Belgium's Fight Against Cocaine Traffickers – DW – 07/25/2025
Summer, "UFOs" and communism in Bulgaria
A concrete UFO will be the backdrop for a music festival in the mountains of Bulgaria. The monument, built to honor the Communist Party, is a reminder of days gone by. But apparently, a third of Bulgarians want to see that era return.
Spain: Wealthy tourists discover Mallorca
Mallorca – long a favorite for Germans – is becoming a luxury destination for Americans as well. There are four direct flights weekly from New York to Palma. However, the island's ecology cannot sustain so much luxury tourism.
Paris: Who wants to swim in the Seine?
It's getting hotter and hotter. Climate change is taking its toll on many cities. France's capital, Paris, has responded by opening three swimming areas in the Seine. Swimming in the river is refreshing, but it's not recommended for everyone.
DW English
WED 30.07.2025 – 23:30 UTC
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DW
2 days ago
- DW
Belgium's Fight Against Cocaine Traffickers – DW – 07/25/2025
Belgium is cocaine hub in Europe. The drug floods the continent via the port of Antwerp. Violence is also escalating in some districts of Brussels. Shootings and drug deals in plain sight are everyday occurrences. Summer, "UFOs" and communism in Bulgaria A concrete UFO will be the backdrop for a music festival in the mountains of Bulgaria. The monument, built to honor the Communist Party, is a reminder of days gone by. But apparently, a third of Bulgarians want to see that era return. Spain: Wealthy tourists discover Mallorca Mallorca – long a favorite for Germans – is becoming a luxury destination for Americans as well. There are four direct flights weekly from New York to Palma. However, the island's ecology cannot sustain so much luxury tourism. Paris: Who wants to swim in the Seine? It's getting hotter and hotter. Climate change is taking its toll on many cities. France's capital, Paris, has responded by opening three swimming areas in the Seine. Swimming in the river is refreshing, but it's not recommended for everyone. DW English WED 30.07.2025 – 23:30 UTC THU 23107.2025 – 05:30 UTC THU 31.07.2025 – 07:30 UTC THU 31.07.2025 – 11:30 UTC THU 31.07.2025 – 14:30 UTC FRI 01.08.2025 – 02:30 UTC FRI 01.08.2025 – 19:02 UTC Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 Delhi UTC +5,5 | Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8 London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3 San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4
DW
2 days ago
- DW
Holy Surf! - Once Upon a Wave – DW – 07/25/2025
The documentary tells the fascinating story of surfing. With breathtaking footage, the film provides insights into a sport that has its origins in Polynesian culture. It was filmed on the coasts of Tahiti, Hawaii and California. Surfing is a sport that's far more than just a game: It's also the expression of a culture. In this case, it is the culture of a people who live with and on the water - the Polynesians. The art of riding the waves is their ancient heritage. Surfing was on the verge of extinction almost a century ago - a thorn in the side of Christian missionaries. It owes its resurrection to a handful of young runaways, businessmen and rebellious young men and women from all over the world. Their stories are told here. Surfing grew in popularity around the world, and eventually became a competitive sport, earning a place in the Olympics. DW English SAT 16.08.2025 – 11:03 UTC SAT 16.08.2025 – 22:03 UTC SUN 17.08.2025 – 05:03 UTC Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 Delhi UTC +5,5 | Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8 London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3 San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4
Local Germany
3 days ago
- Local Germany
The complete guide to taking your holiday like a German
Around July each year millions of people around Germany start getting ready for their annual holiday. According to the German Tourism Association (DRV), a record-breaking 56 million Germans took at least one holiday of five days or longer in 2024. The average German took about 13 days for their main holiday in 2024, just edging past the previous year's figures – and the spending is as impressive as the logistics: German holidaymakers shelled out €90 billion on travel last year, with the average longer holiday costing around €1,319 per person. Despite growing flexibility, the most popular time to travel continues to be the traditional summer months of July, August and September, according to travel analysis by the Holiday and Travel Research Association (FUR). Now that we've established when to go, how many millions of other people will be going at the same time, and how long to go for – it's time to jump straight into our first lesson on how to holiday like a German. Lesson one: Where to go For domestic holidaymakers, Bavarian folk festivals provide a chance to revel in Germany's rich beer culture. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Bernd Weißbrod Where does the average German go in search of holiday bliss? For 36 percent of Germans, the answer is that there's no place quite like home. Among domestic holiday destinations, Bavaria is the most popular with German holidaymakers, followed by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Niedersachsen, according to Statista. READ ALSO: Five of Germany's busiest tourist attractions and where to go instead For holidaymakers willing to leave the comforts of home (and car) behind, however, the top short-haul foreign destinations are Spain (hello Mallorca), Italy, and Turkey. Advertisement Spain remains unchallenged as the number one international destination, with German visitors making up the largest foreign tourist group on the Balearic Islands, according to the Mallorca Tourism Board. A significant minority of German travellers (16.4 percent) felt the need to escape Europe altogether in 2024, with Southeast Asia being a particularly popular destination for long-haul trips. LISTED: The new direct flights from Germany this summer Shouldn't I try to avoid very popular destinations? It's certainly worth thinking about. Studies show a so-called 'Green Shift' is taking place in the German travel mind – on paper, anyway. An ADAC survey from December 2024 found that 72 percent of Germans see overtourism as a real problem, and a majority express at least some concern over the impact of tourism on climate change. Almost 61 percent claim they have intentionally avoided destinations suffering from overtourism. READ ALSO: F ive cooler holiday destinations you can get to from Germany by train It may be necessary to treat these findings with a pinch of salt, however. According to a recent QTA travel advisor poll , when it comes to actually booking their holiday, the vast majority of holidaymakers still make their decision based on the weather, the price, and reliable Wi-Fi. Only eight percent of travel agents noted clients who had actually decided to change their travel plans on the basis of overtourism. In order to holiday like a German, it doesn't hurt to be self-aware and feel slightly guilty, but it's still important to put practical considerations above principals when it comes to the crunch. Lesson Two: Where to Stay? A tourist couple sunbathes on Palma Beach in Palma de Mallorca. Photo: JAIME REINA/AFP. Germans are renowned for their ability to plan ahead – maps printed, wet weather gear safely stowed, and emergency snacks on hand – and the idea of leaving things to the last minute is becoming harder and harder to bear. According to the ADAC , 44 percent of people in the country booked their main vacation for 2024 at least four months in advance, compared to only 39 percent in 2022 and 35 percent in 2020. Advertisement Resort hotels remain popular, especially in traditional holiday hotspots (think Turkey's Riviera or Mallorca's Playa de Palma). About half of the total travel market turnover in 2024 came from package tours and holidays offered by tour operators, with the other half made up of individually arranged trips, according to the German Travel Association . Campsites and Airbnb-style options also saw increased demand in last year, especially among families and younger travellers. READ ALSO: How to save money on a camping holiday in Germany Lesson three: How to blend in You might think that holidaying like a German should involve wearing socks with sandals and eagerly claiming a sun-lounger before dawn. But in reality this couldn't be further from the truth. Advertisement In fact, generally speaking Germans practice the art of blending into their surroundings on holiday. According to the YouGov / Airbnb study, only 11 percent of Germans are willing to admit to ever wearing socks with their sandals , and only 16 percent own up to rising early to place their towel on a sun-lounger. What's more, over 50 percent of Germans are eager to sample regional dishes when they travel, with just 11 percent admitting they still want to eat Schnitzel and potato salad wherever they find themselves. Sixty-four percent of German travellers say they make some effort to speak the local language, and 58 percent are 'keen to see their destination through the eyes of locals.' Perhaps most tellingly of all, 76 percent describe themselves as open to new experiences and cultures. And yet strangely, despite all these efforts in the direction of cosmopolitanism, nearly three-quarters of respondents to the survey say they can still spot their compatriots on the beach with just a glance. Follow our simple guide, and this year, maybe that could include you!
