Roisin Teeling

Somehow it’s nearly 2027. Between a World Cup summer and Eurovision in Vienna, 2026 has given us plenty to talk about, so it’s only right we send it off properly. We named Melbourne the best city in the world and crowned Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga the coolest neighbourhood on the planet, but now, with only days left in the year, one final question remains. What’s the best place in the world to celebrate New Year’s Eve? Every corner of the world has its own way of welcoming the new year. In Madrid you’ll be cramming 12 grapes into your mouth as the clock strikes, in Rio you’ll be dressed head to toe in white and jumping seven waves, and in Reykjavik the entire city sets off its own fireworks. So whether you’re after a mega-party, a countdown on the beach or a tradition you’ll be talking about all year, these are the best places in the world to ring in 2027. The best places to celebrate New Year, at a glance 🎆 Best for fireworks: Sydney 💃 Best for waltzing into the new year: Vienna 🍇 Best for a lucky tradition: Madrid 🏮 Best for a sky full of lanterns: Chiang Mai 🏖️ Best for a beach countdown: Goa This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Whether you’re a vintage lover, a homeware fanatic or are on the hunt for the perfect gift, London has a shop that’ll loosen even the tightest purse strings. Buying a gift or treating yourself? Our guide to London’s 50 best shops should send you home happily bag-laden. But if you want to tick off a whole list in one go, the city’s shopping centres are where retail therapy gets serious. And they come in every shape.  There are the sprawling Westfields in White City and Stratford, a Soho courtyard stacked with indie brands and good places to eat, a Brutalist icon in Bloomsbury and a shipping container mall in Shoreditch. Even Brent Cross, the UK’s original out-of-town mall, has had a glow-up, marking its 50th birthday this year with 150 new stores. They have all the convenience of the high street, minus the rammed buses, slow-walking tourists and clipboard-wielding chuggers. Here are our favourites, for every type of shopper. RECOMMENDED:The 50 best shops in LondonThe best department stores in LondonThe best vintage shops in LondonThe best markets in London London’s best shoping centres, at a glance Best for after-work browsing: Boxpark Shoreditch Best for central London shopping: The Yards Covent Garden Best for a huge shopping spree: Westfield London Best for wellness: The Whiteley

Earlier this year a certain black-haired pop star declared that ‘the dancefloor is dead’. We can confirm that this is not true. In London, the dance floor is well and truly alive. Yes, there has been all sorts of talk about the demise of the capital’s nightlife, with the loss of legendary clubs like Corsica Studios and G-A-Y. However, when one door closes, a window opens (and in the case of G-A-Y, that window is to the new witch-themed queer hangout Coven). London’s late-night scene is resilient. It will never die, only evolve. And lets not forget that the Big Smoke is still home to some absolute world-leading clubs where you can go for a proper dance. We’re talking smoke, strobe lights and an absolute stomper of a sound system. We promise you, it’s good for the soul. London’s best clubs at a glance: 🎸Best club for live music: Moth Club 🪩Best intimate club: Club Cheek 🏳️‍🌈Best LGBTQ+ club: Coven   ⛓️Best techno club: FOLD  💅Best bougie club: The Box Time Out’s editors and contributors have stacked up years of experience across all kinds of London dancefloors, and we know what separates an average club from a venue which will have you itching to come back week after week. From Sunday day raves at FOLD to secret line-ups at MOT and no-nonsense pop nights at Moth Club, we are home to some absolutely banging nights out in this city. You just need to know where to look. That said, the best thing about going out in London is the sheer variety on offer. You can go to a huge d

It’s that time again. The lights are going up, the first Mariah memes are doing the rounds and someone in the group chat has already floated a Christmas market weekend. Before you know it the big day will be here, so now’s the moment to work out where in the world you want to wake up on the 25th. Christmas looks wildly different depending on where you spend it. In Copenhagen it’s glögg and candlelit windows, in Reykjavik it’s 13 mischievous Yule Lads leaving gifts in children’s shoes, and in Sydney it’s a barbecue on the beach in the sunshine. So whether you’re after a full-blown winter wonderland or a festive break that comes with a tan, we’ve rounded up the very best places to spend Christmas around the world. The best places to go for Christmas, at a glance 🗽 Best for an iconic Christmas: New York City 🦌 Best for meeting the big man himself: Lapland 🏖️ Best for Christmas on the beach: Sydney 🎄 Best for Christmas markets: Nuremberg 🐪 Best for skipping Christmas altogether: Marrakech This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

‘Tis the season for tinsel, ornaments and towering glistening Christmas trees. In true New York fashion, some hotels go bigger than others when it comes to decking out for the holidays. Even if you feel more like Scrooge or the Grinch this holiday season, we have a feeling these hotels and their over-the-top Christmas decor will manage to make you feel merry and bright. N.Y.C. hotels with over the top decorations, at a glance: 🍸 Best for a cozy holiday cocktail: The Beekman 🎄 Best for a classic Christmas display: The Peninsula New York 🎁 Best for over the top festive decor: Lotte New York Palace ➡️ Discover the best hotels in New York City, and our favorite Christmas hotels 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. We have reviewed many of the hotels featured below, but 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. 🛏 Check out the best Airbnbs in Chicago

Whether you’re obsessed with Korean SPF, have tried every product under the sun to get that perfect Hailey Bieber skin glow, or are searching for organic products free of parabens, sulphates and other nasties, London has a beauty shop for you.  Of course, the capital is home to numerous department stores – from Selfridges, to Liberty – with vast beauty halls that any skincare obsessive would die for, but in this list we are focussing on stand-alone brick-and-mortar shops. And there are plenty to get stuck into: the capital is replete with emporiums flogging Medicube sheet masks, small independent shops brewing kelp body scrubs, and glossy flagships selling the latest must-have make up brands.  Here’s our pick of London's best beauty shops. RECOMMENDED: The best facials in London. 

While we’ll never really get tired of the hustle and bustle of the Windy City, it’s nice to take a break once in a while. So, when that feeling strikes, these Airbnb cabins are there for you, only a short distance from Chicago because, you know, homesickness. Perfect for living your cottage-core dream.  Whether you’re searching for secluded rural environs or chic spots near bustling towns and smaller, lesser-known, fantastic cities, we’ve got just the Airbnb for you. Pack some books, bring good company, and prepare to relax in one of these stunning Airbnb cabins near Chicago. The best Airbnb cabins near Chicago, at a glance:  🏖️ Best lakeside splurge: Elyon Hall in Miller Beach 🧖 Best for a spa weekend: The mid-century modern spa near Michigan City 🌲 Best for total isolation: The log cabin retreat in Gurney 💕 Best for a couples’ getaway: The romantic escape in the Dunes 🐾 Best pet-friendly stay: Audrey’s Abode in Jacksonville 🏚️ Best historic cabin: The cozy log cabin on Lake Michigan Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Looking for the best places to stay in the gorgeous coastal city of Santa Barbara? Well, you’re in the right place. Enjoy long, sunny days lazing by a pool in the warmth of the sun’s rays, or out exploring the bustling cultural scene this seaside city has to offer. From unique airstream stays to romantic beachfront getaways and trendy downtown apartments, we’ve got you covered for every kind of vacation. Have a look at our top picks of the best Airbnbs in Santa Barbara and book a Cali vaycay to remember. Updated 2026: We’re back at it again with more fresh finds like a luxury home in Montecito and an elegant old-timey home in Downtown. Santa Barbara’s best Airbnbs, at a glance: 🌳 Best for families or groups: the adobe ranch house in Carpinteria 🏡 Best for beach lovers: the luxury home in Montecito 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best for family reunions: the old-timey home in Downtown 🏄 Best for surfers and swimmers: the shoreline retreat in East Mesa 🌅 Best for sunset views for two: the ocean view bungalow Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

As 2027 approaches, we’re officially closer to 2030 than we are to the first lockdown. Although life has (sort of) gone back to normal, one thing that changed for good during the pandemic was office life. Remember the days before working from home on a Friday? Us neither. While many of us have settled into a hybrid set-up, splitting the week between home and the office, others have cut ties with the workplace completely. Meet the digital nomad: no longer tied to one place, this lucky lot flits from country to country, working totally remotely and blissfully free from the morning commute.  There are downsides to the digital nomad lifestyle, but it’s still easy to see why so many people are packing up and moving across the world. Plenty of destinations are pitching themselves as dreamy remote-working spots, with visas that let you live and work there for up to a year or more. The catch? You’ll usually need to earn above a minimum salary threshold. Here’s are all the countries offering digital nomad visas in 2027, and how you can qualify. Plus, here’s what it’s actually like to be a digital nomad, and how to become one yourself. RECOMMENDED:🌃 The world’s best cities🏘️ The world’s coolest neighbourhoods

It seems the tide might be finally turning when it comes to where – and how – we travel. In some of the world’s most visited cities and destinations, overtourism has become such a pressing issue that travellers are finally starting to look elsewhere, keen to avoid adding to the problem and eager to discover what else the world has to offer. Trends like the ‘quiet-cation’ and the ‘coolcation’ are on the rise, while popular destinations like Japan and Italy continue to come up with ways to redistribute tourism from densely crowded hotspots to lesser-visited regions. If you’re trying to be a more responsible traveller in 2027 – or if you’re simply craving quieter, cheaper alternatives to the overcrowded hotspots – read on. Time Out’s newly updated list of the world’s most underrated travel destinations features empty national parks and tiny time-warp towns; placid jungle stretches and deserted beaches; wild mountain regions and overlooked cities.  Why trust us? Because we’ve been to them all. Every spot on this list was picked by one of our expert editors and globetrotting travel writers, recommended because they offer great (or quiet) alternatives to the classics – and in many cases, because they’re places that are actively seeking tourism. In other words, travelling to any of these 41 destinations is a win-win situation. RECOMMENDED:🏰 The most underrated travel destinations in Europe🚞 13 ways to be a better tourist right now🌎 The countries that actually want travellers rig

Get your talons up to scratch with our guide to the best manicures in London – ranging from cheap and cheerful touch-ups to indulgent treatments, in fancy spas, lush hotels and cosy neighbourhood spots. Whatever you’re after, we’ve filed down the lot to the very best manicures in London. RECOMMENDED: The best spas in London

Palm Springs doesn’t really do subtlety, and that’s exactly why we love it. The skies are blindingly blue, there’s an amazing food culture, the mountains look like a movie backdrop, and the design scene is second to none. It’s the easiest place to reset, whether you’re dodging Los Angeles traffic for the weekend or flying in to catch the winter sun. The local rental market is just as vibrant as the scenery, moving far beyond standard pads to offer everything from retro pool houses to secluded, high-design escapes. To save you the scroll, we’ve curated the best shortlist for the Palm Springs Airbnbs worth booking this season. Updated for 2026: We’ve keep our nose to the ground and discovered a new wellness retreat in Twentynine Palms and a cabin-meets-yurt just outside of Palm Springs. Enjoy! The best Airbnbs in Palm Springs, at a glance:  💆‍♀️ Best for infrared sauna and spa amenities: the wellness retreat 🏊 Best for mid-century architecture: the modernist home near Downtown ❤️ Best for couples: the iconic Sunny Bungalo in Palm Springs 💫 Best for off-grid stargazing: the geodesic dome near Downtown Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb 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 information, see our

What is it? It’s easy to think of Canary Wharf as all suits and skyscrapers, but underneath those glass towers sits one of London’s biggest shopping destinations. There are more than 320 shops and over 80 cafés, bars and restaurants, spread across five connected malls, Cabot Place, Canada Place, Churchill Place, Crossrail Place and Jubilee Place, so you can easily spend a day here without ever needing an umbrella. Cabot Place has the likes of Paul Smith, Hackett, Penhaligon’s and Crockett & Jones alongside Zara and Reiss, while Jubilee Place leans Parisian chic with Maje and Sandro, plus COS, The White Company and Monica Vinader. Canada Place is home to the flagship Waitrose, the biggest jewel in the John Lewis Partnership’s supermarket crown, and Third Space, which bills itself as Europe’s largest health club. Why go? Because it’s a whole day out, not just a shopping trip. Between the shops, the waterside restaurants, the Everyman cinema and the roof garden, there’s plenty to keep you busy long after the office crowd has clocked off. Don’t miss Crossrail Place Roof Garden, a lush, free-to-visit garden sitting on top of the Elizabeth line station under a huge timber lattice roof designed by Foster + Partners. It’s filled with plants from around the world, laid out to nod to the area’s history as a global shipping hub, and there’s a little amphitheatre that hosts free events throughout the year. When to visit Weekday lunchtimes are when the office workers descend, so come at

Posh charity shops are notorious for charging retail prices for vintage cast-offs, but Octavia in Hampstead feels like a rare anomaly to that rule. Because it sits right on the edge of the Heath, the rails are a steady pipeline to the wardrobe clear-outs of wealthy locals. There’s a sense that either someone’s glamorous NW3 grandma had absolutely no idea what she was donating, or an actor’s kid got bored of last season's Free People knits. I once walked out of here with a real Coach bag for 20 quid. Walking past without popping in? Not an option. 

Shopping here is not a casual browse, but a high-stakes endurance sport. While the front of the shop does a decent trade in bric-a-brac and accessories, the real reason to visit All Aboard is the £1 clearance rack in the corner. It is a multi-tiered mountain of fabric where 90 percent is fast-fashion landfill, but the remaining 10 percent is pure gold. Dedicate twenty minutes to the rummage and you could get as lucky as I did, unearthing vintage Diesel, Y2K Gap, and gym gear from brands like Lululemon that someone probably couldn't be bothered to sell on Vinted. It’s a bit out of the way, which might just be why the gems survive. 

Three teenage girls are dancing round their bedroom under flashing rainbow lights, squealing over boys, when everything goes dark and the screaming starts. It’s a jolting opening to a play, and it sets the rhythm for everything that follows in Theresa Ikoko’s Girls. You’re laughing one minute and holding your breath the next. Ikoko’s debut play won the Alfred Fagon Award in 2015, years before she co-wrote the BAFTA-nominated film Rocks. It follows Tisana, Haleema and Ruhab, three best friends taken from their village by militant insurgents. It’s set in Nigeria in 2014, the year Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls. Twelve years on – with around 90 of those girls still believed to be missing – director Ewa Dina brings its first UK revival to the Young Vic’s intimate Maria studio. Captivity doesn’t stop the trio being teenagers. They act out TV shows to pass the time, handing out roses Bachelor-style, collecting awards for best performance in a hostage situation, and playing newsreaders and politicians who sip water and remind us all to vote. It’s so convincing that you sometimes forget where they are, until Elliot Griggs’ lighting snaps to black, Munotida Chinyanga’s sound design floods the room with men’s voices, or the girls jerk to attention at a noise outside, and you’re yanked straight back into the camp with them.  Hannah Akhalu’s Tisana is the dreamer, forever insisting someone will be coming to help. It’s unsettling how often she drifts off to play on her own while the

Kiehl’s started life as an apothecary in New York's East Village back in 1851, and as it heads into its 175th year it has opened its first European flagship across two floors at 43 Carnaby Street. Andy Warhol was a fan and the brand famously sponsored a 1988 expedition up Everest, so it’s earned the right to show off a bit. And show off it does. Start at the Brew Bar, which matches ingredients to your mood and your skin worries, then get a Derma Reader analysis to find out what’s really going on with your face. There’s a photo booth and custom screen printing to play with, and the whole upper floor is a content studio for creators and community events, so keep an eye out for what’s on. Stock up on the cult Ultra Facial Cream or a tub of Crème de Corps, and hang on to your empties, because bringing them back earns you loyalty points. 

What is it? Blink and you’ll walk straight past it. Tucked behind Carnaby Street, Kingly Court is a three-storey courtyard stacked with around 20 restaurants and bars, and it’s one of the easiest ways to feed a group in Soho without anyone sulking. Downstairs, tables spill out into the open-air courtyard, and the floors above are lined with everything from Hakata ramen at Shoryu to Peruvian ceviche and pisco sours at Señor Ceviche. The line-up has had a bit of a shake-up in recent years. Goldies, from the people behind much-loved Blanchette, does French-inspired cooking over a wood grill on the ground floor, while ALTA brings live-fire cooking inspired by Navarra in northern Spain, made with seasonal British produce. Donia serves Filipino sharing plates with a view into the open kitchen, and Imad’s Syrian Kitchen, from chef and refugee Imad Alarnab, is the place for colourful mezze. Old favourites are still going strong too, including Le Bab’s posh kebabs, Pizza Pilgrims and the fiery Chongqing noodles at Liu Xiaomian. Why go? Because it takes the stress out of choosing. Ramen, croquetas, kebabs, cupcakes, a rare whisky to finish. It’s all a few steps apart, and nobody has to compromise. Don’t miss Cahoots, a cocktail bar dressed up as a disused 1940s Tube station, complete with subway tiles, old Underground memorabilia and an actual vintage train carriage inside. If you’d rather something moodier, Two Floors is a sign-free bar inspired by Japanese listening rooms, with DJs a

What is it? Love it or loathe it, you can’t miss it. The Brunswick is Bloomsbury’s great concrete ziggurat, a stepped block of flats stacked above a long, open-air street of shops, cafés and restaurants, a couple of minutes from Russell Square station. It went up between 1967 and 1972 to designs by architect Patrick Hodgkinson and was Grade II listed in 2000. A big refurbishment finished in 2006, and finally gave it the cream paintwork Hodgkinson had wanted all along, a nod to the Georgian terraces around it. These days it’s less about clothes shopping and much more about eating. There’s Greek food at Nostimo, plus Riding House Bloomsbury and Dage Noodles. Pho arrived this year, as did Rise and Fold, a bakery doing Asian-inspired pastries like Japanese salt bread and kimchi focaccia. For something sweet, there’s Gail’s, Amorino gelato and Patisserie Mille, and bubble tea fans are spoilt with Truedan and T4. It’s handy for errands too, with Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Boots all here, plus Tian Tian Market for Asian groceries. Why go? For a cheap(ish) bite before a film, a browse in one of London’s best second-hand bookshops, or just to gawp at one of the city’s most striking bits of 1960s architecture. Don’t miss Curzon Bloomsbury, the arthouse cinema that’s been part of the Brunswick since it was first designed. It was known as the Renoir for years, and one of its screens still carries the name. There are six screens in total, one of which is home to Bertha DocHouse, the UK’s f

What is it? One of London’s first department stores went to sleep for the best part of a decade, and it’s finally woken up. The Whiteley is the grand emporium on Queensway and first opened in 1911, spending its later years as a shopping centre before closing for a top-to-toe restoration. It reopened in stages from late 2025, and it’s a very different beast. The big headline is Six Senses London, the wellness brand’s first UK hotel, which takes up a whole quarter of the building. Its spa also has London’s first hotel magnesium pool. You don’t need to be staying, though, as the ground and lower floors are now home to a handpicked mix of food, fitness and culture. There’s a flagship Everyman cinema, a Third Space gym, Duck & Dry for a blow-dry and 3812 Gallery, which shows contemporary Chinese and Western artists. Grab a coffee and a pastry at Guillam Coffee House, then lose half an hour in the Adventures in Furniture showroom. Why go? It’s one of west London’s great buildings, restored to its former glory, and the best reason in years to spend an afternoon on Queensway. Don’t miss A film at the Everyman. It’s the chain’s largest London site, with five screens across three floors, velvet sofas, two bars and pizzas brought to your seat. Make a night of it with dinner first at Whiteley’s Kitchen, Bar and Café in the Six Senses, which does veg-forward British cooking and cocktails that come with or without alcohol. When to visit Evenings, when the restaurants and cinema are at thei

What is it? When Brent Cross opened in March 1976, plenty of people thought an indoor mall would never catch on in Britain. Fifty years later, the UK’s first big enclosed shopping centre is still going, and north Londoners are as loyal as ever. It’s not trying to be the flashiest mall in town, and that’s part of the appeal. John Lewis, Fenwick and M&S anchor things, with a dependable spread of high street names in between. It’s the kind of place you go when you need a new duvet, a pair of trainers and a birthday present for your mum in one trip, without trekking into the West End. Big changes could be on the way, too. Plans to overhaul the centre, which could add up to 150 shops, 50 restaurants, a cinema and a hotel, were being finalised earlier this year. That's separate from the huge Brent Cross Town development going up next door. Why go? Because it makes shopping easy. Everything’s under one roof, it’s handy for the North Circular, and the parking is free, which is close to unheard of in London. Don’t miss John Lewis, still one of the main reasons people make the trip. It’s ideal for the bigger, more boring purchases, like homeware, tech and kids’ stuff, where you want to see things in person before you buy. If you fancy something a bit more designer, head to Fenwick at the other end of the mall. When to visit Weekday mornings, when the car parks are quiet and you can get round the shops without dodging prams. Avoid Saturday afternoons and the run-up to Christmas unless y

What is it? Directly across the road from St Paul’s Cathedral, One New Change is a glass-clad complex of shops, restaurants and offices designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. It opened in October 2010, and its covered passageways cut right through the block, linking Cheapside with the streets around it. Fashion-wise, you’ll find the likes of Boss, Cos and Hackett, plus Ted’s Grooming Room if you need a trim. Food-wise, Gordon Ramsay has a big presence. Bread Street Kitchen & Bar serves British classics and Ramsay signatures, and Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza is there for something more casual. The Ivy Asia now sits where Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa used to be, there’s a Zizzi, and Urban Greens is a good shout for a quick, healthy lunch. Why go? For the view. The roof terrace looks straight across to the dome of St Paul’s, and it’s free to go up. Don’t miss F1 Arcade on the ground floor, the first official Formula 1 experience venue, where you can race your mates on dozens of motion simulators. There are sharing plates and cocktails too, and it hosts F1 watch parties. When to visit Weekday lunchtimes are busy with City workers, so come at the weekend if you want a calmer wander and more space on the terrace. Time Out tip Head up to the roof terrace for that view, then stay for a drink at Madison, the restaurant and bar up there. Leave the selfie stick at home, as they’re banned on the terrace.

What is it? It’s just across Long Acre from Covent Garden station, but St Martin’s Courtyard feels miles from the street performers and selfie sticks. This pretty, pedestrianised pocket is lined with flower-draped walkways, terraces and smart shops. It’s now the heart of The Yards, a cluster of courtyards and backstreets that also takes in Slingsby Place, Mercer Walk and Neal Street, and it’s one of the nicer ways to do Covent Garden without the crush. The White Company has a store right in the courtyard, Bloom Perfumery on Slingsby Place is great for a sniff around, and Townhouse is on hand if your nails need some love. Round the corner on Long Acre, you’ll find Swarovski, Lululemon, Reiss and Whistles. Food is the real draw these days. Brother Marcus serves Eastern Mediterranean brunch and mezze across two floors, with terraces looking over the courtyard. Lahpet does brilliant Burmese cooking (get the tea leaf salad), and Dalla Terra is a laid-back Italian wine bar with a global list. For sushi, dim sum and curries, there’s Gura Gura. Dishoom sits on the corner with its big queue and Bill’s is still going strong for a dependable all-day plate. Why go? It’s all the highs of Covent Garden, but at a slower pace. It’s ideal for a long lunch between shops, a boozy brunch, or a pre-theatre bite that doesn’t involve fighting through the Piazza. Don’t miss Oriole on Slingsby Place, a speakeasy-style bar and restaurant across two floors with live jazz, Latin flavours and very good c

What is it? Billed as a ‘city within a city’ when it opened in September 2011, Westfield Stratford City was the £1.45 billion gateway to the London 2012 Olympics, and it’s still one of the biggest shopping centres in the country. It sits right next to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and is home to more than 300 brands, anchored by John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose. But it’s not just about the shops. There are more than 80 places to eat and drink, a 20-screen Vue cinema, the UK’s biggest All Star Lanes bowling alley, and London’s largest casino, run by Aspers. There are three hotels too, so you could make a weekend of it without ever leaving. Why go? Because it has pretty much everything under one roof, and getting here couldn’t be easier, with Stratford station right on the doorstep. Don’t miss A walk around the Olympic Park next door. After a few hours of shopping, it’s the perfect place to stretch your legs and grab some fresh air, with the London Stadium and the ArcelorMittal Orbit just a short stroll away. When to visit Weekday mornings are your best bet if you want to avoid the crowds. Saturdays get very busy, especially when there’s a big event on at the London Stadium. Time Out tip Don’t drive. Stratford station is one of the best-connected in London, with the Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, plus the Overground and DLR, all stopping right next door.

Quitter son Airbnb va bientôt moins ressembler à une fin de service dans une entreprise de nettoyage. La plateforme de location a décidé d’interdire aux propriétaires d’imposer des corvées de ménage à leurs locataires. Traduction : fini les lits à défaire, la vaisselle à laver et à ranger ou les poubelles à évacuer avant de rendre les clés. À partir du 20 novembre prochain, les hôtes ne pourront plus exiger de leurs visiteurs des tâches « nécessitant des efforts ou un temps considérables, ou qui seraient normalement effectuées par un agent de ménage ». Pas question pour autant de laisser l’appartement sens dessus dessous : déposer sa vaisselle sale dans l’évier, rassembler les serviettes utilisées ou fermer la porte à clé restent des demandes parfaitement autorisées. Et les frais de ménage dans tout ça ? Ils ne disparaissent pas, évidemment. En revanche, les propriétaires ne pourront plus infliger de pénalités ou réclamer un supplément aux voyageurs qui n’auraient pas accompli une corvée. Autre nouveauté : toutes les consignes devront être précisées dès la réservation, et non surgir à la dernière minute, au moment de boucler les valises. En cas de demande abusive, Airbnb préviendra le propriétaire concerné, qui pourra contester la décision. Pour justifier ce changement, la plateforme explique avoir entendu les critiques des utilisateurs, lassés de consignes parfois « confuses, contraignantes et difficiles à gérer ». Une petite victoire pour les voyageurs, nettement moins appr

Medellín has turned old prisons into libraries, and Comuna 13, a hillside neighbourhood once marked by conflict, is now one of South America’s best-loved street art spots, with much of the art created by local artists. Now the Colombian city is getting the ultimate bookish title, as it becomes UNESCO’s World Book Capital for 2027. It will take over from Morocco’s capital Rabat, this year’s World Book Capital, on April 23 2027, which also happens to be World Book and Copyright Day. It’s the 27th city to hold the title since the scheme started in 2001, and the second in Colombia, after Bogotá in 2007. Colombia’s second-largest city is home to more than 110 bookshops and 25 libraries, with some in buildings that used to be prisons and police stations. The number of bookshops in Medellín has also shot up by 542 percent over the past seven decades, and the city now tops Colombia’s national reading index. Photograph: Wirestock Creators / ShutterstockOld book store in the middle of Medellin UNESCO’s director-general, Khaled El-Enany, said books and libraries had played a crucial role in bringing positive change to the city, which was once badly affected by conflict, and called the designation ‘a powerful message on how culture can build peace and social cohesion’. Over the course of the year, Medellín will host a programme of events designed to celebrate reading, writing and storytelling, although the full line-up is yet to be announced. Medellín is on our radar for 2027 travel. I

Sir Paul Smith might be Beeston’s most famous export, but these days the town just outside Nottingham is making a name for itself all on its own. It’s just been named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK, coming in at number eight on Time Out’s 2026 list. Time Out asked its regional contributors, who know their cities inside out, to pick the coolest places in Britain right now, from neighbourhoods with booming food scenes and thriving indie businesses to those with a real sense of community. Glasgow’s Govanhill topped the list, followed by Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter and London’s Newington Green, with Beeston landing just behind Heaton in Newcastle. So why Beeston? As explained by local expert Eve Smallman, the place is best known as the birthplace of fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, but these days it’s the new openings that are getting people talking. Photograph: Anna Rose HeatonThe Garage Chilwell, Beeston Food is a big part of that. Breakfast is sorted at The Pudding Pantry, with loaded pancakes or a full fry-up, followed by a caffeine hit at Greenhood Coffee. For lunch, Doughter does focaccia piled high with veg. Essen General Store is great for deli bites and pantry goods, and Tiramisu and Co has you covered for something sweet. Later on, head to Marcello’s Fresh Pasta Kitchen for homemade fresh egg pasta, from creamy rigatoni alla vodka to spicy nduja-laced mafaldine, served until 1am. Even better, you order it through a phone box that’s been turned into a ‘pas

水玉模様やカボチャ、鏡を使った作品で世界的に知られるアーティストの草間彌生が97歳で死去した。草間のスタジオは、2026年8月14日に都内の病院で亡くなったことを発表した。 70年にわたる活動を通じて、草間は世界で最も影響力があり、多くの人々に愛されるアーティストの一人となった。没入型の「インフィニティ・ミラー・ルーム」には世界中から数十万人が訪れ、身近な存在だったカボチャは、現代アートを象徴するモチーフの一つとなっている。 草間の作品は現在もギャラリーや展覧会で紹介されており、常設展示されているものもある。ここでは、日本国内で現在見ることができる草間の代表作と、その展示場所を紹介する。 1. TOKYO ATLAS 東京都 Photo: Kisa Toyoshima『ヤヨイちゃん』『宇宙へ行って見た愛の花束』 東京臨海部を中心に2026年12月20日（日）まで開催されている国際美術展「TOKYO ATLAS」。会場の一つである「台場公園」では、草間彌生の『ナルシスの庭』が展示されている。 草間の作品は、「テレコムセンタービル」のアトリウムでも鑑賞できる。『ヤヨイちゃん』と日本初公開となる『宇宙へ行って見た愛の花束』の2つのバルーン作品が、世界で初めて組み合わせて展示される貴重な機会である。 2. 「草間彌生美術館」東京都   © YAYOI KUSAMA草間彌生『無限なる天国への憧れ』（2020年） 新宿にある「草間彌生美術館」は、草間の作品を紹介する5階建ての美術館として2017年に開館。年2回の企画展を開催している。 ただし、入館には事前の計画が必要だ。チケットは2カ月前の月初に発売され、数分で売り切れることも珍しくない。入館は90分の時間指定制で、美術館の窓口ではチケットを販売していないため、訪れる際は公式ウェブサイトであらかじめチケットを確保しておきたい。 3. 『南瓜』香川県・直島 Photograph: Akio Miki JP / Shutterstock‘Pumpkin’ by Yayoi Kusama, Naoshima Island in Kagawa Prefecture in Japan 草間の作品の中でも特に写真に撮られてきた作品の一つが、香川県・直島の海辺にある黄色と黒の水玉模様の『南瓜』だ。1994年から桟橋の先に置かれていたが、2021年に台風で海へ流され、大きく損傷。その後、2022年に忠実に再現された新たな作品が設置され、今後の荒天に備えて補強も施された。 さらに、フェリーが発着する宮浦港には『赤かぼちゃ』もある。2006年に登場した高さ4メートルの作品で、水玉模様の中に開けられた入口から内部に入ることができる。夜になると内部が光り、島を訪れる人を最初に迎え、帰りには最後に見送る存在だ。 4. 「松本市美術館」長野県 Photograph: 365 Focus Photography / ShutterstockMatsumoto City Museum of Art 1929年に長野県松本市で生まれた草間。「松本市美術館」には、作品が常設コレクションとして収蔵されている。美術館の外では、2002年に制作された巨大な彫刻『The Visionary Flowers（幻の華）』が来館者を迎える。館内に入ってからもその世界観は続き、自動販売機やベンチ、トイレまで水玉模様で彩られている。 運が良ければ、松本駅と美術館の間を走る水玉模様のバス「水玉乱舞号」に出合えることも。草間の作品や

A lot of us count ourselves lucky if we bag an aisle seat when we check in for a flight. But, if you’ve got deep enough pockets, flying can mean a double bed, a hot shower or even your own three-room apartment, and a new ranking has just named the most extravagant of them all. The list comes from travel advisory company AirAdvisor, which scored airline perks out of 100 across five categories, namely extravagance, rarity, privacy and exclusivity, how hard they are to get hold of, and how far they go beyond a standard seat. It left out private jets, discontinued products and anything not yet available to the public, as well as the usual business class staples like lounge access, amenity kits and lie-flat beds, and capped it at two entries per airline. RECOMMENDED: This is officially the world’s best city for public transport Taking the top spot with a near-perfect score of 98 is Etihad Airways’ The Residence, which is very close to a private apartment on board an Airbus A380. Up to two passengers get three separate rooms, including a living room, a bedroom with a double bed and an ensuite shower. The pampering starts before you even leave the house with home or hotel check-in, chauffeur transfers and a personal welcome at the airport. AirAdvisor said it scored almost full marks for luxury, rarity, privacy and how far it goes beyond a regular airline seat. Photograph: Azuma Furqani / ShutterstockEtihad Airways, Airbus A330 In second place, with 91 points, is the Emirates A380

Londoners who like their martinis cheap and their pool tables velvet are about to lose a local. All My Gods, the rock’n’roll dive bar on Paradise Row in Bethnal Green, is closing after just over a year. The bar announced the news on Instagram, thanking everyone who had partied into the early hours and shared a pickleback with them. ‘Maybe the real gods were the friends we made along the way,’ the post read. ‘We’ve had a really rad time.’ All My Gods opened in summer 2025 from burlesque artist, painter and tattooist Roxy Velvet and the team behind Soho’s (now closed) Dram as a tribute to London’s late great dive bars like the Crobar. It quickly became known for its quirks, from a vending machine stocked with BuzzBallz and White Claw to £8 martinis poured from a machine nicknamed the ‘Martininator’. There was also a black velvet pool table, a soundtrack heavy on Black Sabbath, a tapestry of a man mid-puke and what Time Out called London’s cheapest glass of Ruinart, at £13 a flute. The bar’s last night is Saturday October 31, and it’s going out with a Halloween party, so dig out your best costume and head down to Paradise Row for one last round. The team hasn’t said why it’s closing, but the space won’t be empty for long. The bar’s general manager, Bréagha Wolfgang, is taking over the site with a new team, and it will reopen as The Third House Collective. This is officially the best pizza in London right now, according to Time Out. Plus: here are 6 unique film festivals coming

Liverpool already has the Cavern Club, Penny Lane and Strawberry Field, but Beatles fans are about to get something bigger. A vast new Beatles attraction is opening in the city in 2028, and Paul McCartney has called the plans ‘extraordinary’. The Beatles Story, which opened at the Royal Albert Dock in 1990, is moving to a 100,000 square foot site in St Johns Shopping Centre, right opposite Lime Street station. That’s more than four times the size of its current home. For the first time the museum will be run by Apple Corps, the company the Beatles founded in 1968, making it the band’s first official fan experience in their home city. Expect to spend a good few hours there. The museum will take visitors from the streets of post-war Liverpool through the band’s early days in Hamburg and the madness of Beatlemania, using immersive tech, original artefacts and reconstructed sets. You’ll be able to step inside some of the most famous places in Beatles history, including the Cavern, Abbey Road, Shea Stadium and Savile Row, and some of the sets and props will come from Sam Mendes’ four-part Beatles film project, which hits cinemas in April 2028. That’s not all. Liverpool’s second-tallest building, the St Johns Beacon, is getting a ‘Yellow Submarine’-themed viewing experience with 360-degree views across the city. It’ll run as a separate attraction, but you’ll be able to book both together. Every ticket sold will also go towards the Apple Corps Liverpool Trust, which will support up-

Strolling down the middle of Oxford Street without dodging a single bus might take some getting used to. As of Monday (October 26), almost a kilometre of the street, from Orchard Street near Selfridges to Great Portland Street just east of Oxford Circus, is officially traffic-free. The street has had a makeover to mark the occasion. Its new ‘For Everyone’ identity, created by global creative company Koto with the Oxford Street Development Corporation, is popping up all over the street from today. The big idea is the word ‘for’, which now sits at the centre of the Oxford Street wordmark. It’s meant to show that the street serves all sorts of people and purposes, or in Koto’s words, ‘for shopping and stopping’. There’s new London Sans and London Serif typography mixing old and new, plus a green colour palette that nods to plans for a greener street with more room to walk, meet and hang out.   Roisin TeelingFirst look at Oxford Street in first phase of pedestrianisation Koto founder and CEO James Greenfield said the challenge went beyond tackling traffic, asking instead what the country’s most famous shopping street should become. The studio built the identity around the street’s ability to keep changing, so it can evolve as Oxford Street goes through what he called perhaps the biggest transformation in its history. What has changed on Oxford Street? The traffic-free stretch is now closed to cars, buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, bikes, scooters and pedicabs, around the cl

London’s sauna obsession shows no sign of cooling off. Plans have been submitted for a new community sauna in Crystal Palace Park, and if they get the green light, it could welcome up to 200 people a day, the Standard reported. The project is a joint bid from the Crystal Palace Park Trust and Community Sauna Baths, the not-for-profit already behind sites in Camberwell, Hackney Wick, Peckham, Stratford and Walthamstow. Another of its saunas, in Stoke Newington, was approved earlier this month. The plans include four different saunas, one of them with disabled access, alongside plunge pools, showers, changing cubicles, a space for therapies and a counter serving refreshments. It would hold up to 50 people at a time and sit on part of the old caravan park site in the northernmost corner of the park, near the transmitting station tower. If approved, it would be open from 7am to 10pm every day, with a half-day closure once a week for maintenance. Community Sauna Baths usually charges £12 for an hour, or £6 for concessions, and offers free sessions to local health and community groups. In their application, the groups describe the affordable sauna as a ‘community health asset’ that could help people tackle loneliness and isolation. There’s a catch, though. The application is only for five years, with everything designed to be temporary and easy to take down. It also includes a cabin-style office for the park trust, which has to move out of the National Sports Centre ahead of its £1

Watching a total solar eclipse over the Valley of the Kings or seeing up to 40 Viking-style ships sail along the Normandy coast might sound like a fever dream, but both are happening in 2027. They’re just two of the highlights on National Geographic’s Best of the World list for next year, and it’s shaping up to be a big one. Every year, Nat Geo asks its global network of writers, photographers and explorers to pick the places most worth travelling to in the year ahead. This time around there are 25 of them, spread across six continents, and each one has made the cut because something new is happening there in 2027, whether that’s a big opening, a cultural revival or a major anniversary.  It’s a big year for history buffs. Luxor will be plunged into more than six minutes of daytime twilight during a total solar eclipse on August 2. And if that’s not enough, the Winter Palace hotel where Howard Carter announced he’d found Tutankhamun’s tomb reopens in July. Plus, Egypt’s first luxury sleeper train starts rolling between Cairo and Aswan. RECOMMENDED: Time Out’s guide to the most underrated travel destinations for 2027 Normandy is celebrating 1,000 years since William the Conqueror was born with more than a thousand events, and you can even pay your respects at his tomb in Caen, or at least what’s left of him, which is just a thigh bone. Photograph: artem evdokimov / ShutterstockRouen, Normandy, France In Chengdu, it’s 100 years since a farmer fixing a ditch struck jade and unc

Sick of dating apps? Finland reckons it has a better idea to help you find the one. Visit Finland is inviting 16 singles from around the world on a four-day food trip next February, finishing with a blind group dinner date. The trips are fully covered and hosted, with two groups of eight heading to either Helsinki or Tampere, in Finland’s Lakeland region, between February 9 and 19, 2027. There’s a twist, though. You won’t find out which city you’re going to until your place is confirmed. Each trip is packed with food-focused activities before the main event, a group dinner in a surprise location where winners will be joined by local Finnish singles over one of the country’s official tasting menus. In Helsinki, the menu comes from Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy, who has appeared on MasterChef Professionals. In Tampere, which calls itself the sauna capital of the world, it’s Henry Tikkanen of restaurant Gösta, who has represented Finland at the Bocuse d’Or. The idea builds on Finland’s viral Sinkkukori trend, where single shoppers pick up pink baskets in the supermarket to show they’re open to meeting someone. Heli Jimenez, senior director of international marketing at Business Finland, said visitors ‘may find love’ with each other, with Finnish food or with their new favourite travel destination. How to apply for the Finnish Dinner Date To be in with a chance, you need to answer one question. What would you serve on a dinner date, and why? Make a short video in Englis

Checking out of an Airbnb is about to feel a lot less like a shift at a cleaning company. The homestay booking platform has finally banned hosts from requiring guests to do checkout chores – meaning no more stripping the beds, washing and putting away the dishes, or taking the rubbish off site at the end of your stay.  Under the new policy, which comes into force from November 20, hosts can’t ask guests to complete tasks that ‘require significant effort or time, or would typically be performed by a cleaner’. Simpler requests are still fine though, like putting used dishes in the sink or gathering used towels, and locking up at checkout is one of seven standard house rules hosts can still choose from. Cleaning fees aren’t going anywhere, but hosts can’t fine guests or charge them extra for not finishing a checkout task, and any requests have to be listed on the property when you book rather than added afterwards. If a request doesn’t follow the rules, Airbnb says it will flag it to the host, who can appeal. Airbnb says the change follows feedback that house rules can be ‘confusing, onerous and hard to manage’. This is great news for guests, but as you’d imagine, not every host is on board. Hundreds have criticised the move on Airbnb’s community forum, with several threatening to move to other booking platforms or put their prices up. It isn’t the first time Airbnb has taken aim at the chore list. When it scrapped its hidden fees in 2022, it also promised to get rid of ‘unreaso