Annie McNamee

On March 25, 1925, at London’s Selfridges department store in central London, Scottish inventor John Logie Baird made the first public demo of his latest creation: a way to broadcast visual information from a camera to a screen. A full century later, Baird’s discovery has led to perhaps the most vital, creative and popular mode of artistic expression in the entire world. But it’s only in the past 25 years that television has really fulfilled its artistic potential.  The result has been the so-called ‘Golden Age of Television’, a boom kickstarted roughly around the turn of the century with the rise of shows like The Sopranos and later Breaking Bad, and continuing with awards-winners from Succession to Shōgun to Slow Horses. So while our list of the 100 greatest TV shows may pay tribute to the unmissable programs of yesteryear, you’ll find that the majority hail from our own century – meaning there’s no excuse not to watch every single one. Paring the list down to only 100 was a painful process, so we decided to omit sketch shows, talk shows, news and non-fiction in order to focus on scripted drama and classic comedy. Time to go goggle-eyed. Recommended: 🔥 The best TV and streaming shows of 2025 (so far)🍎 The best shows to watch on Apple TV+ right now📺 The best Netflix original series to binge🎮 The best ‘90s TV shows

This bustling coastal city is absolutely steeped in history, maritime heritage, and of course, there's loads to see. It’s roots date back as far as the Stone Age, and its first ever museum (the Tudor House) remains a top attraction, with gorgeous gardens and guided tours on offer.  There’s plenty of modern-day action too, with a treasured football team, The Saints, and their fans bringing life to the city on match day. Southampton is also only a 20-minute drive away from the New Forest, or a ferry-ride away from the Isle of Wight, there's plenty going on that makes this city worth a visit. Check out our list of top picks for all the best things to do in Southampton.  RECOMMENDED:  🚆The best day trips from London⛰️ The best things to in the New Forest🏖️ The best seaside towns in the UK💕 The best things to do in the UK Annie McNamee is a writer at Time Out UK. 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. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

This is about the time when the January blues start to hit pretty hard. It’s dark at 4pm, you’ve got no money left after Christmas and winter feels like it’s dragging on forever. But we’re here to tell you that things are looking up, because 2025 is going to be a corker of a year for the UK.  It turns out that 2025 is going to be a bit of a big one, with a number of landmark occasions being celebrated across Britain. There’s Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in Southampton, as well as the art-packed Folkestone Triennial, a celebration of 200 years of the British railway in York and Bradford’s 2025 City of Culture festivities. Then, there are up-and-coming foodie towns in Cornwall, music scenes that are popping off in Cardiff and Belfast, and the reopening of grand cultural insitutions like the Tate Liverpool.  If there’s ever been a good time to book a trip, it’s now (it might even help keep some SAD at bay). There is so much fantastic stuff happening across the country this year, so read our list curated by local experts of the best places to visit in the UK in 2025, and get stuck in.  RECOMMENDED: 🇬🇧 The 25 best new things to do in the UK in 2025📍The 12 most underrated city breaks in the UK 🏨 The UK’s 13 best new hotels opening in 2025👨‍👩‍👧 6 amazing places to stay with Kids in the UK

If people make Glasgow, music is what fuels it. The city's music scene was thriving long before the rest of it had caught up, with places like the Barrowlands and the Old Fruit Market offering locals good, cheap live music when general attitudes of Glasgow were, let's just say, less than favourable.  But those days are behind us, and Scotland's biggest city is now known across the UK for its vibrant cultural heritage, nightlife, and, of course, its music scene. Whether you're looking for an arena of people to scream along your favourite songs with, or a small makeshift stage at the back of a bar to find your new favourite band, Glasgow's got you sorted. Fair warning though: crowds here are famously rowdy. They're a lot of fun, but don't be surprised if you end up beer-soaked. Oh, and brush up on our local chants. You don't want to be the only person not shouting along with 'here we, here we, here we f'ing go!'. 

History has it that Pollokshaws Road was once home to a merry band of Flemish weavers – known as the ‘Queer Folk’ – who were brought over to work in the city during the 19th century by local landowners. These days it’s still a thriving creative hub, threading down Glasgow’s Southside and linking up the districts of Govanhill, Strathbungo and Shawlands. Rows of sandstone tenements loom over traffic separated by wide pavements, behind which stand ornate townhouses designed by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson. There’s a juicy chunk of Pollokshaws Road where bars, cafés and boutiques jostle for space; pick it up from Allison Street and wander down past Queen’s Park. Since it’s a largely residential area, there’s a distinct feel of community – something that’s enhanced by the indie businesses that have popped up over the past few years. In particular it’s a brunch haven, with queues leaking out of living-room-sized cafés come rain or shine. You can also expect to find organic fruit and veg at Stalks & Stems, a fresh produce emporium with a florist next door, and (almost) a different coffee shop for every day of the week. It’s not all hipster territory, though. Punters tired of mustachioed baristas and bar staff will be cheered by the decent selection of old man pubs complete with smoked-glass windows. Recommended: Full guide to the best things to do in Glasgow

How easily could you be persuaded to shave off an eyebrow, or take a shot for every stair you climbed? Perhaps you’d feel more compelled if you were half a bottle of ‘Chicken Wine’ deep, 18, and surrounded by new friends that you were trying to impress? If you attended university in the UK you might have an uncomfortable feeling of deja-vu, perhaps being whisked back to the time you were ‘hazed’ as a first year student. If you didn’t, you’ve likely heard the rumours about former prime ministers getting it on with pigs, or rugby teams shoving carrots in places vegetables should never go. Hazing, or ‘initiation’ as it more commonly goes by this side of the Atlantic, is a practice which usually consists of ritualistically embarrassing rookie members of a given group in order for them to prove themselves. It’s also nothing new. There’s evidence of rowdy schoolboys dating as far back as 420 BCE when Plato recounted ‘practical jokes played by unruly young men’ which left both spectators and haze-ees injured. Somehow, this bizarre custom has survived the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the birth of Jesus Christ, several international plagues and found a home for itself in the modern age on university campuses. But for the past decade or so, hazing’s millenia-long reign has been threatened by a generation who supposedly care more about their physical and mental health than they do about banter and ritual humiliation. Today, hazing has met its match: Generation Z. So what do these

In 2024, what exactly makes a neighbourhood cool? Craft breweries, natty wine bars and street art are well and good, but the world’s best, most exciting and downright fun neighbourhoods are much more than identikit ‘hipster hubs’. They’re places that reflect the very best of their cities – its culture, community spirit, nightlife, food and drink – all condensed in one vibey, walkable district. To create our annual ranking, we went straight to the experts – our global team of on-the-ground writers and editors – and asked them what the coolest neighbourhood in their city is right now, and why. Then we narrowed down the selection and ranked the list using the insight and expertise of Time Out’s global editors, who vetted each neighbourhood against criteria including food, drink, arts, culture, street life, community and one-of-a-kind local flavour. The result? A list that celebrates the most unique and exciting pockets of our cities – and all their quirks. Yes, you’ll find some of those international hallmarks of ‘cool’. But in every neighbourhood on this list there’s something you won’t find anywhere else. Ever been to a photography museum that moonlights as a jazz club? Or a brewery with a library of Russian literature? How about a festival dedicated to fluff? When communities fiercely support and rally around their local businesses, even the most eccentric ideas can become a reality. And that, in our eyes, is what makes a neighbourhood truly cool. From formerly overlooked sub

You might never want to leave Edinburgh, and we get it. The Scottish capital is loved the world over for its culture, restaurants and Fringe Festival (to name a few). But if you limit your time in Scotland to just Edinburgh, trust us, you’re missing out.  Scotland is full of gems, but the best part is a whole lot of them can be reached by train or car in just one day – with enough time left to get back in time for dinner. From hilly hikes to wide-open beaches and from pretty towns to full-blown city breaks, these day trips from Edinburgh are not to be missed. Here are our favourites.  RECOMMENDED:🌤️ The best things to do in Edinburgh 🎨 The best art galleries in Edinburgh🏰 The best attractions in Edinburgh🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Edinburgh This guide was updated by Edinburgh-based Arusa Quereshi, and Time Out editors. 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. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

What words come to mind when we mention the Olympics? Prestige? Excellence? Medals? Or is it: ‘Grom’?  The Olympic games have been around for nearly three millennia. As the entire planet tunes in to watch as the top sports people compete for those coveted gold medals, there’s some stuff you’ll probably want to get your head around to make the most of your viewing experience: jargon for you normies to weave into your vocab that will have you sounding like proper Olympic pros in no time.  RECOMMENDED:How to watch the Paris 2024 Olympics in the UK for freeHere’s the full schedule and timings for the Summer Games We’ve done some digging and unearthed some 100 percent real words and phrases that will almost certainly be used by professional Olympians and commentators across the next few weeks. What’s more, there’s something inherently funny about words which sound out of place to the average Joe. There’s nothing worth giggling about hearing the word ‘jaeger’ at a bar (especially as it’s usually followed by a friend trying to convince you to neck a shot of sweet battery acid and gone-off liquorice), but watching it earnestly come out of the mouth of a world-class gymnast? Now that’s entertainment. So what are you waiting for? Brush up on your sporty lingo and drop these into convo next time you’re watching the Games to impress your mates. Skateboarding  ‘Goofy stance’: Refers to when a skateboarder has their left foot on the back of the board. Also used in surfing and snowboarding

You remember the days. Assuring your friend that she definitely looks like her older cousin’s co-worker, especially with a ponytail in. Hovering awkwardly around the corner from the off-license as your one 18-year-old pal does God’s work for the rest of you. The pit in your tummy as you recite a fake birthday to the bouncer of a sticky-floored nightclub – remembering your star sign, memorising your imaginary postcode – and the elated relief when he lets you in with a raised eyebrow and a reluctant nod. Finding increasingly inventive ways to get around age-restrictions was half the fun of being 17, but today’s teens seem to be going off going out altogether. ‘You definitely see fake IDs less than you used to,’ says one bouncer at a popular student nightclub in Bristol. When he started working at the venue a decade ago, he’d encounter a load of fakes on any given night – but not so much anymore. ‘The worst one I ever saw had the back on upside down,’ he says. ‘The ones we do see are getting a lot better and it can be harder to catch them. But they’re definitely rarer now.’ Something has certainly shifted. A few weeks ago, as I walked through the Triangle, Bristol’s premier hotspot for stumbling freshers and lovers of three for two Jägerbombs, I noticed that the local Sainsbury’s was busier than all of the clubs combined. Two years ago, dancefloors would’ve been filling up at 11pm on a Monday. This wasn’t a fluke: since that night, two of the clubs in question have closed their

For all of the stick we give the UK – the grey skies, the pigeons, the Greggs sausage roll packets littering the pavements – it’s actually a pretty gorgeous country. In London alone, you can be goggling over the Barbican’s brutalist beauty one moment, the next, you might be basking in the tranquility of Hampstead Ponds. Add the turquoise coasts of Cornwall, the rugged mountains of Snowdonia and the fairytale wonder of Scotland’s highlands and islands to the mix, and you’ve got a country which is as good looking as they come.  When we set about curating this list of the most beautiful places in the UK, we called on our network of expert travel writers. These guys have have personally experienced the pinch-me moment of seeing every place on this list IRL – so we can guarantee you there is no catfishing going on here. Of course, you’ll find the usual suspects – you can’t argue with the magic of the Isle of Skye, after all – but you’ll also find some more surprising beauty spots to add to your travel bucket list. RECOMMENDED:🚂 The UK’s most beautiful train stations🇬🇧 The best things to do in the UK🏝 The most beautiful places in the world🏠 The best Airbnbs in the UK Chiara Wilkinson is Time Out’s UK features editor, based in London. 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. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content

Ever wanted to know what life as student is really like in 2023? We asked 20-year-old student-turned-amateur-anthropologist Annie to tell us her observations about the people, parties and juiciest secrets of the UK’s unis. Here’s her verdict. Universities. National institutions. Places of learning and research, incubators of intellect. Unfortunately, also the land of the ‘student’. Student is a varied species which feeds mainly on pasta and rice. British students can often be found at the nearest Wetherspoons, getting drunk on vanilla flavoured vodka because the regular one is 30p more expensive. They tend to be slightly nocturnal and the males are known for going to extraordinary lengths to attract mates that they will subsequently ‘leave on read’.   Subtypes of ‘student’ vary based on location and each British uni comes with its own set of defining characteristics. So, buckle up: this is an entirely imaginary but 100 percent accurate investigation into the private lives of students in the wild, in their most natural habitat – on what they like to call, ‘a night out’.  Newcastle Image: Genie Espinosa We start in Newcastle and encounter Georgia moments after arriving at Market Shaker, an underground bar. She promptly begins chatting about the time she almost jumped into the Tyne ‘just for laughs’, which seems common for the ‘Geordie’ student species. Other notable characteristics appear to include: studying Geography, being obsessed with the North/South divide, Nike Air Max

You’ve been here before. Almost.  With a clientele which would be perfect for a Love Island spin-off featuring exclusively people with ‘entrepreneur’ in their bios and a healthy amount of exposed pipework, The Counter is what those in the know would probably call ‘trendy’. Its dim lights, small plate selection, and strategically chipped brick feature wall put it on the verge of parodically hip, but a glance at its menu and a quick chat with any member of its team reveal it to be much more down to Earth than some of its equally Instagrammable peers. If you close your eyes you can almost feel the Istanbuli breeze flowing through your hair The sense of deja-vu you feel may not be coming solely from its open-plan bar though. Chef Kemal Demirasal’s first UK venture, opened up two years ago in Notting Hill to much success. Originally from Turkey, he’s taken much of the charm of the original joint (as well as its most popular recipes and excellent cocktails) and transported it to Kingly Street – and combined it with a series of fresh ideas and a lot of seafood. Fresh is definitely the operative word. The cocktails are infused with real fruit. The tomatoes have been imported from Turkey. There’s sort-of-caviar sprinkled on avocado-topped fish. If you close your eyes and just bite, you can almost feel the Istanbuli breeze flowing through your hair. A series of enthusiastic staff members recommended a variety of dishes to us. Some, like the tomato salad or prawns, were familiar classi

Enjoy an evening of modern classical music composed by Black artists whose work did not get the spotlight that it deserved in its time at this Southbank Centre concert. The night will involve three different pieces from three different composers, performed by up and coming American violinist Randall Goosby, who made his debut with the Jacksonville Symphony orchestra at just nine, and award-winning Chinese pianist Zhu Wang. 

Whatever kind of food you fancy, London has it. Whether that be budget snacks, a warming Sunday roast, a classy afternoon tea, or the best burger you’ve ever had in your life. Each year, a group of experts from World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants come together to recognise the planet’s top burgers. The 2025 edition of the ranking was just released, and a whopping six out of 25 were found here in London in the capital. This city sure is spoiled for patties and buns.  The city’s highest entry was in second place. That’s right, the second-best burger on the entire planet is to be found in London. The Bleecker Burger, from the London restaurant chain of the same name, was lauded for being ‘laser-focused on the essentials’. The judges even said that ‘it is probably the best burger patty we have tried in the last 12 months’, and they eat a lot of burgers. This isn’t the first time Bleecker has been hailed as London’s greatest. It also took home the top prize at last year’s National Burger Awards, and it’s currently fourth in Time Out’s list. What makes it so special? According to the Best Steak Restaurants team, a ‘no-frills, medium-rare grilled dry-aged patty on a simple sesame bun allows the premium beef flavour to shine’, and ‘ambassadors consistently praise its juiciness and the outstanding quality of the meat’. Plus, it costs less than a tenner. There are currently eight Bleeckers in London – we recommend the Spitalfields or Seven Dials branches. The best burgers in London The

Good food doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes all you want is a juicy burger, dripping in cheese, sandwiched indelicately between two toasted sesame buns. Getting hungry yet? Burger making is an art like any other, and it’s an art that the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants is here to celebrate. Aside from doing what it says on the tin, the team at World’s Best Steaks also awards the planet’s best burgers each year, and its 2025 ranking has just been released. There’s no shortage of quality patties in Britain, but as it turns out, most of them are in London. Of the 25 restaurants included in the list, six were in the capital. There was one other UK joint, however, that made the cut. Brighton’s Salt Shed was 20th on the list. Its classic cheeseburger, ‘a tribute to bold grill craft and indulgence’, was what really blew judges away. For only £10 you’ll get a burger cooked over an open fire topped with American cheese, beef dripping mayo, pickles and onion. This burger couldn’t have been made anywhere else, according to the judges who described it as ‘[embodying] the philosophy of a modern barbecue pioneer’. That means the food is ‘confidently meaty, smoky, and crafted with a passion for the essentials’. Salt Shed opened its first location in Brighton a mere six years ago, but it has already become a firm local favourite. Aside from being burger masters, it’s also known for its gigantic Sunday roasts, which include three different meats and more vegetables than can fit on

How did you choose where to live? Was it work? Good schools? Family ties? Simply the place you were born? There are dozens of reasons why you might choose to move somewhere, but one thing remains pretty consistent: you have to actually like it there. Quality of life is a tricky thing to measure, but a recent study from think tank Demos and accountancy firm PwC called the Good Growth for Cities Index reckons that ‘factors that make a place feel invested in, future-focused and full of opportunity’ are key. In order to discover which cities have seen the most growth, therefore offering their residents more opportunities, the study looked into the UK’s 50 biggest cities excluding London, which it considers quite literally in a league of its own. The study analysed how each city was doing in 12 categories ranging from job opportunities to the liveliness of the high street, and then calculated an overall score for each. It’s worth baring in mind that this study was focused on the economics of these cities, so doesn’t measure things like nightlife or diversity which also contribute to life satisfaction. Once the numbers had been crunched, York was revealed to be the nation’s most prosperous place. Unemployment in the Yorkshire city is much lower than the national average, sitting at 1.6 percent compared to 3.8 percent across the country. It’s a big centre for business, and it sees huge amounts of money come in from tourism every year. Andrew Carter, who works with the Centre for Cit

Historians reckon that the pizza has existed – in some form or other – for nearly 3,000 years. In its early days, before tomatoes had been imported to Italy, it was mostly just cheese and bread, but the vision was there. It’s easy to understand why pizza has endured several millennia. It’s easy to make, it’s delicious, and it’s evolved over time. Every year, a new pizza trend emerges, and the UK’s National Pizza Awards are there to keep track. The awards has just announced its list of finalists for 2025. These are the 16 more mouth-watering takes on the classic dough, tomato and cheese, and they’ll go head-to-head in a live cook-off on November 4 to battle for the title of Britain’s best pizza. Most of the finalists are based in London – nine out of 16 to be exact. A further four are national chains, meaning only three independent pizzerias outside of the capital beat the odds and made the cut. First up of the independents is Neapolitan-inspired Forbici in Stockport, which made it onto the list with its ‘Porchetta Completa’. Forcibi prides itself on its signature dough, which it makes precisely to the ideal pH level. The Porchetta pizza isn’t currently on the menu, but perhaps a national win could inspire the restaurant to bring it back. Image: Focribi Manchester Pizza Punks in Glasgow saw success with a Neapolitan base topped with double pepperoni, burrata and hot honey. Pizzas here are very customisable – you can make your own pizza with unlimited toppings for £13.95 – so

For many of us, rent is expensive. Seeing a huge chunk of your monthly income disappear from your bank account can be pretty soul-destroying – but in some cities in Europe, the story isn’t actually all that bad. Deloitte’s annual Property Index compares major cities across the continent to see where people are getting a good deal when it comes to housing, and where people are definitely not. The study looks into how much it costs to buy a home relative to income and also unearths the average rental costs per square metre. If you’re lucky enough to be buying, stay away from Amsterdam, where house prices are generally fifteen times the average income. Instead, head to Turin, Odense, or Manchester, which are the three most affordable housing markets in the continent – at least according to Deloitte. But the picture looks pretty different when you turn to rentals. Amsterdam is still pricey, but doesn’t even crack the top five most expensive cities to rent. Manchester is right in the middle for affordability. Photograph: Shutterstock Luxembourg City named Europe’s priciest city for renters The most expensive city for renters is apparently Luxembourg City. There, you’ll be paying €43.40 per sqm every month, which is nearly ten times the rate in Albania’s Durrës, the cheapest on the list. It’s also more than €10 more, per sqm, than the city which came in second place: Paris. Despite high prices, Deloitte reports that Luxembourg’s rental market has actually improved in recent year

It was almost curtains for Birnbeck Pier. The Grade II* listed promenade in Weston-Super-Mare has been lying derelict for more than a decade, and was named one of the 10 most endangered buildings in the UK by the Victorian Society all the way back in 2015. Plans by the council to bring it back to life had been progressing well until June this year, when the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), which had pledged £5.5 million, pulled out. For the past few months, Birnbeck’s fate has hung in the balance – but a saviour has come. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has stepped in to fill the funding gap, bringing its total contribution to the renovation to more than £15 million. Local councillors had expected to be forced to vote in favour of cancelling the project, but with this windfall they were instead able to vote to award a contract to civil engineering firm Mackley. A total of £20 million has been donated towards the restoration from various groups including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, the government, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Birnbeck, built in the 1860s, is one of six remaining Grade II* listed piers in the country, and is the only one in England to connect the mainland with an island. The council says the extent of the funding it has managed to gather ‘reflect[s] the national significance of the project’. Photograph: Shutterstock Leader of the local North Somerset Council Mike Bell said that ‘put simply, this lifeline has s

Pret a Manger’s gone through a lot of changes in recent years. After establishing itself as a lunchtime favourite for those sick of supermarket sandwiches, it then started to offer a legendarily good-value coffee subscription. That subscription still exists, albeit in a different form, but the café chain is now setting its sights on a different market: the drive-thru. Drive-thru coffee isn’t a new concept – rival chains like Starbucks and Costa have been steadily increasing their number of drive-thrus since they launched in 2008 and 2011 respectively – but it is a fresh venture for Pret. Boss Pano Christou revealed in an interview with the Sunday Times that the company was ‘exploring’ the concept ‘because we think our offer [of fresh products] is so different to everyone else’. No specific details have been given, but the Sunday Times reports that a ‘handful’ of different locations are planned. The first, Pret hopes, will open sometime in early 2026 near a motorway, and all of the drive-thrus in the works will be operated by a franchise partner. This is part of Christou’s plan to expand from the current 500 stores to 1,500 across the country, with a focus on travel-based locations such as in airports and service stations. There are 60 roadside locations at present, with the company gearing up for 30 new openings, including some drive-thrus, in 2026. According to the Sunday Times, ‘Christou reckons there is potential to have 300 to 400 travel locations’. Christou also announce

Viajar pode ser um stress. Mas há lugares que podem mudar a sua vida, mesmo que não ande em busca de autodescoberta e transformação. E, muitas vezes, só queremos umas férias que ajudem a descontrair e a regressar a casa mais felizes. A agência de viagens de yoga BookRetreats desenvolveu aquilo a que chamou Índice de Felicidade em Férias. Mede os destinos de férias segundo cinco critérios: horas de sol, qualidade do sono, quão saudável é a dieta local, tempo passado na natureza e oportunidades para fazer exercício. Quarenta e sete destinos foram avaliados em cada categoria e depois comparados entre si. Lisbon‘s food scene is one of its biggest feel-good draws | Photograph: Shutterstock Depois de analisar todos os dados, Lisboa ficou em primeiro lugar. Segundo a BookRetreats, a cidade "excede em vários factores de bem-estar", sendo a gastronomia um dos pontos mais fortes. A capital portuguesa está cheia de restaurantes saudáveis, tendo ficado em segundo lugar nesta categoria. É também "compacta e fácil de percorrer a pé", e embora as colinas íngremes possam parecer desafiantes depois de uma refeição substancial, ajudam a manter a boa forma física. Além disso, existem muitos espaços verdes – quase quatro vezes mais do que em Madrid – e 2828 horas de sol por ano. Em suma, Lisboa pontua em todos os aspectos do Índice da Felicidade, tornando-se uma clara vencedora clara.  Photograph: Shutterstock Em segundo lugar ficou Helsínquia, que se destaca especialmente na categoria de li

A trip to IKEA usually means navigating a maze of showrooms, locating a remote warehouse corner lined with flatpack furniture to the sky, then grabbing some meatballs for good measure. But times are changing, and IKEAs are getting smaller. At least, some of them are. A brand new compact IKEA store has been announced for Chester’s Greyhound Retail Park. These smaller shops are designed to offer more convenience to those living in suburbs or towns who might otherwise have to travel to get to a full-size branch near a big city. The Chester branch will be the third of its kind in the UK, the most recent having opened in Norwich last month (August 2025). The Chester location will begin trading on October 9, joining Harlow in Essex and Norwich. You’ll be able to plan projects with a curated range of rooms set up, purchase thousands of items available to take home there and then, and, of course, eat delicious meatballs. The food will be ready to eat in store or to take away. A spokesperson for the Chester IKEA highlighted the increased accessibility this type of store offers whilst assuring that ‘customers can still expect the Ikea experience they know and love including home furnishing inspiration, our signature food, and expert planning services… We can’t wait to open our new home in Chester’. This isn’t the only experiment the Swedish brand has tried recently. It’s also been testing inner-city stores in Brighton and on London’s Oxford Street, which once again offer everything you

It’s a tough time to be working in the aviation industry. Faced with staff shortages and huge levels of disruption, many workers at airlines and airports are facing long, stressful hours and poor working conditions. And, thanks to the cost of living crisis, loads of them are doing it all for lower wages, too. Needless to say, it’s no wonder that so many staff at airports and airlines have been going on strike. From Italy and Belgium to Greece and France, airports across Europe have seen thousands of flights delayed and cancelled by industrial action. Strikes can, of course, have a serious impact on your holiday, so it’s best to be as informed about them as possible. Read on for our guide to who’s going on strike in Europe right now, where and when those strikes will happen – and whether you need to worry about them.   Strikes by KLM ground staff in the Netherlands It’s been announced by trade union FNV that strikes are expected from KLM ground staff at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, form 8am-2pm on September 24 and from 6am-2pm on October 1.  More than 100 flights were cancelled due to a short strike last week, which are thought to have cost the airline €10 million, and the same is on the cards today, September 17. A spokesperson from KLM reportedly said that the strikes could seriously endanger the company’s future, but a union representative said management had left the ground workers no choice but to strike, according to NL Times.   Transport strikes in Italy To protect hol

Travelling can be stressful. Sometimes it’s worth a few hard days to discover a place that might change your life, but we’re not always in pursuit of self-discovery and transformation. Often, we just want a holiday that’s going to help us unwind and return home feeling more positive. BookRetreats, a yoga travel agency, has developed what it calls a ‘Holiday Happiness Index’. It measures holiday spots on five different criteria: amount of sunlight, quality of sleep, how healthy the region’s diet is, how much time you can spend in nature and opportunities to exercise. Forty-seven destinations were marked in every category, then compared against eachother. Lisbon named the world’s happiest place to visit After crunching all that data, Lisbon came out on top as the happiest city to visit. According to BookRetreats, it ‘excels across multiple feel-good factors’, with food being a particular draw. The Portuguese capital is full of healthy restaurants, coming second overall in this category. It’s also ‘compact and easy to navigate on foot’, and although those steep hills may not be what you feel like tackling after a hearty meal, they do keep you fit. Photograph: Shutterstock On top of that, there are plenty of green spaces – nearly four times as many as Madrid – and there is sun for 2,828 hours of the year. In short, Lisbon scores highly in every aspect of the Happiness Index, making it a clear winner. Helsinki offers unbeatable connection to nature In second place was Helsinki,

There’s loads of benefits to hopping on a bike; it’s healthy, good for the environment, and a fun way to get to know a city, but it’s not always easy. Some places haven’t even got dedicated lanes, while others have entire streets carved out as cycle highways. When we think ‘cycle-friendly’ and ‘Europe’, we naturally picture Amsterdam, where significantly more people travel on two wheels than four, but according to new research from Nordic ferry company DFDS, it isn’t even in the top three cities in the continent for cyclists. DFDS measured every major European city’s compatibility with cyclists by scoring each in five categories: average daily wind, average daily rain, flatness, how many kilometres of bike lanes there are per 10,000 people, and how many people search the city plus cycling each month. Then, a total weighted score, with cycle lanes being the most important category, was calculated, and the cities ranked. Recommended: The world’s most beautiful cycling trails, from windmill routes to cross-country roads After all that it was Paris that triumphed above the rest with an overall score of 80.1. There are more than 1000km of cycle lanes in France’s capital, which can take you most places across the city. Plus, there are miles of gorgeous parks to cycle through on a sunny day. DFDS adds that ‘with world-famous landmarks around every corner, choosing a bike as your main mode of transport lets you see the sights quickly and safely’. In second place was Munich, which, sc