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Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
UK's most overcrowded tourist attraction is so packed it's 'hard to move'
Edinburgh Castle has been named Europe's most crowded tourist attraction, with visitors complaining of overpricing while some say it's underwhelming This summer, the buzz has been all about jam-packed holiday destinations, with anti-tourism demonstrations grabbing headlines. Contrary to what you might think, it's not the sun-soaked beaches of Majorca that are heaving with tourists, but a British landmark that's clinched the title of Europe's most congested spot. In an unexpected twist, The Thinking Traveller's research crowned Edinburgh Castle as the continent's most visited site. Edinburgh Castle hits back at tourist's savage review calling it 'atrocious' UK city wins award for having the best sustainable attraction in Europe Not far behind, Buckingham Palace, steeped in history and one of the nation's most emblematic edifices, snagged the runner-up position. Tripadvisor critiques have branded Edinburgh Castle "overpriced", and some patrons felt short-changed, describing their visit as "underwhelming", reports the Express. Joe_Railwayman shared his thoughts: "An underwhelming visit. We found certain areas to be very overcrowded and the cafe very expensive. "Maps were unclear but may have been a different experience if had upgraded to include audio guide or tour." Caz881975 weighed in: "Paying over £70 for three Adults and two Children (one Senior) we thought that it was overpriced. "We explored most areas however, in general, I thought it was a place with lots of good viewing points for Edinburgh." On the flip side, glowing reviews praised the 11th Century fortress as "very moving". Emwhitnall advised: "There is so much to explore within in the castle walls, I'd recommend getting the audioguide to make the most of the experience. "It was also very moving exploring the war memorial, dedicated to all those who have served for Scotland. "Make sure to time your visit if you want to watch the Mons Meg cannon firing as it only happens once a day." Jason F remarked: "What an amazing castle! So much to see and do. We spent half the day here, enjoying the Cafe and many exhibits on display. "The views from the castle, of Edinburgh, are amazing." Fellow tourists praised the fortress's spectacular panoramas across Edinburgh, with the uphill trek to reach the UNESCO World Heritage Site proving well worth the climb.
Condé Nast Traveler
01-07-2025
- Condé Nast Traveler
A Hiking Trek Through the Wild Terrains of Corsica
Also driving. 'You Corsicans seem to have a way behind the wheel,' I remark to Antoine as he hightails it out of the airport, blithely overtaking a policeman. We pass a road sign pockmarked with bullet holes, a reminder of Corsica's long-standing struggle for independence. As Antoine points out, the fact that we are even here as hikers and vacationers is due in part to a political truce that was struck in 2014 between the National Liberation Front of Corsica and the French government, one that pressed pause on decades of conflict and unrest. This armistice helped pave the way for an explosion of villa developments and drew a wave of adventurers and pleasure-seekers to this much-contested knuckle of rock punching out from the deep waters between Italy and France. Cala d'Istria, one of The Thinking Traveller's rental villas on the island of Corsica Owen Tozer A dramatic view of Bonifacio's fortified Old Town Owen Tozer I can't help wondering whether I'll even recognize, in this new, vacationer-friendly Corsica, the rough and rugged backwater I fell in love with half a lifetime ago. That was my first ever walking holiday; Meredith and I had been among a group that followed the GR20, a trail billed as the toughest in Europe. Across the empty wildlands we trekked—me, inappropriately attired in canvas sneakers and a skort. Despite the bloodied feet and sunstroke, the experience triggered in me an obsession with survey maps and a desire to return. How exciting, then, to be back all these years later, with Meredith no less, not to mention the knowledgeable Antoine. We'll pick up a trail, he tells us, above Porto Vecchio on the east coast and follow it for some of its 53 varied miles toward the western shoreline, along ancient shepherd paths and through forests of holm oak, chestnut, beech, and Corsican pine, before reaching the mountain village of Santa-Maria-Figaniella. There we'll spend a few nights at Casa Fortificata, a private retreat owned by The Thinking Traveller, a high-end villa-rental company. Finally, amid the herb-scented headlands, sybaritic beach clubs, and lively marinas of the southern coast, we'll rejoin the men, who will stay with us at a second Thinking Traveller villa by the beach. But before any of that, we have the white-knuckle drive into the rocky hinterland to contend with. Quenza is the last village before the road gives way to mountain wilderness. The narrow way unwinds in continuous switchbacks toward the Aiguilles de Bavella, the iconic 'needles' that look more like an underbite set against the open jaw of the horizon. A dozen hairpin bends later, and we gratefully tumble out of the car and into the remains of the afternoon light. We bounce across the Plateau du Coscione on padded pastures of moss and thick turf that open onto pools of water called pozzines. Pine needles and lemon and mint thyme crushed by our feet perfume the trail through the maquis, the dense scrubby vegetation found throughout the Mediterranean. Semi-wild pigs snuffle beneath the huge granite boulders, solid and immutable as Henry Moore sculptures, that define this otherworldly landscape. Centuries of wind and rain have scooped and hollowed the granite, leaving cavities called taffoni that will likely provide shelter for the wandering swine tonight. When I was last in Corsica, only a generation ago, the taffoni would sometimes house entire families who had moved with their livestock to the highlands for the summer.
Vogue
30-06-2025
- Vogue
The Mysterious Allure of Spetses, the Greek Elite's Favorite Holiday Hotspot
Just two hours by ferry from Athens or a quick 10-minute boat taxi from mainland Porto Heli, Spetses has somehow remained off the radar—quietly sidestepping the throngs of travelers that descend on Greece's better-known islands each summer. Locals likely prefer it that way. Long favored by Athenian elites, the island has drawn Greece's old-money families and discreet international jet-setters who've been coming for generations. It caters primarily to those who return year after year, drawn by the discretion offered by lush pine and cypress trees that conceal their grand, neoclassical homes behind iron gates, where bougainvillea-draped lanes wind their way into the hills. While there's an air of exclusivity and quiet luxury, Spetses doesn't show off. You won't find the iconic whitewashed cliffside views of Santorini's Oia, the surreal beaches of Milos's Sarakiniko, or the burgeoning art scene transforming Leonard Cohen's beloved Hydra—Spetses's neighbor in the Saronic Island group—into a sceney creative enclave. Instead, Spetses charms in quieter ways, drawing those who appreciate its more unassuming allure. 'I first visited Spetses when I was ten years old, and after that, we went every single summer, just me and my mother. We were always hosted by a remarkable friend of hers in a beautiful old Spetsiot house,' recalls Anna Deimezi, head of business development for The Thinking Traveller in Greece. The luxury villa rental company specializes in exclusive, high-end properties across the Mediterranean and has four villas in its Spetses portfolio. 'As an only child, Spetses became my ticket to freedom. I'd hop on a bike and the whole island turned into my playground.' Here, find Vogue's guide to making the island of Spetses your own playground this summer. What to Do and Where to Eat
