Our expert on the four best southern French wines, starting from just £8.50
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
EasyJet boss hits out at ‘unacceptable' French air traffic control strikes
Strikes by French air traffic control (ATC) workers are creating 'unexpected and significant costs for all airlines', easyJet's boss said. Kenton Jarvis, chief executive of the Luton-based carrier, warned that the industrial action is presenting 'unacceptable challenges'. Tens of thousands of passengers were disrupted when French ATC staff walked out on July 3 and 4 in a dispute over working conditions. Ryanair said another strike on Wednesday disrupted the travel plans of 30,000 of its passengers. Mr Jarvis said: 'We are extremely unhappy with the strike action by the French ATC in early July, which as well as presenting unacceptable challenges for customers and crew also created unexpected and significant costs for all airlines.'
Times
3 hours ago
- Times
Barcelona vs Madrid: which is better?
On the surface, Barcelona and Madrid — two of Spain's major cities, two and a half hours apart by train — are markedly different. Coastal Barcelona dazzles with its avant-garde buildings and sunny Mediterranean insouciance, while the central Spanish capital exudes history and elegance, holding its age-old traditions dear. Barcelona has miles of sandy beaches, a tight-knit medieval quarter and its very own architectural movement, Modernisme. Madrid, meanwhile, has not one but three world-class palaces of art, along with grand squares and boulevards, immense parks and a dynamic nightlife scene. Ultimately, though, these two cities have several crucial things in common. Superb bars and restaurants of every stripe; great shopping, from sprawling flea markets to luxe boutiques; and storied pasts written in stone everywhere you look. Both have some of Spain's loveliest hotels. I've lived in both cities and watched their characters change over the decades as the tentacles of tourism took hold. Neither is a well-kept secret any more, but they've retained robust (and distinct) personalities. If you've only time to visit one, here's how to choose. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Winner Madrid Among the Barcelona attractions vying for pole position are its endless beaches; the medieval neighbourhoods of the Barri Gotic and El Born; the Camp Nou stadium; the Museu Picasso, and the entire output of Modernista architect Antoni Gaudí. The latter includes the fairytale whimsy of the Park Guell and the Casa Batllo, the staggering cathedral-to-be that is the Sagrada Familia and the gothic-influenced Palau Guell. Don't overlook the work of his contemporaries, however — the Palau de la Musica Catalana concert hall is a riot of colour and creativity. But Madrid comes out on top. What makes the city so unique is its blend of history and the avant-garde. Its three major art galleries — the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía — are complemented by a raft of underground galleries and cutting-edge cultural centres, while after dark its air of sturdy pomp gives way to a club scene unrivalled outside Berlin. As the seat of government and royalty, Madrid is endowed with awe-inspiring buildings, none quite as impressive as the Palacio Real, a vast confection of 3,400 rooms. For a comprehensive introduction to Madrid as well as other fabulous Spanish cities — including Barcelona — join Costsaver's eight-night Spanish Experience tour. The trip begins and ends in Madrid, with visits to the Palacio Real and Retiro Park, and you'll have a free day to explore Barcelona too. Other stops include Granada and Seville. If you're only visiting Barcelona, take a half-day tour around some of the old city's medieval and gothic highlights, including the cathedral, and ending at the Palau de la Musica Catalana. • Best things to do in Madrid• Best things to do in Barcelona Winner Madrid As the crucible of molecular gastronomy, Barcelona has gained a fearsome reputation among chefs. Many who worked under überchef Ferran Adrià in the kitchens of El Bulli went on to set up their own restaurants in the Catalan capital, such as the trio behind Disfrutar, voted No 1 in 2024 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants, or Ferran's brother Albert, who is behind Enigma. Local produce is highly prized, and Barcelona has a number of excellent neighbourhood food markets, including one of Europe's biggest, La Boqueria. Where Madrid excels is in its wonderfully atmospheric taverns and tapas bars, still going after decades or even centuries. The almost 200-year-old Casa Alberto is a classic must-visit for its oxtail stew, or you might try Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world, for some suckling pig or roast lamb. This is not to say that Madrid can't play Barcelona at its own game — see, for example, the boundary-pushing DiverXo, where some of the most creative food around is served in a wildly futuristic dining room. Secret Food Tours promises an epicurean voyage with its Madrid Walking Food Tour, showing you how to eat out like a local, guided by an expert in the city's history and culture, and stopping off for tapas, treats and tipples along the way. Intrepid's nine-night Northern Spain Real Food Adventure does as the name suggests. Food is front and centre in the varied itinerary across the north of the country. The trip begins in Barcelona, with a tapas crawl as well as a cava or vermouth tasting, with subsequent stops in Logrono, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Oviedo, La Coruña, and Santiago de Compostela. • Best restaurants in Barcelona Winner Barcelona For all its award-winning cocktail bars, Barcelona's greatest contribution to the proud art of drinking is probably cava — which knocks prosecco into a cocked hat and at its best matches many champagnes. It's mostly a summer tipple, best sampled on a sunny terrace or at one of the many xiringuitos (beach bars). In winter head to a wine bar (such as the excellent Mon Vinic) and try some of the many superb reds produced around Catalunya (most famously in the Priorat DO, but there are many others). Still, Madrid also excels when it comes to tipples. Hacer el vermut — 'doing vermouth' — does not just mean going out for a vermouth, it encompasses a whole tradition that might involve olives, crisps and a saucerful of fresh anchovies, and will almost certainly involve a table in the sun and a group of friends. It's mostly a late morning drink and serves as a lunch aperitif, unlike sherry, which is drunk at any time of day or night. Sherry is best experienced in the delightful La Venencia, a century-old bar with sherry barrels on the wall and where your order is chalked on the counter. Madrid is also a hot bed of microbreweries and craft beer bars. Visit some of the most interesting and meet the brewers on an evening tour with Get Your Guide. Take a trip out to the Codorniu winery, a major cava producer housed in a stunning Modernista building. Winner Barcelona Nowadays neither of Spain's major cities wants for hotel opulence — Barcelona has the Versailles-inspired El Palace, beachside Hotel Arts and its own branches of Mandarin Oriental, W, Nobu and Edition, to name but a handful. Where the city really excels, however, is in quirky boutiques, from the clubby Wittmore to the secret Neri, tucked away next to the cathedral. For a great-value option, try one of the Praktik hotels, each with a very individual concept, or one of the Chic&Basic hotels, which do exactly what you'd expect. The opening of the jawdroppingly luxurious Four Seasons Madrid in 2020 means that the capital just pips Barcelona to the post in terms of luxury, though. The city also has a glitzy Edition and Mandarin Oriental, along with a clutch of similarly upscale five-stars with little to choose between them, such as the Palacio de los Duques, Westin Palace and JW Marriott. The city doesn't lack for stylish budget choices either, and was the birthplace of the excellent value Room Mate group (in Madrid there are five, all wonderfully central) and also has five of the cheap and cheerful Petit Palace hotels. Request a room on one of the upper floors at Nobu Hotel Barcelona for spectacular views across the city (not to mention dreamily comfortable beds). • Best luxury hotels in Barcelona• Best family hotels in Barcelona The Madrid Edition stands out for its excellent Mexican restaurant, central location, and sleek, cream-toned rooms. • Best hotels in Madrid• Best affordable hotels in Madrid under £200 Madrid It's an impossible choice and will very likely depend on where your interests lie — one, after all, has a beach, while the other is home to some of the world's best-known paintings. Barcelona's architecture is utterly unique, while Madrid's is more in line with the grand capitals of Europe. Both have a generous sprinkling of Michelin stars. In the end, though, it is perhaps Madrid that's done a better job of preserving its character — its convivial old taverns and elegant gardens, its slap-up hearty lunches and anarchic cultural scene — while incorporating the new. • Best boutique hotels in Barcelona• Best places to visit in Spain Which Spanish city do you prefer — Barcelona or Madrid — and why? Let us know in the comments below
Time Out
5 hours ago
- Time Out
These are the top island destinations in the U.S., according to Expedia
There's a special allure about traveling to an island—maybe it's knowing the sea surrounds you, maybe it's the culture that tends to arise in these areas, hell, maybe it's simply the hyper-fresh seafood and coconuts. Whatever the reason, travelers are looking for islands this year: global interest in visiting isles has risen 30-percent since last year, according to Expedia. In fact, the travel site noticed the trend was so popular that it created its first-ever "Island Hot List" —and three such islands are located right here in the U.S. One of those is Nantucket, an island south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. This upscale enclave has beautiful architecture and cobblestone streets, bright beaches, a good art and dining scene, and fascinating history as a one-time whaling capital and as a spot of Quaker abolitionism. You can also craft a limerick as you stroll around; the island's got an excellent walkability score, stretching a mere 14 miles long and is 3.5 miles wide. Nantucket is the second-most popular island search among Americans, per Expedia, just after Madeira off the coast of Portugal, famous for its fortified wine. The third island U.S. travelers seem most interested in is St. Thomas, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. (It became a U.S. territory in 1917, purchased from Denmark with Saint Croix and Saint John for $25 million in gold.) Visitors love the stunning beaches, coral reefs that are excellent for scuba diving and snorkeling, and fascinating historical sites like Blackbeard's Castle. Coming in at No. 4 is Palm Beach, Florida. Here, luxury rules, and Mediterranean architecture sets a distinct look along with the tall palm trees. Expect high-end shopping and fine dining, along with museums, water activities and miles of beautiful beaches. And last on the list of where Americans are dreaming of visiting next is Turks and Caicos, located southeast of the Bahamas, which offers secluded luxury adored by celebrities. When we widen the scope and look at islands that people all over the world are searching for, the only American one is Oahu, Hawai'i. Faraway island locales like Fiji and Koh Samui pop up for affordable beauty and incredible cultural experiences. These are the top 10 island destinations based on global interest, and what they're known for: Aruba (best for year-round sunshine) Bali, Indonesia (best for relaxation) Dominican Republic (best for adventure) Fiji (best for community) Jamaica (best for culture) Koh Samui, Thailand (best for affordable luxury) Maldives (best for romance) Oahu, Hawaii (best for surfing) Paros, Greece (best for nightlife) Sardinia, Italy (best for food lovers)
