- StyleThe Independent
Qantas has a new solution to flight overbooking
Airlines’ policies of selling more seats on a flight than there are seats available could become less unpopular, if a new initiative from Qantas proves successful. The Australian Frequent Flyer blog says that “Qantas Flight Switch” invitations are being sent to some passengers by text message or email. The invitation is issued to passengers about a week or so in advance of departure.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Bath bidding to become Britain's only double-listed World Heritage Site
Bath is aiming to become the only double-listed World Heritage Site in the UK. The nomination for the new listing, which is being submitted to Unesco at the end of January, is seeking recognition of Bath's status as one of the leading historic spa towns in Europe.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Following in the footsteps of Mary Queen of Scots on a royal retreat at Gleneagles
Following in the footsteps of Mary Queen of Scots on a royal retreat at Gleneagles
- StyleThe Independent
Blue Monday: 10 of the best travel deals to book on the most depressing day of the year
Blue Monday is claimed to be the most depressing day of the year – it’s cold and dark, with Christmas long gone, new year’s resolutions already a thing of distant memory and nothing to look forward to until spring. Here are the best deals this Blue Monday. The deal is for Blue Monday only and finishes at 11pm on 21 January.
- StyleThe Independent
No-deal Brexit could force the cancellations of up to 5 million flights
Up to 5 million flights are at risk if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the International Air Transport Association (Iata) has warned. The aviation trade association has said that while most flights will go ahead if the UK crashes out of the EU after 29 March, there “remains uncertainty” about future air travel. The guidance from the EU states that a no-deal Brexit would lead to airlines capping flights at 2018 levels.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Remote corners of the British Isles you can visit on a cruise
Many British Isles cruises stick to the same major ports – places like Southampton, Liverpool, Dublin and Edinburgh – and concentrate on offering excursions to famous and very busy sights such as Stonehenge and Edinburgh Castle.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Exploding hills and turbo-charged gentrification in the capital of culture you’ve probably never heard of
Amidst the excitement, the mayor suggested killing some pigs. His logic went something like this: Bulgaria’s second city was about to become a European Capital of Culture, so wouldn’t it be neat to slay and roast a couple of oinkers in the main square, just like the ol’ days.
- StyleThe Telegraph
The best spa breaks for couples in the UK
An insider's guide to the most romantic spa breaks for couples in the UK, featuring the top places to stay for massages, couples' spa suites, hot tubs, hammams, saunas, steam rooms and swimming pools, along with Michelin-starred restaurants and luxurious rooms, in locations including the New Forest, Cornwall, Yorkshire, London, Bath, Lake District, Cotswolds, Scotland and Ireland.
- StyleThe Independent
I was denied boarding due to a damaged passport – how to make sure it doesn't happen to you
It was photographed and the images forwarded to the Qatari immigration department for them to decide whether I should be allowed to board or not. Because, they explained, my passport was damaged. My passport is certainly scruffy, but not the UK Government’s definition of a damaged one.
- StyleThe Independent
Check whether your passport will be valid after Brexit
Come 30 March, everything changes when it comes to travel, whether or not the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal. While much is uncertain, it is clear that in a no-deal scenario UK passport holders will need a minimum of six months left on their travel documents in order to visit much of Europe. To clarify matters, the government has launched a new tool to help British travellers find out if their passport will be valid after 29 March, the day the UK officially leaves the EU.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Passengers stranded in minus 30C temperatures for 18 hours at frozen Canadian airport
Hundreds of passengers were stranded in freezing conditions for 16 hours after their plane diverted to sub-Arctic Canada due to a medical emergency and then suffered a mechanical issue.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Quiz: The surprising former names of famous places
A deal aimed at ending a 28-year row between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia could see the name of the latter changed to the Republic of North Macedonia.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Could this unspoilt archipelago become an unlikely overtourism battleground?
Most people would struggle to locate it on the map, but the remote Faroe Islands is embarking on an ambitious tourism strategy that some fear could threaten the archipelago’s wildlife and culture.
- StyleThe Independent
China to cut numbers of Everest climbers by a third as rubbish clean-up begins
China plans to drastically cut the number of climbers allowed to take on Mount Everest in 2019 and limit the climbing season to spring, according to state media. The total number of climbers attempting to reach the summit from the north side will be capped at 300 this year, a third fewer than normal, as the country begins a large-scale clean-up of the world’s highest peak. Rubbish collected will include plastic bags, oxygen tanks, tents and cooking equipment, plus the bodies of climbers who died while more than 8,000m up the mountain.
- StyleThe Telegraph
From surf to sun-tanning: the 10 best beaches in Rio de Janeiro
Lined with golden sand along its southern and eastern extremities, Rio’s glorious beaches inform its leisure, fashion and social make-up. A constant stream of vendors hauls everything from barrels of iced tea and barbecued cheese to trays of cocktails, keeping the buzz very much alive. Swimming, surfing, beach volleyball, jogging and an awful lot of lounging are all de rigeur, as are skimpy trunks and bikinis, so hire a deck chair and parasol and kick back for one of the best lazy afternoons imaginable.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Multi Centre Holiday Planner
Planning your 2019 adventure but can’t decide where to go? Don’t worry, Telegraph Travel Solutions is here to help. Our brand-new multi centre holiday planner allows you to combine two incredible European destinations in one easy-to-handle package and relieves the stress of planning your itinerary.
- StyleThe Independent
United Airlines’ 26-hour flight via the Arctic: What really happened
More has emerged about the causes and consequences of the 16-hour grounding in northern Canada of a United Airlines flight from New York to Hong Kong. As The Independent revealed, Saturday’s United flight 179 was partway into its journey across the Arctic when the flight crew decided to divert to Goose Bay, Labrador, because of a medical emergency. The outside temperature was as low as -45C with wind chill, according to a warning from Environment Canada.
- StyleThe Independent
Man who jumped from cruise ship's 11th storey splash-landed in 'shark-infested waters'
The man who jumped from the world’s biggest cruise ship has revealed he landed in shark-infested waters.
- StyleThe Telegraph
48 hours in . . . Paris, an insider guide to the City of Lights
The uniform sandstone of the Haussmann buildings, the abundance of gilded historic monuments, and the glimmering Seine and its elegant bridges have arguably made Paris the most recognisable and romanticised cityscape in the world. But though the city wears its history – of monarchy, revolution, revolt and artistic innovation – with characteristic style, it is also increasingly looking to the future and outwards to the rest of the world.
- 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
18 amazing places to eat in Marrakech, from riads to rooftops
The Moroccan table reflects the influence of the country’s multi-cultural history, blending native Berber traditions with the flavours of Andalusian Spain, France and Arabia. It is one of the great cuisines of the world, and signature dishes include a magnificent seven salad vegetarian starter, tagine (a slow-cooked stew combining meat with fruit) and couscous. But newer restaurants are now raiding grandma’s recipes for richly flavoured Atlantic fish dishes, spicy offal and earthy bowls of lentil and Moroccan pasta. In addition, many restaurants in the Ville Nouvelle (New Town) serve fusion French food, Medi-Moroccan and now even Asian cuisine. In fact, the city is experiencing something of a restaurant revolution at the moment, so watch this space for exciting new openings.
- 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 Independent
Tokyo subway line offers commuters free noodles for avoiding morning crush
Commuters who use one of Tokyo’s most crowded subway lines outside morning peak hours are being rewarded with free noodles.
