115 Million Expected to Travel This Holiday Season

The 2023 holiday travel forecast from AAA is one of the highest on record, marking a return to normal following the pandemic.
-Meghna Maharishi

Christmas in Copenhagen: a Scandi winter wonderland

Twinkling lights, communal feasting and beer delivered by horse-drawn wagons bring festive cheer to the Danish capital

To be in Copenhagen in December is to experience truly exhilarating tastes of Christmas. The air is heavy with the scent of caramelised almonds that are sold in red and white striped paper bags, while stalls on the harbourside at Nyhavn are dispensing glögg, mulled wine with almonds and raisins. And there’s Julebryg, Tuborg’s Christmas beer, delivered to bars across Copenhagen by horse-drawn wagons.

Danes also head to their iconic amusement park Tivoli (tivoli.dk). In gardens created in 1834, you’ll find giant pirate ships, a Chinese pagoda and more than 1m glowing lamps. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe personally designs the costumes for the ballet performances that Tivoli holds each Christmas; this year it’s The Snow Queen, based on the fable by Hans Christian Andersen. Continue reading...

Tell us about your favourite winter walk – you could win a holiday voucher

Share details of a winter walk in the UK – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break

It may be tempting to hide indoors in the darker months – but there’s nothing like a stomp in the great outdoors to blow away the cobwebs. So we want to know about your favourite places in the UK for an atmospheric winter stroll. Whether it’s a bracing coastal hike, through woods sparkling with frost, over snowy mountains or a ramble to a lovely village pub, tell us what you love and why to win a holiday voucher.

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

‘The old town is adorned with twinkling lights’: readers’ favourite Christmas breaks in Europe

Our tipsters revel in Christmas markets, seasonal tipples and live choral performances from Bath to the Black Forest

Salzburg’s Christmas markets are among the very best, and there are plenty of them too, with at least 10 main ones across the season. The Salzburg Advent festival (1-17 Dec) at the Great Festival Hall, Residenzplatz, is a memorable show and highly recommended. With snow falling most winters, the city has that beautiful wintry romantic atmosphere. And best of all is a horse-drawn carriage ride through the snowy landscape, wrapped in a blanket, with a hot drink in hand. Especially perfect for a couples getaway.
Colin Snoad Continue reading...

Share a tip on adventure travel – you could win a holiday voucher

Tell us about your favourite adventure travel break in Europe – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break

Adventure means different things to different people. For some, it means overcoming a challenge such as climbing a mountain or a long-distance bike ride. For others, it’s about pushing themselves out of their comfort zone – travelling solo, perhaps, or heading out into the unknown on a road or rail trip with no fixed destination or itinerary. However you define it, we’d love to hear about your adventures – the trips that challenged you and took you somewhere new.

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

Tell us about a winter trip in southern Europe

Share a tip on how you’ve enjoyed the season in southern Europe, whether you were met with sun, rain or snow. The best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break

After the heat and crowds of high summer, southern Europe takes on a new charm out of season. The winter months can be a wonderful time for exploring hiking and biking trails, day trips to cultural sites (minus the queues) and long, lazy lunches. From Portugal to Cyprus, Spain to Slovenia, we’d love to hear about the places you’ve enjoyed visiting in the wintertime.

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

Alistair Dixon obituary

My husband, Alistair Dixon, who has died aged 62 of liver disease, had a successful career in telecoms and music until 2015, when we gave up our day jobs, moved to Broadstairs, Kent, and became the co-owners of the Bay Tree Hotel.

Alistair worked in telecoms for three decades, including playing a role in setting up the Three network in Ireland in 2004-05, and in 1997 used some of his earnings as a management consultant to co-found the celebrated independent record label Signum Records, based in Middlesex. Continue reading...