- StyleThe Independent
Heathrow, as you’ve never reached it
*/ Our travel correspondent is making the most of the UK in August by taking on a challenge a day, and hopes that you might follow.Today: what happens when you forsake the Tube for a trans-suburban journey?
- StyleThe Telegraph
This sublime Channel Island is now easier to reach – go before the Instagram masses do
The sunny Channel Islands have long been a popular choice for those who want to avoid flying. The ferry company Condor operates a daily service out of Portsmouth and Poole to the two larger islands of Jersey and Guernsey, and from the latter you have always been able to explore car-free Herm as a day trip by boat.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Dublin, an insider guide to Ireland's fair city
Gregarious, energetic Dublin has turned its face to the world ever since the Vikings established a trading settlement here in the ninth century. Today, it continues as a vibrant urban centre and a developing international transport hub, as well as a European national capital with a cultural infrastructure to match. Come here to appreciate an evident way with words, a distinctly youthful energy and a growing multicultural vibe. Most visitors make for the Temple Bar district, with its narrow cobbled streets and cluster of cultural attractions: but don’t miss the city’s classical Georgian squares and terraces, its regenerating docklands – and the fine seaside sweep of Dublin Bay, with its harbours, cliff walks, wide skies and bracing air. Add good coffee, excellent eating and a new wave of artisan Irish whiskey distilleries – and you have all the ingredients for an excellent experience.
- StyleThe Independent
How investment transformed Cambodia's coastline – and where to find the good bits
Ten years ago, the Cambodian coast was referred to as “Thailand without the crowds”, its laid-back beaches providing a welcome budget break for backpackers travelling between Thailand and Vietnam.Back in 2006, I enjoyed a week-long stay at the Serenity Guesthouse in Sihanoukville, a welcome stop after seeing the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh and a sweaty bicycle tour of Angkor Wat. Back then, a lovely private room in a small, locally owned hotel in a relatively luxurious treehouse-like setting overlooking the sea cost the princely sum of £4 per night.
- 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
Introducing the independent British ski brand set to dress Team GB
For most 18 year olds who set out to do a winter as a seasonaire the ambition of becoming a professional skier, exploring the biggest mountains with some of the world’s best athletes, is something of a pipe dream.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Florence, an insider guide to the cradle of the Renaissance
Firenze, the cradle of the Renaissance, is one of Europe’s great art cities. With frescoes by Giotto and Ghirlandaio, canvases by Botticelli and Bronzino, and sculptures by Michelangelo and Giambologna, there is so much exquisite art and architecture within its ancient walls that it’s easy to become overwhelmed.
- StyleThe Telegraph
US lawmakers battle shrinking plane seats, bringing fresh hope for passengers
Tightly-packed plane passengers might have new hope for relief this week after lawmakers in the US have added their voices to the backlash against stingy airline seating.
- StyleThe Independent
How bad are private jets for the environment?
With the conversation around climate change hotting up in recent months, more attention than ever is being paid to the way we travel.Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have come under fire for taking four trips by private jet in 11 days – with celebrities quick to step forward and defend the royal couple – while teenage activist Greta Thunberg’s decision to reach America via yacht to reduce her carbon footprint has drawn praise and censure from those on both sides of the debate.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Seville, an insider guide to Spain's steamy southern city
Known for its steamy-hot summers, mild winters and sultry operatic gypsy heroine Carmen, Seville is a bijou city whose fabulous food, extraordinary Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and exotic flamenco rhythms never fail to charm and seduce. History oozes through its very pores, with ancient Moorish walls, Roman ruins and Baroque churches at every turn.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Tell us about your favourite aerial experiences for the chance to win a £500 Eden Hotel Collection voucher
Inspired by our Top 10 round-up of thrills in the air, published in this Sunday's print edition? Then tell us about your most unusual flight, whether it was by seaplane, hang-glider, helicopter, biplane, light aircraft, hot-air balloon or some other mode of air transport. Where were you going, and what made the flight special? The reader who sends in the best entry wins a £500 voucher.
- StyleThe Independent
The world's best stopover cities, from Atlanta to Singapore
Can’t bear the thought of a marathon plane journey? Then breaking the trip into two sections with a stopover might just be the way forward.Pick the right airline, and you can get a city break tagged on to the main trip – and these are 10 of the best options.
- StyleThe Independent
Bank holiday travel: King’s Cross closure to cause severe disruption this weekend
Is your journey really necessary this weekend? Rail travellers on the two main north-south routes face severe disruption over the bank holiday weekend.On the flagship East Coast main line linking London with Yorkshire, northeast England and Scotland, passengers have been urged not to travel over the bank holiday weekend.
- StyleThe Independent
British Airways backs plans for plant that will turn everyday waste into fuel
British Airways has submitted plans for a plant to turn waste into jet fuel that will one day power its aircraft.The flag carrier has submitted plans to develop a site in northeast Lincolnshire that will turn everyday household and commercial waste into sustainable fuels. It’s slated to be the first plant of its kind in Europe.
- StyleThe Telegraph
13 of the best free things to do in Venice
You don't have to spend lots of money to enjoy Venice, the city is so interesting architecturally, historically and culturally that you can easily spend the day marvelling at the sights and attractions around you. From watching free glassblowing demonstrations in Murano, and wandering markets of Rialto, to spending a few hours at the Lido and exploring the many churches, here are a few of the best free things to do in Venice, by Telegraph Travel destination expert, Anne Hanley.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Venice, an insider guide to the City of Water
There are days when visitors to this exquisite jewel box of a city outnumber locals two-to-one, and when getting from the station to St Mark's square is a battle. But despite this, Venice never loses its capacity to enchant: stepping out of the station to be greeted by a glittering canal with the dome of San Simeon Piccolo beyond remains heart-stopping, whether you're doing it for the first time or the 100th.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in. . . Toronto, an insider guide to Canada's spirited first city
Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, is consistently ranked one of the best places to live in the world. Spending even a few days here makes it easy to see why. Cosmopolitan and cultured, fun and fun-loving, with an icing of unpredictability just to make things interesting, Toronto takes pride in being the dynamic, creative and safe sum of all its parts.
- StyleThe Independent
Ryanair strikes: New hack can tell you the likelihood of your flight being cancelled as walkout looms
The travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers booked to fly with Ryanair on Thursday and Friday 22 and 23 August depend on the outcome of court cases that will be heard only on Wednesday.Pilots’ unions in the UK and Ireland have called 48-hour strikes in an increasingly bad-tempered dispute over a range of issues, and Ryanair is challenging the legitimacy of the ballots.
- StyleThe Independent
Ryanair strikes: How to tell if your flight could be cancelled by pilot walkout
Hundreds of thousands of passengers are waiting to find out if their flights will be cancelled in the latest round of Ryanair strikes this summer.Here are the key questions and answers that will help you detect whether your flight is at risk of being cancelled. What’s happening?Pilots employed by Ryanair in the UK who belong to the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) have voted strongly in support of a strike. They are in dispute with Europe’s biggest budget carrier on a range of issues from pensions to maternity benefits. Two strikes have been called for the end of the summer holidays: one on 22 and 23 August, the other on 2, 3 and 4 September.In addition pilots employed by Ryanair in Ireland have announced a strike on 22 and 23 August. The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) added that it would notify the company of further strike days in due course. The airline has sought an injunction from the High Court to stop the Irish pilots' strike, but is still waiting on a decision.Everyone involved says they are sorry for the situation. Brian Strutton, general secretary of Balpa, says: “No pilot wants to spoil the public’s travel plans but at the moment it seems we have no choice.”The Irish union says it regrets “any disruption that might flow from management’s unwillingness or inability to negotiate a fair and transparent pay package”.And Ryanair’s chief people officer Eddie Wilson said: “We have done everything in our power to avoid disruption to our flights and our customers’ holidays.”It is still unclear whether the strikes will go ahead and, if they do, what the effects will be.But were they to take place, I estimate that, of the two million passengers booked to travel on Ryanair on those five days of pilots’ strikes, 500,000 are at potential risk of having their flights cancelled. Why are only one-quarter of passengers potentially affected?Because British pilots make up 23 per cent of Ryanair’s total, and probably operate the same proportion of the airline’s flights. The action by Irish flight crew on 22 and 23 August will add a couple of per cent to that figure. All the rest are crewed from other European countries and should not be affected – though cabin crew strikes in Portugal and Spain may jeopardise some flights.Note that my 500,000 figure is for all the people booked on planes piloted by UK or Ireland-based crew, but the actual figure affected is likely to be many fewer. That is because by no means will all pilots in the UK and Ireland strike.Ryanair estimates fewer than half its pilots in those countries are union members. It is likely, therefore, that the majority of flights originating from the UK and Ireland will depart on the strike days. But this is how to tell if your departure is at risk. Booked to fly on Ryanair between Britain and Ireland, or domestically within the UK, on 22 or 23 August?If so, you can guarantee the flight is scheduled to be flown by pilots based either in the UK or Ireland. The chances of it operating depends on whether or not the airline decides to crew it from available staff. Booked to fly on Ryanair from the UK on 22 or 23 August, or 2, 3 and 4 September?You can try to work out if your flight is due to be operated by UK-based pilots. As mentioned, many flights to and from British airports are flown by pilots based abroad, and will be unaffected. Without access to Ryanair’s rosters, identifying the likely crew is not an exact science. But you can make an educated guess based on departure and turnaround times. I will illustrate this with an example of links between London and Milan.It is extremely likely that any flight departing between 6am and 7.30am is crewed from the country from which that flight is leaving. The first Ryanair flight from Stansted to Milan Bergamo, at 8.05am, is outside that window. It will be operated by an Italian crew who are due to arrive at 7.40am after an early start from Italy. The same applies for the first Ryanair departure from Stansted to Milan Malpensa, at 8.45am.Later in the day, my technique is to identify an A-B-A pattern with a 25- or 30-minute gap between arriving/departing at B. That makes it likely the flight is crewed from A.The reasoning is that Ryanair loves quick turnarounds between arriving and departing. But those are much easier to schedule on a flight from a base (A) to the destination (B) and back again than actually at the base.You can do this by making a test booking at ryanair.com, for a same-day return from your starting point. So the 8.15am flight from Southend to Milan Bergamo arrives at 11am, with the return scheduled for 11.25am. That tells me it is a British-crewed flight, and therefore susceptible for grounding.Towards the end of the evening, Ryanair likes to have all its planes back home by 11pm or midnight. So the 8.05pm from Stansted to Bergamo, due to arrive at 11.05pm, will not be going anywhere else afterwards – and the Italian-based pilots will be heading home. If I find my flight is at risk, what can I do?At this stage, little beyond spending a fortune on an alternative flight – which may turn out to be unnecessary if the strike is called off or your departure is selected to be crewed by pilots who are working.If your flight is chosen for cancellation, Ryanair should let you know a couple of days ahead. The airline will offer you a refund, but you are entitled to ask for a an alternative departure. If Ryanair cannot fly you on the day you are booked, you can demand a flight on a different airline. It must also provide hotel accommodation and meals as necessary, and according to the Civil Aviation Authority pay you compensation of up to €400 (£360).
- StyleThe Independent
From Cardiff to Holyhead: A race against Wales' longest train route
Our travel correspondent is making the most of the UK in August by taking on a challenge a day, and hopes that you might follow.Today: hitchhiking from Cardiff Central to Holyhead the pretty and unpredictable way in a race against Wales’ longest train journey
- StyleJessica Morgan
12 of the best travel products you never knew you needed
You'll never leave the house without them
- 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 Independent
Couple who stole sand from Sardinia beach face up to six years in jail
A couple on holiday in Sardinia face up to six years in jail after they stole some sand as a souvenir.The Italian island’s white-sand beaches are highly protected, with harsh penalties for those who try to remove any sand – from one to six years in jail for theft with the aggravating circumstance of having stolen an asset of public utility.The French couple were caught with 14 plastic bottles full of sand, weighing 40kg, in the boot of their car.They claim to have not known the practice was forbidden and had no idea they were committing an offence when they removed the sand from Chia in the south of Sardinia.The pair were about to board a ferry from Porto Torres to Toulon, France, according to local media.Some tourists take Sardinian sand to sell online, which is illegal and has been punishable by fines of up to €3,000 since 2017.Although taking sand from a beach may not sound like a big issue, local scientists say that the practice is extremely detrimental. Sardinian environmental scientist Pierluigi Cocco told the BBC that Sardinia’s sandy beaches, one of its main attractions, are under threat from both erosion and tourists removing the sand.“Only a fraction of the tourists visiting Sardinia spend their time digging up to 40kg of sand each,” he said. “But if you multiply half that amount times 5 per cent of the one million tourists per year, in a few years that would contribute significantly to the reduction of beaches.”It’s not the first time a tourist has been caught red-handed.In August last year, a 40-year-old Italian man who lives in the UK was fined €1,000 after police caught him in possession of a bottle of sand from Gallura beach on Sardinia’s north coast.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Telegraph Travel Awards 2019: Win a £42,000 stay in a luxury villa in Croatia
Voting in the 2019 Telegraph Travel Awards is open, giving you the opportunity to reward those operators and destinations that continue to surpass your expectations. And because we recognise you need to invest time and energy to make these awards what they are, as a reward for your efforts we are offering you the chance to win one of 15 luxury holidays – including this five-night villa holiday in Croatia.
