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GET into your liederhosen, your dirndls and grab your beer jug because it’s almost time for Oktoberfest.

If you want to celebrate the festival without the flight to Germany – these are some of the best ones in the country with fancy dress and even bratwurst eating competitions.

Albert’s Schloss

It’s go big or go home at Albert’s Schloss which calls itself the ‘UK’s ultimate Oktoberfest 2026 party.

It has venues across the country too from Manchester to Birmingham, Liverpool and London.

There are Bavarian feasts with generous helpings of crispy pork knuckle and juicy schnitzels to bratwursts and sauerkraut.

When it comes to entertainment, there are bratwurst eating competitions, traditional keg tapping and best Lederhosen Competitions.

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Enjoy live performances from Oompah Bands, Brass Bands and DJs.

For fans of beer (or bier) – it’s one of the only places outside of Munich you can try all six Oktoberfest beers.

If you want to taste them all, make sure to even book a Bier Masterclass for a beer-tasting experience hosted by in-haus tapsters.

Celebrations run from September 19 to October 25 – and book in advance to guarantee entry.

Finsbury Park Oktoberfest

If you’re a London local, Finsbury Park will be the place to be – it’s the biggest Oktoberfest celebration in London.

The huge Bavarian-style beer festival takes place inside a giant blue-and-white festive tent from October 1-3.

Enjoy authentic German food from bratwurst in bread, schnitzel to pretzels.

Make sure to wash it down with specially brewed Bavarian FestBeer in a traditional stein.

Of course there’s lots of live entertainment from German oompah bands and Schlager music – oh, and dressing up is highly encouraged.

General admission starts from £10.

Oktoberfest

The UK’s biggest Oktoberfest tour will return this year in cities across the country.

Enormous tents will be transformed into traditional bierkellers with long bench-style seating, and lots of German Bier.

Don’t forget about the live music and bands, competitions all with a party atmosphere.

The tours will head to Colchester, Chichester, Milton Keynes, Guilford, Southend, Beverley, Chelmsford, Plymouth and Portsmouth from October 2-31.

Tickets start from £16.95.

Brewhemia

Brewhemia is known as Scotland’s “beer palace” – so it’s no surprise it’s a top spot for Oktoberfest.

Have your costumes at the ready and enjoy an Oktoberfest beer from Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr to Flotzinger Wies’n-Märzen and Bitburger Premium Pils.

There’s plenty of food to go around from fresh pretzels to bratwursts to smoky Käsekrainers and spicy Chilliwursts.

You can even try all three with Sausage Fest where you get a platter of all of them with all the trimmings.

The celebrations run from September 19 to October 4 – and of course there’s live music throughout.

You can reserve a drinks area for parties of 4-40 guests – if there’s less then just walk-in.

Holidaymakers heading abroad are being urged to check an important easyJet rule before boarding the plane

For many travellers, there are a few items that automatically make it into a suitcase before a holiday begins. But one increasingly common gadget comes with restrictions that could catch passengers out if they arrive at the airport with too many.

The warning is particularly relevant to anyone who likes to carry several charging accessories when travelling. EasyJet has issued a reminder to customers that there is a maximum number they can take with them, alongside rules about where the items must be packed and how they can be used during a flight.

Power banks are the accessory in question, with easyJet allowing a maximum of two per passenger. The airline says they must be carried in cabin baggage only and should ideally be kept somewhere they can be easily monitored.

There is another important restriction once passengers are on board, as easyJet says power banks cannot be charged or used to charge other devices during the flight. Its guidance also says power banks must be individually protected, such as by keeping them in their original packaging or a plastic bag.

The rules are part of wider aviation safety measures around lithium batteries, which can pose a fire risk if they are damaged or develop a fault. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says power banks must be carried in carry-on baggage, individually protected when not in use and must not be recharged during a flight.

It also says power banks should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices while on board. Guidance confirms that a maximum of two power banks can be carried per person, although batteries with higher capacities can be subject to additional airline approval requirements.

For easyJet passengers, that means checking the number of chargers in your cabin bag before heading to the airport. Anyone carrying three power banks would be over the airline’s stated limit, even if each individual device would otherwise meet the relevant requirements.

Passengers should also avoid putting them into checked luggage, as easyJet specifically prohibits power banks from being carried in the hold. The airline recommends keeping them somewhere they can be monitored, which means they should remain accessible during the journey rather than being buried inside a suitcase.

The CAA’s advice is similarly clear that spare lithium batteries and power banks belong in the cabin rather than checked baggage.

The reason for keeping them close to passengers is that a battery problem can be identified and dealt with more quickly in the cabin.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for British passport holders entering Ireland and the ID that is required

The Foreign Office has issued an important travel update for Brits planning to visit Ireland.

On Friday, 4 September, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its information on the ID requirements for British passport holders when travelling from the UK to Ireland. On the Foreign Office’s entry requirements page for Ireland, it advised Brits that while they don’t need a passport to enter Ireland, it might be best to carry one.

Outlining the requirement for passports and ID, the FCDO said: “British nationals are not legally required to show a passport to enter Ireland, but it may be useful to carry in case you need to prove your identity. British and Irish citizens can continue to travel freely between the UK and Ireland under the Common Travel Area.

“Some airlines and ferry operators have introduced, or will be introducing, a passport-only identification requirement. Check your carrier’s requirements before departure and, where necessary, travel with a valid passport. Check the Ireland Citizens Information Board for guidance on acceptable ID. Irish immigration officers are entitled to ask for proof of British nationality in the course of their work.”

The FCDO also confirmed that British passport holders do not need a visa to enter Ireland. They stated: “You can visit and remain indefinitely in Ireland under the Common Travel Area rules. British nationals do not need a visa or residency permit to live, work or study in Ireland. Although Ireland is in the EU, it is not part of the Schengen area, and Schengen rules do not apply.

“As Ireland is not in the Schengen area it is therefore not affected by the new Entry/Exit System (EES) that will be introduced in Schengen countries from 12 October 2025. You will not need to register for EES when entering Ireland. Read more information on the EU Entry/Exit System and to understand which countries are in the Schengen area.”

It comes after it was confirmed that anyone travelling by ferry between the UK and Ireland will be required to show a passport before boarding. As it stands, those catching a ferry to and from the Irish ports of Dublin and Rosslare can use photo IDs rather than passports, but from September 28, passports will be required.

In the update, Irish Ferries confirmed: “From 28 September 2026, all passengers travelling on Irish Ferries services between the Republic of Ireland and Britain must present a valid passport or Irish passport card before boarding. The new passport requirement applies to Irish Ferries’ Dublin–Holyhead and Rosslare–Pembroke routes, in both directions.

“This requirement applies to all passengers, including Irish and UK citizens. From 28 September 2026, driving licences, national identity cards and other forms of photographic identification will no longer be accepted for travel on these routes.

“Irish Ferries is introducing this requirement to comply with UK Border Force requirements on the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.”

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RULES are set to change for any Brits heading to Ireland via ferry from next month.

Passengers will be required to carry a valid passport with no exceptions – or risk being stopped before boarding for the first time in over 100 years.

The change will be enforced from September 28 and is UK Border Force tightening rules on “accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding”.

Currently, passengers are not required to show a passport but can be asked to have another form of photo ID with a photograph like a driving licence or a bus pass.

Ferry operators Stena Line and Irish Ferries which operate regular crossing told customers yesterday of the changes.

Irish Ferries explained: “This is a change to the current ID accepted and means that from 28 September, no other forms of photo ID will be accepted by Irish Ferries for any passengers, including Irish and UK citizens.

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“This is to ensure compliance with UK Border Force requirements relating to the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.”

Irish Ferries operates two routes between Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

These go between Holyhead and Dublin, and Pembroke and Rosslare.

Another ferry enforcing these rules is Stena Line which has crossings between Holyhead and Dublin as well as Fishguard and Rosslare.

Passengers on these crossings must produce a passport on departure and it added that “no other ID is accepted”.

Customers with pre-existing bookings with both ferries will be contacted by customer service prior to their journey.

Previously, passengers didn’t have to carry their passports with them because of what’s known as The Common Travel Area (CTA).

The CTA is a passport-free zone involving the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands dating back to 1923.

British and Irish citizens don’t legally need a passport to travel between the two destinations.

But carrying passports has since became a requirement by airlines like Ryanair and Aer Lingus for passengers flying between the two destinations.

If you’re planning a late summer getaway, make sure you take steps to protect your luggage.

Summer is drawing to a close, and lots of people are on the hunt for some last of the season sunshine. However, if you’re one of them, there is one holiday location that experts are warning tourists to be careful of over the next month.

If you have a holiday planned to Madrid in Spain, or are travelling through the airport to get to another location, you should be prepared for a hold up with your checked bags.

Maintenance workers who are responsible for Madrid-Barajas Airport’s baggage handling system are undertaking strike action throughout the rest of August and into September.

The dispute involves workers maintaining the SATE system, which helps transport and sort checked baggage through the airport.

On August 23rd, 28th and 30th, a minimum service level of 50% has been ordered, so luggage won’t stop being processed entirely, however, if you have planned travel on those days, it would be wise to expect delays.

The strikes are expected to continue every Thursday, Friday and Sunday until at least the end of September.

Andrea Platania, travel expert at Transfeero, says passengers should not assume that clearing check-in and boarding successfully confirms their suitcase has reached the aircraft.

He said: “This is a baggage-system maintenance strike, so the disruption may be less visible than a walkout involving check-in or security staff.

“A passenger could receive a boarding pass, clear security and watch their flight leave on time while their suitcase remains behind. The first sign of a problem may come after landing, when the baggage carousel stops and their bag has not appeared.”

As a good rule of thumb, anything you cannot afford to lose should go in your cabin bag, and board the plane with you. This includes medications, travel documents, house keys and basic necessities.

Andrea said: “Pack your hand luggage as though your checked bag could arrive one day later than you.

“This does not mean trying to carry your entire suitcase into the cabin. It means protecting the small number of items that would create an immediate problem if they disappeared. Medication, keys and documents are far harder to replace than ordinary clothing.”

It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that if your cabin bag is too large, it can be placed in with the checked luggage at the gate.

If this happens, take a few minutes to remove all your essentials from the bag and carry them on to the plane with you to ensure they are not lost if your bag is delayed or missing when you land.