Travel Industry news

• The joy of ‘winterrailing’: my off-season rail adventure in France, Germany and Switzerland

  30-11-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Golden landscapes, cosy cafes and crowd-free sightseeing are just some of the highlights of exploring central Europe by rail in the cooler monthsYou’ve got broadly two options when planning an off-season rail trip in Europe. Hop on a sleeper train and speed as far south as you can in the hope of finding some sunshine, or lean into the oncoming winter.With an October half-term holiday looming, our family decided to embrace the second option, planning a “winterrailing” itinerary
  
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• Where in the world? The Christmas travel quiz

  25-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  From flags to film locations, test your travel knowledge with our fiendish picture quiz (answers at the bottom)Which country were these 2024 films and TV shows shot in?
  Half a point for each title and half a point for the country Continue reading...
  
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• Paris to Berlin by train is now faster by five hours. We try out the new service

  24-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The new direct daytime route, via Strasbourg, sweeps through enchanting landscapes from vineyards to forests. But some say it needs to be quicker still if the train is to be more attractive than flyingUntil last week, my most recent trip from Paris to Berlin on a direct daytime train was way back in early 2015 with RZD Russian Railways. The train had a Polish restaurant car with a quirky menu featuring caviar, kangaroo steak and South African wines. The journey between the two capital cities was
  
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• Look out for the stars of Bethlehem … in south Wales

  23-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Rain isn’t the only thing that’s biblical in these parts … We explore a holy land of walks, pubs and crystal-clear night skies in CarmarthenshireThere’s no room at the inn in Bethlehem, Carmarthenshire. Because there’s no inn. No shops. Only a former post office turned private residence. I can see a few barns, but there’s not much else in this tiny linear village. The official population is almost 200, though only a few dozen live in the centre. The
  
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• My voyage of good cheer around Finland – the world’s happiest country

  22-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  With clean air, vast green spaces and more saunas than cars, Finns have plenty of reasons to be cheerfulAccording to the World Happiness Report, the cheeriest country in the world is one nature-loving Nordic nation – Finland. On paper, it’s not hard to see why. It’s one of the world’s least corrupt countries, built on a democracy and quick to give women the vote. Education, from daycare to university, is free. Crime is low, the water is clean, the air fresh and there are
  
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• Christmas on tap: six of the best UK pubs for the festive season

  21-12-2024 12:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Santa is coming and these pubs are going to town with their tinsel and fairy lights, as well as hosting special drinks and events over the festive seasonIt’s hard to imagine a list of Christmassy pubs without the maximalist Churchill in Kensington. Its outside is usually covered in flowers, while inside, where Thai food and pints of London Pride are served, the ceiling and walls are hung with a strange collection of artefacts: lanterns, butterflies, 100 assorted chamber pots, second world
  
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• My Christmas pilgrimage to Mark Rothko’s Latvia

  21-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  I took the scenic route to Daugavpils, birthplace of the abstract artist – a world of breathtaking colour, kindness and coldIt’s a funny time of year to be visiting Latvia’s second city, Daugavpils, in the far south-east of the country. It’s midwinter and an icy blast has swept across northern Europe, bringing with it some of the coldest temperatures Latvia has experienced in a decade. On my third and final night, I set a new personal best, or worst, of -30C, and all that
  
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• Tell us about your favourite wonder of the world

  20-12-2024 16:04 via theguardian.com
  
  Share a tip on a peerless architectural or sculptural creation, ancient or modern – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays breakThe Seven Wonders of the World was a list of peerless architectural and sculptural creations from the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East drawn up in the 2nd century BC by Greek travellers following Alexander the Great’s conquests. Only one is still standing – the Great Pyramid of Giza. In 2001, the Swiss-based New7Wonders Foundation came u
  
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• Cask ales, a fire and walks from the door: readers’ favourite winter pubs

  20-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  From Cornwall to southern Scotland our tipsters celebrate the joys of a cosy inn on a cold winter’s dayThe Ship Inn in Porthleven is perfect for watching storms sweep in from the Atlantic and envelop its eye-catching clock tower, while you enjoy the fire and excellent bar. If the pub’s 17th-century walls could talk they would recount tales of smugglers and pirates and heroic lifeboat rescues. These days you might overhear surfers regaling each other with stories of heroic waves ridde
  
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• 10 places to see in the winter solstice in the UK and Ireland (that aren’t Stonehenge)

  19-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The longest night/shortest day is celebrated at the famous prehistoric site, but there are many other atmospheric locations to welcome the returning of the light on 21 DecemberFrom the outside it looks like a grass-covered UFO, its curved, chalk-white walls gleaming amid the green countryside. Yet inside is one of the most impressive prehistoric constructions in Europe. Rediscovered in 1699, but only excavated in the 1960s, Newgrange in the Boyne Valley is a Neolithic passage tomb that has been
  
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• Six lines, six walks: we explore London’s Overground reboot on foot

  18-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The capital’s Overground routes have been rebranded to reflect the distinct flavours of neighbourhoods they cross – as these station to station strolls revealIn a major rebrand, London’s six (previously all orange) Overground lines have been given new names and new colours to reflect the identity of the neighbourhoods they run through (and make the system easier to navigate). It’s also a way to celebrate the capital’s diverse communities and histories. For those wis
  
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• ‘I was not ready for this jaw-dropping place’: readers’ favourite travel discoveries of 2024

  17-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  From the wild wonders of a national park in Ireland to a perfect pastry in a Portuguese surfing town, our tipsters revel in surprises on their travelsSweet, soft, crispy, satisfyingly dense yet fluffy – we have found the perfect pastry. It’s all we think about when we wake up in delightful Ericeira, 30 miles north of Lisbon. We are here for the surf – Ericeira is in a world surfing reserve – but really the ouriço, a pastry unique to this town, is reason enough to v
  
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• Winter Skye: the snow, wind and rain made our trip to Scotland a euphoric experience

  16-12-2024 06:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Winter on the Scottish isle is a thrill for our writer, a reminder that the ‘bad’ elements can be as exhilarating and restorative as sunshineIt had been hard to judge the wind’s strength. On the Isle of Skye there aren’t many trees to bend, and despite the low temperatures the chimneys of the few white-washed crofting cottages we had driven past on the way to the western tip of the island were not smoking. But as soon as we parked at Neist Point, it was obvious it was blo
  
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• Going solo: top European resorts for single skiers

  15-12-2024 11:00 via theguardian.com
  
  From stunning scenery to great food and après-ski fun, here’s how to make the most of your time aloneHolidays for all budgets and levels of single skier are on offer from Ski Gathering, catering for beginners, under-35s and over-50s, with different room types at each hotel (single, twin or triple share, priced accordingly). If a week feels a bit over-long, there are four and five-night breaks available in the French resort of Les Gets, with welcome drinks, communal dinners and the c
  
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• 24 favourite travel finds of 2024 - from turtles in Turkey to a Highland pub crawl

  14-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  Guardian travel writers share their discoveries of the year, taking in food, art, history and wildlife Travelling down Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, my wife and I stumbled on İztuzu beach by accident. Almost three miles of sand stretches in a slender spit between a river delta and the sea, ringed by high mountains. Continue reading...
  
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• Tell us about your favourite European sunshine break

  11-12-2024 12:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Share a tip on a great, under-the-radar sunshine escape – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays breakAt this time of year, with the long UK winter stretching out before us, thoughts often turn to sunnier climes and future holidays. We’d love to know where you’ve escaped to in Europe for some sun, come spring or summer. We’re looking for less-known, off-the-beaten-track ideas – beach resorts far from the tourist throngs, family-friendly hotels right on the
  
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• Coffee, kelims and the call to prayer: an overland journey to North Macedonia

  11-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Manageable in scale but crammed with history and nature, North Macedonia is a perfect introduction to the underexplored west BalkansTrains no longer arrive at Belgrade’s riverside main station, at the foot of the limestone scarp that gave the white city its name. Today, the yellow stucco facade faces a gleaming new statue, eight storeys high, which dominates the forecourt where refugees, mostly from Syria, camped in the late 2010s.Our flight-free trip from London to the Balkans has taken j
  
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• The magic of winter in West Cork, where music, food and drink lift the spirits

  10-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Ireland’s southernmost tip has been reinvigorated by new vibrant venues, markets and restaurants, which has brought an energy that brightens even the darker monthsWhen our son was very young, we spent several Easter holidays in Baltimore, a beautiful harbour village in West Cork. We took the ferry across Roaringwater Bay to Sherkin Island and Cape Clear, where Fastnet Rock Lighthouse looms in the distance, wistfully known as Ireland’s Teardrop by mournful emigrants setting off across
  
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• The best Christmas travel gifts: 38 presents for explorers and armchair travellers

  09-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  From maps and kit to travel-themed treats and accessories, here are fun present ideas for the wanderlusters in your lifeNot sure what to get friends and family for Christmas? Fear not, we have plenty of ideas for a last-minute present.Our carefully chosen selection of travel-inspired gifts ranges from the practical to the indulgent, with great books for the armchair traveller and outdoor gear for the active. Continue reading...
  
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• 10 great Christmas getaways

  08-12-2024 12:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Can’t face another year of turkey and tinsel? Here’s how to enjoy a complete change of scene this festive seasonVerdant and rugged, La Gomera offers days of winter sunshine (but without the blistering heat that makes hiking a chore). The second smallest of Spain’s Canary Island chain, this gorgeous volcanic island has a network of hiking paths through its crenellated landscapes. They’re not for the faint-hearted, but you get rewards in pretty colour-daubed towns, like Val
  
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• 13 of the best and most beautiful shops in Paris

  07-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Chocolatier, fromagerie, parfumerie … Parisian shops sound as gorgeous as they look. We choose stores with a history of exquisite craftsmanshipThere are multiple locations of much-loved chocolatier À la Mère de Famille around the city, but head to the 9th arrondissement for the original shop with its historic facade, tile floor and wooden cashier booth. Founded in 1761 and family-owned to this day, À la Mère de Famille is the oldest chocolaterie in the capital,
  
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• My secret corner of Paris: readers’ favourite places to visit in the French capital

  06-12-2024 12:39 via theguardian.com
  
  From a traditional bonbon shop to a hidden jazz club, our tipsters share their favourite haunts in the City of LightOf all the chocolatiers’ windows in Paris, Au Chat Bleu at 85 Boulevard Haussmann never fails to lure me in. It reminds me of an old-fashioned sweet shop I thought only existed in England – but it’s also very, very French. It brims with seasonal specialities and delicacies you never knew existed, alongside traditional pâtes de fruits, colourful bonbons in ja
  
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• Share a tip on a learning holiday to win a holiday voucher

  03-12-2024 16:14 via theguardian.com
  
  Tell us about a great learning experience – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays breakWhile spending time lazing on a beach is undoubtedly relaxing, there’s something rejuvenating about learning a new skill on holiday. Whether it was a cookery course, a bushcraft weekend, a novel-writing week or a surfing holiday, we’d love to hear about trips you’ve been on to learn something new. Tell us where you went and what you did for the chance to win a £200 holi
  
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• An eco-light trail, bracing walks and Jane Austen: how to get festive in Hampshire

  03-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  From Christmassy Regency houses and steam train rides to the best grub and places to stay, here’s how to have a high time in Hants this winterIt is raining and blowing a gale as I flash my UV torch around, searching for lights in the darkness. There, a bright red spider web; here, some luminescent fungi; now a twinkling tortoise, Timothy, sheltering by the wall. I am exploring the gardens of Gilbert White’s House in Selborne, Hampshire, which is holding a light trail with a differenc
  
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• Tell us about a great winter walk in the UK – you could win a holiday voucher

  02-12-2024 14:27 via theguardian.com
  
  Share a tip on your favourite winter hike, whether short or long – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays breakIt’s tempting to hunker down inside at this time of year – but getting outside for a walk is good for body and soul. Whether it’s a bracing seaside stroll or a trek across hills and through woods, we’d love to hear about your favourite mid-winter walks in the UK. It needn’t be an epic, just a route that captures the vibes of the season. Don&
  
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• Off the Cretan track: skiing and climbing on the Greek island

  02-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Away from Crete’s sandy shores, tall peaks dominate the landscape, offering great skiing without the crowds – or ski liftsAt the summit of Mount Ida on Crete, I discovered a stone chapel with a frozen free-standing bell leaning against it – it was as if time had stood still. Outside winter, Eastern Orthodox priests and worshippers hike to the highest point on the Greek island, and services are held in the chapel. But it was February, when Ida is often buried under several metre
  
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• Off the Cretan track: a skiing adventure on the Greek island

  02-12-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Away from Crete’s sandy shores, tall peaks dominate the landscape, offering great skiing without the crowds – or ski liftsAt the summit of Mount Ida on Crete, I discovered a stone chapel with a frozen free-standing bell leaning against it – it was as if time had stood still. Outside winter, Eastern Orthodox priests and worshippers hike to the highest point on the Greek island, and services are held in the chapel. But it was February, when Ida is often buried under several metre
  
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• Live like a laird: 10 of the best Scottish castles to stay in

  01-12-2024 12:00 via theguardian.com
  Grand halls, turret views and resident ghosts … From the Borders to the Highlands, these accommodating castles offer bags of history, luxury and escapismHome of the Duke and Duchess of Fife, who live on site, the 15th-century Kinnaird has three rented apartments, of which the Macduff Tower is the most traditional, with views out across its well-stocked deer park, and a huge bedroom with four-poster bed. If you’re looking for a castle stay with a dog in tow, this is for you – t
  
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• Winter rail adventures in Europe: three itineraries for the colder months

  30-11-2024 12:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Our slow travel expert picks her favourite off-season trips by train to France, Germany, Austria and ItalyI travel through Europe by rail in all seasons and all weathers, and my more memorable journeys are often in that slack period between Epiphany (on 6 January) and Easter. Fewer travellers are on the move. Empty trains and plentiful accommodation make a winning combo for those who relish spontaneous travel. And winter weather often lends a special hue to landscape, be it creeping dusk as a sl
  
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• ‘A welcome sight after any journey’: readers’ favourite European railway hotels

  29-11-2024 08:00 via theguardian.com
  
  From Galway to Venice, our tipsters choose their favourite places to stay which are near a train stationVenice is a place where you want to maximise your time and enjoy its unique atmosphere; a stay at the Hotel Abbazia let me do both last summer. The hotel is a former monastery, home to Carmelite monks in the 15th century, and is just a three-minute walk from Santa Lucia station. It has a lovely courtyard, perfect for reading a Donna Leon detective book and sipping a spritz while waiting for th
  
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