villages

On the lamp-lit steps of a sombre gothic church, a young woman stands before a microphone. Beside her, a man plucks a slow melody from his guitar. Arrayed on chairs and cobblestones in front of them, a large crowd sits in an expectant silence. From a nearby balcony, laundry sways in the sultry Calabrian breeze.

The guitar quickens, and the woman issues a string of tremulous notes with all the solemnity of a muezzin. She clutches a hand drum, beating out a rhythm that draws the crowd to its feet. As people surge forward, stamping and whirling around the square, the singing intensifies and the drum’s relentless thud deepens. The festival of Sustarìa has begun.

“Sustarìa is a word in the dialect of Lago,” says Cristina Muto, who co-founded the festival in summer 2020. “It is a creative restlessness, which doesn’t let you sit still.” We’re speaking at a drinks party the evening before the annual event, on a terrace overlooking Lago’s clay-tiled roofs, when her brother Daniele appears with a jug of local wine in hand. “Welcome to Lagos Angeles, Calabrifornia,” he winks, pouring me a cup.

Lago is a hilltop village in the province of Cosenza, overlooking the Mediterranean. It’s surrounded by sprawling olive groves and small plots where families cultivate figs, chestnuts and local grains. Cristina and Daniele were born and raised in this grey-stoned hamlet, a medieval outpost of the Kingdom of the Lombards. Although their pride in Lago is palpable, few of the Laghitani I meet live here all year round. Like many young people from southern Italy, they have left in search of opportunities that are scarce in Calabria.

It’s against this backdrop that Cristina co-founded Sustarìa. “The trend is longstanding and severe,” she tells me, “but people still live here, and there are communities that thrive despite the problems. If more people stay or return, things will get better.” By spotlighting the allure of the region’s heritage, she hopes to play a part in this.

With agriculture historically shaping Calabria’s economy and its inhabitants’ daily lives, many traditions have agrarian roots. The dance that erupted on the festival’s first night was the tarantella. It features distinctive footwork, with dancers kicking their heels rapidly. “It’s a dance of the field workers,” Cristina says. “Some say it began as a way to sweat out venom from spider bites during harvests; others say tired workers in need of a creative outlet danced slowly and just with their feet, and over time the pace and range of movement increased.”

The vocals on display that night told of another aspect of the region’s history: its frequent colonisation. Calabria was variously conquered by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Arabs, Lombards and Bourbons. The folk songs we heard were replete with Greek scales and Arabic cadences, a melting pot of Mediterranean timbres.

After the concert, the crowd migrated to a field by a small waterfall on the outskirts of Lago for dinner featuring regional dishes: rosamarina (the pescatarian version of nduja, known as “Calabrian caviar” made from tiny fish); fried courgette flowers; cipolla rossa di Tropea (red onions from the popular beachtown of Tropea); and pecorino crotonese, a sheep’s cheese from the Crotone province.

Over dinner I spoke with two other festival organisers, Claudia and her husband Alberto. Claudia, a Lago native, returned permanently, after a career in aerospace engineering, to run the B&B Agriturismo Cupiglione with Alberto. Nestled in woodland a few kilometres from Lago, Cupiglione was founded 25 years ago by Claudia’s parents as a restaurant with guest rooms. After closing during the pandemic, it was renovated and reopened in 2023 as a B&B with seven rooms for up to 18 guests (doubles from €40). The change in direction paid off, and Cupiglione has since welcomed hundreds of visitors to the area, evenly split between Italian and international travellers.

During my stay, I’m lodging in a house on the edge of Lago, thanks to the Sustarìa team. Hospitality runs deep during the festival; organisers open up their homes and those of their relatives to anyone who enquires through social media. Other options abound during the festival and year-round, including B&Bs such as Cupiglione and A Casa di Ely (doubles from €60), a short walk from where I stayed.

The following afternoon, I return to the field before aperitivi, where I meet up with Cristina, who explains the growth of her initiative: “Initially, it was just locals who came to Sustarìa, but then people from other parts of Italy and even other countries started coming. Every year it grows.” This year, there are nearly 600 people in attendance.

Eric, a Londoner studying in Zurich, is one such international guest. Eric also attended Felici & Conflenti, a festival in late July hosted by friends of the Sustarìa team, which focuses on preserving and reviving the region’s ancient music. It has held 11 editions over as many years, each one featuring a winter and summer instalment, to which more people flock each year. It takes place in Conflenti, a small inland village nestled at the foot of the Reventino mountain, at the confluence of two small rivers (hence its name).

“Thanks to their work and research, instruments that were becoming extinct, like the zampogna [Italian bagpipe], are finding new life,” Cristina says.

The three of us sit chatting over plates of crisp taralli (wheat crackers) as twilight fades, and a reedy piping starts up from across the field. I stroll over, and catch sight of someone playing the zampogna, which looks like a set of bagpipes improvised from foraged materials, and is truly ancient – it counts the Roman emperor Nero among its historical admirers.

The next morning, we head to the hilltop town of Fiumefreddo Bruzio, a short drive from Lago and officially recognised as one of “Italy’s most beautiful villages”. Clinging to the western slopes of the Apennines, this medieval village offers panoramic views of the swelling coastline, which traces the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its narrow, meandering streets are lined with squat houses made of the local grey stone, quarried from the surrounding mountains. We wander around Il castello della Valle, a sprawling 13th-century Norman castle partly destroyed by Napoleonic troops, but retaining a splendid portale Rinascimentale – or Renaissance gate – still in excellent condition.

At Palazzo Rossi, on the edge of town, we take a seat at a cafe and sip local craft beer as we admire the view of the active volcano Mount Stromboli, across the water.

“You should see it in the winter,” Cristina says. “The air is cooler, so it becomes even clearer. Everything here is completely different in the winter, but most people don’t see it as visitors come mainly in the summer,” she adds with a note of regret.

The sun starts to sink into the horizon. In the square, a band starts setting up for an evening gig. A waiter brings over a plate of bread and olives to our table, on the house. “Things are quieter but not empty. There are almost as many events as in summer. And you get to see how the locals live during the rest of the year.” Cristina tears off a piece of bread. “And, of course, the hospitality never changes – people are always welcomed with open arms.”

Sustarìa will return to Lago for its sixth instalment on 1-3 August 2026. There is a winter edition of Felici & Conflenti in Calabria on 27-29 December 2025; its next summer instalment is in July 2026

Dozens of dilapidated stone buildings are all that remain of the once-thriving border village of Martoli, in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. Nestled in the Johar Valley and surrounded by Himalayan peaks, the most notable being Nanda Devi, once considered the tallest mountain in the world, this village had traded sugar, lentils, spices, and cloth for salt and wool with Tibetans across the border.

The nomadic inhabitants of several villages spent the winter months in the plains gathering goods to be traded with Tibetans in the summer. However, the border was sealed following an armed conflict between India and China in 1962, disrupting life in the high villages and leaving people with little incentive to return.

Kishan Singh, 77, was 14 when he left with his family to settle in the lower village of Thal. He still returns to Martoli every summer to till the land and cultivate buckwheat, strawberries, and black cumin.

His ancestral home has no roof, so he sleeps in a neighbour’s abandoned house during the six months he spends in this village.

“I enjoy being in the mountains and the land here is very fertile,” he says.

In late autumn, he hires mules to transport his harvest to his home in the plains, where he sells it at a modest profit.

The largest of the Johar Valley villages had about 1,500 people at its peak in the early 1960s. Martoli had about 500 residents then, while some of the dozen or so other villages had 10 to 15 homes each.

Now, only three or four people return to Martoli each summer.

A few villagers are returning in summer to the nearby villages of Laspa, Ghanghar, and Rilkot, as they can now travel by vehicle to within a few kilometres (miles) of their villages on a recently built unpaved road.

Among the scattered remnants of earlier stone houses in Martoli, a new guesthouse has appeared to cater for a few trekkers who pass through the village en route to the Nanda Devi Base Camp.

ITALY has been battered by brutal floods after a wave of torrential rainfall swamped vast parts of the north.

Streets and railways erupted into rivers, trapping people in cars and houses, and hundreds of school children had to be rescued from flood waters.

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North-western Italy swallowed the worst of the weather, with orange alerts issued for parts of Lombardy and Liguria on Sunday, but the capital Milan has also suffered with severe rainfall on Monday night.

In Meda, Lombardy, cars were picked up by the surging water and taken away down the streets.

One clip shows the powerful river depositing a car on top of another – while a railway track can be seen full to the brim with gushing brown water.

The Seveso river which runs through Milan burst its banks and completely submerged several neighbourhoods, and the Lambro is also threatening to overflow in the city.

Specialised flood vehicles had to rescue around 300 children stranded in schools in the Niguarda district of Milan.

In Cabiate, Como province, fire crews plucked residents from swamped neighbourhoods by winching them up to helicopters after the Tarò River overflowed.

They also combed the streets checking submerged vehicles for anyone trapped inside.

Landslides and flooding have brought chaos to the Bormida Valley in Lugaria, and most of the region’s schools have been forced to shut.

Water spurted up through manhole covers along the busy Via Vittorini road – where flood defences have been erected to protect homes.

Milan’s Palace of Justice has been forced to shut down after water pooled inside and the power had to be turned off.

Milan’s Civil Protection Councilor, Marco Granelli, urged all residents to exercise “maximum caution”.

More than 70 emergency calls have been put into the fire service amid the watery mayhem.

The flooding was caused by heavy storms which swept across the north of the country.

A German tourist is currently reported to be missing in Piedmont after flash flooding, with a search operation underway.

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Officials said more than 650 emergency interventions were carried out across Lombardy, with over 200 firefighters mobilized.

A mother and her 10-month-old baby were rescued from the roof of their car in Monza and Brianza province after being trapped by floodwaters.

In Florence, a pine tree collapsed onto a parked van, though no injuries were reported.

Weather forecasters said unstable conditions would continue in the coming days, with thunderstorms forecast for central and northern Italy and temperatures expected to fall.

Heavy rainfall could also extend to southern regions over the weekend.

Italy‘s flood trouble follows similar scenes in Spain.

One child died as torrential floods continue to wreak havoc across a Spanish holiday hotspot.

Horror weather sparked travel chaos with flights cancelled and trains abandoned due to fallen trees on the tracks – as officials warn of more rain to come.

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Modu Bintumi was sleeping peacefully with his wife and eight children that Tuesday when, just before dawn, they were jolted awake with the news that Boko Haram was about to raid their village in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. 

He quickly carried a wheelbarrow with some of his children inside to flee. 

“We left everything behind and fled,” he recounted, adding that they have not returned since.

The family travelled for two days before reaching Maiduguri, the state capital. “We had nothing to eat during that time. We survived by finding ways to make do in the forest. From there, we went to Mamuri before finally arriving here,” he said. 

Like many others in the community who fled that night, Modu left behind his livelihood, that is, his farms, which he described as his “main concern”. “We want to go back and check on our farms and retrieve our belongings, but I am afraid,” he added.

Modu’s life has changed since he fled. He once had a steady daily routine: waking up in the morning, eating, going to the farm, returning home to bathe, visiting friends, and praying. Now in Maiduguri, he spends most of his days lost in restless thought, reflecting on the life he left behind and the farms that once sustained him. 

“I had planted millet, groundnuts, beans, and other crops, but I fear that most of them have spoiled by now. I keep thinking of my valuables, and that’s why I’m looking worried and slimming,” he said, adding that fleeing has cost him around ₦5 million. 

“We need the government to help us according to its capacity,” Modu told HumAngle.

HumAngle reached out to the Borno  State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to enquire about any response plans for the affected populations. There had been no response yet at press time.

For Falmata Ahmed, the loss cuts even deeper. Her husband has been missing since the attack. He fled moments before Boko Haram stormed in and has not returned since. Now, living alone and caring for her three children. She longs to return to her village not only to resume her life but also to search for her missing husband. 

“I am hoping to see my husband,” she said.

“We’re currently waiting for our village to become peaceful so we can return to our farms,” Falmata added. “If the situation doesn’t normalise, we’ll have to stay here. Our main desire is to have access to our farms and return to our village when it’s safe.”

The influx of displaced people into Maiduguri and other major towns has increased since the beginning of 2025 as Boko Haram’s continuous violence sweeps through villages and repatriated communities in the region. 

In August alone, the terror group attacked more than ten villages in Magumeri Local Government Area, ransacking homes. Thousands of families have been forced to flee, abandoning their ripening crops, destroyed homes, and looted communities, and are now scattered in search of safety, food, and shelter.

One of the terrorised villages is Kriwari, where Falmata and Modu fled from. Its 65-year-old head, Bulama Umara Kanami, and his three wives and 28 children, watched as the terrorists stormed in on motorcycles, firing shots and scattering the entire community. 

Bulama said “no single person remained” in the village of over 1000 households. 

Listing other villages that had been emptied, Bulama named Malabari, Borkawuri, Bulumdi, Kurumri, Sadiri, Abachari, Abchuri, Titiya, and several others. 

“We were all chased away with our children,” Bulama said.

Although traumatising, he said their ordeal in Kriwari was mild compared to what other villages experienced that day, as the terrorists launched simultaneous attacks across multiple communities in the area. At least eight people from Bulama’s village were abducted during the attack, he said. It is, however, unconfirmed if Falamata’s husband was among them.

The attacks took place in the first week of August, right at the peak of the farming season. Crops had already begun sprouting, while others were nearing maturity.

Like Modu and Falmata, Bulama’s deepest regret is abandoning his farm just as the crops ripened. “We left our beans, maize, millet, and groundnuts,” he lamented. “I cultivated a large area inherited from my parents and grandparents. Personally, I lost about ₦8 million. Still, we have faith in God, but we will also be glad if the government can help.”

Since the attack, he said, people have dispersed across Maiduguri, staying with relatives, friends, or setting up makeshift shelters in host communities. 

“Actually, my people are in a critical condition due to a lack of good accommodation. Some ran but couldn’t reach here. They were sleeping in the farm among trees, still hiding,” Bulama said. “What I want is for my people to have something to eat and have shelter. This is what I want.”

When HumAngle visited some of the displaced families in Maiduguri, the living conditions were dire. Villagers had fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Only a few, they said, had received clothes from kind residents in the host communities.

The series of violence that swept through Magumeri adds to recent attacks, including the killings of at least 60 residents in Darajamal, a community in Bama Local Government Area, just weeks after the attacks in Magumeri. These cases simply indicated sustained Boko Haram violent campaigns targeting rural villages that have been steadily uprooting communities, deepening hunger, and fuelling displacement in areas already struggling with insecurity and fragile humanitarian conditions.

According to Bulama, Kriwari, like some of the other villages, had no form of state security services like the army and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force. Even Babagana Zulum, the state governor, recently admitted that “the numerical strength of the military is not enough to cover everywhere,” leaving communities exposed with little or no protection.

For Bulama, the recent displacement is painfully familiar. “We were displaced about three times before. However, the previous times, we were able to come back and take our belongings and eventually resettled, but this time, we are afraid to go back,” he said.

TWO more ferocious forest fires have erupted in Portugal – and this time cops suspect the work of arsonists.

Entire villages were forced to evacuate and hundreds of firefighters rushed to the scene of the latest blazes in a disastrous summer across the Iberian Peninsula.

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The two fires sparked nearby within an hour in Pedrógão Grande, central Portugal.

Locals here are already scarred by the memory of a terrible wildfire which killed 66 people just eight years ago.

The first erupted in the village of Pedrógão Grande, terrifyingly close to people’s homes, at around 2:30pm.

A second then burst through trees near the village of Graça at roughly 3:20pm, rousing the suspicion of police who are investigating possible foul play.

Flaming material was reported shooting out of this blaze, endangering the crews tackling it.

Five entire villages in the area were forced to evacuate as smoke cascaded into the sky.

Hundreds of firefighters battled the two blazes with from planes and from the ground.

A firefighter elsewhere in Portugal became the fourth person to be killed by the fires this summer.

Four have also lost their lives in Spain – where the blazes are finally being brought under control.

Daniel Esteves, 45, worked for the forest protection company Afocelca.

He was seriously injured on Tuesday night alongside four colleagues, and tragically died on Saturday.

Daniel suffered burns to 75 percent of his body and was the worst injured of the group – the rest of whom are still in hospital in Coimbra.

Portugal’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, sent his condolences to Daniel’s family who “tragically lost his life after directly combating the forest fires in Sabugal municipality”.

The amount of land burnt across the Iberian peninsula has hit a total area about the size of the US state of Delaware, based on EU statistics.

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Spain had lost a record 403,000 hectares, while Portugal lost 278,000 hectares this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

Spanish authorities said the tide seemed to have turned in the fight against the fires, which are mainly raging in the country’s west and northwest.

But the head of Spain’s civil protection and emergencies service, Virginia Barcones, warned there were still 18 “treacherous” blazes alight.

The record-breaking year has been fuelled by dry conditions, heatwaves and strong winds.

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A new wave of flooding has swept through villages in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Officials say at least 20 people were killed when fresh monsoon rains added to the ongoing flood emergency in the region.

Situated on an inlet of Chichester harbour, this picturesque village is considered one of the most beautiful and historically significant ‘chocolate box villages’ in the country

England’s ‘chocolate box villages‘ are some of the country’s most distinct and charming elements. Though each village is slightly different, they are all typically defined by thatched cottages, cobblestone streets, quaint pubs and a tranquil atmosphere.

The term ‘chocolate box village’ refers to the picturesque cottages that used to front the classic Cadbury boxes. While there are plenty of these beautiful villages across the country, a new round-up has named a seaside town in West Sussex amongst the best.

Bosham is a small coastal village on one of the small inlets of Chichester harbour. It was inhabited by the Romans and so perfectly combines historical significance with natural beauty. This after news that an abandoned UK Butlin’s site is now seaside town’s ‘hell hole’ hotel.

READ MORE: ‘Most beautiful’ UK village ‘frozen in time’ where tourists pay £9.90 to enterREAD MORE: UK’s staycation ‘hotspot’ is crowned as British trend soars – it’s not Cornwall

Chichester harbour is renowned for its photogenic nature as a sanctuary for migrating wildfowl, shellduck, and many more and so Bosham is an ideal location to explore the area. From Bosham you are also within convenient distance to West Wittering and East Wittering beaches, as well as Selsey.

Adding to the natural wonder of the area, Bosham is home to historic architectural gems and a peaceful atmosphere that has seen it named one of the country’s most beautiful chocolate box villages.

In a ranking of these honorary villages by Independent Cottages, Bosham in West Sussex came in sixth place. The ranking was based on several key factors, including the number of historic buildings in each village, the oldest recorded age of the village (a measure of the depth of its history), its status as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and its prevalence in internet searches and TikTok.

Bosham was recorded as having 73 listed buildings and its suggested age according to the publication is 731AD. The village is also a designated AONB and received modest internet interest because of the Bosham Inn.

The Bosham Inn is a former vicarage that has been painstakingly restored. Not only is this country pub set against a beautiful natural landscape, but it offers a range of delightful cask ales, wines and seasonal dishes for visitors to enjoy.

Another important fixture that reflects Bosham’s impressive history is the Holy Trinity Church: a Grade I listed church and the oldest place of known worship in West Sussex . It is located at the foot of the South Downs National Park.

In addition to being known as a chocolate box village, Bosham is a prime sailing hub. Visitors are likely to see many boats and yachts moored at the harbour and the dinghy sailing taking place.

At Bosham Quay you can take in the people, the boats, and the natural wildlife at leisure. The only catch? When the tide comes in, it usually floods the road immediately next to the harbour so take care with where you park.

A beautiful lake in Europe is worth adding to your travel wishlist thanks to its crystal waters and gorgeous surroundings complete with storybook-worthy villages

“You’re not doing it right if you don’t fall off,” yells our wetsuit-clad instructor from across one of Austria’s clearest lakes. Still wary of tumbling headfirst off the paddleboard into the depths of Lake Fuschl, in SalzburgerLand, I edge one foot out first and try to straighten up jelly-like legs as the board bobs up and down on waves beneath.

Once upright and successfully pulling the paddle through the water, silence falls on the crystal-clear lake, giving way to moments of peace and stunning 360 degree views. A few hundred yards off land, we’re surrounded by cloudless, azure skies and turquoise water so pure we’re told you can drink it.

Only hours before our sun-soaked paddleboard lesson – plus a quick wild dip in the lake – we were hiking through mountains in bright white snow and stepping across tiny streams with makeshift walking poles.

As a nature lover who will always opt for the great outdoors over conventional city breaks, I jumped at the chance of a soul-­cleansing trip to sample some of the 500 lakes, 6,200 miles of hiking trails and 4,350 miles of biking trails the region has to offer.

Each day we enjoyed a daily dose of fresh alpine air, relaxed back at the spa and filled up on hearty meals of fresh local meat, cheese and fish. We experienced scenic lakeside walks at Lakes Fuschl and Wolfgangsee, tried out the “new way of life” in Austria on rented e-bikes, and explored villages that could be straight out of a fairy tale.

But I also found an unexpected love for the city of Mozart – Salzburg – as we spent hours strolling through charming streets, embracing its rich history and pretty domed buildings.

Where to stay and what to see

Part of the Marriott chain, the warmth and character of Arabella Jagdhof Resort am Fuschlsee, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, comes through its hunting-style decor, complete with antlers and fur.

My suite was so large, I opened two doors expecting to find the bedroom, only to discover a surprise walk-in wardrobe and large bathroom with his-and-hers sinks.

Each night after adventure-packed days in nature, I wound down at the hotel’s mood-lit pool and Jacuzzi. Worries melted away as I swam towards the rolling Austrian hills, visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. I decided, there and then, that spa hotels like this are an essential base for any Austrian holiday.

But the hotel’s position, nestled in a valley overlooking the mountains, is by far the highlight. I was blown away every time I sat on the terrace, tucking into chai puddings and smoked salmon from the extensive breakfast buffet. And only a short stride away from the hotel is the picturesque hiking trail around Lake Fuschl, which I would have made a morning-routine walk had we more time.

It’s worth taking a pit stop along the route at family-run bistro, Schloss Fuschl Fischerei, for delicious baps, or seasonal soup made from the lake’s very own catch of the day. “And if you’re too full, you can take the boat back across the lake,” laughs the fisherman’s wife.

Along with the boats, e-bikes are becoming an increasingly popular mode of transport to easily explore Austria’s hilly landscape. I’m new to them but as I try out a KTM e-ride from the hotel, I’m immediately converted. With an extra boost on every push, and peaceful cycle trails running from the hotel, I feel I could ride my way to our next stop of Salzburg 12 miles away.

As we arrive in our planned taxi, we quickly find there’s plenty to see and do in the city – likely too much to squeeze into one day. We managed to do a lot with a six-hour guided tour, strolling pristineand safe-feeling streets by foot. We also made the most of the free buses with a Salzburg Card, which gives access to public transport, discounts and entry to landmarks.

Among them is the impressive and unmissable Hellbrunn Palace, a short bus ride away from the centre. As we took a gentle audio-guided tour around the early baroque villa, I was truly left in awe.

The elaborate palace and its grounds were designed by Prince Archbishop Markus Sittikus to amuse, amaze and “trick” guests. But somehow, 400 years on, the world-famous landmark, with intricate details in every room and hydro-­powered surprises, is still doing just that.

We spent a day venturing 19 miles east to Wolfgangsee, trying out Austria’s steepest cog railway – running up the Schafberg mountain since 1893.

Due to the weather, we could only go halfway but travelling up in the train’s bright crimson carriages proves a delightful time warp through snow-covered mountains. Priced at around £40, it’s a costly experience, but well worth it for the panoramic views alone.

We’re told the lakes are so clear here in Wolfgangsee they are used as “reference points” for all of Europe, and their Christmas markets are second to none – I immediately want to book trips for both peak summer to swim and December for festivities.

Where to eat

From elegant, award-winning restaurants to hidden wooden huts tucked away in the mountains, SalzburgerLand is certainly not in short supply of mouthwatering food in beautiful surroundings.

On one end of the spectrum, you have the traditional, hearty Austrian dishes that will fill your belly with warmth after a long day hiking. And on the other, superb tasting menus showcase the region’s freshly caught fish or melt-in-your-mouth game.

After a hike in Hintersee, we discovered a wooden hut called Gruberalm among the snow. There, we tucked into traditional Kasnocken, digging our forks into cheesy dumplings straight from a huge sharing pan, all washed down with homemade elderberry juice.

We also ate until we couldn’t eat any more in our very own intimate barbecue grill hut, rented for the evening in the garden of Hotel Jakob in quaint Fuschl.

Stepping over a peaceful stream to reach the snug pine cabin, we took our seats around the grill, basking in its warmth as we eyed up the plentiful stocks of meat, fish and sides to cook and devour as we pleased. Our cosy hut filled with the smell of charcoal steak and salmon as we told stories, took turns to cook and sipped endless wine in a circle around the fire. All topped off with a joyful double helping of apple strudel and a dollop of whipped cream.

As we made our way up to dinner on another evening, I saw the sun set over the rolling green fields of Thalgau and wondered how the day could get any better.

Then, imagine our delight at discovering our destination restaurant was secluded, located in the middle of a forest and at the foot of a hiking trail.

The charming, large wooden hut of Forsthaus Wartenfels appeared out of nowhere among a thicket of autumnal trees as hikers ventured down from their sunset walks. Inside, welcoming staff served up course after course of inspired, authentic dishes in an elegant setting, each more delicious than the next. Think flavoured butters, moreish sheep’s cheese starters, and tender veal on a bed of dumplings.

As we made our way back down from dinner, the clear night sky was peppered with bright stars. A full moon lit up silhouettes of the hills and I was reminded just how long Austria, with all its striking scenery, has been sitting on my bucket list. Luckily for me, SalzburgerLand, with all its spark and charm, was the perfect place to tick it off.

Book the holiday

Get there: British Airways flies from Gatwick to Salzburg starting at £56 one-way. Find out more at ba.com.

Stay there: Rooms at the Arabella Jagdhof Resort am Fuschlsee, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Fuschl, SalzburgerLand, start at around £213 B&B. Find out more at marriott.com.

Extras: Five Treasures ticket around £77 adult/£39 child (Schafbergbahn, Lake Wolfgang cruise, Monchberg Railway, Wasserspiegl, Monchsberg elevator). Find out more at 5schaetze.at.

You can also get further information at salzburgerland.com, wolfgangsee.at and fuschlsee.salzkammergut.at.

Three have died as blaze continues to rage in southern coastal area of Dortyol in Hatay province, which borders Syria.

A forestry worker injured in a wildfire in the western Turkish province of Izmir has died from his injuries, raising the death toll in recent days from the fires to three, as the blaze in villages of the Odemis district was brought under control but emergency crews continued to battle one in a province bordering Syria.

Worker Ragip Sahin “who was injured while fighting the fire in Odemis and was being treated in hospital, has died”, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said on Saturday in a post on X. Yumakli also said the blaze in Odemis had been brought under control by Friday evening alongside six other wildfires, mostly in western and central Turkiye.

He added that firefighters were still trying to control a blaze in the southern coastal area of Dortyol in Hatay province.

Turkiye was mostly spared the recent searing heatwaves that engulfed the rest of southern Europe, but firefighters have battled more than 600 fires since June 26 in the drought-hit nation, which have been prompted by high winds.

The fire in Odemis, about 100km (60 miles) east of the resort city of Izmir, had on Thursday killed a bedridden 81-year-old man and a backhoe operator who died while helping firefighting efforts.

In a video on X, Odemis Mayor Mustafa Turan said the fire had ravaged about 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres) of land. “The fire came violently to this area, there is nothing left to burn. About 5,000 hectares was reduced to ashes,” said Turan.

On Monday, rescuers evacuated more than 50,000 people to escape a string of fires.

“According to the authorities, the fires that lasted for four days started in Tusurman village … you can still see smoke coming out from this evacuated village,” said Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Odemis.

“Nothing is left in this village, no one is living here and there is nothing left to reside in. After the fires erupted due to electrical cables in this village, it quickly spread to the nearby villages on this side and then to other villages. Just on the first night [of the wildfires], authorities had to evacuate five villages,” she added.

“For citizens of Turkiye living in the valleys and forests, life is becoming more difficult every year as climate change brings more wildfires. And this year, wildfires came earlier than expected to Turkiye,” said Koseoglu.

Turkiye sends help to Syria

In the meantime, in Hatay province, which borders Syria, emergency crews continued fighting a blaze that broke out Friday afternoon in the Dortyol district near a residential area and rapidly intensified due to strong winds, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Some 920 homes had been evacuated as a precaution against the advancing flames, Governor Mustafa Musatli said late Friday.

Turkiye also sent two firefighting aircraft on Saturday to help neighbouring Syria battle wildfires in its northwest Latakia region.

Eleven fire trucks and water support vehicles were also dispatched, according to Raed al-Saleh, the Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management.

Turkiye’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 44 suspects have been detained in relation to 65 fires that broke out across the country, which led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people and damaged some 200 homes.

According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) website, there have been 96 wildfires in Turkiye this year that have ravaged more than 49,652 hectares (122,700 acres) of land.

Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkiye to take measures to tackle the problem.

Aref Shamtan, 73, chose to erect a tent near his decimated home in northwest Syria instead of remaining in a displacement camp following the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.

“I feel good here, even among the rubble,” Shamtan said, sipping tea at the tent near his field.

Upon returning with his son after al-Assad was toppled in December, Shamtan discovered his village of al-Hawash, situated amid farmland in central Hama province, severely damaged.

His house had lost its roof and suffered cracked walls. Nevertheless, “living in the rubble is better than living in the camps” near the Turkish border, where he had resided since fleeing the conflict in 2011, Shamtan explained.

Since al-Assad’s downfall after nearly 14 years of war, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration reports that 1.87 million Syrians who were refugees abroad or internally displaced have returned to their places of origin.

The IOM identifies the “lack of economic opportunities and essential services” as the greatest challenge facing returnees.

Unable to afford rebuilding, Shamtan decided approximately two months ago to leave the camp with his family and young grandchildren, and has begun planting wheat on his land.

Al-Hawash had been under al-Assad’s control and bordered front lines with neighbouring Idlib province, which became a stronghold for opposition groups, particularly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the opposition fighters that spearheaded the offensive that toppled the former president.

“We cannot stay in the camps,” Shamtan maintained, even though “the village is all destroyed … and life is non-existent,” lacking fundamental services and infrastructure.

“We decided … to live here until things improve. We are waiting for organisations and the state to help us,” he added. “Life is tough.”

Local official Abdel Ghafour al-Khatib, 72, has also returned after escaping in 2019 with his wife and children to a camp near the border.

“I just wanted to get home. I was overjoyed … I returned and pitched a worn-out tent. Living in my village is the important thing,” he stated.

“Everyone wants to return,” he noted. However, many cannot afford transportation in a country where 90 percent of the population lives in poverty.

“There is nothing here – no schools, no health clinics, no water and no electricity,” al-Khatib said while sitting on the ground in his tent near what remains of his home.

The conflict, which erupted in 2011 following al-Assad’s brutal suppression of antigovernment protests, killed more than 500,000 people and displaced half of Syria’s pre-war population either internally or abroad, with many seeking refuge in Idlib province.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than six million people remain internally displaced.