Ed Cunningham

What with TikTok, Instagram and hotels and holiday companies doing solo travelling packages, ‘solo travel’ as a concept is booming. But where is best for setting out alone? There’s a fair bit to consider, but some destinations do stand out as primed for solo travel, whether it’s down to their easy transport links, friendly locals or great group tours to join. For a bit of travel inspo before you make any plans, here are our favourite destinations for solo travel in 2025.  What is the best destination for solo female travel? Solo female travel is becoming more and more common, but there are often a few more things to consider as a woman – most importantly, safety. This kind of thing is subjective, of course, but some of our absolute favourites include Portugal, Japan and Vietnam. For full lowdown, check out our list of the top destinations for solo female travel and our top tips for staying safe as a solo female traveller.  RECOMMENDED: 🧗‍♀️ The best destinations for solo female travel☀️ The world’s most secret hidden islands 🌆 The best cities in the world 🖼️ The most beautiful places in the world After more inspo? Check out our latest travel guides, written by local writers. 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. 

London is full of perfect pizza. The finest of fast foods, this delicious staple has been elevated far beyond its humble roots by great Italian restaurants in London, pop-ups, street food vendors and pub residencies, and we know just where to find these world-class wonders. Whether it’s delivered in a cardboard box or served in a swish restaurant, excellent pizza is hard to beat. Browse our list of the best pizza parlours in town and try not to drool on your screen. Recent additions to the list include some nifty kitchen residencies; Dough Hands at east London pub the Spurstowe Arms (and the Old Nun’s Head in Nunhead) and Bing Bong Pizza at You Call The Shots in Hackney.  RECOMMENDED: The finest fish and chips in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

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.

It’s official: London is experiencing a fast-mushrooming plant-based restaurant boom. Across the city, creative chefs are showing off their prowess with plants, creating pitch-perfect imitations of meaty comfort food classics, or dreaming up new vegetable-based delights. Whether you’re after a lavish night of culinary theatre, a delicate Middle Eastern spread, a carb-coma-inducing full English breakfast, or brisket at a vegan smokehouse, you’ll find it in our list of London’s best vegan restaurants. Read on to plan your next plant-free feast. RECOMMENDED: London’s best restaurants for vegetarian food. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

There are few neighborhoods in New York better for sightseeing than Midtown, Manhattan. In the heart of the concrete jungle and serving as the city's CBD, you’re within walking distance of the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, Broadway, big-time shopping and Michelin-starred restaurants. It’s a great spot from which to base a weekend full of NYC’s most iconic sights.   What’s more, often the best Midtown NYC hotels are attractions in themselves – from big-name luxury like Ritz-Carlton and Hyatt to little boutique wonders, they hold enough secrets and activities to make you forget about sightseeing altogether. But of course, you won't. You’re in New York, after all – it’s probably why you came in the first place.   RECOMMENDED: 🏨 The best hotels in NYC🏙️ The best hotels in NYC with a view💰 The best cheap hotels in NYC This guide was written by former New York Editor, Bao Ong. 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. While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews 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.

January is (thankfully) nearing its end. You know what that means? It’s high time you book that trip you’ve been thinking about. The question is, where to go? Well, we at Time Out have some ideas. We asked our editors for the number one destination they think should be on travellers’ radar this year, whether for unmissable events or cool new hotels, unspoiled nature or a growing dining scene. Our sights are set on foodie trips in Spain, starry skies in Norway, surf breaks in Siargao – and much more where that came from. Here are 12 amazing places we think you should explore in 2025. RECOMMENDED:🌇 The best cities in the world in 2025🗺️ The 25 best things to do around the world in 2025🧳 Five countries that really need more travellers this year

  Camping is glorious, and with all its plush fields, glorious scenery, and brilliant pubs, the UK is primed for some excellent spots to do it. Throughout the country you’ll come across everything from pretty beaches to fairytale forests, and chances are there’s a charming place you can pitch up nearby. From Devon and Cornwall to the Isle of Mull and Gower Peninsula, below we’ve rounded-up the country’s finest places to sleep under the stars.  Can you legally wild camp anywhere in the UK? In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, wild camping without the landowner’s permission is technically illegal. However, it’s not prohibited in Scotland thanks to the nation’s ‘right to roam’ law which means you can, in theory, pitch up wherever you like – even in the country’s lovely national parks. Read more about it in our wild camping guide, and read on for the best campsites in the UK. RECOMMENDED:🏕️The best campervan-friendly campsites in the UK🏩The best glamping sites in the UK🍃The best road trips in the UK🏞️The most beautiful national parks in the UK🏊The best best wild swimming spots in the UK Ed Cunningham is the News Editor for 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.

Who needs a crummy projection of Van Gogh’s sunflowers when you could literally step back in time at a living museum? Designed to plonk you right in the middle of a whole ‘nother time and place, these immersive spaces are engaging, multi-sensory, educational, and most importantly, great fun.  In the UK, we’re spoiled for choice, from a very, very knowledgeable candle-maker in Shropshire to recreations of Iron Age life in Sussex. Some are chocker-block with artefacts, others are brought to life by energetic actors, but all of them promise a timey-wimey journey back to a fascinating era of the country’s history – here are our favourites. RECOMMENDED:🚞The most scenic train journeys in the UK🌤️The best road trips in the UK🎭The best things to do in the UK🌃The best places to visit in the UK Rosie Hewitson is Time Out’s Things To Do Editor. 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 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

As one of the most diverse cities in Germany, Hamburg is famed for a variety of things, from its world-class Elbphilharmonie concert hall and array of art museums to the buzzing bars of the Reeperbahn and 19th-century architecture giving its vibrant neighbourhoods their characteristic historic depth. And for when you need to kick back and take a breather? Well, that's taken care of by the best Hamburg hotels. The port city has accommodation to fit any need, featuring everything from luxurious waterfront establishments and flawlessly designed boutiques to highly functional (and still rather fancy) hostels. Find out more about where to stay in Hamburg RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in HamburgThe best restaurants in HamburgThe best attractions in HamburgThe best Airbnbs in Hamburg This guide was written by Germany-based writer Eliza Apperly. 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. While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews 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.

Amsterdam is one of the world’s best cities, no doubt about it. Every wander down a cobbled street will take you somewhere excited, whether you're a foodie, curious about the Red Light District, or in the mood to party for 24 hours straight. And as a tourism capital, it’s no surpise that it’s overrun with exceptional places to stay, from 18th-century canalside mansions to converted bridge keepers’ houses and seriously high-grade establishments.  So if you’re looking for a tip-top place to bed down after a day of exploring the city’s best museums, attractions and coffee shops, you’ve come to the right place. From the city centre through to De Negen Straatjes, here are the best hotels in Amsterdam right now. Updated January 2025: We re-reviewed Amsterdam’s five-star Conservatorium Hotel to see if it’s up-to-scratch (spoiler: it is). See where we ranked it below! RECOMMENDED:🏠 The best Airbnbs in Amsterdam🌳 Where to stay in Amsterdam 📍 The best things to do in Amsterdam🍴 The best restaurants in Amsterdam🎀 The best boutique hotels in Amsterdam Ella Doyle and Grace Beard are Time Out’s travel editors. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by experts. 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. 

We'll always be NYC's biggest cheerleaders, why wouldn't we be? The city has it all! But everyone needs a breather from the bustle of city life every once in a while. Luckily, you don't need to travel very far for some well-deserved R&R. The Catskills are the place to be. Not too far from the city, but far enough to escape the center. So, pack your best knitwear, dig out those hiking boots, and book a weekend away. Okay so, you've got the destination down, but where to stay? That’s where we come in. We’ve scoured Airbnb to find some of the Catskills’ most unique, stylish, and memorable getaways, from group adventures near the mountains to romantic hideaways, we've ticked every box. Scroll on to discover your dream rental ...  RECOMMENDED: 🪵Check out the best Airbnbs in Hudson Valley🏊‍♀️See our list of best New York upstate resorts⛰Discover the best of upstate New York 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Over the years, London has done a fabulous job of finding new uses for its many, many historically fascinating buildings. The Bankside Power Station is now the Tate Modern. Churchill’s Old War Office is a hotel and apartments. County Hall houses restaurants, an aquarium and That Shrek Thing. Another of those retrofits is the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 1820s and was once the Ministry of Defence’s old library. Sitting at an address best known for also housing the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the building has been a hotel for a while – though was spruced up a few years ago with a £75 million revamp.  Admittedly, the words ‘Scotland Yard’ do not exactly scream ‘mega-luxe five-star hotel stay’, but… maybe they could? This 151-room Hyatt is as deeply, thoroughly refined as hotels in this city get.  Each step of a stay at Great Scotland Yard is virtually faultless. The neat rooms are full of light, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies looking out over the turrets, towers and courtyards of the Palace of Whitehall. Full of modestly luxurious conveniences (like Chromecast TVs and fancy Japanese Toto loos), the rooms are also of a satisfyingly comfortable size: neither small and cluttered nor massive and awkwardly empty.  Beyond the rooms, Great Scotland Yard is far from a copy-paste Hyatt. Playing into the history of the building and address, the doors are slathered in a deep and polished police blue. The fo

If you’ve ever spent time in Leeds, you’ll know the Queens Hotel. Quite literally on top of (part of) the Yorkshire city’s train station, it’s an art deco concrete titan and inarguably the city’s most famous hotel. Dating back to the 1930s, the Queens was the first British hotel to have air con and ensuite bathrooms in every room, and over the years it’s welcomed the likes of Cary Grant and Nelson Mandela. While the Queens could easily rest on its historical prestige, in recent years it’s attempted to keep with the times and undergone a vast refurb. A whopping £16 million has been pumped into bringing the place back up to snuff, glamming it up with communal areas, a huge new dining venue and more rooms. How does all that sprucing up actually feel? In short, pretty damn good. The moment you step into the Queens’ lobby, with its endearingly gauche décor and genially raucous ambiance, you get a proper sense of occasion that feels appropriate for somewhere so stacked with history. The Queens might have been hauled into the 21st century, but it embraces its historical glamour – and the refurb certainly hasn’t sucked out any of its soul. The Queens is entirely decked out in stuff that harks back to the art deco 1930s – and what isn’t from the Queens’ original period (or directly linked to it, like the hallways’ historic photographs) is tastefully matched. The Queens balances modern polish and historical character in a caring, detailed sort of way, ensuring all additions – everythin

Few London hotels so boldly take inspiration from their surroundings as the Ampersand. Steps from Kensington’s Museums Quarter, this boutique riffs off the studies and research of nearby world-leading institutions like the Science Museum and Natural History Museum, combining it all with many of the bells and whistles of a luxury hotel. From ornithological wallpapers and artworks to complimentary galactically-themed macarons, everything at the Ampersand plays heavily into the hotel’s neighbours. Its ‘science’ afternoon tea spectacularly involves making your own lemonade (with wacky test tubes and all) plus dry-ice and space-themed treats. Sure, this sort of stuff will no doubt be naff to anyone wanting a frilly, snooty sort of posh hotel; but it also makes everything a bit more fun, much less stuffy, and a lot more memorable. Beyond that, lots of the rest is solid, occasionally a bit more. Rooms are decked out with nice stuff: vast, comfy beds, sizeable TVs, Malin + Goetz toiletries, a standalone bath (with full view of the telly), nifty, sleek desk and huge, glitzy headboard. You’d be hard-pressed to criticise the style or function of any individual pieces within the Ampersand’s rooms, while the first three floors of Victorian ceilings are spacious and fresh.  The staff are as helpful as you’d want them to be, everything is delightfully clean, there’s a gym and two restos (one, Apero, is Mediterranean-themed). There’s also a general sense of calm. Compared to the shoulder-to-

Some five-star hotels are all-guns-blazing affairs: immaculate service, supremely stylish décor, spotless cleanliness, peerless comfort. Others? Well, others aren’t. Some AA-awarded five-star hotels get a top-tier rating by simply doing all the basics really, really well. Sort of technical, no-frills five-star hotels, if you will. Where does the brand-new Hyatt Regency Blackfriars fit with all that? It’s somewhere between the two, but mostly falls into the latter category. You get the feeling here that the comfort is well-honed, that it’s part of a formula thoroughly, thoroughly tried and tested. And that’s because it is: it’s a Hyatt Regency hotel, meaning that it’s one of American hotel giant Hyatt’s signature outposts. Looking at Hyatt Regency Blackfriars functionally, there’s very little it doesn’t do. The rooms are spacious and bright with Scandi-ish décor that is a few notches swisher than Ikea. The beds are plush, the Chromecast-compatible TVs are big, the standards of cleanliness are decent, the curtains are marvellously blackout and the bathrooms are well-equipped. In the rooms, the closest you get to a bit of OTT luxury are the floor-level lights specifically designed to show you the way to the loo. Though those are, admittedly, pretty snazzy. The flashiest part of Hyatt Regency Blackfriars is almost certainly the building itself, which is Grade II-listed and on the former grounds of Henry VIII’s Bridewell Palace. The location’s pretty unbeatable, too: in the City o

Looking to seriously broaden your musical horizons? Colour Green could well be just the ticket. Pitching an evening of tremendously diverse sounds and styles – with a focus on women and non-binary musicians – this brand-new night has a line-up teeming with music from the world over. Camden’s intimate Green Note (our very own ‘London’s Favourite Music Venue 2015’, no less) will be graced by the soaring Latin/jazz/R&B of XATIVA, marvellously textured electronica from Alice Boyd and the studious jazz and South American folkloric music of Delfina Cheb. Musical adventurers, don’t miss it.

On the hunt for the heights of convenience and cleanliness with a healthy helping of luxury and space? Look no further than the Henrietta. This sort-of boutique hotel (it’s a little bigger than most boutiques) sits steps away from the main Covent Garden piazza on Henrietta Street. It’s technically not one site but two; split between two townhouses that aren’t connected but aren’t more than a dozen feet or so from each other  As the townhouse location beckons glamour, so does the hotel’s inner chambers. Hidden behind an otherwise-unassuming door, you’ll find a place that reeks with design, from its loud wallpaper to the carefully placed Henry Moore, Man Ray and Roy Lichtenstein books in the lobby. The Henrietta was made with an eye for design and it wants you to know – but there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s all an exhilarating change from the dime-a-dozen, copy-paste rooms of many of the West End’s ginormous multinational hotel brands. The rooms are also exceptionally design-y (this time taking from art-deco, from golden lamps to swishly round sofas, stools and coffee tables) but don’t skimp on the essentials. The beds are massive and plush, the windows and huge and airy, the lighting is controlled and tasteful. There’s a decent mini-bar and tea/coffee selection, effective air-con, plenty of cupboard space and a well-equipped bathroom. If you want the basics covered – and a little more – few do them better than the Henrietta. Neighbourhood When it comes to the West

Would you ever imagine that a mere 33 metres below Clapham High Street, there lies one of the UK’s most cutting-edge urban farms? Us neither, yet that’s where you can find Growing Underground, a farm fashioned out of a former Second World War bomb shelter. Cultivating veggies using LED tech and hydroponic systems, the farm produces pesticide-free, carbon-neutral and nutrient-rich greens that taste delicious. Snoop around and discover more about the history of the tunnel and the farm’s sustainable credentials during a 75-minute tour, which includes a fresh micro herb salad to take home with you. Green in more ways than one. 

If you’re looking for a world-class school to send your kid to, London is the place to be. Last year two of the capital’s schools were shortlisted for World’s Best School, the Sunday Times’ league tables crowned one London grammar school the best in the UK and a whopping 17 London schools featured in the 2025 Fairer Schools Index. London’s educational prowess extends to private schools, too. The Times’ best fee-paying school is here in London (St Paul’s Girls School), as is the best private school according to Ivy Education (Westminster School). And now more London private schools have been recognised for their excellence. In the most recent edition of Carfax Education’s Schools Index, two institutions in the capital were named among the UK’s top 25 private schools.  This particular Carfax ranking focuses on senior schools, which tend to take care of students from age 11 or 13 up to 18. The index features several of the country’s most famous schools, including Eton College, Winchester College and Brighton College.  First up from London in the index (which is in alphabetical order) is Dulwich College. The south London school for boys is just over 400 years old and offers both day and boarding. Famous Old Alleynians include author Raymond Chandler, politician Nigel Farage and The Chase’s Paul Sinha, and full boarder fees start from £20,441 from this current Lent term (day pupils start from £9,698, all including VAT). Harrow School is the other London school in the list. Also an

Over the past few years, some of the UK’s most beloved brands have seen massive upheaval. From new openings from the likes of Aldi and Costco to store closures by Wilko, M&S, Boots and Next, some of the country’s most recognisable retailers are adapting to new trends and markets.  And now DIY and garden goods chain Homebase has revealed another wave of closures. In 2024 the brand was bought by CDS Superstores – which also owns Wilko and The Range – and while many Homebases (70, in fact) are set to be turned into The Range stores, not all of them have been saved. In January it was revealed that administrators could not find buyers for 13 Homebase stores, and they all closed before the end of the month. This week Homebase has revealed that more stores will close, and that 34 more will shut by the end of February.  On top of the locations taken over by CDS, Sainsbury’s has bought 10 old Homebase sites and B&Q has bought five. CDS also promises that Homebase’s relaunched website will be ‘the next chapter in our 45+ year history’.  Here’s everything we know about the Homebase closures this month. Which Homebase stores are closing in February 2025? A total of 34 Homebase shops are slated for closure this month – here’s the full list of locations.  Abington Alnwick Antrim Barnstaple Basildon Vange Belfast Branksome Cannock Chester Chichester Discovery Park Craigavon Daventry Derby Kingsway Folkestone Galwally Gateshead Glenrothes Harlow Herne Bay Hove Inverurie Ledbury Lewes Luton

Around this time last year legendary rockers AC/DC announced a load of dates for their massive Power Up tour, featuring a string of stadium and arena shows across Europe. Many Brits – understandably, TBH – felt left out: the only UK shows scheduled were in London, at Wembley stadium. British AC/DC fans who were unable to get down to those London shows, we have much better news: the band has announced that Power Up is returning to Europe, and that it’ll conclude with a huge gig here in the UK. Edinburgh is the lucky city set to host AC/DC’s Power Up finale, and the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium the venue. The show will be the band’s first Scottish show in a decade – here’s everything you need to know about getting tickets.  RECOMMENDED: The 25 best major music tours and concerts coming to the UK in 2025. When are AC/DC playing Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium? The rockers’ Auld Reekie stadium gig is on August 21 2025. When do tickets go on sale?   Tickets go on sale this Friday (February 7) at 10am GMT, and you’ll be able to get them on Ticketmaster here.  Is there a presale for the Power Up tour? There are currently no confirmed presales for AC/DC’s Power Up show in Edinburgh. That means everyone – yep, everyone – needs to be ready at 10am this Friday  How much will tickets cost? Ticket prices haven’t yet been confirmed. For an idea of what they’ll cost, here’s how tickets were priced at Wembley last summer.  Main pitch standing – £115 Front pitch standing – £130 for fro

The rumours were true. Last September there were rumblings that Beyoncé was about to announce a huge run of shows at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and this week those rumours have finally come true. Fresh from her triumphs at the Grammys – winning the coveted ‘album of the year’, among other awards – Beyoncé announced a globe-spanning Cowboy Carter world tour on Monday February 3. Lasting from April to July 2025, the tour will see her play some of the planet’s biggest arenas across Europe and the USA. The Cowboy Carter 2025 tour includes a whopping four dates at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London. Tickets go on sale next week, and there’ll be several presales (including one for the Beyhive, of course). Here’s everything you need to know about snapping up tickets to one of the shows. RECOMMENDED: The best gigs in London this month. When is Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour coming to London in 2025? Queen Bey’s UK shows are in June 2025, running from June 5 to June 12. They’re all at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – here’s the full list. June 05, 2025 June 07, 2025 June 10, 2025 June 12, 2025 When do tickets for Beyoncé’s 2025 UK Tour go on sale? General sale goes live on Friday February 14 at 12pm local time. You’ll be able to buy on the official website here. Last time, for Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour, tickets for most shows sold out in minutes, prompting her to add further shows.   Is there a presale for the Cowboy Carter Tour? For the London shows, there are a few

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 and pandemic-era pay cuts, 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, obvs, 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.   Airport disruption in Italy  Flights at Italy’s major airports have been cancelled or disrupted yesterday and today (February 4 and 5) due to a nationwide, 24-hour walkout by airport handlers who are disputing pay and working conditions. Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, Naples, Catania and Venice airports have all suffered cancellations, with more expected throughout the day.  What’s more, a small fire broke out in a technical room at the base of the control tower at Ciampino Aiport in Rome, causing delays. While the fire has been put out, the cause remains unknown.  What happens if your airline goes on strike? If the staff on strike cause yo

Crowning London’s best flat white is a difficult task indeed. There are not just so many coffee shops but so many different beans, roasts, tastes, preferences ­– it’s a lot to take into consideration and grapple with. Your best bet for a flat white is almost certainly an independent coffee shop (find the capital’s 25 best here), but a refined little indie joint isn’t always to-hand. What about the big chains, your Prets, Gail’s Bakeries, Neros and so on that are available all over London? Which of those does the best flat white? To sort out London’s high-street flat white coffees, we sent our in-house coffee head India Lawrence to taste them all, putting the results in a matrix ranging from strong to weak and bitter to sweet (and including the prices). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time Out London (@timeoutlondon) India’s got Redemption as ‘strongest’, Blank Street as ‘weakest’, Ole & Steen as the ‘sweetest’ and Pret and Greggs tied for ‘bitterest’. Taste ‘em for yourself and let us know what you think (and peep the comments for shout-outs to the city’s best indie coffee shops). Image: Time Out London London’s best independent coffee shops, as chosen by an expert. Plus: Time Out’s 21 best cafés in London 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, stra

From winding coastal lanes in Northern Ireland to loops through the Scottish Highlands, the UK boasts some of the most scenic drives in the world. And of those many scenic drives, Derbyshire’s Snake Pass is renowned as among the most picturesque. Crossing the Pennines, the 200-year-old road splices through peaks, moorlands and forests. But in recent years Snake Pass has faced serious issues that could threaten its accessibility – and quite possibly even see it closed off to cars entirely.  At the root of Snake Pass’s problems is its location. Due to its height, the road is particularly vulnerable to ice, snow and landslips. It’s regularly closed, especially in the winter months. On top of all that, the local council says it doesn’t have the money or resources to carry out major repairs. Charlotte Cupit, cabinet member for transport for Derbyshire County Council, told the BBC about a section of the road at Alport where half the road is ‘gone’ and where traffic lights enable cars can use one of the lanes. ‘We haven't got the resources to be able to carry out the repair, because that’s many millions of pounds, and that would take it off the wider highways budget that we currently get,’ she said.  While the council has asked the Department for Transport for a ‘landslips fund’, the government agency told the BBC it was ‘not responsible’ for Snake Pass and ‘does not hold contingency funding for major repairs of this sort’.  One solution suggested by cycling campaigners (Snake Pass

Last summer, Londoners who love snacking on street food while watching big-ticket sports events in massive crowds (and occasionally getting pints chucked over them) received crushing news. Boxpark Shoreditch, London’s OG Boxpark, announced that it would be closing. This month, however, we have a much more positive update: Boxpark Shoreditch has secured a short-term lease and continues to trade. And today (February 3) there’s more concrete news, as the venue says it has had its lease extended until September 2025. Boxpark’s Shoreditch outpost opened in 2011 at Bishopsgate Goodsyard and was the first-ever Boxpark. It opened under a ‘meanwhile use’ scheme, meaning it was only ever meant to be temporary. It was then served notice by landlords Bishopsgate Goodsyard in July 2024, who eventually plan on turning transforming the site with homes, retail spaces, offices and a park. Since 2011, Boxpark has expanded to London locations at Croydon and Wembley, and last year it opened in Camden’s Buck Street Market. In 2024 Boxpark also welcomed visitors to its first venue outside London, in Liverpool.  And the venue chain isn’t stopping there. In 2025 Boxpark is expanding to Birmingham and Bristol, and here in London it’s opening its first Boxhall in the City, near Liverpool Street. About Boxpark Shoreditch’s lease extension, the company’s COO Ben McLaughlin said: ‘The support we’ve received from the community has been nothing short of inspiring. The extension of our lease provides certai

Love London’s Superloop? Wait ’til you hear about the sequel, Superloop 2. That’s right, the capital’s limited-stopping rapid bus service is getting a bunch more routes, effectively doubling the size of its network. Better yet, the first of those routes could launch as soon as this year.  The Superloop, for those not in-the-know, is a rapid bus service that mostly serves London’s outer boroughs – thereby saving Londoners from travelling all the way into the centre of town by train or tube just to come out again.  The first SL routes launched in 2023 and the network became an actual ‘loop’ in March 2024. The next Superloop service to start up will be the SL4, which will go through the Silvertown tunnel and be free-to-use for its first 12 months.  The Superloop 2 was promised in Sadiq Khan’s mayoral election manifesto last year, and this week there’s been an update. Transport for London commissioner Andy Lord has said he hopes the first Superloop 2 services will launch before the end of the year.  When asked about Superloop 2 services, Lord said: ‘We’ll be doing that shortly. I can’t give you any details at the minute, but we’re very excited about the next routes.  ‘The Superloop has seen a huge benefit in terms of the increase in ridership, increasing people’s awareness of our bus services, and we’re really excited about what the next phase can deliver for the city.’  ‘I’m hoping that we’ll perhaps be able to get the first one launched by the end of the year.’  Before any new

Way back in summer 2023, TfL announced that the Blackwall Tunnel would soon start charging a toll fee for drivers. The tunnel, which is one of London’s busiest and most important Thames crossings, apparently needs a charge in order to help pay for maintenance – as well as to encourage drivers to use the Silvertown Tunnel, which is set to open in 2025. After first being revealed in July, last November it was confirmed just how much the toll fees for both the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels will be. The fee will be the same for both tunnels, but they’ll vary in peak and off-peak times.  How much will the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnel toll be? During peak hours, which are 6am to 10am northbound and 4pm to 7pm southbound on weekdays, car and small van drivers will be charged £4 each way. During off-peak hours, which are at other times and weekends, these drivers will be charged £1.50 each way. At night, between 10pm and 6am, there will be no toll fee.  These fees will slightly change for motorbikes (£1.50 off-peak, £2.50 peak), large vans (£2.50 off-peak, £6.50 peak) and HGVs (£5 off-peak, £10 peak), and are expected to be paid using TfL AutoPay. The same payment system is currently used for the ULEZ. How much will it cost for a roundtrip during peak hours? If you’re unlucky enough to be using the tunnels in peak times on a roundtrip, cars and small vans will be charged £8, motorbikes will be charged £5, large vans £13 and HGVs £20.  There will also be a number of exemptions

Kehlani’s 2024 album Crash was one of the biggest records of 2024, peaking at the top of the UK R&B albums chart. This week the American singer and songwriter is bringing that new music to London as part of their Crash World Tour.  The Crash World Tour started way back in September in the US, and in recent weeks Kehlani has been making their way across Europe. They’ve only got two UK shows planned before jetting off to Asia and Australasia.  Heading down to the O2 Arena to see Kehlani this week? Here’s everything you need to know, from timings and support acts to a potential setlist. 🎤 The best gigs in London this month. Date Kehlani’s big O2 show is on Wednesday January 29 2025. Timings Doors to the arena itself open at 6.30pm though, as always, the O2’s bars and restaurants open earlier. Set times haven’t yet been officially released by the O2 arena, but headliners at the venue tend to come on between 8.30pm and 9pm. As always, get down early to avoid disappointment. Curfew is at 11pm. Setlist For an idea of Kehlani’s setlist in London, here’s what they played in Vienna earlier on the Crash tour (according to Setlist.fm).  Next 2 U GrooveTheory What I Want Nunya The Way You Should Be Here Toxic Sucia 8 Can I Water When He’s Not There Clothes Off Hate the Club Distraction Gangsta Tears Vegas everything Honey Chapel Lose My Wife Deep KEHLANI (Jordan Adetunji cover) Ring (Cardi B cover) Nights Like This After Hours - Cater 2 U Mix After Hours Support acts  Kehlani’s ‘specia

This morning (January 28), Greg James on Radio 1 Breakfast Show revealed huge news about the radio station’s massive annual music fest. Not only did James name where Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 will be held, but he also confirmed the first bunch of acts – featuring rocker-of-the-moment Sam Fender. Radio 1’s Big Weekend, for those not in-the-know, is the radio station’s flagship live music event. It’s known for bringing the planet’s biggest musicians to UK cities that don’t normally get such superstar gigs. In the past the fest has brought Taylor Swift to Norwich, Stormzy to Exeter and the 1975 to Dundee, among many other memorable sets. Last year saw Coldplay and Sabrina Carpenter play Luton. This year Radio 1’s Big Weekend isn’t being held anywhere particularly surprising – in fact, it’s one of the UK’s most legendary music cities. Liverpool will host the event this year. Here’s everything else you need to know, from the rest of the lineup to how to get tickets  RECOMMENDED: 🎸 The best music festivals in the UK to book for 2025.🎤 Parklife has just revealed this year’s massive lineup – here’s how to get tickets When and where is Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025? The Big Weekend this year will be held in Liverpool’s Sefton Park from Friday May 23 to Sunday May 25.   Who’s on the lineup so far? Fresh from a quick arena tour in December and before he sets off on several massive stadium shows, Sam Fender will play the festival. Also confirmed so far are Blossoms, Lola Young, Myles Smi