Ed Cunningham

Whether you’re a fully-fledged railfan or just a traveller who loves convenience, 2024 has been an unmatched year when it comes to new night services. Countries throughout Europe, in bids to make travelling more planet-friendly and affordable, have launched countless sleeper routes this year, meaning most of us now have plenty of motivation to swap flights for night trains on our next trip. In other words, sleeper trains are back, baby, and at Time Out, we’re here for it. With the option to hop on a train, journey thousands of miles and wake up in your destination (hopefully with enough energy to go out and explore), night services are kind of ideal scenarios, right? And luckily, you’ve got us train afficionados on hand to point you in the right direction. So, pack your bag, embark your cabin and settle in – here are the most exciting sleeper trains we can’t wait to ride in 2025.  RECOMMENDED:🌤️The most scenic railway journeys in Europe🗺️The ultimate Interrail itinerary for Europe🚂The most beautiful European train journeys from London🚞The best train journeys in the world At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

A new year is upon us. Many will be locking in on a new gym routine. Others will be embarking on Dry January. But you? You’re setting your sights on seeing more of the world in 2026. And we’re right there with you – there’s no better time than now to start dreaming and planning some big adventures for the year ahead. So, where to go? Our Time Out editors, from South Africa to Sydney, have a few ideas up their sleeves. After all, this lucky lot make a living from exploring their corners of the world, discovering the next best cities, cool neighbourhoods and emerging travel destinations. Our recommended 2026 travel hotspots include Unesco’s next World Book Capital in Morocco, a new thermal wellness destination in the Canadian Rockies, unspoiled beach towns in Brazil – and many, many more where that came from. This is Time Out’s rundown of the best places to travel in 2026 – and how to plan the perfect trip in each.RECOMMENDED:🤩 The 26 best new things to do in the world in 2026🎵 The biggest and best music festivals to go to this year🖼️ 19 exhibitions worth travelling for in 2026 Grace Beard is Time Out’s travel editor. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

2026 has officially landed. An entire year of adventure awaits, with Britain set for a deluge of thrilling new things to see and do. Beyond the individual openings, however – the new bars and restaurants, museums and attractions – where should be on your radar for places to visit in the UK?  If you’re up for being inspired here at Time Out, as always, we’ve got you covered. We’ve scoured the listings of all that’s happening in Britain in 2026 and consulted our nationwide network of writers and editors, harnessing all that info to put together a guide to the places that should be on your radar over the next 12 months.  Destinations made it onto Time Out’s list for a vast range of reasons. Some have swaggered onto the scene with a quickfire burst of thrilling new attractions. Others have built their cred slower and reached a point of quiet brilliance, while others still are established spots that simply remain very much worth their rep. Several places will be made even more tempting by those aforementioned 2026 openings, whether that be delicious places to eat and drink, game-changing new transport options or unmissable cultural events.  From trendy seaside towns to revived industries cities, medieval forts to ‘the new Berlin’: here are the UK’s 14 top places to visit in 2026. RECOMMENDED: Looking for just London stuff? Here are 26 new things to do in the capital in 2026. 

Um novo ano começou. Muitos vão se dedicar a uma nova rotina de academia. Outros devem embarcar no Dry January. Mas você? Se você decidiu conhecer mais do mundo em 2026, nós estamos com você. Não há momento melhor do que agora para começar a sonhar e planejar grandes aventuras do ano. Então, para onde ir? Os editores da Time Out, da África do Sul a Sydney, têm algumas ótimas ideias. Afinal, esse grupo privilegiado vive explorando seus próprios cantos do mundo, descobrindo as próximas grandes cidades, bairros mais descolados e destinos de viagem emergentes. As recomendações para 2026 incluem desde a próxima Capital Mundial do Livro da Unesco, no Marrocos, até um novo destino de bem-estar termal nas Montanhas Rochosas do Canadá, passando por vilarejos de praia ainda intocados no Brasil, entre muitos outros lugares. Este é o guia da Time Out com os melhores destinos para viajar em 2026 e dicas de como planejar a viagem perfeita para cada um deles!

As much as Christmas trees, turkey and a mildly overworked Santa have become staples of the festive season, so has the music that soundtracks this cheer-soaked time of year. Christmas songs don’t just endure – many end up becoming the crown jewels of an artist’s entire career. From golden oldies by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Bing Crosby, to ‘80s icons like Wham! and The Pogues, to modern favourites from Ariana Grande and Leona Lewis, these tunes have embedded themselves into our seasonal rituals. What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time? That honour still belongs to Bing Crosby’s 1942 classic ‘White Christmas’. With over 50 million sales, it’s not only the biggest Christmas record in history – it’s the best-selling song of all time, full stop. Guinness World Records first crowned it back in 1955, and it’s held onto the title ever since. What is the most-streamed Christmas song of all time? Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ may trail Crosby in pure sales (a mere 16 million), but streaming has turned it into a seasonal juggernaut. It finally hit No.1 in both the UK and US decades after its release and became the first Christmas song to pass 2 billion Spotify streams. Hot on its heels: Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ (1.83 billion) and Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ (1.27 billion). Are there any new Christmas songs for 2025? The past decade has delivered plenty of modern holiday staples, from Ariana Grande to Sabrina Carpenter to Cher. As

December 2025: Cool, crispy weather and far less daylight can only mean one thing - Sunday roast season is here. Not simply just a decent hangover cure, Sunday lunch is one of the most winter-y things a Londoner can possibly do. Our latest update to this list has prioritised the cosiest pubs in town, with extra points for roaring open fires (check out Bistro Sable for a great one), as well as nooks and crannies to hunker down in as the city gets colder and way more snuggly. There are a couple of posh restaurants in the mix too, with a Nordic roast at the fancy Ekstedt at the Yard, and a meat feast at The Quality Chop House. We also have a new and worthy Number 1; the simple, spectacular roast at London’s OG organic pub, The Duke of Cambridge.  London’s best Sunday roasts at a glance: 🥩 Central: Duke of Cambridge, Angel 😇 North: The Angel, Highgate ⛪ South: Old Nun’s Head, Nunhead 🌈 East: The Nelson’s, Hackney 🍻 West: The Mall Tavern, Notting Hill Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours. There is no shortage of top roasts in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of pubs, restaurants and breweries all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a welcoming room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes

Even on the coldest, darkest days of winter, London is always bustling with fun things to do, with a jam-packed calendar of unmissable events to keep you entertained during most people’s least favourite time of the year. And yet, even we culture-mad London superfans have to admit that every once in a while it’s nice to have a little break from it all. When the capital’s hustle and bustle leaves you feeling a little drained, you can find some escape from the crowds and hordes of tourists by getting up and getting out just for a day. In dire need of crisp country air, a relaxing spa day or a gorgeous, long walk? These day trips from London are all under two hours from Zone 1 and will give you the relief you need this winter. RECOMMENDED: The best day trips from London Best winter day trips at a glance 🪄 Best for magic-lovers: Warner Bros Studio Tour 🎄 Best for the light deprived: Go Wild 2025 at Wakehurst  🍴 Best for the always peckish: Chapel Down Luxury Dining Experience 🏞️ Best for crowd haters: Broadway, Worcestershire 📱 Best for digital detoxers: Rocheser Christmas Fair

Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened over the past 12 months and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which is updated regularly. Check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene. And look here for all the info about the best new openings in January 2026. London's best new restaurants at a glance: 🍛 Central: Adoh!, Covent Garden 🍠 North: Ling Ling’s, Islington 🥟 South: Doma, Sydenham 🍝 East: Legado, Shoreditch 🥗 West: Martino’s, Chelsea January 2026: New additions include slinky Italian joint Martino's in Chelsea, cosy Chinese cuisine at Ling Ling's at Godet in Islington, Hunanese heat at Fiery Flavors in Surrey Quays, Sri Lankan fast food at Adoh! in Covent Garden, Caribbean classics with a twist at 2210 by NattyCanCook in Herne Hill, perfect pasta at Casa Felicia in Queen's Park, spicy southern Thai at the new branch of Plaza Khao Gaeng by Borough Market, and soup noodles at Khao So-i in Fitzrovia. Hungry yet? Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in London. The hottest new openings, the tasties

When it comes to big-ticket gigs and musicians touring Britain, how do you follow up a year like 2025? Last year some of the planet’s mightiest stars graced UK stages, from Coldplay and Lady Gaga to Olivia Rodrigo, Lana del Rey and, of course, Oasis. Fortunately, 2026 is shaping up to be just as huge as 2025 – if not even bigger. Sure, we might not have the Gallaghers on the schedule (well, not yet), but plenty of others are lined up to headline British stadiums and arenas over the next 12 months. Plus, even more names are rumoured to be yet to announce a tour (BTS, we’re looking at you).  Lily Allen, Bon Jovi, Bad Bunny, Ariana Grande… the UK has all these to look forward to and more in 2026. Here are the best major tours coming to Britain this year. RECOMMENDED: 🎵 The best albums of 2025. 🎶 The best songs of 2025.

แม้เราจะผ่านยุคทองของดนตรีมาแล้วหลายยุค แต่ปี 2025 ก็ยังถือเป็นปีที่พิเศษสุดๆ จริงอยู่ที่ปีนี้เราอาจจะไม่มี "เพลงฮิตประจำซัมเมอร์" (Song of the summer) แค่เพลงเดียวโดดๆ แต่ศิลปินส่วนใหญ่กลับเลือกปล่อยของกันแบบยาวๆ เป็นอัลบั้มเต็ม ตลอด 12 เดือนที่ผ่านมา (หรือจริงๆ คือ 11 เดือน) วงการเพลงจึงคึกคักไปด้วยผลงานมาสเตอร์พีซสารพัดรูปแบบ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นคันทรีป็อปพลังเสียงจัดเต็ม, ความอลังการของดนตรีสายตัดแปะ (Plunderphonic), เพลงแดนซ์หลุดโลก, โลกอิเล็กทรอนิกส์ที่มีความเฉพาะตัวสูง, อาร์ตร็อกที่ทลายกำแพงประวัติศาสตร์ดนตรี ไปจนถึงฮิปฮอปแห่งชัยชนะ... นี่เป็นแค่ส่วนหนึ่งของความมหัศจรรย์ในปี 2025 และนี่คือ 25 อัลบั้มที่ดีที่สุดที่คัดสรรโดยทีมบรรณาธิการและนักเขียนของ Time Out ทั่วโลก

December 2025 update: There's new songs being added to karaoke machines on a regular basis, so we see it as our duty to keep this list bang up to date. Our latest additions include a K-Pop Demon Hunters anthem, as well as an addicitve tune courtesy of Benson Boone. Whether you’ve got the voice of an angel or you’re totally tone deaf, karaoke unites us all. But heed our warning: choosing the right song is crucial (aka, don’t opt for that Whitney Houston tune if you haven’t the range. And if you don't quite have the skill, steer clear of rapping.) So we thought we’d help out a little bit. In our list of the best karaoke songs ever, we’ve got everyone from Adele to Toto, and from Frank Sinatra to Ricky Martin. There's even recent singalongs from Sabrina Carpenter, Huntr/x and Chappell Roan. Something for everyone. So down that shot, grab that mic and take to the stage. Your audience awaits you. Here are the best karaoke songs ever.  RECOMMENDED:❤️ The best love songs🎶 The 40 best songs of 2025🎉 The best party songs🕺 The 25 best albums of 2025  

In a year when it’s become pretty much impossible to so much as glance at a screen without being bombarded with all manner of maddening AI slop, it’s comforting to know that there is still plenty of vivid, funny, brilliantly human writing out there if you know where to look. From laugh-out-loud debuts and masterful autofiction to big-name autobiographies, gripping non-fiction thrillers and binge-worthy travelogues, here are our editors’ favourite page-turners of 2025. Add this lot to your ‘to read’ pile, stat. RECOMMENDED: 🎵 The 40 best songs of 2025📀 The 25 best albums of 2025

art'otel and Hoxton: on paper, at least, a match made in heaven. Famously arty hotel chain meets famously arty London neighbourhood (well, if you lump Hoxton in with Shoreditch, which is fine by us). The address has arty history, too: the hotel occupies a site formerly home to the legendary Foundry, an ale bar and arts venue once described as ‘crucible of the Britart movement’. Not familiar with art'otel? Let us bring you up to speed. The brand posits its outposts as both hotels and art galleries, with your stay being a chance to encounter real pieces of art. Each location has its own ‘signature artist’, around whom not only is the hotel themed but who gets to actually design a lot of the hotel, from its wall artworks to its furniture. art'otel Hoxton’s signature artist is D*Face (Dean Stockton), titan of English street art known for his chaotic, colourful, attention-demanding works. Approaching the hotel there’s a sense of occasion fitting for D*Face’s rep: the building towers over the fork of Great Eastern Street and Old Street. Two original Banksys sit above the doorway; dramatic escalators glide past gigantic, blinding screens of video art; a human-size sculpture of ‘D*Dog’ (one of D*Face’s best-known figures) greets you at reception as a kind of concierge. It is very much like entering a proper art gallery. Why stay at art'otel London Hoxton? If you’re fond of art – specifically street art, even more specifically the work of D*Face – art'otel Hoxton is a real treat. It’s

You can spot the building that hosts Archives from miles around, a repurposed 1960s industrial tower standing tall above Tottenham Hale’s retail parks and marshland. And it’s a worthy local landmark: since opening in 2024 Archives has regularly hosted blockbuster nights, from James Blake’s CMYK to the second edition of Eastern Margins’ festival Margins United. The space itself is an 8,500-square-foot ground-floor blank canvas with thick concrete columns and capacity for 1,600; the 360-degree soundsystem is solid, the dancefloor is well-proportioned and the outdoor/rest areas are sizeable. The only downside is the bar prices. When I was last here pints were flatly priced at a very steep £8.50 (and £7.50 for cans).

A country home amid gargantuan piles of slate, Plas Weunydd sits atop a hill overlooking not just an old industrial town but the vast landscape of Snowdonia National Park. Needless to say, the hotel is all about its location: the location on a map, sure (it’s pretty much at the dead-centre of Snowdonia and surrounded by all manner of outdoorsy activities) but also its topographical location, with views galore.  For my visit to Plas Weunydd, the approach by car saw me wind my way past the hills and valleys of the national park, through old mining town Blaenau Ffestiniog and most of the way up a not-unsteep hill. The hotel is perched near the top, at the same turning as much-hyped adventure attraction Zip World and a mountain-biking course.  Why stay at Plas Weunydd? If you’re in Snowdonia for an adventure or outdoorsy holiday (and this is very much a region famous for that), Plas Weunydd is extraordinarily well-located. Hiking, cycling, mountain biking, zip-wiring and more is almost literally on your doorstep – as previously mentioned, Zip World is across the road – while countless mountains, waterfalls, lakes or rivers in Snowdonia National Park are no more than a half-hour drive away.  The building itself was built in 1870 as the home of John Whitehead Greaves, the founder of nearby Llechwed Quarry. It was turned into a hotel in 2021, and it relaunched in April 2025 following further refurbishment. Plas Weunydd prides itself on being an adventure holiday base, but also for b

Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson are good at this by now. Excellent, in fact. The pair have put together a small chain of top Indian eateries; Islington’s Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown, and the first Tamila in Clapham. Fourth time around with Tamila King’s Cross, the experience is more refined than ever. London’s second Tamila is at the other end of Caledonian Road from the Tamil Prince, and, like the Clapham edition, isn’t a ‘desi pub’ but a curry house for fast, casual dining and with an all-day menu. Without the loveable musk of an ex-pub, the space is much airier and restaurant-y, while the service is sharper and more attentive. Food-over-booze indicators don’t get much more obvious than Tamila’s massive interior window directly into the kitchen.  The dhal flashed all sorts of vegetables across your tongue, while paneer butter masala was creamy and mightily generous Our drinks flew out at an impressive pace. A bold harbinger of the strong, spiced flavours to come, the gunpowder margarita, boasting masala dust for salt and earthy smokiness, was sumptuous. The paloma had grapefruity sweetness but a proper, heaped dash of ginger that lingered powerfully.  Tamila’s dishes verge on the more generous side of ‘small plates’. On platters so spotless and shiny they’re genuinely mirrors, come miraculously un-greasy onion bhajis, each one just more than a mouthful of prickly, salty crackle. Retaining integral crispiness beneath dollops of mint chutney, one gets the impression that th

If you’re a history buff (particularly a pottery history buff), the surroundings of this DoubleTree alone will be enough to have you in awe. The hotel is attached to Etruria Hall, a neo-classical Grade II-listed structure once home to Josiah Wedgwood – renowned industrialist and the founder of Wedgwood, one of the world’s most famous pottery companies.  Etruria Hall is no longer a stately home but an events venue, and since the 1980s it’s been attached to a hotel. In 2020 that hotel opened as a Hilton, specifically of the DoubleTree brand – yet despite being part of an all-conquering global chain, it’s maintained plenty of character. Beyond the obvious (the in-house restaurant is called Josiah), the corridors and rooms come lined with nods to local heritage; bottle oven skylines, Stoke dialect phrases, that sort of stuff.  Stoke-on-Trent’s DoubleTree, therefore, not only occupies a special historical site but makes sure you fully aware just how special it is. But it’s also a comfortable, well-kitted-out place to stay. I stayed in a king guest room that was extraordinarily spacious and flawlessly clean, with a sprawling, comfortable bed, fast wi-fi, effective blackout curtains and a practical bathroom.  The staff couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful, the common areas were bright and welcoming, and there was a very sleek indoor pool and leisure centre. There’s on-site parking, too.  Given the building’s age, some of Stoke’s DoubleTree is understandably rough around the

When Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn opened in 2020 it was the city’s first and only Hilton. Admittedly it didn’t hold that title for long (the DoubleTree in Etruria was rebranded a month or so later) but you get the sense that this was a statement opening. A terracotta titan towering over Hanley, this Hilton Garden Inn cost £20 million and is part of the wider redevelopment of Smithfield – a mixed-use quarter named after the area’s old bottle works. Given it’s getting on for half a decade old, Stoke’s Hilton Garden Inn still looks and feels shimmeringly new. Sure, stepping into the lobby feels very much like stepping into any new-ish Hilton, anywhere, but this one is exceptionally well-kempt, making it very much a slick, shiny beacon of modern comfort.  I stayed in a ‘king room’ up on the sixth floor, a tidy and well-proportioned space with plenty of light and a bunch of amenities tidily packed in. The décor was pared back, minimalist(ish) and very much of-this-decade, and the room’s simplicity made it feel bigger. Stoke touches on the walls (images of pottery ovens and so on) reminded you where you were – as did my view, stretching out westwards towards Etruria, Burslem and Shelton. The rest was very much as one might expect of a somewhat new Hilton. The mattress was supple, the pillows and duvet ideally sink-in-able; the shower worked as required, accompanied by fragrant Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries and the flashy touch of an anti-steam mirror. The room was well insulated for so

Down the cavernous halls of Whitehall’s Old War Offices, surrounded by opulent Michelin-starred restaurants and the supremely swish Raffles hotel, lies Kioku Sake Bar – less blindingly flashy, sure, but just as high-calibre. The street-level accompaniment to Kioku’s top-floor, five-star sushi restaurant has the effortless style and homely hideaway calm of a Japanese listening bar, prim décor and lines of hundreds of sake bottles sitting beneath immaculately balanced light. And Kioku’s substance more than matches its style. There are over 140 sakes on offer, each affectionately described, plus a trim list of sake cocktails and a refined menu of innovative, Japanese-infused small plates. The drinks and food are entirely different to those of the upstairs restaurant Kioku By Endo, making the bar very much worth a separate visit.  Order this The Daikon Gibson suspends itself entirely on the front of your tongue, with silky and potent Ginjo sake ‘vermouth’ and tangy pickled daikon combining with clean Roku gin and yuzu tang. Kioku’s cocktails all exude a sense of craft – and this does even more so. Time Out tip Make the most of Kioku’s formidable sake collection and the bar’s in-house sake sommelier to explore the tipple. Discover how the vessel material affects each sake, get a taste of the many, many different styles and regional varieties – and find a new favourite.

Stepping into the atrium of The Conservatorium, it’s immediately obvious that this is a very special hotel indeed. Rich red brickwork meets sharp glass angles, heritage details fit snugly among silky modern luxury; from the fittings and furniture to the architecture, wherever you look something catches your eye. The Conservatorium’s sense of occasion is tied to the building’s history. Many of its cavernous halls date back to 1897, when it was built as a bank. In the 1980s it became a conservatoire, then it was reconfigured into a hotel by starchitect Piero Lissoni in the 2000s. It opened as a founding member of the luxurious Set Collection in 2011. The Conservatorium’s rooms, appropriately for a hotel inhabiting a building of many previous lives, vary massively – yet they share plenty of common ground. Whether one is in the basic ‘deluxe room’ or the three-floor, roof terrace-boasting ‘I Love Amsterdam’ suite, well-proportioned rooms boast plush beds, spacious bathrooms, bountiful storage and thoughtful, refined décor. My room was a ‘royal duplex suite’, with elegant double-height windows looking out onto the humming trams and cafés of Van Baerlestraat. The essentials – bed, space, storage, bathroom, toiletries – were all faultless. Little touches of Dutch-ness (decorative clogs, a Van Gogh coffee table book, Delftware ceramic plates) were unsubtle but still tasteful, restrained. Beyond the room, breakfast (served in the Lounge) was high-calibre and the staff were as helpful

What comes to mind when you think of a treehouse? Woodlice, splinters, cold – yes, probably all those things. But treehouses are also secluded and peaceful, dwellings a few feet up in the air that feel that bit away from the rabble below and closer to nature. And a treehouse, crucially, is all yours.  The treehouses of TreeDwellers in Cornbury, northeast Cotswolds, are treehouses in a spiritual sense. No, they aren’t up trees (nor do they even touch them), but they’re surrounded by them, sitting an impressive height above the forest floor. TreeDwellers takes the idea of a treehouse – as something special, private, embedded in nature – and turns it into a luxurious experience genuinely unlike anything, anywhere else. Pulling up to a TreeDwellers dwelling (a TreeDwelling?) has a supreme sense of occasion. This is the sort of architectural magnificence you thumb through in glossy mags, lustfully dreaming of one day giving it all up for. Handsomely curved tubes are perched atop stilts; inside is all sleek, clean wood and floor-to-ceiling windows, each and every convenience slotted in with impossible neatness. It’s all so stunning that you could easily be satisfied with the design and that alone, left gawping at it for days on end. But these treehouses aren’t just flashy façades: they’re comfortable and practical, too. You check-in with slick door-code entry, the heating is underfloor and toasty on your toes, everything you could possibly need is on a tablet (or on hand from delig

On the face of it, Portobello’s neat, proper Holy Carrot and Dalston’s fire-worshipping feast ACME Fire Cult share little common ground. ACME is roaring and showy, as much a swaggering religion as a restaurant; Carrot is prim as a perfume shop, soft clay surroundings fronting a menu that is plant-forward, ‘root to peel’ and sustainable.  But there’s a clear link between the two – namely Daniel Watkins. The ex-ACME founder is now executive chef at the first permanent home of Holy Carrot (previously known for its supper clubs and Knightsbridge residency), and brings his ‘fire and ferment’ ethos across the capital from one neighbourhood of cool to another.  More than just Holy Carrot’s first proper restaurant, it’s also a Watkins-helmed reboot – and it has plenty of his signature punch. From the off, the pre-starter ‘snacks’ offer a studied but unshowy sort of tastiness. Pillowy insides dramatically burst out of crisp ‘honey’ drenched Jerusalem artichokes; one couldn’t help but mop up the warming chilli ragu with ultralight koji bread. Two cold ‘smalls’ followed suit, both intricately flavoured: each mouthful of the smoked beetroot breathing freshness, each spoonful of the stracciatella with persimmon and bitter leaves with deftly measured amount of creamy tang and gentle crunch. This is innovation of a dependable, not reckless, sort Imprinted upon my memory the most, however, was one of Holy Carrot’s ‘larges’: the crispy celeriac with pickle butter. I know what you’re thinking

The Nobu brand, in a word? Dependable. Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japan-via-USA restaurant empire both draws celebrities and is a celebrity itself, but it’s best regarded for its high-quality dining: nearly 30 years after it opened, Nobu’s Park Lane spot remains one of London’s best places for sushi. These days Nobu isn’t just a restaurant chain but a hotel brand too, with two outposts in London. The Shoreditch one, which opened in 2017, was the first of these – not just London’s first Nobu hotel (since followed by Nobu Portman Square in Marylebone) but the first in all of Europe. The greatest compliment one can pay to this place is that the dependability of the Nobu name transfers seamlessly from restaurant to hotel. This is a sleek and comfortable choice, a beacon of minimalist taste in the midst of Shoreditch’s gaudy pick-me bars and tech-bro co-working spaces. Nobu as a chain is Nippon-by-’Murica, and its hotels are too – Japanese style meets American comfort and convenience. From the front Nobu Shoreditch resembles a Pacific battleship, from the side it’s a hillside Kyoto villa. And inside the hotel offers plenty of that same cultural middle ground: polished black wood, sleek furniture and a tea set in every room, but also huge plasma TVs, delightful staff and an in-house spa.  All aided, of course, by housing a Nobu restaurant, the chain’s third in London. You know exactly the deal here: a spoiled-rich clientele, sure, but also generous portions, attentive service (I did exceptio

If you plonked a point on a map denoting Stuttgart’s absolute centre, I’m fairly certain it’d be directly right on top of the EmiLu. Or it may as well be. Dead opposite the city’s Rathaus (town hall) and a few steps from Königstrasse (Stuttgart’s main shopping street), EmiLu is within easy walking distance of most city-centre sights. Just a couple of years old (it opened in 2022), EmiLu occupies an old mid-century city government building and gets its name by combining the names of its co-owner (Petra Luise Bräutigam) and her daughter (Emilia). A self-professed ‘design hotel’, it boasts 90 ‘unique and special’ rooms that range reasonably in price per night from €85 to €200 (£72 to £170). So, the good: EmiLu, with its focus on individual, tasteful design, is a handsome and neat establishment. The chic reception is kitted out with dark wooden furnishings, while the rooms are airy and uncluttered. Cuboid furniture and crisply-shaped décor work well with bare-material walls; an open shower-room (with a curtain) and a mini-bar cut into the corner wall fit the minimal, trendy vibe. In another positive, my room looked out over the atmospheric street below (with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony) but also boasted exceptional sound insulation – an entire crowd of football fans in the space outside were reduced to noiseless silhouettes. Elsewhere, EmiLu’s staff are delightful, the rooftop space is great for taking in Stuttgart’s skyline and the ‘fitness area’ is remarkably well-eq

2026 is already shaping up to be a huge year for big-ticket pop gigs in the UK, with the likes of the Weeknd, RAYE, Bad Bunny and Lily Allen all lined up to play British arenas and stadiums. Today (January 8), however, we can add another massive tour to that list, as none other than Bruno Mars has confirmed dates in the UK this summer. Mars’ The Romantic Tour is the singer’s first string of headline dates in nearly a decade – since 2017’s 24K Magic World Tour –  and it’ll see him play more than 40 shows across Europe and North America. The tour announcement follows the news that Mars will be releasing his long-awaited fourth studio album The Romantic in February. Can’t wait to experience hits like ‘Grenade’, ‘That’s What I Like’ and ‘Locked Out of Heaven’ in the IRL? Here’s how to make sure you get Bruno Mars tickets for his shows this summer. RECOMMENDED: The 20 best major music tours coming to the UK in 2026. When is Bruno Mars going on tour in 2026? The Romantic Tour kicks off this coming April and will last all the way through to October. In that time Mars will play stadiums across the USA, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy.   What London tour dates have been announced so far? Mars has initially announced two London dates, which are both at Wembley Stadium in July. Saturday July 18 2026 Sunday July 19 2026 When do Bruno Mars tickets go on sale? General sale starts next week, at 12pm GMT on Thursday January 15. You’ll be able to get tickets on Tic

The festive period is often a time of extensive travel disruption in London, with rail operators taking the opportunity to undertake repairs and upgrades while the city has fewer commuters. While the major closures of major stations like Waterloo and Liverpool Street are over, there is more planned disruption to watch out for over the coming days. After the Christmas and New Year rush, January might not be London’s liveliest month – but there’s still plenty to get your teeth into in the capital this weekend. A top-notch revival of Sondheim’s Into the Woods, film screenings of five-star movie Marty Supreme and the final chances to see the RA’s Kerry James Marshall exhibition are among the best things to see and do in London over the next few days. When it comes to travel disruption, users of the Jubilee, Mildmay and DLR will be among those most impacted by planned changes to timetables. Here are all the closures and service alterations to know about this weekend. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London this weekend, January 10-11 2026. London travel disruption and tube closures, January 9-11 2026 Jubilee line On Sat Jan 10, no service between Finchley Road and Stratford between 12.30am and 6am From 6am on Sat Jan 10 and all day Sun Jan 11 (including night tube), no trains between Green Park and Stratford. DLR On Sat Jan 10 and Sun Jan 11, no trains between Shadwell and Tower Gateway. Shadwell and Tower Gateway stations are closed. Cutty Sark station is closed unti

Whatever sports you’re into (or if you’re into pretty much any of ’em), London will have something for you in 2026. Over the next 12 months the capital will host a vast range of sporting events, truly living up to its rep as the planet’s greatest city for sport. Those events will include notable firsts, like Wembley hosting its first ever college American football game) and the inaugural rugby union Nations Championship finals, plus important returns, such as NBA at the O2 and tennis’ Laver Cup. In September London will become the first city to have ever hosted the Laver twice. That’s not to mention all the annual events that will once again take place in London, like Wimbledon, Wembley’s footie cup finals and the Ally Pally’s PDC World Darts Championship – though the latter is upgrading to a bigger venue within Alexandra Palace for its next edition. London’s sporting prowess isn’t stopping in 2026, either. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says the capital is looking to host the 2027 Tour de France Femmes, while further ahead the city is also bidding to host part of the 2029 World Athletics Championships and the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup. RECOMMENDED: 🎹 The best major music tours coming to the UK in 2026.🏗️ 9 huge developments that will transform London in 2026.🗓️ The 26 best things to do in London in 2026. Major sporting events taking place in London this year Here is the UK’s calendar for huge sports events in 2026, with dates and venues (not including very frequent events l

January blues got you down? There’s only one thing for it: booking a trip to give you something to look forward to later in the year. There’s a reason Jan is prime travel sale season (find all the best deals here) but where should you go? Out to inspire travellers is Rough Guides, which has published its list of the planet’s top 2026 places to visit in 2026. To come up with its list, the travel publication scoured 30,000 trip enquiries sent to its travel experts. And, for Brits, one of the places is very close to home. At number 22 in the ranking, sandwiched between the world’s oldest desert in Namibia and Provence’s lavender fields, was the Scottish Highlands. Rough Guides called the Highlands ‘Europe's last wilderness’, saying that the region is ‘one of the few places in Europe where you can drive for miles and barely see another car’. RG added that Highland landscapes ‘feel unchanged even as the rest of Europe grows busier’. Photograph: Shutterstock In picking out the top things to see and do in the Highlands, Rough Guides suggests several of the area’s best-known attractions. Walking Skye’s Quiraing at sunrise, paddleboarding at Loch Shiel, distillery-hopping by bike on Islay and joining a ceilidh in Ullapool were all shouted out, as was the NC500 – though visitors should be wary on the famous scenic road, which has struggled with overtourism in recent years. You can read more about Rough Guides’ full list of the 26 best places to visit in the world in 2026 here. For mo

Fashion retailer River Island has announced that it will shut dozens of stores across the UK. A major restructure of the chain will see 32 shops close in January 2026.  River Island currently operates 230 stores across the UK and Ireland, employing around 5,500 people. The brand has blamed the closures on the shift to online shopping and rising operational costs Commenting on the soon-to-shut locations, chief executive Ben Lewis said: ‘We have a clear transformation strategy to ensure the long-term viability of the business, and this decision gives us a strong platform to deliver this. ‘Recent improvements in our fashion offer and shopping experience are starting to show results, and the restructuring plan will enable us to align our store estate to our customers’ needs. We are grateful to our suppliers, landlords and other stakeholders for their constructive engagement and shared confidence in River Island’s future.’ This week, exactly which 32 River Island shops are set to close has been revealed. Here’s what you need to know.  Full list of River Island locations closing in the UK The following locations of River Island will shut before the end of January 2026.  Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Bangor Bloomfield, Northern Ireland Barnstaple, Devon Beckton, Greater London Brighton, East Sussex Burton-Upon-Trent, Derbyshire Cumbernauld, Scotland Didcot, Oxfordshire Edinburgh Princes Street, Scotland Falkirk, Scotland Gloucester, Gloucestershire Great Yarmouth Grimsby, Lincolnshire

When you think of the world’s food capitals, the usual suspects from to mind. Paris and its intimate bistros. The overwhelming variety of Hong Kong’s street food. New York, with its multicultural blaze of everything and anything. According to the readers of Condé Nast Traveller, however, the best city for food right now is none of those places. A CNT poll gave that title to the northern Italian city of Bologna, which is also the capital and largest metropolis of the Emilia-Romagna region. And yes, there’s much more to Bologna than just ragù alla bolognese. Bologna and the wider Emilia-Romagna region are responsible for having given us balsamic vinegar, mortadella, parmesan cheese and parma ham. It’s also apparently where lasagne and tortellini in broth were first concocted.  Bologna’s culinary excellence isn’t all the past, either. These days, the city still prides itself on its food and is awash with places to eat: everything from locally-revered hideaways and dazzlingly fresh veg markets to Michelin-starred establishments. So it’s not surprising that it was voted the world’s food capital. Plus, Bologna is worth a visit for much more than just its food. From its medieval old town and near-millennium-old university to its piazzas and iconic arcades, there are plenty of reasons the city gets over 1.5 million visitors every year. So if you’ve been looking for your next Italian destination – and you love yourself some good nosh – get yourself there, right now. Did you see that y

’Tis the weekend before Christmas, and if you’re planning on getting your festive shopping done over the next few days, well, good luck with that. You better be battle-ready, prepared mentally and physically for London’s heaving retail crowds. That said, there’s plenty to be getting on with in the capital over the next few days that aren’t festive at all. A magical revival of Sondheim’s Into the Woods, new pasta-cocktail bar Martino’s and a three-day weekender at The Cause are among the non-Christmassy things you can get involved with in London this weekend. Whatever you’re doing in the capital this weekend, thankfully there’s quite a bit less planned disruption to watch out for than usual in the city on December 19-21. Both Friday (Dec 19) and Saturday (Dec 20) are practically closure-free on TfL trains, though there are service alterations to know about on Sunday (Dec 21) – including closure of the entire Weaver line. Here are all the tube and train closures to watch out for this weekend. Plan ahead: The full list of tube and train closures for December 24-January 2. London travel disruption and tube closures, December 19-21 2025 Weaver line (Overground) On Sun Dec 21, entire line closed. No service between Liverpool Street and Chingford, Cheshunt and Enfield Town. DLR On Sunday December 21, no trains between Shadwell and Tower Gateway. Cutty Sark station is closed until next spring. Find out more here. Lioness line (Overground) On Sun Dec 21, no services between Kilb

WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) is one of the UK’s mightiest arts festivals. The event, which was co-founded by legendary musician Peter Gabriel in the 1980s, sets out to explore culture from all over the world, having hosted editions in dozens of different countries. Never, however, has WOMAD been held in Scotland – until now. The festival has announced it will be holding its first ever Scottish event in Glasgow in 2026, promising ‘an eclectic line-up of high-profile and emerging artists performing a vast range of global music including pop, dance, folk, jazz, hip-hop and beyond across three stages’. WOMAD Glasgow will be held in Kelvingrove Park next July. It’ll be organised by WOMAD International alongside Celtic Connections (a local folk, roots and world music event) and Glasgow Life, and it’ll take place on July 3-4 2026. The OG WOMAD fest will also return in 2026, having taken a year off. The event will take place at a new location at Neston Park in Wiltshire on July 23-26. The Glasgow event won’t just have music, arts and dance: it’ll apparently also host free musician- and dancer-led workshops, as well as serve up ‘heritage dishes’ cooked by artists. Peter Gabriel said about WOMAD Glasgow: ‘It’s brilliant to see the first Scottish WOMAD and thanks to Glasgow Life for giving us this wonderful opportunity. Glasgow is one of the first UNESCO cities of music and it’s always had a warm and welcoming attitude to the people and cultures of the world. ‘At a time when h

London has thousands of listed buildings and structures. When it comes to just Grade I sites, (never mind Grade II* and Grade II), the capital has more than 9,000 listed structures – ranging from Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral to the recently-listed Old Palace in Croydon. And yet there are always more structures that could be listed and protected for future generations. Every year the 20th Century Society (C20), a charity that protects modern British architecture and design, publishes a ‘Coming of Age’ list that highlights exceptional buildings that have just turned 30 years old. Thirty is generally the age buildings need to reach before they become eligible to be listed by the government, on advice from Historic England. C20’s list of the top 10 structures that were finished in 1995 range from ‘the most original new cinema building in Britain over the last 40 years’ to a striking bridge in Manchester. Among the choices are three sites in London – here’s what they are, and why C20 says they deserve protected status. C20 Society’s 2025 ‘Coming of Age’ list in London BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Neasden Temple), Brent Photograph: Historic England Placing top of C20’s top 10 is BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, popularly known as Neasden Temple. The first traditional Hindu Mandir in Europe, it was built entirely using traditional methods and for decades it was the biggest Hindu temple outside India. The society describes the temple as ‘a masterpiece of exquisite Indi

Fresh from the news that City will be introducing a drop-off fee for the first time and Heathrow will be hiking its vehicle charges in 2026, now we have more bad news for departure costs at London airports. London Gatwick, the city’s second-biggest aviation hub, has confirmed that it is increasing charges in its drop-off zones by £3 in 2026. From January the fee, which allows drivers to stop outside the terminal for 10 minutes, will be £10. This means that Gatwick will have the highest drop-off charge in the UK.  The fee has doubled since LGW initially introduced a drop-off charge in 2021; it increased to £6 in 2024 and £7 in May 2025. A Gatwick spokesperson blamed the increase on ‘a number of increasing costs’, including higher business rates. The spokesperson added: ‘The increase in the drop-off charge will support wider efforts to encourage greater use of public transport, helping limit the number of cars and reduce congestion at the entrance to our terminals, alongside funding a number of sustainable transport initiatives.’ When will Gatwick’s new passenger drop-off charge take effect? The increase will officially come into force on January 6 2026. How much is Gatwick’s new passenger drop-off charge? The new fee is £10 for 10 minutes. You can pay the fee online, by the phone or with an AutoPay account. How to avoid Gatwick drop-off fees Passengers being driven to Gatwick can still be dropped off for free at long-stay car parks (for up to two hours), from which they can ge

Platinum-selling UK hip-hop collective D-Block Europe are in London for several huge shows at the O2 Arena this week. Young Adz and Dirtbike LB are touring in support of their latest album PTSD 2, the 29-track follow-up to 2019’s PTSD which was released in November. DBE are in London for three massive dates at the city’s biggest indoor arena. While the collective initially announced just two dates at the O2, a third was added on December 19 due to extraordinarily high levels of demand. Keen to catch D-Block Europe at the O2 this week? Here’s what you need to know about the shows, from the timings to any remaining ticket availability. When are D-Block Europe playing at London’s O2 Arena? Young Adz and Dirtbike LB are in Greenwich on the following dates: Monday December 15 Tuesday December 16 Friday December 19 What time do doors open? At all three shows, doors to the venue will open at 6.30pm. When will D-Block Europe come on stage? D-Block Europe have not yet confirmed when they’ll take to the stage at the O2. Typically, main acts at the venue come on at around 8.30pm-9pm. Who’s supporting D-Block Europe at the O2? The duo has promised ‘special guests’ at the dates, but not confirmed who those guests are. Last minute tickets Find tickets on sites like AXS and Ticketmaster, as well as on resale platforms such as Viagogo and Stubhub. Did you see Time Out’s best albums of 2025?  And the year’s top songs. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to

Starting to draw up a list of restaurants you really, really want to try in 2026? OpenTable has just dropped a tonne of top-quality eating-out inspo. The reservation booking company has revealed its list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK for 2025. OpenTable’s list was compiled with the help of nearly 800,000 reviews, all of which were written in the year from September 1 2024 to August 31 2025. The ranking took into account not just the proportion of five-star reviews but also other factors like the level of demand for reservations and number of direct searches. The top 100 wasn’t in order, instead split alphabetically by region. London was the most strongly-repped region, with 50 restaurants – a full half of the list. Manchester (with Greater Manchester) had the second-most with seven entries, while third place was a three-way tie between Yorkshire, Edinburgh and Midlothian, and Newcastle and Northumberland (all with five entries). Notable inclusions were Bavette – Time Out’s top restaurant in Leeds – and Manchester’s hyped Higher Ground, as well as legendary Michelin-starred spots in the capital like CORE by Clare Smyth and The Ledbury. Commenting on the list, OpenTable’s senior director Sasha Shaker said: ‘From exciting new names like Nina in London to much-loved local favourites such as Opheem in Birmingham and Higher Ground in Manchester, the list celebrates the fantastic spots that the UK has to offer. ‘Whether diners are after a happy hour menu, a certain cuisine ty