Ed Cunningham

There’s a heck of a lot to get excited about in Britain over the next 12 months or so. Between now and 2027 Brits will gobble down platefuls of new restaurants’ grub, slurp tasty bevs in fresh bars, get cultural fixes at museum exhibitions, spectate at globally-renowned sport events and even witness moments of proper historic importance. In 2026 the UK will see the return of the Bayeux Tapestry (not seen on these isles in 900 years) and the completion of the nation-spanning King Charles III Coastal Path. Among the likes of new music festivals and theme parks will be the world’s biggest Irish cultural event, the premiere of one of this century’s most highly anticipated stage musicals and centenery celebrations for a globally-loved children’s character.  And that’s just the stuff that’s planned – who knows what else will define the year? Without further ado, here are the 16 best new things to do in the UK in 2026, chosen by Time Out editors and contributors. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The 14 best places to visit in the UK in 2026.🏛️ The 26 best new things to do in London in 2026.🌍 The best new things to do in the world in 2026.

Updated for 2026: Whatever you think of Netflix’s theatrical strategy, it continues to produce some of television’s most formally daring works, including Adolescence, a hard-to-watch but impossible to ignore limited series about an unimaginable crime. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s HBO’s hilariously profane The Righteous Gemstones, which stuck the landing in 2025 with its final season. Television used to be considered one of the lowest forms of entertainment. It was derided as ‘the idiot box’ and ‘the boob tube’. Edward R Murrow referred to it as ‘the opiate of the masses’, and the phrase ‘I don’t even own a TV’ was considered a major bragging right.  A lot has changed. Television is now the dominant medium in basically all of entertainment. The shift in perception is widely credited to the arrival of The Sopranos, which completely reinvented the notion of what a TV show could do. But that doesn’t mean everything that came before is primordial slurry. While this list of the greatest TV shows ever is dominated by 21st century programs, from The Wire to Succession to Adolescence, there are many shows that deserve credit for laying the groundwork for this current golden age.  Chiseling them down to a neat top 100 is difficult, so we elected to leave off talk shows, variety shows and sketch comedy, focusing on scripted, episodic dramas, comedies and miniseries. So don’t touch that dial – these are the greatest TV shows of all-time. Recommended: 🔥 The best TV and strea

Need a place to stay in London? We’re here to make it easy for you. Every year, a wealth of new hotels open in the capital – a testament to the fact that London remains one of the most desirable places to visit in the world. That can, however, make it rather tricky to decide which hotel to choose. But worry not: we have slept our way across the city and hand-picked our favourites, to bring you this ultimate list of London hotels, from Mayfair to Shoreditch, and from budget to blowout (butler included).  Newcomers to our list include the all-new July in Victoria, apartment-hotels which opened in July 2025, and eco-hotel 1 Hotel Mayfair, as well as a few old classics we’ve re-reviewed just for good measure (hint: The Dorchester is just about as great as we remembered). We’ve got a brand-new number one too, but we won’t give that one away just yet. For everything from genuine good value stays to all-out, Zone 1 luxury, you’ll find something on this list for every kind of trip. Superb bars, great architecture, world-class hospitality and the opportunity to have a home-from-home in the best city in the world await you – here are the best hotels in London.  🏘️ Looking for even more options? Check out our list of the best Airbnbs in London Which area is best to stay in London? It’s not just the range of hotels that’s so impressive – you’re also spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a neighbourhood to stay in London. The city is made up of a sprawling network of dynamic neighb

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.

Copenhagen has risen in popularity recently as one of the best destinations for a weekend city break. Whether you're a tourist travelling from afar or a fellow Dane looking for a change of scenery, renting an Airbnb for a few days is a great way to see the city and experience it like a true local.  The capital of Denmark, one of the world's happiest cities, is a gorgeous place with brightly coloured buildings, amazing food, lots of culture, rich history and architectural design, making it a place worth exploring with lots to do and see. And few cities offer such a resplendent selection of Airbnbs as the Danish capital. No matter your trip, whether you’re hunting for a table at Copenhagen’s fabulous restaurants, spending your days in its captivating museums or boogieing it out thanks to its exhilarating nightlife, there’s usually a phenomenal Airbnb to fit the bill. Here are our favourite Airbnbs right here in Copenhagen.  Time Out tip: The easiest – and quickest – way to get around Copenhagen is on two wheels, but if you prefer to hop on public transport, the DOT ticket app is your best friend.  Updated in January 2026: We think this list is pretty cracking already, but it's even better now that we've added this houseboat in the heart of the city for a truly authentic experience (and one you might recognise from a certain TV show).  Recommended: 🚲See the best things to do in Copenhagen🍷Hit up the best bars in Copenhagen🇩🇰Here's how to spend a weekend in Copenhagen Who m

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: 🇬🇧 The best new things to do in the UK in 2026.📍 The 26 best stuff to see and do in London in 2026. 

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. 

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

Soho, Marylebone and Mayfair – these are not London neighbourhoods that are in short supply of luxury. A hotel that sits at the intersection of all three, therefore, might be expected to be very glamourous indeed. And that the BoTree Hotel certainly is, though in a very modern and unstuffy sense, having only opened in 2023. Those familiar with this particular link between Oxford and Wigmore Streets might recognise the BoTree’s address from its previous life as home to the brutalist, geometrically-dazzling Welbeck Street car park. These days it doesn’t really resemble that structure, the eye-catching multi-storey replaced with a shiny grey-ish block – though latticed decoration on the corner does ever-so-slightly hint at the site’s previous life. Approaching the BoTree from Oxford Street, it’s miraculous – and a bit eerie – how the atmosphere shifts so quickly from the hectic stress of Europe’s longest shopping street to sleek, calm, palpably wealthy Marylebone. By the time you’ve stepped into the lobby, the blaring pedicabs, roaring buses and general hubbub of the West End are nowhere to be seen or heard. Why stay at The BoTree Hotel? The BoTree’s standout feature is its location, no contest. The primest of prime West End, stumble out of Bond Street station and you’re here – practically all of Soho and Marylebone is within walking distance, and the rest of the city is just a tube away. What are the rooms like at The BoTree Hotel? My room was the BoTree Suite, a seventh-floor

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

Keen to lift those January blues by booking a holiday, but not quite got the funds to do so? Here’s just the thing. Time Out has just named the greatest affordable city break destinations in Europe in 2026, picking out top destinations that you can have an excellent time in without breaking the bank – and one of the places is here in the UK. Time Out’s list was based on a huge range of factors, all related to how much you get in each city for your money. Among the price indicators were the cost of a one-bed Airbnb and a pint – who needs much else, eh? It should be noted that this isn’t a list of the most affordable places to go on holiday, but the best cheap destinations. In other words, it’s more about value than the bottom line. The UK city that made the cut was Hull, which placed third overall. The Yorkshire port city – full name Kingston upon Hull – is a firm favourite among Time Out’s team, often recommended for its cultural scene, LGBTQ+-friendliness and historic old town. In terms of the cost of pints and rentals, the average cost of a pint in Hull was just £4.75 – which, while not cheap in the context of the rest of the list (Hungarian town Miskolc has ’em for just £1.35), is pretty good for the UK. A one-bed Airbnb rental in the town costs a very reasonable £68 per night. Commenting on Hull’s inclusion in the ranking, Time Out Guides Editor Ella Doyle said: ‘You can’t ignore one of Hull’s biggest draws: compared to the rest of the UK, it’s seriously cheap. And as the

This weekend London will boast a pop-up spa at King’s Cross, an excellent exhibition about the kingdom of Hawaiʻi at the British Museum, a second site from Thai nosh purveyors Plaza Khao Gaeng and much, much more. Find Time Out’s list of the greatest things to do in the city on January 17-18 here. Planning on seeing and doing stuff in the capital this weekend? You’ll want to know about scheduled travel disruption from TfL. On the surface, there isn’t a lengthy list of travel disruption planned for London over the coming days – but be warned, what there is, is major. Notably, the entire Piccadilly line will be down on both Saturday and Sunday. At least the Northern line’s four months of early closures don’t affect Friday to Sunday, eh? Here’s what you need to know about tube closures and service alterations on Jan 16-18. RECOMMENDED: All the upgrades and new services coming to London’s transport network in 2026. London travel disruption and tube closures, January 16-18 2026 Piccadilly line No service on Saturday January 17 and Sunday January 18, including Night Tube on Friday. Whole line closure. Use Elizabeth line to get to Heathrow Replacement buses will operate Find a full guide to how to get to London Heathrow airport this weekend here. Elizabeth line On Sun Jan 18, reduced service between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4/Maidenhead. Two trains an hour: Acton Main Line, Hanwell, Heathrow Terminal 4, West Drayton, Langley, Slough, Burnham, Maidenhead Four trains an

Just when we thought 2026’s gig calendar couldn’t get any bigger, K-pop royalty BTS have announced a world tour. And better yet, the 70+ date tour includes two dates here in London. The group’s world’s tour will kick off in Goyang, South Korea in April and last all the way through to 2027. The shows will be BTS’s first headline performances as a group since the Permission To Dance On Stage Tour of 2021-22 and all stops on the upcoming tour will feature an immersive set-up with 360-degree, in-the-round stage design. The group’s London dates are in July 2026. Keen to experience the likes of ‘Dynamite’, ‘Butter’ and ‘Blood Sweat & Tears’ in a live setting? Of course you are. Here’s what you need to know to make sure you get BTS tickets for their London shows this summer. RECOMMENDED: The 20 best major music tours coming to the UK in 2026. When are BTS going on tour in 2026? The group’s world tour kicks off this coming April and will last all the way through to March 2027, with further 2027 dates still to be confirmed for Japan, the Middle East and more. What London tour dates have been announced so far? BTS have initially announced two London dates, which are both at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July. Monday July 6 2026 Tuesday July 7 2026 When do BTS tickets go on sale? General sale starts next week. General sale goes live 1pm on Saturday January 24. You’ll be able to get tickets on Ticketmaster here. Presale details If you want a chance to get tickets before general sale goe

TfL’s quest to get high-speed internet coverage on every London tube line and at every station continues. This week the transport operator confirmed that the project has passed another milestone, with more than half of the London Underground’s ‘underground’ stations boasting 4G and 5G. Now officially 62 of London’s 121 subterranean tube stations have mobile coverage in their ticket halls, corridors and platforms (as well as the entire Elizabeth line, which was fully connected in December 2024). Euston Square, Cannon Street and Battersea Power Station were among the most recent stations to get connected. 4G and 5G has also been turned on for sections of the Circle and District lines for the first time. Two stretches of track on the lines – between Blackfriars and Cannon Street, and Notting Hill Gate and Bayswater – are now live. Photograph: Shutterstock Elsewhere, TfL says it expects the ‘vast majority’ of the Northern and Metropolitan lines have internet coverage in tunnels by the end of the summer. The entire project – that is, ensuring 4G and 5G at every ‘underground’ tube, DLR, Lizzy line and Overground station and tunnel – is apparently ‘on track’ to be complete by the end of 2026. The project to deliver high speed mobile connectivity across the TfL network is being undertaken by Boldyn Networks, with help from Three UK, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2. Next up to get internet coverage over the coming months are King’s Cross St Pancras, Gloucester Road, Warwick Avenue

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. Last week, however, another massive tour was added to that list – none other than Bruno Mars has confirmed dates in the UK this summer, with tickets going on sale this week. 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 this week, at 12pm GMT on Thursday January 15. You’ll be

Not only have Leeds United been on a decent run of form of late, the Yorkshire football club have recently received planning permission to expand their home ground. Elland Road, which has been Leeds’ home since the club was formed in 1919, is set to become one of the biggest club stadiums in the UK. Elland Road currently holds just over 37,600, but the plan is to boost that all the way to 53,000. The club will increase capacity partly by expanding the west and north stands, and partly by altering the south stand. This will help meet demand for tickets from supporters – the club have 26,000 people on the waiting list for season tickets. And isn’t just the capacity that is set to change at Leeds’ home ground. ‘Fan comfort, sightlines and matchday amenities’ will also get a boost, with comfier seats, enhanced concourses and accessibility improvements. The plans were approved by Leeds City Council on January 8. Elland Road opened in 1897 and has had several refurbs over the years. It was last majorly redeveloped in the mid-1990s, when it was made an all-seated venue. The trick with the upcoming expansion will no doubt be to maintain the ground’s atmosphere, which is among the loudest and fiercest in the Premier League.  Once the upgrades are complete, Leeds United says that Elland Road will have UEFA Category 4 status. This means it will achieve the highest category for football stadiums in Europe and open the door to hosting more international games. The club have also hinted at

Are you a regular late-night user of the Northern line’s Bank branch? Here’s some news you’ll want to know about. The middle fork of the black tube line is shutting early for four whole months at the start of 2026 – starting this week. If you’re looking to get the Northern line into or out of King’s Cross St Pancras, Angel, Old Street, Moorgate, Bank, London Bridge, Borough or Elephant & Castle after 10pm, you’ll need to find a different route. The early closure is in place Monday-Thursday, with services running on a revised timetable from 9.30pm each night. The early shutting of the route started on January 12 and will run through to late May. The closure is allowing for TfL to undertake essential track replacement work, which the operator says will improve reliability on the line. From Friday to Sunday, the Northern line’s Bank branch will operate a normal service, while the Charing Cross branch will run as usual throughout the four months. During the closure, the Charing Cross branch will get an additional four trains per hour. Commenting on the temporary part-closure, TfL’s Director of Asset Performance Delivery Richard Jones said: ‘We apologise to Northern line customers and local businesses for the disruption that the early closure of the Bank branch will cause. This is to enable us to carry out essential track replacement work to improve the reliability of the line in future and would be very challenging to complete within normal engineering hours. ‘Customers are advis

Fashion retailer River Island will shut dozens of stores across the UK this month. A major restructure of the chain will see a further 27 shops close in January 2026, with the stores shutting across three major dates.  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.’ Exactly when the 27 remaining 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, with closure dates (according to Retail Gazette). Aylesbury – January 18 Bangor Bloomfield – January 24 Barnstaple – January 31 Beckton – January 31 Burton upon Trent – January 18 Cumbernauld – January 24 Didcot – January 31 Falkirk – January 31 Gloucester – Januar

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

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