Newswire Athens: Armed with selfie sticks and phones, the tourists flood into Santorini from everywhere — on dinghies from giant ocean liners, on coaches that zigzag up the steep hillsides, atop donkeys that clip-clop along the narrow cobbled streets. Some brave the afternoon heat to find a good spot among the white-washed houses and blue-domed […]
Read MoreTokyo: As record numbers of tourists flock to Japan to take advantage of the weakness of the Japanese yen, some are running into trouble with authorities thanks to the growing popularity of motorised, rideable suitcases. Two major Japanese airports have already asked travellers not to ride motorised suitcases within their facilities, according to Kyodo news […]
Read MoreNewswire Athens: Island-hopping in Greece this summer just got a little easier. Hoper, the first helicopter airline in Greece offering scheduled flights, is now selling tickets to 11 destinations, including harder-to-reach spots such as Antiparos, Folegandros, Ios, Kea, Patmos, Sifnos and Spetses. All connect to either Athens, Santorini or Mykonos, which serve as the carrier’s […]
Read MoreBulgaria’s Sunny Beach has narrowly beaten Turkey’s Marmaris in a study assessing Europe’s best value family summer holiday resort. Post Office Travel Money, which conducted the research, urged people booking family breaks to do “holiday homework” to avoid “busting the budget while abroad”. The report took into account the cost of common tourist expenses in […]
Read MoreMax Parry Padua: Northern Italy boasts fabulous cities that see Brits flock to them every year. Milan, Bologna, Bergamo, Turin, Verona and, of course, Venice. The region, Italy’s wealthiest, is home to rustic architecture and a culinary culture to make the mouth water. However, the north of Italy is home to plenty of other spots […]
Read MoreMoira Mccarthy Lisbon: It was just past sunrise and there I was, frolicking on a beach, jumping in tidal pools, running in circles with arms spread wide as starlings flew around me, taking in the beauty as the morning light slowly filtered up and over the cliffs and rock formations along the beach known as […]
Read MoreNewswire Athens: Greece is grappling with a severe shortage of agricultural workers, prompting urgent calls from exporters to relax entry requirements for hiring foreign labourers. The deficit, estimated at 180,000 workers, has left swathes of land uncultivated and crops unharvested, dealing a significant blow to farmers and the economy, reported Schengen.News. The National Interprofessional Organization […]
Read MoreKarachi: The German Consulate in Karachi this week halted its services for non-EU citizens due to security issues. In 2023, Pakistan emerged among the top nationalities with the highest visa rejections in Germany and Schengen states overall. Pakistanis spent €3.3 million on visa applications in 2023, while their expenses might increase further in 2024. The […]
Read MoreAlza Kryeziu Copenhagen: All foreign students holding work permits in Denmark can now work part-time in the country for 90 hours per month. The new rules that came into effect today, July 1, also apply to those who want to work full-time for three months this year (June, July, and August ). Denmark recently eased […]
Read MoreNewswire Athens: There has been a spate of tourist deaths in Greece as temperatures hit 43 degrees. Tourists and visitors to Greece have been warned not to “take unnecessary risks” in the wake of the deaths of Europeans during the recent heatwave. Three tourists were found dead in just one week, more went missing and […]
Read MoreCelina Ali Islamabad: Italy embassy in Pakistan this week confirmed increase in the Schengen visa fees. “Please be informed that, following the publication of the Delegated Regulation of the European Commission n. 2024/1415 of 14/03/2024, Schengen visa fee amounts have changed,” said a statement by the embassy. It added: “The new wording of the art. […]
Read MoreLisbon: A new circular hiking trail is being opened in Portugal to combat over-tourism. Portugal’s renowned tourist hotspots, such as Lisbon and the Algarve, are often overwhelmed with visitors. In response, a new hiking trail, Palmilhar Portugal (Walking Portugal), aims to restore balance by drawing tourists to lesser-known regions. This project will become the world’s […]
Read MoreNewswire Rome: A water emergency prompted the mayor of Capri — one of Italy’s most popular islands — to order a halt to the arrival of tourists on Saturday, in a crisis that has deprived some areas of any water supply. Without a water supply, it is impossible to guarantee essential services to “thousands of […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: The Portuguese government presented this week its action plan for international migration, built around regulated immigration, foreign talent attraction, humanistic integration, and institutional reorganisation. The plan comprises 41 measures. These include: the prioritisation of entry channels for family reunification, young students and skilled professionals; the development and execution of the national plan for […]
Read MoreLarry Olmsted Milan: “Move over Milan, A Guide To Turin, Italy’s Most Elegant City,” was a Vogue headline less than two years ago, with the fashion magazine explaining that “Turin—Italy’s fourth largest city, located just 45-minutes from Milan by train—has somehow remained blithely under wraps.” Less than a year ago, London’s Telegraph explained “Why Turin […]
Read MoreStacey Leasca Athens: Greece has long beckoned travelers with its beauty. From the crystalline waters in the surrounding Mediterranean Sea and the rich historical sites that dot the nation’s map to the divine cuisine and stellar hotels, the European country deserves a spot high on travelers’ wish lists. Travelers flock to Greece year-round, but some […]
Read MoreShkurta Januzi Brussels: The easiest Schengen visas to obtain for summer 2024 are those issued by Iceland, Switzerland, Latvia and Italy. These countries have a lower rejection rate, thus lowering the chances for an applicant to receive a negative response in their application. Malta, Estonia, and Belgium are the world’s worst countries to apply for […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: The number of foreign tourists visiting Portugal surpassed 2.8 million from January through March, making it the best first quarter on record despite high global inflation and interest rates, data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) showed this week. Measuring only foreigners staying in Portuguese hotels, the number by far topped 1.8 million […]
Read MoreHelen Iatrou Athens: A dreamy vacation in Greece is, without a doubt, more sought-after than ever. The Mediterranean destination has already surpassed prepandemic visitor numbers. In 2023, the country of 11 million received over 32.7 million international arrivals compared to 31.3 million in 2019. Credit ratings agency Fitch expects this figure to reach 34.5 million […]
Read MoreLisbon: Portugal’s extensive coastline is dotted with a plethora of delightful towns and villages. If you travel from the north to the south, you will first pass through villages similar to those found in Galicia in Spain, with stone houses. As you head south, the villages become lighter, whiter and even more colourful, and you’ll […]
Read MoreAthens: The Ellinikon is making headlines as one of Europe’s largest urban regeneration projects currently underway in Athens, Greece. Rooted in the principles of a ’15-minute city,’ the €8 billion masterplan is spearheaded by LAMDA Development and offers a comprehensive 360-degree experience to its residents, tenants, guests, and employees. This transformation will revive the obsolete […]
Read MoreJennifer Barclay Athens: Elias, quiet and unassuming, meets us at the tiny harbour and says he could drive us to the house but it would be quicker on foot. He directs us up a narrow alley past a bustling kafeneio, where people are debating the news of the day over coffee. One of a little […]
Read MorePortugal: Travel and tourism sector set for record-busting 2024 Newswire Lisbon: Portugal’s travel and tourism sector is set for a record-busting 2024, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which has called the outlook for the southwestern European nation “exceptionally promising.” The global forum’s most recent Economic Impact Report, compiled in conjunction with […]
Read MoreLahore: European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Riina Koinka this week visited an art gallery inaugurated at the Nasser Bagh by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), where she viewed an ongoing exhibition. Dr Riina Koinka, who was in Lahore, received an invitation to visit The Barracks, situated within a historically significant but deteriorated bunker previously […]
Read MoreNewswire Paris: For the fifth straight year, France has trumped Germany and the UK to become Europe’s foreign investment hub. Overseas funding was used to finance 1,194 projects in France last year, according to a new attractiveness survey published by Ernst & Young (EY). This represents an annual decline of 5%, but still allows France […]
Read MoreNicky Swallow Florence: March 30 2024 was a sunny Easter Saturday in Florence. In historic Piazza del Duomo, preparations were being made for the Scoppio del Carro (the Explosion of the Cart), the centuries-old ritual that features a parade of costumed flag-throwers and musicians, a towering cart laden with fireworks, a mechanical dove and lots […]
Read MoreAthens: A charming hidden gem in Greece has come into the limelight after popular Netflix series release, One Day, displayed beautiful locations of the island. Paros has all the charm and atmosphere but without the crowds and the steep prices, particularly in summer, but its thought this could be about to change. That’s thanks to […]
Read MoreNewswire Tokyo: One of Japan’s most iconic photo spots is to be blocked by authorities exasperated by badly behaved tourists. A big black barrier is to be erected to obscure views of Mount Fuji. Residents of Fujikawaguchiko accuse mainly foreign tourists of dropping rubbish and parking illegally as they search for the perfect photo. The […]
Read MoreNewswire Tunis: The head of Italy’s right-wing government acknowledged Wednesday that Tunisia cannot serve as a dumping ground for migrants, days after Tunisia’s president reaffirmed his unwillingness to let Europe outsource migration problems by sending those not welcome there to his country. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said during a visit to Tunisia — her fourth […]
Read MoreBrussels: With the EU warning against citizenship by investment schemes, Spain’s government is looking to pull the plug on golden visas. Getting the right to live and work in another country can be a long and difficult process. But that’s not always the case for those with money to spend. Golden visas offer the opportunity […]
Read MoreAthens: It has required new legislation and navigation of copious red tape but nine months after wildfires devastated Rhodes, Greece has launched the first “free” holidays for thousands of tourists forced to flee the island. In a decision tourism officials call a world first, up to 25,000 affected holidaymakers will, as of this week, be […]
Read MoreNewswire Rome: Italy has received 157,551 irregular migrants through several migration routes crossing the Mediterranean during the past year, including 51,986 migrants coming from Libya, according to an Italian security report. The number of migrants to Italy increased by about 50% compared to 2022, and the maximum peak in the number of arrivals in 2023 […]
Read MoreGwadar Pro Lahore: Pakistani and Chinese authorities this week discussed proposals to build a five-star hotel here. China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) held high-level discussions with key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and the Punjab Central Business District Authority. “The proposals for prestigious 5-star hotels, with a proposed land requirement […]
Read MoreSaskia O’Donoghue Turkish travellers will now be able to visit ten Greek islands under a new scheme announced this week. Officials on the popular island of Rhodes have opened a new visa terminal for Turkish visitors as part of a diplomatic effort to ease long-standing tensions between the two countries. The limited-access visa will allow […]
Read MoreNoo Saro-Wiwa Florence: Marina Serena Cacciapuoti is the co-founder and creative director of Italy Segreta, an online magazine that explores the hidden corners of the country and provides an insider’s perspective on Italian culture, travel, food, and lifestyle. Marina grew up between Rome and Florence before moving to New York in 2014, where she worked […]
Read MoreFani Mari Athens: There’s an Ancient Greek saying that derives from Latin and roughly translates to “healthy mind in a healthy body”. I think that truly embodies the country’s connection to wellness. Asclepius, the god of medicine, believed in seeing each patient as a person, not as their condition, which is the ultimate holistic medical […]
Read MoreBrussels: Bulgaria and Romania became Schengen members on March 31: the Schengen rules will now apply in both Member States including on issuing Schengen visas and controls at the internal air and sea borders will be lifted. The European Commission strongly welcomed this achievement, which follows the historic Council decision of December 2023. The Schengen […]
Read MoreAssem Assaniyaz Astana: Almaty hosted the 69th meeting of the Ski Club of International Journalists (SCIJ) in early March. This was the first edition of the annual week-long meeting of the club in Central Asia. Swiss journalist and filmmaker Fritz Muri, one of the participants, shared impressions from his winter trip to Kazakhstan in an […]
Read MoreMiranda Bryant Stockholm: Denmark has pledged to put up more statues of women, with the country’s culture minister saying the capital has “more statues of mythical beasts and horses”. According to the Danish government, only 31 of 321 statues and busts in Danish cities are of women. Of the 101 named statues in Copenhagen, only […]
Read MoreNewswire Lisbon: While the increase in Irish holidaymakers in Portugal has shown impressive growth, the number of those choosing to live there permanently has soared further. The Portuguese border and immigration authority (formerly known as SEF, now renamed AIMA) reports that there were just 805 Irish citizens living in Portugal in 2013. By 2022, that […]
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