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Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Tiny European island dubbed 'Maldives of the Med' with 11-hours of daily sunshine
A tiny European island which boats transparent waters, balmy weather and swaying palm trees is giving the Maldives a run for it's money thanks to it's idyllic setting Choosing your holiday getaway can take a lot of time and planning and if you're after a white sandy beach and crystal clear waters - you'll more than likely have to jump on a long-haul flight. However people have been raving about a tiny Balearic island, and are comparing it to being the ' Maldives of the Meditarranean'. Formentera promises the same sunny weather, palm trees and crystal blue transparent waters, just like the Maldives, without the massive price tag. Situated right next to Ibiza, the two islands may be geographically aligned, but they couldn't be more opposite. Formentera is peaceful escape and the island is just 12 miles long and a mile-and-a-half wide at its narrowest point and there's little to do apart from eat, drink and enjoy the soft sand beaches. Lonely Planet describes the European island, which was also loved by Kate Moss in the 90s, as a 'beautifully pure, get-away-from-it-all-escape'. The travel guide adds: "Formentera's pace of life is blissfully languid, designed for lazy days spent lounging on some of Europe's (dare we say the world's) most exquisite beaches." Playa de Ses Illetes is Formentera's best known beach and it's even won Travellers' Choice Best of the Best award and the coastal spot is located within the Ses Salines National Park and has white sand with bright turquoise water. Platja de Migjorn is also considered one of the island's prettiest beaches. The longest beach on the island it stretches across 5km. For those looking to plan a trip to the beautiful island, travellers will need to fly to Ibiza to get to Formentera with direct flights available on British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2. They can then catch a ferry from Ibiza. Ferries tend to run frequently and take around 30 minutes. It also promises 11-hours of sunshine a day and in July and August, the temperature averages 26 degrees on the island and the average temperature is usually above 20 degrees in May, June, September and October as well. However if you don't fancy hopping on a plane, the UK boasts stunning landscapes that are the envy of the world, offering a plethora of beautiful spots to discover if you're planning a staycation this summer. One of the most 'underrated' regions offers the top must-do activity for holidaymakers this summer, located on a picturesque island just off Scotland's coast. A breathtaking drive along the Isle of Arran's coast in Scotland has emerged as the top choice, according to a survey of 2,000 adults about their staycation dreams. Often dubbed 'Scotland in miniature', the Isle of Arran boasts a range of spectacular landscapes, with the 109km Arran Coastal Way providing views of the coastline, charming villages, and mountain peaks. Journeying around the stunning Isle of Arran presents ample opportunities to discover remnants of Scotland's Gaelic and Norse heritage. It features numerous coastal towns, such as Lochranza and Kildonan, where you can enjoy a walk on beautiful beaches and explore ancient castle ruins. Scotland is renowned for its rich culture and history, which you'll experience at every turn when exploring Arran.
STV News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Scots have ‘voted for change', says Starmer following Labour's surprise win
Sir Keir Starmer has said people in Scotland have 'voted for change' following Labour's shock win in the Hamilton by-election. The Prime Minister congratulated his winning candidate Davy Russell and looked ahead to next year's Scottish Parliament election, saying it is a chance to 'turbo charge delivery'. Mr Russell took the seat vacated by the death of Scottish Government minister and SNP MSP Christina McKelvie. Posting on social media on Friday morning, Sir Keir said: 'People in Scotland have once again voted for change. 'Next year there is a chance to turbo charge delivery by putting Labour in power on both sides of the border. 'I look forward to working with you.' Labour's candidate, who is the deputy lord lieutenant of Lanarkshire, beat out SNP candidate Katy Loudon – who fell to her third defeat since 2023. The win comes against the backdrop of national polls which place Scottish Labour in third place behind the SNP and Reform UK – and will undoubtedly give a boost to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar's bid to become first minister in next year's election. The Nigel Farage-led Reform UK saw a surge which took them into third place, just 800 votes away from the SNP, but fell short of expectations that they may place second. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice also reacted to the results, saying his party is 'delighted'. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'It's truly remarkable. 'We've come from nowhere to being in a three-way marginal, and we're within 750 votes of winning that by-election and just a few hundred votes of defeating the SNP, so it's an incredible result.' At the election count earlier, Tice told the PA news agency he was 'thrilled to bits' with the result. When the votes were counted, Russell polled 8,559, with Loudon coming second on 7,957, ahead of Reform's Ross Lambie, who secured 7,088 votes. Speaking to PA after the declaration, Sarwar said: 'I think people need to change the script, because we've proven the pollsters wrong. 'We've proven the commentators wrong, we've proven the bookies wrong. 'We've proven John Swinney wrong and so many others wrong too.' In the final weeks of the campaign, the First Minister said it was a 'two-horse race' between the SNP and Reform, but Sarwar asked what it says about a Government that has been in power for 18 years and 'all it has to offer in a campaign is vote SNP to stop Farage'. Russell had faced criticism for his perceived lack of media appearances, but Sarwar said such arguments were borne of 'an element of classism and elitism'. Speaking from the stage after his win, Russell said: 'Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse has voted tonight to take a new direction with Scottish Labour. 'Like the people here in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, and right across Scotland, we all feel we have been let down by the SNP.' The newly-minted MSP also hit out at Reform, saying the win 'sent a message to Farage and his mob tonight – the poison of Reform isn't us, it isn't Scotland and we don't want your division here'. While First Minister Swinney said Loudon had 'fought a superb SNP campaign' and that he was 'clearly disappointed' they were unable to win. 'Labour won by an absolute landslide in this area less than a year ago – we came much closer tonight, but the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse have made clear that we still have work to do,' he added. 'Over the next few days, we will take time to consider the result fully.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
