travel

Poland abortion protests

Liverpool held at Brighton

Forget the Inca Trail – we trialled the new 'Black Diamond' route to Machu Picchu

The Inca king pointed the way, his gilded arm gesturing north-west from atop the fountain in Cusco’s Plaza des Armas; this was the bearing I’d follow from the navel of the world to the terraces of Machu Picchu. Unusually, my Inca Trail began right here, in the city square, weaving new routes from old ways. The Inca created around 18,640 miles of pathways during their brief tenure as overlords of South America. The 26 miles leading to Machu Picchu – the classic Inca Trail – receives most of the attention. But I was tackling a new trek, using alternative routes (and a few road transfers) to connect Cusco and the fabled lost city. Andres Adasme, Mountain Lodges of Peru’s head of adventure, masterminded the “Black Diamond” route. “Twenty-five per cent of the route is on lightly used trails, 25 per cent is on little-used trails, and 50 per cent is absolutely off the beaten path,” he told me. I was sold. So, in a small group led by guide Guido, we began walking from Cusco. The route has its downsides – in that, it’s all up, and quickly (pre-acclimatisation is essential). Climbing past the gargantuan stones of Sacsayhuaman fortress, through rural green into spiky ichu grass, we were soon at a 14,000ft pass, being battered by hail to boot. But it was thrilling to leave the city on foot, following tourist-less footpaths to end at a private camp on Piuray Lake, drying our boots by the fire, watching the stars appear over the mountains. This was one of our wilder nights. The 10-day adventure would include a few sleeps under canvas, offset by more luxurious lodge stays.

Bahrain Grand Prix

Anti-lockdown protests

Moody capture of Brighton Palace Pier wins Historic Photographer of the Year Award

The winners of the Historic Photographer of the Year Awards 2020 have been announced. The Awards typically call on photographers to go out and capture historic places and cultural sites across the globe. However, due to the pandemic, the judges this year asked photographers to scour their personal archives for their most impressive shots. The winning photograph was awarded to Michael Marsh for his capture of the Grade-II-listed Brighton Palace Pier, while the Historic England award went to Adam Burton for his aerial view of St Michael’s Church on Somerset’s Burrow Mump. New to this year's awards, the Where History Happened award went to Martin Chamberlain, for his sombre shot of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, captured prior to the destruction wrought by the Middle Eastern country’s civil war. Commenting on the awards, judge Dan Snow said: “Historic Photographer of the Year shines a light on the fascinating beauty of the world’s historical sites. These cultural monuments stand as testament to the incredible stories that took place all around us. “The call for photographers to comb through their archives saw everything from abandoned urban landscapes and utterly transporting shots of the world's greatest cultural locations to Arthurian captures of historical wonders cloaked in other-worldly mists.” Check out the winning shots, below.

Christmas travel: Are trains running and how do you get cheap tickets?

‘Please check back from 1 December onwards for cheaper fares and the most up-to-date timetables,’ says Avanti West Coast

Government support 'vital' in keeping businesses in UK coastal cities alive post-pandemic

A UKHospitality report shows that the impact of the pandemic has been more pronounced on coastal and lakeside regions due to their reliance on tourism.

EU leaders in deadlock over whether to reopen ski resorts for Christmas

European leaders are struggling to reach a coordinated agreement on whether to keep their ski resorts shut or to reopen for business over the winter season.

Why a plate of arancini means our summer in Sicily has begun – plus the recipe

Why a plate of arancini means our summer in Sicily has begun – plus the recipeWhen the ferry docks in Palermo, the food writer heads straight to a waterside bar to devour these delicious deep-fried rice balls

Christmas trains: all off-peak, says Avanti, as festive travel tsar gets to work

The complex rail scheduling system together with train crew rosters will make it difficult to run ‘relief’ services

Britain prepares last-minute road and rail changes ahead of Christmas

It comes after Boris Johnson confirmed that COVID-19 restrictions will be eased around the festive period to allow families to celebrate together.

Coronavirus: Holiday booking sites 'impossible to contact' over refunds and cancellations

Some flight booking sites proved 'impossible to contact regarding cancellations and refunds during the UK’s lockdown,' according to consumer group Which?

The future of travel, according to Airbnb

The Man Who Pays His Way: the peer-to-peer accommodation platform has revealed the threats it faces

Why stifado is ‘the best food in Greece’ – plus the recipe

Why stifado is ‘the best food in Greece’ – plus the recipeThis rabbit stew is a big fat Greek classic with many variations, none more memorable than on a summer evening on an Ionian island

Woman shatters hundreds of bottles of alcohol inside Stevenage supermarket

Disturbing footage has emerged of a woman's five-minute rampage at an Aldi supermarket in Hertfordshire. Video filmed by a customer shows the woman calmly sweeping bottles of wine and spirits from the shelves, before going on to pick up

Most Of Canada’s Mandatory Quarantine Exemptions Were For The NHL

Travellers entering Canada are required to quarantine for 14 days to curb the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

There are more Christmas Day escapes to Europe on offer than ever

Exclusive: Travellers can depart on a wide range of 25 December flights to the Continent

The best UK cottages for the ultimate Christmas staycation

The cosiest of boltholes in which to find your festive cheer

Arsenal star crashes £140,000 car

Terrifying footage shows the moment Premier League ace Joe Willock crashed his £140,000 car

Story and video from SWNS Terrifying footage shows the moment Premier League ace Joe Willock crashed his £140,000 car while on the way to training - losing control as he went round a bend. The Arsenal and England U21s midfielder was said to have