Amy Houghton

In 2026, the UK’s coastline is more in the spotlight than it has been in a long, long time. The opening of the long-awaited King Charles III Coastal Path means that the entire coasts of England, Wales and Scotland are now fully walkable – giving you even more of a reason to visit this nation’s extraordinary roster of seaside towns. Of course, being an island nation, the UK has no shortage of coastal spots. Prim, proper, picture-postcard-worthy idylls? Check. Remote, blustery retreats from stormy seas?  Yep, plenty of that. Thrill-packed resort spots with something for everyone? Britain has all of the above and much more. If you’re on the hunt for British seaside towns that are worth checking out right now – the ones that should be on your radar specifically in 2026 – that’s what we’re here for. Time Out assembled our UK travel experts to pick out the country’s most exciting seaside, port, harbour and resort towns to visit this year. RECOMMENDED: 🏖️ The best beaches in the UK (and mapped).📍 The best places to visit in Britain in 2026.🇬🇧 The best new things to do in the UK in 2026. Time Out’s best seaside towns, mapped Image: Time Out

Make no mistake, the UK has some of the planet’s finest stretches of coastline. Sure, Britain isn’t always outlined by beaming vast stretches of white à la Caribbean, but there’s extraordinary variety in our coast. Dramatic dunes, towering chalk cliffs and secret coves. Beaches fashioned out of pebbles, shingle and rock pools. Some attached to busy seaside towns, others blissfully remote. That diversity is all part of Britain’s seaside charm. The UK’s coast stretches thousands of miles, within which are around 1,500 beaches. How do you choose which ones are most worth visiting? Well, that’s where Time Out’s recommendations come in. Our latest guide to Britain’s top beaches has something for every kind of beach fanatic: sun-lounging spots in legendary seaside towns, creamy sands on far-off islands, newly-revived destinations, old favourites and much more. Our 2026 guide to the greatest beaches in Britain features 40 coastlines, five of which are new entries. From Cornwall’s world-famous sandy destinations all the way up to Scotland’s West Isles, here’s where to lay down a towel and go for a dip. RECOMMENDED: 🏖️ The best seaside towns in the UK to visit in 2026. 📍 The best places to visit in Britain in 2026. 🇬🇧 The best new things to do in the UK in 2026. The UK’s 20 best beaches, mapped Image: Time OutA map of the UK’s 20 best beaches, according to Time Out

With more than 70 cities across the UK, you’d be a fool if you only ever visited heavyweights like London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Everyone knows how brilliant those cities are, with their cultural offerings and culinary scenes. But we all know how expensive they can be, too – so it’s about time other spots got their flowers.  Every British city has a distinct personality. We have places that are packed with reminders of their medieval history, that are emerging as sporting hotspots, that offer world class nights out and that have bars and restaurants good enough to give London a run for its money.  So, who better to let you in on the UK’s best-kept secrets than Time Out’s editorial staff and expert local travel writers, who hark from all over the nation? From Derby to Dundee, here’s our roundup of the UK’s most underrated city breaks.  What is the cheapest UK city break? Smaller cities on the list, like Sheffield, Wells, Stoke and Dundee, offer more affordable accommodation than their larger counterparts. The sames tends to go when it comes to the price of a pint. Pubgoers in Dundee get to enjoy a cold one for an average £3.96 and in Durham and Sunderland, the average pint is around £4.60.  What is the best UK city to get to by train? If you’re travelling from London, you’re less than two hours on the train from Canterbury, Salisbury, Bristol and Bath – as well as from Sheffield and Stoke, if you can get a speedy service. Fast trains from London also regularly service Leed

Whether you’re in one of the UK’s diverse, underrated cities, our picture-perfect seaside towns or anywhere in between, there’s always a museum to educate, explain, enlighten. Far from just places to hide from grim weather, Britain’s greatest museums tell stories, explore histories and get you fascinated by stuff you’d never previously spared a thought for. Here at Time Out, we are, obviously, huge museum nerds. You’ll find countless of the cultural institutions peppered throughout our UK city guides, whether that’s a mighty, storeyed national behemoth or an adorably niche local exhibition space. Even better, plenty of those museums are totally free to visit (and they remain so, despite suggestions of change). But which British museums are most essential to visit this year? Which ones are having a moment, basking in a refurb, putting on the most tantalising exhibitions? We’ve rounded up the most unmissable, all chosen by Time Out UK editors who’ve recently visited them. Before we get stuck in, a quick note. The vast majority of the list below is outside London, and that’s intentional. If you’re looking for stuff in the capital, we have an excellent guide to the city’s museums here. We’ve also steered clear of conventional art galleries – watch out for a dedicated upcoming guide. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The UK’s top places to visit in 2026.🎨 The UK’s best new things to do in 2026.🎵 The best music festivals in the UK. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by writers who k

July is the month where London really lets its collective hair down and has some fun. It’s just too hot to stay cooped up indoors so everyone descends on lidos en masse, or assembles in fun-seeking hordes at rooftop bars, beer gardens and alfresco restaurants. We can already taste the sweet, sweet golden hour spritzes. And as ever, this year's July line-up of massive festivals and other prospects that are exciting enough tempt you away from yet another tinny in the park. Some massive music names are descending on central London for BST Hyde Park, ravers will be heading west for Junction 2, electronic music artists from around the world are playing Labyrinth by the Thames. Or, if you like your outdoor entertainment to be deeply weird and feline-inspired, spring for the long-awaited revival of Cats at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.  Other London music festivals are popping off throughout the month, and it’s also a chance to take in the city’s lavender and sunflower fields, which are going to be at their blooming loveliest. Here’s our guide to the best exhibitions, shows and things to do this July 2026 in London.  RECOMMENDED: The definitive London events calendar

Summer’s on its way, and that means only one thing for footie fans: another hotly anticipated FIFA World Cup and all the thrills, spills, soaring highs and beer-soaked disappointments it brings.  This year, 16 stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the United States will host this epic tournament, which plays out from Thursday June 11 - Sunday July 19 2026. And of course, Engand fans will be glued to the screen, praying that it'll finally come home this summer. In 2022, England once again failed to end its ‘58 years of hurt’, crashing out of the tournament at the quarterfinals after being defeated by France. Could things be better this time round? Getting to the final of the Euros two years ago will give fans hopes a boost, with the bookies’ odds hovering around 6/1. Practically every pub and bar in London will be getting in on the action and vying for your attendance during the World Cup’s biggest games. However, we’ve whittled it down to the places that offer the best atmosphere and the best view of the screen, wherever you station yourself. Last year, England's manager Thomas Tuchel complained that fans were too ‘silent’: fingers crossed this summer's celebrations will prove him wrong.  RECOMMENDED: The best football pubs in London. When are the England World Cup matches? At the moment we only know the dates for England’s first three group stage matches. The Three Lions’ first fixture of the tournament is on Wednesday June 17 at 9pm BST against Crotia. Then, they’ll take on Gh

What makes a hotel ‘cool’? Well, a lot of it is entirely subjective, of course. But there are a few things we look out for in a cool hotel here at Time Out. Perhaps it’s design-led and perfectly aesthetic, or it’s situated in one of its city’s coolest neighbourhoods. It might have a hotel bar we actually want to spend time in, a proper sustainability focus, or a food and drink offering that’s second-to-none.  But sometimes, it’s just a vibe. A hotel that you love as soon as you walk in the door. A hotel where the staff feel like your best friends. A hotel that makes you feel like you’re ready to pack up and move to this brand-new city for good. Are you catching our drift? A hotel can be cool just because it was. So if you’re after a bit of inspo, these are some very cool hotels our writers and editors have stayed at recently, in some of our favourite cities ever. From Copenhagen to Berlin, here are the coolest hotels in Europe right now.  ➡️ Check out our ultimate guide to Europe’s best hotels Ella Doyle is Time Out’s Europe editor. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by experts across Europe. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

When someone utters the word ‘Wimbledon’, we’d bet big money that the first thing you think of is tennis. Normally a quieter part of town, SW19 erupts with energy every summer when it hosts the mighty Wimbledon Tennis Championships (one of the oldest and most prestigious sports tournaments in the world), with thousands of people queuing for tickets from four in the morning, roaming around in their all-white fits and guzzling down plastic cups of Pimms. When the crowds disperse, Wimbledon is once again demoted to simply being somewhere very, very far away from the rest of London.  🏘️ Ultimate guide to where to stay in London But we’re here to assure you that Wimbledon is actually worth the trek year-round, and it has loads more going for it beyond racket sports. There’s the homely pubs, the locally loved restaurants, the underrated theatres and the lush green plains. Yes, it feels a world away from the cool hordes of Hackney and the hectic hubbub of Camden, but when you need a little breather from the city without actually leaving the city, there are few places better. Go on – venture to the end of the District line and discover the best of what Wimbledon has to offer.  RECOMMENDED 🍽️ The best restaurants in Wimbledon🍺 The best bars and pubs in Wimbledon⬅️ The best things to do in west London📍 All of Time Out London’s area guides

London summer has officially kicked into gear. And that means that the Wimbledon Tennis Championships – aka the oldest, and arguably the very best, tennis tournament in the world – is back very, very soon.  This year the tournament is happening from Monday June 29 - Sunday July 12 2026. Thousands will be descending on SW19 to see the matches go down in real life but live screenings will be peppered all over London for thousands more who missed the ticket ballot or can’t be bothered to queue in the hopes of getting in day of.  With a jug of Pimms in one hand and a punnet of strawberries in the other, you’ll hardly know the difference. Even better – most watch parties won’t cost you a single penny. So, pack your picnic blanket, fill your flask and pull up a pew at a summery screening near you. RECOMMENDED: Our full guide to Wimbledon 2026.

Whether you’ve been to Oxford or not, you know of its reputation. It’s well documented that this small city has got some of the most beautiful colleges, museums and pubs on the planet – and that’s normally what lures folk there in the first place. But in between all of the spires, majestic frontages and ancient cobbled lanes, there’s a cool contemporary edge to discover, too.  Go beyond college tours and river punting (though they’re absolutely worth doing) and you’ll find modern art, multicultural dining, boundary-pushing theatre and gigs from genuinely exciting up-and-comers. Of course, stops by the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers, two of the UK’s greatest museums, are non-negotiable. Honestly, even in the depths of winter, you can do more in a day in this compact than you could in a week elsewhere. Whether you’re visiting for 24 hours or two weeks, here’s how to make the most of Oxford 🍴 Hungry? Here are our favourite restaurants in Oxford How should I spend a day in Oxford? There are as many potential days out in Oxford as there are stars in the known universe. But if we had to curate the perfect 24 hours, we’d start with coffee and brunch at Green Routes before exploring the shops down nearby Cowley Road as we slowly make our way to the city centre to visit the Ashmolean. We’d have lunch on the museum’s rooftop then spend the afternoon perusing the Covered Market and admiring the spires of the university. End it with a drink at The King’s Arms, where countless illustrious th

As much as we at Time Out all love London, from its restaurants and boozers to its theatre, art and museums, sometimes it’s nice to get out of the city for a bit. And while, sure, you could limit that city-escape to a swift day trip (find all the inspo you need for that here), there are also plenty of options for a longer getaway. The UK’s capital city is, naturally, extraordinarily well-connected to the rest of the country. Whether it’s a happening city like Glasgow, Bristol or Manchester or a rural idyll like the Cotswolds, Peak District or Lake District, very few places are more than a few hours’ travel away. And Time Out has definitive travel guides for all those places. From restaurants in Edinburgh to Stratford-upon-Avon’s RSC programme, we’ve got you covered wherever you pick for your weekend jaunt.  This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here. Best weekend trips at a glance 🎭 Best for theatre lovers: Stratford-Upon-Avon ⛪ Best for history buffs: Cambridge 🛁 Best for literature fans : Bath 🐴 Best for hikers: Scottish Highlands 🏖️ Best for seaside fun: Cornwall RECOMMENDED: 🇬🇧 The best places to visit in the UK in 2026.📍 The best new things to do in Britain in 2026.🌊 The best seaside towns in the UK in 2026.🎤 The best music festivals in the UK to book for 2026..

May truly is one of London’s finest months if you ask us. Not only is the city pleasantly warm and bursting with colourful spring blooms, but everyone is giddy with the possibilities of the coming summer. And most excitingly of all, there are not one, but two bank holidays on which to embark on inaugural rooftop bar excursion of the summer, rock out at one of the year’s first music festivals, lounge about in your favourite park, check out all those must-see exhibitions you’ve been meaning to catch or escape the city on a day trip or mini-break. And if that isn’t enough to keep you entertained, here’s our guide to the best events, parties, pop-ups and things to do in May 2026 in London. You’re in for one sweet, sweet month. London’s best things to do in May at a glance: 🪩 Best for party people: GALA Festival 🍝 Best for foodies: SicilyFEST 🌷 Best for botanists: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 🎨 Best for a culture fix: V&A East 🎶 Best for pop music stans: Mighty Hoopla  🎭 Best for theatre-goers: 1536 on the West End 🧒🏻 Best for families: Jurassic Creatures at the Natural History Museum

Peckham’s finest will be out in full force at a free festival on bank holiday Monday. The second annual On the Rye festival will take over the south London park with non-stop sets spanning lovers rock, soulful house, Afro-Cuban rhythms and more from the likes of the Handson Family, Buena Vista Social Club, Donut, Rebel Clash, Carroll Thompson, Born n Bread and Marcia Carr. Local vendors will line the green selling street food, drinks and artisan crafts and there’ll be loads of family-friendly goings on from a bouncy castles and face-painting to a kids’ festival rave and chess classes with local club Say It With Your Chess. 

A star-studded roster of London’s funniest people will be taking to the roof of the Bill Murray Comedy Club for the annual Angel Comedy Street Party on sunday. So far, the lineup features Barry Ferns, Paddy Young (of Saturday Night Live UK), Spencer Jones and star of Time Out’s Love Thy Neighbourhood podcast Helen Bauer. The day will be rounded off with special musical chaos from Chloe Petts alongside duo Flo & Joan. We don’t know exactly what that chaos will involve, but we do know that the trio have been dubbed themselves The Spooky Richards. Tickets are free of charge but donations are encouraged. All the money collected will go towards Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, which helps people seeking sanctuary, providing English classes, expert advice, and a welcoming community. 

London Rivers Week has been committed to celebrating and restoring London’s rivers for 10 years now. In that decade, the need to appreciate our city’s waterways has only grown. The theme of the charity event this year is ‘Know Your Local River’, encouraging Londoners to connect with and take pride in the river nearest to them. To help you do that, there’ll be guided walks, exhibitions, volunteer sessions, lectures, workshops, clean-ups and talks going on in every corner of the capital. See the full programme here. 

Large, blocky and wrapped in sage green, 1 Hotel Copenhagen is, frankly, unimpressive from the street outside. But any doubts about the place evaporate the moment you push through its revolving doors. Within seconds, the divinely soft scent of pine that ripples through the building has you sighing into a state of bliss. Straight ahead is a cascading set of wooden stairs that look like a flora adorned version of the Met steps, beckoning you up to the palatial, plant-filled atrium and lobby above.  Hotel 1 Copenhagen flung its doors open in August 2025 and is the brand’s second European outpost (after London). The place fits the city like a glove – it’s hard to imagine somewhere better suited to 1 Hotel's simple glamour, laid-back luxury and eco-conscious ethos than the Danish capital.  What are the rooms like at 1 Hotel Copenhagen?  All of the 282 rooms at 1 Hotel are all appropriately Scandi – bright, airy and done out in soft, organic tones. We’re set up in the Junior Suite, which was soaked with natural light and filled with plush cream, reclaimed wood and canvas furnishings. Wherever there’s space for a plant, there is one – on every coffee table, peaking out of  the middle of the sofa or perched next to the bathroom sink.  A lot of thought has gone into making the rooms ultra sustainable, and encouraging the guests to live mindfully. There’s a sand-timer opposite the rainfall shower that keeps you conscious of how much water you’re consuming (in a gentle, non-pass-agg way

Bar Flor is laden with loveliness. You’d expect little else from Aaron Potter and Laura Hart, the chef and interior stylist duo who gave us the ever-so-elegant Wildflowers. One floor above that restaurant is Bar Flor, which comes complete with whimsically hand-painted walls, reminiscent of the interiors of Charleston House, pale wood finishes, cosy velvet-clad pews and gentle, romantic light.  Bar Flor bills itself as a more playful, more spontaneous sister (the Type-B sibling, if you will) to the pristine Type-A restaurant below. The menu is Basque-country inspired – a copious lineup of European wines, vermouths and sherries alongside lager, Basque ciders and cocktails, complemented by a snappy selection of pintxos.  I was pulled towards the cocktails, which range from the house Adonis, made up of Cocchi Torino vermouth, Manzanilla sherry and a dash of orange bitters, to the luxuriously smoky Flor Margarita. Plates of dangerously moreish bar snacks filled the table throughout the evening, arranged on pretty floral plates that look like they’ve been pulled from a Spanish abuela’s kitchen cupboards. Dishes change on a weekly basis, but standouts on the night we visited included the delicate triangles of cave-aged manchego doused in honey, as well as shudderingly salty, briny gildas and (the showstopper) a fried calamari sandwich with garlic aioli oozing over the edges of the crusty bun.  Order this I couldn’t keep my hands off Bar Flor’s Peschiole Martini – a sugary, tangy co

Cameron House is nearly every Scottish stereotype wrapped up in a pristine package.  As we glide down its long drive, the enormous Loch Lomond stretches to the left while baronial towers stand proud to the right, and when we step through its grand front doors, golfers hang about the lobby and bespoke tartan pops up everywhere from the staff uniform to headboards. See? Scottish as hell. Spanning 400-acres, the hotel's high-end touches and abundance of facilities might seem intimidating at first. But, in true Scot fashion, as vast and luxurious as it is, Cameron House somehow still feels homely and down to earth.  Why stay at Cameron House? The bonny vistas over Scotland’s largest loch and the Trossachs National Park are enough reason to stay at Cameron House on their own. But add to that its grand architecture, its endless grounds, its impeccable dining, its proximity to Glasgow, and a night here becomes near irresistible. And if big names mean anything to you, you may be interested to know that it has earned nods of approval from the likes of Barack Obama, Sir Alex Ferguson, Leonardo Dicaprio, Cameron Diaz and Robbie Williams.  It has a compelling history, too. The site was originally home to a castle in the 14th century, which was remodelled in the 17th century. Then, for three centuries, it was home to esteemed Scottish family the Smollets (owner and famous novelist Tobias Smollett famously wrote ‘I have seen Lake Garda, Albana, de Visco, Bolsetta and Geneva. Upon my honour

What is it?  Brockwell Park is a much-needed slab of green (84 acres) just south of Brixton. Locals from the surrounding areas flock here in summer to sun-worship (if they’re lucky), fly kites, play football, swim in the outside pool, garden in the community greenhouses and parade a stunning array of dogs. The vast space was once the private grounds of Brockwell Hall and was opened to the public in 1891 by the London County Council. The hall still stands today and is one of several grade II listed buildings dotted about the park, including the emerald green Tritton Tower Clock, which was gifted to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.  Why go?  It's big, diverse and interesting, with numerous areas to appeal to different tastes, from the calm, rolling meadows around Tulse Hill and walled ‘Old English’ flower garden to the BMX track and sloped football pitches by the Dulwich Road. The playground in Brockwell Park is a favourite, with its aerial slide, massive sandpit and sections for different age groups; nearby you’ll find duck ponds and a huge paddling pool. There’s also a lovely little minature railway open at the weekends May to October, weather permitting – it’s not particularly massive but it’s been just £1 for a return for years now. Don’t miss:  Regular events at the park include circuses and a busy schedule of summer concerts and festivals including Wide Awake, Mighty Hoopla, Field Day and Cross the Tracks. But one of the most beloved annual events is the Lam

Afternoon tea is a classic Mother’s Day activity, so you can’t go wrong with this offering from Biscuiteers, available at both its Notting Hill and Belgravia cafés for a month from March 8. The spread will include Biscuiteers’ signature hand-iced biscuits, Tregothnan tea, plus the mini sandwiches (with fillings like cheese and fig, ham and truffle and smoked salmon and cream cheese), patisserie (think coconut and mango mousse cake and strawberry and champagne macarons) and freshly baked scones crucial to any good afternoon tea. If you’re willing to spend a little extra on mumsie, you can add a glass of bubbly or a DIY biscuit icing session. There’s also a complimentary (undisclosed) gift included for the woman of the hour.

After a year out, Dialled In is returning to the capital city for its fifth birthday celebrations. Once again, the all-dayer will bring established and emerging artists from all over diasporic and South Asian countries and cities to east London. Unlike past editions, this year’s event will take over multiple venues throughout Dalson, from Café OTO to The Divine to Rio Cinema. It’ll see former member of The xx, Baria, make her first return to the London festival circuit in fifteen years, a rare London live set from rising star Gayathri Krishnan and the London debut of Lifafa, frontman of Peter Cat Recording Co. That’s alongside appearances from the likes of Sarathy Korwar, Mya Mehm, Anish Kumar and Raf Reza. This year will also see the festival expand into the realms of food, film, dance and comedy. 

Gather your brood and join Hackney’s ceilidh band Cut A Shine for its afternoon of family friendly St Patrick’s barn dancing. The bandmembers will teach you and the little’uns all of the crucial ceili moves and ensure that everyone is kept fueled with traditional Irish stew and champ (vegan option available). Things will round off at 3.30pm with a disco where the kids can show off all their newly-learned Celtic choreography. Oh, and there’s a fully stocked bar of Guinness and whiskey for the grown ups. 

Prepare to have your senses thrown into chaos. Anish Kapoor’s first major UK exhibition in the UK took place at the Southbank Centre’s Hayward Gallery in 1998. Nearly 30 years later, the internationally acclaimed sculptor’s work is coming back to the gallery for his largest UK show to date. The exhibition displays recent pieces by Kapoor made with futuristic light-absorbing nanotechnology, as well as works that defined the early part of his career.  There will be huge disorientating mirror sculptures, a colossal PVC installation, a foreboding mass of red and black wax drooping from the ceiling, and a striking collection of carnal paintings made using silicone, resin and pigment.  

Homely isn’t quite the word that comes to mind when you pull back the heavy velvet curtain separating Casa Felicia from the dozy Queen’s Park street outside. Chic, for sure. Elegant, certainly. A parade of two-cover tables are packed close together in the main whitewashed dining room, and over in a far corner, there’s a booth for larger groups which is painted entirely in an intense sultry red. But the deeper into the evening we go, the more we’re taken in by this place’s unexpected down-to-earth charm.   Fettuccine porcini and paccheri with mussels and squid are simple but impeccable Casa Felicia is helmed by chef Francesco Sarvonio, formerly of Manteca and currently of Elephant. The menu switches up daily, but always promises southern Italian ‘soul food’. A pleasing heap of puntarelle salad embellished with pear and hazelnuts, and a faultless seabass crudo speckled with crispy red pepper starts us off. We’re then presented with the most intriguing take on parmigiana I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t come in the traditional form of layered aubergine coins, but as the whole vegetable roasted, skinned and fried in a tempura batter, then cocooned in cheese fondue with a pool of marinara on the side. It’s fantastic – the batter lightly encases the vegetable like a chiffon blanket and the aubergine manages to be both firm and completely melt-in-the-mouth.   Don’t get carried away with the antipasti, as the bowls of pasta (handmade with just semolina and water, no egg) are truly generou

The last two years have been pretty major for Gracie Abrams. With the release of her sophomore album The Secret of Us and a stint supporting Taylor Swift on her monumental Eras tour, Abrams ascended from a small indie artist (better known for being the daughter of JJ Abrams) to a fully fledged pop star in her own right.  Now, she’s preparing to release her third album Daughter from Hell and has announced that she’ll be heading back on the road for a world tour at the end of this year and in the UK next spring. The album is out in July, so you won’t be able to hear it before tickets for Gracie’s ‘Look at My Life’ tour go on sale. But her single ‘Hit the Wall’, written with the National’s Aaron Dessner, gives you a little taste of the vibe. Want to see Gracie Abrams live on stage next year? From presale to resale, here’s what you need to know to get tickets.  When is Gracie Abrams going on tour? Gracie will commence her tour in North America in December this year and will hop over the pond for her European leg in April and May 2027.  What UK tour dates have been announced so far? So far, there are nine dates across three UK venues lined up.  April 22: Manchester, Co-op Live April 24:  Manchester, Co-op Live April 25:  Manchester, Co-op Live April 27: Glasgow, OVO Hydro April 28: Glasgow, OVO Hydro April 30: London, The O2 May 1: London, The O2 May 2: London, The O2 May 3: London, The O2 Image: Live NationGracie Abrams Look At My Life UK Tour poster When do Gracie Abrams ti

Just two weeks after we named it one of the greatest independent music venues in the nation, the White Hotel, aka the Salford Berghain, has announced that it’s closing down.  Co-founders Austin Collings and Ben Ward broke the news in an interview in the Guardian on May 27. They confirmed that flooding issues and redevelopment pressures have given them no other choice and the White Hotel will officially shutter in January 2027. ‘Basically, it’s a swamp,’ Ward told the paper. The pair agreed that it will be better to ‘to go out on our own terms, long before we became a museum’.  Hidden in a fairly decrepit looking industrial space on the outskirts of town, The White Hotel has been a beacon of the UK’s underground scene for the last decade. But it was never actually meant to last that long. When they opened the club in 2015, Collings and Ward intended to only keep it open for a year before relocating to LA for a while then settling in Sarajevo. However, the venue’s almost immediate success convinced them to stay put.  With its raw atmosphere, groundshaking sound system and boundary-pushing DIY programming, The White Hotel became one of Europe’s most renowned electronic music destinations. It built a reputation has a talent incubator, giving a leg-up to the likes of Space Afrika, Rainy Miller, Blackhaine, Conor Thomas, Bitzer Maloney and Iceboy Violet.  When we asked Murkage Dave about The White Hotel for our indie venues guide, he said: ‘A sound guy who used to work there recen

As soon as the sun comes out, we Brits simply can’t get enough of the seaside. And one of the perks of living on such a small island is that none of us have to travel very far to find it.  But with around 1,500 beaches to choose from – some pebbled, others sandy, some remote, others on the edge of bustling towns – how do you know which one to head for? That’s where we come in. Time Out’s writers and editors have spent a lot of time exploring the UK’s coastline, from the far corners of Scotland and all the way down to the Devon. Now, we’ve put together a guide to our absolute favourites.  Whether you’re a lay on a towel all day kind of beachgoer, a walk as far down the shoreline as you can kind of beachgoer or a clamber around the rock pools beachgoer, the UK has a perfect bay for you. Here are the 20 finest, mapped.  Read more about Time Out’s best beaches in the UK here. RECOMMENDED:📍 The best places to visit in Britain in 2026.🇬🇧 The best new things to do in the UK in 2026. The 20 best beaches in the UK, mapped With its ‘cream sand, a whitewashed lighthouse, dunes scattered with wildflowers, a pine tree backdrop and silhouettes of Eryri National Park’s peaks’, we crowned Traeth Llanddwyn on the Welsh island of Anglesey the best beach in the country. The Welsh coast is a criminally underrated part of the UK, and we put three more of the nation’s beaches on our list to prove it.  Mwnt in Ceredigion, one of the best places in Britain for dolphin-spotting, came in ninth pla

As we gear up for the early May bank holiday, it finally feels like warm weather is here to stay. Parts of the UK will see temperatures of up to 25C on Friday May and 20C on Saturday. And you know what that calls for? A trip to the seaside, that’s what.  Last week, we published a brand new list of the best seaside towns in the UK to visit this year. The chosen spots range from old-school resorts full of arcades and flashing lights to tiny villages with unspoiled sands and flourishing wildlife.  We’ve tried to cover as much of the UK coastline as we could and Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland are all accounted for. To make it easier for you to see exactly which of our top-rated coastal towns are within easy reach of wherever you live, we’ve put them all in a handy map. Take a look.  Read more about Time Out’s best seaside towns in the UK here. RECOMMENDED:🏖️ The best beaches in the UK.📍 The best places to visit in Britain in 2026.🇬🇧 The best new things to do in the UK in 2026. The best seaside towns in the UK, mapped The number one spot went to the village of Saundersfoot on the southwest coast of Wales. A total of three Welsh towns made it onto the list. Less than an hour’s drive up from Saundersfoot you’ll find Cardigan, with landed in fifth place thanks to its ‘brilliant cultural and culinary scene’. Then further north, on the edge of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, is Porthmadog which we put in 13th place for its ‘rugged drama and alternative spirit’. 

It’s very nearly over, folks. There are just two more tube strike days to get through until RMT’s current bout of industrial action is done and dusted. Well, unless the dispute continues and more strikes are called. In May, the planned strikes were called off 24-hours before they were meant to begin. Further talks are happening this week and if they go well there is a chance that June’s walk-outs could be cancelled too. For the time being though, plan your travels with the assumption that they will be going ahead.  In order to do that, you’ll need to know about all your alternative options. You could take a bus, hire an e-bike or catch the Overground. You’ll also still be able to use the Elizabeth line, as it’s not technically a tube line. Read on for more info on how the strikes will impact the Elizabeth line next week.  RECOMMENDED: ⛔️ Full list of London tube strike dates in summer 2026.🚇 How to get around London during RMT industrial action next week.  When are the spring 2026 tube strikes? There are only two more strikes periods lined up. They are:  Tuesday June 2 (midnight to 11.59am) Thursday June 4 (midnight to 11.59am) Will the Elizabeth line be affected? As it’s not actually part of the London Underground network, the Elizabeth line won’t be impacted by strike action and will run as normal.  However, it is likely to be much busier than usual as commuters who normally take the Tube could use it as an alternative. Some Lizzie line stations may also have reduced i

This bank holiday weekend is going to bless us with some absolutely glorious sunshine. Temperatures in some parts of the country will soar as high as 30C and in that kind of weather, one of the best things you can do is head straight for the beach.  There are roughly 1,500 beaches that line the British coast, some layered with pebbles, others covered in soft white sand, some backed by big lights and fairground rides, others that feel a million miles from the rest of civilisation. To help you pick your perfect beach for the bank holiday – and the rest of summer 2026 – Time Out’s writers and editors have compiled a list of their 40 all-time favourites.  Our 2026 edition of the UK’s best beaches features five new entries and a brand new number one. Time Out’s best beach for 2026 is Traeth Llanddwyn (‘traeth’ means beach in Welsh) in Anglesey.  When you see Llanddwyn for yourself, you’ll think you’ve just stepped inside a dream. From the remote 3.5 mile stretch of white sand you have outstanding views of the Irish Sea and of the peaks of Eryri National Park on the Welsh mainland. Behind the bay is a sprawling forest of Corsican pine (one of the best places in Wales to spot red squirrels) and rolling dunes dotted with wildflowers.  🏖️ Explore all 40 of the best beaches in the UK here. Photograph: ShutterstockTŵr Mawr lighthouse on Llanddwyn Island At low tide, you can cross to the Llanddwyn Island where you’ll find 16th century church ruins and the pretty Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse.

At the moment, if you wanted to get from London to Sydney, you’re looking at an arduous 30 hour (or thereabouts) multi-stage journey complete with anxiety over whether your baggage made it through the layover. Now, imagine if you could get to the Harbour City on one non-stop 20 hour flight, instead. Wouldn’t that be so much simpler?  Thanks to Australian airline Qantas, a direct flight from London to Sydney will be a real option within the next few years. Qantas has been working on Project Sunrise, which will introduce flights between London and Sydney and New York and Sydney, since 2017. It says that the new links will overcome the ‘tyranny of distance’/  Right now, the longest flight in the world is the 9,537 mile trip from Singapore to New York, which takes just over 18 hours. The London to Sydney route would overtake that, spanning 10,573 miles.  Given that it’s never been done before, the average aircraft isn’t built for such a mammoth journey. So Airbus is building 12 special A350 aircrafts with additional fuel tanks that will be able to take it on. The vehicles will also have fewer seats than usual (238 instead of over 300) to make space for passengers to walk around, will be the first planes to have a dedicated wellness zone and will have wi-fi access for all.  Photograph: Dr. Victor Wong / Shutterstock.comQantas planes in Melbourne, Australia We thought that the flights would be up and running by early 2027 but this week, Qantas announced that there has been a hol

The beauty of museums is that you can find one about just about anything. Want to know about old video games? The UK has a museum for that. Interested in the history of medicine? There are plenty for that. Fascinated by railways? Yep, we have several venues for that too. That’s not the mention all the institutions with an eclectic collection of artefacts from all over the world, from dozens of different time periods and with countless specialisms.  But which ones delight and educate us the most? To answer that question, Time Out’s writers and editors have put together a ranking of the UK’s 20 greatest museums right now. And our pick for the best museum in the UK is also undoubtedly one of the nation’s most bizarre institutions. In first place, it’s the Crab Museum in Margate.  If you’re not familiar with the Crab Museum, let us introduce you. Compared to many museums, it’s not been around for long. It was founded in 2021 by brothers Bertie and Ned Suesat-Williams and their friend Chase Coley. It’s billed as ‘Europe’s first and only museum dedicated to the decapod’.  Photograph: Joe and CharlotteThe Crab Museum, Margate The small space is crammed with crab trivia as well as a lot of hilarious tongue-in-cheek information panels. Did you know that hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs are ‘milked’ for their bright blue blood each year to be used to test human vaccines? Or that they poo out of their chest? Photograph: Daniela Toporek for Time Out LondonSuffragette crab at t

In its heyday, Garlands was considered one of the UK’s greatest gay clubs. It launched on Liverpool’s Eberle Street in 1993 and as the first queer venue to obtain a 6am license, it was a game-changer. Seven years after it opened, Garlands’ legendary parties spilled out onto the River Mersey.  It’s been 25 years since Garlands threw its first ‘Fairies Across the Mersey’ party on board the Royal Daffodil. It continued to to host its boat raves throughout the 2000s with different themes like ‘Ibiza White Party’ or ‘The Captain’s Cabin’. During the party, guests would be informed of the secret location of the after-party, which would keep the sesh going into the early hours of the morning. At the time, MixMag described the cruise as being ‘like some surreal disco roller coaster’. The last time Garlands took to the water was in 2011. But for Liverpool Pride weekend 2026, it’s making a comeback. ‘Fairies On the Mersey’ is happening on the Daffodil on July 25.  The event is being led by John Lynch, who played a major part in the Garlands’ production, concepts, and overall creative direction, alongside Craig Cavanagh, a hospitality titan in Liverpool who began his career at the club, and Philip Olivier, who runs the Daffodil.  In a statement, Garland’s said: ‘For over two decades, Garlands has been Liverpool's original home of self-expression - the place where you could always be exactly who you are, surrounded by people who get it. The best crowd in the city, hands down. ‘Expect a n

Don’t get it twisted, at Time Out we’re obsessed with the likes of London or Edinburgh. Wandering their streets, eating in their restaurants and exploring their museums, it’s incredibly easy to see why they’re among Britain’s most popular cities. But we’re also big advocates for branching out, for going off the beaten track and checking out some of the countries more unsung corners. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the UK’s most underrated cities right now. And, taking the number one spot for 2026 is Norfolk’s capital, Norwich.   Norwich is steeped in culture and history. It’s England’s best preserved medieval city, with cobbled alleys, the 900-year-old Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Castle and Dragon Hall, the only surviving medieval trade hall built by an individual. As the city’s most complete medieval strip, don’t miss Elm Street in the city centre.  Photograph: Andy CrouchSainsbury Centre Part of Norwich’s appeal is that next to all of those ancient structures is a decidedly cool edge. There’s the Sainsbury Centre, a modernist landmark packed with contemporary art (from the likes of Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore and Francis Bacon) and old artefacts. Soundclash is a record shop and Norwich institution, Figbar is a cult spot for desserts and wine and Gonzo’s Tea Room is a brilliant hangout with a hefty burger menu and regular DJ nights.  The city also has some major literary credentials. In 2012, it became England’s first UNESCO City of Literature and was nicknamed the ‘Cit

Mighty Hoopla, the UK’s biggest pop festival, is coming back with a bang this weekend. Lily Allen and Scissor Sisters top the bill for the two-day fest this year and, as ever, the rest of the lineup is dripping with queer icons and noughties pop nostalgia. We’re talking the likes of JLS, Alexandra Burke, Cascada, Jessie J, Jane Macdonald and the Wanted. That’s not to mention the drag performances, the DJ sets, the singalongs dedicated to Madonna, Britney, George Michael and more, plus a Gay Gooners Champions League viewing party for any Arsenal fans there on Saturday. Oh, and there’s a surprise guest to look out for on the main stage on Saturday, too.  For the girls, gays and theys who bought their tickets months ago and those who are trying to find tickets last minute, here’s everything you need to know about Mighty Hoopla 2026, from the full lineup and set times to the after parties. RECOMMENDED: The best music festivals in London. When and where is Mighty Hoopla 2026? Mighty Hoopla will be back in south London’s Brockwell Park from Saturday May 30 to Sunday May 31.  What time do gates open? Punters can access the site from 12pm each day. Keep in mind that there’s no re-entry – once you’re in, you’re in.  Mighty Hoopla 2026 full lineup and set times  Here’s the full lowdown on who’s playing this year’s event and when.  Image: Mighty HooplaMighty Hoopla 2026 lineup Saturday Main Stage 1.45pm: Meek 2.45pm: Say Now 3.45pm: MNEK 4.45pm: Agnes 6.10pm: Todrick Hall 7.10pm: S

Music is in London’s DNA. Over the decades, our great city has birthed genres like punk rock, grime and Britpop and given rise to countless legends from Amy Winehouse to Adele, David Bowie to the Clash and the Sex Pistols to Skepta. Nowhere compares.  Of course, good music venues are essential to that success. The capital is awash with live music spaces that readily take a chance on up-and-comers, that cater to the nichest of listening habits, that have witnessed some of the most significant gigs of our time and that gave a leg-up to some of today’s biggest stars.  So, there are dozens of spots worthy of a place on Time Out’s list of London’s best music venues and plenty that could be in the running for first place. But we’ve had to whittle it down to just one. Time Out’s top music venue in London right now is Union Chapel.  Photograph: Kenji TakahashiInside Union Chapel The Grade-I listed Victorian gothic revival church in Islington (that is still a working church and help centre for the homeless) has been hosting contemporary music gigs for more than 30 years – its first being held in 1992 to help save it from demolition. Over the decades, the likes of Elton John, Björk, Amy Winehouse, Ed Sheeran, Mavis Staples, Noel Gallagher and Adele have graced its stage. As it happens Mavis Staples will be back there for two nights this August. Besides being beautiful to look at, the acoustics in Union Chapel are otherworldly. Despite not originally being a music venue, it was design