Is it still safe to travel to Turkey? Simon Calder's advice amid Israel–Iran tensions
The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder offers his latest advice as tensions between Israel and Iran raise concerns among holidaymakers.
The conflict, which has led to airspace closures and flight diversions across parts of the Middle East, has prompted questions about nearby destinations — including Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan and Greece.
Calder says the situation remains contained to Israel and Iran, and that he would 'not hesitate' to visit any of the popular Eastern Mediterranean resorts this summer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
I was so insecure I spent £4.5k getting perfect Turkey teeth – it was so painful I cried & trolls say my smile's ruined
A WOMAN who spent £4,500 getting the perfect Turkey teeth has hit back at trolls who say she's "ruined" her smile. Tara Omidi made the decision to get a full set of new gnashers after a UK dentist "failed" her and she had to have two teeth removed following a routine root canal. 6 6 6 6 "They were right at the back of my mouth and caused my remaining teeth to move away from the centre of my face, leaving me feeling very insecure when I spoke," Tara, from Oldham, Manchester, said. 'People would make indirect digs and tell me I had 'unique' teeth or comment 'Your teeth aren't in the middle, are they?' "I felt really insecure, my job is social media and I'm known for being the happy, always laughing person. 'It would make me so shy and I'd just crumble. 'I decided I was going to have them all shaved down, realigned and have crowns fitted." Despite the horror stories she'd heard about Turkey teeth gone wrong, Tara did her research and finally found a clinic she felt she could trust - with the positive reviews also reassuring her. She sent over pictures of her teeth, had an online consultation and flew to Turkey eight weeks later. However, Tara admitted she had no idea how painful the procedure would end up being. 'I felt I could trust the clinic as they were very thorough with their examinations and X-rays," she added to Need T oKnow. 'But it was painful - the actual fitting. 'People do lie about it and make out it is a breeze... I cried having them fitted!" Tara spent four days abroad, which included having the procedure, resting in her hotel room and a final check-in with the dentist. And she said that since heading back to the UK, "everything has been great". 'I love them - they have given me my confidence and smile back," she grinned. 'Of course you get trolls online saying horrible things but being online, people think they have the right to say and do nasty things – I couldn't care less. 'I do what makes me happy for me, not for other people.' Tara has faced cruel comments from trolls throughout her dental journey, and previously c ame under fire for a TikTok video which showed her teeth after they'd been filed down - before the crowns are fitted. Tara filmed the clip in her hotel room after she had her teeth filed down, which happens before the crowns are fitted. And the comments section was quickly filled with people slamming her for going ahead with the transformation. "You have ruined your own teeth," one sighed. "Jesus woman!" another added, as a third marvelled "I dunno how people can do this." "Give it a few months and you will be in horrendous pain!" someone else predicted. As another questioned: "How is that natural?!" 6 6
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I've visited EVERY country in the world… here are the ones I would NEVER go back to
A man who has visited every country in the world has shared the ones he'd never go back to... and the hidden gems that he believes are overlooked. Luca Pferdmenges, 23, who is originally from Germany, started traveling when he was just 14 years old. An avid juggler, he would jet off to various cities in Europe to perform at juggling conventions, and along the way, he developed a fierce passion for exploring the globe. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and his juggling career came to a halt, he decided that once the world opened back up, he was going to start traveling full-time. He then made it his goal to visit every country on the planet, and just five years later, he's now spent time in all 195 of them. Now, he has broken down which countries are 'overrated' and which are hidden gems exclusively with the Daily Mail. He admitted that he wouldn't recommend 'small island destinations' that don't offer much except nice beaches and resorts because they are 'boring' to him. He also said he was not a fan of Egypt because he felt like he was 'constantly getting hassled' when he was there. 'Often, I find small island destinations quite overrated, places that have nothing besides pretty beaches,' he explained. 'I would argue that the lesser Antilles islands in the Caribbean are probably the most overrated places in the world. 'They do have good parties and nice beaches, but not much more than that. 'I would make an exception for [the Caribbean island] Dominica, which is one of the most fascinating countries for me. 'Other overrated places would be the Maldives (again not much besides beaches), or Egypt (because as a visitor one constantly gets hassled).' As for places he loved that aren't that well known, he said he was impressed with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. 'They are very affordable, super hospitable, and have amazing nature,' he gushed. 'In Europe, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Estonia are underrated destinations,' added the travel pro. 'Most people don't know anything about those countries, yet they are some of the most beautiful places I have been to.' Over the course of his travels, Luca admitted that he was put into some very dangerous and even life-threatening situations. He recalled a time that he was teaching in Afghanistan in 2020 when a 'shooting' occurred on the street he was staying on. 'Luckily I was inside and nothing happened,' he added. 'Another morning, we wanted to visit a park [but] I was told that the park had been subject to a bomb attack by the Taliban.' Another 'scary' incident occurred in Papua New Guinea. 'I was walking through the streets of Port Moresby when a police jeep stopped me. He said, "Don't walk past here,"' Luca shared. 'I decided to trust him and enter his police jeep. Two minutes later, we witnessed a car robbery right where I was about to walk through. 'Being a police officer, he opened his door, took his shotgun and fired warning shots. I was very afraid in that situation. The avid traveler, who says he lives off his social media income, estimated that he's spent around $116,000 on travel expenses over the last five years 'What if the attackers opened fire at us? What if there were other people in the bush behind us? 'I was in the back of the police jeep - an obvious target - but luckily nothing happened.' In the end, he admitted that he wouldn't recommend living full-time on the road like him to others. He said, 'You're almost never home, don't see friends and family a lot and it's also a very expensive endeavor' Luca said despite the terrifying incidents he has tried to give every country a chance throughout his quest to visit all of them. 'I could not say, "I don't like the country," "I don't like the politics," or, "I'm too afraid to go,"' he explained. 'I had had to visit every single country in the world, and that's what made the mission so special.' Luca has documented his journey on Instagram and TikTok, where he's racked up more than 256,000 and 3.1 million followers respectfully. The avid traveler, who says he lives off his social media income, estimated that he's spent around $116,000 on travel expenses over the last five years. In the end, he admitted that he wouldn't recommend living full-time on the road like him to others. 'I wouldn't recommend it because one does give up a lot for [this lifestyle],' Luca said. 'You're almost never home, don't see friends and family a lot and it's also a very expensive endeavor. 'That said, I'm very grateful that I could afford the travels with social media and it does give me an insane amount of freedom.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
The European holiday destinations Brits say are becoming too HOT to visit
British tourists think that several of Europe's top holiday destinations will soon be too hot to visit, according to new research. The research finds that one in four Brits who are intending to holiday abroad this summer are actively looking for cooler destinations. Growing concern over wildfires and extreme heatwaves in Europe have left many tourists panicking about holidaying in the continent's south. And more than a third of those surveyed said they were considering switching their main holiday to either spring or autumn due to worries about extreme heat. So, which European destinations are British tourists most concerned about? Spain tops the list with 40 per cent of Britons worried that the country is becoming too hot for a summer holiday. The country's national weather agency Aemet, has warned that temperatures could exceed 42 degrees in some parts of Spain this weekend, in what's expected to be the first heatwave of summer. Greece is the next destination on the list with 39 per cent of tourists expressing concerns about how hot the country gets in summer. In summer 2023, the country suffered an outbreak of wildfires which resulted in the deaths of 28 people. Attica, Rhodes and Evia were among the areas affected. Turkey is the next destination Brits are most concerned about with 36 per cent of tourists saying they are worried about the heat. The Foreign Office has warned British tourists that 'extreme temperatures can affect many areas of Turkey over the summer months'. Cyprus and Italy are next on the list. Both countries have experienced heatwaves in recent years. As Brits increasingly seek out cooler summer destinations, countries like Iceland, Canada and Sweden have seen a rise in popularity. Ireland and Finland have also become more desirable destinations for July and August holidays. Gary Nelson, head of corporate affairs at InsureandGo, which commissioned the research, says: 'People aren't chasing the sun anymore - they're thinking about how to cope with it. 'For some, that means skipping July and August altogether. For others, it means ditching southern Europe in favour of cooler destinations. The research finds that one in four Brits who are intending to holiday abroad this summer are actively looking for cooler destinations 'Even the unthinkable is on the cards, as some staycationers become overseas holidaymakers to escape the summer heat in the UK - a country that is not really geared to cope comfortably with extreme heat. 'We would encourage people to do their destination research before they fly off and also to check what their travel insurance covers in terms of cancellation and medical cover if you are travelling with pre-existing conditions.' And British tourists have also been warned of tougher rules on drinking in Spain that could see them face huge fines.
