Travel

Adrift in the Atlantic, closer to Africa than Europe, lies the Portugese island of Madeira. It's internationally renowned for its wine and cake - lovely things to be remembered for - but more recently it's becoming known for its hiking opportunities, which is why TLE took our latest trip there. Its hiking USP is the levadas: a water irrigation system which brings the water from the mountains and wetter north, to the drier southern side of the island. The concrete blocks double...

If election fever is already insufferable, you're not the only one who feels that way. It appears plenty of us voting with our feet and seeking out holidays to coincide with the pinnacle of election fever on May 7. There is a notable shift in holiday patterns according to DealChecker, who say that travellers are ditching party debates for the delights of New York, Las Vegas, Benidorm, Fuerteventura or Turkey instead. Greece, Cuba, Egypt, Magaluf and Malta also made the...

By Shilpa Ganatra   When done right, spa retreats are heaven on earth, a place where every desire is an indulgence in the guise of wellbeing. When done wrong, it leaves the guest more frustrated and less zen than when they entered the doors - with their pockets lighter too. So in the name of research. we decided to check up on the original health resort, Champneys, over the bank holiday weekend to see just what wonders it did for our...

Millions of Brits never take a break from social media – even when on holiday, according to new research. A third confessed they spend more time on Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat while away than talking to their travel companions. Women are most likely to upload selfies in front of famous landmarks, while men prefer to broadcast adventurous activity updates. The average Brit uploads 27 photos during and after a holiday, according to a poll of 2,000 people. Top 10 Most Common...

Following on from our recent post of top UK filming destinations to visit in 2015, we looked Stateside for its most iconic filming locations. While Hollywood is the Mecca of movie-making, studios search far and wide for the perfect environment for their film - and choose so wisely that the location is often made synonymous with their output. It's led to a steep rise in film tourism, so we brought in the help of specialist tour company My America Holiday to...

By Steve Taggart Best known for its ski resorts, the picturesque mountain village of Verbier in South west Switzerland is fast becoming a go-to destination for mountain bikers. Not only does it have the facilities to accommodate adrenaline-junkies, but you can try out every discipline of mountain biking in the very same day. From meandering cross country to fast adrenalin-pumping downhill to epic enduro and even dirt jumping, Verbier has it all. Few locations have such broad scale of options...

By Steve Taggart Need some sun, stat? If the holiday-booking fingers are getting restless, we’ve picked out five holiday hotspots that lend themselves to a last-minute break, and come into the perfect temperature in April (we think that’s around 28c, feel free to disagree). 1. Miami, US Bringing together parties, beaches, art, clubs and even more parties, Miami is made for tourists looking for a little escapism. It’s blessed with continual good weather, but April is ideal as sun-protection oils...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  A new study has revealed that despite Brits becoming more adventurous travellers, most of us still look for a Britain abroad when booking a holiday where they can speak English, order fry-ups for breakfast and ignore local customs. The research found that thousands of Brits have booked a holiday despite having no idea where it was on a map, with a quarter confessing that they wouldn't be able to point out their chosen destination on a map when they...

By Jasmine Stephens, Family Editor Do they have elephants there? Will the baboons trash our car? Is it going to be like ‘Jurassic Park’? Are we nearly there yet??!! The kids were asleep in the back of the car and my husband was sick of my questions before we got off the M62. I’d managed to reach the ripe old age of 35 without ever visiting a safari park, but my husband was quite the veteran, having gone once with...