Travel

Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, is today launching a double Avios promotion for the month of March. Customers who book and fly with the airline in March will get double Avios across the whole Flybe network. The Avios Travel Rewards Programme offers a wide range of ways to collect Avios from a host of other travel brands and retailers. These...

I really did not know before I visited that they grew tea in Taiwan. I knew they made microchips for phones, and that there are beautiful mountains running down the middle of the country, but I had no idea about the tea.The history of tea begins properly in mainland China, spreading across the world with international trade. At...

BEAR Scotland - Transport Scotland’s operating company - is planning to resurface approximately one kilometre of the M90 southbound carriageway near Kirkliston over three nights, beginning on Monday 19 April, 2021.  For the safety of workers and road users, the M90 will be closed southbound between Junction 1 and Junction 1A of the M9 from 20:00 until 06:00 on...

Virgin East Coast has announced this morning that they will offer a further 22,000 seats on the Edinburgh to London route and that they have been given permission to run a further 42 services per week from May.This means that there will be a further four trains in each direction from 16 May onwards, ensuring that the Edinburgh to...

The Viking Sea came to Edinburgh for the first time today.Following her recent christening in Greenwich last month, Viking's second Ocean ship has set sail from Bergen and embarked on her maiden voyage through Scotland.With serene Scandinavian design, the award winning cruise line offers cultural enrichment and immersive experiences on shore and aboard.

Ryanair today announced a new Edinburgh route to Bucharest in Romania, with a three times weekly service commencing in November 2019, as part of the airlines extended Edinburgh winter 2019 schedule.Just after Wizz Air announced a similar extension to their offering earlier this week there will now be daily Ryanair flights to and from Budapest and Warsaw Modlin, and...

On Saturday, the 2020 Lantern Festival was launched in Taichung by President Tsai Ing Wen. She lit the main lantern which is called Guardian of the Forest - Tree of Light following a show full of music and colour.The President's part of the ceremony took a full five minutes. It was not just a matter of flipping a...

Ryanair flights into Marseille (2hr 10min) are busy as we recently found out, but a word of warning about the airport there. The flights were delayed in both directions, but were otherwise fine.If you are travelling by train there is a shuttle bus from the station to the terminal. Fellow travellers found that three buses arrived at the same...

Holyrood Park is widely seen as 'an iconic green space' in the heart of the city and 'Edinburgh's premier park'.Through the path-breaking work of James Hutton, the park also has great significance in the history of geology. It is, many would agree, ‘a city park like no other’. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is currently carrying out a 12-week...

Thinking of a spring getaway? You may have to as one B&B on Skye, currently in the midst of a significant £250,000 upgrade, is already being booked for next year.Following its purchase of the former MacKinnon Country House Hotel on the Isle of Skye, which will be rebranded as the Isle of Skye Guest House, The Fusion Group of...

M8 Motorway users are set to benefit from an improved road surface at Ratho, with £750,000 worth of resurfacing set to begin on Monday 30 November. The overnight works will see 2,990m of the eastbound carriageway resurfaced, creating smoother and safer journeys for road users.To keep roadworkers and motorists safe during these works, the eastbound M8 will be closed...

We strolled to our leather armchairs for the journey and deposited our luggage then I hooked up my laptop ready for use. I picked up a paper to pass the time before coffee arrived.There had been no queue to check in luggage, problems over the weight of the luggage.Also, there was no hassle over security screening and the stress...

Low-cost airline Norwegian starts its transatlantic expansion from Edinburgh Airport today with the first of three new routes to the US east coast taking off later this afternoon.Norwegian, Europe’s third largest low-cost carrier, first began operations at Edinburgh Airport in 2009 and has since flown more than 1.3 million passengers to Scandinavia and Europe.Earlier this year, the carrier announced...

With two significant anniversaries falling in the one year, 2020 is shaping up to be a very special one for Coupar Angus hotelier, Alan Bannerman.Two of his hospitality businesses are beginning new marketing campaigns, and the hotel is ideally placed for your staycation this year.His hotel, the Red House Hotel, the only one in Coupar Angus, has...

SHARON LOOKS FORWARD TO CLEANING UP AT BELMONT OVER THE WINTER MONTHS!The House Manager of a reclaimed Georgian Mansion House on Unst, Shetland, the UK’s most northerly island, has revealed the extraordinary work and personal effort which goes into maintaining the unique property throughout the winter months, so that it is once again ready to welcome self catering guests...

The all-electric train operator which has caused a stir on the Edinburgh to London route is looking to run trains to Glasgow perhaps from next summer.FirstGroup which owns Lumo has said that the company is in discussions with Transport Scotland and Network Rail to extend the routes on to Glasgow after the trains arrive in Edinburgh. This would...

From Functions and Funerals to Flourish and Fame   How Number 10 Hotel became the new hidden gem of Glasgow's South Side. //steller.co/site/static/js/steller.jsAs a Glaswegian West Ender who now lives in Edinburgh, I will hold my hands up to say that I rarely venture over to Glasgow’s South Side, especially when going for a meal. I was therefore intrigued when a friend recommended a...

The M8 will be closed westbound between Junction 4a and Harthill Services from 20:30 until 06:00 on the night of 13 April. This is to allow Transport Scotland’s operating company BEAR Scotland to renew over 0.2 kilometres of road surface between the westbound slip roads.During this closure, a signed diversion route for westbound traffic will be signposted via Junction...

BLAIR ATHOLL PARK PARTNERS LEADING MANUFACTURER TINGDENE TO OFFER  NEW HOLIDAY HOME SELECTIONSpring is here, and with it the desire to purchase a luxury holiday bolthole to escape to, whenever you wish! Parc Royale in Blair Atholl is a well established, family owned park which has teamed up with leading manufacturer, Tingdene. Under two hours drivetime from Edinburgh, it’s...

18.56: Dusseldorf Airport Station. Next train to Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof platform four. We board after asking the guard if this was the correct train. Seconds later the same man said: "You are on the wrong train."We were shocked. Yes, it was the train to Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof, one stop, around five minutes. He summoned the ticket collector. "You are fined 60E each." Why? "You...

As lockdown eases all over the UK, a Lake District Holiday Park is keen to showcase its new range of quality holiday homes, priced from just £29,999, to its traditional heartland of Scottish buyers.The park has recently opened for holiday home sales only, with plans to fully open for short breaks when Government guidelines allow.Prospective buyers can...

Canadian airline WestJet will operate a new route between Edinburgh and Toronto from summer 2022.The service will fly three times a week between the cities in a first for the airline which has not operated from the capital before. The airline will use its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport said: “We...

Jet2.com has partnered with Yorkshire Tea to introduce the popular tea brand to its new in-flight menu and the hot drink will be available to buy on-board or offered as a hot drink option with pre-ordered adult meals.It will be served in Yorkshire Tea’s well-known, 12oz plant-based red cups and the airline's in-flight menu also has a number of other...

Rugby fans heading to watch Scotland in the Autumn Tests 2018 this month are being advised to take note of traffic and travel information.In their first match this Saturday (10 November, kick-off 2.30pm), Scotland are playing host to Fiji and tens of thousands of spectators are expected to flock to BT Murrayfield Stadium for the sell-out fixture. To ensure pedestrian...

We have been watching it take shape and now The Edinburgh Grand opens its (very big) doors to the very first guests today.This is one of Edinburgh’s landmark buildings and the renovation has been carefully choreographed by Chris Stewart.Today will be the very first time the doors have been opened to the former bank building since the Royal Bank...

If you happen to be in London this summer then while Her Majesty is up at Balmoral you can wander through the corridors of her London home. Buckingham Palace has opened the 19 State Rooms to the public until 29 September with the exhibition Queen Victoria's Palace. The exhibition celebrates the 200th anniversary of her birth.The State Rooms are...

Lateral City Apartments have an offer for you if you fancy coming to stay in Edinburgh city centre for a night or two. These apartments are super luxury and there is a gym on site.If you book between 1 - 8 December 2016 using the code JANFLASHOTC you may get a studio apartment for just £109 per night.Booking details here. t 0131...

Service to operate up to daily during the summer peak and it will continue three times weekly into the winter seasonCustomers in Scotland will benefit from convenient connections across North America and beyond via Air Canada’s Toronto hubAir Canada has resumed its non-stop service between Edinburgh Airport and its Toronto hub. The newly extended service is set to...

Families can enjoy a five-star visit to Edinburgh with The Chester Residence and The Royal Yacht Britannia Families will receive free tickets to visit Scotland’s top visitor attraction, The Royal Yacht Britannia, worth £45, when booking a family-break at Scotland’s top luxury hotel, The Chester Residence. The first five guests who book a family trip with The Chester Residence during half-term, Easter holidays or May weekend will...

Kendal. One of the go-to towns in The Lake District and an ideal location for touring, but where to stay, that was the question. There are many options and varying prices. We've stayed high-end but this time we through, let's try mid-range with a deal.Up popped the Riverside Hotel (pictured), a family-owned, converted, 18th-century tannery. It ticked a number of...