Roisin Teeling

‘Tis the season for tinsel, ornaments and towering glistening Christmas trees. In true New York fashion, some hotels go bigger than others when it comes to decking out for the holidays. Even if you feel more like Scrooge or the Grinch this holiday season, we have a feeling these hotels and their over-the-top Christmas decor will manage to make you feel merry and bright. N.Y.C. hotels with over the top decorations, at a glance: 🍸 Best for a cozy holiday cocktail: The Beekman 🎄 Best for a classic Christmas display: The Peninsula New York 🎁 Best for over the top festive decor: Lotte New York Palace ➡️ Discover the best hotels in New York City, and our favorite Christmas hotels How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world—new openings, old classics and everything in between—to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. We have reviewed many of the hotels featured below, but we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 🛏 Check out the best Airbnbs in Chicago

Whether you’re a vintage lover, a trendsetter or on the hunt for something quirky for your home, London has a shop that’ll loosen even the tightest purse strings. Buying a gift or treating yourself? Our guide to London’s 100 best shops should send you home happily bag-laden. But if you want to tick off a whole list in one go, the city’s shopping centres are where retail therapy gets serious. And they come in every shape.  There are the sprawling Westfields in White City and Stratford, a Soho courtyard stacked with indie brands and good places to eat, a Brutalist icon in Bloomsbury and a shipping container mall in Shoreditch. Even Brent Cross, the UK’s original out-of-town mall, has had a glow-up, marking its 50th birthday this year with 150 new stores. They have all the convenience of the high street, minus the rammed buses, slow-walking tourists and clipboard-wielding chuggers. Here are our favourites, for every type of shopper. RECOMMENDED:The 50 best shops in LondonThe best department stores in LondonThe best vintage shops in LondonThe best markets in London London’s best shoping centres, at a glance Best for after-work browsing: Boxpark Shoreditch Best for central London shopping: The Yards Covent Garden Best for a huge shopping spree: Westfield London Best for wellness: The Whiteley

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

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

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

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

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

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

Palm Springs doesn’t really do subtlety, and that’s exactly why we love it. The skies are blindingly blue, there’s an amazing food culture, the mountains look like a movie backdrop, and the design scene is second to none. It’s the easiest place to reset, whether you’re dodging Los Angeles traffic for the weekend or flying in to catch the winter sun. The local rental market is just as vibrant as the scenery, moving far beyond standard pads to offer everything from retro pool houses to secluded, high-design escapes. To save you the scroll, we’ve curated the best shortlist for the Palm Springs Airbnbs worth booking this season. Updated for 2026: We’ve keep our nose to the ground and discovered a new wellness retreat in Twentynine Palms and a cabin-meets-yurt just outside of Palm Springs. Enjoy! The best Airbnbs in Palm Springs, at a glance:  💆‍♀️ Best for infrared sauna and spa amenities: the wellness retreat 🏊 Best for mid-century architecture: the modernist home near Downtown ❤️ Best for couples: the iconic Sunny Bungalo in Palm Springs 💫 Best for off-grid stargazing: the geodesic dome near Downtown Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our

Ahh, NYC. Street-style mecca. Home of Broadway. All hustle and bustle (hence the coffee). Truth is, there’s never a dull moment here, and that’s why we love it. Even some of the bodegas are in on the nightlife.  Travel upstate and it’s a completely different vibe (a bit like NYC’s introverted cousin) – we’re talking no neon lights, only the amber glow of a wood-burning stove. And when it’s time to escape the inner-city chaos, there’s no place quite like Hudson Valley. Sometimes what you really need is a long weekend in a cozy cabin to help you fully decompress, so without further ado, we’ve rounded up the best places the stay in Hudson Valley, many of which boast breathtaking views, cracking amenities, and scenic hiking trails. The best Airbnbs in Hudson Valley, at a glance: 🏰 Best for fairytale charm: the tiny tower in Lee ⛰️ Best for hiking enthusiasts: the eco cottage in Rosendale 🐟 Best for fly-fishing trips: the smokey A-frame in Livingston Manor 🐶 Best for private lake access: the stylish cabin in the Catskills Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

The mammoth Christmas dinner clear-up, shredded tinsel making its way into just about every corner of your home—or even your underwear—and the long drives with screaming toddlers. Of all our least favorite traditions, we’d happily skip that last one. Come to think of it, the holiday season is kind of the perfect time to do just that – go on holiday. So, if you fancy knocking back the eggnog somewhere a little different this year, keep scrolling because we’ve rounded up the best festive Airbnbs in the US.  The best Christmas Airbnbs in the US, at a glance:  ❄️ Best for a real-life snow globe: Campfire Hollow, Ozarks 🎿 Best for a Swiss chalet vibe: the mountain hut in Goshen, VT 🎄 Best for bucket-list group adventures: the rustic treehouse in Kirbyville RECOMMENDED: ☀️ Check out the best warm weather Airbnbs in the U.S. Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we’ve based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

We’re firmly past 2026’s halfway point and it’s already been a stacked year for excellent new music. The race for song of the summer is a packed field, big-name pop titans – Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna – have delivered lauded albums and there’s been a formidable number of breakout bands. 2026’s end-of-year round-ups are already looking like contentious business indeed.  Looking to inject something new into your mid-year listening habits? Time Out’s music geeks have got together to put together a list of the albums we’ve loved so far in 2026. Raving dance-pop, grotty death metal, stratospheric jazz-funk, paranoid techno, the year’s biggest pop records… whatever’s your jam, you’ll find it here.  Read on for the best albums of 2026 as of July, according to Time Out editors and contributors (they’re in alphabetical order – you’ll have to wait until the end of the year for the definitive ranking). RECOMMENDED: The 10 songs of the summer for 2026.

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

London Glossier girls, don’t panic. The brand hailing from New York might be closing nine of its 12 shops worldwide, but the King Street one is staying put. It’s in the oldest building on Covent Garden piazza, a 17th-century townhouse now painted Glossier pink, with little G rosettes set into the wooden floors. Head to the Wet Bar to swatch Cloud Paint until your cheeks look like you’ve just come in from a frosty walk in Hyde Park, slick on a Balm Dotcom flavour you’d never normally go for and spritz Glossier You until you smell like the coolest girl in the room. The pink pouch everything comes in has a cult following of its own, so don’t be surprised when it becomes your makeup bag for the next five years.

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

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

What is it? Wedged between Peter Jones and the Saatchi Gallery, just off Sloane Square, Duke of York Square is about as Chelsea as shopping gets. It’s an open-air square of smart shops, fountains and terraces set around a lawn, on the site of the old Duke of York’s barracks (and before that, a school for military orphans). There are more than 30 shops here. It has one of the largest Zara’s in Europe, and beyond that, there's Reformation, Self-Portrait, A.P.C. and Joseph for clothes, Monica Vinader for jewellery and Soho Home Studio for interiors you’ll want to recreate at home. Beauty lovers are well looked after too, with Aesop, Space NK, Jo Malone, Penhaligon’s, Trinny London and a Dermalogica flagship all in one place. Don’t skip Taschen either, which is still one of the best place in west London to lose an hour among the coffee table books. Why go? Because it’s one of the few places in London where you can shop, eat, drink and see world-class art without walking more than a few minutes. Plus, the people-watching is elite. Don’t miss The Saturday food market. It’s one of the best in London, with stalls selling everything from artisan cheese and fresh bread to hot food from around the world, so arrive hungry. If you’re back during the week, Vardo is worth a visit too. It’s housed in a striking cylindrical glass pavilion bang in the middle of the square with a terrace that’s prime for a long Chelsea lunch. When to visit A sunny Saturday, when the market is on and every terra

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

Charlotte Tilbury’s Covent Garden flagship is her biggest in the world, and it’s as gloriously over the top as her ‘darlings’ TikTok voiceovers. It’s three times the size of the old shop, with a Pillow Talk Bar where you can play with the whole of the iconic collection and the brand’s first ever Skin Spa, offering four facials you can only get here. There’s even a Pillow Talk Parlour and a Beauty Boudoir you can book for masterclasses and private parties. 

If you haven’t been to Oxford Circus since Topshop closed, here’s your reason. Space NK has taken over part of the old building, and people literally camped out overnight to get in when it opened. There’s section dedicated to ‘viral drops’ for whatever the internet is obsessing over that week, with sweetie machine-style dispensers you can use to fill one of Space NK’s see-through makeup bags. Try the blush and lipstick matching service, where you tap in what you’re after and it picks out your shade. Or get your perfume engraved at the fragrance bar, so there’s no arguing about whose it is when your sister ‘borrows’ it. And if your blending skills peaked with Collection 2000 concealer in Year 9, book in for a makeover and let the pros fix it. 

You no longer need a plane ticket to experience the madness of a K-beauty haul. As the UK’s biggest Korean beauty store, Pureseoul’s Carnaby flagship packs over 2,000 products across two bright floors. Yes, they stock the viral Medicube masks currently holding your TikTok feed hostage, but the real treasure is the SPF section. Korean sunscreens are weightless and leave zero white cast, and obsessives will know to pick up a bottle of Skin1004’s Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum. Downstairs is where the fun happens: the makeup section. K-makeup is usually about achieving that dewy, ‘your skin but better’ glow. Instead of heavy foundations, you’ll find sheer Clio skin tints and Peripera lip stains that give a soft flush for a fraction of department store prices. Toss in some COSRX pimple patches and Sulwhasoo’s First Care Activating Serum, and you are good to go. Go with a list, and prepare to completely ignore it and buy double.

What is it? Wood Green’s big, busy, no-nonsense shopping centre has been a fixture of north London life for more than four decades. It opened as Wood Green Shopping City in May 1981, with Queen Elizabeth II doing the honours, and the housing estate stacked on top is still known locally as ‘Sky City’.  Don’t come expecting designer labels. This is a place for everyday shopping, with Primark, H&M, TK Maxx, River Island, JD Sports, Boots, Argos and a Lidl all under one roof, plus a Cineworld and a PureGym. The real character is in the Market Hall, where dozens of independent traders sell everything from beads and craft materials to phones and electricals, hair and beauty, and quick bites. Why go? Because it’s a great community shopping centre where you can pick up school uniform, get your shoes fixed and grab lunch from around the world in one trip. Don’t miss The Bridge is the Mall’s food destination. Try the handmade momos and Newari dishes at Momo 365, or the beef rendang at South East Asian spot Bowl. Moodog’s chicken tikka baguette is its bestseller. When to visit Weekday mornings are the calmest. Come during the school holidays if you’ve got kids in tow, as the centre runs regular family events and craft activities. Time Out tip Head down to the Market Hall for independent traders you won’t find on the high street. There’s a meat market, a Continental deli and Imperial Falafel for a quick lunch.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Si hablas sobre Rumanía a la mayoría de viajeros, se imaginarán castillos góticos y un determinado conde con predilección por la sangre. Sin embargo, si te diriges hacia el nordeste cruzando los Cárpatos Orientales, encontrarás una región mucho más tranquila con las mismas montañas salvajes y muchos menos autocares. Esta región es la Bucovina, y acaba de encabezar la lista actualizada de Time Out sobre los destinos turísticos más infravalorados del mundo para 2027. ¿Qué hace que la Bucovina sea tan tradicional? Es una región profundamente tradicional de bosques antiguos, prados de flores silvestres y pequeños pueblos de montaña, y acoge ocho monasterios pintados declarados Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO, iglesias cubiertas de frescos coloridos con escenas bíblicas y cuentos populares rumanos. También es donde empieza la Vía Transilvánica, la ruta de peregrinaje de 1.400 km de Rumanía que cruza el país en diagonal, pasando por unas 400 comunidades y se tarda aproximadamente dos meses en caminarla entera. La redactora de viajes de Time Out, Grace Beard, hizo una excursión por una parte del camino y encontró casas de payés que servían comidas caseras, un montón de chupitos de licor de cereza ácida y una bienvenida muy cálida en cada parada. "Técnicamente, la Vía Transilvánica es el parque de esculturas al aire libre más grande del mundo", dice Iulian Gabor, uno de los fundadores del sendero, refiriéndose a los hitos de piedra tallados individualmente que guían a los ex

Pregunta a qualsevol que estigui atrapat en una estació col·lapsada a l'hora punta i et dirà que un bon transport públic val el seu pes en or. Quan funciona, amb prou feines te n'adones, però quan no, et pot arruïnar el dia (i l'estat d'ànim). Aleshores, quines ciutats ho estan fent bé? Cada any enquestem desenes de milers de persones sobre la vida al seu lloc de residència, i aquesta vegada més de 24.000 urbanites van puntuar el seu transport públic en una escala del u al cinc, des d'"horrible" fins a "increïble". A continuació s'enumeren les 20 ciutats on el percentatge més alt de residents va qualificar els seus autobusos, trens i tramvies de "bons" o "increïbles". Per mantenir un enfocament global, cada país només obté un lloc a la llista, de manera que només la seva ciutat amb la puntuació més alta passa el tall. Les ciutats amb millor transport públic 1. Taipei, Taiwan 🚇 Puntuació: 95% Si us heu hagut d'apretar en un tren d'hora punta, l'MRT de Taipei us podria fer tenir enveja. Amb estacions impecables, línies de cua ben pintades a les andanes i trens que arriben quan prometen, Taipei s'ha guanyat una qualificació d'aprovació gairebé perfecta del 95 per cent per part dels residents, la més alta de la nostra llista. Tampoc no és una operació petita: el metro va transportar més de 767 milions de passatgers el 2025, la qual cosa equival a uns 2,1 milions al dia. Una sola targeta EasyCard cobreix l'MRT, els autobusos i el lloguer de YouBike (i els vostres snacks del 7-El

Si parles sobre Romania a la majoria de viatgers, s'imaginaran castells gòtics i un determinat comte amb predilecció per la sang. Tanmateix, si ets dirigeixes cap al nord-est creuant els Carpats Orientals, trobaràs una regió molt més tranquil·la amb les mateixes muntanyes salvatges i molts menys autocars. Aquesta regió és la Bucovina, i tot just acaba d'encapçalar la llista actualitzada de Time Out de les destinacions turístiques més infravalorades del món per al 2027. Què fa que la Bucovina sigui tan especial? És una regió profundament tradicional de boscos antics, prats de flors silvestres i petits pobles de muntanya, i acull vuit monestirs pintats declarats Patrimoni de la Humanitat per la UNESCO, esglésies cobertes de frescos acolorits amb escenes bíbliques i contes populars romanesos. També és on comença la Via Transilvanica, la ruta de pelegrinatge de 1.400 km de Romania que travessa el país en diagonal, passant per unes 400 comunitats i trigant aproximadament dos mesos a caminar-la sencera. La redactora de viatges de Time Out, Grace Beard, va fer una excursió per una part del camí i va trobar cases de pagès que servien dinars casolans, un munt de xarrups de licor de cirera àcida i una benvinguda ben càlida a cada aturada. "Tècnicament, la Via Transilvanica és el parc d'escultures a l'aire lliure més gran del món", diu Iulian Gabor, un dels fundadors del sender, referint-se a les fites de pedra tallades individualment que guien els excursionistes al llarg de la ruta. La

Quan penses en viatjar per Europa, acostuma a ser difícil triar entre de tanta oferta cultural de primer nivell. Però, si vols avançar-te a les masses, potser t'interessarà afegir una petita ciutat mediterrània a la teva llista de viatges. Si no et sona Victòria, no ens sorprèn. És una ciutat de Gozo, la més petita i tranquil·la de les dues illes principals que formen Malta, situada a poca distància en ferri de l'illa principal. Fins i tot els habituals de Malta pot ser que només la coneguin com una parada de tres hores per dinar i fer una foto a la Ciutadella medieval mentre visiten Gozo en una tarda. Foto: ShutterstockVictoria, Gozo Però tot això està a punt de canviar, ja que Victòria ha estat coronada oficialment com a Capital Europea de la Cultura per al 2031. Com es decideix la Capital Europea de la Cultura? Aconseguir el títol és una gran fita. És un procés d'eliminació de nou mesos, valorat per un jurat independent d'experts nacionals i de la UE. Primer, les ciutats candidates han de presentar-se amb una proposta inicial només per passar a la llista de finalistes. Després, han de lliurar un dossier de candidatura i defensar-lo en persona per demostrar que tenen la estratègia cultural a llarg termini, la rellevància europea i la infraestructura necessàries per tirar-ho endavant. Després d'una reunió final decisiva a La Valleta, Victòria es va emportar oficialment el premi. En el cas de Malta, dues ciutats es van presentar a la cursa quan es va obrir la convocatòria l

For a long time, trying to buy a ticket to Machu Picchu online felt a bit like trying to cop Glastonbury tickets, except this festival is actually an Inca citadel high in the Andes. Now, thanks to a recent rule change, a shedload of tickets have become available.  The Ministry of Culture has scrapped advance reservations on Tu Boleto, the official ticketing site, with the change announced on September 11 and a trial of the new system starting on September 22. Before, you could hold tickets for up to three hours without paying for them. Now you pick a date and entry time, then have 15 minutes to pay, and if you don’t, the ticket goes straight back on sale, according to Radio Programas del Perú. A government audit of 209,051 reservations made by eight tour companies found that 131,626 of them, or 62.9 percent, were later cancelled. That meant the site could appear fully booked for months when it wasn’t, with culture minister Alberto Beingolea saying that anyone logging on at the time wouldn’t find tickets until December. Some visitors were turning up in Cusco hoping to find a ticket on arrival, only to find none and be forced to stay longer. Since the change, the ministry says availability has opened up. On October 6, Beingolea said there were more than 90,000 tickets available for the rest of the year, according to Latin Times, with just over 1,000 for October, around 29,000 for November and more than 60,000 for December. Those numbers will change quickly as tickets sell, and

Monaco is known for yachts, casinos and a Grand Prix that roars through the middle of town, and now it can add another title to the collection. According to a new index, the tiny Mediterranean city-state is the best place in the world to live. The Nomad Lifestyle Index comes from Nomad Capitalist, a consultancy that advises wealthy clients on cutting their tax bills and gaining second passports. So take this list with a pinch of very expensive salt, as it’s catered to those with lots of money in the bank. Nomad Capitalist didn’t evaluate every country in the world; instead, it looked at 63 destinations based on audience interest. Each destination was scored out of 100 on five pillars, with each counting for a fifth of the final score. Those were nature and climate, tax, how easy it is to move there and stay legally, safety and freedom, and quality of life and infrastructure. Monaco garnered the highest score with 73.89 out of 100, receiving a perfect 100 for quality of life and infrastructure, the only 100 given for any pillar anywhere in the index. That pillar looks at things like life expectancy, broadband and mobile speeds, and a quality of life measure from Numbeo. Monaco also scored 89.7 for safety and freedom, and 84.0 for tax. It’s not a clean sweep, though. Nature and climate came in at 44.6, while residence and access scored 51.1 because of limited residence pathways, a ten-year tenure to become a citizen, and the requirement to renounce your existing nationality. Se

After almost three years off display, south London’s roundest resident is nearly ready for his comeback. The Horniman Museum has announced that its Natural History Gallery, renamed the Nature Gallery, will reopen on Friday February 5 2027, and its famously overstuffed walrus will be right back in the middle of it. In case you’re not acquainted, the Victorian taxidermists who stuffed the arctic mammal had never seen a live walrus, so they overfilled him, leaving him smooth, wrinkle-free and a lot rounder than the real thing. He’s been a fan favourite since 1901 (and even has his own Instagram account) but went into storage in March 2024 to allow for restoration work. He was finally winched back into the centre of the refurbished gallery last month and the public will be able to see him again soon. Photograph: ConstantineThe Horniman Museum walrus returning to the Nature Gallery   Beyond the walrus, the Nature Gallery will display more than 2,300 objects from the Horniman’s collection, alongside artist commissions and multi-sensory interactive exhibits. Highlights include a ceiling projection featuring footage from the museum’s own gardens and a display on plastic pollution made with children from a Deptford school. Next door, a hands-on Nature Discovery Den focused on local wildlife has been designed with and for families with young children. The museum says the gallery will explore people’s connection to and reliance on nature, stories of extinction and climate change, and

South-east London is getting a big new space for live events. At the end of August, Greenwich Council granted a licence for a 5,000 capacity open-air venue in Charlton Riverside, which is off Woolwich Road and not far from the Thames Barrier. The new venue will sit on a concrete plot of land next to the warehouses at the old Stone Foundries site. Operator CW Bases Ltd says that it will host a ‘diverse mixture’ of events, from concerts, theatre and fashion shows to food festivals, corporate events and even boxing matches. Venue manager Hugo Kibasi told the council’s licensing committee that most of them wouldn’t actually be music-led. The space will be allowed to open from 9am to 11pm every day, with music and alcohol permitted until 10.30pm. But don’t expect 5,000 strong crowds straight away. There’s a cap of three events with more than 1,000 people this year, and none with more than 3,000. From 2027, it will be able to host up to ten events a year with more than 1,000 people, six of which can go over 3,000, as long as the council gets six months’ notice. There are a few other rules too. Events can’t clash with Charlton Athletic home games without permission, and the operators have to come up with a plan for getting crowds home safely. The Metropolitan Police had originally warned of a real risk of dangerous overcrowding at Charlton station, which is unstaffed from 8pm. Not everyone is in support of the venue, though. The council’s own community protection team maintained its