Author: staff
The massacre of around 100,000 Polish civilians by a Ukrainian paramilitary force had long soured diplomatic relations between the otherwise close allies. A decision to exhume the bodies of the victims of the Volhynia Massacre has been made, according to Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk. “Finally, a breakthrough. A decision has been made on the first exhumations of Polish victims of the UPA. I would like to thank the ministers of culture of Poland and Ukraine for their good cooperation. We are waiting for further decisions,” Tusk wrote in a post on X. In 1943 the Ukrainian Insurgent Army…
Short-term rentals in Greece surged in 2024, with the number of available beds in the rental units overtaking the number of beds at the country’s hotels. A one-year ban on registering new apartments for short-term rentals came into effect on Wednesday in the Greek capital of Athens, as authorities seek to find solutions to a housing shortage for permanent residents. In 2024, the number of available beds in short-term rental units reached 1,022 million in the months up to August — overtaking the 887,740 beds in the country’s hotels for the first time according to local newspaper Ekathimerini. But the…
Make your accommodation not just a place to sleep but a fundamental part of your European holiday experience. Travellers are increasingly veering away from using Airbnb amid concerns over outpricing locals. But they’re also looking for something more memorable than an anonymous hotel room. Luckily, throughout Europe, you can find unique, traditional properties that will shape your holiday experience.In Italy, you can relax on countryside farms where your breakfast comes directly from the surrounding land, while in Germany, you can sip a local brew in a beer garden before turning in for the night in a gasthof. Here are six…
Digital nomads can now enjoy more time in Asia as the newly-launched Taiwan visa extends to one year validity. Taiwan’s digital nomad visa launched on 1 January 2025 as the country seeks to attract more professional talent from overseas. The areas of Hualien, Taitung, Tainan, and Pingtung are all keen to welcome digital nomads, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu said. He highlighted that the Taiwanese government will be offering its new foreign residents help with support innovation and creativity.Why has Taiwan launched a digital nomad visa?EU visitors who wish to visit Taiwan can enter on a visa-free entry…
In recent years, there has been a growing trend for silent tourism, from beaches where talking is prohibited to guides to the quietest spots in a city. The festive season for many is a time of noisy family gatherings, raucous office parties and explosive New Year’s celebrations. It can leave you yearning for some peace and quiet – and luckily the travel industry has been listening. In recent years, there has been a growing trend for silent tourism, from beaches where talking is prohibited to guides to the quietest spots in a city. Here’s how to switch off the noise…
Hiking is a way to see lesser-visited parts of a country – and do so in a more sustainable manner. In 2024, hiking continued to gain popularity as a travel activity from walking pilgrimage routes to trekking along hut-to-hut mountain trails. For some travellers, it’s a way to find quiet and solitude. For others, it is a wellness practice that promotes mindfulness. It can also be a way to see lesser-visited parts of a country – and do so in a more sustainable manner. Last year, several new paths opened, from a path of love in Italy to the world’s longest circular route…
Justin Francis founded Responsible Travel as a groundbreaking holiday company seeking to drive change in tourism. Responsible travel has become a common motto for tourists, tourism companies and tourism boards as they seek to lessen their impact on the environment and local communities. Now a phrase encapsulating everything from packing a reusable water bottle to avoiding overcrowded destinations, it was originally coined in 2000 by tourism pioneer Justin Francis. Francis founded Responsible Travel as a groundbreaking holiday company seeking to drive change in the tourism industry. Launched with the support of the late Body Shop founder Dame Anita Roddick, the…
An aspiring cyclist decides to push her limits as she rides part of the ‘Alps-to-Sea’ cycleway by the Rhône River. My toxic trait is saying yes to things without thinking about them. Most recently, I did it when a friend suggested a point-to-point cycle trip in France. I’m in, I said. I didn’t give it any more thought until the week before departure – and then was shocked to find I was expected to ride 180km in three days! You see, I’m a runner, not a cyclist. What about my bum? Also, what about the hills and the bags and not knowing one…
“If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be interviewing about Greenland, I would not have put that high up on my list of possible topics the media would be interested in,” says historian John C. Mitcham of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. “But it is also really fascinating, somewhat troubling too, that we’re hearing the echoes of the past with Victorian language about sovereignty and security.” He adds: “You and I are talking about this in context of Greenland, Canada, and Trump, but the same can be applied to some of the rhetoric surrounding Russian annexation in Ukraine,…
Women are encouraged to transform their lives in 2025 through travel and ancient Japanese psychology principles. When you think of the word sabbatical, do you think of a six-month or year-long career break? What if you could get the same valuable life reboot in just four weeks?Monika Lewicka has always loved to travel and even went on a two-year journey by bike across Cuba “at a time when Fido Castro was president, and there were still no smartphones”. She particularly loves the soul-affirming gifts of solo travel – whether that’s heading into the mountains or going on a shamanic retreat. Over…