- StyleThe Telegraph
Tell us about an eccentric garden you have visited for the chance to win a £500 Sunvil Holidays voucher
The cover story in this Sunday's print edition is about exploring the exotic gardens of Mexico with their waterfalls, orchids, agave plants and royal blue peacocks strutting the lawns. With this in mind, tell us about the most eccentric garden you have visited on your travels, whether it was a bamboo grove or a cacti collection in the south of France, for example, a meditation garden in California, a Dali-esque sculpture park, a topiary extravaganza or the grounds of a Victorian folly. The reader who sends in the best entry wins a £500 voucher.
StyleFrancesca SpecterFrench tourist appeals for help after losing camera containing topless pictures
She has appealed to locals to help her find it.
- StyleThe Independent
Tourists outraged by £700 bill for calamari and beers at ‘rip-off’ Mykonos restaurant
An American tourist was left shocked after being presented with an €836 (£738) bill for some calamari and beers at a restaurant in Mykonos.The visitor from Brooklyn shared a picture of the bill from DK Oyster restaurant on TripAdvisor. “This place is a rip off,” he wrote. “The staff is not honest and refuse to provide a menu and prices. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS! No pun intended.”The bill shows the group were charged €591 for six plates of calamari, working out at €98.50 per serving; €150 for six local beers (€25 per drink); and €59.40 for three chicken Caesar salads (€19.80 per salad).They also ordered two bottles of water at €9 a pop and an €18 tomato juice.The Greek island eatery has a four-star rating on the review site, despite many of the more recent ratings giving it one star and saying it is best avoided.“Ridiculous prices, €20 euros for a glass of wine!” reads one. “They will try and avoid giving you a menu, the €14.80 offer is a ploy to draw you in! Some fish dishes are charged per gram, but this is not told to you.”Several others also uploaded pictures of receipts: one shows a €15 charge for a Sprite; another lists a €385 for a single dish, the “Tomahawk USA”.It’s not the first time a tourist has claimed of being ripped off while eating abroad.Last week a restaurant in Rome came under fire for charging tourists £70 for two burgers and three coffees.A picture of the receipt for the pricey meal at Caffe Vaticano, near the Vatican, was circulated on social media.It breaks down the cost as being €50 for two burgers, €8 each for two cappuccinos, €8 for an Americano and a €7.40 service charge – a total of €81.40 (£71.30).
- StyleThe Telegraph
Which is the world's most visited country?
The UN’s travel arm has released its latest figures detailing the movement of tourists around the world in 2018.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Rome's greatest luxury hotels, from grand palazzos to designer apartments
The sybaritic lifestyles of the rich and powerful helped bring ancient Rome to its knees. Nowadays, luxury is a little less dangerously unbridled in the Eternal City, but there are many hotels offering sufficiently splendid décor and enough luxe pampering to make visitors feel that a little of the spirit of the Ancients lives on. Some of Rome’s top hotels rub up against magnificent Roman ruins, others occupy the former dwellings of great aristocratic families, still others are the domain of more recent fashion royalty. All offer exceptional levels of comfort.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Tokyo, an insider guide to Japan's neon city
The very idea of Tokyo – one of most densely packed cities on the planet – can be intimidating even before getting off the plane. In reality, however, it is a refreshingly easy city to visit. Despite its salaryman crowds, flashing neon and sprawling train networks, it is a place that thrives on running smoothly and safely. And an added gold star? It’s as clean as a city can possibly be. But perhaps best of all is its structure: lacking a clearly marked centre, it’s made up of a patchwork of different neighbourhoods, each distinct in identity and atmosphere – and so there are the museum-like fashion flagships of architectural nirvana Aoyama; the edgily rainbow-bright fashion tribes of trends-hub Harajuku; the low-key fashion stores and cafés of leafy Daikanyama; and the narrow lanes, old school kimono shops, temples and lively markets of Asakusa.
- StyleThe Telegraph
The Standard hotel's London outpost aims to turn Seventies council office block into a 'cultural crossroads'
Over the past 20 years, the ‘mischievous’ Standard group has become the party-loving poster hotel for lifestyle hospitality in the US, from the Meatpacking District in New York to Downtown Los Angeles.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Everything we know so far about the first cruise ship from Virgin
When Richard Branson sneezes the world catches a cold. So it’s not surprising that when Branson first said the words “cruise ship” in 2017, cruisers and non-cruisers alike sat up. You can bet your bottom dollar that cruise convention will be thrown overboard.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Why does Brazil get so few tourists – and can it turn things around?
Brazil’s tourist draws are legendary. There’s the Amazon, a wild expanse almost twice the size of India that’s can boast 40,000 plant species, 1,300 birds, the world’s longest river – and an opera house. Or what about Rio, with its riotous carnival, picturesque setting and iconic statue? Few waterfalls anywhere on the planet can trump Iguaçu for beauty.
- StyleThe Telegraph
The world's 50 best honeymoon hotels and destinations
This is one of the most anticipated and indulgent holidays you’ll ever take, so naturally expectations are high. Once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as champagne picnics on uninhabited islands, diving with whale sharks and staying in over-water villas with their own chef tend have long lured happy couples. But now action and adventure are a top priority for newlyweds who have already taken sun, sea and sand holidays together numerous times – anything from gorilla encounters in Uganda to tandem skydiving in New Zealand. And twin-centre honeymoons – city and spa, safari and sand – are also very popular. Some things never go out of honeymoon style, though: a big bed, amazing views, fantastic food and top-notch service.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Malaga, an insider guide to the cultural gateway to Andalucía
Malaga has shaken off its reputation as being merely the gateway to the Costa del Sol. Revamped and revitalised, the city now boasts a sleek port, an exciting culinary scene and a rapidly growing clutch of artistic attractions. In fact, it’s quickly becoming recognised as one of Spain’s cultural hubs, bursting at the seams with places to explore from the attention-grabbing Pompidou Centre and ever-popular Museu de Picasso – which celebrates Malaga’s most famous son – to the street-art-cloaked streets of its edgy Soho district.
- StyleThe Telegraph
The best budget hotels in Edinburgh, from designer studios to grand mansions at an affordable price
Edinburgh is a cosmopolitan city, with a thriving café culture, vibrant and varied nightlife, great shopping and a strong contemporary arts scene. There’s no off season really; festivals – from film to jazz to food and beyond – happen every month, not to mention Hogmanay, International Festival and Fringe. While there are many incredible luxury hotels in and around the city centre that offer sumptuous bedrooms and excellent facilities, a handful are just as comfortable, arguably more characterful and equally as well-placed for exploring the city, but at an affordable price for those seeking a budget stay. Here's our ultimate guide to Edinburgh hotels that won't break the bank.
- StyleDanielle Fowler
Shetland, Slovakia and the 8 other top places to visit in Europe
These are the top 10 European hotspots to add to your wanderlust list.
- StyleThe Telegraph
30 reasons why the British secretly love Germany
Britons don't seem to shout too much about trips to Germany, but we're flocking there in record numbers. According to the most recent figures from the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), 5.9m overnight stays were made by UK holidaymakers in 2018 – up five per cent on the previous year. Indeed, ONS data suggests it is our sixth favourite holiday destination, ahead of Portugal, Greece and Turkey – all of which, arguably, receive far more plaudits.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Bath, an insider guide to this charming Georgian gem
Bath is a real head-turner – just walking its World Heritage streets can lift your spirits. The photogenic Georgian architecture has a warm, sunny glow, while the sweeping crescents and terraced Circus make your head spin. Its biggest draw, the Roman Baths complex, cleverly makes the most of the city’s ancient foundations, while the words of former resident Jane Austen bring more recent history to life.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Is this the world's most beautiful bike route?
Keen London cyclists - you know, the kind who wander around in lycra and silly caps - spend an awful lot of time going round in circles. Laps - of Regent’s Park or Richmond Park, more often than not - are a mind-numbingly dull yet inescapable part of the capital’s two-wheeled culture. One Wednesday last summer, however, while my cycling buddies were dodging traffic on Regent’s Park’s Outer Circle, I was discovering the most beautiful lap in the world.
- StyleEvening Standard
Lonely Planet reveals its top 10 European destinations for 2019
Just in time for summer, travel guide publisher Lonely Planet has revealed its ‘Best in Europe’ list for 2019. The list, which determines the destinations that ought to be on travellers' radars, includes remote coastlines, vibrant cities and off-the-beaten-track regions. High Tatras in Slovakia was named Europe’s number one destination for summer 2019 for its rugged, ethereal landscapes and distinct wild life – this is one of the only parts in Europe where you can see brown bears in the wild.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Grockle, gringo or guiri? How to tell if you're the worst type of tourist
Despising tourists isn’t new. A French visitor to London in 1552 recorded that “the common people are proud and seditious... these villains hate all sorts of strangers [and] spit in our faces.” Hardly the red carpet treatment.
- StyleThe Telegraph
What do Thomas Cook's financial problems mean for my holiday?
Thomas Cook has moved to reassure customers that they need not worry about their holiday plans as the tour operator wrestles with concerns over its financial position.
- StyleThe Telegraph
The best country house hotels in Britain
The British country house hotel was born in 1949, brought to us in the pink and frilly shape of Sharrow Bay, overlooking Ullswater in the Lake District. Presided over by a splendid couple, Francis Coulson and his partner Brian Sack, it came complete with a gargantuan afternoon tea, and Sack’s famous Icky Sticky Toffee Pudding and Coulson’s bedtime poems on the pillow. People adored it. There had been leisure hotels in Britain before, of course, but this was the first where you could be assured of being personally pampered in beautiful rural surroundings, with a committed owner at the helm offering a warm welcome, decent food, peace and quiet.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in. . . Cornwall, an insider guide to England's wild west
Cornwall is on everyone’s lips these days. Those lingering shots of wild moorland, Grecian blue sea and soft pale sand in every episode of the BBC’s Poldark have drawn visitors from around the world. Despite such popularity the county retains its cloak of tradition and sense of isolation. Yet hidden behind the stone walls of farmhouses and fishermen’s cottages are stylish apartments and restaurants where acclaimed chefs serve up the finest seafood.
- StyleEvening Standard
15 of the best wellness retreats in Europe for a 2019 health reboot
With all the stresses that come with everyday life, it's no surprise the global wellness industry is now worth a cool £3.2 trillion. Luckily for us, wellness retreats have popped up across the world and while we have some stellar wellness retreats right here in the UK, with summer just around the corner, a visit to a European retreat is the best way to combine health with that much-needed vitamin D. Below, we've rounded up the best wellness retreats to head to in Europe this summer.
- StyleThe Telegraph
How to give up your desk job and start a new career as a ski instructor
How to give up your desk job and start a new career as a ski instructor
