In Nämdöskärgården, in the Stockholm archipelago, low-impact tourism is helping visitors appreciate the region’s fragile ecology and ocean conservation effortsPaddling through the inky blue water in Stockholm’s outer archipelago, all I can see is scattered islands and birds. Some of the islands are mere skerries – rocky outcrops and reefs so small they can host but a single cormorant drying its outstretched wings – while others, such as our target Bullerön, can be a mile or more in length, with historic fishing huts, summer cottages and wooden jetties sitting among their smoothly weathered rocks and windswept forests.I’m on a two-day sea kayaking tour of Nämdöskärgården, a newly established marine national park, which is a vast 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) of protected, mostly blue space – it is 97% covered by water – beginning on the outer reaches of the archipelago and stretching well into the Baltic Sea. Continue reading...

Easy to reach by rail and a seafood-lover’s paradise, Exmouth is a perfect place for decompressing, with walks and boat rides on the doorstepThe wide Exe estuary glides past the window. Leaning back in my seat, I watch birds on the mudflats: swans, gulls, oystercatchers and scampering red-legged turnstones. Worn down by a busy, admin-heavy summer, I’m taking the train through Devon for a peaceful break that hasn’t needed too much planning.Exmouth is a compact, walkable seaside town, easily reached by train on the scenic Avocet Line from Exeter. No need for stressful motorway driving and, once you’re there, everything is on tap: beaches, hotels, pubs, shops and cafes, alongside gentle green spaces and ever-changing seascapes. Continue reading...

From a Dutch beach break to a forest lodge near Paris, there’s no flight or car required on these relaxing jauntsThere’s nothing sweeter than leaving London on the Eurostar in the morning and to be sipping something cold and pink in Provence by aperitif time (tip: switch to the TGV in Lille to avoid having to change stations in Paris). Continue reading...

Walking the rocky and remote Northern Territory terrain, Tegan Forder finds lush ravines, undulating trails, delicate native flowers and stunning sunsetsGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailThe first day of a multi-day hike is often filled with optimism, despite the heavy load on your back. You’re leaving a busy life behind and venturing into the bush where constant phone notifications can’t reach you.Our merry band of hikers – four adults and three kids – have opted for a five-day walk encompassing Smitt Rock and Eighth Gorge in Nitmiluk national park, 30km north-east of Katherine in Australia’s Northern Territory. Continue reading...

From a posh Scottish bothy to a new budget hotel in the Lakes, there’s no driving required on these relaxing jauntsSometimes, you just want to be able to arrive in a place with the least amount of hassle and instantly switch off and relax. Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to think about potential traffic snarl-ups en route or missing connections? Just jump on a direct train and arrive fresh.That’s what these brilliantly accessible boltholes in the UK deliver – they’re all within easy reach of a train station and with everything you might need for a stress-free break on the doorstep. Continue reading...

From Rotterdam to Bilbao, our tipsters recommend the best trips by ferryThe overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo is hard to beat. After work, we board the ship, enjoy a drink in the bar and wake up to the sunrise over the harbour. The scenic coastal path that runs along the Brittany coast winds through woodlands and secluded coves. A swim in the clear water and then on to the restaurant La Guinguette des Marmouz near Plouër-sur-Rance. The best chips we’ve ever had in a very laid-back spot along the estuary. We’d stumbled across something pretty special.Kate Continue reading...

Free walking routes connect sculptures, murals, soundscapes and more in locations across the country – from butterflies in Brontë country to ceramics in StokeBradford is 2025’s UK City of Culture, and Wild Uplands is part of the year-long celebration that involves four new installations on the moors above Haworth, 10 miles west of central Bradford. There are pink marble butterflies designed by Meherunnisa Asad. On the ridge above, Steve Messam’s 10-metre tower of plywood and sheep fleece inspired by locally quarried stone looks out over heather-purple hills. These works are dotted around the lake and abandoned quarries of Penistone Hill country park and a family-friendly guide charts a route around all four. While wandering over the moors, you can tune into a geolocated immersive soundscape, Earth & Sky, which includes music by Bradford-born composer Frederick Delius. The Brontë Bus from Hebden Bridge via Keighley stops three times an hour in Haworth, and it’s then a 15-minute stroll past the Parsonage to Penistone Hill. Haworth’s steep, cobbled Main Street is lined with pubs and cafes such as the Writers’ Bloc, which opened in November 2024 and serves cream teas inside a hollowed-out book. At the bottom of the street, Haworth Old Hall has a choice of locally distilled gins.To 12 October, bradford2025.co.uk Continue reading...

The impressionist painter was much taken by the stylish villas and unique light of the French port, which 150 years on still refuses to be outshone by glitzy big sister DeauvilleI get the feeling that the world divides into two very different halves as my two-hour train from Paris pulls into the splendid half-timbered station of Trouville-Deauville, with holidaymakers either turning left towards chic, luxurious Deauville, the Saint-Tropez of Normandy, or branching right, across the Touques River, to Trouville-sur-Mer, a more historic, easy-going destination.I have opted to stay at Trouville, known as La Reine des Plages (The Queen of the Beaches), a tiny fishing port that was transformed from the 1820s onwards into one of France’s first fashionable bathing resorts by bohemian artists and writers, seduced by the unique coastal light, and the Parisian bourgeoisie looking for a healthy dose of sea air and a flutter in the glamorous municipal casino. Continue reading...

A guided bikepacking holiday is a relaxing way to explore Perthshire’s lochs and glens – with a woodland sauna and luxury cabin to look forward to at the end of the ride‘Wake naturally. Ride bikes. Wild camp.” I’m in Perthshire on a three-day bikepacking trip – cycling with all my gear – and this is my itinerary for the day. For an endlessly calendar-checking parent of three, the simplicity of this schedule is almost dizzying. I feel like a child with my summer holiday stretching out ahead of me.Comrie Croft Journeys is a new initiative from eco-camping and mountain-biking destination Comrie Croft, started by experienced mountain bike instructor Emily Greaves. The off-grid cycling adventures aim to immerse visitors in Scotland’s wild landscapes while providing everything they need, from food to equipment. Guests can choose to be self-guided or led – and I’m heading out with Emily to explore on a mountain bike for the first time in my adult life. Continue reading...

Make your next holiday more meaningful with an itinerary that supports local welfare projects, empowers women and showcases traditional customsEternal Landscapes offers individual and small-group trips to Mongolia, with a focus on supporting local communities. On the five-day Erdenedalai Explorer trip, guests stay with a herding family in the vast steppes of the “Middle Gobi”, an area often bypassed by travellers heading to the better-known sights of the desert’s southern region. Continue reading...

Far from tourist hotspots, staying with a family in a rural mountain village gives a vivid taste of life in little-visited east NepalAs the Nepali night takes on the texture of velvet, the party naturally divides. The men sway in a circle, singing plaintively. The women surround an elderly lady who smokes tobacco rolled in writing paper. And I settle into swapping stories with the girls. Alina and her younger cousins Miching and Blinka may be draped in the silks and heavy jewellery of the Indigenous Aath Pahariya Rai community, but they’re as keen to talk love and travel as any young women. “I’m too independent to get married until I’m very old,” declares 21-year-old Alina. “When I graduate, I want to go to Paris – and then come home to Sipting. Life’s peaceful here and the air is clear.”I’m in the little-visited Dhankuta region of eastern Nepal on a trip hosted by Community Homestay Network (CHN). This social enterprise is working with governmental organisations and non-profits such as Human and Social Development Centre (Husadec) to support women – including Alina’s mother, Prem Maya – to open their homes to travellers. Since launching with just one homestay in Panauti, south-east of Kathmandu, in 2012, CHN has grown to more than 362 families across 40 communities. This is the first in the country’s rural east. Continue reading...

Winemaking in the Barossa Valley is evolving, says restaurant owner and chef Clare Falzon. But the region has a lot to offer beyond its robust redsRead more local’s guides to AustraliaGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailThe Barossa Valley is an hour from Adelaide, on Peramangk Country. The hills and vineyards are particularly lovely in autumn when they go orange and red. I moved here in 2018 to engage more with food producers. I opened my restaurant, Staġuni, in late 2024.A lot of German Lutherans settled here in the mid 1800s, fleeing religious persecution. Many Barossa families go back several generations. Continue reading...

As retrofitted sections of the Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail begin to open, cyclists are flocking to what one day promises to be Australia’s longest rail trail – and a 271km opportunity for dwindling townshipsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe ghost station of Many Peaks is enclosed in a jumble of rocky and timbered hills. There is not much else to Littlemore now than a farmhouse and a sign.These sleepy and forgotten places in the Boyne Valley of central Queensland were once linked by hundreds of kilometres of train lines that swept an inland arc between the ports of Maryborough and Gladstone. Now, sections of those tracks are being gradually retrofitted for slower forms of transport: the foot, the horse and the bicycle. Continue reading...

While it can be a wallet-friendly way to holiday, exchanging homes or minding someone else’s isn’t for everyone. Here, frequent travellers share their tipsGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailFree accommodation in someone else’s home might seem like an easy hack for cheap travel, but there’s more to house-sitting and swapping than a free room. While sitting usually involves caring for pets in exchange for accommodation, swapping requires participants to make their own home available to others for the pleasure of staying for free in someone else’s.Angela Laws, head of community at Trusted Housesitters, the world’s largest house-sitting platform with more than 200,000 active members, wants to be clear with those considering giving it a go: “It’s not a free vacation. It’s not free travel. It’s not free accommodation. It is a mutually beneficial exchange between pet parents and sitters.” She stresses too that anyone wanting to take advantage of the benefits needs to appreciate and honour the responsibilities it entails.Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading...

  A recent study by Ookla discovered the three airlines had the best in-flight Wi-Fi speed and latency performance among 30 airlines measured.   Hawaiian Airlines, Spirit Airlines Fastest in North America What set Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways apart from the competition is their use of Starlink technology for internet connectivity. The median download […]

  The Fort Worth-based airline announced new winter Flagship Suite routes to international cities including London, Auckland, and Brisbane.   New Service Begins July 5, Starting with Chicago Flyers traveling from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) will have their pick of Flagship Suites. Starting July 5, all flights between the […]

  CBS News reports the board reported their findings on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.   “The Safety Deficiencies…Should Have Been Evident” The door plug blowout happened aboard the Alaska flight departing from Portland International Airport (PDX) on January 5, 2024. After climbing to around 16,000 feet, the door plug blew out from the fuselage, leading […]

  Reuters reports the ultra-low-cost-carrier is asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to block the proposed “Blue Sky” partnership between JetBlue and United Airlines.   Spirit Claims New Partnership Would Be Anticompetitive The “Blue Sky” partnership was announced at the end of May 2025. Under the agreement, JetBlue and United flyers would be able to […]

Visitors staying at ‘healing retreats’ bring vital income to the diverse cultures of the region, writes Enrico Malatesta, while Emily Webster says there is no need to leave the UK to find shamanic healing. Plus, a letter by John LowrieYour article (‘Ayahuasca tourism’ is a blight on Indigenous peoples and our environment, 17 June) brings up important concerns but it looks at a complicated issue too narrowly. It is worth remembering that the word “ayahuasca” itself is not a modern invention, but a Quechua term meaning “vine of the soul”. It is just one of many names used for the ceremonial medicine across different Indigenous cultures – others include yagé, kamarampi, caapi, oasca and daime. Suggesting that only “hayakwaska” is “correct” erases the diversity of ancestral traditions across the Amazon basin.The claim that ayahuasca is marketed as a “mystical shortcut” overlooks the reality: real work with this medicine is neither quick nor easy. True healing through ayahuasca involves deep inner effort, often accompanied by discomfort, surrender and courage – whether one is Indigenous or not. Continue reading...

  The financial institution announced the increase of the Chase Sapphire Reserve annual fee to $795, while unveiling many new benefits and points bonus categories.   New Benefits Include IHG Status and Lifestyle Benefits The new annual fee will be effective immediately for new card members, while existing holders will see their fee increase on […]

  The 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards bestowed their top honor on the Middle East Carrier for the second consecutive year, with Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airlines rounding out the top three.   Qatar Earns Ten Awards, Including Best Business Class The awards began in 1999 with the goal of honoring airlines based on […]

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Tuesday, sending towering columns of hot ash into the air and spewing an ash cloud 10km high, the country's volcanology agency said. Indonesian officials raised volcano alerts to their highest level after the eruption, while some flights between Bali and Australia were cancelled. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted several times in November, killing nine people and forcing thousands to evacuateBali flights cancelled after Indonesian volcano spews 10km-high ash tower Continue reading...

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the island of Flores, east of Bali, erupted on Tuesday afternoon, leading to several airlines cancelling flightsA volcano in eastern Indonesia has spewed a colossal ash tower into the sky, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights to and from Bali.Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584m twin-peaked volcano on the tourist island of Flores, east of Bali, erupted at 5.35pm local time on Tuesday, the volcanology agency said in a statement. Continue reading...

  Both Delta Air Lines and Hilton Hotels have new limited-time offers for their American Express credit cards, offering up to 100,000 SkyMiles or 150,000 Hilton Honors points.   Limited-Time Offers Available on All Card Tiers Through July 16, eligible new Delta SkyMiles American Express card members can take advantage of limited-time offers to earn […]

  The airline confirmed the crash of Air India Flight 171, scheduled for service from Ahmedabad Airport (AMD) to London Gatwick Airport (LGW).    Over 200 Dead After Plane Crashes at Medical College Citing local officials, The New York Times reports over 200 people have died in the crash. It is unknown at this time […]