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Times
3 days ago
- Times
A Latvia city break for less than £400? Here's all you need to know
The Med's big cities are still sweltering and crowded in early September but Latvia's pretty, compact capital makes a lovely short break. Temperatures are in the early 20s for sweat-free sightseeing — ideal for wandering the medieval old town, enjoying riverside walks and urban parks or even heading to beaches within easy reach of the city centre. Plus, there's a clutch of industrial warehouses turned contemporary galleries, plenty of traditional cafés in which to sample Latvian cuisine, and a thriving craft beer scene. Three nights' room-only at the four-star Wellton Riverside Spa Hotel, including flights from Stansted with Ryanair, costs £324pp with Tui. An under-seat cabin bag is included, but you can add a 20kg suitcase for an extra £56 return. A taxi from the airport costs about £30, or you can take the No 22 bus to 11 Novembra Krastmala, about five minutes' walk from the hotel (£2; • Read our full guide to Latvia The hotel is in the Unesco-listed old town, with all its attractions and restaurants within walking distance. The central bus and train station are about a 15-minute stroll, allowing for easy day trips. The hotel has a smart, contemporary feel, with oatmeal rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, geometric carpets and all-white bathrooms. There's a cheerily decorated restaurant, a roof terrace overlooking the river, and the largest spa in the old town, which includes an indoor pool, a cedar steam bath and a beer ritual room for bathing in water infused with hops, malt and yeast. Start by sightseeing from the water with a boat trip around the old town's canals (£10; Then wander the cobbled squares and narrow alleyways, lined with gothic churches and pastel-coloured or art nouveau buildings, many of which were reconstructed after the fall of communism. St Peter's Church has a 57m-high observation deck for panoramic views over the red rooftops (£8; while the former cork factory, Zuzeum, houses the world's largest private collection of Latvian art (£10; Walk along the city walls to the 17th-century Swedish Gate, then discover the city's turbulent history at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (£7; and the KGB's former headquarters, the Corner House (£13; Stock up on picnic supplies at the riverside Riga Central Market — one of Europe's largest markets — originally used as a military airship hangar. Eat alongside locals at the central Bastejkalna Park, with its canal, sculptures and opera house, or hop on the No 11 tram to Mezaparks to enjoy the pine forest, walking trails and swimmable Lake Kisezers. Alternatively, the sandy Jurmala beach is half an hour away by train from Riga train station and has seafront restaurants, a wooden boardwalk and forested dunes (£2 each way; Spend your final evening in the city's Beer District, a 1.5-mile walking route linking ten craft breweries and gastropubs that offer more than 200 Latvian craft beers. • The most affordable European city breaks • Return Stansted-Riga flights, departing on September 7• Three nights' room-only at Wellton Riverside Spa Hotel ( Feeling flush? If you're inspired but you've got more cash to splash, you could try Located in a beautifully restored 17th -century building on a cobbled street in the old town, the five-star Dome hotel has 15 stylish rooms decorated in warm oak and soft neutral tones, with white-tiled bathrooms. Top-floor rooms have river views. There's a small spa with a Finnish sauna, a cigar lounge and a rooftop terrace open until October, with sweeping views of the Dome Cathedral. The fine-dining restaurant is Michelin-listed and serves a five or seven-course tasting menu of French-inspired dishes. Central Market, St Peter's Church and the city's best museums are all less than 15 minutes' walk away. Details Three nights' B&B from £746pp, including flights and private car transfers ( • Great European getaways for 2025 There's plenty of space to spread out at the boutique Neiburgs, which has 55 apartment-rooms in an ornate art nouveau-era property on a street next to the Dome Cathedral. Two-storey apartments have a Scandi-chic feel, with exposed wooden beams and white brick walls, parquet flooring, a tasteful palette of pale blues, charcoal greys and cream, and original graphic art by Katrina Neiburga. There's a living room and small kitchenette on one floor and a bedroom and bathroom on the other. All have either cathedral or old-town views. Downstairs there's a light-flooded library, a spa with a sauna, and a Michelin-recommended restaurant serving Latvian Three nights' B&B from £1,430pp, including flights ( • Best Baltic cruises
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Morocco to spend billions on airports ahead of World Cup
Morocco is set to invest 38 billion dirhams ($4.2 billion) over the next five years to overhaul its main airports, preparing for the World Cup it will co-host with Portugal and Spain. The Moroccan government announced on Thursday that an agreement has been signed with the national airports authority, ONDA, to facilitate this extensive project. Under the deal, 25 billion dirhams will be allocated for airport expansion, with 13 billion dirhams designated for maintenance and land acquisition. The government plans to expand its airport capacity to 80 million passengers by 2030 from 38 million currently. In May, Morocco issued two expressions of interest to identify bidders for its plan to build a new terminal that will increase capacity at its largest airport in Casablanca by 20 million passengers. British tourists are increasingly choosing north Africa as a holiday destination, with travel firms reporting a shift away from traditional European hotspots. The rise in popularity is due to the availability of high-quality hotels in countries such as Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, which are significantly cheaper than similar options in Spain, France, and Italy, experts say. Aviation analysts Cirium have reported a significant increase in flights from UK airports to north Africa, with 19,847 flights projected for this year. Tui has increased its flights from the UK to north Africa this summer to meet growing demand, with new routes from Stansted to Enfidha in Tunisia and from Newcastle to Agadir, Morocco. Online accommodation marketplace said it recorded a 68 per cent increase in the number of searches for summer breaks in Tunisia during the first five months of this year, compared with the same period in 2024. Egypt and Morocco saw rises of 64 per cent and 39 per cent respectively.
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Tui launch day trip to Finland's Lapland despite climate concerns
Tui has launched new "Search for Santa" day trips to Kittila, Finland, offering families the chance to meet Santa and return home on the same day. Priced from £750 per person, the package includes return flights with in-flight meals (full English breakfast and Christmas dinner), thermal clothing, a hot lunch, and activities like reindeer sleigh rides and husky adventures. These festive trips are scheduled between 5 and 23 December, departing from 11 UK airports as part of Tui's Winter 2026 programme. Anna Hughes, director of Flight Free UK, criticised the extreme day trips, expressing concern over their environmental impact due to increased flight emissions. Hughes noted that such trips contribute to climate change, directly affecting Lapland's snowfall, and suggested sleeper trains as a more sustainable alternative for similar experiences.
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Tui launch ‘Search for Santa' day trip to Lapland amid concerns over impact on climate
Tui has launched an extreme day trip to Lapland with travellers flown to and from Finland in just one day. The 'Search for Santa' experience in Kittila, Finland, promises families the 'chance to meet the real Santa Claus' but to be back in 'your own bed the same night'. Included in the package are Lapland transfers, return flights with in-flight meals, thermal clothing and a hot lunch in Santa's Village – starting from £750 per person. Direct 'Search for Santa' flights depart between 5 and 23 December from 11 UK airports as part of Tui 's Winter 2026 schedule. Departure airports for the 'festive adventure' include Bournemouth, Newcastle, London Stansted, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin, London Gatwick, East Midlands Airport and Bristol. A traditional English breakfast is served in-flight before landing in Kittila to pick up snowsuit and boots. From there, families can part in activities such as a reindeer sleigh ride, a husky adventure or a snowmobiling session. A skidoo to a private meeting with Santa, and a fireside hot berry juice, are also included on the jam-packed itinerary before elves transfer travellers back to the airport. Then, of course, passengers can enjoy a full Christmas dinner on the flight back home. Chris Logan, commercial director at Tui UK, said: "Our much-loved festive 'Search for Santa' day trips are back, and we're making it easier than ever for families across the UK to experience the magic of Lapland.' With whistle-stop travels on the rise, climate campaigners aren't sold on the pitstop package to Santa's hometown. Anna Hughes, director of Flight Free UK, told The Independent that the growing trend in extreme day trips is 'very worrying for the climate'. She said: 'In terms of emissions, it doesn't actually matter how long you spend in your destination, but taking short journeys such as day trips to far-flung places encourages more frequent travel than if you were staying for a longer holiday. This means many more flights are being taken overall.' The environmental campaigner added that day trips to Lapland 'feel in especially bad taste' as flight emissions will 'directly contribute to damaging the place you are going to see'. Hughes explained: 'Lapland has been struggling with snowfall for many years; a direct result of climate change caused by our rising emissions.' The area has been hit by an intense heatwave in the past fortnight, with temperatures around 10C above the seasonal average 'If you still want to experience the 'extreme day trips' trend, sleeper trains can help: it's possible to leave work one evening, wake up in somewhere like Berlin or Prague the next morning, and return later that day on another night train. It means you can still explore the world but for a fraction of the emissions.'
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Cost of a family summer holiday to top European hotspots skyrockets by more than a fifth in a single year
The cost of a family summer holiday in favourite European hotspots has rocketed by up to 21 per cent in a year. Prices have risen in 13 of 16 sample European resorts – with Turkey and Bulgaria the best value places to visit, the annual Post Office family holiday report reveals. The research, with holiday company Tui, tots up the cost of ten typical tourist items including lunch, an evening meal, suncream and drinks such as mineral water and a glass of wine. The biggest increase is in Majorca where the total cost comes to £201.67, a 21.4 per cent rise. That makes it the second dearest hotspot, after Ibiza. Corfu and Madeira have also had rises of more than 13 per cent to now rank among the most expensive places. The cheapest of the 16 destinations is Marmaris, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, where the total cost of the ten items is £128.99. A family of four there can have a three-course meal (including wine) for £67.67 because of the collapse in the Turkish lira. Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, which is also outside the eurozone, is nearly as reasonable, with the ten items there costing £129.47. The rise of the euro against the pound will hit British tourists. Post Office head of travel money Laura Plunkett said: 'Visitors should also be aware that while sterling is worth a third more than last July in Turkey, local prices have increased dramatically because of the lira collapse.' Prices have risen by 10.3 per cent in Marmaris and 17.2 per cent in Sunny Beach – the second biggest price jump after Majorca. A Family Holiday Report study shows that 74 per cent of Britons expect to spend 42 per cent more on this year's holiday – an average of £323 extra.
