A week is a long time in politics – and travel

Simon Calder’s Travel Week [SUBSCRIBE]( [SUBSCRIBE: £20 FOR 1 YEAR]( August 04, 2023 [View in browser](   [The Independent]( [The Independent]( This week I launched a brand new newsletter, exclusive to subscribers of The Independent. It’s called [Ask Me Anything]( and it gives you the chance to have your travel questions answered by me. To receive Ask Me Anything, along with unlimited access to Premium insight, ad-free reading, the daily edition newspaper, puzzles and more, [subscribe today for just £20 for one year](.   Politicians make promises all the time on television. But Wednesday’s pledge from the Greek prime minister on ITV’s Good Morning Britain proved more appealing than most: a free Mediterranean holiday. [Too good to be true? Greece is offering free trips to Rhodes, but details are scant](   [Get inspired...]( [Grown-up Kefalonia]( The largest Ionian island is known for its literary connections, quiet coves and vine-tangled tavernas. But lately it’s been given an injection of sophistication to add to its rustic charm. [I'm an image]( No-fly zone]( Whether you prefer low-carbon travel for sustainability reasons, or you simply prefer to sit back and enjoy the journey, check out this selection of slow travel trips swapping plane for train. [I'm an image]( [Highland fling]( Choose Inverness for a laid-back, low-impact summer break; Scotland's northernmost city makes for a pressure-free trip where community and sustainability are more than just buzzwords.   Simon’s dispatches Earlier this week, Kyriakos Mitsotakis popped up on the line from his desk at the Maximos Mansion in Athens to tell GMB presenter Susanna Reid the [wildfires that caused so much devastation across the island of Rhodes a week earlier]( had been tamed. “The island is perfectly back to normal,” the Greek prime minister reported. A remarkable achievement, considering only seven days earlier British airlines were sending in empty planes to bring back some of the 20,000 tourists evacuated from resorts in the southeast of the island. With some understatement, Mr Mitsotakis added: “We understand that this caused some inconvenience for visitors.” For those who were inconvenienced by having their holidays cut short, and in some cases having to run for their lives with whatever possessions they could grab, the prime minister had some good news. [“One week of free holidays on Rhodes next spring and next fall](,” he promised. “So that we make sure that they come back to the island and that they enjoy its natural beauty.” A commendable example of Greeks bearing gifts. Yet the vow seems to have taken a fair number of interested parties by surprise, including the giant holiday firm Tui (“We are awaiting further information”). I also await more details: from the proof required to prevent chancers from exploiting the generous offer, to the exact timing of the gratis getaways and whether “free” includes air travel from your nearest airport. [Summer Manifesto: what must we learn from the Rhodes wildfire crisis?]( If your nearest airport is Stansted airport, you may notice some hyperactivity in the terminal. The Essex hub has become the first of the London airports to exceed its pre-pandemic passenger numbers. In July, an average of more than 90,000 travellers passed through the Essex hub each day – [making it the busiest July on record](. Ryanair, the biggest airline at Stansted, also had a record month, with an average of seven passengers per minute boarding its aircraft across Europe. August is set to be even busier, not least with soggy British holidaymakers seeking short-notice sunshine. All the more reason to read [our guide to airport etiquette](. Too wet in the UK, too hot in southern Europe: overheated holidays could soon be insurable, with a US start-up called [Sensible Weather offering compensation if the temperature exceeds 40C](. As I remarked to my colleague, Benjamin Parker, when he wrote up the story, in my experience an excellent way to avoid excessive heat is to head for Scotland, Ireland or the Baltic. Or, as I have done this week, France – and in particular the new openings in the southwest for this summer. In Agde, the Belle Epoque-meets-Hollywood Chateau Laurens; in Béziers, the Hotel La Prison, sharing a cliff-top mirador with the cathedral; and in Narbonne, the dramatic new Via Narbo museum, featuring massive messages in stone from the Roman era. Ancient and modern marvels await – I promise. [Listen to my podcast on the latest southern French attractions](     Tip of the week: Avoid autoroutes south from Paris on Saturday However compelling the attraction of southern France may be, think twice about joining Saturday's exodus from Paris and elsewhere in northern France towards le Midi. According to [the annual calendar of predicted traffic jams]( by the French authorities, 5 August will be the worst southbound day of the year. "Circulation extrêmement difficile," is the official expectation. The worst days coming back are also predicted to be Saturdays: 19 and 26 August. PICK OF THE WEEK: VALUE ADDED TRAVEL [Elevate your last-minute holiday at 5* Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort! Enjoy a complimentary room upgrade, transfers, and indulge in the All-Inclusive Dine Around experience for unforgettable moments. Book now!]( Deal of the week: Eastern Europe with British Airways Late October marks a move back to eastern European capitals by [British Airways](. Two cities in the former Yugoslavia, Serbian capital Belgrade and Slovenian capital Ljubljana, will be added to the network from London Heathrow, while the Latvian capital, Riga, also gets a a link. All three destinations are currently served from the London area by rival airlines, but BA’s opening return fares in November are pitched very low for Heathrow departures: £81 to Riga and back, £100 to Ljubljana and £138 to Belgrade. All these examples are going out on 5 November, returning a week later. British Airways has a very generous free cabin baggage allowance: two pieces (one of them up to a jumbo 56 x 45 x 25cm), totalling 46kg. Once this is taken into account, BA could well provide the best deal. [Helen Coffey presents her guide to the best of Ljubljana]( Enjoy a year of unlimited digital access for just £99 £20 ✓ Full access to Premium news analysis ✓ Advert-free reading across web and app ✓ The Independent Daily Edition newspaper ✓ Puzzles, virtual event tickets and more [SUBSCRIBE NOW](   Question of the week: When will cheap Australia air fares return? Q I am desperate to visit family in Australia. Will flight prices fall soon? A Yes, and I am glad to say I am looking at them right now. Until the Covid pandemic, the reliable option for cut-price fares to Australia was aboard a Chinese airline via one of the hubs in the People’s Republic. Away from the peaks, fares of £600-£700 return were typical on the benchmark London-Sydney route. But from the start of the lockdown early in 2020 until very recently, overseas leisure visitors were not welcome into China, even for a simple onward connection. Meanwhile, fares soared way above pre-pandemic levels: I paid a shade over £1,200 return (out to Sydney, back from Melbourne) last year, at least 50 per cent more than my previous trip. Fares have been even higher this year. But with Air China (via Beijing), China Eastern (via Shanghai) and China Southern (via Guangzhou) back in the game, fares are falling fast. [Spend a day in Bondi, Sydney's beachfront suburb]( Looking ahead to a range of dates in November (a superb time to be in most of Australia), China Southern is selling through online travel agents for as little as £700 return, with China Eastern and Air China not far behind. The return of the ultra-low-cost carriers means fares on other airlines are coming down, with some dates on offer from the excellent Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong at less than £1,000 return. [10 days on the road to Australia's heart]( STAT OF THE WEEK €1.20 [Typical bus fare in southern France](, including for long distances, thanks to heavy public transport subsidies. It converts to just over £1. What you might have missed... - Drink diversion: [Plane from Brisbane to Bali lands in Darwin after three men vape and drink their own alcohol]( - Train trouble: [Industrial action continues in long and bitter rail dispute]( - Tourism toll: [Residents of Tuscan town outraged as bells are silenced at visitors' request]( SIMON'S DIARY Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](. Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](. I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder]( I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder]( Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder]( Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on Instagram (and also now on Threads) [@Simon_Calder]( Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel]( Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel]( [INDYBEST]( / [BEST TRAVEL BUYS]( [Best men’s summer shoes and sandals, for holidays, weddings and more]( From [sandals]( and [slides]( to [clogs]( and [trainers](, we’ve tested the [best men’s summer shoes](. [Shop now]( Trending: [Best cool bags and ice boxes]( Essential reading [Flying with weed? It’s still very much illegal – just ask Gigi Hadid](   Articles available exclusively to subscribers The climate crisis will irrevocably change how we holiday: Here’s what the future of travel looks like](   OTHER NEWSLETTERS YOU MIGHT LIKE [Climate News]( Climate News Every Friday, 12pm (UK time) Written by Louise Boyle [Join now]( [IndyEats]( IndyEats Every Saturday, 7am (UK time) Written by Hannah Twiggs [Join now]( [Climate News] Climate News Every Friday, 12pm (UK time) Written by Louise Boyle [Join now]( [IndyEats] IndyEats Every Saturday, 7am (UK time) Written by Hannah Twiggs [Join now](   The Independent proudly partners with [Refuge]( and the [National Domestic Abuse Helpline](: 0808 2000 247 If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Travel newsletter. 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