Huw Oliver

Like the best of places, Bristol is a patchwork of contrasting neighbourhoods. Looking for unapologetically bougie vibes? Head to Clifton Village. Want to get your fill of a distinctly ‘Bristol’ aesthetic? Try Stokes Croft or Gloucester Road. Also worth a visit are newly established areas like Wapping Wharf (for all your hipster shipping container foodie needs) and Paintworks (a mini so-called ‘creative district’). All of which leads to the question: where should you base yourself when visiting this city? To help make that decision a little easier, we’ve come up with a list of the best hotels in Bristol, so you can start planning your trips to the city’s museums and attractions.  Like to cut to the chase? Then meet some of our newest additions to the round-up: the artsy townhouse in Portland Square, and the elegant townhouse with the downstairs pub.  RECOMMENDED: 📍 See our full guide to the best things to do in Bristol🛏 Nab one of the best Airbnbs in Bristol🏠 The best Airbnbs in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall This guide was written by Huw Oliver, a former Time Out UK 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. 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 informat

Want to be sure you're booking one of the best hotels in Munich? Choose the serene design-forward Louis Hotel, the simple yet homey Laimer Hof or the historic splendour of the Bayerischer Hof – or any other establishment in this list...  Forget Vienna. Forget Geneva. This city’s Italianate flair, mountain views and world-class art collections make it quite simply one of the most refined places you could imagine. In fact, many would argue Munich is far and away the most charming European city there is. And that’s no doubt thanks also to its phenomenal array of killer restaurants and things to do. Whether you’re in town for the opera, en route to the ski slopes or touring Munich’s mind-blowing museums and attractions, you're bound to find a superb place to spend the night.  RECOMMENDED: 🏠 The best Airbnbs in Munich💰 The best cheap hotels in Munich🚶 The best tours to do in Munich This guide was recently updated by travel and destinations expect, Huw Oliver. 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.

If you’re after a quaint, picture-postcard alternative to gritty, cosmopolitan Glasgow, you’re in the right place. The city of Edinburgh is a trusted destination for enchanting strolls, whether you're walking among the elaborate medieval attractions or through the scenic natural sights of Arthur's Seat or Holyrood Park. Your adventures could even lead you to a street or landmark that inspired the Harry Potter books – not something that can be said about many cities. Apart from being visually stunning, it's a hotspot for nighttime revellers thanks to the colourful array of bars, music venues and restaurants that bring its historic streets to life.  The arts and cultural scene is celebrated through a variety of events throughout the year, the most notable being Edinburgh Fringe – the world's largest performance arts festival that attract visitors from all across the globe.  Many hotels live up to the Scottish capital’s history and innate sense of drama. There are some in gothic buildings, some stuffed with antiques, and others with rooms boasting views to swoon over. To help you find the perfect base, here’s our pick of the absolute best hotels in Edinburgh.  RECOMMENDED:🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The best Airbnbs in Edinburgh🏘️ Where to stay in Edinburgh🍻 Get out and about in Edinburgh💰 The best cheap hotels in Edinburgh Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial rev

There are a million and one brilliant hotels (and Airbnbs) in Berlin, even with some of the world’s most strict restrictions on Airbnbs and other vacation rentals. Hotels are literally everywhere here, but fear not; we’ve done the hard yards and collated some of the best into one handy guide.  Our team of local experts and our own Time Out travel editors have reviewed a number of top places to stay in the city, from an iconic historic jazz institution to a newly-renovated affordable hotel in Ku’damm. Whatever you’re searching for, here are our top hotels in Berlin. Happy travels.  Updated December 2024: We’ve just crowned our brand-new top hotel in Berlin, awarded five stars by our local writer Kate Bettes. Read on to see what it is.  RECOMMENDED: 🛏 See our list of the best Airbnbs in Berlin📍 Discover where to stay in Berlin🖼 Find out the best things to do in Berlin Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel 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.

Ya has visitado los clásicos: las capitales, los lugares virales de TikTok, las ciudades con su propio programa de Netflix… Y no nos malinterpretéis, nos encantan los clásicos, pero hay un inconveniente en estos destinos de viaje grandes, bulliciosos y dignos de una lista. Si alguna vez has guardado una hora de cola para una pastelería, te has gastado el presupuesto del día en un café o has reservado un museo con tres meses de antelación, lo sabrás tan bien como nosotros: son las aglomeraciones. Lo cierto es que los autóctonos tampoco están contentos. Este verano se han producido una serie de manifestaciones contra el turismo en los principales puntos de interés europeos, al llegar a un punto crítico después de años de masificación turística; Ámsterdam se ha puesto dura con los nuevos hoteles y Venecia está preparada para duplicar su tasa turística en el 2025 (como Barcelona, ​​que también podría hacerlo). De modo que nunca ha habido un mejor momento para pensar fuera de la caja a la hora de planificar los viajes, sobre todo cuando hay tantos sitios olvidados increíbles. Desde escapadas urbanas llenas de cultura hasta parques nacionales desconocidos, estos destinos tienen todo lo que deseáis para vuestras próximas vacaciones, con la ventaja adicional de que habrá mucha menos gente yendo a los mismos lugares. Si viajáis con un presupuesto limitado, buscáis tranquilidad o simplemente estáis desesperados por probar un lugar nuevo, estos son los lugares más infravalorados para vi

Ja has visitat els clàssics: les capitals, els llocs virals de TikTok, les ciutats amb el seu propi programa de Netflix… I no ens malinterpreteu, ens encanten els clàssics, però hi ha un inconvenient en aquestes destinacions de viatge grans, bullicioses i dignes d'una llista. Si alguna vegada has fet una hora de cua per a una pastisseria, t'has gastat el pressupost del dia en un cafè o has hagut de reservar un museu amb tres mesos d'antelació, ho sabràs tan bé com nosaltres: són les aglomeracions. El cas és que els autòctons tampoc estan contents. Aquest estiu s'han produït una sèrie de manifestacions contra el turisme als principals punts d'interès europeus, ja que es va arribar a un punt crític després d'anys de massificació turística; Amsterdam s'ha posat dura amb els nous hotels i Venècia està preparada per duplicar la seva taxa turística el 2025 (com Barcelona, que també podria fer-ho). De manera que mai hi ha hagut un millor moment per pensar fora de la capsa a l'hora de planificar els viatges, sobretot quan hi ha tants llocs oblidats increïbles. Des d'escapades urbanes plenes de cultura fins a parcs nacionals desconeguts, aquestes destinacions tenen tot el que desitgeu de les vostres pròximes vacances, amb l'avantatge addicional que hi haurà molta menys gent anant als mateixos llocs. Si viatgeu amb un pressupost limitat, busqueu tranquil·litat o simplement esteu desesperats per provar un lloc nou, aquests són els indrets més infravalorats per visitar a Europa en aquest

Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, much of the residential property in and around Prague’s historic centre was swiftly converted into hotels. That means there’s no shortage of decent accommodation all over the city, from luxury boutique spots near major attractions like the beautiful Old Town Square, to more budget boltholes slightly further out. The abundance of choice can make choosing your ideal hideaway a little difficult. But whether you go for glam suites with jaw-dropping views, converted former farmhouses replete with period features, or sleek design spots with easy access to the Czech capital’s finest restaurants and things to do, our pick of the best hotels in Prague should help. See you at breakfast! We've recently added some very on-trend new gems to this list as we believe they're not ones to miss.  Updated August 2024: Two more hotels have been added to the list, check them out if you like boutique stays or five-star luxury.  RECOMMENDED: 🖼️ The best museums in Prague 🕺 Your all-inclusive guide to nightlife in Prague⭐ The best attractions in Prague Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel 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.

Done a little too much partying in Berlin? Well, who can blame you. It’s one of the party capitals of the world, after all, and they take it seriously here.  The one thing that will cleanse you of your party-induced sins? That’s a spa day. And it turns out Berlin does health and wellness about as well as it does clubbing. Who would’ve thought it? Get yourself a city that does both, we say. Here are the best spas in Berlin right now.  RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Berlin🎨 The best galleries in Berlin🍴 The best restaurants in Berlin🛏 The best hotels in Berlin 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. 

If you’re new to Edinburgh, it can be hard to know where to start. From a castle in the middle of the city to a palace a mere mile away, it can feel like there’s something worth exploring everywhere you turn. Even for locals, it’s sometimes easy to forget exactly what’s on your doorstep, whether it’s museums and art galleries packed with history, penguin parades or tea with waterfront views. So here’s our pick of the best attractions in Edinburgh – whether you’re a first-time visitor or if you’ve lived here all your life. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in EdinburghThe best Airbnbs in EdinburghThe best hotels in Edinburgh This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Liverpool is famous for many things – its long maritime history, its credit as the birthplace of the Beatles, and of course, its glitzy, vibrant nightlife. ‘Pool has a wonderfully varied live music scene, friendly locals and cheap pints (by the UK’s standards anyway) after all, so what more could you really need for a night out? The tricky thing is knowing where to start, but don’t get your dancing shoes in a twist, as we’re here to help. Indie music fans and students will want to head to Hardman Street, while those after an LGBTQ+ party will need Stanley Street. Then there’s the Albert Dock, Concert Square and plenty of long-standing and newer venues in between. So, ready to get out and explore? Here’s our pick of the best nightlife spots in Liverpool. RECOMMENDED:🍸 The best bars in Liverpool🍝 The best restaurants in Liverpool🍻 The best pubs in Liverpool🖼️ The best museums in Liverpool🏨 The best hotels in Liverpool This guide was written by Rob Martin, a writer based in north west England. 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.

Brizzle is one heck of a good-looking place. From the harbourside to Clifton and the Downs, much of the best (and most beautiful) stuff in this city is to be found outdoors. But with all those amazing museums, historic pubs and other attractions dotted across the city, there are plenty of cool things to explore if the weather doesn’t play ball (this is the West Country, after all). The city has long been a magnet for creative folks from all over the land, but there’s more to the place than ideas and atmosphere. It’s also a tourism tour-de-force, with architectural splendour and fascinating history on every corner. Looking to plan jam-packed day out here? These are the best attractions in Bristol you have to tick off. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in BristolNab one of the best Airbnbs in Bristol

As Germany’s financial capital, Frankfurt may have its fair share of high-rise monoliths, but the rest of the cityscape is diverse. From the conservative Westend, which caters to the banking set, to slowly gentrifying Bahnhofsviertel, once rife with prostitution, Frankfurt’s most happening neighbourhoods range from glam to seedy, prohibitively expensive to cheap-as-schnitzel. Does a villa with a moat float your boat? How about the district known for its dedication to local Apfelwein (apple wine)? Or maybe it’s a central location you’re after? To help you choose where to stay in Frankfurt, here’s our guide to five of the city’s major neighbourhoods, with insider tips on the best bars, restaurants and hotels in each. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best things to do in Frankfurt🏛 The most unmissable attractions in Frankfurt🌭 The best restaurants in Frankfurt🍻 The best bars in Frankfurt🏠 The best Airbnbs in Frankfurt

Head cheese. What do those two words conjure up for you? Cheese that’s so complex only connoisseurs will really enjoy it? The rare Eurovision entries that err on the subtle and sophisticated? Motherese for ‘bogies’?  As a relative newcomer to the meat landscape, I had no clue. Fortunately, at The Counter, a Turkish grill restaurant near Portobello Road, they spell it out for you. Brain. Tongues. Plus salad and spices. I simply had to try it. If you search for pictures of head cheese (aka brawn), what you see isn’t very appealing. Meat terrines set in aspic, straight out of a 1960s cupboard. The Turkish version is much fresher, though no less intimidating if you’re only an occasional carnivore. You can make out the curves of the tongue. By deduction, you can work out which bits are brain. It’s basically a bowl of brown mush (costing £12), so there’s no getting away from what you’re eating. But with the added distraction of the za’atar-y flatbread, it is really rather moreish. And you get quite the thrill out of chowing down something so objectively grisly in such a refined setting. This is essentially Notting Hill remember, so as much thought has gone into the crockery and furniture and general vibes as the food. You get quite the thrill out of chowing down something so objectively grisly in such a refined setting. It’s easily the most interesting thing on the menu. But the rest – posh dips, healthy salads, incredibly tasty grilled meat – is largely good, if unrevolutionary,

Let me introduce poitín (pronounced potcheen): an Irish moonshine commonly made using potatoes or barley that only started being produced legally in 1997. ‘It’s not typically very nice,’ says chef Sacha Henry, the solitary presence in the kitchen at Indian-Irish fusion restaurant Shankeys. But nice is definitely one word you could use to describe the two things it’s in here. They’re extremely nice, in fact. First, there’s Spuds & Butter, a cocktail served in a coupe that looks like melted Kerrygold. It is exactly that, plus lime, salt, pepper and this mysterious poitín: a winning combination that makes for a creamy, peppy margarita-style drink. And second, there are the chaat potatoes. Gosh, the chaat potatoes. These crispy cubes are silky-smooth inside and come slathered in a turmeric and poitín butter, turning oily and lightly spicy and finding a surprisingly cooling foil in a green chilli chutney. Like every dish at the fantastic Shankeys, it’s a beautiful, colourful mess, served on floral crockery straight off Grandma’s dresser. Like every dish at the fantastic Shankeys, it’s a beautiful, colourful mess, served on floral crockery straight off Grandma’s dresser. The name may give ‘Irish pub in small European capital’, and keeping the façade of previous inhabitants Loafing (a bakery-café, apparently struggling on this stretch of Well Street) is pretty confusing. But get past all that and, courtesy of Sacha and smiley, front-of-house mixologist Eoghan, you’re in for treat a

What do you think the path to heaven looks like? A cobbled alleyway lined with smiling pals, past and present? A technicolour highway fringed with waving Maneki-neko cats? A cool, alluringly lit staircase filled with bottles of only the nicest wines? Maybe. Just maybe. Because in this new dining space at the top of a pub in Fitzrovia, you’ll find just that, opposite the toilet. Head down the corridor, tipsy, mid-meal, and you’ll feel almost like you’re about to ascend to the promised land. The charcuterie platter: moreish, every last bit Much else about this place is dreamy. It helps, of course, that the food is excellent. It’s no surprise when the kitchen is led by chef James Knappett, who’s known for running two Michelin star restaurant Kitchen Table. The food is less fancy chef’s counter diner experience and more top-shelf pub grub. The charcuterie platter: moreish, every last bit. The juniper steelhead smoked trout: an abundance of flavours, perfectly matched. The Cornish lemon sole with brown shrimp and mussels: just the right amount of buttery. The steak tournedos rossini: three layers of brown that don’t look like much but taste formidable, so good in fact that you can almost forgive yourself for accidentally ordering foie gras. Any place that prides itself on serving up ‘the best of British’ is inherently a bit annoying, but these lot smash it.   And these lot, it turns out, are a friendly bunch. And they’re super-attentive to annoying things like a coeliac coming in

If you’ve ever floundered when asked to tell a joke off the cuff, you’ll feel Roman’s pain. Except he has it much worse. He has to weave an entire story. All night long. Surrounded by 200 jeering prisoners nicknamed things like ‘Half-Mad’ and ‘Petrol’. Not ideal.The real name of this new arrival isn’t Roman – that’s the title assigned to him by the Dangôro, named Blackbeard, the supreme master who rules over this prison in the Ivorian rainforest. It’s a place of superstition and folklore, evocatively captured by Philippe Lacôte in this meandering movie which blends myth and reality, fact and fiction, with a generous sprinkling of song and dance.A guard describes the place as the ‘only prison in the world run by an inmate’, but the real power in Night of the Kings lies in their beliefs. One is that whenever the leader falls ill, he must kill himself. Another, which Blackbeard (Steve Tientcheu, playing a frailer version of his mayor in Les Misérables) uses to distract rival factions vying to topple him, is that whoever he assigns as Roman must tell a story that lasts the duration of the red moon. If he doesn’t, he dies too.So the basis of this story is another story: the ruminations of this young kid (Koné Bakary, fear and anxiety welling in his eyes), whose real name we never find out. Through his narrative, we learn of the period when royals still reigned over the Côte d’Ivoire. The civil war that shook the country in the mid-2000s. And a certain gangster called Zama King.Wit

What does the colour pink mean to you? Forced femininity? Rose-tinted positivity? For Sylwia (Magdalena Koleśnik, magnetic), it’s both. She’s a fitness influencer and wears a lot of the stuff. In bougie Warsaw, her job gets her loads of freebies. Through her videos, TV appearances and workout demonstrations, she remains poised and professional. Occasionally she feels liked – but she wants to be loved. Her eyes betray anxiety and unhappiness. Loneliness, too. Sweat, assuredly helmed by writer-director Magnus von Horn, follows Sylwia in the build-up to a chat show interview. By the end, she’s hit breaking point. She’s misunderstood by family. Misunderstood by her 600,000 followers. Misunderstood by men. And then there’s the small matter of the stalker parked by her flat. As she tells her family, there’s a dark side to what she does. There are good days and there are bad days. But the cleverest thing? The film also poses the question: is she really so unhappy, or is that a performance too? Von Horn’s second feature is a sharp critique of the influencing world and the nefarious impact it can have on its practitioners. It could so easily have been patronising, but it feels honest. The direction is sharp, the camerawork in-your-face, and the lilting synth score by Piotr Kurek recalls Drive – as do Sylwia’s neon outfits. And through it all, Koleśnik gives a remarkable performance that nails the public/private schism at the heart of Instagram celebrity. In UK cinemas and streaming on

Danger has many flavours in Those Who Wish Me Dead. Ferocious fires rage across the Montana wilderness. So do nightmarish storms. And most unsettlingly of all, so do two damn suave assassins: an unlikely duo, played by Aidan Gillen and Nicholas Hoult, who’ve been charged with hushing up a big political corruption case.Unhappily for the protagonists in this impressively silly yet gripping western thriller, they will slay pretty much anyone who gets in their way. That even applies to Connor (Finn Little), a wise-for-his-years kid whose dad is a forensic accountant. He knows stuff he shouldn’t. They flee to the forests, Connor ends up lost and alone. And then, fortuitously, running along a creek, he meets Hannah (a fierce, assured Angelina Jolie), a ‘smoke-jumping’ firefighter who surveys the picturesque woodland from her watchtower.It’s immediately apparent she is traumatised by a recent blaze. She blames herself for failing to save three boys who were caught up in it. And so – with pacy, stylish direction from Taylor Sheridan (Sicario, Hell or High Water), who also co-wrote the script with author Michael Koryta – Those Who Wish Me Dead tracks Hannah’s attempts to save this other young kid. Ridden with flashbacks and with a punchy orchestral score, it’s a thoroughly improbable story of her internal redemption. And it’s largely pretty great.The plot abounds in ridiculousness. Twice – twice! – Hannah is struck by lightning. For some reason, the assassins start a forest fire thems

The Place Charles Dullin, in the lower reaches of Montmartre, is one of those Parisian squares that is always so damn busy it feels like its own self-contained world. People come and go, kids hang, there’s always a spot waiting for you at the café-terrace. This sprawling quartier acts as the stage for Suzanne Lindon’s debut feature Spring Blossom: an age-gap romance that sweeps you up in the joys and disillusions of youth.Making us all feel like underachievers, 21-year-old Lindon (daughter of actors Sandrine Kiberlain and Vincent Lindon) directs in a confident and cheerily brisk style – while also playing a version of her 16-year-old self. This Suzanne is bored. She doesn’t fit in at parties, the conversation is crap. Her parents (Florence Viala and Frédéric Pierrot, particularly loveable) are a little too sweet. Everything – and everyone – is embarrassing. Then she meets an actor at the local theatre, Raphaël (a moody and rugged Arnaud Valois), who somehow seems just as fed up with his lot. He’s 35, which makes their liaison questionable, but the film avoids overt sexuality in favour of simple emotions that make you long for the fun and freedom of early adulthood. It helps that everything is seen from her perspective. She’s fleetingly enamoured. Who is this bloke with a motorbike who parks up outside the theatre? She engineers another accidental meeting. And another. Their affinity is their ennui, the sense that their life is on pause – even if it isn’t, really. Creepiness s

This short is a starburst of immaculate Almodóvar. The emotions are big and histrionic. Alberto Iglesias’s soundtrack is punchy and opulent. The set is drenched in rich, kaleidoscopic colour. The Human Voice is the Spanish director’s first English-language film and you’ll inevitably go away yearning for more as soon as the half hour is up.An outlandishly attired actress (Tilda Swinton) is pacing about her apartment. She’s on the phone to her lover, who has now eloped with another woman. The movie, ‘freely based’ on the play of the same name by Jean Cocteau (also an inspiration for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), follows that conversation through despair and anger and indifference before finally reaching some form of muddied closure. She monologues on their relationship, her career, her morbid fear of knives. They appear to speak for hours. The film dips in and out, showing her journey from meltdown to catharsis. But what does she do? What does she say? And what does she simply think? The woman readily admits that much of what she tells him is made up. Maybe some of the things we see – the pills, her swinging a literal axe into a suit he’s left behind – are made up too. Pedro Almodóvar makes The Human Voice a comment on artifice and theatricality: Swinton’s glances break the fourth wall and the woman’s technicolour flat, it transpires, is a soundstage in a film studio. We say – and see – unreal things in the throes of heartbreak. Swinton acts out this idea perfectl

That night by the fire. Wine, giggles – then what happened? He seemed sweet. She knew him well. It must have been a drunken slip-up. And just like that, rape-revenge horror Violation dexterously exaggerates and exposes your prejudices before summarily dismantling them. The aftermath is unforgettably brutal. You actually see the act of revenge before you see what triggered it; the two events are woven together in a muddle of memory. This daring and disturbing debut, by Canadian directing duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, cuts back and forth between the night of trauma and the subsequent dismemberment, exsanguination and burning of the perpetrator. Perhaps that’s why you didn’t necessarily side with Miriam (played by Sims-Fewer, fantastically physical and ambiguous) in the first place.There is little plot to follow, instead a complex jumble of flashbacks – you’re processing that night just as she is. Miriam and husband Caleb (Obi Abili) were visiting her younger sister Greta (Anna Maguire) and brother-in-law Dylan (Jesse LaVercombe). The former relationship is tired; the latter fizzes with sexual energy. But then, one night, Miriam and Dylan – long-time friends – teeter on the edge of something else too. While the rape scene is suggestive rather than explicit, the ensuing violence is anything but. The attacker is stripped, beaten and strung up – a rare reversal of horror’s typical gender roles. She even grinds his bones and sprinkles it in ice cream. (A darkly com

This is a story ostensibly about a love affair, but really just about Hélène (Laetitia Dosch), a divorced lecturer from Paris who is lost in infatuation. It’s a subtle and exquisite performance. The object of her desire is Alexandre (ballet star Sergei Polunin), a Russian diplomat and hunk with little substance beyond being able to explain the provenance of his tattoos. They couldn’t be more different. And yet this imbalance enhances the film’s central message. He likes fast cars, Putin and Dior suits. She likes the seventeenth-century English playwright Aphra Behn. But still, they are together – secretly, on snatched afternoons, consumed by their thirst. Particularly her. In one scene she goes to the cinema to see Hiroshima Mon Amour, Alain Resnais’s French new wave classic. Not a fan. It’s a male fantasy run wild, she says, the camera lingering far too long on a beautiful, lusted-after woman. And so here is another kind of film, based on the 1991 autofictional work by Annie Ernaux, in which the female gaze gets sumptuous free rein. Directed by Danielle Arbid (Parisienne), Simple Passion brims with close-ups: cheeks, ears, thighs. Time appears to slow as the camera observes Alex hazily, blearily, just as she does. There are many intense sex scenes. These are candid, realistic, unglamorous. And their relationship goes no deeper than that. They rarely speak to each other outside of her bedroom – and when they do, it’s in a broken franglais. He circles freely in and out of her

Michael describes himself as ‘a guy who used to do stuff, but doesn’t do stuff any more because he’s in a bar’. He shaves in the loos. He even sleeps on the sofas. The other regulars are his family. Today the Roaring ’20s is closing for good – and he doesn’t know what he’ll do without it. Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is a document of that final piss-up: a diverse bunch of Michael-like eccentrics getting plastered over the course of one very long and very hilarious night. Things quickly get messy. Conversations go in on the weighty questions du jour – the time is around the 2016 US election – but wind up going off on tangents like: ‘Senses – now that’s something I appreciate.’ There are a lot of heartfelt deep and meaningfuls and even more hiccupping. Boobs are flashed. Arguments sizzle. Two of the barflies take an acid trip. And the jukebox? Well, it’s never not on. It all feels brilliantly chaotic and immersive and so compellingly real. Except it’s not. This so-called ‘documentary’ was shot in New Orleans, not Las Vegas. Most of the cast had never met before filming. Michael, the supposedly out-of-work central figure, is a professional actor. And yes, they’re all tearing up over a bar that isn’t actually their local and isn’t actually closing.Directors Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross have had you, basically. The brothers, known for their documentaries, auditioned hundreds of barflies from around the Big Easy, chucked them in a ‘bar that looked right’, and let them get as mashed a

How did you spend all those interminable school summers? Hard to say, probably. Nothing really happened; nothing really could happen. Yet back then, time appeared to stretch out to infinity. It felt as if everything could change in a matter of weeks: your friends; what you were into; perhaps even your entire sense of self. It usually either totally sucked, or was totally the best time ever.For Nora (Lena Urzendowsky, understated yet magnetic), the hot Berlin summer of 2018 sways languidly from one extreme to the other, eventually settling somewhere happy-ish between the two. She’s 14 – not a good age, we can all agree – and this is her year of self-discovery and transformation. The slow, meditative, occasionally brilliant Cocoon, the second film from German director Leonie Krippendorff, captures it all before the memories begin to fade.With her alcoholic mum pretty much off the scene, Nora whiles away the summer months peering in her jars of caterpillars, and reluctantly tagging along to parties with her older sister. It’s awkward and intimidating. She feels very much out of place.Then comes her first period, her first love, her first sucker-punch rejection. Romy (a charming Jella Haase), a new girl and another outsider, enters the picture, and after a few drowsy, sunny afternoon snogs, summarily leaves. And so, as in the manner of so many coming-of-age films, Nora realises romance isn’t all it’s made out to be.But she comes out stronger. By the summer’s end, she has a firmer

Con las fronteras cerradas y restricciones para viajar por todo el mundo desde el pasado marzo, pocos de nosotros hemos sido capaces, realmente, de disfrutar de unas vacaciones en un lugar remoto en el último año, más o menos. De hecho, sobre todo nos hemos tenido que conformar con mirar nuestros 'feeds' para inspirarnos y soñar despiertos con el momento en que podamos explorar el mundo de nuevo. Con la llegada de las vacunas, nos ilusionamos pensando que los viajes internacionales volverán a ser posibles pronto, pero, mientras tanto, seguimos viajando desde el sillón de casa, ahora babeando con los alojamientos de Airbnb que acumularon más 'likes' en 2020. ¿El número uno? The Stone Cottage, una gran propiedad con piscina en la zona de Gard, en el sur de Francia. Tiene torres románicas, una vegetación frondosa y una piscina que te desencaja la mandíbula. ¿Qué más se puede pedir? La segunda vivienda con más 'likes' es una cabaña costera en la región de Valparaíso, en Chile; y la tercera, una cabaña junto al lago Atitlán, en Guatemala. Estos son los diez primeros alojamientos.   La cabaña de piedra (Saint-Victor-la-Coste, Francia):  Photograph: @bonitte La mejor vista de Quintay (Casablanca, Chile): Photograph: @josefinalopezphoto Con vistas al lago (San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala):  Photograph: @megaann.p Cabaña Tanglebloom (Brookline, VT, Estados Unidos):  Photograph: Ethan Abitz Casa Mami (Pioneertown, CA, Estados Unidos):  Photograph: @workingholidaystudio Escuela del sigl

One of the least romantic things about the City of Love, surely, is the constant hum of traffic. Thankfully, post-lockdown Paris may well feel a little less hectic: the French capital is to ban cars from the iconic Rue de Rivoli, which stretches from the Louvre museum right across the city centre. Anne Hidalgo, Paris’s mayor, said the ban would allow locals more space to exercise within the city centre as social-distancing measures continue. The initiative will last through the summer, and could be made permanent after that. Hidalgo told a press conference: ‘I would like there to be a lane dedicated exclusively to bikes and another reserved only for buses, taxis and emergency and trade vehicles – but not cars.’ Equivalent to London’s Oxford Street or New York’s Fifth Avenue, the 3km-long Rue de Rivoli is home to sights including the Tuileries gardens, the Louvre and the Angelina tearooms, and is also one of the city centre’s main shopping strips. From May 11, when France is set to ease lockdown restrictions, Paris is also planning to accelerate its ‘Plan Vélo’ – ‘Cycle Plan’ – and lay down 65km of new bike lanes across the city. The French capital isn’t the only European city putting pedestrians and cyclists first as lockdown measures are lifted. Berlin has already widened cycle lanes in an effort to maintain physical distancing outdoors, while Milan’s council has announced ambitious ‘Strade Aperte’ plans to install new bike lanes, introduce 30kph (20mph) speed limits, and cr

When the spring sun comes out, it’s Bavarian custom to head to the nearest beer garden for a foaming stein under the trees. That tradition has been hampered in recent weeks. But now Germany’s biggest state is gradually lifting lockdown measures – and in less than two weeks, its world-renowned biergartens will be allowed to reopen for business. Markus Söder, the state’s governor, has announced that beer gardens and outdoor restaurants can reopen from May 18. Indoor restaurants will be allowed to reopen a week later, though customer numbers will be limited and they must close at 10pm. And from May 30, hotels will be able to welcome travellers again. Söder told a press conference: ‘The time has come for a cautious reopening.’ Bavaria, whose capital is Munich, was the first state to implement a lockdown and its restrictions were among Germany’s strictest. Hubert Aiwanger, the state’s economics minister, has called the reopening of the food and drink industry a ‘big step towards normality’. He is appealing for authorities to temporarily hand over more outdoor space to restaurants whose indoor capacity has been drastically cut by distancing measures. Last month it was announced that Munich’s annual Oktoberfest celebrations would be cancelled this year. But once the beer gardens are up and running again, we’ve no doubt more than enough steins will be consumed to make up for it. Most popular on Time Out - Daniel Radcliffe is reading you ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’- The

The high street isn’t having a great time of it right now. From Wilko, Marks & Spencer and New Look to Boots and literally thousands of local banks, stores of all shapes and sizes are having to close their doors as shoppers flock online.  The latest shopping heavyweight to be impacted? The British supermarket chain Iceland, which has closed several branches around the country and is due to close more over the next few months.  Twelve of the stores have already shut their doors for good, and two others are set to close down by the end of September. Here’s everything we know. RECOMMENDED: Here’s the full list of bank branches closing in the UK this year.Here’s the full list of high street stores closing in 2023. Which Iceland stores are closing down and when? These Icelands either have closed or will close in 2023.  Birmingham Road Retail Park, Bromsgrove (February 25) Chineham Shopping Centre, Basingstoke (February 25) White Rose Centre, Rhyl (March 14) South Street, Newport, Isle of Wight (March 25) St Catherine’s Place, Bedminster, Bristol (March 25) Deiniol Centre, Bangor, Wales (March 27) Newport, Wales (April 22) Marygate, Berwick (April 22) Harrow, London (May 6) Flint, Wales (May 27) Hitchin, Hertfordshire (June 10) Beccles, Suffolk (June 17) Swansea, Wales (July 29) Cowdenbeath, Fife (August 12) The Bridge Centre, Fratton in Portsmouth (August 26) Llanelli (September 2) Crewe (September 16) Birkenhead, Wirral (September 26) Trinity Street, Huddersfield (October 28)

Alzándose en medio de un mar de cartas, pancartas y ramos de flores, George Floyd se mantiene alto y desafiante delante de un girasol descomunal. Los nombres de otros hombres y mujeres negros asesinados por la policía estadounidense llenan el centro de la flor, mientras que una nota en la parte inferior dice simplemente: "Ahora puedo respirar". Este deslumbrante mural, realizado por los artistas Xena Goldman, Cadex Herrera, Greta McLain, Niko Alexander y Pablo Hernández, apareció la semana pasada en la tienda de Minneapolis en la que Floyd fue asesinado por la policía el 25 de mayo. Un vídeo mostró al oficial Derek Chauvin arrodillado sobre su cuello durante casi nueve minutos, mientras Floyd repetía "No puedo respirar". Desde la muerte violenta de Floyd, las protestas que comenzaron en Estados Unidos se han extendido por todo el mundo. Y siguiendo el ejemplo de los 'street artists' (artistas urbanos) de Minneapolis, grafiteros de casi todos los rincones del mundo han honrado a Floyd con enormes murales públicos. Desde un tren belga garabateado con "por favor, no puedo respirar" a una muestra de solidaridad de dos artistas en medio de las ruinas de Idlib en Siria. Estas son algunas de las mejores obras que hemos visto.   Nápoles, Italia Ver esta publicación en Instagram #Lenin × #MLK × #MalcolmX × #AngelaDavis "Per favore, per favore, non riesco a respirare. Per favore amico, per favore... Non posso respirare. Non posso respirare... Per favore, non riesco a respi

It’s named after one of the most famous musicians of all time – and recently felt a whole lot busier thanks to the Eurovision Song Contest. Now Liverpool John Lennon Airport is set to expand its offering even further, with new routes to 20 destinations across six countries. The budget airline Jet2 has announced it will start flying from the airport in March 2024. It will operate up to 54 weekly flights, including 12 to both the Canary Islands and the Balearics each week. The new flights include seven exclusive routes (i.e. serving destinations not already available from Liverpool) to Gran Canaria, Menorca, Rhodes, Zante, Madeira, Paphos and Burgas in Bulgaria. Want to see the full list of new places you can jet off to? Here’s the full list of new Jet2 routes from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, set to launch next spring. What are the new Jet2 destinations from Liverpool John Lennon Airport? Mainland Spain Alicante – up to four weekly services Canary Islands Fuerteventura – up to two weekly servicesGran Canaria - up to two weekly servicesLanzarote – up to three weekly servicesTenerife – up to five weekly services Balearic Islands Ibiza – up to three weekly servicesMallorca – up to seven weekly servicesMenorca – up to two weekly services Portugal Faro – up to four weekly servicesMadeira – weekly Monday services Greece Corfu – up to two weekly servicesCrete (Heraklion) - up to two weekly servicesKos – weekly Friday servicesRhodes – up to two weekly servicesZante – weekly Wednesda

If you were watching the King’s coronation yesterday, then you may well have noticed some familiar musical faces in the crowd. Lionel Richie? Yep, he was there. Katy Perry? Her too. Weird. So... why? Well, tonight (Sunday, May 7) the official coronation concert will take place, and those two are among the biggest names who are set to appear. Also on the line-up are the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Sir Bryn Terfel, Tom Cruise and Winnie the Pooh (yes, really). This gig is arguably the most populist element of the three-day affair, which began with the main coronation ceremony yesterday and ends with an extra bank holiday on Monday. RECOMMENDED: What time is the coronation concert and how long is it? Around 10,000 tickets for the concert have already been given away free to the British public. And if you didn’t manage to get your hands on some? Well, happily, the gig will also be broadcast on the BBC, as well as on a big screen in St. James’s Park in London. So who can we expect to see? Here’s everything we know about the line-up for King Charles’s coronation concert on Sunday, May 7.  Who is going to perform at King Charles’s Coronation Concert? Take That will appear with three of its original members: Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The boy band’s other member, Robbie Williams, reportedly turned down the offer.  Lionel Richie, who was the first global ambassador of the Prince’s Trust, a charity founded by King Charles III, has also been confirmed as a performer.  In a

Getting a bit of déjà vu? Normal life in London – and much of the UK – pretty much came to a standstill as the Queen’s funeral took place at Westminster Abbey last September. And today pretty much the same thing has happened.  The King’s coronation is in full swing at Westminster, with central London now pretty much on lockdown as royalists and curious people come to have a gawp at the new monarch. The whole thing is a bit weird, but definitely interesting. And it also may have you got feeling a little misty-eyed about our previous sovereign, Elizabeth II.  Her funeral last year culminated in a committal service and private burial at the King George VI Memorial Chapel (part of St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle) in the evening. The Queen was buried alongside her mother, father and sister. The body of her late husband Prince Philip was also removed from the Royal Vault to be laid next to Her Majesty. Now, a ledger stone has been laid and members of the public are able to visit her grave. Here’s everything you need to know if you want to pay your respects. RECOMMENDED: Here’s the full schedule for the King’s coronation Will you be able to visit the Queen’s grave at Windsor? Windsor was said to be the Queen’s favourite home (even over Buckingham Palace) and is the longest-inhabited royal castle in the world. The property is estimated to be worth around £235 million. But many have been wondering whether this means they will be able to visit Windsor to see the Queen’s tomb. The

The long-awaited coronation of King Charles III is finally just a day away. It's a life-changing moment for Charley and of course, most eyes will be on him over the weekend. But we can't forget that it's a pretty big deal for his wife, Camilla too.  Prior to the Queen's death, she was known as the Duchess of Cornwall, choosing not to use the Princess of Wales title previously used by Princess Diana. However, just like her husband’s, that title is set to change. Here’s everything you need to know.  RECOMMENDED: Here are all the best coronation weekend events in the UK Will Camilla Queen Consort be crowned Queen? She will be given the title of Queen. As revealed by the official invitations, which were sent out to 2,000 guests today, Camilla will become Queen after the coronation, marking the transition from ‘Queen Consort’.A royal source told the BBC that in the first few months of the new reign it made sense to use ‘Queen Consort’ so as to avoid confusion with the late Queen Elizabeth. During the coronation, on May 6, she will be crowned alongside the King and after that be referred to as Queen. Why is Camilla being crowned queen? It is an unexpected move given that Queen Elizabeth stated it was her 'sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort.' However, a senior royal aid told The Daily Mail that 'all former Queen consorts have been known as Queen plus their first name,' so the decision makes sense.  What title does the wife or husband of t

Here we fucking go, people. As you’ll be well aware by now, Eurovision 2023 is coming to the UK for the first time in 25 years. It’ll take place in Liverpool in the second week of May, and will offer all the usual glittery costumes, weird ballads and sarky commentary – no doubt made all the more special because the show is being hosted here on Normal Island. And today is the last chance to cop some tickets if you want to go to the event yourself, with the final batch of tickets for all shows (semi-finals, final, the lot) going on sale later today. If you can be sure of anything with Eurovision 2023, it’s that these will be in very high demand indeed. Here’s everything you need to know about getting your hands on tickets. When do Eurovision tickets go on sale? The last batch of Eurovision tickets go on sale today, Monday, April 24, at 12pm. Set your alarm and get multiple devices ready! What shows can I attend? There are two semi-finals and one grand final. However, there are several other shows that the public can attend, with nine official events in total. Here’s the breakdown.  First semi-final: May 8 and 9 Evening preview show – May 8, 8pm Afternoon preview show – May 9, 1.30pm Live TV show – May 9, 8pm Second semi-final: May 10 and 11 Evening preview show – May 10, 8pm Afternoon preview show – May 11, 1.30pm Live TV show – May 11, 8pm Grand final: May 12 and 13 Evening preview show – May 12, 8pm Afternoon preview show – May 13, 1pm Live TV show – May 13, 8pm How do I buy

The Queen died at Balmoral on September 8 2022 aged 96 and her eldest son Charles automatically became King. Queen Elizabeth II’s death kicked off a plan for the days to follow called ‘Operation London Bridge’. This involved a series of events including the lying in state, which saw crowds queue for hours on end to see her coffin in Westminster Hall, and a funeral held at Westminster Abbey to mourn the loss of our longest-reigning monarch. But what happens to the new King?  RECOMMENDED: Will there be a bank holiday for King Charles’s coronation? When does Charles become King? Having been the heir to the throne since he was just three, Charles automatically became King when the Queen died, but he won’t be crowned for a while. Charles was officially announced as King at the First Proclamation on Saturday September 10. He was given the title King Charles III at a ceremony at St James’s Palace. So will Camilla become Queen? No. Camilla becomes the Queen Consort, ‘consort’ being the title given to the spouse of the monarch (she and Charles got married on April 5 2005). When is King Charles’s coronation? King Charles will be crowned on Saturday May 6 2023. Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be crowned alongside the king in the historic ceremony. Where is King Charles’s coronation? As per tradition, the new monarch will be crowned at Westminster Abbey. The church has been the setting for coronations for the past 900 years.  What happens at the coronation ceremony? On the royal famil

When Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in September, Charles automatically became King. During the First Proclamation at St James’s Palace on September 10, Charles was announced as King and given the title King Charles III. Now, the date of the new monarch’s official coronation has been announced – and the UK is getting another bank holiday to celebrate. Here’s everything we know so far. When will Charles be crowned King? The coronation of King Charles III will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday May 6 2023. Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be crowned alongside the king in the historic ceremony. According to the royal family’s website, the ceremony is ‘an occasion for pageantry and celebration, but it is also a solemn religious ceremony, has remained essentially the same over a thousand years. ‘For the last 900 years, the ceremony has taken place at Westminster Abbey, London. The service is conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose task this has almost always been since the Norman Conquest in 1066.’ Will we get a bank holiday for King Charles III’s coronation?  Yes, it has been confirmed that we will be getting an extra bank holiday to mark the occasion. This is scheduled for Monday May 8 2023, two days after the service at Westminster Abbey. Will the May bank holiday be moved for King Charles’s coronation? A number of MPs had called for the May 1 bank holiday to be pushed back until Monday May 8, giving the country a long weekend. Meanwhile, other MPs