Grace Beard

It’s officially winter. There’s no denying it. It was only Halloween a second ago and now we seem to be hurtling ever closer to Christmas. But don’t let it feel like Christmas is the only thing going for this time of year – there’s plenty of time for nesting in December. In our opinion, this is the perfect time for a holiday. After all, European breaks weren’t all they cracked up to be this summer, marked by heatwaves and overtourism. So we’d go as far as to argue that a ton of the most well-loved holiday hotspots are even better in winter, when summer destinations lose their throngs of tourists, and cosy breaks get even cosier. On our list of the best winter destinations in Europe, we’ve got everything from Italian foodie breaks to the official home of Santa Claus. Here are our favourite spots in Europe for winter to embrace the cold for 2024. RECOMMENDED:⛲️ The most underrated destinations in Europe⛷️ The most affordable ski holidays in Europe🏞 The most beautiful places in Europe⛄ The world’s best Christmas destinations🏔️ The best places to travel in December, January and February Ella Doyle is Time Out’s guides 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 guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Lisbon is the city for aesthetes. Or rather, it’s the city for anyone who has ever accidentally walked into a lamppost, fallen down the curb or tripped over thin air trying to take the perfect shot of urban beauty. From massive monasteries to those gorgeous rambling streets and – oh! – the interiors of the churches, this city is a visual feast and then some. So where better to find somewhere equally lavish and artfully decked out to stay in than the Portuguese capital? When so many of a city’s hotels are, quite literally, named after palaces, you know you’re onto a winner when it comes to luxury accommodation options. We’ve rounded up a long-ish list of our favourites, including some longtime faves and a few characterful newbies. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed. RECOMMENDED:The best things to do in LisbonThe best Airbnbs in LisbonThe best boutique hotels in Lisbon Who makes the cut? 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.

The humble brunch is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of the modern age. Breakfast is too early to really get stuck into, while eating eggs and downing buckets of coffee at lunchtime seems odd. Brunch, then, is the one true morning-ish meal, especially if it incorporates pancakes, bacon and those aforementioned eggs – or a totally vegan take on proceedings like at LD's at The Black Heart in Camden or WAVE in Hackney. London is particularly well stocked with places to indulge in the famous breakfast/lunch hybrid. Let us guide you to the best restaurants for a fabulous brunch in our city, from a traditional full English to innovative twists on the majestic meal, such as a bacon bao brunch. And it’s not just a weekend treat; some of these spots serve brunch every single day.  RECOMMENDED: Like unlimited fizz with your fry-up? Here are the best bottomless brunches in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. Want to brunch for less? Check out the awesome selection at Time Out Offers.

Choosing the world’s most beautiful places is no easy task. After all, how can you compare a thundering waterfall to a lantern-lit city? Or a rainbow-coloured hill to a gleaming white mosque? The good news is that the planet isn’t held to the same rigid beauty standards as humans are. Whether it’s a tiny island, an entire country or a Buddhist temple, anything goes on our list of the most beautiful places on earth. Spanning every continent, you’ll find some of the usual suspects (what’s a list of beautiful places without Bolivia’s salt flats, after all?) alongside some of the world’s lesser-known beauty spots – all chosen by our network of globetrotting travel writers, who've personally experienced the beauty of every place on this list IRL.  Grace Beard is Time Out’s deputy travel 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 and check out our latest travel guides written by local experts.RECOMMENDED:⛰️ The most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites🗺 The most underrated travel destinations🧭 The best places to travel solo🏝 The best beaches in the world

You’ve done the classics: the capital cities, the TikTok viral spots, the cities with their own Netflix show. And don’t get us wrong, we love the classics for a reason. But there’s a downside to these big, bustling, bucket-list-worthy travel destinations. If you’ve ever queued an hour for a pastry, spent your day’s budget on a coffee or had to book a museum three months in advance, you’ll know it as well as us: it’s the crowds. The thing is, locals aren’t happy about it either. This summer saw a series of anti-tourism demonstrations in European hotspots, as locals reached breaking point with years of overtourism; Amsterdam is cracking down on new hotels, Venice is set to double its tourist tax in 2025. So there’s never been a better time to think outside the box for your travels – especially when so many incredible European spots are getting overlooked. And we’re not gatekeepers here at Time Out. From culture-packed city breaks to under-the-radar national parks, these destinations have got everything you want from your next holiday, with the added bonus of far fewer people jostling to see the same attractions. So if you’re travelling on a budget, searching for quiet or just desperate to try somewhere new, these are the most underrated places to visit in Europe right now, handpicked by Time Out's network of well-travelled writers. RECOMMENDED:🏰 The best city breaks in Europe📍 The most beautiful places in Europe⛷️ The best ski holidays in Europe🏘️ The coolest neighbourhoods

Damn, 2024 is coming through with some absolute bangers. We had Brat summer with hit-after-hit from Charli xcx, but we also saw Sabrina Carpenter sing silly little outros to her sleeper hit Nonsense, Taylor Swift quite simply refusing to leave the charts (by any means necessary) and Chappell Roan catapult into fame faster than you can say ‘Pink Pony Club’. This year really was for the pop girlies. But what are the songs that defined the year? Well, aside from the above, we’ve seen chart-topping country boy crooners, instantly iconic rap takedowns and joyously twee indie – all making 2024 a pretty stellar year for new music. I was tasked with building our ranking of the best songs of 2024 (so far) and compiled this list by asking our amazing international team of writers and editors to contribute their year-defining tracks. Expect to find a global list of tunes, from personal favourites to chart-toppers that simply can’t be ignored. We’ll be updating this list with more music throughout the rest of the year.

I’ve lived in this city for four years and have lived in four different properties in that time. A London baby, I know – but still long enough to have learned a thing or two about the capital’s treacherous rental market. My first London home was a strange-smelling shoebox above an agave bar on Kingsland Road. The second? A recently renovated Victorian townhouse with a garden which a former flatmate snagged for bargain rates during the pandemic (we begrudgingly moved out when the landlord raised rent by a sweet 60 percent). Fast forward through a month at an ex’s and now I’m living in a shared house in a decent area, paying below average rent with an (actually!) nice landlord. Hell, it’s not perfect, but I could be doing a lot worse.   The art of finding a good room to rent in the capital is an art you’ll slowly learn to master – often because you won’t have much other choice. Those horror stories about evil landlords, bidding wars, impossible flatmate interviews and viewing queues down the street? Not to scare you, but there’s some truth in them.  RECOMMENDED: 23 things you should know before moving to LondonLondoners on their subletting horror storiesInside the murky world of property guardianships There is, of course, the bog-standard advice you shouldn’t overlook when searching for a room: don’t rent somewhere with mould (it probably won’t go away), always do the viewing in person, and don’t take that flat on the other side of the river to your pals (you won’t make the jo

As much as I love the hustle and bustle of the city, like many Londoners, I’m also partial to the odd weekend getaway to somewhere that’s not quite so big and busy. In fact, for the sake of my own sanity and that of those I love, I try not to go longer than two months at a time without venturing outside of the M25, if only for a wee day trip to somewhere with some greenery and/or a bit of coastline. So after more than a decade living in London, I’ve done my fair share of exploring its outskirts – as have the native and adopted Londoners that comprise my colleagues on Time Out London’s editorial team. Together, we’ve come up with a cracking list of our favourite day trip destinations near London. There’s something for everyone here, from historic cities and cute villages to sandy beaches and rolling countryside.  And we’ve included some recommendations for quaint little pubs, ace restaurants and our favourite things to do at each destination on the list – all of which are close enough to the city that you can get there and back in one sweet day.  Feeling a little tense after being cooped up in the concrete jungle for too long? Here’s everything you need to start planning your next getaway. RECOMMENDED:✨The best day trips from London👪 The best family day trips from London☀️ The best weekend trips from London🏘️ The best Airbnbs near London🌳 The best quirky Airbnbs in the UK This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For m

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

For those of us who live in the northern Hemisphere, October tends to be a time of chai lattes, pumpkin carving and donning a couple of extra layers. The temperature is easing, leaves are littering our streets, and the long evenings of summer are starting to draw in – so it sounds like a pretty good opportunity to get away for one last hit of vitamin D, right? There are plenty of holiday destinations in Europe which continue to have glowing, summer-like weather throughout October, ideal for whether you’re planning a half-term getaway or a weekend break. And for those prepared to go long-haul, destinations in North Africa, South America and Asia are standing ready to lavish us with nice weather, too. So, here’s our handpicked list of the best places to travel that are still hot in October. RECOMMENDED:☀️The best places to travel throughout the year🗺️The world’s most underrated travel destinations🏖️The most beautiful beaches in the world India-Jayne Trainor is a British-Australian travel writer 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 and check out our latest travel guides written by local experts.

I moved to this city in the deep, dark depths of the pandemic. My first flat was, obviously, awful. The landlord was dodgy (shock). It was full of mould. The shower was next to the kitchen and had no door. Still, though, I look back on those days fondly. One rare sunny afternoon we climbed out of my flatmate’s window to sit on the roof, drinking homemade Bloody Marys and blasting the Bad Boy Chiller Crew from a box speaker into the sticky, polluted air of Kingsland Road. We got quite a few glares from passers-by, but also a fair amount of smiles.  Whether you’re moving here for study, work, family, or another reason, your first months in London will be challenging, but you’ll probably look back on them with such fogged-up rose-tinted glasses it will hardly matter anyway. Use this time to meet as many new people as you can and to make mistakes. Be broke, go to M&M world (don’t actually), get lost on the tube. That said, there are some things I wish I’d known before coming here. Hindsight is a blessing, as they say. But we’re not gatekeepers, so we asked Time Out staff to share their top tricks and tips for anyone moving to the capital. Some of these folks have been born and bred here. Others are adopted Londoners, like you might well be one day. Listen up, take note, and good luck. 

Europe is not lacking in jaw-dropping beauty, but how do you choose its top spots? Its home to seven Wonders of the World, for one thing, as well as 34 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and even that doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of the incredible things you can find across the continent.  But even if we can’t list every single one, we can list our favourites. To put together this list, we asked our editorial staff team and travel writers based in Sweden, Greece and more for the most beautiful things they’d ever seen in Europe. The result? Stories of taking boats out on Germany’s hidden lakes, climbing up to vast sand dunes in France and afternoons spent strolling Art Nouveau streets in Latvia. From solitary islands to packed ski resorts, here are the most beautiful places in Europe, picked by us. RECOMMENDED:🌤️ The most beautiful places in the world🌃 The best city breaks in Europe🏖️ The best beaches in Europe🌊 The best places to ‘coolcation’ in Europe Ella Doyle is Time Out’s guides 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 guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

The first thing you should know about Ellenborough Park is that it’s posh – thoroughly posh, in all the ways you’d expect a stately country home bordering the Cheltenham Racecourse to be. There’s a boot room for renting Dubarry boots and wax jackets. Bookable activities include archery, polo, horseback riding and shooting. When the races are on, guests decked out in their finest tweeds and furs are chauffeured to the heart of the action in private luxury cars (it’s worth noting you can walk there in less than 20 minutes, but heels won’t do well with the mud).  A little hoity-toity maybe, but it’s all part of the fun of being here. When you stay in a fifteenth-century manor house, walking to your room means ducking under archways and tip-toeing along creaky floorboards in slightly wonky hallways. Gothic windows frame ridiculously idyllic views across manicured grounds and the Cotswolds hills (keep an eye out for deer). The floor and tables shake when someone walks across the restaurant. Ellenborough Park simply has character, even if that character wouldn’t be out of place in Saltburn. The 61 rooms, unique in size and shape – some regal, others cosy and cottage-like – have been crafted with class by luxury interior designer Nina Campbell. Ours is one of the three Manor Suites, tastefully decorated with navy walls, mahogany Chippendale furniture and plump floral armchairs. Everything has the exceptional attention to detail you only get in really nice hotels: perfectly chopped c

For most Londoners, Alexandra Park is synonymous with Alexandra Palace or ‘Ally Pally’, the Grade II-listed music venue that sits atop the park’s hill and hosts the annual unruly World Darts Championship. But the surrounding parkland is vast – 196 acres, no less – and drop-dead beautiful no matter the season. I’ve spent many summer days steering a giant unicorn around the boating lake, crunching through carpets of yellow leaves on the tree-lined avenues in autumn, and sledding down the hill (when we get enough snow) in winter. And, of course, that panoramic city view is there to admire year-round.

Amsterdam has its share of historic hotels, but none can boast the legacy of the Doelen. The oldest hotel in the Dutch capital and a designated national heritage site, it’s here in the old banquet hall that Rembrandt’s The Night Watch – one of the world’s most famous paintings – was first displayed, way back in the seventeenth century. While you’ll now find it hanging a ten-minute tram ride away in the Rijksmuseum, a copy of the original is still proudly displayed in the hotel’s Rembrandt Suite.  The entire hotel is modelled after the Dutch master, notably so in the on-site restaurant Omber, where the crockery, menus and even the flowers are all the same shade of deep orangey-brown (apparently Rembrandt’s favourite colour to paint with). The food, we’re told, is influenced by seventeenth-century Dutch flavours, which mostly translates to a lot of pickling and smoking (in other words, delicious).   The lobby could do with a hint of the restaurant’s dark-toned moodiness. It’s almost garishly opulent, coldly lit by a huge crystal chandelier, with ornate gold swirls bordering the walls and enormous vases of flowers, which look somehow a bit stiff and staged. But the rooms and suites are much less stuffy. Our canal-facing suite was the perfect mix of understated and sophisticated, simply decorated with quality furniture, complete with a plush king-sized bed. The best bit? The huge marble-floored bathroom with his-and-hers sinks and a free-standing tub. The Doelen was taken over by

I arrived at Mama Shelter from the beach – sand in my shoes, covered in sun lotion, hair stringy with seawater – and found myself sharing the lift with an impeccably dressed group ascending to the rooftop for sundowners. Not that anyone gave a damn, because anything goes here, the only Portuguese outpost of Mama Shelter’s brand of playful boutique hotels strung across the continent.  It’s as cheeky as its sister venues (sex toys for sale in the lobby, superhero masks on the lampshades, a pretty extensive adult film menu on the telly), but with little Portuguese flourishes to remind you where you are – the forest green tile-clad exterior, a Remodelado tram mural in the lift, ocean-wave carpets in the bedrooms, marine-themed decor in the restaurant and locally-made arts and crafts dotted all over the place.  But, let’s be real, you’re not about to forget you’re slap-bang in the heart of Lisbon. Mama Shelter is just off the lively central thoroughfare of Avenida da Liberdade, and in the other direction you have the boutiques and bars of Príncipe Real – honestly, take any route from the hotel’s corner doors and you’re in for a great walk. Before (or after) you go, though, stick around for a cocktail on Mama’s rooftop or a meal at Mama’s restaurant. Much like its outposts in London, Bordeaux and elsewhere, Mama Shelter is a neighbourhood attraction in its own right.  If the queue’s anything to go by, the rooftop is the place to be at sunset, with an unbeatable view over the city’s

Did you know you can go on safari in Kent? It turns out you can, and it’s actually really, really good. Hundreds of creatures roam the grounds of this 600-acre resort, from Big Five beasts to howler monkeys and bush dogs. Outside of the main wildlife park, safaris trundle guests up the slopes of the reserve to meet giraffes, zebras, rhinos and more. And the whole thing looks out over charming countryside right down to the Kent coast.  While Port Lympne makes for a perfect day trip, an overnight stay is where the magic happens. We camped out in the brand-new Lookout Bubble – and when I say ‘camped’, I mean we slept under the stars in the most luxurious transparent dome you’ve ever seen, complete with a freestanding tub, walk-in shower, seating area, surround sound speakers and a massive, comfy bed. It’s an experience hard to top, waking up to the sounds of animals and getting to explore the reserve before it officially opens for the day (in your very own golf buggy, no less). The Lookout Bubble is right next to the lion’s den, and we were lucky enough to spend an uninterrupted half hour watching the big cats pacing the grounds before anybody else came along.  The bubble’s only downfall? Our stay took place over a warm weekend, and the trapped heat in the dome made spending time inside of it almost unbearable during the day (thank God for the spacious terrace). Conversely, temperatures dropped drastically in the dome when the sun went down, but nothing jumping into bed (or the

Catching sight of My Arbor for the first time is an experience that can’t be overstated. First of all, you’ve already arrived in the impossibly beautiful, straight-from-a-fairytale town of Bressanone, and done the winding drive up green slopes where all you can hear is the faint tinkle of a cowbell. Now you’re in the trees, looking up at a wooden cuboid that seems precariously perched on the skinny trunks of the surrounding pines. My Arbor lives every bit upto its self-billed ‘tree hotel’ title. Inside, you’re hit with a tremendous view over the tree-blanketed South Tyrolean mountains from the hotel restaurant’s sweeping terrace. Above you, thick wooden branches hang like a chandelier. Even the reception desk is made up of two gigantic trunks. Our suite (we stayed in the ‘nest’) is appropriately wood-panelled, with a balcony and window nook overlooking the valley and hills. You could stay in your nook all day watching mountain peaks get swallowed by clouds, but you’re much better off donning your robe and taking the lift down to the spa, where you can drink in all those views from a hydrotherapy infinity pool.  By far the pièce de résistance, Spa Arboris is a maze of pools, saunas, steam rooms and relaxation zones spread across the hotel’s lower levels. After a morning hike (we went alone, but the hotel offers guided hikes, forest bathing and all sorts of other activities to guests), I spent an afternoon cocooned in calm here, swimming the length of the indoor-outdoor heated

It’s fair to expect any spa hotel in Leamington Spa, a Warwickshire town with a long history of harbouring bath houses built around its natural saline springs, to be worth its salt. Nineteenth-century Midlanders in need of some R&R would come to Leamington in search of ‘the cure’ to any number of ailments. Despite rapid development, today the town remains a go-to for weekenders in search of a reviving getaway – and they could do a lot worse than opting for Mallory Court, a palatial yet cosy country manor house and spa on the outskirts of town. Surrounded by endless countryside, we explored the vast grounds before dinner, strolling past manicured lawns, a rose garden bursting with blooms, a chef’s garden full of herbs and vegetables and an apiary. When the British summertime brought its inevitable drizzle, we were relaxing in the heated, bubbling outdoor vitality pool, so no complaints there. Completing the spa’s offerings is a Finnish-style sauna, small but ideal if you manage to get it to yourself or your group. The indoor pool with attached jacuzzi managed to be that perfect, just-right temperature, and felt like silk to swim in. The spa experience fell down for us slightly when we couldn’t get the indoor steam room to be as hot or steamy as we’d have liked, but that could’ve easily been our own oversight.  You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to treatment options. I opted for the full-body exfoliation (perfect) while my guest went for the drift away massage. She spoke a

Way back in 2009, during Derren Brown’s televised event ‘How to Control the Nation’, a friend of mine claimed she’d been subliminally controlled and that she was physically unable to stand up from her seat. Being teenagers, and apparently raging cynics, we all took the piss out of her relentlessly. After watching his latest live extravaganza ‘Showman’, I have to apologise to my mate. Perhaps it was a trick of the light; perhaps I’ve become much more receptive to subliminal suggestion as I’ve aged: however he did it, Brown got me. I can sincerely say that, despite my best efforts to remain a skeptic, a good five to ten seconds were completely erased from my memory.  Without stating the obvious, if you’ve only ever seen Derren Brown on the telly, only in person do you really experience how hypnotic he is. There’s an excitable, almost unruly audience at the Apollo on opening night, but it doesn’t take much for them to become puppets at the end of the illusionist’s string. Brown’s unwavering poise and trademark gallows humour carry a show that swings – often very suddenly – on the pendulum between playful and sobering, heartfelt and horrifying.  The show’s tricks lean on these polarities. One minute there’s a circus-like atmosphere, with balloon-popping games, giant teddy bears and clever card tricks; but before you know it, Brown can rapidly turn the mood on its head. Without giving too much away, it’s the moments of solemn hush that will stay with you after the show, rather tha

A semana de trabalho de quatro dias está a deixar de ser um sonho impossível? Quase todas as empresas de todos os países que até agora experimentaram a semana de trabalho mais curta consideraram-na um êxito, com maior produtividade, maior satisfação no trabalho e menos stress. De acordo com os resultados de um novo estudo, a Islândia é a prova dos méritos de dar aos trabalhadores um dia extra de folga. Após o sucesso de projectos-piloto em 2015 e 2019, o país nórdico implementou oficialmente uma semana de trabalho mais curta, reduzindo o horário normal de 40 para 36 horas. Entre 2020 e 2022, 51% dos trabalhadores aceitaram a oferta de horários reduzidos sem perda de remuneração. O resultado? Uma economia em expansão, baixas taxas de desemprego e trabalhadores muito felizes. Chocante, não é? O estudo, divulgado pelo The Autonomy Institute e pela Alda, concluiu que 62% dos trabalhadores que aceitaram uma semana de trabalho mais curta se sentiam mais satisfeitos com o seu tempo de trabalho, enquanto 97% sentiam que tinham um melhor equilíbrio entre a vida profissional e pessoal. 42% acreditavam que trabalhar menos horas também tinha diminuído o stress na sua vida pessoal. Mas não são apenas os trabalhadores que estão a colher os frutos. Em 2023, a economia da Islândia cresceu 5% (a segunda maior taxa de crescimento em toda a Europa), enquanto sua taxa de desemprego era de pouco mais de 3% (uma das mais baixas da Europa). Em suma, a semana de quatro dias foi um grande sucesso na

もはや「週休3日」は夢物語ではないのかもしれない。これまで、週4日勤務をトライアル導入した多くの国とその企業で、生産性が向上。仕事への満足度が高まり、ストレスも軽減されたという報告がされているのだ。 労働者の休日を増やすメリットを実証している国の一つにアイスランドがある。2015年と2019年のトライアル導入に成功した後、同国は週の標準労働時間を40時間から36時間に減らす「時短勤務」を正式に採用。 2020年から2022年にかけて、51％の労働者が給与を落とさずに労働時間を短縮するという働き方を受け入れている。その結果、アイスランドでは景気が良くなり、失業率が低下。労働者の幸福度が大きく向上したという。 イギリスのシンクタンクのAutonomy Instituteと、民主主義や可能性、労働などの分野に特化したアイスランドの団体Aldaが発表した調査によると、アイスランドで短時間勤務に切り替えた労働者の62％が自分の労働時間に満足している、97％がワークライフバランスが取れていると感じているそうだ。また、42％が時短勤務によって私生活でのストレスが減ったと考えていることも明らかになった。週休3日の恩恵は労働者だけではなく、国自体も受けている。アイスランドの2023年の経済成長率は5％（ヨーロッパで2番目に高い）で、失業率は3％強（ヨーロッパで最も低い値の一つ）だったのだ。総じて、週休3日制はアイスランドで大成功を収めたといえる。 では、ほかのヨーロッパ諸国もこれに追随するのかというと、本格的な取り組みはまだ先の話になりそうである。 2022年に大規模なトライアルを実施したイギリスでは、参加した多くの企業が週4日勤務を恒久的に採用している。アイルランド、スペイン、ドイツなどでも同様の試みは行われているが、ヨーロッパにおいてアイスランド以外で週休3日制を正式に法制化した国は、ベルギーのみとなっているのが現状だ。今後、各国の労働環境の変化を見極めて、住む場所を選ぶのもいいかもしれない。 関連記事 『It’s official: Iceland’s four-day work week is a huge success（原文）』 『ドイツが外国人の就労機会を拡大、「チャンスカード」制度がスタート』 『週の労働時間が最も短い国はオランダ』 『2024年、世界で最も安全で平和な国は？』 『世界で最もLGBTQ+の人々に友好的な都市はレイキャビック』 『世界で最もワークライフバランスが取れている国は？』 東京の最新情報をタイムアウト東京のメールマガジンでチェックしよう。登録はこちら  

More than a month’s worth of rain fell in just one day in some parts of Spain on Tuesday, triggering flash floods to sweep through the country’s southeastern region. At least 62 people have been killed in the floods so far, while roads have been closed and train services cancelled.  Understandably, those with a trip booked to the region might be concerned about whether it’s safe to travel right now. Here’s what we know so far.  Where are the floods in Spain? The floods have largely impacted southeastern Spain, including the popular holiday hotspot of Costa del Sol. The area surrounding Valencia has seen catastrophic damage, with president of the region Carlos Mazón stating at a press conference on Wednesday morning that it’s ‘impossible to offer a precise figure’ of the number of people killed.  Towns near Malaga have also been severely affected, with residents stranded and homes damaged.  This map shows the area worst affected by the floods. Image: Time Out Is it safe to travel? Flights in and out of Valencia were diverted or cancelled yesterday, though there is no news of further cancellations today. If you’re in the region, you should follow advice from local authorities to stay inside until the rain ceases.  The UK government has not officially advised against travelling to Spain, though it has added a warning to its travel advice page: ‘Severe weather and flooding is affecting many areas of Southern and Eastern Spain, particularly the Valencia region and Castilla La M

Is the four-day working week becoming less of a pipe dream? Almost every company in every country that has so far trialled the shorter working week has deemed it successful, with higher productivity, greater job satisfaction and less stress reported across the board. And Iceland is testament to the merits of giving workers an extra day off, according to the results of a new study. After successful pilot schemes in 2015 and 2019, the Nordic country officially implemented a shorter working week, reducing standard hours from 40 to 36. Between 2020 and 2022, 51 percent of workers accepted the offer of reduced hours with no loss of pay. The result? A booming economy, low unemployment rates and very happy workers. Shocking, right? The study, released by The Autonomy Institute and Alda, found that 62 percent of workers who’d taken on a shorter working week felt more satisfied with their working time, while a whopping 97 percent felt they had a better work-life balance. 42 percent believed that working shorter hours had decreased stress in their personal lives, too. But it’s not just workers who are reaping the rewards. In 2023, Iceland’s economy grew by 5 percent (the second-highest growth rate across Europe) while its unemployment rate was just over 3 percent (one of the lowest in Europe).  RECOMMENDED: Is the work-from-anywhere dream already over? All in all, the four-day week has been a major success in Iceland. But will other European countries follow suit? Well, that’s tbd. Var

After trialling a €5 entry fee for day-trippers last summer, the city of Venice has now confirmed that its tourist tax will be rolled out again next year – and this time, certain visitors will have to pay double the amount to enter the Floating City.  While tourists who book to visit the city over four days in advance will be charged a standard fee of €5, those with last-minute reservations will be charged €10. The tax will also be extended to cover a longer period next year, running over 54 days from April 18 to July 27. The silver lining? The fee will only be applied at peak times, meaning weekends and holidays from 8.30am to 4pm. Plus, it looks like the trial run proved successful.  Despite being delayed several times and facing huge protests on the day of its launch, Venice pursued the tax on day-trippers in a bid to curb tourist numbers. Over 29 days between April 25 and July 14 this year, the QR code was downloaded and the tax paid no less than 485,062 times.  Those who failed random checks within that time faced fines of between €50 and €300 (£53 to £257) – you’re better off just paying the €5, eh?  Overall, the scheme generated a hefty €2.4 million, which officials say was put toward restoration and maintenance of areas popular with tourists. It’s been lauded as a success by the city, and even a ‘cultural revolution’ by Venice’s top tourist official Simone Venturini, according to Sky News. But the entry fee still has its naysayers. Opposition councillor Giovanni An

Nearly a month after wildfires blazed on the Portuguese island of Madeira, more fires have broken out in mainland Portugal. Seven people have reportedly died in the fires, which were spreading between the northern district of Aveiro and Porto last week.  Understandably, those with a trip booked might be worried about whether visiting Portugal right now is safe. Here’s everything we know so far about the fires and the latest advice for UK and US travellers. Where are the fires in Portugal? The fires began to spread in the northern and central regions of Portugal on Monday September 16, leading to several towns being evacuated. The north-western Aveiro district saw the worst of the blaze, with fires reaching the outskirts of the town of Albergaria-a-Velha.  A portion of the highway connecting Porto and Lisbon was been closed off, and several train lines in the north of the country were suspended. Around 5,300 firefighters were tackling the blaze at one point.  Has Porto or the Algarve been impacted by the fires? The fires are not impacting southern Portugal, so the Algarve has not been affected. However, Porto is much closer to the affected region, and the main highway between the city and Lisbon was been closed. Also, according to the Guardian, wildfires in the Aveiro district and in Porto have led to dozens of houses being destroyed and more local road closures. What started the fires? Despite a wet and rainy start to the summer season, meaning fewer recorded wildfires acros

This summer in Europe has been characterised by extreme weather, with blistering heatwaves in Greece and storms in Switzerland, Italy and France in July alone. Now, parts of central Europe including Poland, Czechia and Slovakia have been engulfed by extreme floods after a month’s worth of rain fell in just 24 hours over the weekend. Storm Boris has led to road closures, power outages and up to 24 deaths so far. The storm is now impacting northern Italy, with the country’s meteorological service issuing alerts.  So, here’s everything you need to know about travelling to the affected regions and how to help. Where’s the flooding in Europe? Storm Boris has caused catastrophic damage across countries in Eastern and Central Europe, including Poland, Romania, Austria, Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia. The worst-affected areas include the border between Poland and Czechia, as well as Austria and Romania.  In Austria, the region surrounding Vienna has been declared a disaster zone, while people have drowned in Poland and Romania. An entire Polish city of 44,000 was evacuated, and several people have been reported missing in Czechia. Hundreds of houses have been destroyed. As of Thursday September 19, the storm has now reached Italy, with the meteorological service issuing warnings for the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Lazio.  Storm Boris map Where is Storm Boris? Here are the countries worst affected by the flooding. Image: Time Out Is it safe to travel? The UK government has issued w

Train aficionados, listen up. Austrian rail operator ÖBB has launched not one, but two brand new sleeper routes to the Italian capital this week. The new routes, which will shuttle passengers from Vienna and Munich to Rome, kicked off this week to coincide with the launch of ÖBB’s brand-new (and very swish) Nightjet trains. These new trains represent a huge upgrade to ÖBB’s overnight fleet, with enhanced comfort and privacy for rail travellers. So what can you expect? The new trains feature seven cars, including two seating cars, three couchette cars and two sleeping cars. Among the upgraded features is free wifi, more space for luggage, more charging sockets and ‘mobile phone-permeable windows’. Sounds pretty fancy, right? You can read more about the new trains and the other routes they’ll be running on here. At the launch of the Vienna-Rome service on September 10, ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä called the new-generation trains ‘a game-changer for night train travel in Europe’, according to Railtech. ‘It brings a huge leap in comfort and also offers significantly more privacy for our travellers,’ Matthä continued.  Vienna is fast becoming Europe’s night train capital, with more sleeper train connections than any other EU capital. Prices for the Vienna-Rome service on the new-generation Nightjet trains start at €34.90 for a seated carriage, €54.90 per person for a bed in a four-person couchette (solo travellers can pay the same price for a mini cabin with the advance Sparschiene tic

Iceland is a popular travel destination thanks to its unique natural landscapes, hot springs and the opportunity to witness the elusive Northern Lights. It’s typically regarded as a super safe place for travellers and expats – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t susceptible to natural disasters. A volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula has erupted for the sixth time since December, with a new fissure opening at 9.29pm local time on August 22 after a series of earthquakes and days of pressure build-up.  Understandably, those with trips booked to Iceland might wonder whether visiting the country is safe. This is everything we know about travelling to Iceland right now. Is it safe to travel to Iceland?   Despite Thursday’s eruption, neither the UK Foreign Office nor the US Department of State are recommending against travel – though the former has warned against travelling near the affected region. Given the eruptions have been going on for months now, scientists say the geological system could be active for decades, maybe even centuries. However, it’s being constantly monitored, and in response to the eruptions local authorities have constructed barriers to redirect lava flows away from essential infrastructure, such as the Svartsengi power plant and the Blue Lagoon, according to the Guardian.  Where was the volcanic eruption in Iceland?  Since December 2023, a long-dormant volcano just north of Grindavík, a town in the Reykjanes Peninsula, has been erupting. This is the sixth instance.

Non-EU citizens travelling to or through the bloc: your trips are soon going to get just that little bit more expensive. From mid-2025, anyone travelling on passports from several countries around the world between the ages of 18 and 70 will have to pay €7 (£6, $7.50) to enter or transit through any EU country. A new visa system for visiting EU countries called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is set to come into force. When it’s launched next year, visitors will need an official ETIAS visa waiver in order to keep visiting European countries. It will be required for trips of up to 90 days (if you want to stay longer, you’ll need another visa entirely) for both tourists and business travellers, and will need to be obtained at least 96 hours before departure. And while this might all sound quite complicated (and spenny), it isn’t as bad as it sounds. The fee doesn’t have to be paid every time you enter an EU country. The waiver lasts for three years, so you only have to get a new one either once it runs out or if you get a new passport. While the requirement for Brits to use the ETIAS visa waiver system is a consequence of Brexit, it also applies to passport-holders of plenty of other countries around the world. From the USA and Canada to Brazil, Japan and Australia, a grand total of 60 countries are eligible. You can see a full list of ETIAS countries here. So when exactly will the ETIAS system come into effect? Initially, it was supposed to be

Listen up: the best-kept secret of the Paris 2024 Olympics has just been revealed. After months of suspense and speculation, French newspaper Le Parisien has unveiled the first artists on the opening ceremony lineup, who will take to the stage this Friday, July 26. RECOMMENDED:Everything you need to know about the Paris 2024 Olympic GamesParis 2024 Olympics opening ceremony: start time, date, performersWhere to watch the Olympics in ParisWhat to watch at the Olympics this weekend: full schedule and highlightsThe best Olympics movies to get you in the Olympic spirit The opening ceremony is orchestrated by renowned stage director Thomas Jolly, who has invited a stellar cast of local and international stars to celebrate the rich history and diversity of French musical culture. So what are the big names on the lineup? We can reveal that Aya Nakamura, France’s most listened-to singer, will be performing a Charles Aznavour classic, accompanied by the Republican Guard. Queen of ballads Céline Dion will serenade with a song by Édith Piaf, and American pop sensation Lady Gaga will also be performing.  A feast of French musical talent will take to the stage. In terms of collaborations, expect a duet between pianist Sofiane Pamart and singer Juliette Armanet, a B2B set featuring singer Philippe Katerine and drummer Cerrone, and an intriguingly ‘original’ collaboration between opera singer Marina Viotti and eco-metal band Gojira. Parisian rapper Rim'K, from hip hop band 113, will also m

Olympic fever has officially started to take over – especially if you’re lucky enough to be in the French capital, where the Olympic torch is currently en route to its final destination. And it looks like the torch relay in Paris, which will be part of the opening ceremony schedule, is set to be a properly star-studded celebration.  Eager to know where the flame is heading next? Here’s everything we know about the Paris 2024 Olympic torch relay, from the final torch bearers to the expected route. RECOMMENDED:Everything you need to know about the Paris 2024 Olympic GamesParis 2024 Olympics opening ceremony: start time, date, performersWhere to watch the Olympics in ParisWhat to watch at the Olympics this weekend: full schedule and highlights Where did the Olympic torch start? The Olympic torch started its journey on April 16, in a ceremony held at the site of the original Olympic Games: ancient Olympia, Greece. After an 11-day relay in Greece the torch travelled from Athens to Marseille in France. The Paralympic torch will be lit in Stoke Mandeville, England, at the end of August. It’ll then cross the Channel to continue its journey in France. Paris 2024 Olympic torch bearers A whopping 11,000 torch bearers, ranging from sportspeople to ordinary French citizens, have been tasked with carrying the Olympic flame this year. The torch travelled through France’s 64 territories before landing in Paris on July 14. A star-studded cast has been selected to carry the torch on its final