Ella Doyle

Imagine a world where the Northern Lights, the Northern Lights, are a cherry on top? That’s Iceland. Full of steaming geothermal pools, smouldering volcanoes and unique museums, the best things to do here are out of this world. Reykjavik remains one of the most enchanting capital cities on the planet and is a fantastic base to explore the rest of the country. Sure, Iceland is weird, but that is sort of the point, and the best way to make the most of this place is to let it wash over you. You’re going to fall in love with Iceland.  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Reykjavik🏨 The best hotels in Iceland✨ The best things to do in Reykjavik🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Iceland At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Iceland is truly a nature lover’s paradise. It’s where lava-scarred deserts, glistening glaciers and midnight auroras jostle for your attention, and the places to stay reflect that same spirit. Picture a glass cottage on a southern lava plain or a cabin perched under the aurora, just north of Akureyri. If you still need a little city livin’, a Scandi-sleek penthouse in Reykjavík’s buzzing heart is beating for you.  Whether you’re chasing the Northern Lights, carving through silent fjords or riding horses in the plains, your stay here matters. These Airbnbs, hand-picked by locals, are vantage points that let you inhale the wild, bold (and cold) character of Iceland. So pack your layers, lace those boots and settle into one of Iceland’s extraordinary stays. These are the kind of hideaways that will stay with you long after the trip ends.  Iceland’s best Airbnbs at a glance 👨🏻‍🤝‍👨🏽Best for a double date getaway: the log cabin for four🖌️Best interior design: the luxury villa in the valley🏡Best for cottagecore vibes: the old Icelandic cottage drenched in beauty 📍Discover the best of Reykjavik ✨ The best things to do in Iceland🏘️ The best areas to stay in Reykjavik🍴 The best restaurants in Reykjavik Who makes the cut?  While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, our writers have based our list on expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes a

Grazing the Arctic Circle and straddling two tectonic plates, Iceland offers a visual feast of volcanic landscapes, spurting geysers and Northern Lights that have not gone unnoticed by Instagrammers or Game of Thrones location scouts. With the increasing interest in outdoor activities and exploration of the island’s remote, ethereally beautiful regions, hotels are popping up far and wide, instead of once being concentrated in the capital. From Airbnbs to luxury hotel stays, there’s plenty to choose from to kick start your Icelandic adventure. Enjoy, folks.  Which part of Iceland is the best to stay in? It entirely depends what kind of trip you’re after, but the safest bet is almost always the country’s marvellous capital Reykjavik. Once you’re here, the opportunities are endless – have a cosy city break and barely leave your neighbourhood, or rent a car and use Reykjavik as a safe base to explore the rest of Iceland, from the Golden Circle to the Blue Lagoon. Check out our list of the best restaurants in Reykjavik to get you started.  RECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs in Iceland 🏘️ The best areas to stay in Reykjavik Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more informatio

When you think of Iceland, you think of hot springs, waterfalls, black sand beaches and the Northern Lights. And when you think of food in Iceland, you think of Reykjavik. Why wouldn’t you? Its restaurant scene is second to none.  Me? I skipped it altogether. I flew into Reykjavík and got straight in a car to Vestmannaeyjar (or the Westman Islands), an archipelago of 15 islands off Iceland’s south coast with a population of just over 4000. The islands are best known for the volcanic eruption of Eldfell that took place there in 1973, which devastated the main town of Vestmannaeyjar including hundreds of homes and the town’s church. Oh, and it’s been rumoured that it’s quietly the foodie capital of Iceland. That’s why we’re here, for Matey Seafood Festival, a fine dining festival still in its infancy. The Westman Islands are about three hours from Reykjavík. We drive past beautiful plains and glistening volcanoes – many of which are ‘naked’, I’m told, which means the sky is clear enough to see them standing proud in all their glory – straight to a small ferry port at Landeyjahöfn. A 45-minute ferry ride and it feels like you’ve reached the end of the world; nothing but huge, towering, rugged cliffs illuminated by blinding sun. No one in Vestmannaeyjar lets me forget how lucky I am to see it in the cold sun.  Photograph: Shutterstock The food  As you might have guessed, Matey is not the kind of festival where you trek through fields in muddy trainers. This is a festival that i

There's nothing quite as romantic as a dinner date. London is full of romantic things to do, and flowers, gifts and grand gestures are all very well and good, but we reckon sharing a meal is the best way to conjure up some love – and don't worry if a little sauce dribbles down your chin. 'Eating with abandon couldn't be more of a turn-on: it shows that you're comfortable with yourself,' said the late, great Anthony Bourdain, and we're inclined to agree. The places in our list of London’s most romantic restaurants all provide excellent opportunity to shove food in your face while flirting.  From chic French spots to amazing Japanese joints, we’ve got somewhere for every amorous encounter, whether a big date, anniversary dinner or a ‘We finally got a babysitter’ celebration. Really want to push the (love) boat out? Then visit one of London's Michelin-starred restaurants with your beau. To paraphrase Shakespeare: if food be the food of love, munch on. RECOMMENDED: The most romantic hotels in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

We know that London is the best city in the world. But like any metropolis, it can also get a bit much sometimes. Occasionally, what you want isn’t to drink cocktails in a trendy bar after seeing the hottest Gen Z bedroom popstar at the Islington Assembly Hall, but a little peace and quiet, actually. Enter: the weekend getaway, invented by the Victorians (probably), there’s a reason why Londoners have been taking sojourns to the seaside on sunny bank holidays since the 1800s.  Together, we’ve come up with a cracking list of our favourite day trip destinations near London. There’s something for everyone here, from historic cities and cute villages to sandy beaches and rolling countryside. We've included some recommendations for ace restaurants, quaint little pubs, and our favourite things to do at each destination on the list – all of which are close enough to the city that you can get there and back in one sweet day.  Best day trips from London at a glance 🍔 Best for foodies: Margate 🎭 Best for culture lovers: Stratford-Upon-Avon ⛪ Best for history buffs: Canterbury 🛁 Best for families: Bath 🐴 Best for hikers: New Forest 🍺 Best for pub crawls: Lewes 🏖️ Best for seaside fun: Brighton RECOMMENDED:✨The best day trips an hour from London👪 The best family day trips from London☀️ The best weekend trips from London🏘️ The best Airbnbs near London🌳 The best quirky Airbnbs in the UK This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial conte

When you hear the term ‘winter city break’, you’re probably picturing Christmas markets, hot chocolates and snow-capped mountains as far as the eye can see. But with some of our favourite summer holiday destinations getting hotter and hotter (and falling victim to the affects of years of overtourism), it might be time to start thinking outside the box.  Hear us out: winter travel, but not where you’d expect it. Think Italian hotspots without the crowds, Mediterranean holidays without the heat and underrated cities that aren’t even on your travel radar yet. These are our top unexpected picks for winter, selected by Time Out editors.  ☀️ Europe’s best destinations for winter sun Underrated winter destinations at a glance 🏛 Best for a historic buildings: Athens, Greece 🎄 Best for local traditions: Madrid, Spain 🎭 Best for avoiding crowds: Venice, Italy ⛷️ Best for skiing: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina  Ella Doyle is Time Out’s travel guides editor. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.  📍 The ultimate guide to destinations in Europe

Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened in the past year and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene. And look here for all the info about the best new openings in November. London's best new restaurants at a glance: 🍛 Central: Adoh!, Covent Garden 🍠 North: Belly Bistro, Kentish Town 🥟 South: Doma, Sydenham 🍝 East: Legado, Shoreditch 🥗 West: The Lavery, South Kensington November 2025: New additions include Sri Lankan fast food at Adoh! in Covent Garden, Chingford chophouse Gina, Filipino freshness at Belly Bistro in Kentish Town, indie disco turned gastropub the Macbeth in Shoreditch, Spanish smashers at Legado in Shoreditch and Balkan comfort food at Doma in Sydenham. Hungry yet? Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in London. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now to tuck in.

If any city in the world were oversaturated with hotels, it’d be Paris. So a list of the ‘best hotels in Paris’ is casting a pretty wide net. The city has over 1,600 hotels in total, ranging from tiny new boutiques to grand historic hotels charging £25,000 a night – and we wanted to make sure every kind of hotel was represented on this list: the luxurious, the downright cheap, and everything in between. Whatever your vibe in the City of Light, you’ll find a hotel for you here. In this guide What is the best area to stay in Paris? + − As will surprise no one, the ‘best’ area to stay in Paris is pretty subjective across its 20 arrondissements and 80 or so neighbourhoods. But we do have some pointers. If it’s your first time in the city, you’ll probably want to be as close to the city centre as possible to tick off those major attractions, so anywhere near the 1st arrondissement – Tuileries, the Marais, St-Germain – would be a good bet. If you’re on a budget, however, you’ll find that cheaper options are usually further out in the 15th, 18th, 19th, 20th – and even on the outskirts of the city. Don’t worry, you’ll still be in on the action – this is where the locals hang out, anyway. For the full rundown, here’s our ultimate guide to where to stay in Paris. Which hotels do celebrities stay in in Paris? + − There is absolutely no reason you should book a stay based on whether or not a famous person has stayed there, but hey, it’s fun to know anyway. It’s pretty fun t

Sunshine, palm trees and year-round vacation vibes – Florida was made for getaways. While hotels have their charm, the real magic lies in the state’s Airbnb’s: beachfront bungalows, luxury condos, and off-grid treehouses where you can get up close with nature. From sugar-white beaches to Orlando’s theme parks, the surf breaks of Cocoa Beach and the nightlife of Miami, Florida is packed with unforgettable getaways. You’ll also find hidden gems inland – peaceful lakeside cabins, riverside retreats, and off-the-map escapes that show a quieter side of the Sunshine State. Whatever kind of trip you’re dreaming of our these are the best Airbnbs in Florida to make your trip unforgettable. Best Airbnbs in Florida at a glance 🏡Best for families: The log cabin in Live Oak 💕Best for couples: The oceanfront condo in Panama City Beach 🪽Best on a budget: The nature intense cabin in Fort White 🌊Best luxury stay: The luxe condo in South Beach 🎳Best for big groups: The adult playground with a bowling alley RECOMMENDED:🏠 The best Airbnbs in Miami🏨 The best hotels in Tampa🏠 The best Airbnbs in Orlando This guide was recently updated by writer Shayne Benowitz. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate link

  ‘Boutique hotel’ can be a bit of an overused term, but essentially it means somewhere small, stylish and unique – somewhere that favours design and thoughtful touches over granduer and in-your-face luxury. And yes, you might have guessed it, but the boutique offerings in Paris are some of the best in the game. There’s no better way to live out your Emily in Paris dreams than by staying at one of these charming hotels – and they include everything from affordable boltholes to luxurious stays. Here are our favourite boutique hotels in Paris.  The best Paris boutique hotels at a glance 💑 Best for couples: Monsieur George Hotel & Spa 🏭 Best for design: Maison Delano Paris 🥐 Best in the Marais: Hôtel Monsieur Aristide 💎 Best hidden gem: Hotel Les Deux Gares 🍴 Best for foodies: Grand Pigalle Hotel 🏨 RECOMMENDED: Our ultimate guide to hotels in Paris How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. Though we have reviewed many of the hotels we feature, we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 📍 Things to do on your next trip in Paris

If your dream trip to Paris involves stunning architecture, boutique shopping and endless bougie restaurants, then look no further than the Marais. This centrally-located neighbourhood spanning the 3rd and 4th arrondissements is stuffed full of great things to do, and its hotels match the vibe too. This list compiles our favourites – a hotel designed by a famous fashion designer, a boutique stay above an old sweet shop, and tons more. Read on for the best hotels in the Marais, reviewed by Time Out travel experts.  The best hotels in the Marais at a glance 🎀 Best boutique: Hôtel du Petit Moulin 🥂 Best luxury: Le Pavillon de la Reine 🍭 Most unique: Maison Saintonge 👶 Best for families: Le Grand Mazarin 💸 Most affordable: Les Tournelles 🏨 RECOMMENDED: Our ultimate guide to hotels in Paris How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world – new openings, old classics and everything in between – to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. Though we have reviewed many of the hotels we feature, we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 📍 Things to do on your next trip in Paris

There are two options for visiting Amsterdam. Option number one? Stay somewhere cool. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere ‘up-and-coming’ or out of the way of all the action. But option two? You face it head on, embrace Amsterdam with open arms, and stay slap bang in the middle of its raucous centre, right up against the Red Light District, in the midst of all its magical drama. And thankfully, Sofitel The Grand means that option two doesn’t mean a seedy stay or a bunk bed in a hostel – far from it. Enter through Sofitel’s pearly gates and leave the chaos of the streets immediately behind you. Instead, prepare to be met with total grandeur: this hotel, firmly rooted in Amsterdam’s eclectic past, is flat-out, unapologetic, total luxury.  Why stay at Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam? Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam is one of only a handful of Sofitel Legends in the world – the others are found in Hanoi, Panama, Xi’an, Aswan in Egypt and Cartagena in Colombia. It was the first in Europe and the second in the world. There are many reasons to stay at a Sofitel Legend hotel, but the main draw is probably the prestige of the brand, and knowing you’ll be doted on hand and foot. But Amsterdam’s outpost is rather special: you stay here to feel like you’re living amongst Amsterdam’s storied history – the hotel building dates back to 1411, and it’s lived many lives since then: a monastery, a convent, a City Hall, a five-star luxury hotel The Grand – and eventually Sofitel The Grand in 2010.

Sometimes when you really love a hotel, it’s just a feeling. That’s what I had when I walked into Park Plaza Amsterdam. It wouldn’t necessarily suit every kind of traveller: it’s not fancy, and a concierge doesn’t usher your bags into the lift – but staff are, well, lovely, and a laugh – and they’ll hand you an individually wrapped stroopwafel when you leave. One of three Park Plazas in Amsterdam, it’s a relatively small hotel – 102 rooms total – but it feels like it could have 30, and there’s a sort of ‘secret garden’ vibe to the whole thing: entrances are hidden just below ground level, and you snake through a glass corridor to get to the lifts and rooms. Why stay at Park Plaza Vondelpark? Well you’re looking out over Vondelpark, for starters – Amsterdam’s biggest and best park – but the surrounding area and street itself is lovely too, all quiet and leafy with bikes cycling past. Though the hotel’s facilities are minimal, it includes a number of nice touches, like well-priced bike hire, free fizzy water refills in the lobby, free umbrella rental for 48 hours, and even a singularly-wrapped stroopwafel handed to you when you leave. Part of their sustainability pact also means if you opt out of your room clean you can get a €10 food voucher (which can be used in their restaurant) or a bottle of house wine to have in your room. If you’re anything like me, that’s a mighty good deal just to make your own bed in the morning.  What are the rooms like at Park Plaza Vondelpark? Ther

What’s the vibe? You’ll find Sargasso on the little island bit in Margate (the Stone Pier, on Margate’s Harbour Arm), which looks out over the rest of the town with the bay stretching out through the middle. It sits right on the edge of the arm, with a few specials scribbled on a chalkboard, thin wooden tables and benches outside, little umbrellas, and high stools indoors for sitting by the window. There’s also a little rock before the entrance, where you might see a group of friends sink an entire bottle of orange wine as they wait for a table to become available. It is, on all counts, a perfect restaurant – sunny and bustling in summer, moody and romantic in winter. Fun waiters, knowledgeable bartenders and small plates with bold red Sargasso branding that are begging to be photographed (and eaten).  What should I order? The menu here changes, but there are some permanent fixtures, like those by-now Instagram-famous Cantabrian anchovies sitting plump and doused in delicious olive oil (they are as good as they look). We start with olive oil crisps and taramasalata, the feta, cucumber and melon salad and the crunchy panisse, a satisfying balance of salty, soft and sweet, paired with a minerally sparkling wine.  The main event ended up being the squid sandwich – fried calamari, squashed into a soft white bun, topped with guindilla peppers and a squeeze of lemon for each bite. Hot tip: if you didn’t snag a table, they offer this to take away for £14, so you can eat it on the be

Shamefully for a local, I didn’t realise how many eateries in Kentish Town were owned by Omar Shah, an entrepreneurial chef from the Philippines whose parents opened Bintang (a great Thai spot) back in 1987. So that’s Guanabana, Ramo Ramen, Mamasons, Cafe Mama & Sons – and now Belly Bistro, an intimate Filipino restaurant with a very nice font. They’re going for a neighbourhood bistro thing here, but it feels more like your classic Hackney small-platey spot. It’s compact and candle-lit, laid out in a strip of small tables with white tablecloths and a few stools up by the bar facing the wall. Everyone eating here is in their 20s and 30s, staff are great. It’s also (at the time of writing) one of the hottest restaurants in town, so there is a chance you’ll have an influencer’s white light blaring from the table next to you. You’ve been warned.  We kick off with cocktails - both the melon sour and the watermelon marg are punchy and well-balanced. The food comes quickly. One of Belly’s ‘viral dishes’ (sorry) is first out, the cured scallops in big, shallow shells, swimming in coconut cream with basil oil and little pickled chillies. They are things of beauty, fat and meaty and incredibly rich - the kind you have to share, lest you get overwhelmed before your main comes out. We also try the soft and tender smoked trout kinilaw – a Filipino take on a ceviche – which I like even more. Almost everything we try is subtly spicy with a tickling, warm heat. The dish to order for a bit of

Fitzrovia might feel corporate, but hiding among the polished buildings and offices are a few spots with a bit of an edge. Mareida is the latest, an elegant fine dining restaurant serving up elevated Chilean cuisine from a buzzy open kitchen. You can feel the passion for the restaurant’s vision from every corner; the space is hung with Chilean art and there are even rocks brought back from local caves. The vibe is slick and trendy, and we dine alongside good-looking couples and a large corporate crew. Our first dish was also our best; mussels in charcoal shells on a bed of fennel sand, which you sprinkle into each shell before eating. They are a lovely, textured bite, made perfect by a few dabs of warmly spiced hot sauce which has a clean, fresh, and tongue-prickling heat. Cocktails are another delight, many of them featuring Chile’s national spirit pisco, including the light Mareida sour and bright-pink and intensely grapefruity Araucaria spritz, topped with a tiny tomato.  The space is hung with Chilean art and rocks brought back from local caves We try all three empanadas - the mushroom with goat cheese, the beef and the seafood. The beef is the stand-out, rich and comforting (warning: it has a tiny, whole boiled egg inside it), but any of them are worth trying. We’re recommended the wagyu slider, which is a fun little thing but doesn’t taste like an awful lot; just thin-cut beef, with a touch of sweetness from the brioche and the brown butter. After a generous dash of th

What is it? Among Edinburgh’s best and biggest theatrical spaces, the Festival Theatre is unique in that it offers the best of multiple eras to its public. Opened as the Festival in 1994, it was constructed from the remains of the old Empire Palace Theatre, a hall that had been around since 1892, and which was known to locals as a variety and concert hall that had welcomed acts including Laurel and Hardy, Judy Garland, Morecambe and Wise and David Bowie over the decades. Is it worth visiting? With the largest stage in Scotland, the Festival is an extremely versatile space, hosting touring musical productions, Edinburgh International Festival shows and low-key rock concerts (Elvis Costello and James Blunt have recently appeared). It’s also the Edinburgh home of Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet, and it also came complete with its own theatrical ghost story back in the day, with renowned illusionist The Great Lafayette having burned to death there during a performance in 1911. What food and drink is there? The three-level foyer incorporates a bar on each level, with views across the city from the top floor and the all-day Festival Theatre Café on the ground floor. On Level F1 you’ll find the Secret Garden Bar and the Champagne Bar (head to one of these if you’ve got a show on level one or two). On F2 there’s Stewart Brewing Bar, which is the only one to pick up local craft beers, and which has a rather lovely view of Arthur’s Seat. There’s also a cloakroom.  What events are o

Tatar Bunar is a very nice place for a meal.   Spindly trees grow out of huge pots and the branches drape over tables. Tall windows are hung with elegant white curtains. A buzzing open kitchen sits at the centre and there’s a little shaded courtyard out the back. But more than that, it’s got a ‘this new restaurant is a big deal’ feel to it, like joining the three-hour queue for Oma for the first time. Waiters are rushed off of their feet (but handling it), and the place is packed. For many excited guests, this is their first time trying Ukrainian food, and amid a Ukrainian food boom in London (Sino, another Ukrainian restaurant, has just opened in Notting Hill) – things feel exciting. Very exciting.  Tartare comes with elderberry capers, pickled cucumbers, and my new favourite discovery, sprats mayo The clientele is, expectedly, a bit posh – we’re in Shoreditch after all, and at a restaurant everybody is talking about – but prices here are genuinely reasonable, the food rich and decadent, and the portions generous. We sit up at the bar facing the kitchen, where watch chefs sear meat on the grill and drizzle oil over starters. They are performing a rather serious operation here; the arrival of food is rapid, and you get the feeling waiters have you on a two-hour timer, ready to slap down the bill and greet the next customer. But like I said, it’s exciting. My first starter is pickled cherry tomatoes on a bed of lemon yoghurt, and pretty much a mandatory order, noted as Tatar B

What’s the vibe? Pizza maker Stefano Callegari took Rome by storm in 2009 when he invented the trapizzino from his tiny pizza joint in Testaccio. Almost a decade and a major refit later, the expanded shop now focuses almost solely on these triangular pockets of pizza dough, stuffed with classic recipes – and many more offshoots of the Trapizzino brand have since popped up throughout the city.  What should I order? Trapizzino fillings include oxtail stew, cuttlefish and peas, pork tongue in green sauce, aubergine parmigiana, meatballs in tomato sauce and more. Also on offer are a range of supplì (deep-fried rice balls) and a selection of Italian craft beers.  🍝 Discover more of the best restaurants in Rome🍴 Discover our ultimate guide to eating in Rome

What is it? With its commanding vantage point over Unter den Linden, the Brandenburg Gate provides a spectacular gateway to Berlin and its history. The classical arch was constructed in 1791 to celebrate the city’s status as Prussia’s capital and although initially known as the Friedenstor (Gate of Peace), it has had to survive stormy times. The Quadriga statue on top shows Victory driving a chariot, but fell victim to Napoleon when he conquered Berlin in 1806, holding it hostage in Paris for 12 years; come the 20th century the Quadriga was turned around to face west by the DDR. Victory was repaired after the major celebrations around the Tor when the Wall came down and now finds herself facing Mitte once again. Why is it worth visiting? Any trip to Berlin should start here. It’s a mighty fine bit of architecture alone, but it’s also the gateway to exploring another of Berlin’s greatest jewels: Tiergarten. Your best bet is to rent a bike (download the Lime or Nextbike apps), and make your way from the Gate through Tiergarten, ending at Cafe am Nueun See for an ice-cold, lakeside pint. You can also rent boats here to peacefully glide down the River Spree.  📍 Discover the best attractions in Berlin 🏛️ Our ultimate guide to what to do in Berlin

Choosing the right hotel is pretty important in a place like Deal. I’ll tell you for why: there’s really not an awful lot to do here. Instead, you come to Deal to eat, to drink, to stroll, possibly even get an early night – and I’d argue you should also come simply to stay at The Rose. This boutique hotel feels a bit like you’re staying at your rich, distant aunt’s house (if your aunt were a little eccentric and incredibly stylish). A former pub, there’s just eight rooms in total here, all small (and dare I say shabby chic) but very sweet. Each of them has its own distinct vibe: floral blinds, vintage taps, bright-green cushions against deep red walls. On the chest of drawers you’ll find stacks of vinyl and little bowls of Haribo. In the hallway, you can help yourself to tea and biscuits, or pour yourself a dram of whiskey from a communal decanter. Yes, it’s all a bit Accidentally Wes Anderson. In a good way.  Downstairs is where the magic happens – at The Rose’s restaurant, which is suitably intimate with a fabulous seasonal menu, wine and cocktail list. We had perfect little crab doughnuts, proper skinny, salty chips, butter-soft John Dory and a serious chicken schnitzel with fennel slaw. I pray you get to try the olive oil cake we had to finish: warm and doughy and sprinkled with flaky salt. It’s standardly pricey, but fairly so – starter portions are perhaps a bit small (£11-14), but mains are hefty (£20-30). Whatever you do, make sure you get down to breakfast as early a

What is it? Part waxing joint, part lingerie shop, Strip is a one-stop destination for your nether-region needs. There are six branches in London, but our favourites are probably the dinky Soho outpost with its themed treatment rooms and choice pick of luxury labels, and the Covent Garden branch on Floral Street that shares the space with a hairdresser.  What’s the vibe? For high-quality products, best-of-the-best wax technicians, a cheeky bit of Friends on Netflix on the telly, and minimal pain (we said minimal, but when I visited, my technician Zara worked wizardry, and the wax was almost painless. No guarantees though). There’s a choice of strip wax or hot wax, with a number of different options to choose from, and Brazilians start at £55. The full works (underarm, full arm, full leg, bikini basic, lower back, navel line) starts at £144. Strip also offers laser hair removal services, with frequent sales – we haven’t tried it ourselves, but we’d trust these guys with everything hair-related. 

Reykjavik may be small, but she is mighty – and each of her various neighbourhoods tell a different story. Over in Reykjavik’s quiet, sleepy port end (which feels a bit like reaching the end of the earth, in a good way), is where you’ll find the magnificent Reykjavik Edition, a ridiculously sleek, all-black, towering building at the harbour’s edge. It’s a beauty, with 253 rooms, a bar, restaurant and a spa, and it sits in stark contrast to the many of the rest of the city’s hotels, largely clustered in Reykjavik’s more raucous centre.  This hotel is pretty special – the first five-star hotel to exist here – and it offers beautifully still, sweeping views across the port, dotted with little red buildings. And listen, you’re in Iceland, so why the hell would they not have a hyper-realistic aurora borealis graphic as the backdrop to the lobby bar? Why would a cocktail here be made from anything other than Icelandic gin, banana, mango and dill? Not overly traditional, from its rooms to its lobby the Edition feels fresh, modern and cutting-edge, but with a distinctly Icelandic feel - whichever way they face, every room has a bed that looks out over an enormous window, and each is covered with a multicoloured wool throw by a local designer.  As well as the lobby bar, there’s a rooftop bar, the Roof, on the seventh floor, serving up more crafty cocktails, beers and absolutely perfect snacks (namely, fried chicken and a charcuterie board). This is the Edition’s must-visit feature, de

Looking to live out your The Holiday dreams? Discover the best cosy cottages in the UK, right here We’re finally less than a week away from the Big Day, and Christmas is in full swing in the UK. We’re talking about twinkling lights lining every street. We’re talking mulled wine in a blanket on the sofa. And we’re most certainly talking about watching The Holiday, over and over again.  Well, if you think you’ve exhausted the classic Christmas romcom (and you’d like to be the envy of literally all of your pals) we’ve got some very, very exciting news for you: you can now rent the real-life cottage from film on Airbnb. The movie’s producers visited Honeysuckle Cottage in Holmbury St Mary, Surrey, before they started filming, and immediately picked it as one of the key filming locations (they had been looking for the ‘cutest, smallest, most English cottage’ they could find, obviously).  Photograph: Airbnb Photograph: Airbnb The cottage itself was too far from the London cast and crew, so they meticulously recreated the property for the film, naming it Rosehill Cottage. Much later down the line in 2019, couple Jon and Cressida Bromley bought the cottage for £625,000, but had no idea it was the one from the film. They eventually realised after reading about it in a property magazine, which is lucky, because fans of The Holiday frequently show up at their door to have a look.  Now they’re renting Honeysuckle Cottage out on Airbnb for around £295 a night. The house features low

What makes a neighbourhood cool? For eight years now, Time Out has been answering that exact question. A genuinely exciting roster of restaurants, cafés and bars, irrepressibly colourful nightlife and art scenes, a welcoming and diverse community, a sense that a place is really having a moment – these are the sorts of things that, in our eyes, make somewhere truly cool. Last week Time Out published the 2025 edition of our global ranking of the planet’s coolest neighbourhoods, celebrating places that embody the many different ways a place can be ‘cool’. Two British areas made the cut – one in London and another in Birmingham – but that was only a teaser. Now it’s time to crown the coolest places in the UK. Our hottest ’hoods in Britain were chosen by local Time Out contributors who live, work and eat in them day in, day out. Some of these areas are established hotbeds of creativity, some are where you’ll find the city’s hottest new openings, and others are currently hitting their peak, after years of gradually increasing buzz. Critically, all of the neighbourhoods you’ll find on this list are genuinely great places to be right now.  1. Camberwell, London Photograph: Chris Bethell Camberwell captures all the stuff that makes southeast London the liveliest corner of the capital – the young-at-heart vibe, the independent spirit, the multiculturalism – and crams it all into a green, community-oriented little patch. The jewel in Camberwell’s crown is its food. Church Street is ea

Depois de um Inverno longo (e frio) para muitos de nós, o Verão começa finalmente a espreitar por entre as nuvens. E sabe o que isso significa? Que está na hora de marcar férias. Sim, f-é-r-i-a-s, no plural, se nós tivermos alguma coisa a dizer sobre o assunto. Mas, com a chegada da temporada de reservas, surge a grande questão: para onde vamos? Os destinos mais famosos do mundo continuam no topo das listas de desejos (e por lá vão lá continuar) mas, às vezes, compensa sair da caixa, explorar cidades em países onde nunca esteve ou trocar as férias clássicas por algo diferente. Se quer estar um passo à frente, temos boas notícias: a agência de viagens Expedia revelou as principais tendências para este ano, com base nas estatísticas da sua plataforma. Os dados comparam os hábitos de reserva entre Dezembro de 2024 e Março de 2025 com o mesmo período do ano anterior – e há três destinos que se destacam. Em terceiro lugar está Tbilisi, a capital da Geórgia, com um aumento de 145% graças à sua riqueza cultural, à vida nocturna animada e à variedade de coisas para fazer. Em segundo lugar surge Basileia (com +185%) e no topo está Zurique (+225%), o que significa que a Suíça é oficialmente o país sensação deste Verão. Photograph: Shutterstock A seguir surge Gotemburgo, na Suécia, com um aumento de 135% nas pesquisas. Pode confiar: estivemos lá e entrou directamente para a nossa lista de destinos mais injustamente ignorados da Europa. Mas nada disto nos surpreende – da Islândia à Nor

After what was for many of us a long, cold winter, summer has finally begun to peek through the clouds. And you know what that means? It's time to book a summer holiday. Multiple holidays, if you ask us.  But as travel booking season begins, many of us face the big decision: where on Earth do we go? While the world's most famous destinations are still top of many of our bucket lists, they'll always be there – and sometimes it's worth thinking outside the box, exploring cities in countries you've never traveled to before, or ditching the summer holiday altogether for something a little different.  So if you're looking to get ahead of the curve, we've got good news: travel brand  Expedia has just released this year's travel trends, according to stats from its platform. These stats compare summer holiday booking habits from December 2024-March 2025 to the same period the year before – and three destinations have come out on top. In third place, we've got Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, up 145 percent as travelers get stuck into its culture, nightlife and things to do . Coming in second we've got Basel (up 185 percent) and Zurich (up 225 percent), meaning Switzerland has officially come out on top this year. That's followed by Gothenburg, Sweden , for which searches are up by 135 percent year-on-year. You can trust us on that one  – we visited  Gothenburg ourselves, and it immediately made it to our list of Europe's most underrated destinations . But all of this is  no surprise  – fr

It’s no secret that every Londoner was obsessed with Marseille last summer. We travelled to the Provençal city in our masses, filling Instagram feeds with snaps of galleries, bouillabaisse and the glistening Plages du Prado. And the few of us who didn’t make it down to Marseille were jealous, oh so jealous.  But fear not. If you wasted your precious summer 2024 not visiting Europe’s it-city, we‘ve got good news: Marseille’s coolest restaurant is coming to London.  Tuba is a magnificent dining spot in Les Goudes, right on the water (if you’ve been researching your Marseille holiday, you would’ve seen it already), once a diving centre and now a hotel-restaurant where you can eat seriously good seafood sharing plates right on the rocks overlooking the sea. It’s Time Out’s second-best restaurant in Marseille, and it’s the sort of thing we dream about when the weather in the Big Smoke can’t climb above 11 degrees.  Now for the big news: Tuba chef Sylvain Roucayrol is coming to London, collabing with Jackson Boxer to chef up a seven-course seafood menu at Parisian bistro Henri, using British produce but with the vibes (and flavours) of Marseille. Jackson Boxer is the chef behind our faves Dove, Brunswick House and more, by the way – and one of our hottest chefs in London. Just saying.  The Tuba X Henri menu costs £85 per person, and there are two sittings, at 6.30pm and 8.30pm. The only catch? This is a one night only affair, taking place on Tuesday March 25. To secure your spot, v

At midday tomorrow (July 5, 2024), Barcelona will gain a new landmark, and it will make history. We don’t say that lightly: Time Out Market Barcelona is the largest permanent space dedicated to dining in the city. The upper floor of the Maremagnum will host a gastronomic and cultural market of over 5,000 square metres, bringing together a plethora of culinary offerings – from the best tapas in the city to dishes by Michelin-starred chefs – to make quite literally the best dining experience in the city. Not convinced yet? Here are eight reasons to get yourself to Barcelona as soon as you possibly can.  1. It’s (actually) the best of the best At the Market, we don’t have just one spectacular restaurant. We have 14! And all have been selected by the editorial team at Time Out Barcelona, the same team that has been recommending the best places to eat and drink in the city for the past 16 years. Oh, and each of those restaurants has chosen its top dishes to offer at the market. That’s why our motto is the best of the city under one roof. Get it? It’s the best of the best. Foto: Cinc SentitsCinc Sentits 2. You can choose your own adventure Why should you miss out on a dish by a Michelin-starred chef if your companion fancies sausage and beans? Why should you forgo devouring a good grilled steak after starting with a seafood appetiser? Why can’t you begin with an authentic Mexican taco and continue with a pizza? At the Market, every food combo is possible. Both for what you fancy

  Those facing homelessness are vulnerable all year round, but particularly at Christmas, when the temperature drops and many homeless people face extreme weather conditions. Across the UK, there are a number of ways that we can all support the homeless, whether it's setting up a monthly donation to a charity or offering food, clothing or money to individuals wherever we can. Wherever you are based, here are eight ways you can help this Christmas.  1. Download Streetlink Streetlink is a website and phone app that allows users to alert authorities to someone sleeping rough in England and Wales. Volunteers can help people facing homelessness find a bed for the night, as well as point them to long-term support services. Download the app here. 2. Contact your local council Streetlink is the quickest way to find support for those sleeping rough, but it does not guarantee the person will receive help. You can also contact your local council, which can help locate a bed for those facing homelessness. In some UK areas, SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) has been activated, which means more beds will open up in local shelters.  3. Speak to the homeless Facing homelessness is extremely challenging, and there can be days where they might not communicate with anyone at all. If you are able, you can ask a homeless person what they need, and help them source food, a hot drink, money for shelter or warm clothing. The Big Issue has some helpful tips for reaching out to homeless people

So the festive season has finally arrived, meaning it’s dark at 5pm and we’re all getting Monzo warnings to chill on the spending. But though it doesn’t necessarily feel like it, it’s still technically autumn right now. It’s not actually winter until we reach the Actual Shortest Day of the Year, aka the winter solstice. But that moment is coming up relatively soon, and you know what that means? The days are going to start getting brighter again. Final push, eh? Here’s everything we know. What is the winter solstice? It basically just means the shortest day of the year (and the longest night of the year, obvs). The winter solstice occurs when the Earth turns on its axis, to the point where its poles reach their maximum tilt away from the sun. It happens twice a year – creating the shortest day and the longest day. The actual winter solstice only lasts for a moment, but the name refers to the whole day. When is the shortest day of the year in the UK? The winter solstice usually falls on December 21 to 22. This year, it will fall on Friday December 22. The exact time of the solstice is 3:27am. For some context, you’ll get eight hours and 49 minutes less daylight on that day then what you get on the June solstice.  How do we celebrate the shortest day of the year? There are a whole load of ways people celebrate the winter solstice all over the world. Prehistoric monuments like Stonehenge are aligned with the sunset for the winter solstice, so people often visit them on the day. P

What with all the Christmas cheer, summer seems a long way off right now. But the more organised among us know that this is the time to start getting events booked in. And if you want to avoid having to stay in while your pals all get wrecked, we’d strongly advise getting on those early-bird ticket sales ASAP. And if you don’t know where to start? Reading and Leeds have just announced their line-ups for next year, and they’re looking pretty promising. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 editions of these two banging festivals. RECOMMENDED:Here’s the full Reading and Leeds 2023 line-up and stage timesThe best UK music festivals to book for 2023How to get tickets for Reading and Leeds festival 2024 When are Reading and Leeds Festivals? Both of the three-day events will take place from August 25 to 27 2023. Leeds Festival will be in Bramham Park, while Reading Festival will take place at Richfield Avenue.  Who are the headliners? The headliners for both festivals were announced today on BBC Radio One, with Billie Eilish, Sam Fender, Lewis Capaldi, Foals, the Killers and Imagine Dragons all set to top the bill. Other performers will include Shy FX, Yung Lean, Slowthai and Bicep. Headliners play both festivals on different days throughout the weekend. Reading and Leeds is traditionally a rock festival, but features artists across indie, dance, pop and more. Scots singer Lewis Capaldi tweeted that he expected some backlash from rock music lovers for headlining the fe

So, it’s officially Euro Summer. And if you don’t know what that means, well, we don’t blame you. It’s not entirely clear. But all the Americans are doing it on TikTok (the hashtag alone has nearly 700m views), and ‘Europecore’ is now its own category on Depop (it features cowboy boots, Nike t-shirts and long jean shorts, obviously). Essentially, young Americans travel to unspecified countries in Europe, and post about it on TikTok. And thus their Euro Summer commences. But quickly, Euro Summer turned from a highly-anticipated travel opportunity into hurtling controversy. Americans discovered that ‘Europe’ (exact location still unclear) ain’t all sunshine and roses. And onto our TikTok ‘for you’ pages tumbled a series of American bugbears: Europeans don’t eat vegetables. Europeans charge you for the toilet. European train stations smell bad.  The most controversial of all? That Europeans don’t drink water. Apparently.  But is it true? Do Europeans simply not drink water? And if so, how do they survive? There was only one way to find out. We’ve asked Time Out editors in Barcelona, Madrid and Paris the big question. Do you drink water, or not? @taylorhuntleigh Maybe it’s just me? #europeansummer ♬ Summer - Calvin Harris First thing’s first: Do Europeans drink water? María José Gómez, Time Out Barcelona: ‘Many tourists act as if they don't know that people from Barcelona are actually living beings, but, certainly, we are, so if we don't drink water, we die. ‘T

It’s no secret that pubs are struggling at the moment, especially independent ones. But the one guy you’d think would be fine is ol’ Wetherspoons, with its nearly 900 pubs across the UK and Ireland.  But it looks like even Spoons isn’t thriving in the current climate. The chain has just announced it will be selling another seven of its pubs – bringing the total to 39 this year.  The location of those seven pubs hasn’t been revealed yet. Owner Tim Martin announced in July this year that the chain could be set to lose around £30 million in revenue this year, but it looks like the sales haven’t been as bad as predicted. A spokesperson said trading at the minute is ‘broadly’ in line with its expectations, though it had dipped in October. And if your local does hit the market, don’t fret – the venues are going to stay as Wetherspoons for now, until someone buys them. And if no one does, they’re just going to stay as Wetherspoons, so you can still get your pink gin pitcher and chips ‘n’ gravy fix. Martin said that ’in the absence of further lockdowns or restrictions, the company remains cautiously optimistic about future prospects’.  The list of the 32 venues we do know are up for sale are as follows: Barnsley – Silkstone Inn Beaconsfield – Hope & Champion Bexleyheath – Wrong ‘Un Bournemouth – Christopher Creeke Cheltenham – Bank House Durham – Water House Halifax – Percy Shaw Hanham – Jolly Sailor Harrow – Moon on the Hill Hove – Cliftonville Inn London Battersea – Asparagus Lond

What with the cozzy livs and commuting and all that, city life can get a bit much sometimes. You might find yourself wishing you could throw your phone into the ocean or go live in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Well, it turns out there’s a bit of a market for that – sans phone-throwing – and it’s really catching on.  Unyoked is an Australian company offering city dwellers the chance to hide away in a cabin and immerse themselves in nature for the weekend. It now has cabins in different spots throughout the UK, including Norfolk and Wales, and they’re mostly reachable by a short-ish train journey from London or another major city. We popped down to our cabin in the South Downs National Park after work on a Friday. Simples.  The 20-minute cab ride from the station to the cabin cost an eye-watering £28 each way, something you definitely might want to bear in mind as an extra expense when choosing your spot. Arriving in the dark is vaguely horror movie-esque, but the bright yellow ‘Unyoked’ signs quickly remind you that you’re not quite as in the middle of nowhere as it seems in the dark. I wondered whether we’d be able to spot signs of life from where we were staying (I hoped not), but although you pass a whole house and another Unyoked cabin on the way, once you reach it, you really do feel isolated.  Photograph: Intone Films Photograph: Intone Films Photograph: Intone Films The cabin is cute and shed-like, with a tiny little kitchen, fridge and shower room. You c