Revealed:The cheapest destination for a weekend away this summer - with £1.75 pints and short flights from the UK
New research from Skyscanner has revealed one of the cheapest weekend destinations for Brits in 2025.
Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is officially one of Europe's best-value summer holiday hotspots.
So, what awaits British tourists in Sarajevo?
Skyscanner says: 'You'll find a capital cradled by alpine peaks, laced with centuries-old architecture, and pulsing with life.
'In the heart of the old town, Baščaršija brings together Ottoman-era mosques, Austro-Hungarian cathedrals, and family bakeries selling somun (flatbread) still warm from the oven.
'Just off the main square, Kazandžiluk Street hums with the tap of coppersmiths etching traditional coffee sets by hand - a craft passed down for generations.'
Baščaršija, the city's historic old bazaar that was built in the 15th century is one of Sarajevo's best-rated attractions on Tripadvisor.
The bazaar district is the liveliest area of the city and the ideal spot to pick up a souvenir or sample a local snack.
Tourists can also visit the Sarajevo War Tunnel to discover more about the city's past. During the devastating 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo, the tunnel was used by brave citizens to access essential supplies.
A visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: 'A must see museum to understand the siege of Sarajevo that lasted more than 1300 days. An incredible feat, driven by despair.'
The city's Museum of Crime Against Humanity and Genocide 1992-1995 also offers a sobering insight into the impact of the war on Sarejevo and its citizens.
Skyscanner recommends that tourists get the city's Sarajevo Card if they're planning to stay for a few days.
The card offers free public transport and free access to several of the city's museums as well as discounts at some restaurants and bars.
But tourists won't need to break the bank to explore Sarajevo even without the card. According to Wise, a pint of domestic beer costs just £1.72.
And a meal at an inexpensive restaurant comes to less than £5, while a cappuccino costs just £1.40.
Sarajevo isn't the only European city where Brits can enjoy a bargain holiday this summer.
Tirana, Albania's buzzing capital city, is another good value destination suggested by Skyscanner's flight experts.
The experts say the city is a 'lively hub of cafes and street art' while its 'colour blocked buildings' brighten up its neighbourhoods.
And when it comes to long-haul holiday destination, Skyscanner recommends Halifax, which it describes as one of 'Canada's most underrated cities'.
It's also one of the most affordable long-haul places to fly to in 2025 with prices down 25 per cent this year, according to Skyscanner.
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Telegraph
30 minutes ago
- Telegraph
I moved from Britain to South Africa – the quality of life is so much better
I first landed in Cape Town back in 2004, at 22 years old, for a one-year study-abroad programme with the University of Edinburgh. I'd never set foot on the African continent before, but I was completely hooked the moment I stepped off the plane. My mind was blown, seeing a buzzing city surrounded by incredible scenery, from Table Mountain to the Atlantic Ocean. Something about the energy of Cape Town got under my skin. After my study year ended, I headed back to Edinburgh to finish my economics degree, but I knew I'd be returning. After hundreds of phone calls and messages, a friend I had met in Cape Town and I came up with the idea to start a travel company running gap year adventures in South Africa for UK students. I moved back to Cape Town in 2008, when we ran our first trip. The early days were a blur of school talks and dodgy projectors, but the end result was a series of successful three-month overland journeys across South Africa. The business evolved into tailor-made travel, starting with friends and word of mouth. Then, in 2014, I co-founded a new travel company, Timbuktu. South Africa has more than lived up to my expectations. It is an incredible country. You can hike in the Drakensberg mountains, drive across the Karoo desert, sip world-class wine in the Cape Winelands and spot lions in Kruger National Park. Cape Town itself is such a great mix of just about everything – mountains, beaches, restaurants, shopping (so my wife tells me!) and culture. South Africa has a very entrepreneurial spirit with amazing talent, especially creatively, and it's a great place to build a team. The operating costs in South Africa are relatively low, which is a huge advantage in scaling a business, locally and internationally. The flip side is the bureaucracy! There's a lot of red tape and restrictions around banking and international payments. There are also very strict labour laws, heavily weighted towards employees, which is great in theory, but it can make it tough to move quickly when you're trying to grow. The cost of living, compared to the UK, is incredible. You can have an amazing lifestyle without the eye-watering prices of London (especially when it comes to renting property and eating out). In terms of lifestyle, it really couldn't be more different to the UK. Here, my days revolve around the outdoors – surfing before work, hiking at the weekend, and visiting some of the best restaurants and vineyards in the world. Endless blue skies and sunshine help too! Of course, there are downsides. The social inequality and economic issues are huge. Many people live in poverty and there are high levels of crime in certain areas. Pockets of racial tension still exist too, after the country's apartheid past. Safety is probably the biggest question mark for most people and, when you look at the bigger picture across the country, it's sadly not unjustified. However, it is very location specific. I have now lived in Cape Town, in various locations, for nearly 20 years and have always felt very safe in most central and coastal suburbs. You definitely learn to be more vigilant, however. You have to be aware that there is a lot of petty crime on the streets, related to the high levels of poverty and unemployment. This means not leaving anything visible in your car, not walking alone at night and avoiding certain areas. Visas are the less glamorous side of moving to South Africa. My initial visa was relatively straightforward as it was a study visa linked to my course in Cape Town, but it only gave me a year in South Africa. When we started our first travel company – which was based in the UK with an office in Cape Town – I got an Intra-Company Transfer work visa, which allowed me to work in South Africa for up to four years. I then managed to renew that visa for another four years. When we started Timbuktu, which is based in Cape Town, I got a Critical Skills visa with the help of an immigration lawyer. Finally, after five years and jumping through more hoops than I can count, I got Permanent Residency status, which allows me to live and work in South Africa indefinitely. Navigating the visa landscape can be overwhelming – and it has become more challenging in recent years, with long wait times and fewer options – but finding a good immigration lawyer is a game changer. Finding one early on is my best advice. Since I first moved here, Cape Town feels more international. There has been a huge increase in tourists visiting and working remotely due to the lifestyle benefits. There's an influx of new apartment hotels and Airbnbs along the Atlantic coast, where we live. From a business perspective, the number of people starting businesses and investing in the country is higher, which is fantastic to see. There's also been a shift in the social fabric. When I first arrived, racial tension was much more visible, but now I think there's more integration, collaboration, and progress. There's still work to do, but the direction feels hopeful. My (now) wife and I met in Cape Town 10 years ago. We both love living here and it definitely feels like home, particularly since we bought a house in the coastal neighbourhood of Sea Point two years ago. We are both very free-spirited and don't make long-term plans, but neither of us can imagine life without Cape Town in it. My advice for anyone moving to South Africa is to say yes to everything (within reason!). Be open, be patient, and embrace the adventure. Things like setting up bank accounts and navigating paperwork can take longer than you'd like, but the rewards and lifestyle far outweigh any of these frustrations. If you come with an open heart and a flexible mindset, you'll discover a country bursting with natural beauty, creative energy, and a lifestyle that's hard to beat. How to move to South Africa Immigration lawyer Nora Dawud, founder of Cape Town-based Black Pen Immigration, breaks down some common visa options for British citizens. Retired Person's Visa Requirements: Monthly income of at least ZAR 37,000 (approximately £1,600) from passive sources (e.g. pensions, annuities or investment returns). Work Visa (e.g. Critical Skills Visa) Requirements: Qualifications and experience in fields listed on South Africa's critical skills list and an offer from a South African employer. Financially Independent Permit (Permanent Residency) Requirements: Proof of net worth of at least ZAR 12 million (approx. £500,000), plus payment of ZAR 120,000 (approx. £5,000) upon approval. Processing times: Between eight weeks for a work visa and up to two to four years for a financially independent permit, depending on specific circumstances. Find out more on VFS Global (through which applications are processed) and South African Home Affairs websites.
Times
34 minutes ago
- Times
The South Asian city with a creative underbelly
The best cities in the world often seem to have a gritty, hard-to-penetrate exterior that keeps uncurious travellers at bay — and Colombo is no exception. On the surface, the Sri Lankan capital is ruled by overzealous tuk-tuks, grumbling Ashok Leyland buses and oil-slick black crows cawing from fragrant frangipani trees. But dig a little deeper and curious souls will find an island metropolis buzzing with excitement, creativity and passionate residents. From the uneven pavements of Colombo 7 — uprooted by sprawling ficus tree roots — where art spaces hide, to the unmarked buildings, close to Beira Lake, housing rooftop bars serving world-class cocktails, there's plenty to seek out. And visitors should make time to do just that. Deserving of a few days on every Sri Lankan itinerary, the city offers a more authentic look at local life, away from the south coast, which caters heavily to tourists. In his book Cut Pieces, Ashok Ferrey describes Colombo as the fastest-changing capital city in the world — he's not wrong. Evident around the photogenic Old Fort area, with its colonial-era dark pink buildings, and the ever-growing sprawl of Port City and Slave Island, where shiny new buildings seemingly emerge each day, it seems the only constant in Colombo these days is the continuous quotidian whoop-whoop of the Asian koel bird. • Morning: Museum hopping• Eat at: Ranbath Organic• Afternoon: Number 11 • Drink at: Eskobar• Evening: Paradise Road• Eat at: Table by Nyne • Morning: Kelaniya Temple• Eat at: The 'Stache• Afternoon: Pettah and Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque• Drink at: Uncle's • Evening: Bar crawl• Eat at: Gini ● Dive into Sri Lanka's fascinating history at the Colombo National Museum (£4), where gigantic bronze Bodhisattva sandals from the 9th century are a highlight. Nearby, and occupying a characterful old house in Colombo 7, Sapumal Foundation (free, @SapumalFoundation) holds around 300 works by famed Sri Lankan artists. The quiet setting allows visitors to appreciate Lionel Wendt's intimate black-and-white photography and Harry Pieris's moody oils without the crowds. Then hop in a tuk-tuk (expect to pay around a £1) to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka (MMCA) just 10 minutes away, to view thought-provoking local art by the new generation (free; ● Swerve the afternoon heat by dropping in at Number 11, the impressive home of one of Sri Lanka's most revered architects, Geoffrey Bawa. As the godfather of tropical modernism, Bawa's architectural style celebrates nature with airy, open-plan interiors, all of which can be witnessed firsthand during one of the informative daily 45-minute tours that take place at 2pm and 3.30pm during weekdays and at 4pm on Saturdays (£13; ● Prominent Sri Lankan brand Paradise Road has a brand new flagship store, spanning three floors at 138 Galle Road. It's famed for its black and white ceramics, including some very cool Tamil and Sinhalese alphabet mugs, and the site also features an exhibition space and concept clothing store filled with monochromatic pieces by Sri Lankan designers. ● Most visitors to the city head to Gangaramaya Temple, but it's not the prettiest and worth eschewing in favour of Kelaniya Temple, 11km northeast of Colombo. With intricate images of the reclining Buddha, and gasp-inducing paintings by renowned temple artist Walimuni Solias Mendis (which took more than 20 years to complete), it's a fantastical place rarely mentioned in guidebooks. Be sure to dress respectfully (free). ● Painted in bold crimson and white stripes, Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque in the Pettah neighbourhood of Colombo, is marked out as a must-visit on account of its photogenic appeal. Take in the grand exterior from Main Street and 2nd Cross Street, or head inside to get a closer, more serene look (free). On the way out, pop into Bombay Sweetmeat Mart for a Barbie-pink falooda (a refreshing milkshake-style drink made with rose syrup, milk and ice cream) and a homemade samosa (from 50p). ● Get acquainted with the local side of the city on the self-titled 'dodgy bar tour' with Dilshan Sirisena and Adam Kenny of Soulful Sri Lanka. This two-and-a-half-hour walking tour, which begins close to Pettah, takes in a handful of Colombo's most low-key and most-loved watering holes, where arrack (the country's famed tipple made from the fermented sap of the coconut flower) is the star of the show (£55pp; • Read our full guide to Sri Lanka This locally loved café serves an array of delicately spiced curries and locally grown rice, served on lotus leaves alongside coconut husk cutlery (there's no plastic used here). The daily changing buffet features must-try dishes such as beetroot curry, spicy pol sambol (a grated coconut relish) and lunu miris (chili paste). Don't miss the Lavariya (caramelised coconut wrapped in a string hopper) too (mains from £1.80; @ranbathorganic). Always bustling with locals and rightly so, all-day brunch spot The 'Stache has an exceptionally eclectic menu. Listing addictive kaya toast (local toasted bread topped with a pandan, coconut and brown sugar spread), roast paan sandwiches (the pol sambol and cream cheese version is superb), and Siam Ceylon (a twist on the Sri Lankan staple milk rice), there's something for everyone (mains from £1.80; @ Get a different perspective of the city from secret-ish jazz bar Eskobar overlooking Beira Lake in Colombo 2. Bold orange velvet and a South American theme form the backdrop to a list of innovative cocktails. Top tipples include Sour del Sol, a smoky whiskey-based blend with hints of maple syrup and local lemon, and the tangy Tamarindo, a signature sip with a pisco base (cocktails from £8; @ Tucked away in a cul-de-sac close to Beira Lake, Table by Nyne's tiny outdoor space is the ideal place to retreat to when the buzz of the city gets too much. Everything impresses here, from the service to the surroundings and, of course, the food and top-class cocktails. Fusing European cooking styles with local ingredients, expect delights such as grilled barramundi with pumpkin gnocchi and buffalo curd sorbet(mains from £7.50; Old school cinema-inspired murals, on-tap toddy and beautifully crafted cocktails ensure Uncle's is always lively come the weekend. Alongside small bites like mutton rolls and chilli-topped cheese toast, the cocktail to order is Rampe — a blend of Sri Lankan gin, pineapple, pandan and coconut water. Its washed-out, pale-green appearance and creamy flavour can be likened to bakewell pudding in refreshing liquid form (cocktails from £5.50; @uncles_colombo). Leading the charge on Colombo's food and drinks scene with a showstopping menu overflowing with local produce, family-owned Gini impresses with live fire cooking, a beautiful garden setting, and exquisite dishes. Unmissable bites include an extremely moreish curry aïoli and fermented, chili-topped, deep-fried prawn sausage, Negombo white fish crudo with nori and the house favourite, charred cabbage served with mushroom crema and local cheese. Cocktails are equally spectacular (mains from £8.80; This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue • Fantastic beaches in Sri Lanka For ocean vistas and serene suites One of the few city hotels with impressive (uninterrupted) Indian Ocean views, Shangri-La Colombo stands out for its top-class spa and comfortable, sea-facing bedrooms. Watching over the ever-changing Port City area of the city, the highlight of stays, however, is the pretty swimming pool area decked out with bright yellow sun shades and surrounded by greenery. The Tiki Bar — which comes adorned with wooden Sri Lankan folk masks — on the fourth floor offers more than 50 house-made arrack infusions using local fruits and spices such as ambarella, wood apple and B&B doubles from £127; The prettiest boutique hotel in town A magical air swirls around Maniumpathy's eight individually designed bedrooms, each flawless in execution and laden with dark-wood antiques, deep-soak bathtubs and chintzy floral fabrics. Located in a colonial-era residence passed down through generations, this private, peaceful and incredibly intimate idyll feels like a true home away from home, only better. Located in the upscale neighbourhood of Cinnamon Gardens, it's worth venturing out for a cup of Uda Watte tea at t-Lounge by Dilmah just around the B&B doubles from £204; A haven for architecture lovers A true Mecca for Geoffrey Bawa fans, it's possible to stay in one of two suites in the architect's old Colombo home, Number 11. Surrounded by Bawa's favourite frangipani trees, bright-white painted concrete flooring leads guests into the tranquil abode where original art by some of Bawa's best pals lines the walls. The home has been left exactly as it was when the architect was alive, antiques, books and all, ensuring waking up in this special sanctuary is a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Details B&B doubles from £317; • More great hotels in Sri Lanka SriLankan Airlines flies direct from London Heathrow in about 11 hours (from £634 return; Bandaranaike International Airport is about 45 minutes from the city centre. Taxis from the airport cost around £12 and can be booked via Uber or through the Sri Lankan app, PickMe. While Colombo is a pretty walkable city, tuk-tuks are affordable and convenient and can also be booked through Uber and PickMe. Remember to change the app's payment setting to cash, as taxis and tuk-tuks rarely accept card payments. Note: tipping is highly encouraged in Colombo since the wages for drivers, tour guides and hospitality staff can be low — ten per cent is a good amount to adhere to, or more if you can afford it. Sri Lanka is an outstandingly beautiful country that deserves as much time as can be spared. The vibrant northern regions (which were once out of bounds due to the country's civil war), as well as important pilgrimage routes where ancient temples mingle with dense monkey-filled jungle, provide plenty to keep curious souls captivated. While it's pretty easy to navigate the country alone, hiring a local guide ensures a deep and fascinating immersion into local customs, culture and history. Soulful Sri Lanka ( curate bespoke tours that incorporate Colombo into longer trips off the beaten path. Lydia Swinscoe was a guest of Shangri-La Colombo ( and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust (
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Porthminster Beach Cafe crowned one of the UK's best
Porthminster Beach Cafe featured on the list from OpenTable, along with a few other Cornwall eateries. The restaurant reservation site compiled a list of its top 100 spots around the country. In a statement, they said: "If you're looking for the perfect place to dine outdoors this summer, this list has it all. "Visit diner favourites in your area and enjoy a shared experience in the sun with friends, family, and even your dog!" The full list of the UK's best outdoor dining spots for 2025 can be found on the OpenTable website here. Why is Porthminster Beach Cafe among the UK's best for outdoor dining? The list by OpenTable is generated from more than 800,000 reviews from verified OpenTable diners and dining metrics from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated through various factors. These included: Diner ratings Percentage of five-star reviews Number of alerts set Percentage of reservations made in advance Percentage of capacity and direct searches Metrics were weighted to comprise an overall score, with restaurants then filtered by having outdoor dining. According to its website, the "iconic whitewashed restaurant" enjoys "spectacular panoramic views" of the surrounding area. It adds: "In the summer, providing a retreat from the sun-scorched sands below; it is the ideal spot to indulge in vibrant dishes infused with flavour, accompanied by bottles of crisp, refreshing wine pulled dripping from their coolers. "A glass enclosed, heated terrace makes year round outdoor dining a pleasure." Much of the menu has Asian and Mediterranean influences which showcase the "freshest seafood, garden-grown produce, and foraged coastal ingredients". What do visitors think of Porthminster Beach Cafe? Porthminster Beach Cafe has been well-received by visitors, earning a 4.4/5 rating on Tripadvisor from 3,846 reviews. Best Beaches in the UK One person shared: "This was an incredible culinary experience for the entire family! "The food was practically gourmet, even the kids menu was not only delicious but on par with the adults menu. Very reasonable prices for the exquisite quality of food." Recommended reading: Another said: "We came here for a Sunday Roast and it was delicious. Really generous portion size, lovely view and the service was quick and friendly. Will definitely go back." A third wrote: "This cafe/restaurant was amazing - the food, looked, smelt and tasted superb! "I had scallops and skate - both super fresh and delicious! Excellent value, great service and ambiance! Highly recommended!"
