do all they could to save her. She was having seizures during dialysis.”

When Simone’s condition worsened, her mother, Sue White, flew out to Laos, arriving just as her daughter was being wheeled into emergency brain surgery.

Bethany said: “Her brain had started to swell, and they had to shave her head. The surgery relieved the pressure but caused bleeding and the other side started swelling.”

The results confirming methanol poisoning wouldn’t arrive until two weeks later. By then, Simone had died.

Bethany said: “On an emotional level, it’s been a lot to process. Sometimes I still think, ‘Why don’t you reach out to Simone for that?’ and then I remember I can’t.”

Bethany has channeled her grief into campaigning for change and awareness. She said: “People still aren’t aware and don’t know the signs to look for.

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“The government aren’t doing enough to educate British citizens about the signs of methanol poisoning.

“In Australia, where I live now, they have a big TikTok campaign and signs in all the airports.

“There’s a lot more work to be done in the UK – we’re behind. Anywhere there is organised crime, the opportunity exists – even in the UK.

Bethany also reckons there will be more deaths until people become more aware.”It’s highly likely we’ll see more deaths unless the UK government acts in a more radical way,” she said.

“It has to be in people’s heads – stick to canned drinks. But bottles can be more risky because the cap could have been replaced.

“Any spirits can be a risk. I say ‘steer clear, drink beer’ which rolls off the tongue.”

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Just recently, the Foreign Office added eight further countries to the risk list for methanol poisoning due to risks associated with counterfeit or tainted alcoholic drinks.

The list already covered Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey, Costa Rica and Fiji.

Ecuador, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Russia and Uganda were now included in the list following incidents.

Methanol poisoning results from methanol being added to drinks such as cocktails and spirits to up the volume and cut costs.

Signs of the poisoning include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and confusion – and more distinctive symptoms, such as vision issues, can develop between 12 and 48 hours after consumption.