Caitlin Barr

There isn’t really a bad time of year to go on holiday, but if, like the majority of us, you plan on packing a bag and heading off on a jaunt in August, we’re here to help. Why? Well, go-to summer destinations can mean copping a sunbed feels more like a military drill, and flights and accommodation teeter at the more expensive end of the scale – hardly relaxing, is it? Fear not, weary traveller. There are in fact plenty of spots across the planet which show their quieter side in August, making it the best time of year to go and appreciate them, from the plains of East Africa to the streets of South America. So, without further ado, these are the best places in the world to travel in August.  RECOMMENDED:✈️The best places to travel in September🗺️Full guide to the best places to travel🛍️The world’s coolest neighbourhoods🎭The best cities for culture right now 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 and check out our latest travel guides written by local experts. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Europe is incredible for festivals, make no mistake about it. And what could be better? Travelling to festivals abroad means getting to explore somewhere new and see a bunch of cracking artists, as well as maybe – just maybe – enjoy better weather and cheaper beer. Europe is certainly not in short supply of some really brilliant places to party, from tiny, lesser-known spots in the Azores to your classic, mega, headliner-packed fests in France and Netherlands and Alpine jazz weekends. So, here’s a roundup of our top picks for 2025.  What is the largest festival in Europe? Glastonbury festival in the UK is normally thought of as the biggest festival in Europe (if not the world). But though it’s certainly the most well known, in terms of numbers, it’s not even the the biggest in the UK! The biggest in Europe is actually Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria, which sees upwards of two million visitors a year. After that, it’s probably joint between Glasto and Tomorrowland in Belgium.  RECOMMENDED: 🎪 The best UK music festivals🎤 The best music festivals in the world🌃 The most underrated destinations in Europe🌤️ The best European city breaks 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. 

Hanging plants, theatre posters and a sketch of a Christ-like figure named ‘Canal Jesus’ adorn the walls of Rosie Barwick’s narrowboat. Tess, her elderly dachshund, occasionally pipes up with a little bark, but apart from that, the spot she’s moored in near Westbourne Park is quiet – a good place for spotting waterfowl and watching cyclists teeter along the towpath.  The 26-year-old has been living onboard for six and a half years after dropping out of university and buying the boat with inheritance money. ‘I’ve always been thoroughly against the idea of just throwing money away to some faceless landlord that I don’t know and isn’t really providing me with a service – I wanted autonomy over my own space,’ she says. Barwick shares the boat with her friend, Tom, who works in the creative industries and became attracted to the lifestyle after being faced with homelessness when his landlord ended his contract a year early.  As a part-time charity worker and theatremaker, living on a boat and not being liable for rent gives Barwick the financial freedom to pursue work in sectors which are notoriously underpaid. ‘This lifestyle has allowed me to actually explore, and become the person I want to be,’ she says. ‘It’s given me the freedom to get it wrong and for that to be fine and for me not to lose my house over it’.  Photograph: Caitlin Barr for Time Out Barwick is a ‘continuous cruiser’, meaning she does not pay for a permanent mooring and is bound to certain regulations when us

Ever since Padella opened in Borough Market, and queues started to snake outside for its simple, affordable pasta small plates, London has become a city of pasta-fiends, lusting after linguine and Instagramming anelli. More and more hip Italian restaurants have opened across the capital serving up stylish, saucy, cheesy and downright-delicious strands of dough and we're also stocking up on perfect fresh pasta from delis like Lina Stores and diving into plates of trad pasta at Ciao Bella in Bloomsbury, as well as bottomless lasagna at Senza Fondo. Here are the finest pasta places in town.  RECOMMENDED: London's best Italian restaurants. 

Londoners know that there is no more hostile space than the Northern line at rush hour. The busiest time on the capital’s busiest London Underground line, packed tight with commuters in gilets – it’s the opposite of a vibe.  Not everyone can choose when they travel, but if you can, you'll be reassured to hear that changing your commute time by even half an hour could be the difference between getting a seat or standing there seething in silence. If you’d like to avoid being squashed up against a tube door like a sweaty sardine, read on.  It comes as no huge surprise that one of the busiest times to travel on the Underground is between 8am and 8.30am. A fave travel time of the 9am-ers, if you try to board a tube in this half-hour gap midweek, you’re just asking for trouble. According to data from the Centre for Cities, Thursday is the day on which most London workers actually commute rather than working from home, so it follows that 8-8.30am on a Thursday is the busiest single half hour on the network.  Stats show that 20 percent fewer people travel between 7.30am and 8am than the peak 8-8.30am period, and 16 percent fewer between 8.30am and 9am. If you have flexibility in your start time, it might be best to hop on the tube in those half-hour gaps instead.   But what’s the busiest period overall? TfL says it’s evening peaks on Tuesdays and Thursdays - the three hour period between 4pm and 7pm. This likely encapsulates both commuters and people heading out to socialise. Betwee

If you’ve set foot anywhere near any relatively clean body of water in London in the last five years, likelihood is you’ve seen brave people plunging in. Cold water swimming is going nowhere, and this month could be the perfect time to dip your toes in.  Brockwell Lido in Herne Hill is offering £2 swims on weekdays for the whole of March, meaning you could take a cheap lunch break lap of the 50-metre pool for less than the price of a coffee.  The deal is valid between 12pm and 2pm, Monday-Friday, and it’s best to book your spot in advance. The usual slots cost £8, so it’s a huge saving, and comes with the added benefit of feeling smug when you come back from your lunch break.  Brockwell Lido was opened in 1937, with its official opening ceremony seeing a local schoolgirl get tossed in the water by the Mayor of Lambeth. It remained a popular venue throughout the second world war and into the eighties, but it was closed by the council in 1990. It hosted art exhibitions and performances as well as a vibrant squatting community until a local campaign to open it as a pool was successful, and it has been welcoming swimmers again since 1994. Known locally as Brixton Beach, it’s a hotspot in the summer, but water temperatures in March rarely creep above 10 degrees. Luckily, the Grade II listed-Lido is just about to open brand new poolside saunas so you can warm up after your refreshing swim.  You can visit Brockwell Lido to register and book your slot throughout March.  Check out Lon

Pretty much every Londoner has seen it happen. The tube doors are bleeping, there’s a lightning flash of movement, and a thief has squeezed their way out to the platform and away – with someone else’s smartphone in their hand. Venture underground and it seems like you've escaped burglars on bikes, but you're still at risk of having your stuff snatched, Transport for London (TfL) says that theft is the commonest crime on London’s transport network, making up for 60 percent of recorded offences on tubes and 40 percent at stations.  Tube crime as a whole went up by 13 percent last year, according TfL's new report, which also named and shamed the riskiest stations and lines.  Total crimes committed on the Underground network between January and August 2024 reached 16,288, and 17 percent of them were committed on the Central line . The Northern line ranked next with 1,320 offences, while the Waterloo and City line recorded the lowest number of reported incidents (with just three). In terms of individual tube stations, King’s Cross was the most crime-ridden stop, followed by Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Stratford and Finsbury Park. The report also revealed that 50 percent of crimes occurred on trains, and 47 percent at stations.  Don't despair, though: TfL is fitting CCTV cameras to all 94 of its Central line trains as part of its £500 million improvement project (find out more about the line’s refurbished trains here), and it already staffs all of its stations from the fi

You'd be forgiven for thinking urban London isn’t prime bird-watching territory – if you’re not into pigeons, at least. But you'd be mistaken. Birds of prey are thriving in the capital, and you can catch two of them on a special livestream beaming out from their north London digs. Peregrine falcons have returned to nest in Islington at London Metropolitan University’s Tower building. The rare birds of prey are believed to be feasting on pigeons, and have come back to the Holloway Road site yearly since 2017 to lay their eggs.  According to the London Peregrine Partnership, the pair currently residing at the university are newcomers. AA falcon who had been returning yearly since 2017 to lay her eggs was ousted last March by a different female, who stole her mate and produced two chicks who flew the nest last July.  The female has returned this year, but it's unclear if the tiercel (male falcon) she’s with is the same mate as last year. Peregrine falcons ordinarily mate for life unless their partner dies or, in the case of last year’s unlucky lovers, is stolen.  Peregrine falcons, the largest falcons in the UK, are becoming a more common sight in London after a brief drop due to pesticide use. They can often be seen from the Tate Modern on the south bank of the Thames, as well as nesting in St Pancras station in the winter months. It’s believed that there are now around 50 breeding pairs in London.  London Metropolitan University Stuart Harrington, co-founder of the London P

Twenty hours on open water might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but that’s how long it'll take you to get from Scotland to France on a proposed new ferry service.  Danish company DFDS plans to get a service running three times a week from the port of Rosyth near Edinburgh to Dunkirk. It first put forward plans for the ‘Project Brave’ ferry in 2022, but they ran aground due to a lack of funds. Now, the UK government is potentially interested in funding the project, which would strengthen Scotland’s international links in a post-Brexit landscape.  The route would have big economic benefits as well as providing Scottish travellers with a carbon efficient, no-fly way to get to the continent. It’d take around 20 hours, making it one of the longest sea journeys in Europe – though not quite as long as Portsmouth to Bilbao, which lasts between 27 and 30 hours. Speaking in Westminster last November, Scottish MP Graeme Downie suggested that the service would need about £3 million in funding to get set up. He added that the route would bring ‘an additional £11.5 million of spend to the Scottish economy’ thanks to its initial 51,000 passengers per year, rising to 79,000 according to estimates. It was initially hoped that the ferry would be operating by spring this year, but DFDS failed to get funding from the Scottish government in time, as Transport Scotland suggested that subsidising routes could be seen as ‘anti-competitive’. A spokesperson from the ferry firm stated: ‘As it s

The former Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro reopened over the weekend (on Saturday March 1) with a new look and name. Now called the Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery, the southwestern institution welcomed visitors to a new art gallery with over 500 pieces dating from the 1300s to the modern day.  The permanent collection features artworks from the German, Italian and Dutch renaissances, the pre-Raphaelites, and St Ives modernism. The gallery opened with exhibition 'Biodiversity' by the Penwith-based contemporary artist Kurt Jackson, followed by 'Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective' by artist and environmentalist Tony Foster, who is based in Tywardreath.  Speaking to Museums Association, Jackson said: ‘Art isn’t meant to be stored away for posterity, it’s meant to inspire and provoke, to elicit conversations and creative responses, and that’s exactly what this new art gallery for Cornwall will do.’ The 200-year-old museum is in the midst of a transformation project and last year it upgraded its Rashleigh Mineral Gallery, which houses its collection of minerals from Cornwall’s mining industry. There have also been improvements to the museum’s roof, as well as accessibility updates to its entrance and renovations to the main gallery space.  A total of £2.3 million in funding for the renovation came from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme via the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.  Photograph: John Hersey Artistic director Bryony Robins said: ‘There ar

The shortlist for who’ll be chosen to design a new Queen Elizabeth II memorial has been announced by the UK Government. The structure will be located in St James’ Park, and is intended to ‘celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's extraordinary life of service and provide a space for pause and reflection’.  Five firms are in the running, including Foster + Partners (responsible for stuff like the Gherkin and the former City Hall – soon to get a green makeover), Jamie Fobert Architects (previous work includes the renovation of the National Portrait Gallery last year), WilkinsonEyre (which regenerated Battersea Power Station), and J & L Gibbons (which led the design for Canal Park in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park).  The last of the five is Heatherwick Studio, the firm which previously created the Tree of Trees sculpture at Buckingham Palace for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 and is working to redo the BT Tower. Founder and design director Thomas Heatherwick said: ‘We’re excited to be shortlisted for the memorial. Queen Elizabeth II was a remarkable leader, and our job as designers is to now capture her particular form of leadership and commitment to community, in an extraordinary place that millions of people can visit.’ The QEII memorial has a provisional construction budget of between £23 million and £46 million set aside, drawing money from public funds. Designs will be assessed based on several criteria, including value for money and visitor experience.  Eac

Start practicing your finger hearts now – K-pop megastars will descend on London this summer for a Europe-exclusive concert. Big Three production company SM Entertainment is bringing 14 K-pop acts to Twickenham Stadium on June 28, in celebration of the firm’s 30th anniversary. The event is called SMTOWN LIVE 2025, and it’ll bring some truly massive names to west London. Those names include aespa, whose hit ‘Supernova’ was on both NME and DAZED’s top K-pop songs of 2024 lists, NCT 127, who’ve achieved three consecutive Top 5 albums on the Billboard 200, Red Velvet, the first K-pop girl group to top Billboard’s World Albums chart, and TVXQ!, who have the record for the largest official fan club in the world. They’ll be joined by other established stars as well as ‘trainees’ – aspiring stars who are on their way up in the K-pop world.  SMTOWN LIVE last hit Europe in 2011 with two dates in Paris, but this is its first London concert. After kicking off with two sold-out concerts in Seoul in January, SMTOWN LIVE 2025 will head to Mexico City and Los Angeles in May, and onwards to Tokyo in August after the London date. How can I get tickets? If you’re keen to see your bias in the flesh, tickets for the London show are now on sale via Ticketmaster, AXS and Konne Ticket.  How much do tickets cost? Prices begin at £70, with VIP and VVIP packages available from £400-£550. K-pop icons BLACKPINK will also be touching down in London this summer. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smo

Plans for a new Marks and Spencer foodhall have been approved in Croydon, meaning Percy Pig fans in the area will now have three – yep, three! – local stores to choose from.  The new shop on Brighton Road in Purley will be in the former Milk and More dairy site, which is currently vacant. Plans for the space, approved by Croydon Council in February, include a car park with 68 spots, and 22 studio spaces for local creatives. The store itself will occupy the majority of the three old dairy buildings, which have locally listed frontages that will be restored as part of the development.  William Smith, Property Director at M&S, said: ‘We’re reshaping M&S for growth and making sure we have the right stores in the right space to deliver the best possible shopping experience for customers. The show stopping store will support local suppliers and will offer shoppers a fresh market style Foodhall brimming with fresh produce, sourced from M&S’ Select Farm Partners.’ The project will bring a total of 120 jobs to the area, including 55 in store roles.  Image: Grove Properties / Croydon Council Jason Perry, executive mayor of Croydon, welcomed the development, and said that the new food hall ‘signals that this is an area that retailers want to invest in.’ Grove Property, who submitted the plans and will now be responsible for developing the site, received an overwhelmingly positive response to their public consultation, with 96 percent of local respondents in support of the project.  Ni

Do you have an old object of dubious origin gathering dust in your attic? Would you like to have it valued in front of the nation? You’re in luck – Antiques Roadshow is coming to north London in June. The hit BBC show, which sees experts appraise antiques brought in by the public, is being filmed at Stephens House, a Victorian mansion in Finchley, on June 1.  The programme is looking for family heirlooms and antiques, but is also keen to feature more modern items too. ‘Everything from retro toys to movie and music memorabilia, from mid-century furniture to vintage fashion, from designer handbags to rare trainers,’ is the pitch.  How to get a ticket to Antiques Roadshow in London this summer If you’re simply looking to soak up the vaguely dusty atmosphere and maybe spot Fiona Bruce, you can apply for a free Antiques Roadshow ticket here. How to get one of your items valued on Antiques Roadshow in London If you’ve got a curio you’d like valued, you’ll need to fill in a form at this link, but you can also just apply for a free ticket and potentially get your item appraised on the day.  If you’re successful in getting a ticket, you’ll get an email a month before the event.  Antiques Roadshow will also be going to Bedfordshire, Bradford, Fife and Swansea this summer.  Browse London's best antiques markets here - maybe you'll strike gold! Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. St

Some of the best views of the city are from pubs and restaurants along the banks of the Thames. If you’re partial to a pint by the river, you’re in luck: the Horniman at Hay’s has reopened after a major refurbishment project. The pub, nestled in Hay’s Galleria on the south bank of the river, closed to customers in the new year. Its renovation was completed this month. Punters can now enjoy a new bar on the mezzanine level, perfect for viewing the HMS Belfast, as well as new booths and additional seating throughout. Historic features have also been restored, including ironmongery on the stairs and bannisters.  Photograph: Horniman at Hay's The Horniman sits on the site of a 17th century tea warehouse owned by Frederick Horniman, who also lent his name to the museum he founded in Forest Hill.  The patch of riverside the Horniman can be found on was once known as ‘London’s Larder’ because of all the food warehouses along it – at one point, 80 percent of London’s dry produce passed through Hay’s Wharf. The wharf was converted into Hay’s Galleria in the 1980s after the shipping industry moved downriver in 1970. The best pubs in London, according to Time Out. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

The square mile of the City of London is chock-a-block with big buildings, and it’s about to get another one.  A new 54-storey tower is going to by built next to Liverpool Street station, occupying 60,000 square feet. 99 Bishopsgate will be one of the tallest buildings in the City, replacing the 26-storey block already on the site. The redevelopment will also include new pedestrian routes, a market hall and a separate six-storey cultural building with an events hall, gallery and studios. There will also be a pavilion building space planned to be used by ‘Intermission Youth’, a company helping disadvantaged youth through theatre.  The plans were approved by the City of London Corporation on January 31. The Corp also recently approved the tallest building in the City, which will be an equal height to the Shard.  Image: Brookfield Properties/RSHP There has been significant opposition to the redevelopment, including from some who say it would harm views of nearby St Paul’s Cathedral. Opponents also argue that the project would damage the cathedral’s cultural significance.  Historic England, which advises the government on English heritage and was consulted on the redevelopment plans, wrote that the new building would ‘erode’ the clear view of the cathedral above the modern Heron Tower, and also impact the Grade-I listed medieval church St Ethelburga’s nearby. In a letter, Historic England stated: ‘As a consequence of the scale and massing of the proposed development, it would c