James Manning

You don't have to max out your credit cards or take out a second mortgage to book a place to stay in Barcelona. From designer hostels to small, charming hotels, the options for accommodations in the Catalan capital are many and varied. And even better is that you needn't trek out to the sticks to get a good deal, as most of these spots are in central neighbourhoods. Have a look at our list of the best cheap hotels in Barcelona and save your euros to discover all the things to do among this city's best culture, entertainment and gastronomy. November 2024 update: We've added two new incredible properties to this list, including a colourful hostel-hotel and a minimalist retreat. Enjoy! Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts, 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.

Every week, a frankly silly amount of brilliant new restaurants, cafés and street food joints arrive in London. Which makes whittling down a shortlist of the best newbies a serious challenge. But here it is. The 20 very best new restaurants in the capital, ranked in order of greatness and deliciousness. All of them have opened in the past 12 months and been visited by our hungry critics. So go forth and take inspo from this list, which features everything from mighty modern Korean cookery at Miga in Hackney, Brit/Thai mashups at AngloThai in Marylebone, deep fried olives at Sesta in London Fields, hip fish bar Tollington’s in Finsbury Park, Oma and Agora’s Greek-ish cuisine in Borough Market, rightly hyped Mayfair spot The Dover, the Whitehall wonder that is Kioku, British bistro classiness at Sael in St James’s, and fire and fish at Lita in Marylebone. This list is updated regularly, so check in often to find out what we really rate on the London restaurant scene.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best restaurants in London. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now to tuck in.

It’s been a fantastic year for new music. We’ve had long-running artists finally break through (hello, Chappell Roan), what felt like the longest and most carefully calculated album roll-out of all time (Charli, we’re looking at you), as well as niche new finds and epic comebacks from old faves (The Cure).  As the year draws to a close, it’s time to share our favourite albums of 2024. From intergalactic post-punk to gritty, lyrical hip hop, dance floor-ready pop and everything in between, grab your best headphones or line up the speakers: these are the albums Time Out had on repeat this year. RECOMMENDED:The best movies of 2024The best TV shows of 2024 you need to streamThe best songs of 2024

Like ’em, hate ’em or blast ’em 24 hours a day as soon as September starts, there’s no getting away from Christmas songs. And we’re not just talking about the classics – Christmas songs are an exhaustive genre, from weird ’40s jingles to brand-new bangers (yes, Sabrina Carpenter’s got one). Whatever gets you feeling festive, you’ll find it on this list.  What is the number one Christmas song ever? We are so glad you asked. And you’ve probably guessed it. You’re probably not even mad about it in the slightest. But yes, it’s Mariah Carey’s fabulous festive track, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. And hey, she’s pretty high up on our list too. It’s a classic, and she competes with Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ and The Pogues’s ‘Fairytale Of New York’ for the grand title every year. In our humble opinion, Pogues come out on top. But they’re both bangers.  RECOMMENDED:🔔 The worst Christmas songs of all time🎅 The best Christmas songs for kids🎄 The best Christmas movies of all time🎵 When is it too early to listen to Christmas music?🎤 The best karaoke songs

Head to Hackney and you've got a seriously exciting evening of dining ahead of you, as some of the city's boldest chefs have set up shop in this rapidly-gentrifying patch of east London. High-end restaurants sit alongside chic brunch spots, inviting gastropubs and long-established neighbourhood joints. Whatever you're after, you'll more than likely find it here. Go east(ish) and eat. New additions to the list include modern Korean marvel Miga, Sesta in the old shell of the much-loved Pidgin, smoke and fire fun at Lagom, Michelin starry-ness at Behind, chef Abby Lee's incredible Mambow – which has moved to Clapton from Peckham and canal-side standout, Sune.  RECOMMENDED: Here are London's 50 Best Restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor and thinks Hackney restaurants are some of the best in London (but don't tell the other boroughs, they'll only get jealous). For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. So east London it hurts? Follow our Time Out East London WhatsApp channel for the latest news, openings and goss from the coolest bit of the capital. (Yeah, we said it.) 

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. Updated December 2024: We've updated our list with two incredible hotels in the mix: The Lumiares Hotel & Spa and the As Janelas Verdes Inn. Enjoy! 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.

Apologies to the sinister shopping centre Santas, but the thing we most truly respect about this time of year is the Christmas sandwich. So pure. So dense. So carby. This year, the gallant staff of Time Out London have taste-tested festive sarnies from 12 bakeries and indie delis across London, in order to find the jolliest Christmas sandwich in town. These are the best Christmas sandwiches in London, according to us. RECOMMENDED: For more festive fun here’s our guide to the best Christmas markets in London.  And don’t miss the best Christmas events, either. 

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

There’s a reason France has been the most visited country in the world for a number of years now. It quite simply has it all. And you’re not confined to just one kind of vibe: wherever you go in France, you’ll get something totally different. That’s the magic of it.  Looking for the ultimate city break? Paris has got you covered. A port stay in a seriously up-and-coming travel destination? Marseille is waiting. Beaches, bougie bars and Michelin-starred dining? It’s time to head to Nice. Whether you’re looking for picturesque rural villages or remote towns away from civilisation, you’ll find it here. Here’s our top picks for where to visit in France.  RECOMMENDED:🌆 The best French cities to visit🏖 The best beaches in France☀️ Where to stay on the French Riviera📍 The best city breaks in Europe🏠 The best Airbnbs in Lyon Clodagh Kinsella is a travel writer based in Paris, France. 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. 

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

It’s officially the depths of winter, and that means spending as little time as possible outdoors and as much time as possible being warm, cosy and preferably in pyjamas. And those long, wintery nights call for one thing: some good snacks, and a really good podcast. Luckily, we’ve got them coming out of our ears.  Whether you’re a grisly true crime guy or after something more chatty, there’s a podcast out there for you. And here at Time Out, we’ve been bingeing all of them to bring you the very best (and stop you wasting precious time). For giggles, celeb sightings, world history, investigative journalism and a hell of a lot more, here are our favourite podcasts out right now, picked by our editors. Happy listening! ️‍🔥 November 2024: We’ve just added a bunch of great podcasts to this list, including the gripping ‘Wrongly Accused’ and the hilarious chatty-comedy ‘Comedy Bang! Bang!’. We update regularly with new releases, so check back for more podcast recommendations from the Time Out team.  RECOMMENDED:🎧 The best news podcasts🗞️ The best history podcasts🔪 The best true crime podcasts

Vinyl is back, baby. After decades in the dumps, records are now even more popular than CDs and are officially the best-selling of all physical music form. Suddenly your parents’ dusty Fleetwood Mac collection in the attic is looking a bit cooler, eh? London is one of the world’s best cities for crate-digging. Driven by stuff like dazzling vinyl-only editions and massive events like Record Store Day, this city’s independent record shops are thriving. Where, in the past, you’d have to head to Camden, Brixton, and Soho for your vinyl fix, these days, stores are flourishing all over the capital. Whatever your music taste, from reggae and hardcore to new wave and hip-hop, there’s a London record shop for you. Here are 30 of our absolute favourites. Get thumbin’ through those discs! RECOMMENDED:🛍️ The best markets in London.🎤 The best music festivals in London.👩‍🎤 The best London songs.🎸 The best shows and live gigs this month.

This review is from Christmas 2023 – The Smartest Giant in Town returns for Christmas 2024.  So totally do Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler dominate the imaginations of Britain’s under-fives that not one, not two but three Donaldson-Scheffler adaptations are playing in the West End this Christmas. But if you and your offspring haven’t already been done in by ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’ (nepo baby much?) at the Garrick or ‘Stick Man’ at Leicester Square, then it’s well worth throwing in your lot at St Martin’s Theatre with ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’. Based on a (relatively underrated, imo) early work by the reigning king and queen of kids’ picture books, ‘The Smartest Giant…’ tells the story of George: an actually rather scruffy but extremely kind-hearted giant whose attempt to smarten up his act quickly unravels as he meets five animals in need. In George’s bucolic town, giants, regular-sized humans and talking animals coexist in apparent harmony amid rolling hills and cute cottages, making for plenty of opportunities for the show to mess about with scale with Kate Bunce’s economical set and props – especially when George hands over his suddenly-giant-sized clothes to the animals. Giraffe, goat, mouse, fox and dog are played by adorable puppets – designed by Judith Hope – based faithfully on Scheffler’s illustrations, and animated with a variety of accents by an energetically multitasking pair of actor/puppeteers. (The show is a transfer from Little Angel Puppet Theatre in Is

Famous among boomer Brits as the home of furry TV eco-heroes the Wombles, the 1,140-acre Wimbledon Common is one of the biggest green spaces in London. It takes about an hour to stroll from the Green Man on Putney Hill to Caesar’s Camp (actually an ancient hill fort) on the Wimbledon side – even longer if you decide to get lost in the woods, poke around the museum at Wimbledon Windmill, or stop for a pint at the Telegraph or the Fox and Grapes. Basically, it’s a taste of the well-to-do country life without stepping outside Greater London.

When is a hostel not a hostel? When it’s a Generator. In 2018, after years serving young travellers looking for a cheap bunk and a good time, the brand formerly known as Generator Hostels trimmed off the second half of its name. At its Barcelona hostel-hotel, you can still get a bed in a shared dorm for prices as low as €20 a night, if that’s what you want. Or you can get a private hotel room with a king-size bed, en-suite bathroom, private terrace and view of the Sagrada Família, at a cost (starting from €86) significantly below what you’d pay elsewhere in the same neighbourhood. There were many good things about my stay at Generator, but I do have to start with a small warning: you don’t have to be very old to feel really old here. The hotel bit of Generator Barcelona shares a lobby and reception with the hostel bit, and the communal spaces fill up most evenings with 18-to-24-year-olds gearing up for a night on the tiles, while Daft Punk bangers leak out from the bar at the back. It’s undeniably A Vibe – but if you’re thirty-plus and in any way bothered by the unfiltered presence of the thirty-minus at play, you might want to pick somewhere else to spend the weekend. That said, once the express lift has whisked you to the uppermost floors, all is quiet. As well as being almost aggressively clean, my deluxe king room kept out any noise whatsoever from fellow guests or passing traffic. A small desk, a large bed, a compact bathroom and a few clothes hangers – as a solo travell

Twenty minutes from the sea, in the dry hills outside Essaouira, surrounded by forests of argan trees, you’ll find Le Jardin des Douars. This boutiquey Moroccan hotel bills itself as a ‘ksar d’hôtes’, roughly translating as ‘guest fort’ – and within these walls it really does feel like a one-of-a-kind retreat: a holdout against the slog of everyday life. The main hotel is a tall two storeys, with towers and domes made of terracotta-coloured mud and straw looming over the hillside gardens. Its bedrooms are clustered around two courtyards that fill with chattering birds at dusk; the dining rooms and kitchen are at one end, with a sprawling terrace outside for lunch. More rooms lie in outbuildings scattered around the gardens, alongside six villas (with their own pools) sleeping as many as 14 apiece. Miles of tiles, terracotta, carved wood and dark metal suggest a design brief that included the phrase ‘Berber chic’. The rooms are comfy rather than luxurious and generously sized – plenty also have their own terrace. But it’s the gardens that get top billing, and they’ve earned it. Towering palms and cacti; jagged aloes; tumbling bougainvillea in purple, white and orange; oleander and lantana; blue plumbago and pink trumpet vine: cascading down the hill on stone terraces, this horticultural tour de force is worth a visit all on its own, and the leaves make a beautiful noise when the famous Essaouira wind blows in (read: frequently). It’s a proper oasis that makes for a sharp contr

Although it’s not quite in the ‘Mousetrap’ leagues, ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ has played in the West End for long enough that members of its original audiences will be eligible to vote in the next general election. Its longevity probably owes just as much to the multigenerational impact of Judith Kerr’s original book as to the production itself, which is a valiant adaptation of some frankly pretty weird source material. The synopsis, if you need it: little Sophie and her mum are having tea. A tiger crashes the party and eats literally all the food in the house, then leaves. Sophie’s dad comes home and takes the family out to a café for dinner. The tiger never comes back. That’s about it – and it doesn’t make for a particularly satisfying stage structure, with all the tigery action in the middle third, and the beginning and end padded out with domestic slapstickery and songs. It gives the production the steady pace of a variety show. The bit with the tiger is undoubtedly the main event, and there’s some fun stagecraft here. I loved the magic tricks that made biscuits, sandwiches, cakes and strawberry milkshake disappear before our eyes (with some great guzzling sound effects). As for our striped antihero, he appears as an impressive half-costume, half-marionette which had my three-year-old whispering ‘Is it a *real* tiger?’ But neither I nor the toddler were big fans of the (possibly pragmatic but fairly major) decision to silence the tiger, who has plenty of dialogue in Ker

You’ve probably heard of hygge, the Nordic ideal of cosy comfort. Well, the Dutch version is gezelligheid – a warm, convivial, homely feeling, which the Jan Luyken hotel serves in spades. This townhouse-style hotel aims to be your home-from-home in one of the prettiest bits of the Dutch capital. You’ll find it halfway up a drop-dead gorgeous residential street, all red brick and spreading trees, sandwiched between the cultural heavyweights of the Museumplein and the designer shops of PC Hooftstraat. Step inside and you’re greeted at a massive granite table in what looks more like a posh kitchen showroom than a hotel reception. It’s part of a suite of lovely common spaces – also including a library/lounge, terrace, gym and dining room – that you’re invited to make your own while you’re here. The touches of art deco and art nouveau (plus the liberal use of brown) are quintessentially Amsterdam, as is the playful mash-up of classical and contemporary art on the walls. The dining room is a particular winner: once breakfast is out of the way, there’s a spread of pastries, snacks, fruit and yoghurt available day and night, plus all sorts of teas, a big coffee machine and cold water (still or sparkling) on tap. You can also pour yourself something stronger in the reception room. It’s all self-service, and perfect if you aren’t the kind of traveller who needs to be waited on, hand and foot. If you are that kind of traveller though, then you might get the sense that Jan Luyken is slig

Think Amsterdam, think canal houses, coffeeshops, stag parties and hordes of tourists… right? Well, there is another side to the Dutch capital – and this is a great base to start digging into it. In some ways The Hoxton, Lloyd is a stark contrast to the original Hoxton, Amsterdam, which is still drawing crowds in the most photogenic bit of the city centre. This time, the hip London hotel brand has pitched up in the redeveloped Eastern Docklands – think Amsterdam’s answer to London’s Royal Docks or New York’s Brooklyn Navy Yard. A calmer vibe prevails out here, and there are excellent transport links to other less touristy bits of the city, as well as Centraal station (just a seven-minute tram ride away). It’s a surprisingly excellent neighbourhood to stay in, an escape from the crowds – and maybe some of the expense – of the city centre. Instead of canals, there are vast former docks that now host houseboats and watersports; rather than narrow Golden Age houses, you’ll mostly see new blocks of flats and converted warehouses; and (beyond the hotel, anyway) you’ll probably spot more seabirds than tourists. The tranquillity is a welcome change. And in case you were worried about a lack of history or gorgeous architecture out here, the Lloyd hotel building has both in spades. It was originally built in the ’20s for a shipping company (the name is a reference to the Lloyd’s maritime insurance market in London) and used to house poor emigrants, mostly Jewish Eastern Europeans, wait

Hotel Hotel: so good they named it twice? This super-central Lisbon hotel is not your average stay. The alternative vibe is strong from the minute you step into the snazzy lobby – terrazzo floors, curving walls – and check in with the super-friendly staff dressed in natty, multicoloured sweatshirts. If it’s past lunchtime, they’ll offer you a glass of port on arrival. Look a little further and you’ll discover a tattoo parlour and yoga studio in the basement. And then there’s the hotel’s secret weapon: a truly incredible subtropical garden out the back. Under the bare roof beams of an old workshop or warehouse lies an overgrown jungle of tropical plants – originally a happy lockdown accident, now a serious USP. As well as several greenhouses’ worth of blissful plant life, the courtyard houses a secluded pool easily big enough for tranquil laps beneath the swaying vines. (It’s unheated, but that’s no problem in Europe’s sunniest capital city.) Between the ferns there’s also plentiful seating for the hotel’s bar and restaurant: Animal. (Don’t worry, it also serves vegetables.) Breakfast is a top-quality continental buffet that goes big on local meats, cheeses and bolos – cake for breakfast, in plain English. Hot options to order include intriguing but delicious ‘toasts’, like a soft-boiled egg with shrimp and dill on a pillowy toasted bap. For lunch and dinner, Animal excels at seafood: I was very happy with a lipsmacking ceviche and tuna tartare, followed by a lime-zested, al d

If you’ve never actually been to North Norfolk, then this corner of the UK might ring a certain bell marked ‘Alan Partridge’. If that’s the case, rest assured that The Harper is a far cry from the Linton Travel Tavern. Let’s get it out of the way up front: this place is posh. How posh? ‘Owned by the husband of Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy’ posh. You might expect that to come with some baggage: standoffish staff, ‘keep off the furniture’ vibes. But I’d like to reassure you that this is absolutely not the case. Every single person in a Harper uniform, from reception to the restaurant, was lovely, laidback, welcoming and up for a chat – especially when it came to tips on the local area. (And as for ‘keep off the furniture’, the hotel puts visible efforts into making itself welcoming to the most disruptive customers around: children and dogs.) On arrival, you may be surprised to see how imposing The Harper is for somewhere that credibly describes itself ‘boutique’. The hotel takes up a significant chunk of the small village of Langham, a five-minute drive from the seal-spotted marshes of the Norfolk coast. (And it’s set to get bigger still, with a planned expansion into the manor house next door.) A hulking, red-roofed, flint-covered horseshoe, The Harper is built around a converted barn (formerly a glassblowing factory) with wings out back housing 30-ish rooms and a spa. In the middle is a cute and cosy courtyard scattered with outdoor tables, festoon lights and wood

If you’ve ever wondered why the centre of Paris looks like it does – those picture-perfect grand avenues flanked by beautiful, limestone-faced blocks – then look no further than Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann. This Napoleonic bureaucrat reconstructed basically the whole city in the nineteenth century. He’s commemorated all over the city today, including in the name of Boulevard Haussmann. And it’s an appropriate address for the M Social Hotel Paris Opera, because this place really feels like it’s at the centre of things. You’re a quarter-hour’s stroll from Pigalle in one direction and the Louvre in the other; a half-hour from the Marais, the Left Bank, the Champs-Élysées or Gare du Nord. And you’re right in the middle of Paris’s most historic shopping area: the massive (and marvellous) Galeries Lafayette department store is just down the street. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better location for a weekend of Parisian retail therapy or ticking off the sights. Of course, a good hotel needs more than a great address, and M Social hits all the right buttons. First opened in 1927 as the Hotel Commodore, it still has lovely art deco bones: the vintage lifts with their wood panels and brass accents, the endless marble staircase, the glass dome in the lobby. A revamp in 2021 by Singaporean hotel giant Millennium gave the hundred-plus rooms a swish, modern revamp, with some bold colour choices – millennial mauve walls and squishy velvet furniture in green, orange and aquamarine – ser

There’s no point complaining about the prices when you’re dining on Piccadilly: it’s been among the poshest streets in London for literally 400 years. Suffice it to say that Gaia, a palatial joint with sister restaurants in Dubai, Qatar and Monte Carlo, has landed across the road from the actual Ritz and you’ll pay accordingly to eat here. But enough about the bill – we haven’t even got to the food yet. It’s Greek, or at least Greek-inspired, with British-Nigerian chef Izu Ani joining forces with the Peloponnese’s own Orestis Kotefas. The first thing you see when you step into the opulent dining room is an epic display of lobsters, oysters, turbot and seabass, arranged just-so on a pile of crushed ice like the Platonic ideal of a Cycladic fish market stall. And in fact, much of the menu turns out to be refined takes on Hellenistic classics: tzatziki, spanakopita, Greek salad and the rest of the gang, along with the aforementioned massive pile of seafood. The prawns were hall-of-fame-worthy and served in a puddle of honey-coloured, rosemary-scented, paprika-spicy oil And yes, it’s good. I’ve honestly never tasted smoother taramasalata, and the prawns were hall-of-fame-worthy: done to a tee in a wood oven, served in a puddle of honey-coloured, rosemary-scented, paprika-spicy oil. There’s a moussaka that’s destined to appear on all of London’s fanciest Insta feeds: minced beef, potato, bechamel and cheese, all stacked up atop a meltingly soft, skinless grilled aubergine. The as

What is Aire Ancient Baths London? An atmospheric, subterranean day spa tucked away discreetly off the Strand, Aire Ancient Baths takes inspiration from way back: specifically, ancient Roman, Greek and Ottoman bathing rituals. The London outpost opened in 2021 in a beautiful Georgian building, with treatment rooms upstairs, the baths themselves down in the double-height brick vaults of the basement, and a legion of friendly, black-clad staff keeping everything running like a machine. Upon arrival, you’re greeted and ushered into the changing rooms, where you’ll find a robe and slippers ready. Then it’s down a candlelit staircase into the bathhouse itself. There are large warm and hot baths, ice-cold plunges, a bubbly hydrotherapy pool and a salt-rich one for floating weightlessly, and a gently scented steam room. If you’ve booked a massage or treatment, staff find you and whisk you upstairs, then return you to the baths when you’re done. Vibe is king here: the bathhouse and corridors are hushed and darkened, lit by hundreds of (real) candles. Phones and children are banned and guest numbers are kept low, so you’re rarely sharing a pool with more than two or four other punters – and pretty much everyone respects the ‘Silence’ signs dotted around the walls.  Is it worth visiting? Look, this isn’t one of London’s cheapest spas: prices start north of £100 for basic access to the baths. Then there are various add-ons (massages, scrubs, aromatherapy or even a wine bath) that can ta

Con el Time Out Market de Barcelona a punto de abrir sus puertas, ya podéis haceros una idea de cómo será visitando el recién abierto Time Out Market de Oporto, con 2.000 metros cuadrados y 11 restaurantes (y aún queda uno más por abrir), un bar, una sala de degustación y la tienda A Vida Portuguesa. El nuevo espacio abrió al público el viernes 3 de mayo en una joya arquitectónica de la ciudad: la estación de São Bento. Además de impresionantes azulejos azules y líneas de tren que unen la segunda ciudad de Portugal con el valle del Duero, São Bento es ahora el hogar de algunos de los mejores restaurantes y chefs de la ciudad. El Time Out Market se encuentra en el ala sur de la estación, un espacio que hace años funcionaba como almacén y aparcamiento. "Nos encontramos en un espacio centenario al que los locales no podían acceder antes", ha explicado la directora general, Inês Santos Almeida. "Era una zona de almacenamiento que no estaba activa. La idea es revitalizar toda esa zona, devolviéndola a la gente de Oporto". Foto: Time Out Market Porto Además de los restaurantes, que muestran lo mejor de la escena gastronómica de Oporto, existe una nueva incorporación a la larga lista de lugares de referencia de la ciudad. La torre Time Out Market, que será pronto icónica, diseñada por Eduardo Souto de Moura y que tendrá un papel clave en la vida cultural de la ciudad. En la parte superior, con una vista privilegiada de la Torre de los Clérigos y del 'skyline' de la ciudad, se encu

Ya ha empezado la cuenta atrás para disfrutar de la mejor gastronomía de la ciudad en el nuevo Time Out Market en Barcelona, que contará con 14 chefs, un restaurante de servicio completo y cuatro bares y unas vistas privilegiadas de la ciudad. Mientras esperáis su inauguración, ya podéis visitar el Time Out Market de Oporto, con 2.000 metros cuadrados y 11 restaurantes (y aún queda uno más por abrir), un bar, una sala de degustación y la tienda A Vida Portuguesa. El nuevo espacio abrió al público el viernes 3 de mayo en una joya arquitectónica de la ciudad: la estación de São Bento. Además de impresionantes azulejos azules y líneas de tren que unen la segunda ciudad de Portugal con el valle del Duero, São Bento es ahora el hogar de algunos de los mejores restaurantes y chefs de la ciudad. El Time Out Market se encuentra en el ala sur de la estación, un espacio que hace años funcionaba como almacén y aparcamiento. "Nos encontramos en un espacio centenario al que los locales no podían acceder antes", ha explicado la directora general, Inês Santos Almeida. "Era una zona de almacenamiento que no estaba activa. La idea es revitalizar toda esa zona, devolviéndola a la gente de Oporto". Foto: Time Out Market Porto Además de los restaurantes, que muestran lo mejor de la escena gastronómica de Oporto, existe una nueva incorporación a la larga lista de lugares de referencia de la ciudad. La torre Time Out Market, que será pronto icónica, diseñada por Eduardo Souto de Moura y que tend

Ja ha començat el compte enrere per gaudir de la millor gastronomia de la ciutat al nou Time Out Market a Barcelona, que tindrà 14 xefs, un restaurant de servei complet i quatre bars i unes vistes privilegiades de la ciutat. Mentre espereu la seva inauguració, ja podeu visitar el Time Out Market de Porto, amb 2.000 metres quadrats i 11 restaurants (i encara queda un més per obrir), un bar, una sala de degustació i la botiga A Vida Portuguesa. El nou espai va obrir al públic el divendres 3 de maig dins una joia arquitectònica de la ciutat: l'estació de São Bento. A més d'impressionants rajoles blaves i línies de tren que uneixen la segona ciutat de Portugal amb la vall del Duero, São Bento és ara la llar d'alguns dels millors restaurants i xefs de la ciutat. El Time Out Market es troba a l'ala sud de l'estació, un espai que fa anys funcionava com a magatzem i aparcament. "Ens trobem en un espai centenari al qual els locals no podien accedir abans", ha explicat la directora general Inês Santos Almeida. "Era una zona d'emmagatzematge que no estava activa. La idea és revitalitzar tota aquesta zona, retornant-la a la gent de Porto". Foto: Time Out Market Porto A més dels restaurants, que mostren el millor de l'escena gastronòmica de Porto, hi ha una nova incorporació a la llarga llista de llocs de referència de la ciutat. La torre Time Out Market, que aviat serà icònica, dissenyada per Eduardo Souto de Moura i que tindrà un paper clau en la vida cultural de la ciutat. A la part

The wait is over: Time Out Market Porto has opened its doors. The 2,000-square-metre space, which houses 11 restaurants (with one more still to open), a bar, a tasting room and the A Vida Portuguesa shop, opened to the public at 12.30pm today. It’s located in a city icon: São Bento station. As well as breathtaking azulejo tiles and train lines linking Portugal’s second city to the Douro Valley, São Bento is now home to a string of the city’s best restaurants and chefs. Time Out Market has taken up residence in the station’s south wing – formerly a warehouse and car park. ‘We’re in a century-old space that locals couldn’t access before,’ explained general manager Inês Santos Almeida. ‘It was a storage area that wasn’t active. The idea is to revitalise this entire area, giving it back to the people of Porto.’ Besides the restaurants – which showcase the best of Porto’s food scene – there’s a new addition to Porto’s long list of landmarks. The soon-to-be-iconic Time Out Market tower, designed by local hero Eduardo Souto de Moura, will play a key role in the city’s cultural life. At the top, with a privileged view of the Clérigos Tower and the city skyline, is the Tasting Room, which will focus on port and other local wines under the guidance of winemaker Bento Amaral, with a menu designed by chef Luís Américo. In the middle of the tower, there’s a stage for concerts and other events. And on the ground floor is A Vida Portuguesa: Catarina Portas’s famous store featuring historic

First came Time Out Market Lisbon, serving up the best of the Portuguese capital since 2014. Then came New York, Boston, Montreal, Chicago and Dubai. Now we’ve got some big (and delicious) news: Time Out Market is coming to… Barcelona! The Time Out Market concept is simple. Our local editors and experts pick the greatest eats, drinks and cultural goings-on that the city has to offer. Then we bring them all together in one vibey space. In Barcelona, that space will be in Maremagnum: the shopping and fun complex that sits out in the waters of the city’s Port Vell, linked to La Rambla by a floating bridge. Time Out Market Barcelona will take up residence on the top floor of Maremagnum, with 14 kitchens (plus communal tables to eat at) and a full-on restaurant – all slinging the city’s best dishes, and all hand-picked by our local Time Out Barcelona team. They’ve been covering the city week in, week out since 2008, so they know the city like nobody else. Photograph: ShutterstockTime Out Market Lisbon There will also be two bars indoors, and an outdoor space with two more bars. (Plus, it should go without saying, amazing views over the spectacular Barcelona skyline.) Just the place for an afternoon vermut. And it’s not all about eating and drinking: an events space and studio will bring the best of Barcelona’s culture scene through the doors on a regular basis. So when can you plan your visit? Sooner than you think: Time Out Market Barcelona is expected to open in the first half

The Opening Ceremony of next year’s Paris Olympics is less than a year away, and the French capital is gearing up to host the world. Now an upcoming proposal from the Parisian Green Party is set to get tongues wagging at the next city council meeting. They’re suggesting that, for the six weeks of the Games – from the eve of the Olympics to the end of the Paralympics – Paris (and nearby towns affected by the event) should go totally car-free. Not only that, but the city should offer free public transport. To back up their case, the group has laid out 14 reasons, touching on everything from plain common sense to environmental and safety issues. They’re also reminding folks of commitments made by various layers of government. For instance, they point out the challenge of managing a flow of 15 million people in public spaces and on public transport; carbon emissions estimated at 1.58 megatonnes; and Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s statements about the Games being a ‘catalyst for ecological transition’. Plus, they're suggesting the whole free transport thing could be funded by an eco-levy on ecommerce deliveries. So that’s the proposal. Now comes the hard part: making it happen. When it comes to free transport, let’s be honest, it’s a bit of a long shot. The fate of the transport network is in the hands of IDF Mobilités, chaired by Valérie Pécresse, who seems more likely to hike up travel pass prices than hand out free rides. And as for getting this motion through the council, it’s a bit of

It’s always great when cities get greener, and the latest European capital to announce a major new park is Madrid. The Cuatro Caminos neighbourhood, not far from Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium, is in for a significant redevelopment. Following the approval of the project, the area is set to see an influx of residential housing, car parks, office spaces, and green areas. There will be nearly 60,000 square metres of new built-up space, and more than 9,400 square metres will be allocated for public green spaces and new community areas. The plan also aims to improve connectivity between several key streets, namely Bravo Murillo, Reina Victoria, and Pablo Iglesias. The residential spaces will be centred around a large green area, and beneath it will be railway transport facilities, particularly for metro carriage maintenance. The green space will complete Esquilache Street to connect it to Ramiro II and Reina Victoria Avenue. Additionally, a new public road will be opened to link Bravo Murillo, Esquilache, and Pablo Iglesias. Virgen de Nieva Street will also be extended to better connect with Bravo Murillo and Esquilache, making it easier to get around. On the preservation side, two buildings on Esquilache Street are to be protected. There’s also a special plan for the El Porvenir school on Bravo Murillo, aiming to improve both environmental quality and the visibility of the school’s landmark chapel from public spaces. The plan also involves preserving the heritage of old metro tun

Finding life a little tough right now? Feeling ground down by city living? Then you may – passport allowing – want to consider a move to Vienna. The Austrian capital just topped an authoritative study of the world’s most liveable cities… for the second year running. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its annual Global Liveability Index on Thursday, and Vienna came in at number one out of 173 cities analysed. What makes it such a great place to live? According to the report: its ‘winning combination of stability, good culture and entertainment, reliable infrastructure, and exemplary education and health services.’ Which, I’m sure we can all agree, are pretty important factors. In second place was Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, followed by Melbourne and Sydney in Australia. Here’s the full top ten… Vienna, Austria Copenhagen, Denmark Melbourne, Australia Sydney, Australia Vancouver, Canada Zurich, Switzerland Calgary, Canada Geneva, Switzerland Toronto, Canada (=) Osaka, Japan and Auckland, New Zealand Some of the biggest losers were cities in the UK and USA such as London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Los Angeles and San Diego, all of which dropped way down the list compared to 2022. Vienna retained its place at the top of the ranking for the second year running, having previously dominated the list prior to the disruption of 2020 and 2021. And that’s not all: earlier this week it was also named the world’s most liveable city by Monocle magazine. Planning your trip

Yesterday morning, I woke up on a shiny metal carriage rolling through the suburbs of Berlin. I had gone to bed the night before somewhere just outside Amsterdam. In the eight hours in between, I had (mostly) slept like a baby while the wheels beneath me gobbled up the roughly 400 miles between two of Europe’s most spectacularly entertaining cities. Let’s backtrack. There was much excitement when, in 2021, a brand-new Dutch company called European Sleeper announced plans for an overnight train between Brussels and Berlin – a route that hadn’t seen sleeper trains in donkey’s years. The announcement was hailed as part of the wider revival of European sleeper trains, after decades when the rise of budget airlines had seen many overnight rail routes mothballed. After a few delays, European Sleeper’s ‘Good Night Train’ finally made its debut on May 25 2023. And just a few days later, I hopped on a Eurostar from London to see what the fuss was about. I left London bound for Brussels, where there’s an easy change to the European Sleeper service at Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid station. A Eurostar train from London to Brussels leaves at 15.04 each day, giving you just over an hour at Brussels to grab a beer, change platforms and board the Berlin sleeper in time for golden hour. Photograph: James ManningThe European Sleeper train pulls into the platform at Brussels Midi/Zuid Alternatively, you could catch a train from London to Amsterdam and catch the Good Night Train there. The last

European train travel is back in a big way. A slew of new European sleeper trains have been announced for 2023 and beyond, including Nightjet’s Germany to Croatia service and an exciting new route from Prague to Switzerland via Czech national rail operator ČD. But surely the most anticipated is the brand-new European Sleeper service – and it’s about to make its first official voyage. Initially billed to launch in 2022, the so-called ‘Good Night Train’ will link Brussels and Berlin via Amsterdam and Rotterdam, letting travellers shuttle between three dazzling European capitals via one overnight service. What’s more, the route will link up with Eurostar, meaning passengers from the UK will be able to join the sleeper train service to Berlin with one quick change in Brussels. That’s right: from this week, you’ll be able to hop on the 15:04 from London St Pancras, enjoy a quick beer in Brussels and wake up in Berlin. The service from Brussels will initially run three times a week, and tickets from Brussels or Amsterdam to Berlin start at €49 for a seat – though you’ll want to spend a bit more and book a couchette or sleeper bed for a better night’s kip. Depending on the size of your group, taking a sleeper train could be cheaper than flying. And all services will include free wifi, coffee and a light breakfast – something you wouldn’t get on a budget flight, that’s for sure. If that’s not exciting enough, the pan-European sleeper route is set to extend even further in 2024, swe

Last year, the Hong Kong tourist board announced plans to give away half a million free plane tickets to encourage tourism in 2023 – and now it’s finally, officially happening.  Details of the giveaway were unveiled on February 2 by Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu, as part of the ‘Hello Hong Kong’ campaign.  How to get free air tickets to Hong Kong Hong Kong Airport’s website allows travellers to select their departure location and enter a draw to win a round-trip ticket. The giveaway periods are staggered, depending on what part of the world you live in. Travellers from Europe The ticket giveaway has now ended for travellers from the UK and Europe. Entrants were asked to register for tickets on Cathay Pacific’s website and complete a quiz. Tickets will be allocated to those who answered the questions correctly on a first come, first served basis. Winners from the UK will be contacted with details on how to redeem their prize on June 5. Travellers from North America Starting May 17, travellers from the USA and Canada can apply for tickets from Cathay Pacific. The US giveaway opens at 5pm PST/8pm EST, while the Canada giveaway opens at 6pm PST/9pm EST. The entry period will close on May 24. Travellers from Australia and New Zealand The giveaway will open to travellers from Australia and New Zealand on May 29.  Travellers from Asia The giveaway is now closed for Southeast Asian travellers, but travellers from Seoul can apply from now until the end of June. Those from Japa

訪日外国人客（インバウンド）が復活し、国内でも延期や中止となっていたさまざまな文化イベントが再開され、「アフターコロナ」のにぎわいを謳歌（おうか）している人は多いことだろう。ここ数年、世界もまるで「ひっくり返ったような状態」になっている。そんな中、タイムアウトは世界の各都市に向けてカルチャーアンケートを実施する。 東京のカルチャーシーンは今どうなっているのだろうか、何が良質とされ、楽しめるコンテンツなのか。簡単なアンケートに答えて、あなたの意見を聞かせてほしい。「カルチャー」は幅広いカテゴリーを指す言葉だが、アート、ライブミュージック、映画、演劇、伝統芸能、コメディーなど、東京のあらゆる文化的な施設や活動が対象だ。 今すぐ「タイムアウトカルチャーアンケート」に参加する   （上記にフォームが表示されない場合は、こちらからもアンケートに参加可能） 調査は完全に匿名で、回答は2分ほどで終わる。2023年の東京の文化を鼓動させるものは何なのか、そして今世界中で最も輝いている文化的なホットスポットを明らかにしたい。 関連記事 『京都の伏見稲荷大社が「世界で最悪な観光地」にランク入り』 『「世界のベスト空港」が発表、日本からはトップ10に2つの空港がランク入り』 『日本から2都市が選出、タイム誌が2023年に訪れるべき場所を発表』 『タイムアウト東京 読者アンケート 2022-23』 『日本のレトロな温泉街ランキングをじゃらんが発表』 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