travel

AS WILDFIRES continue to spread across France and Spain major travel advice has been issued for tourists heading abroad for the summer.

Thousands of excited Brits are gearing up to go on holiday in the coming days but “monster” flames tearing across Europe are beginning to cast doubt over travel plans.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has urged Brit holidaymakers to take care when travelling to the south-west of France where the two main wildfires are spreading.

The Gironde wildfire has been scorching huge swathes of land as it continues to grow as the Biscarrosse fires also rage on.

The FCDO has told travellers to follow instructions and updates from local authorities and emergency services at all times and to call 112 for the emergency services if people are in danger.

They make it clear that “no travel can be guaranteed safe” and that precautions must be taken ahead of time.

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Having appropriate travel insurance is also a necessity if you want a refund.

Experts say if you’ve booked a package holiday and the company you’ve booked with cancels because of wildfires, you should be offered a refund or have alternative arrangements offered to you.

If you’ve booked your flights and accommodation separately, you will need to speak to your airline and the company you booked your hotel, apartment or villa with separately to see if they will refund you.

Make sure to keep a record of any official warnings, cancellation notices, emails from your airline and screenshots of travel advice.

Similar guidance has been issued for people heading to Spain with the UK government advising people to avoid travelling through the two main affected areas of Madrid and Avila.

Both Spanish regions are already under a national emergency as thousands of hectares of land are being ravaged by multiple fires.

French officials have also urged holidaymakers to stay away from wildfire zones and told tourists already in active areas to pack their bags and make plans to leave.

Sophie Brocas, the prefect for Nouvelle-Aquitaine, said: “We urge tourists not to come to this region, at least until the situation is under control.

“I encourage tourists who are already here to consider another destination.”

Authorities have already evacuated campsites, tourist accommodation and some residential areas across the south-west.

French President Emmanuel Macron is due to convene a crisis meeting later today to discuss the wildfires as they near the tourist city of Bordeaux.

Flames are now just seven miles away from the ancient French city centre with hundreds of thousands of people in Gironde already being evacuated from their homes.

Your rights if your holiday is cancelled due to wildfires

EXPERTS are warning any Brit families who have holidays booked to Spain or France to check the official advice, and make sure you are covered by your travel insurance.

Rhys Jones, travel insurance expert at Go.Compare, said the FCDO should always be the main place to check.

He said: “Wildfires can move quickly and cause serious disruption, so if you’re due to travel to an affected destination, the first thing to do is check the latest FCDO advice for that country and your specific resort or region.

“If they advise against travel, your holiday provider or travel insurer may be able to support you, depending on how you booked and what your policy includes.”

You should also check your travel insurance policy before you go to see what it covers.

“Some include cover for natural disasters under ‘catastrophe cover’, but this is not always included as standard and not every insurer will define wildfires in the same way,” Rhys added.

“Look at whether your policy covers cancellation, travel disruption, alternative accommodation, emergency medical treatment and repatriation, and contact the insurer directly if anything is unclear.”

He adds: “Don’t wait until you are in the middle of an emergency to understand your cover.

“Check your policy wording before you go, know your insurer’s emergency contact details, and make sure your documents are easy to access online and offline.”

Your travel insurance could help you get back any costs your accommodation provider or airline won’t refund you for, if it covers cancellation or “catastrophe”.

Sitting even closer to the fires is Bordeaux Airport with the hotel nearby being evacuated overnight.

Flights are yet to be impacted despite a cloud of smoke beginning to choke the city.

The latest update from Bordeaux Airport came on Sunday as they said: “The airport is currently operational and is doing everything it can to provide the region with all the necessary support in the ongoing fight against the fires. 

“Commercial flights are operating as normal.”

Anyone travelling should contact their holiday provider and airline before jetting off.

For information on the wildfires, the French Prefecture has opened a public information line from 9am to 5pm which can be accessed by calling +33 (0)9 70 80 90 40 (select option 1 for Gironde).

Across in Spain, temperatures are on track to reach above 40C – sparking concerns that the heat will only help fuel the wildfires.

Officials have said due to the volatile nature of fires, the situation is being reassessed day-by-day so tourists should continue to check the latest guidance.

The raging inferno around Madrid was described as being “at its peak” over the weekend and  “beyond the capacity” of firefighters to control.

CAN Butlin’s get any better? Well, apparently so as all three resorts now have new self serve bars for the first time.

Butlin’s at Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness have introduced the new booze bars with beers, ciders, cocktails, spirits and mixers and soft drinks.

There are more than 100 Self-Serve Bars in total.

The introduction makes Butlin’s the first holiday park in Europe to introduce the Boxbar machines.

The bars have been introduced to cut down queues, as well as to get served faster.

In fact, you’d be served in as little as six seconds.

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There are more than 20 drinks options including popular brands, including Madri, Guinness, Smirnoff and even Butlin’s own On The Beach cocktail.

The new bars are available to guests on all family breaks, as well as the adult-only Big Weekenders.

And the drinks are also included on the All Inclusive Drinks package.

Heidi Watson, Head of Innovation at Butlin’s said: “This is an exciting first for Butlin’s.

“Everything we do is about improving the guest experience and our new Boxbar Self-Serve Bars will make a real difference to guests on a family break or a Big Weekender.

“Open in time for the school summer holidays, the bars are designed to reduce wait times and make it quicker and easier for guests to get a drink.

“This means less time queuing and more time enjoying their holiday with family and friends.”

Here’s everything you need to know about a holiday to Butlin’s.

EUROSTAR is launching new trains to a European city for the first time ever.

Often overlooked in favour of other Belgian destinations like Brussels and Bruges, the new train route will connect London to Antwerp.

Antwerp handles around 80 per cent of the world’s rough diamonds – and the diamond district itself is a popular tourist spot with cafes and bars.

There are even diamond history tours and cutting workshops for those who really want to delve into it.

Antwerp’s Borgerhout neighbourhood east of the city centre was voted one of the ‘coolest in the world‘ by Time Out last year.

Some of the most popular spots in the area include the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp which holds live events like DJ and music evenings during the summer.

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Just up the road is the MoMu Fashion Museum and De Roma is a restored 1920 art deco cinema which holds concerts and film screenings.

There’s also plenty of bakeries, cafes and pubs to pop into like Café Mombasa which is bicycle-themed and has around 90 types of beer on offer.

When Sun Reporter Harry Corton visited the city, he discovered another spot for taste testing.

He said: “There are tons of places to sample the dizzying local delights. The best is Bier Central (De Keyserlei 25), where the 120-page ‘BeerCyclopediaa’ offers over 100 different concoctions.

“Following a local’s tip, I opt for a “Trappist” drink, meaning it was brewed by monks . . . in a monastery. It’s generally a mark of higher ethical and quality standards.”

And if you’re a foodie, then Antwerp will be right up your street as it has 17 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Antwerp sits on the banks of the Scheldt River and it even has its own urban beach.

Currently those wanting to visit Antwerp can head to Brussels where they need to hop on a connecting train.

But from December 14, the high-speed rail service will operate four direct services from London St Pancras each day.

These will take just two hours and 41 minutes.

The Eurostar will stop at Antwerp-Centraal station which often takes the crown for the world’s most beautiful railway terminal.

So it’ll be a good excuse to take a look around its beautiful marble interior before heading into the city.

The only small hiccup is there are no direct return trains from Antwerp to London, so you will have to change.

Talking to Head for Points, Eurostar said: “Customers travelling from Antwerp to London can book a combined SNCB and Eurostar ticket on eurostar.com, connecting via Brussels-Midi where UK border and security checks take place.

“There are currently no plans to introduce direct services from Antwerp to London, as this would require dedicated UK border and customs facilities at Antwerp-Centraal.”

A NUMBER of airlines have changed their seat allocation rules – and it means you’ll have to shell out more cash.

The Lufthansa Group, which owns Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Discover Airlines, has announced a change to the way seats are handed out.

Passengers will still be allocated a seat at check-in, but if they want to change it, they will now need to pay.

The change applies to the airlines’ long-haul flights across Economy and Premium economy.

Before this change, travellers who hadn’t booked a seat in advance would be given a standard seat at check-in, which they could then change free of charge if they wanted to.

The rules are already in place on some short and medium-haul flights, but now extend to lots of long-haul Economy and Premium Economy tickets.

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Prices to swap your seat will depend on a number of different factors including your flight route and departure point.

As an example, according to Travel Mole, swapping your standard Economy seat on many intercontinental routes with Austrian, Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa could set you back between €25 (£21.36) and €45 (£38.46).

Lufthansa Group has said that it will try to keep families together though, where possible.

The airline group has said the change has been introduced to make fares “more transparent”, so travellers only pay for the services they want.

The new rules came into effect on July 1 and the seat allocation process and any wanted changes take place at check-in.

A number of people have taken to Reddit to share their outrage for the new rule.

One person commented: “Why are they so busy trying to compete with Ryanair.”

Another added: “Next they will charge us if we think about our seat.”

BOOKING a family holiday this summer doesn’t have to mean blowing your budget.

If you’re looking for 30C heat, short flights, and family-friendly resorts all for a cheap price, we’ve got your back.

Despite August being peak school summer holiday season, we’ve managed to find sunny island getaways that are shockingly cheap.

From Canary Island escapes to quiet Greek coastlines, we’ve tracked down five week-long family holidays that all come in at under £290pp.

Gran Canaria – £263pp

Puerto Rico in Gran Canaria is a lively beach resort with golden sand beaches, vibrant nightlife, and August temps of up to 30°C.

Perched high on a scenic hilltop, the villa-style Nido del Aguila boasts four swimming pools, including two dedicated kids zones.

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Spacious self-catering apartments come with private terraces, while sizzling poolside BBQs, bike rentals, and evening performances keep everyone entertained.

Best of all, you’re just a five-minute stroll from the Europa Centre’s lively shops, with your pick of two beaches waiting down the hill.

Book a seven-night stay at the Nido del Aguila from August 18 for £263pp

Tenerife – £245pp

Santa Ursula shows off a more relaxed side to Tenerife, with dramatic ocean cliffs and lush green landscapes.

It’s perfect for escaping the mega resort chaos, while still putting you just a 10-minute drive from the beaches of Puerto de la Cruz.

Positioned on a cliffside, Coral La Quinta Park Suites offers jaw-dropping views of Mount Teide and the Atlantic.

Grab local snacks and cheap wine from the supermarket just a minute away for DIY tapas on your private balcony, then spend your days bouncing between the subtropical pool and the on-site mini-golf course.

Book a seven-night stay at the Coral La Quinta Park Suites from August 19 for £245pp

Lanzarote – £255pp

Costa Teguise is one of Lanzarote’s most popular family resorts, pairing year-round sunshine with breezy golden beaches and a laid-back coastal vibe.

It’s ideal for sun-seekers who want easy access to watersports, golf, and oceanfront dining.

Just a two-minute stroll from the sands of Playa Bastian, Molino De Guatiza Apartments is a quiet, 36-room complex made for real relaxation.

You can kick back with a drink from the pool bar or take an easy 10-minute walk into the resort centre for lively bars and tapas.

Book a seven-night stay at the Molino De Guatiza Apartments from August 18 for £255pp

Crete – £289pp

Plakias on Crete’s south coast swaps tacky tourist traps for traditional family-run tavernas, dramatic mountain views, and quiet beaches.

There are plenty of breath-taking landscapes to explore, like sheltered white sand coves and Kourtaliotiko Gorge, which has a waterfall you can swim beneath plus a chapel built into the rock face.

With just 12 rooms on the whole property, Sunrise Hotel & Apartments is about as low-key as a Greek getaway gets.

That means zero fighting for sunbeds by the pool, a handy splash zone for the kids, and a poolside bar for grabbing a cold drink before taking a dip.

Book a seven-night stay at the Sunrise Hotel & Apartments from August 12 for £289pp

Fuerteventura – £249pp

If you like to skip the long transfer coach after landing, Caleta de Fuste sits just ten minutes from the airport around a broad, sheltered bay.

It’s got everything you need for the ideal family holiday: 26C sunshine, relaxex bars and restaurants, and beaches with calm, shallow waters.

The BLUESEA Puerto Caleta is a traditional whitewashed complex centreed around a palm-lined swimming pool.

Here, you’re a five-minute stroll from the nearest beach and only two minutes from the local supermarket – ideal for stocking up your modern apartment’s kitchenette.

Book a seven-night stay at the BLUESEA Puerto Caleta from August 7 for £249pp

Prices correct at the time of publication.

There are some items that are best kept in your hand luggage for safe keeping, so make sure these items don’t end up in your big suitcase when you go away for your summer holidays this year

No matter how many times you go on holiday, packing is always an awkward task, as you need to balance the lack of space with the essentials.

And if you have checked luggage in addition to a cabin bag, you may be tempted to throw most of the things you own into your hold baggage. This means you have less stuff to carry around the airport and onto the plane with you.

But there are some things you should never put in checked luggage, and it’s not just the obvious stuff like weapons and flammable items. Here are five items to never send to the hold.

1. Prescription medication

Overall, less than 1% of hold luggage goes missing, and usually it’s simply misdirected, so it will eventually make its way to you. But while you try to retrieve your bag, it’s a good idea to have supplies of essential items.

Prescription medication is better taken as hand luggage, as it’s much less likely to go missing. If there’s a delay with your hold bag getting back to you, you won’t need to worry about missing vital doses of your meds.

If you do lose your medication when travelling, visit a local pharmacy for advice, as they may be able to arrange an emergency supply.

2. Batteries and electronics

Because of the risk of items such as power banks catching fire, items with lithium batteries, such as power banks and vapes, can’t be placed in hold luggage and must be taken onboard with you.

Some airlines have limits on how many Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) can be taken onboard, with Jet2 and Ryanair restricting the number to 15 per passenger. Ryanair also has a limit of 20 lithium batteries or power banks, each up to 100Wh, in hand baggage.

3. Valuable items

If you have jewellery, cash or other expensive items, you may be nervous about carrying them around in your backpack at the airport. However, it’s not a good idea to leave valuables in your checked-in bags.

There’s a risk of damage to items in transit, and while it’s rare, theft from bags does happen by airport staff. While travel insurance does cover lost baggage, it usually has a limit and policies have an excess to pay, meaning you may not be able to claim enough to cover valuable items.

4. Swimwear

When you’re on the way to a sunny beach holiday, you may want to pack swimwear in your hand luggage rather than your big suitcase. This means that if there is a delay in getting your bag to you, you can at least spend some time on the beach or by the pool while you wait for your bag to arrive.

It also means that if you can’t check into your room straight away when you arrive, you can just change into your swimwear and enjoy some sunshine while you wait for your room to be ready.

5. Phone charger and adapter

Once you arrive at your destination, your phone battery is going to be as low as your energy levels, and you won’t want to be scrambling through your suitcase to find your charger.

Ensure you’ve got your phone charger and adapter for the country you’re visiting in your hand luggage so you can get plugged in as soon as you arrive.

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

The town beat well-known destinations like Bamburgh, Brighton, St Ives and Whitstable to be crowned the winner

A coastal town with a population of 60,000 has dethroned other popular destinations as the most charming the UK has to offer.

Bamburgh and Seahouses have seen their days of glory and renown, but now it’s time to give some love to another spot in the North East, which was recently named the most charming seaside destination by Lonely Planet magazine, just nine miles from Newcastle.

Tynemouth is an easy and accessible weekend day-trip destination, recognised for its sandy beaches, scenic walks, lively independent-shop scene, food, and attractions.

For the ultimate day out in Tynemouth, go on a Saturday or Sunday and pay a visit to Tynemouth Market, held inside the old Victorian metro station beneath a striking glass roof. There, stalls sell everything from vintage clothing to antiques.

From there, it’s a short walk to the main attraction – Tynemouth Priory and Castle, a headland ruin dating back to the 7th century that towers over the North Sea.

The place is Tynemouth’s most famous postcard, giving visitors a great view of the sea.

After looking around and learning some of the town’s history, it’s time to head downstairs to King Edward’s Bay, a sheltered cove where you’ll find some of the best seafood in the area, and get to lounge around if you manage to find a spot – it tends to get pretty busy during the summer months.

But for a proper swim, the place locals recommend is Longsands Beach, a mile-long stretch that regularly pulls top marks from visitors.

But if you’re not the sitting-down-and relaxing-by-the-sea kind, you’ll find some more active fun in Hadrian’s Cycleway – a 174-mile coast-to-coast route that begins right here in Tynemouth.

Nearby, the Lord Collingwood Monument offers one of the best free viewpoints in town, described by a visitor on TripAdvisor as having privileged views of “the docks at North Shields, the priory, and the castle.”

Families and people of all ages can also enjoy Tynemouth Park, home to an unexpectedly popular attraction. One online reviewer said they’d “had an enjoyable time playing the 18-hole dinosaur-themed crazy golf courses”.

Then, in July, Tynemouth gets ready for its big event. Every year, almost 100,000 visitors come to town for the Mouth of Tyne Festival, a free event that culminates in an open-air concert staged right at the Priory ruins.

Over the years, iconic headliners have included Sam Fender, Bryan Ferry, Elbow, and Paloma Faith.

You can reach Tynemouth from London in 3 hours and 20 minutes by train, or 5 to 6 hours by car. From Manchester, the journey takes under three hours by either mode. From Edinburgh, it’s about two hours by train or car.

He leaves behind a seven-year-old daughter

A devoted father described as an “incredible” dad and an “honest giant of a man” died in a tragedy while on holiday in Spain. Former UK champion powerlifter Jeremy Paynter, from Seabrook, near Hythe, was in Alcudia, Mallorca, on June 28.

An opening hearing at Oakwood House in Maidstone was told the 45-year-old had been out on a personal water craft, commonly known as a jet ski, with his partner, Emily Hill, when the craft overturned while stationary. Coroner Patricia Harding said: “The information before the court is that he was on a trip, on a stationary vehicle with his partner, wearing life jackets, when it tipped and they fell into the water.

Coroner Patricia Harding said: “The information before the court is that he was on a jet ski trip, on a stationary jet ski with his partner, wearing life jackets, when it tipped and they fell into the water. He pushed his partner back onto the jet ski but struggled to get on himself.”

The hearing was told Mr Paynter, who was born in New Zealand, was eventually pulled from the water onto nearby rocks as an air ambulance was called to the scene. Despite the efforts of emergency services, he could not be revived. A preliminary post-mortem examination carried out in Spain recorded the cause of Mr Paynter’s death as asphyxia.

The senior finance manager leaves behind a seven-year-old daughter and has been remembered by friends, family and former colleagues as a loving father whose warmth and generosity touched countless lives. His ex-wife, Cathrine Spencer, a former England rugby player, paid tribute to him in a heartfelt LinkedIn post.

She wrote: “Jeremy was an incredible Dad to our amazing daughter. Jeremy was larger than life in every way. He made such an incredible, positive impact on everyone he met. I hope that he is looking down now and finally understands how much he is loved by so many people.”

Tributes have continued to pour in from those who knew him professionally and personally. Jo Hobbs wrote: “Such shocking and sad news. I have many fond memories from the time I worked with Jeremy, it was an honour to have met him. An amazing character who I will forever remember and I feel privileged to have known him.”

Former colleague Kenneth Louis Juan said: “He was a constant source of encouragement, always pushing us to strive for greater things and assuring us of his unwavering support in achieving our dreams. He was not only a leader who cared deeply for his team as colleagues, but also as family. Jeremy, you will truly be missed.

“My deepest condolences to his bereaved family. May you find comfort in the legacy of kindness, guidance, and care he has left behind.”

Others described Mr Paynter as an “honest giant of a man” and “an amazing person with such incredible knowledge, empathy and compassion”. The inquest was adjourned for a full hearing at a date yet to be fixed, when the circumstances surrounding Mr Paynter’s death will be examined in greater detail.

It was a glimpse of an old couple sharing a tender moment in the bustling horchatería that drew me into one of Valencia’s most storied culinary traditions. As he sipped his milky horchata de chufa and a white crescent moon appeared on his coiffed moustache, they shared a soft laugh and she dabbed it away from his upper lip.

“There’s no fixed time to drink horchata,” the lady said. “As long we have at least one every day.”

In Valencia, this refreshing, creamy, non-alcoholic drink is so beloved it is nicknamed “white gold”, and grand parlours dedicated to making it are still going strong in the city’s most sought-after locations. These often historic, traditional places are called horchaterías (or orxaterias in Valencian) and there are dozens dotted around the region.

Production is authorised in 16 towns in the Valencia region, with the quaint town of Alboraya (Alboraia in Valencian), about 45 minutes’ walk from Valencia old town, acknowledged as its birthplace and global capital. Here, buried in the low-lying, fertile fields around the town, you’ll find the drink’s principal ingredient: the chufa.

Chufas, known as tiger nuts in English, have been cultivated in Valencia for more than 1,000 years. They look like wooden raisins but taste nutty and slightly sweet when eaten raw. Tiger nuts are not actually nuts, but tubers of a grass-like plant from the sedge family. Valencia’s agricultural zone north of the city produces 5.3m to 8m kilograms of dried tiger nuts a year. Most of the harvesting takes place in spring to ensure ample supply for the balmy summer months.

To turn the wrinkly tubers into horchata, chufas are cleaned, soaked and crushed, then mixed with water. Nowadays, cinnamon, lemon or orange zest and sugar are added to boost the flavour.

Alboraya is also the birthplace of horchata’s companion: the farton, a long, cigar-shaped pastry glazed with sugar, created in the 1960s by the Polo family to dip in and mop up every last drop of horchata from the bottom of the glass. Some stay loyal to its humble predecessor, rosquilletas (breadsticks), which are less absorbent but an intriguingly salty, anise-flavoured counterpart to horchata’s sweetness nonetheless.

Leaving Alboraya with a bellyful of the indulgent combination, I weighed the task of finding the perfect horchatería. It felt wrong to split up horchata from its farton, so I would consider both. Horchaterías tend to offer three versions of horchata: líquida (liquid), granizada (semi-frozen slush) or mixta (a blend of liquid and slush). It would be the traditional classic líquida for me.

In Valencia, there are hundreds of places serving horchata and fartons, but I wanted tradition and old-world charm – places that exist only to make horchata, not as an afterthought to spiced lattes or ice-cream. After sifting out the cafes, coffeehouses and ice-cream parlours, a handwritten list on a single sheet of A4 remained.

Horchatería Fabián

WITH the summer holidays in full swing, travellers would do well to be wary of scammers spoiling their trips abroad.

A British tourist was recently charged £490 for an £8 taxi fare in Paris after a cabbie got her out of his car, claiming his internet connection was poor, changed the amount on the card reader, then got her to pay through the window.

In-person payments like this don’t offer the same automatic protection against fraud as bank transfers.

Around one in every 20 British holidaymakers falls victim to some sort of physical or digital scam while travelling overseas, and more than 9.4million have been caught out over the past five years.

Graeme Buck, Abta’s director of communications, said: “Always apply the same personal safety rules that you would at home, and read the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for the destination you are travelling to.”

With millions of us jetting off this month and next, we reveal tricks con artists use to target you, as well as tips on how to keep your hard-earned holiday cash safe.

CLEAN BANDITS

IF you suddenly find an “accidental” dollop of ketchup, spilt coffee or fake bird droppings on your jacket or bag and an over-friendly local steps in to dab it off with tissues, keep your wits about you.

While you are distracted by the person cleaning you, their accomplice will rifle through your pockets and help themselves to valuables.

BED RECEPTION

TIRED after a long day travelling, you check in at your hotel and head off to bed.

Then someone claiming to be from reception calls to explain there is a glitch with the card you have just used, and they ask you to verify again your payment details over the phone.

But it could be a scammer after your money.

Never give card details over the phone. Go down to the desk to verify what the caller said.

JUICE JACKING

SNAPPING holiday photos can drain your phone’s batteries.

Exploiting this vulnerability, scammers tamper with public USB charging ports in hotels, cafes and aiports to steal data such as bank information, or to infect your mobile with malware.

Plug your own charger into a standard wall outlet or use a USB data blocker (an adapter that cuts off data transfer).

Or safer still, invest in a portable power bank.

Always tap “don’t trust” if a pop-up asks to share data.

FREE GRIFT

Couples tend to be a magnet for this sort of con in Paris, Milan, Rome and other European cities.

A stranger hands you a flower or ties a bracelet to your wrist, then demands a large cash payment — or the fake act of kindness is a distraction technique for pickpocketing.

Refuse the item and walk away.

THE SELFIE STEAL

WOMEN are mostly the target for this scam.

A random friendly couple asks you to take their photo.

The request might seem harmless — but do not oblige if they then ask you to join them for a selfie.

Once up close they’ll grab your purse, phone, watch and jewellery — and because they’re experts at what they do, you won’t feel a thing.

THE FRIENDLY WAITER

WHILE out sightseeing, you bump into a waiter who claims to recognise you and says: “I served you last night at dinner at your hotel. Don’t you remember?”

This is a red flag. Unsuspecting holidaymakers have told how they were conned into a “cheaper tour” by someone pretending to be their waiter, and intimidated into buying items from their friends’ shops — only to discover the conman didn’t work in their hotel at all.

Scammers can know where you are staying just by looking at your wristband, so turn it inside out when venturing outside the hotel.

PEA & CUP GAME

THE trickster lines up cups, hides a pea under one and moves them around.

You’re encouraged to bet on which one contains the pea.

A couple who are in on the scam get it right — and because you can see where the pea is, you then take a risk.

You win the first round but lose the rest.

One victim explained: “They won’t let you get away until you’re skint, and you’ll find it very intimidating. Just walk on by.”

TAKEN FOR A RIDE

A taxi driver insists the meter is broken, takes longer routes or charges hidden fees for the ride.

Or, upon picking you up from the airport or station, they claim your booked hotel is closed, under renovation or in a dangerous location.

The driver offers to take you to a better hotel where they get a commission for your new booking.

Always ensure the meter is running, use trusted apps such as Uber, Bolt or Freenow, or pre-book air-port transfers before your trip via a trusted site.

There’s a tourist Facebook site for many destinations, so head to the relevant one for transfer recommendations.

WHATSAPP TRAP

Scammers hack legitimate hotel and Airbnb messaging accounts so they can message guests shortly before arrival.

The con artists claim your booking will be cancelled unless you re-enter your card details, often via a WhatsApp or phishing link.

Never pay or click links outside the official app platform.

JUST SIGN HERE

TRICKSTERS — usually groups of young people — approach British tourists near major sights asking them to sign an English petition for a deaf charity or human rights cause.

While you are holding the board to read the details or sign, they pressure you for cash or pickpocket you.

TICKET TRICK

Hanging around busy stations such as Paris Gare du Nord or Rome Termini, swindlers posing as transit staff or helpful locals offer to assist you with the complicated ticket machines.

They will overcharge you, snatch your change or sell you cheap child-fare or invalid tickets.

DUST down your red frock for the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever annual celebrations today.

The global flashmob sees Kate Bush fans recreate the video from the 1978 hit, in which the scarlet-clad singer pranced across idyllic countryside.

The biggest celebrations include one in Haworth, West Yorks, close to the historic Bronte parsonage at Penistone Hill, and at the Harbour Arm promenade in Folkestone.

Kate wrote her song, aged 18, after watching a TV adaptation of the Emily Bronte novel – and earlier this year, Wuthering Heights’ latest movie incarnation saw Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi cast as sweethearts Cathy and Heathcliff.

Yorkshire’s breathtaking moors were stars, too, and on my visit I found them to be every bit as barren and mysterious as in the film – undulating fells, carpets of heather and bubbling streams as far as the eye could see.

With only the odd pheasant for company, I’d rarely been anywhere so remote.

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Despite the changeable weather – one minute I’d be battered by gusts that pierced like kitchen knives, the next smothered in mist then bathed in sunshine – I instantly fell head over heels in love with the moors.

Emily Bronte and her sisters Charlotte and Anne grew to adore these wilds, right on their doorstep.

I hiked to ruined farmstead called Top Withens, said to have inspired Wuthering Heights the fictional home of Cathy.

A further trek then took me to the Bronte Waterfall, Bronte Bridge, and Bronte Chair rock (in the shape of a seat), which were all places close to the sisters’ hearts.

Back in Haworth, the limestone cottages and cobbled main street lined with gift shops, cafes and pubs had an old-fashioned charm.

At the sisters’ old home, now the Bronte Parsonage Museum, I saw the simple wooden table where they used to write.

My base was the splendid Holdsworth House Hotel on the edge of Halifax.

Now Grade II-listed, it oozed character, with oak beams and roaring fires.

Reminders of its historic stature abounded, from a stone Cross of Malta – an emblem of ancient religious military order The Knights Hospitaller – to cupboards once used for 18th-century wigs.

Scenes from TV dramas Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax were filmed here, while Jacob Elordi, Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor and James Norton have all stayed.

When I visited, turtle and duckling were no longer on the menu. Instead, I could tuck into steak tartare, venison sausages and Cheddar and leek-filled pasta in a sweetcorn chowder.

And the hotel’s newly opened spa was the perfect place to relax, with fabulous treatments on offer.

I ended my adventure – It full of nostalgia, just like the best Bronte novels – with a dreamy steam-train ride on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

TUCKED away in the mountains of Malaga is a tiny village that was abandoned for five decades.

El Acebuchal was only rediscovered in the late 90s and brought back to life.

The little white-washed village was once used by travelling merchants for hundreds of years as a place to meet and transport goods between the Costa del Sol and Granada.

The village was small and home to around 200 people.

But in 1949, the village was officially closed by the Spanish leader at the time, Francisco Franco.

He believed that those who lived there opposed his regime, so he sent officials in to disperse the village residents.

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It remained a ghost town until 1998 when Antonio Sanchez or ‘El Zumbo’, who once had ancestors in the village, moved there.

He and his family began to rebuild houses where everything was restored by hand.

The village didn’t even have running water or electricity until 2003.

Now, the village has around 30 homes, a chapel and restaurant called Bar El Acebuchal which is actually run by Antonio Sanchez himself.

It’s slightly off the beaten track according to diners, but well-worth it for the food.

Lots of the homes are holiday rentals – there’s also a B&B in the village called ‘The Lost Village el Acebuchal’ which is highly-rated on Tripadvisor.

It has just three rooms along with a roof terrace, seasonal outdoor pool and there are even spa services.

One visitor described it as “a 1950s movie scene” and another described it as a “hideaway”.

The village isn’t overly modern with limited phone signal.

A popular hiking route is between Acebuchal and Frigiliana which stretches on for about eight miles.

Frigiliana is another place to add to the list, as it is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Spain.

It has white-washed buildings, bright blue accents, terracotta tiled rooftops and mosaic streets.

The steep paths are lined with colourful plant pots full of greenery with blooming flowers like the classic Mediterranean pink bougainvillea.

The town was built on top of a hill so it has incredible views of the Costa del Sol and Mediterranean Sea.

JUST like her 54-year-old mum, my daughter Lola likes the finer things in life.

So instead of backpacking around Europe like a Gen-Z, 20-year-old Lola and I ticked off four countries and six cities on a week’s river cruise down the Danube.

Tempted by Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, we chose Viking’s Danube Waltz itinerary — an eight-day cruise along the Danube River.

Flying in to Munich, we wind through Lower Bavaria to our ship docked in Passau — and Lola grins as she boards Viking Vilhjalm.

With its smart and comfortable cabins, two restaurants and airy lounge bar, it’s a far cry from the backpacker hostels that she’s used to.

Our first day is spent in Passau — an historic Bavarian city, where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet.

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Pottering around the Old Town, all cobblestone streets, Baroque architecture and cute German cafes, we stop by St Stephan’s Cathedral, a huge white and green onion-domed church — so my girl can inform Instagram.

Back on board, and dinner is a sociable affair — the conversation oiled by the included wine and beer.

We dine with a group of Americans — Vicky and Jay, a lovely couple from Montana, and Dillon and Robert from Georgia, who are celebrating Robert’s 40th birthday on the ship.

The food on board is so good, and plentiful, that I just wish I’d packed more elasticated clothes.

Each morning on the al-fresco Aquavit Terrace, we breakfast like queens — eggs Benedict, buttermilk pancakes with fresh berries, smoked salmon.

And there’s a view of a new port each day.

We always make it back to the ship in time for the excellent three-course lunch, too. With wine, of course.

Dinner is the most formal affair, served on the lower deck in the restaurant.

A Classics menu, featuring dishes like ribeye steak, poached salmon and roast chicken, is available every night but the chef also prepares a Regional Specialities menu that changes to reflect the country we’re in.

I particularly enjoy the Austrian evening.

To a backing track of oompah music, staff dressed in gingham shirts welcome us with shots of schnapps before serving platters of cured meats, cheeses and pickles, followed by roast pork, schnitzel and spaetzle.

I roll back to the cabin that night.

While Lola is by far the youngest guest, it doesn’t stop her making friends.

Docking in Linz, I’m enjoying a glass of wine in the lounge, listening to Peter, the resident pianist, work through his Smooth FM setlist, when Lola appears with a glint in her eye.

“I’ve made friends at the bar and we’re hitting the town,” she announces.

Little encouragement is needed as I join her and new friends, Pam, Nick and Kate, also from the US, in the bars of Hauptplatz, the main square.

In the Pink Panther bar, Lola chats to local girls who introduce us to strawberry schnapps — a Linz favourite.

It’s a slow start the next morning, but we drag ourselves out to explore more of Austria’s third-largest city.

We take the vintage tram up to Postlingberg, the local mountain, to be greeted by panoramic views across the city.

We stumble across Linz Grottenbahn, a kitsch grotto inspired by Grimm’s fairytales, which opened in 1906.

Inside, a dragon train trundles through fairy-lit caves past dioramas of gnomes and taxidermy animals.

Despite our ages, it’s a real highlight of our cruise.

Back on board, and cruise life suits us. Over breakfast, we check out the Viking Daily — the newsletter detailing the day’s programme.

Our next stop is Krems, in the scenic Wachau Valley — Austria’s wine region.

We visit Gottweig Abbey, a Baroque wonder overlooking the river, where Lola (remembering her A level in History of Art) is mesmerised by the ceiling fresco of Emperor Charles VI as Apollo — by Paul Troger, Austria’s Michelangelo.

Vienna is another favourite port of call — and on the Viking walking tour of Ringstrasse, we learn about the naughty antics of Klimt and “Sisi” — Empress Elisabeth of Vienna, who bathed in milk and got a tattoo aged 51.

After dinner, we attend a classical music concert in a Viennese music hall, where Lola falls in love with the music of Mozart and Strauss.

I had feared my girl might get bored — but docking daily in a different port, she thrives on the variety.

Our next stop is Bratislava — the small and charming capital of Slovakia.

We dock moments from the Old Town, near the UFO Bridge, and tick off Bratislava Castle, Michael’s Gate and Hlavne Namestie Square.

Lola loves the Baroque architecture and cute shops which, under a blissful blue sky, feature heavily on her Instagram feed.

Our final stop is Budapest, Hungary’s buzzy capital.

Our coach tour captures the highlights — Buda Castle, the vast Hungarian Parliament and St Stephen’s Basilica — but we decide to ditch the walking tour to see the Shoes on the Danube Bank.

This haunting art installation of dozens of iron shoes is a memorial to Hungarian Jews lost in the Holocaust.

Before we return to the ship for our last dinner, I take Lola for a beer at Szimpla Kert — the first of Budapest’s ruin bars, created since the Noughties from abandoned or derelict buildings.

As we sit around an old Trabant car-turned-table in a graffiti-strewn courtyard, I look at my gorgeous girl — grinning and in her element — and decide that our mum-and-daughter river cruise has been a rip-roaring success.

This important question can easily cost holidaymakers extra cash

People going on holiday this summer should know this simple money mistake to avoid as it could needlessly cost you more without realising. The ‘rule’ to remember is very simple, according to money and travel experts.

Travel specialist Kate Donnelly (@Thedonelleyedit) claims that all British people heading abroad this summer should remember one important thing that could result in hidden fees when on holiday. She said that we all have the option to avoid these, even if the choice seems clear and convenient.

She said: “When you are abroad, you should always pay in the local currency. Whether that’s euros or dollars, depending on where you are, and you should never select the option of paying in Great British Pound (GBP).”

Why does it matter what you choose?

Whether you’re buying a meal or using a cash machine, you should always have the option to pay in local currency instead of DCC. Nobody should choose on your behalf.

Kate confirmed: “When you’re abroad, and you choose to pay in pounds, you are allowing the ATM or the shop to do the exchange. Within this, there will also be a conversion charge, which is notoriously a really poor rate, meaning you will end up paying significantly more if you pay in the local currency.

“It’s your bank or the card provider that does the exchange. Even if they add on a transaction fee, you are still going to be getting a better rate if you choose to pay in pounds.”

Choosing dynamic currency conversion (DCC) means the amount is converted from the local currency to pounds at the point of sale. But, “DCC usually costs you more”, according to HSBC.

The bank said: “You might choose DCC and pay in pounds because it’s a currency you’re more familiar with. It could give you a better understanding of how much you’re spending. But there are extra fees, and the exchange rate is usually higher.”

Kate added: “The best thing to do when going on holiday is to invest in a fee-free card, such as a Monzo or a Starling. They add no transaction fees, and they also offer the best exchange rate.”

Martin Lewis previously appeared on ITV’s This Morning to talk about this exact issue. He said that the best thing to do, wherever you are in the world, is to pay in local currency to avoid inflated fees.

SEVERAL UK airports have scrapped the 100ml liquid rule, just as the summer holiday rush gets underway.

The policy change comes in as airports prepare for their busiest time of the year.

Until this year, liquids in hand luggage were restricted to 100ml, with all bottles required to be removed to go through security.

However, seven UK airports are removing the 100ml liquid hand luggage rule in a major change to security measures.

Due to technology developments, a number of airports will accept containers of up to two litres in hand luggage.

This includes Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol, Belfast International, and Belfast City.

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Heathrow Airport has confirmed that containers of up to two litres can be taken in hand luggage in Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, but metal or insulated bottles must be emptied first.

Gatwick, Edinburgh, and Bristol similarly require metal, or double-walled containers, to be completely emptied before security checks.

Birmingham and Belfast City allow liquids, as well as gels and pastes of up to two litres to stay in cabin bags.

17 major airports, however, have reported to retain the 100ml liquid limit throughout the summer period.

Airports not introducing the rule have made some changes, with Manchester, London Luton, London City, and Teeside allowing 100ml liquids to remain inside hand luggage, and not be put in plastic bags.

Passengers, however, have been urged to check the rules at overseas airports, as many may not operate on the same regulations as the UK.

Items that are commonly treated as liquids include drinks, creams and lotions, mascara, lipgloss, toothpaste, hair gel, shaving foam, and liquid-filled toys.

Before travelling, it is important to check the exact rules of your departure airport before packing any restricted items.

IF I had wandered through the centre of Nantes alone, I might not have noticed something peculiar about France’s sixth biggest city.

I would have simply gazed appreciatively at the tree-lined boulevards, the grand chateau and the Corinthian-columned opera house.

Thanks to a guide, though, I was encouraged to look up at the shop fronts, head behind an apartment block and approach a statue from the correct angle.

There were pigs’ heads over the top of a butcher’s wearing wigs, an urban mini-jungle behind the nondescript building and a bronze figure’s foot stepped off the plinth.

All very quirky, all very Nantes.

Once the largest port in France, this former industrial metropolis in the Loire region has been busy reinventing itself as a playful and vibrant place to be.

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None of this is more obvious than on the city’s island, where part of the docks have been transformed into a major tourist attraction.

And I didn’t need anyone to point out the totally unique selling point of the Les Machines de l’Île ‘theme park’.

There was no missing the 40ft-high mechanical elephant, able to carry dozens of excited visitors.

But you might want to be careful where you stand, because the trunk sprays water at surprised passers-by.

Le Grand Éléphant wanders freely around the island and you don’t need to stump up any cash to get close to it.

The other elements of Les Machines de l’Île, albeit for paying guests, are similarly wondrous.

The Carrousel des Mondes Marins was inspired by the Nantes-born 19th century author Jules Verne.

The ride has mechanical sea creatures that visitors can operate, paying tribute to Verne, whose most famous novel is Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.

Close by, a cavernous port building has been transformed into the Gallery Of The Machines, where I saw guests riding a pneumatic spider and a giant ant.

This steampunk-style attraction is unlike anything I’ve seen before.

In a world obsessed with screen entertainment, the machine animals are refreshingly hands-on.

Back in the main part of Nantes, I experienced other examples of this quirky approach to public attractions.

In the west of Nantes, there is the appropriately titled Jardin Extraordinaire exotic park with a man-made waterfall and a nest-like viewing platform designed by Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata.

The botanical gardens feature a mound shaped like a sleeping cat and oversized benches.

Helpfully, a green line is painted on the city’s streets so you can find your way to most of the artworks.

Visitors in July and August can expect far more open-air art during the Summer Journey festival.

But there is certainly more to Nantes than its cultural offerings.

We were never far from a bar, cafe or restaurant, particularly near the central Hotel De France Oceania, where we stayed for three nights.

The 4* hotel, with its grand domed entrance, was an 18th-century mansion, and our spacious room overlooked the opera house.

We dined at the opulent La Cigale brasserie, which is a local institution, and at the British co-owned Pilgrim restaurant serving modern dishes.

On the hipster Rue du Maréchal-Joffre, we ate at L’Éphémère bistro which has mastered unpretentious gourmet food.

The colourful fishing village of Trentemoult and the cute restaurants on house boats near Saint-Mihiel bridge are also fantastic.

A highlight of our trip was a journey up the Erde river, lined by chateaux and vineyards, on a traditional wooden boat with La Toue de Nantes.

There are numerous boat trips available in the summer months — and you can even sample local wines and produce as you sail along.

Public transport is free in Nantes on weekends and, if you pay for the Pass Nantes, access to attractions such as the Gallery Of The Machines is also free.

Like its famous son Verne, Nantes serves up a wonderful adventure.

Organising a day trip doesn’t have to be too strenuous as you can find so many inspirations online. Now have you ever visited these three villages which are just as pretty as the Cotswolds?

We all know the Cotswolds is popular for its storybook English charm. With rolling hills, honey-coloured cottages and picturesque villages like Castle Combe to enjoy, it’s understandable why many Brits vacate there for a weekend or day trip.

Now if you’ve explored the entire region, which lies about 90 miles from London, it can be understandable to turn your interest elsewhere. Luckily if you want the same level of charm and beauty, there are many villages in England which are “just as pretty as the Cotswolds”. One woman who often shares the “best London and global tips” named three destinations you must visit this weekend.

On TikTok, Shruti Priya began her post: “Villages in England that just as pretty as the Cotswolds.”

She named Lavenham (Suffolk), Wherwell (Hampshire) and Amberley (West Sussex) as the top places to visit.

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Lavenham is a great location if you’re a huge fan of the Tudors. With architecture dating back to the 1400s, this village serves as one of Britain’s finest surviving medieval villages. It boasts more than 300 listed timber-framed buildings and even gained fame for serving as a filming location for JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Getting to Lavenham by car takes just under two hours via the M11 – if you’re coming from London, while a train from Liverpool Street can get you there in roughly an hour. Driving may well be the more practical choice, as Lavenham has no direct train station.

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Now if you’re visiting Wherwell, you can wander the stunning streets and enjoy this quintessential village which is renowned for its beautifully preserved, timber-framed thatched cottages. It also offers breathtaking views along the River Test, situated approximately 3 miles south of the town of Andover.

So if you’re leaving from London again, this should take roughly 1 hour and a half. Alternatively, you can hop on a direct train from Clapham Junction to Winchester, which should take around 50 minutes.

And finally, Shruti’s last choice was West Sussex. History fans will adore the Amberley Castle which is a 900-year-old fortress with high stone walls, and a portcullis. It now operates as a luxury hotel and wedding venue. From there you can soak up the natural beauty along the River Arun too.

Meanwhile you must not forget visiting the Amberley Museum.

This journey from London by car is also quite manageable, coming in at just under 2 hours and covering 57.4 miles. By train, you’re looking at roughly an hour for a one-way trip.

Since Shruti’s suggestions were shared on social media, many people rushed to the comments section. One said: “Great looking places,” while another added: “Can’t wait to visit these beautiful places with my baby.”

Someone else commented: “Wherwell is beautiful, I knew someone who lived there in a beautiful cottage.”

A couple have shared the game-changing hack they used to guarantee they get a full row to themselves on a plane – but there’s one big catch that means it doesn’t always work

A savvy booking trick could see you snapping up an entire plane row for yourself. Let’s be honest – flying is rarely a comfortable experience, particularly when you’re wedged next to strangers for hours on end in a cramped seat with minimal legroom and precious little room to breathe.

However, if you’re travelling with a companion, there’s a nifty hack worth trying that could leave you both with the whole row to yourselves. One woman and her partner recently put the trick to the test on social media, and ended up with considerably more space than they’d ordinarily have had.

In a TikTok video, Lucy-Emma revealed that she and her partner had each booked the window seat and the aisle seat in the same row, deliberately leaving the middle seat vacant. They were banking on no one else claiming that middle spot, effectively bagging an extra seat without spending a penny extra – and it came off brilliantly.

She said: “We decided to do the thing where you book the aisle and the window seat and hope that no one sits here [in the middle seat]. Especially because I dislocated my toe this morning, and I want somewhere to put my feet up.”

Lucy-Emma later captured herself and her partner on film once all passengers had boarded, confirming that the middle seat remained unoccupied. This meant she could use it to rest her injured foot, while also taking advantage of the tray table to give herself extra room to watch her favourite show on her laptop.

Viewers of the video were left gobsmacked, with many having no idea that booking two seats and leaving the middle one empty was even an option. Others, however, admitted they were petty enough to deliberately book the middle seat just to scupper couples attempting to use this trick to their advantage.

One person said: “I didn’t know you could do this!”

Another added: “Wow, so lucky!”

But one argued: “And I’m the a**hole who sits in the middle seat and refuses an offer to swap seats. S*** goes both ways.”

A fourth also shared: “I’m that person who purposely books the middle seat just to miff people off.”

Numerous other commenters were quick to flag that this method is far from foolproof. Certain airlines may not permit you to leave the middle seat vacant, while on fully booked flights, the seat could simply be assigned to another passenger.

One person pointed out: “Doesn’t this only work if the flight isn’t full? If the flight is full, the booking system will automatically put someone there who hasn’t booked a seat.”

As such, this isn’t a reliable method of securing extra space on board, as you could find yourself with a complete stranger wedged between you and your travel companion – and they may well refuse to budge so the pair of you can sit together.

If you’re looking to guarantee more room on a flight, the only surefire solution is to book the middle seat yourself, which some airlines may offer at a reduced rate compared to your actual seat.

Michelle Baker has lived in Benidorm for most of her life and the Brit has now opened up about a new scam that targets female tourists in the Spanish holiday hotspot

A British mum who has called Benidorm home for over 42 years has warned holidaymakers about a new scam that targets women.

Michelle Baker is married to a Spaniard and she has raised their children in the popular resort where she used to run a newspaper for Brits. However, she now keeps travellers updated by sharing tips and information on her Benidormforever Facebook page.

But her most recent post was a more serious one. Sh explained: “Statistically Benidorm is a very safe resort, however, like any busy city there are opportunists waiting to rob you.”

She then said to follow the obvious precautions like keeping your valuables close and your suitcase in sight — before naming the scams actively taking place this summer.

New scam

Michelle labelled this scam the “selfie steal” and she explained: “This is a new one and targets women mostly. A couple asks you to take a photo… they’re all smiles and overly friendly… then they ask you to get into their selfie.”

The Benidorm expert advised that this was the point where you must decline — before explaining the dangers of not doing so.

She continued: “Once up close they’ll deftly grab your goodies, purse, phone watch and jewellery and you won’t feel a thing.”

Phone theft

She said phone theft was the “number one crime” in Benidorm at the moment and that modern smartphones are being sold for significant prices on the black market, especially if they are unlocked.

Michelle warned that distracting tactics were used to make the crime non-violent and painless and that most are simply swiped from tables.

However, she warned: “But recently thieves are getting smarter; they want your phone unlocked so typically they’ll approach you while you’re scrolling and tell you they are lost and ask to use Google Maps on your phone.”

She said never to hand your phone over and that thieves will take it quickly before passing it on to someone in a waiting car who will change your password, spend your money and ultimately ruin your trip.

‘The Peamen’

The mum said this was the most famous scam that has been going on for years in Benidorm and despite being so well known, she said people still fall for it.

It involves a man hiding a pea under a cup, moving the cups around, and then encouraging you to bet on which one contains the pea.

A couple (who are playing and in on the scam) win and because you can see where it is you then take a risk. According to Michelle, you will then win the first round before losing the rest.

She added: “They won’t let you get away until you’re skint and you’ll find it very intimidating and scary… just walk on by.”

‘Mugger Huggers’

This one targets men, and involves an attractive woman walking up to you and asking whether she knows you, before extending her arms out for a hug.

If you hug her back, she will have your phone and wallet in a flash, and you will often not notice until she is gone.

Michelle said there was an extended version to this sinister scam depending on how drunk you are where the woman will offer to come back to your room.

“She’ll drug you and clear you out of everything of any value and you won’t be the first or the last,” Michelle added.

Michelle has lived in Benidorm for most of her life and said she was always willing to share the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly.

However, in a message to Brits flying over this summer, she added: “I don’t want to scare you as Benidorm is really very safe.”

She added that people on holiday often let their guard down and it was better to be aware of the above scams before the holiday even begins.

GETTING around the capital is about to get harder for three weeks of the school summer holidays.

Charing Cross and Waterloo East train stations will close today until the middle of next month.

It comes as both stations are set to get an upgrade, costing £20million overall.

The stations will then both reopen on August 16.

However, this won’t be the end of closures for the two stations as there will be further closures between August 22 and 23 and between October 10 and 11.

Across the initial first closure, travellers will need to head to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Cannon Street or London Blackfriars instead.

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Though, commuters will be able to use alternative routes, including on the Underground and on buses, for no extra cost.

Works on the stations include repairing the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge, which trains head over the River Thames on.

A number of commuters have taken to social media to share their outrage at the closure.

One person commented: “All these upgrades they do, and yet their still rail replacement most weekends.”

Another person said: “With Charing Cross and Waterloo East closed for three weeks, this will inconvenience a huge number of passengers.

“The least Southeastern could do is provide more off-peak trains during the morning rush hour to help cope with the increased demand.”

A third person said: “R.I.P. my commute I guess.”

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, previously said: “The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian- era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.

“By consolidating the work into a 22-day closure, supported by preparation and follow-up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five, nine-day closures.”

He added: “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”

Travellers are urged to plan ahead and check before they travel.

After a day spent walking around Alton Towers, I was happy to be spending the night in their iconic hotel on the resort – here’s my honest review of a stay for our family of four

A day at a theme park is knackering, especially with two kids in tow who can seemingly have the best day of their lives while also complaining every single second. Nothing is worse than getting to the end of a day out and facing the drive home exhausted.

So, if you’ve got a day at a theme park planned, you may be considering staying in one of the park’s onsite hotels. Arguably, Alton Towers has one of the best selections of accommodation out of any UK theme park. It has hotels, woodland lodges, treehouses, and stargazing pods, so there’s all sorts of places to stay, and you’re right on the park’s doorstep so you’ve got somewhere to rest after a long day.

Recently, I stayed with my two kids at the Alton Towers Hotel, a three-star property that’s one of the park’s three hotels. Themed around a fictional Victorian explorer, Sir Algenon, the hotel has a sort of steampunk, historic look, although my kids thought it was pirate-y more than anything, but either way, the detail that has gone into it is impressive.

Stepping into the hotel, there’s a huge atrium with a large ship-shaped stage, and checking in late afternoon there was already entertainment and live music in full-swing. We went back later and the entertainers were playing some fun games with the kids, and it had a really joyful, slightly chaotic atmosphere around the bar.

We stayed in a Moon Voyage room, which had a similar theme to the hotel with lamps that looked like Victorian gaslights, lots of gears and levers, and explorer-themed murals. The room was clean and the beds comfy, and I liked that the kids sleeping area with bunk beds was slightly sectioned off and had their own TV. It meant we could lie in bed and watch some grown up TV while they could watch a bit of CBBC before dinner.

For dinner, we headed to the Splash Landings Hotel to try Flambo’s Jambo, an all-you-can eat buffet that had a bit of everything from peri peri to tacos, roast dinners, and Chinese dishes. The atmosphere was fun, with a giant waterwheel and the sounds of some very lively entertainment going on in the background, and the food was OK, with the kids more excited about the ice cream machine than anything else.

While we slept well and the room was comfortable, I woke up early to find the bathroom door had locked itself from the outside. I had to run down to use the loo in the lobby and find hotel staff, still in my pyjama bottoms and my hair looking even more dishevelled than usual. It did get fixed within an hour, but obviously that kind of thing is a pain when you’re up early with kids.

Breakfast was included and is served buffet style at the Secret Garden Restaurant. It had quite a basic selection of hot food, plus some cereal, pastries, and pancakes, which the kids were happy with. Again, the food wasn’t amazing, but it kept us going on the way home.

If you’re visiting Alton Towers and have a long drive, a stay at the hotel or its other accommodation is worth considering. For us, driving there and back would mean five hours in the car as well as the long day exploring the park, so it was nice to crash overnight and split the journey up.

I’ll admit, the hotel is expensive, and some parts felt more worth the price than the others. Packages include one day at the theme park, 9-hole golf, and breakfast, and there are deals on such as free child entry to the waterpark if you book an adult ticket. The hotel does have an incredibly fun style and is well-maintained, and kids are enchanted by the style.

But other things felt like they needed a little work. The themed rooms feel a little basic, and while they have nice décor it felt a little like they were missing something. I would have liked to have some bottled water in the rooms for example, as there were no refill points in the hotel and at £3 a pop, it’s expensive to rehydrate after a day in the sun. But I think most visitors know to expect theme park prices when they stay somewhere like this, and really, it’s the location that’s the main draw when you’ve spent all day on your feet in the summer.

Rooms start from £106pp for an Explorer Room at the Alton Towers Hotel this summer. You can currently book and take advantage of their Kids Swim Free offer. Find out more and book at altontowers.com.

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I cannot remember a summer when at least one evening hasn’t been spent following signs to a local sagra. Not quite a food market and not quite a village fete, a sagra is like a village moving its kitchen outdoors for a few nights.

When I think back to those nights from childhood, the first image that comes to mind is of a woman’s hand closed into a fist above a pan of hot oil. Through a tight circle formed between her thumb and forefinger, she would squeeze soft lumps of batter, one small ball at a time, into the oil. In a few seconds, each soft mass would become a pittula, a small Salento fritter: swollen, uneven, golden, too hot to eat straight away but too good to wait for.

I was born in Salento (Italy’s heel), in the south end of the Puglia region, and grew up in Taviano, a small town south of Lecce. Going away for the summer was something other people did. For my family, as with many local families, summer meant packing the car and moving from our main house in town to a smaller place by the sea, only a few miles away.

That place was Mancaversa, the seaside part of Taviano, where the Sagra tu Furese (mid August, dates to be finalised), which in Salentino dialect means the farmer’s festival, seemed to bring the whole village outdoors for dinner. From a small child’s perspective, it was a forest of legs and voices. I remember trying to pull my parents past the grown-up ritual of stopping every few yards to greet people they seemed to see only in summer, as we made our way towards the stalls near Piazza delle Rose, where men fanned embers with cardboard, sausages hissed on grills, horse-meat stew simmered in tomato sauce and gnummareddi (rolls of lamb offal) tempted the more adventurous.

Music came from a small stage and the village became an open-air sitting room, where people met over food that was ordinary for us, and almost incomprehensible to anyone who came to Salento looking for beaches and white light. No one would have thought to call them experiences. They were simply the proper way to get through summer, and in a country where a meal can quickly become expensive, they still make dinner feel possible for about €15.

Sometimes my parents, my brother and sister and I would go to Cannole. We would drive inland, passing through villages that all seemed to have a festival on. Only later did I understand that those roadside signs were a map of Italian summers, one I would go on to follow beyond Salento. Each led to a village gathered, for a few nights, around a dish of its own.

Cannole itself – a small town of just over 1,500 people – lies on the other side of the province of Lecce, towards Otranto and the Alimini lakes, and since 1985 the local Pro Loco Cerceto volunteer association has organised the Festa della Municeddha (10-14 Aug), dedicated to the small snail that has always been part of home cooking there.

The municeddha is eaten in three main ways: in tomato sauce, cooked down with onion and oil, or roasted. But whichever the version, the method for consuming them is the same: you free it from the shell with a toothpick and eat it standing up. The festival today is large, with music, stalls and full tables, and is a far slicker operation than the one I remember.

Around 400 miles up the Adriatic coast, in the Marche, is the small town of Campofilone, on the hills above the Aso valley. Since 1964, its Sagra dei Maccheroncini di Campofilone IGP (7-10 Aug) has taken an extremely thin local pasta (maccheroncini) and transformed it into the centrepiece of a public feast: cut even finer, made with semolina and eggs and cooked in one minute. As soon as it is drained, it is tossed through red mixed-meat ragù on large wooden boards, where these very fine strands, so delicate when dry, become a compact mass, glossy with sauce, ready to be sent out to the tables.

For the Sagra del Fusillo Felittese (13-23 Aug), set aside at least half a day. You leave the Cilento coast in the Campania region and climb inland, up to Felitto and the Gole del Calore (the Calore river gorge). The festival began in 1976 at Remolino, when fusillo (literally, little spindle) was used to bring people to the village. The reason to go is still the pasta: made with fresh eggs, long and hollow, rolled by hand around a thin iron rod. It is served with castrato ragù, traditionally made with goat from a castrated male animal, or with veal ragu.

If you’ve spent any time around Modena or Bologna in northern Italy (I moved to Modena to study at 18 and have lived there since), Castelfranco Emilia is the sort of place you’ll have passed through. At first I thought of it as a drive-through kind of town, but today I’m drawn to such places as they tend to keep their traditions fuss-free.

The tortellino, claimed by both Modena and Bologna, finds a nice compromise in Castelfranco. Legend says it was born here, at Locanda Corona, when an innkeeper glimpsed Venus’s navel through a keyhole and took it as his model. In practice, it is thinly rolled egg pasta, folded by hand around a filling of pork loin, prosciutto di Modena, mortadella di Bologna, parmigiano reggiano, egg and nutmeg. Here it is served in hot capon broth.

In September, Castelfranco holds the Sagra del Tortellino Tradizionale in Piazza Bergamini (4-14 Sept). What I remember is the square filling with long tables, people queueing at the cash desks and bowls of hot broth arriving one after another. Later, the parade leaves Corso Martiri like a small Renaissance pageant: women in brocade gowns and veils, men in caps and doublets, banners, music, and the innkeeper and noblewoman at the centre of the navel story that gave the tortellino its shape.

I arrived in Vipiteno, in Alto Adige/South Tyrol, in September, when summer in north Italy was cooling down. The Sagra dei Canederli (13 Sept) takes place during the day, and what I remember most is the strange orderliness of it: a 400-metre table laid with a gingham tablecloth in the historic centre, people finding a place, menus changing from one section to the next, and plates of dumplings arriving. It feels less like a fair than an alpine dining room laid out in the street, with folk music in the square and the mountains close enough to seem part of the meal.

A canederlo is a dumpling made from stale bread, eggs and milk – a way of using kitchen leftovers became one of the most recognisable dishes of these valleys. In Vipiteno, they come in broth, with speck, mushrooms, cheese and herbs; or sweet, with apricots or plums.

Sicily is at the southern end of the sagre map. I came to know Giarratana through the onion that bears the name of this village, in the south-east of the island. In August, those onions fuel an open-air supper and a small seasonal economy, with visitors coming to taste them where they are grown.

The Giarratana onion is large, flat and particularly sweet. It has been recognised by the Slow Food Presidia, and during the Sagra della Cipolla Giarratana (12-14 Aug), traditionally linked to the feast of San Bartolomeo, it fills markets, food stalls and tables along the village streets. It is served raw, finely sliced and dressed with olive oil, salt and cheese; baked whole or stuffed; or inside scaccia, a local speciality similar to a thin, folded focaccia. There are also hot dishes, preserves, local wine and music.

Giarratana is small: it is worth arriving before dark, parking outside the centre and, if accommodation in the village is full, staying in Ragusa, Modica or Chiaramonte Gulfi.

The Italy of sagre is too wide to fit inside a dining room and, for every silver cloche lifted, somewhere else in Italy there is a ticket number being called over a microphone and a dinner being served from a pot larger than anything you’d find in a home kitchen.