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It’s been quite a few weeks since we included winner updates, but there have been A LOT. So here’s a brief summary...

Kat won a 9-night, two-island holiday for one person to Samoa thanks to a Samoan Tourism Authority competition. Her daughter enjoyed the stay, which included a layover in Fiji.

Mary has had two wins: Eurocamp and Welcome Lets York stays.

Jenny won tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show with full hospitality and a 2-night hotel stay.

Ang won a 2-night stay at Beaches Hotel & Spa in Prestatyn.

Fiona was delighted to win a £500 Cornish Gems holiday voucher to be used on a 2026 getaway: “My first win!! I'm so excited… their properties look beautiful and real luxury so I can't wait! Going to use it for a spring getaway to look forward to after the dreary winter months, log fire, nice walks and some lovely pub lunches!”

Kim discovered she was the lucky winner of an 8-night Andalucia cycling and walking holiday.

Jacqueline won £750 towards a caravan holiday with Away Resorts.

Sian was a Jet2 comp runner-up and received a crate of twelve craft light beers.

There have also been 12 prize updates. Here are just a few of them:

Carrie Lou: “I just got back from a holiday to Florida that I won with The Lady Magazine. The flights were amazing, the Hotel was gorgeous, swam every single day (otherwise I would have melted…) And enjoyed the air con in the hire car when the weather hit 31 degrees! Got lost on the Tuesday and got mild heatstroke! Soon sorted myself out thanks to my brother pouring his lemonade over my head… and spent the rest of the day recovering watching telly in our hotel room with a flannel over my head! We had a VIP pass to go to so many places, so didn't have to spend a fortune either! Ended up donating a load of my clothes to a nearby Goodwill just to bring back my 5 kids and husband enough American treats and toys to see them through the year… as always, keep comping! This was the pick-me-up me and my little bro needed!”

Claire: “Here are some photos of our recent trip to Suffolk. I won a stay at The Bell at Saxmundham with dinner, bed and breakfast, which we used to celebrate my husband's birthday and visited Southwold while we were there. There was a mixup with our booking, but the hotel were amazing and upgraded us to a Deluxe Suite and a bottle of champagne.”

Deborah: “Just back from a 3 night break at de Vere Tortworth Court courtesy of Condé Nast including a spa treatment, bottle of sparkly and 3 course dinner. Beautiful place to stay. We spent a day at Slimbridge Wildlife Park which is nearby and explored some of the Cotswold lanes and beauty spots.”

Elizabeth: “We are just back from combining 2 lovely wins: 4 nights in a Safari tent at Cuckoo Down Farm near Ottery St Mary, followed by a luxury Bank Holiday weekend at Burdock Vean Hotel on the Helford Estuary with spa treatments and food included! It has been well worth the time spent entering 100's of competitions (mostly unsuccessfully) to have such a treat!! Good luck everyone…”

Rachael: “I just came back from a really lovely trip which I won in this group. The competition was with Global and booking.com. Flights, private transfers and 2 nights in a luxury penthouse apartment in Valletta Malta for 4 people, plus £500 spending money. I went with my husband and our daughters. It was fantastic, thank you…!”

Congratulations to Kay, Mary, Jenny, Ang, Fiona, Kim, Jacqueline, and Sian! And thanks to everyone for all the updates. To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

There's a new win and some prize updates to let you know about this week...

Joy and her husband Andrew have been having a lucky time: “Ooh another exciting win for us! My husband Andrew won the Jetpac prize in the Japan Nakama Instagram competition. It's a £500 flight voucher to be used on any airline on flightgift, plus two lounge passes and two fast track passes. We're deciding on the destination still but will probably use it towards something a bit different ... Excited to see where we end up!”

“I also forgot to update Andrew's wins a long time ago now. He won a Ryanair competition on their Twitter account for a £100 voucher and we used it to go to Sibiu in Romania...”

Sandra has just returned from a winning trip to Greece: “Last year I won a 7 night trip to Crete on Instagram. I have just returned from that trip. I had a wonderful time, there was a bottle of wine in my room on arrival, they also gave me a free spa treatment and although it had not been mentioned before they included 3 excursions. Thank you… To those still waiting on that first win keep comping you never know what's round the corner.”

Congratulation Joy and Andrew, and Sandra! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join us on an exciting adventure as we explore Dollywood, the enchanting theme park created by the legendary Dolly Parton, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This was our first visit, and we were captivated by the thrilling rides, delightful Southern charm, and mouth-watering food on offer. But the real surprise of the day? We had an unexpected encounter with a famous face at the park—just remember, “don’t mention the fishing trip”! Come along as we uncover the sights, sounds, and unexpected moments that make Dollywood a must-visit destination.

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In this video, Phil takes viewers on an exclusive tour of the breathtaking King Tropical Beach View Villa with Private Pool at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui. Nestled in paradise, this villa offers stunning views of the turquoise lagoon and lush tropical gardens. Join him as he explores the spacious interiors, showcasing a luxurious king bed, Polynesian-inspired design, and a private pool just steps away. Experience the ultimate Bora Bora escape through this captivating room tour.

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In this episode, two Brits embark on an adventure in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, as part of their East Coast USA road trip. Nestled at the foot of the stunning Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge offers a unique blend of attractions and Southern charm. They check into the newly opened Compass Hotel by Margaritaville, conveniently located near the bustling parkway. Their exploration includes a visit to The Island in Pigeon Forge, where Mel takes on the challenge of moonshine tasting bright and early. For lunch, they indulge in a delightful meal at the Old Mill Pottery Café, renowned for its classic Southern fare. Join them as they navigate the sights and sounds of this vibrant town!

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Just one prize update to let you know about this week...

Emma-Louise messaged with an update on her Saint Lucia success from last year: “Home from the most amazing winning week at East Winds Saint Lucia. It was all inclusive and should have cost around £7-£8k for the two of us. There is just no way we could ever afford a holiday like that, it was out of this world. Believe it or not, it was actually a runner up prize!!! I entered a ‘win your Vegas wedding’ competition - we are already married but hubby lost his memory in an accident and can no longer remember our wedding. We were accepted as finalists in the competition and although we didn’t win, we really feel like we did. This is why I love comping.”

Congratulation Emma-Louise! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join Lloyd and Yaya as they explore the enchanting city of Rome, unveiling the top 20 things to do during your visit. From iconic landmarks to three hidden gems that won’t cost you a penny, this video is packed with insights to help you make the most of your Roman holiday. Whether you're a first-time visitor or returning to this historic city, there's something here for everyone.

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There are two winners and an update to let you know about this week...

Sarah’s been having a lucky time of it. She's recently won two prizes - a holiday in Ireland and a London stay: “Thank you (for posting) this (Ireland competition), very happy. Just traveling back from a win to London staying at the Mayfair Townhouse Hotel, and now won this.”

The Ireland holiday is from Leisuretime by Toureasy and includes coach travel, ferry crossings, and a 3-night half-board hotel stay with excursions.

Richard also got in touch to let us know about a win this week: “Won the Hays Travel St Patrick’s Day competition... a £1,000 voucher already used - heading to Palma in August.”

And finally to regular lucky winner, Dan, with an update on a win he gifted to his Mum: “Y'all remember I won a prize that I couldn't take but was able to give to my ma? She had a great pre-mothers' day trip, spending 2 nights at Nuthatch Retreat...”

Congratulations to Sarah and Richard, and thanks for the update, Dan! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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There are three winners to tell you about this week...

It’s been a lucky few months for Janet who’s just had her second holiday win. She’ll be enjoying a week’s half-board stay at The Views Oasis in Canico, Madeira with return flights and full spa access included - thanks to Bella Magazine and Neutradol.

Janet’s other recent success was a 10-night holiday to Bangkok and Koh Samui in Thailand with flights included: “(The Madeira holiday is) all booked for June. Can’t believe I’ve won 2 holidays in the space of 6 months.”

Kate’s new to comping but was delighted with her first ever win: “I've only been comping for about 2 weeks, and just won a hotel stay (with breakfast) in Sidmouth & tickets to the Jazz Festival to see Curtis Stigers! Thanks for sharing the competitions.”

And finally this week, Julie let us know about her win after enjoying her prize stay: “Thank you (for posting) the Boringdon Hall & Whistlefish competition just before Christmas. My partner and I have just spent the last 2 nights in this fabulous place, with use of all the spa facilities, breakfast and evening meal on the first night. The place itself is beautiful, food absolutely delicious and the staff are all friendly and nothing is too much trouble (which wasn’t because I was a winner - they really weren’t aware!). I also won a £200 gift voucher for Whistlefish that I am yet to spend.”

Congratulations to Janet, Kate, and Julie! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join Phil and Garth as they take you on a journey to the stunning Conrad Bora Bora Nui, a luxurious five-star resort located in the idyllic French Polynesia. This video offers a glimpse into a true tropical escape, showcasing the resort's crystal-clear waters, exquisite overwater bungalows, and exceptional dining experiences. Discover the breathtaking villas with panoramic views of the lagoon, savour gourmet meals at Iriatai and Tamure Beach Grill, unwind in the infinity pool while watching spectacular sunsets, and explore the pristine beaches and vibrant snorkelling spots that make this destination a slice of paradise.

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There are a couple of new wins to report this week and an update or two from serial winner “Lucky Dan”...

Carol is new to comping and was delighted with her first successes: “Only been comping for 3 weeks, 2 very nice wins this week - 2 tickets to see David Gray from Absolute Radio and Planet Friendly Baking Books from Honeywell Bakes. Very Happy to say the least, thanks for posting.”

Holly won a Living North competition for a two-night stay for two including daily breakfast at Crathorne Hall Hotel in Yarm, North Yorkshire: “First win in quite a while, thanks to this group…! Also a lovely way to start the week. All booked in and lovely that they were able to change the booking from an extra adult to 2 children instead at no extra cost. From (reading) the reviews (of) this hotel, I can't wait for a few nights away.”

It’s been a very lucky start to the year for Lucky Dan. We don’t know how he does it, but he’s won prizes from an incredible 8 competitions in the last few months! They include a 5-night stay at the Shangri-La Mauritius hotel / a night out for 4 in Birmingham including a stay at The Moxy, tickets to Hits Radio Live and karaoke / brunch and pamper session in London / a spa package and overnight stay in Dumfries / an overnight stay with Conrad London St James Hotel / a stay at Kula Apartments in London including £200 restaurant gift card and merchandise / a lake cabin stay at Lime Wood Hotel in the New Forest with dinner, spa access and £400 voucher.

And finally, Dan posted an update on a winning trip to Paris with Runderwear: “A couple of months ago I had a call from the CEO of running gear company Runderwear about winning a trip… 2 places in the Paris Half Marathon with travel and hotel, along with some running gear… The weekend came and we flew out to Paris (they even added our little baby to come and support). I had a great day in (the city) with my family and then Sunday came… adrenaline got me and I went for it… and I finished the half-marathon.”

Congratulations to Carol and Holly, and thanks for the extensive update, Dan! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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There are 9 new winners to report this week...

Leanne let us know that she'd had her first win with Le Boat competition via a National Geographic: We’ll be going on a 7 night self driving cruise through the south of France. I’ve entered competitions for over a year straight now and it’s my first win. Me and my boyfriend can’t wait!”

Caroline got in touch about a recent Cumbria win: “I recently won a 2-night stay in Lake Windermere with The Times “Where Was I?” competition, includes a meal at their Michelin star restaurant. Very happy with that.”

Yvette won a very useful holiday voucher, as well as some other travel goodies: “I ... won recently 2 suitcases 2 Suri toothbrushes a pangaia tracksuit with £4,000 Mr and Mrs Smith vouchers all in the winning prize.”

Jodie has won an all-inclusive holiday to Turkey courtesy of the Daily Mail and Jet2: “This is my third win in 2 years of entering competitions so thanks for the emails!”

Robert dropped us a message about his first win: “After a few years of trying I have won my first travel competition - a two nights stay at Norton Court Farm in Weston Super Mare plus £100 cash.”

Judith was next to report a win: “Not sure if this counts as a holiday win but I won £1,200 in Virgin Experience vouchers in January and have spent part of it on a hotel stay in Manchester for a short city break” I'd say that qualifies a mention, Judith!

Chris was another first time winner: “First holiday win, a Murder Mystery evening with overnight stay.”

Donna won a cottage stay in Scotland with Grobdale of Girthon: “we are taking it in April when we do the NC500.”

And finally, Michelle has won two wins to report! She's won a ⁠2-night mid-week hotel stay in Durham via a 40 Winks competition, and a ⁠3-night stay at Ty LLewelyn by Birch Stays for up to 12 people in Snowdonia via Country Living.

Congratulations to Leanne, Caroline, Yvette, Jodie, Robert, Judith, Chris, Donna, and Michelle! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

There are three new winners to report this week...

Firstly, we heard from Dia with a wonderful win: "Hi guys, happy to say I won a trip to Finnish Lapland with a Red One/Frozen bros competition… Thank you to everyone that posts/comments/tags and good luck to all!"

Kelly is off to an amazing start this year: Two days into February and two travel competitions WON. I can’t believe it! First is a hotel stay in London Shoreditch with £75 cocktail bar tab and 2 bottles of spirits. The second stay is a 2 night stay for six and a pet in a cottage in Northern Ireland on the Causeway Coast!!! Thank you to all who post in the fantastic Facebook group! Happy travels."

And lastly this week, Sophie let us know she'd also won a UK getaway: "I just wanted to say a massive thank you… I have just received an email to inform me that I have won the Coastal Getaway 2 Night Stay for 2 at the Holiday Inn in Bournemouth. Huge thank you to you all & this fantastic group."

Congratulations to Dia, Kelly, and Sophie! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join Jason as he embarks on his first day in Baku, the dazzling capital of Azerbaijan. In this video, he explores the vibrant central streets, soaking in the unique blend of modern architecture and rich history that defines this captivating city.

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We have a couple of winners to report this week...

Heather emailed to let us know about a nice little runner-up win via a Real Greek competition we posted recently: "Thanks so much! I won a Real Greek voucher and tickets to Mamma Mia. The Real Greek voucher arrived promptly and we used it towards a brilliant meal on a trip to London last week. Getting the Mamma Mia tickets has taken some persistence but I now have them and we’re looking forward to seeing it next month. Huge thanks again for your weekly competition emails; much appreciated"

Thanks, Heather. We've heard from a few people that prizes can take a while to come through so a little bit of persistence is sometimes required!

And Tracey let us know that she was the winner of a £250 Sykes Cottages gift card that she can use in the next two years.

Congratulations to Heather and Tracey! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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We have a couple of winners to report this week…

New winners

Sarah found out she'd won a Classic FM competition that we featured at the end of December: “I just want to send you a thank you email. Because of your weekly competition email I went and won a prize! It was a 13-day cruise to Greenland... I cannot believe it, so a huge thank you again!!”

That's quite a win! The Grand Greenland expedition cruise departs from Reykjavík to Greenland and takes in icy mountains, deep fjords and jaw-dropping glaciers. We can't wait to see some pictures! The prize also includes return flights from the UK.

The second winner was Lynn, who let us know that she'd won a £500 First Choice voucher a while ago. It sounded like a bit of an ordeal to use the voucher, as First Choice wasn't properly set up to redeem it at the time, but she got there in the end!

Congratulations to Sarah and Lynn! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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We have one extra-lucky winner and a prize update from “lucky Dan” to tell you about this week…

New winners

Luck has been on Richard’s side this week - he’s won TWO different travel competitions!

Radio Times got in touch to let him know he won their comp with Intrepid Travel for a 10-day trip to Vietnam. The prize includes hotels, breakfast, an overnight boat and sleeper train - and visits the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi and Halong Bay.

And then Richard discovered he was the winner of a Blue Danube river cruise worth up to £2,000 from TourRadar.

Prizewinner updates

And the ever-lucky Dan updated after enjoying one of his wins: “Just back from a win I had last July… I won two return Eurostar Plus trips for two people and this was the first one. We used it to get to Paris, where we then took the train to Strasbourg and Colmar - a great experience for Christmas. Eurostar Plus is fancy and was great for travelling with our baby. Here are some photos to enjoy! Thanks again and keep comping!”

Congratulations to Richard on both wins and thanks for the update, Dan! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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In this video, Jason wraps up his journey through Uzbekistan in the historic city of Khiva, a place steeped in a complex past as the site of Central Asia's largest slave market. Nestled on the edge of the desert, Khiva is known for its intriguing history filled with tales of bandits, khans, and harsh punishments. Join him as he explores this captivating city and uncovers its stories. For a comfortable stay, check out the Euroasia Hotel: 

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A lucky 7 winners to let you know about this week...

New winners

It was lovely to hear from Alex who emailed to let us know about a win: “Just wanted to… advise you that I’ve won a competition that you sent my way a wee while back - 2 flights to Taipei in Taiwan courtesy of the Taiwan Tourist Board and EVA airlines !! I’m fair chuffed as they say. I wouldn’t have known about the competition if it wasn’t for you so thanks again.”

Sian won one of the First Choice monthly prizes of a £500 voucher to spend towards the holiday of her choice.

Emma won the Visit Bath competition that we featured in the Sunday email two weeks ago: “I'm very excited to say that I've won my first prize after 3 years of entering. It's the Visit Bath A Cosy New Year Break competition. It consists of a night at Hotel Indigo, a meal for 2 plus beer at the Bath Brew House, and tickets to a comedy club at Komedia…”

Giorgia found out she’d won a comp on Instagram: “Feeling so grateful to have won a £1,000 TUI voucher from an Instagram competition. I can now treat my boyfriend to a trip away to celebrate his 30th birthday. I love comping on Instagram!!”

Patrick will be enjoying a trip to France in 2025 from a November Sunday email comp… although he didn’t quite believe the person who phoned to tell him at first: “Thanks (for the) link to the Greatest Hits Radio comp for a return trip to France with Brittany Ferries, two nights accommodation and £250 cash. After calling the man who rang with the good news ‘a scammer’ - then apologising - (we’re) now booked for next June in St Malo.”

Emily discovered she’s the lucky winner of a Cornish Holiday Team competition for a 3-night getaway to Bodannon in Porthtowan, Cornwall.

And finally this week, Paula won a luxury spa break in North Wales with Women’s Health Magazine

Congratulations to Alex, Sian, Emma, Giorgia, Patrick, Emily, and Paula! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join Jason as he embarks on a captivating journey through Bukhara, Uzbekistan, a city steeped in history and a key stop on the Silk Road. Over a few days, he uncovers the remarkable sights and rich culture that make Bukhara a must-visit destination. From stunning architecture to vibrant local life, this video showcases the essence of this enchanting city. For those considering a stay, check out the Old Bukhara Boutique and Omar Khayyam Hotel for a taste of local hospitality.

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A short and sweet update this week with 3 new winners...

New winners

Jacquelyn won the Crew Clothing Women’s Six Nations competition: “Thank you for posting the competition to win tickets to Twickenham to watch women’s England rugby team v France and £400 of Crew Clothing. I have won!! Can’t wait to see them win in April and model my new clothes xx”

Jacquelyn’s full prize is 4 tickets the England v France home game at Twickenham for the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, an overnight hotel stay in London with breakfast, and £400 Crew Clothing voucher.

Phil won an overnight stay at Beaulieu Inn in the New Forest with Sunday lunch included. Yum!

And finally this week, Maria was selected to go live on KISS FM and won a hotel stay anywhere in the UK, including travel and a £100 Costa voucher.

Congratulations to Jacquelyn, Phil, and Maria! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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There are 2 wins and a prize update to tell you about this week...

New winners

Meryl won a competition with Cunard and has already enjoyed her prize: “I have just won a fantastic competition where I received tickets to the King’s Trust Carol Concert at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge and to stay at the (5-star) The Londoner hotel in Leicester Square… We had a great time!”

Rebecca was the lucky winner of Visit Bristol’s “Ultimate Festive Break”. It has to be taken this month and Rebecca was allowed to gift it to her parents: “Really excited to share that I have won… includes: Sweet Escape package from Bristol Christmas Market which includes entry for two to the Candy Factory Escape Room, two hot chocolate vouchers, two large churros vouchers to share, plus a ride token per person for the Ferris wheel or Christmas Express train ride. A pair of hospitality tickets to the A Christmas Carol: The Drone Light Show with access to the Grace Lounge, including a complimentary welcome drink and a two-course festive buffet. A two-night stay in an upgraded Superior King room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City Centre with views of St Mary Redcliffe Church, including breakfast and parking. A £100 Love Bristol Gift Card. Prize had to be taken in December and I can’t go due to work but they were gracious enough to allow me to gift it to my parents… A truly lovely Christmas gift for them.”

Prizewinner updates

And finally this week, Maggie posted a photo and quick update after returning from her 14-night Caribbean cruise that she won back in March: “Back from a Caribbean Cruise (6 islands in 2 weeks), that I won with P&O, thank you...”

Maggie’s full prize, courtesy of Heart Radio and P&O was a Balcony room on-board P&O’s Arvia ship sailing from Barbados on 8th November, and visiting Martinique, Saint Kitts, the British Virgin Islands, Saint Maarten, Antigua, Grenada and Saint Lucia. It included return flights and transfers, on-board meals, and a £500 travel allowance to get to and from the airport in the UK.

Congratulations to Meryl and Rebecca, and thanks for the update, Maggie! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Miami Surprised Us BUT It’s ALL OVER! Our cruises on Celebrity Apex and Allure of the Seas are over and we end our trip with a few days in Miami, Florida. Although just when we fell in love with Miami, it was time to go! This time, we stayed in Coconut Grove rather than South Beach. This area was far more relaxed, and we got to see more of Miami. These included Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Brickell, and Little Havana. 

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There are 2 new wins and 3 prize updates this week...

New winners

Tanner won a fabulous stay in the Maldives: “Really excited to have received an email today that I have won 5 nights all-inclusive in a Beach Villa at Dhigali Maldives - won through County Wedding Magazines! No flights included so we just need to figure out how to fit it into our honeymoon plans for next year.”

And Bonnie won a £200 EasyJet voucher. Let us know what you spend it on!

Prizewinner updates

Claire messaged from Saint Lucia where she’s having a great time on her prize win from January: “Currently enjoying our 5 day all-inclusive stay at The Landings St Lucia... our prize from the St Lucia Tourist Authority from earlier this year. Perfect in every way.. keep entering those competitions.”

Paul enjoyed his stay ay Andy Murray’s Cromlix Hotel: “Outside our hotel near Dunblane {This is the hotel we won via the Sunday Times “Where Was I? competition). We had an excellent suite. The food was second to none. Admittedly if you wanted a drink, the cheapest bottle of wine was £30. The most expensive was £1100. I believe Andy Murray was married in the small chapel in the hotel…”

And finally to Sunday competition email regular who we affectionately call “Lucky Dan”...

“I love to share updates of my prizes with you, but this one was really special, it was such a heart warming experience.

As previously mentioned, I'd won a stay with the Prince Akatoki hotel in London by putting a wish on their Tanabata tree. My wish was something about making magical memories as a family for our baby daughter, and they certainly made that wish come true.

We arrived and they upgraded us to a junior suite . They couldn't have been more welcoming and were obsessed with our baby. The room was so comfortable and big, with a Japanese toilet! They did a little turn down service, providing some sweet treats. The next morning, breakfast was in a beautiful Japanese inspired room, with lots of options..they made a little portion of porridge for baby M and then one of the lovely hotel staff came and brought activities and a little hotel teddy over for her. He was so lovely and talked with us about our families.

This was a fantastic win that I wasn't expecting. Keep at it guys.”

Congratulations to Tanner and Bonnie, and thanks for the updates, Claire, Paul, and Dan! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join Jason on an exciting journey through Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a city steeped in history and a key stop on the legendary Silk Road. In this travel guide, viewers will discover the rich culture, stunning architecture, and vibrant markets that make Samarkand a must-visit destination. From tips on where to stay to the best local experiences, this video is packed with insights for anyone looking to explore this enchanting city.

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There are 3 new winners and a prize update from “Lucky Dan” to report this week...

New winners

It’s always lovely to hear from our subscribers and followers with positive comments and feedback - and especially when they’ve won a competition… so it was great to hear from Dawn letting us know she’d won a COVE comp: “Just letting you know that I recently won 2 nights at the Cove at Landmark Pinnacle in Canary Wharf, London. We are all booked up for a trip to see the sights, theatre and Christmas shopping! …it just shows if you keep on entering you will eventually win! Keep up the good work!”

Tracy was another lucky winner this week partly thanks to her tortoise, Taco! Her photo of Taco proudly wearing his mini Christmas hat won a Festive Pet Picture competition. Tracy’s prize is a 2-night stay for 2 in a seaview room at The Old Ship Hotel in Brighton - including a flight for 2 on the Brighton i360, 2 tickets for The Royal Pavilion, and a round of indoor crazy golf with a cocktail each.

And Paula won a Condé Nast Johansens competition we featured last month. Her full prize is a 2-night stay at Château de La Vallière in France’s Loire Valley - including daily breakfast and dinner on one evening.

Prizewinner updates

Finally this week, Lucky Dan updated us after enjoying a hotel stay in Copenhagen he won a while ago with Humadakin: “…The hotel was in a great area for getting around, very close to a bakery we loved. We had breakfast included which was all organic (with prosecco too)… Also included… was an hour each evening of free wine and then a nightcap (or three) at bedtime, and they were some top brand liqueurs… The room was comfortable and, although we had to pay a little extra to include a baby cot, was a decent size and accommodated the three of us well. We had a lovely time!”

Congratulations to Dawn, Tracy, and Paula, and thanks for another update, Dan! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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There are four winners and three prize updates to report this week...

New winners

It was great to hear from Alex who emailed to let us know they won the Sainsbury’s comp we featured in the Sunday emails a couple of weeks ago. Their full prize is a pair of tickets to The Mousetrap & an overnight stay at The Royal Horseguards Hotel in London.

⁠Kerry was announced as the lucky winner of the long-running Ricola competition which was also featured in the Sunday emails and which closed in September. She’s won a £1,300 travel voucher to spend on a trip to Switzerland and a year’s supply of Ricola sweets.

Someone who’s asked to remain anonymous (who we'll call Jim) has won the STIHL competition from a Sunday email in September to win a £1,000 National Trust Holidays voucher & £1,000 STIHL tools voucher): “I've been entering competitions via Stuart's Sunday morning email for around 5 years. I took the view that sometime, one day, it would be my day. That day finally happened in September this year. I’ve just booked a stay in a very nice looking National Trust location in the south of England next summer. Keep the faith, everyone.”

Carrie-Lou was another lucky winner a couple of days ago: “With huge thanks… I just got an email (from Drifters) telling me I won a £1000 Canal Boat holiday to be taken by the end of May! Very pleased! I have been so very lucky as I have a trip to Sarasota Florida that I won earlier this year to be taken early May; my husband’s having all the kids while I go with my brother. Then going to come home, have two days washing clothes lol, grab the kids and then go on a canal boat holiday! Thank you!! Our hobby is the best.”

Prizewinner updates

Laura messaged to let us know she’d enjoyed a stay in Cambridge: “I was lucky enough to win an overnight stay with breakfast at University Arms, Cambridge... a bottle of limited edition gin and a cocktail making class from Cambridge Gin Laboratory which we booked for a few weeks back! My husband & I had a fantastic time and enjoyed being back in Cambridge for the first time in nearly 10 years! Thank you to everyone who shares these competitions and good luck to everyone still on the hunt for their first win!”

Caroline got in touch to let us know that she'd just returned from a wonderful break in Malaga that she booked after winning a £1,000 EasyJet voucher earlier in the year: "It’s a wonderful city with lots to see & do plus a great culture... Thanks again, it was my first win & I will certainly keep trying!!"

And last but not least, Lisa updated us on a Johansens win from a competition we featured back in April: “Just returned from an amazing trip to Porto which I won through Condé Nast Johansens. I stayed at the amazing The Lodge Hotel. We also did a trip to the Douro Valley for wine tasting… Memories to last a lifetime.”

Congratulations to Alex, Jim, Kerry, and Carrie-Lou! And thanks for the updates, Laura, Caroline, and Lisa! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join Jason as he embarks on a day of discovery in Tashkent, the vibrant capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia. From its rich history to modern attractions, this video captures the essence of Tashkent and its unique charm.

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We've heard from 4 new winners this week...

New winners

Sue got in touch to let us she was the lucky winner of the Food Magazine comp we featured a few weeks ago: “Thanks to you I have just won the St Michaels Resort trip from this email! Cheers.”

Sue’s full prize is a 2-night stay for 2 in a luxury king bedroom at St Michaels Resort in Falmouth with daily breakfast, 3-course dinner, 2-course lunch, Hydrothermal spa experience and ‘swim and gym’ health club access.

Jane won a city break to Rome with return flights, airport transfers, 2-night hotel stay with breakfast and a sightseeing activity from a Mail Online and Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pizza competition: “So excited to have my first win!!”

⁠Dana discovered she’d won a £1,000 TUI holiday voucher in a Hays Travel comp.

And finally this week, Hayley was announced as the winner of a Good Housekeeping competition and will be enjoying a 2-night stay with Lyme Regis Stays in Dorset along with a guided tour and tasting at Lyme Bay Winery.

Congratulations to Sue, Jane, Dana, and Hayley! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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I’ve been away for the past two weeks, so there are a lot of successes to catch up on...

New winners

Tanner was the lucky winner of the Brightsun Travel comp that we featured in the Sunday emails at the end of September: “...I am excited to have won 2 return flights to Hong Kong with Cathay (Pacific)… I think we're going to turn it into a 2 in 1 trip and also go to New Zealand, probably for our honeymoon next year.”

Lindy was another big prizewinner: “Won a fabulous two week safari to Tanzania. I knew I’d never be well enough to go so my eldest daughter and partner are going. Just so thrilled for her.”

Jodie won one of the Northern Rail “Traincation” prizes and will be enjoying an overnight stay at Ensana Buxton Crescent Hotel in the Peak District.

Liana won the Greatest Hits Radio competition for a mini-cruise to Amsterdam or Rotterdam plus £200 spending money.

Carla was delighted with her first win after entering the crisp in, crisp out Walkers competition: “...I have won a 3 night stay in Falmouth with a speed boat experience. I've been entering competitions on and off for 9 years. This is my first big win. Stay with it, don't get disheartened. It will happen to you.”

⁠Ang is off to see The Courteeners with an overnight stay at Ibis Style Leeds Arena hotel after winning their competition on Instagram.

Another Leeds comp winner is Artemis. She’ll be staying at the Crowne Plaza hotel in the city.

⁠And not all wins have to be huge ones… Lisa was pleased with her runner-up prize of a beanie hat this week.

Prizewinner updates

Helen got in touch after returning from her winning holiday to The Maldives - a competition we featured in February: “We have just returned from a trip to The Maldives with a stopover in Doha that I won with Qatar Airways early this year. What an amazing trip… Thanks for including the competition on your newsletter.”

Elaine updated us after enjoying her prize stay in Berkshire: “Recently won an overnight stay at The Hind’s Head, Aldermaston and we stayed on Friday night. Beautiful room, lovely pub and amazing breakfast.”

Graham posted some photos from his Southampton Boat Show online comp-winning week of sailing round the Ionian Islands in Greece:

Suzana also enjoyed her prize win recently: “This March, we were lucky enough to win a competition with Artist Residence. Our prize was a fantastic stay at one of their hotels, featuring Bramley products, refreshing cocktails, and a delicious breakfast. We opted for Artist Residence in Bristol and loved our time in the Loft room with its private balcony.”

Elizabeth also updated us after enjoying her prize win from March: “Just back from a really lovely weekend in Butterton, Leek that I won back in March. The prize was 2 nights in a self catering farm cottage for 4 of us. Not a fancy win but honestly, we had a wonderful weekend and feel like we've had a week away even though it was only Friday and Saturday night! Keep going everyone - there is good luck out there…”

⁠And finally this week, Linda messaged after enjoying a prize from a competition she won last Christmas: “Just returned from a 2 night break in Edinburgh that I won at the beginning of the year in a Christmas competition. Had a fabulous time from start to finish - only improvement could have been the weather. Hotel was perfect with very friendly, accommodating staff & food was excellent. Lots of sightseeing despite the incessant rain. Good luck everyone - hope lots of wins are coming your way.”

Congratulations to Tanner, Lindy, Jodie, Liana, Carla, Ang, Artemis, and Lisa! And thanks for the updates, Helen, Elaine, Graham, Suzana, Elizabeth, and Linda! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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Join Jason as he embarks on his first day in Tashkent, the vibrant capital of Uzbekistan. In this video, he explores the city's rich culture, stunning architecture, and local delights. 

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In this video, Jason takes a closer look at the cost of living in London in 2024. From transport to dining out, he breaks down what you can expect to spend while exploring the capital. Plus, he shares a handy discount code for Holafly to help you save on eSIM data. If you're curious about how to enjoy London without breaking the bank, be sure to check out his guide on everything you can do for free in the city.

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We have three new winners and two prize-winning updates this week...

New winners

First up, Callum was drawn as the winner of our very own competition to win a three-night stay at Bodmin Jail hotel. Callum and a guest will be enjoying his stay in the slammer with breakfast each morning and tickets for The Bodmin Jail Attraction.

Penny got in touch to let us know she was chosen as the lucky winner of a Visit Cheltenham comp: “Very excited with my first win. I won the Cheltenham weekend with the private castle tour. I’ve been entering comps for over 2 years, looking forward to going! Thank you!”

Penny’s full prize is a 2-night stay for 4 at the George Hotel in Cheltenham, along with the private guided tour of Sudeley Castle.

Tom won a VIP day at a beauty show with an overnight stay in London and a winery visit the next day: “My girlfriend will love the day out at the beauty show and I'm sure we'll both love the winery visit! This was in OK magazine…posted here.”

Prizewinner updates

Shantel updated us on her recent Lake District stay: “Travelling back home after the most wonderful week at Whinfell Forest Center Parcs courtesy of Simply Owners. We visited Penrith which is such a beautiful little town. We booked to visit the owls and had a fantastic time on the electric boats. We also had a wonderful experience in the spa, which was booked for our last night. Very therapeutic. My first ever win ... it may be you next!!”

Congratulations to Callum, Penny, and Tom! And thanks for the updates, Helen and Shantel! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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In this video, Jason takes viewers on a delightful stroll through London, showcasing the myriad of free activities and attractions the capital has to offer. From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, he reveals how you can explore this vibrant city without spending a penny. Join him for an inspiring journey through the heart of London, where adventure awaits at no cost!

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"What is Burning Man?" is a question we get all the time. After several attempts of trying to explain it (and still leaving people confused), I figured it makes more sense to show you around what a day in Burning Man is actually like so you can get a sense of some of the things that happen at Burning Man.

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This video is all about my visit to Exploring Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. Here are all the places that I visited on this trip to Fukuoka: - Fukuoka Tower - Momochi Seaside Park - TeamLab Forest - Ohori Park - Yatai in Nagahama - Tonkotsu Ramen - Yanagawa - Yanagawa Punting Tour - Kushida Shrine - Hakatamachiya Furusatokan museum - Fukuma - Toyomura Sake Brewery - Munakata Taisha Shrine - Uminomichi Munakatakan - Hakata shinkansen station - Kokura - Kokura Castle - Kokura Castle...

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This afternoon we drew the winner of our Bodmin Jail competition that closed for entries yesterday - 15th September 2024. 

A surprising number of you want to experience a few nights behind bars! The hotel is a fabulous luxury conversion of a former prison, offering 70 beautifully designed rooms, each featuring deep freestanding baths and comfy beds with sumptuous Egyptian cotton bedding. Outside the cells, you can indulge in some bubbles in the chic Champagne Bar, or head to the signature restaurant, The Chapel.

A big congratulations to our winner, Callum Hay!

Callum and a lucky guest will enjoy a three-night stay with breakfast each morning and tickets for The Bodmin Jail Attraction.

A very big congratulations to Callumfrom all of us here at Travelscoop. If you didn't win this time around, check our holiday competitions page for more chances to win. For even more holiday and travel competitions, join our Travel Competitions Facebook Group where over 32,000 compers share the best competitions the UK has to offer!

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A lucky seven successes and one winner to report this week...

New winners

It was lovely to hear from Roger who let us know he won a competition we featured in July: “Hi Stuart. I look forward to your competition emails on Sunday mornings and I was amazed that I have been selected as a winner of a £2500 On the Beach holiday voucher in the Heidi Swain book competition from the publishers Simon & Schuster… I have booked a holiday with my wife and we are going to Mauritius. Thank you.”

Deborah was excited to win the Condé Nast Traveller competition that was also featured back in July. Deborah’s prize is a 3-night stay for 2 at De Vere Tortworth Court, Bristol, including first class train tickets from London Paddington, transfers from the station, a bottle of Silver Reign English sparkling wine on arrival, 3-course dinner with wine, breakfast each morning, and a 50-minute body massage each.

Janet was another lucky winner from a Sunday email comp. She won the Fan Club Thailand giveaway that we featured in August: “WOW I’m joining the winners list… Absolutely over the moon.”

Janet’s full prize is a 10-night holiday to Thailand for 2 which includes return Eva Air flights from London to Bangkok, 6 nights split between 2 different hotels in the city, and internal return flights from Bangkok to Koh Samui with a 4-night stay in a beach pool villa on the island including breakfast and a massage each.

James was another winner this week: “Just had my first win of the year. Won a night at The Oaks in Oxford for 2 people and they kindly allowed me to upgrade it to the tree house for 2 nights (I did pay more) so the kids can come too... Can't wait.”

Becs won a 2-night stay at Cowarth Park in Berkshire with dinner and breakfast both days, plus champagne afternoon tea & use of the spa after entering a The Lady Magazine competition.

⁠Elaine was another winner of a Berkshire stay: she’ll be enjoying a night at The Hind’s Head in Aldermaston with breakfast and a bottle of prosecco.

Kendra won a The Manc comp this week: “So excited to announce I’ve won (a) fabulous competition. We celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary next month and 25 years together this year so this has come at the best time! Includes hotel and flights, £250 to spend in World Duty free, free car parking, fast track and meal at Manchester Airport and £50 costa coffee voucher.”

Prizewinner updates

And finally this week, Andrew updated us from his winning stay in Crete: “2nd day into my win. Thanks to Jet2 and Evening Chronicle. 1 week in 5* beach front hotel on half board in Crete. 2nd holiday win abroad in 5 years so stick with it and keep entering. Thanks to everyone who posts these competitions.”

Congratulations to Roger, Deborah, Janet, James, Becs, Elaine, and Kendra! And thanks for the update, Andrew! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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This is my journey on the Camellia Line, an overnight sleeper Ferry from Busan, South Korea to Fukuoka, Japan. I travelled First Class and upgraded my ticket to second class. The cost was £70 one-way...

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City breaks are one of my favourite ways to get away, you can hop on a short flight and be somewhere totally new. And city breaks can be as long as you want them to be. I’ve done a lot of 2 night stays to maximise bank holidays, but equally you can spend weeks exploring a new city.

City breaks can be as cheap as you want them to be if you’re flexible on when you go, your accommodation etc. If you’re looking for a city break on a budget it’s best to skip Scandivania (although it can still be done), and focus on countries that still use their own currency (mainly Eastern European).

Here are a few European cities you can explore for a lower budget.

Vilnius, Lithuania

The Lithuanian capital Vilnius won the title of the cheapest European city in 2024 thanks to its cheap transport, affordable food and bargain flights. In fact, it’s won the title a few times over the past decade (2015, 2019 and 2020). The results found that costs in Vilnius were less than half those of 18 other cities.

For views of the city take a walk up Gediminas Hill and visit the ancient ruins and churches across the city.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is the city that pipped Vilnius to the spot of cheapest European city in 2023. A lot of budget airlines fly to Lisbon including Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air and Tap Air Portugal so you’ll have plenty of options to fly.

Food is cheap in the city, and beer will only set you back about £2.26 - an absolute bargain. Plus the weather’s always so much nicer in Portugal than in the UK. We headed to Portugal in early November one year and it was still warm enough to sunbathe and swim.

Krakow, Poland

Poland’s second largest city, Krakow, is rich in culture and you can get a lot for your money. During the summer months, the city comes alive with people eating and drinking in the beautiful squares, and in the lead-up to Christmas the historical squares house amazing markets full of festive treats.

Take a trip down the famous salt mines or bask in the beauty of St Mary’s Basilica.

Tirana, Albania

Tirana is becoming more popular thanks to images of its beautiful coastal stretches and pastel buildings flooding social media.The city offers some of the cheapest accommodation options in Europe so you can do a long weekend without breaking the bank.

The capital is known for its colourful Ottoman-, Fascist-, and Soviet-era architecture and it sounds like such an interesting place. You can learn more about the city's past at the NationalHistory Museum and sip on a coffee or rakija (plum brandy) to feel the Albanian hospitality.

Athens, Greece

Athens holds the spot as the fifth cheapest city break in Europe with hotels being particularly good value in the Greek capital. According to the survey, two nights at a standard three-star hotel for two guests cost on average £89.

Whatever you want from a holiday, Athens can offer it. If you want to explore history then head to view the Acropolis ruins, or if you want to just eat your way round the city then make sure you get an authentic gyros. And if it's beautiful beaches you're after, they're just a short tram or taxi ride away.

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We have 5 wins and 2 updates this week...

New winners

Vicki was chosen as the lucky winner of The Entertainer competition that was in a Sunday email in early August: “… I’m so excited to have won my first competition via Travelscoop! We'll be off to Paris for an action packed trip!”

Vicki’s full prize is a 4-night family trip to France including return flights, transfers, 3 nights in a hotel in Paris and a night in a luxury chateau. Plus, side-car tour, laser tag, karaoke session, karate masterclass and an immersive heist challenge.

Sue won one of the 25 weekend hotel stays with British Airways that we featured last month: "Happy to say I'm joining the recent successful run of winners...! I won a weekend in a suite at the Standard Hotel in London (through BA Executive Club)... I have booked the weekend of a family wedding in London so couldn't be better!”

Shantel is a regular competition poster in our Facebook Travel Competition group so it was lovely to see her get a win this week. She’s won a £1,000 gift card to spend on a Central Paris getaway.

Elizabeth was also a winner: “Lovely little win to Lucksall Caravan Park in Hereford coming up. First one with our Dachshund puppy which will be fun... Thanks as always to the people… who share these winning opportunities.”

And Joanna discovered she’d won Stratford Parks’ “Win A Holiday For 2025” comp and will be enjoying a 3-night stay for up to 4 people in a 2-bed caravan at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Prizewinner updates

Jill updated us on her recent win: “Last year I won a fantastic prize from Hodder & Stoughton, it was £600 hotel voucher & £400 flight voucher. I’ve just come back from fabulous Stockholm, it was somewhere that I felt we wouldn’t have had the chance to visit if I hadn’t won the wonderful prize… I wanted to thank everyone that makes the effort to post...”

Congratulations to Vicki, Sue, Shantel, Elizabeth, and Joanna! And thanks for the updates, Jill and Nicola! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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I was travelling again last week so we have two weeks’ worth of winners to catch up on - and there’ve been some big ones…

New winners

Samantha was delighted to win the £10,000 family holiday to the Dominican Republic with Deichmann that we featured towards the end of May. Her full prize is a 7-night all-inclusive stay at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, along with return flights and transfers for a family of 4.

⁠Also off to the Caribbean is Vikki who was the lucky winner of a week in Tobago, from the Sun Travel Awards competition. Her full prize is a 7-night stay for 2 at Coco Reef Resort & Spa including return BA flights, transfers and daily breakfast. She said: “…what a week for some of us! I've only been comping since Jan/Feb and just had my first win… Im still in shock! …Never had a honeymoon nine years ago as my son came along so this is it! Shocked, stunned but oh so grateful!”

Helena was in shock after winning a holiday to Bangkok with Zing which includes return flights, a 5-night 5-star hotel stay with breakfast, a 3-course meal and two excursions.

Debi has won an overnight hotel stay with afternoon tea.

Elizabeth got in touch to let us know about another success: “I'm happy to say that I'm joining the winners for this week...a weekend's glamping at Cuckoo Down Farm in Devon…with Spoilt Pig, so we will be heading there some time in the future. Thank you, as always…”

Leah won a John West competition and will be receiving a £500 voucher to spend on a trip to Paris.

Dot also let us know about a win after entering an Asda and Cadbury’s Grow Grassroots competition: “…just wanted to say thank you… I’ve won a night away including hotel and travel and tickets to a football match. This is my first proper win!”. Dot’s full prize is 2x football match tickets at her choice of Cadbury partner club, an overnight 5 or 4-star hotel stay with breakfast, £200 to spend, a Cadbury’s hamper, and a £500 donation and team kitbag for her nominated local football club.

Prizewinner updates

And finally this week, Mary updated us after enjoying a couple of her prize wins: 

“I just love this hobby. We have just returned from an amazing couple of days at Armathwaite Hotel in the Lake District thanks to Aqua Pura and visit Cumbria and now enjoying Legoland thanks to Sky. Thanks to this great Facebook community for all the posts and tags. Good luck everyone.”

Congratulations to Samantha, Vikki, Helena, Debi, Elizabeth, Leah, and Dot! And thanks for the update, Mary! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

There are two new winners this week and we have two winner updates for you...

New winners

Lorna was delighted to win a 2-night stay in Gdansk, Poland, and 2 airport lounge passes with the Wigan Runner: “A huge thank you ...I was the lucky winner & can’t wait to take my 9yr old son on his first foreign holiday... “

“Lucky Lindsay” (who we mentioned last Sunday for other wins) was a winner again this week and got to enjoy her prize almost straight away… “So excited ... I feel like "Lucky Dan" haha! I received a notification on FB ... to say I'd won a night in Bristol with Sky Lounge hospitality tickets for the Bristol Balloon Fiesta this weekend ... We had an early start for the Mass Ascent of over 50 balloons at 6am… Rain was forecast, however, again we lucked out and only had a few spots, so the balloons took off as scheduled. The rest of the day was filled with exploring the stalls, watching the other events, returning to the car for a snooze, and enjoying the sunshine before the second Mass Ascent at 6pm. The day came to a close with the Night Glow, set to a compilation of tunes. A wonderful end to a fabulous, albeit long, day!"

Prizewinner updates

And so to the aforementioned “Lucky Dan” who enjoyed his prize penthouse stay at Park Regis in Birmingham last week. It included afternoon tea, breakfast and a massage each.⁠

Lastly, Michelle had a lovely time in Oxfordshire enjoying her prize stay: “Back in January I won this delightful stay in Oxfordshire, we are just back from a wonderful 3 nights at Appletree Cottage with Park Farm Holidays taking in some delicious food at local pubs!!”⁠

Congratulations to Lorna and Lindsay! And thanks for the updates, Dan and Michelle! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

An intro to Tuolumne County, California. Places that I visited on this trip to Tuolumne County: Sonora, Tuolumne County, California - Sonora INN Hotel - The Armory BBQ - Columbia State Historic Park - St Charles Saloon - Indigeny Reserve - Railtown 1897 State Historic Park - Explore Downtown Jamestown - Jamestown Frosty - EL ARROYO Sonora - Pinecrest Lake - Cleo's Bath Trail - Cover’s Apple Ranch, Vista Rim of the world - and more...

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

There are 3 new winners and one prize update to let you know about this week...

New winners

Mark won one of the Condé Nast Johansens July comps that we featured in the Sunday emails and he’ll be enjoying a trip to Malta: “Just had an email that made my day. I have always wanted to visit Malta.” Mark’s full prize is a 2-night stay for 2 at Iniala Harbour House in Valletta - in a suite with views of the UNESCO Grand Harbour, plus daily breakfast and a massage.

Becca won an overnight family stay at Warwick Caste Hotel and £1,000 cash with Hits Radio

⁠Nicola also messaged this week after hearing she’d won an overnight stay with dinner and breakfast at ABode Canterbury with insideKENT: “A nice little win this morning! Thank you to everyone for the regular competition updates and posts. Make sure you always keep entering, someone has to win this stuff.”

Prizewinner updates

And finally this week, an update from Lindsay: “…It's always great to see all the wins coming in. Personally, I've not had as much time to enter many competitions this year, however, at the end of last year I was lucky enough to win a 2 night stay through Hand Picked Hotels on Instagram… we eventually took the break at the beginning of July, just before we moved house ... which wasn't the best timing, haha! We could stay at any hotel in their collection, so decided to stay at Bailbrook House Hotel, Bath. It included breakfast and a wonderful a la carte evening meal with wine. We lucked out with a day of sunshine after all the rain too! Good luck everyone...”

Congratulations to Mark, Becca, and Nicola! And thanks for the update, Lindsay! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

We have 9 new winners and 2 prize updates to report this week...

New winners

Andie was already away on holiday and delighted to receive an email telling her she’d won a 7-night Norwegian Fjords cruise for 2 from the Cunard/RHS competition we featured. Andie (and a guest) will be enjoying a Balcony Stateroom on Cunard's Queen Anne ship in August and September next year.

Rachael was another delighted winner: “Thank you to this group, I've won a holiday and spending money! I had a choice of destination, and I've chosen Valletta in Malta.” Rachael’s full prize - from Global Radio - includes return flights and airport transfers for 4, 2 nights in a sea view penthouse and £500 to spend.

Sandra won a Simply Be competition and will be enjoying a 7-night holiday to Crete and £1,000 of Simply Be summer essentials.

Melanie was another lucky winner this week: “I wanted to share with you all the news that I won a competition! This is my first win and after entering hundreds (probably thousands) of competitions I can’t believe it! I won a Cosmopolitan competition of 3 nights at Valamar Argosy Hotel in Dubrovnik! To those who haven’t had a win yet, keep at it!”

Mandi won a New Year’s Eve stay in Falmouth, Cornwall

Maria is also heading for the beautiful Cornish Coast after discovering she’d won a 2-night stay at Wooldown Holiday Cottages in Bude.

Carol heard from QHotels letting her know she’d won an overnight stay with dinner.

And our last new winner is more of a *near miss*. Russell won a Visa competition for two days in France to watch 2 Olympic events with hotel stay, but... “it clashes with my daughter’s camp so I had to turn it down! ... It’s a bitter blow, so sad!”. It does happen, unfortunately - better luck next time!

Prizewinner updates

Jenny enjoyed her prize-winning day at Hickstead Royal International Horse Show: “… won 2 tickets to Hickstead and we went Friday. Fab day out.”

And finally this week, it was great to hear from Phil with an update on his win from a little while ago: “I posted a while back about having won a night at The Prom Hotel in Great Yarmouth - Finally got around to using it at the beginning of July… The hotel is great, the prize was a night in The Promenade Suite and it was stunning, so much better than you might think Yarmouth has to offer… highly recommend it...”

Congratulations to Andie, Rachael, Sandra, Melanie, Mandi, Elizabeth, Maria, Carol, and Russell! And thanks for the updates, Jenny and Phil! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Going back 10-20 years it was a ritual to go to the currency exchange office to get your cash out before a trip. But now it’s quite unusual to go cash-only on holiday.

Much like the UK a lot of countries have moved to digital spending which is much safer than carrying around loads of cash.

Using your card abroad

Most credit and debit cards will let you spend abroad, but not all of them allow you to do this for free. Some will charge you for the privilege, adding on foreign transaction fees after the currency exchange. These are officially called ‘non-sterling transaction fees’ and are around 3%, so if you spend £100 it will cost you £103. They'll do this regardless of whether you spend with the physical card, or using the card via Apple or Google pay.

On top of this some debit cards charge a flat fee each and every time you spend overseas, regardless of how much. And withdrawing cash can add fees and interest as well.

How to avoid bank charges abroad

Travel focused providers

Some providers offer fee-free spending abroad and even ATM withdrawals so if you’re going to be using a card abroad it might be worth opening a new account (if you don’t have one already).

Chase gives 1% cashback on most spending, even abroad, and offers a near perfect exchange rate. With First Direct all overseas spending and ATM withdrawals are fee-free and interest-free, and you can get a switching bonus if you move your account to them.

I have a Monzo card and it’s fee-free to spend abroad, and they pass the Mastercard exchange rate directly to the customer with no extra charges. Depending on how you use Monzo you may have a limit on how much you can withdraw. I have Monzo Plus which gives unlimited fee- free withdrawals in the European Economic Area and £400 fee-free every 30 days outside the EEA. Wise offer a similar service, with the added bonus that you can create a foreign currency sub-account and convert your travel money into it. All transactions in the matching currency will come out of that sub-account first, so you can more easily track your spending.

Use a prepaid travel card

Lots of places offer specific currency cards where you can load on your currency and lock in a rate in advance. Some of them charge fees or take a cut of the exchange rate, but they can offer you security that you’re not using your account card.

I used to have one from the Post Office that I uploaded my spending money on, but Revolut and Wise can work in a similar way.

Spend in local currency

When you use a card abroad you’ll typically be asked if you want to pay in pounds or in local currency. If there is an option, always go for local currency as your card will do the currency exchange, offering the best rate. If the retailer does the currency conversion rates are likely to end up costing you more.

Spend rather than withdraw cash

With most cards it’s likely to be cheaper to pay via card then going to a local ATM to withdraw cash. Even for cards that charge fees on a transaction you’ll pay a non-sterling transaction charge, but you’ll pay a fee and interest on cash withdrawals.

Since Brexit, more ATMs abroad have started to charge higher fees so keep an eye out.

Looking for more?

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The Air Travel Organiser’s License, ATOL for short, is a government run financial protection scheme operated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

ATOL safeguards you from losing money or being stranded abroad if your travel organiser fails. Before issuing ATOL certification, the CAA ensures the competency of firms to reduce the risk of failure. Firms contribute to a financial scheme that ultimately protects customers.

For example, when Monarch Airlines collapsed in 2017 it affected a lot of people's holidays and left some stranded abroad. Thanks to ATOL protection, over 100,000 customers were compensated.

Thankfully, I’ve never been in a situation to need ATOL protection, but it’s always good to know that you have peace of mind. If you’re stranded abroad it could cost you a lot of money to book new flights to come home. And if the company goes bust before you go away you could lose out on all your money.

What is an ATOL certificate?

If your travel arrangements are ATOL protected, you will receive an ATOL certificate from your booking provider. This certificate confirms that your holiday is covered by the ATOL scheme and outlines the steps to take if your travel company ceases operations. It's important to remember that while ATOL offers financial protection, it does not address other potential issues with your holiday.

How to know if your travel is ATOL protected

You can check if your travel is protected by:

1. Looking for the ATOL logo: Check the company’s website for the ATOL logo and their unique ATOL number.
2. Asking directly: Inquire with your travel agent or tour operator; they will know if your holiday is ATOL protected.
3. Searching the ATOL database: Use the ATOL database to verify if the travel company you're booking with is a legitimate ATOL holder.

Before booking any holiday, it's always wise to perform these checks.

Can I book with a company that’s not ATOL protected?

It’s a legal requirement for every UK travel company to provide an ATOL certificate and protect their packages under the ATOL scheme. If a company cannot provide this, you should investigate why. Booking without ATOL protection is at your own risk and could result in potential monetary loss.

Looking for more?

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One of the most annoying parts of a travel day is when you have flight delays. It can mess up your onward travel plans, shorten your holiday, or delay your return home. 

When I was travelling home from Hawaii in 2017 I had two flight connections, and my very first flight was a few hours delayed. I missed all of my connections and had to take a totally different route to get back to London.

But it is possible to get flight delay compensation for late flights. Under U.S and European laws, airlines must offer compensation to passengers in specific situations.

If your flight is delayed, be sure to ask about any meal or hotel vouchers, especially if your flight is delayed for a longer period of time, or it’s late at night.

How to get flight delay compensation in Europe

All European Union carriers must abide by Flight Compensation Regulation 261/2004, more commonly known as EU261.

These rules apply to three types of passengers:

1. Those departing from an airport located in a territory of an European Union member state
2. Those departing from an EU-member state.
3. Those travelling to an EU-member state aboard a carrier based in the EU.

Under the EU261 law, passengers are guaranteed compensation from their airline in the case of excessive delay.

• 250 euros for flights less than 1,500 km (932 miles) delayed at least three hours.
• 400 euros for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km (932 to 2,175 miles) delayed at least three hours.
• 600 euros for flights longer than 3,500 km (2,175 miles) delayed at least four hours.

The delay must have been caused by a factor within the airline’s control, such as staffing issues or technical faults. Unfortunately, a bad weather won’t count.

To receive compensation you need to file a claim with the airline directly. Airlines won't remind you to claim, and don’t always make it an easy process so you may need to search their website or look at online forums to find out where to contact or what you need to fill in. Try to do this as soon as you’re able to as some airlines will have time limits on claims.

Travel insurance policies

Another option for requesting compensation is through a travel insurance policy. If an airline won't pay out on a technicality, such as for poor weather, your travel insurance might kick in. Some benefits may include being able to claim for unexpected costs including meals and overnight hotel accommodation.

But you’ll need to check the type of insurance you have and what’s included as this won’t be standard on every policy. It may also only apply if the flight delay is more than six or even 12 hours, so read the fine print. Remember that you might have travel insurance bundled with a bank account. Read our comprehensive guide to cheap travel insurance here.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

We have 4 new wins and a prizewinner update this week...

New winners

Judy was announced as the lucky winner of a family Caribbean getaway with Divi Resorts. She’s won a 6-day Suite stay for 4 with daily breakfast and can choose from Divi Resorts in Aruba, Bonaire, Barbados or St. Maarten. She’ll have until the end of June next year to go.

⁠It was lovely to hear from Jo letting us know about her win from the Sunday email: “Just want to say thanks, I won the Britain Magazine competition for a night’s stay at the Mayfair Townhouse with a 3 course meal, bottle of wine, and breakfast. My Mum was visiting from Australia and we were visiting London anyway and had the most amazing experience, we didn’t want to leave! I worked out it would have cost well over £1100 for the junior suite and our meal. We were thoroughly spoilt. Thanks again.”

Paul has won one of the weekly Sunday Times Where Was I? competitions and will be spending 2 nights of luxury at tennis player Andy Murray’s Cromlix Hotel and Estate in Stirling, near to Dunblane.

Paula got in touch to let us know she won one of the Woman’s Weekly online comps and will be enjoying a luxury getaway to Wales with The Celtic Collection: “Someone recently asked if it was worth entering those daily comps on magazine websites, which I used to do but gave up. There were quite a few comments (in the Facebook group) from people saying they'd won so I started them again. I received a lovely email this week telling me I'd won… so definitely keep going, you can win!”

Prizewinner updates

And finally this week, Charlotte updated us on a previous win: “Back in May I was lucky enough to win the Snapdragon travel bundle prize. I've booked a trip to Ecuador with my best friend in September using the flights and part of the AirBnB voucher and I'm very excited! Accommodation is so cheap out there that I only used half of the voucher, so I have just been on a last minute solo trip to Slovenia and Venice using the rest of the voucher. Slovenia is a beautiful country and I highly recommend it as a destination.”

Congratulations to Judy, Jo, Paul, and Paula! And thanks for the update, Charlotte! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Hostels are a great way to save some money when travelling, and they are also a great way to meet new people - especially if you’re travelling solo.

Over the years I’ve stayed in a number of different hostels, especially when I was travelling a lot.

What are hostels?

A hostel is when guests rent a single bed in a room full of beds and share facilities with a group of other people. Most hotels do offer private rooms, but shared rooms tend to have anything from three to 20+ beds in them.

Some hostels have ensuite bathrooms, whereas others have only communal bathrooms, and some a mixture. An ‘ensuite bathroom’ or ‘private bathroom’ in a dorm style room means there is a bathroom attached to the room that only people within those rooms use. Otherwise, you may have to leave your bedroom to a communal space to use the toilet/ shower.

The few times I’ve been in a dorm room I’ve preferred communal bathrooms as otherwise, you run the risk of having a queue of people waiting to use it as everyone from your dorm is waiting for a single bathroom.

Hostels are geared towards people travelling with lower budgets or on their own as they’re generally much cheaper than a hotel. If you are travelling with a friend or group, do compare prices to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Why are hostels so cheap? And how can I book one?

As hostels can fit more beds into a smaller space they can afford to charge less for the space.

Generally, the amenities are very simple compared to hotels, although this isn’t always the case. I’ve seen hostels with bars, games rooms, cinema rooms and even their own pool.

When looking to book a hostel, you can use a large booking platform like booking.com, or a specialist website like hostelworld.com, which is the most well-known site for booking hostels worldwide. Once you find a hostel you like it is worth checking the hostels own website as it can be cheaper than booking through a third-party. But also take a look at booking.com as they usually have general cancellation policies, especially if you’re travelling last minute or aren’t sure of your exact plans.

Are hostels safe?

Falling asleep or leaving your belongings in a room full of strangers may have you worried compared to having a private room. But there are things you can do to aliviate your safety concerns.

Make sure the hostel has lockers. While you might not be able to fit all your possessions in it, you can lock away your important items such as your passport, electronics, money etc. When you’re looking online for hostels it should say whether the space comes with a personal locker. Sometimes these are located within your room, other times they’ll be outside in the hallway.

Secondly, if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of potentially staying in a mixed-sex room look for single-sex rooms. Not all will offer this, but most do. This may be especially important if you’re a solo female traveller.

And regardless of where you’re staying make sure you have travel insurance that covers theft. This way if anything does happen you’ll be covered.

Things to look out for when booking a hostel

Check for reviews

In the same way you’d check reviews for a hotel, look at reviews from other travellers and be wary if there are little to no reviews. Just like hotels, some hostels will be immaculately clean and others filthy so check out what people online have to say.

Is it a party hostel?

Certain hostels can feel like a university house, so look into whether your hostel is a party hostel or not. If you’re a light sleeper or not much of a party animal you may want to stay away from party hostels as you may get limited sleep. Most hostels will be happy mediums and have social communal spaces and events while still enforcing sleeping hours. Skim through reviews and photographs to get a bit of an idea.

Take earplugs and an eye mask for a good night’s sleep

It’s worth bringing ear plugs and an eye mask to try and have the best chance of a good night's sleep. As you’ll be sleeping in a room with strangers you don’t know whether people will snore, sleep talk etc. And unless you’re a really heavy sleeper this could be the difference between getting a good night’s sleep and not.

I was in a hostel once and someone turned on the lights at about 2am when they got in after a night out and it instantly woke me up.

Bathroom essentials

There are a few essentials you need for the bathrooms. It goes without saying but take some flip flops or sliders to use as shower shoes, you can never be too careful. Hostels don’t always provide towels, and other times you may need to pay to rent one. So take your own quick-dry microfiber towel you can use. They aren’t thick like a standard towel so it won’t take a look of space in your packing, and they dry a lot quicker.

Consider using a shower caddy to store your products in as there is often nowhere to put your items except from on the floor. This way you’ll avoid having to take multiple trips to shower, do your skincare, wash your teeth etc.

Does it have a communal kitchen?

The answer to this question will generally be yes, but check it out when booking if it’s important. And see what facilities it has. Some have just a fridge and microwave, others have full kitchens with ovens and hobs.

You can save money on eating out when in a hostel as you can buy items to have for breakfast, or make a pack lunch to take out with you.

Make sure you label all of your items, or the bag your items are in with your name so people don’t use your stuff.

In summary, are hostels worth it?

I’ve had great experiences in the hostels I’ve stayed in and they’ve helped me save plenty of money on accommodation.

Like anything else, shop around for the best prices and amenities, and check out the reviews before you book anything.

Looking for more?

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European city breaks are some of my favourite ways to get away as travel time is minimal and you can usually cram quite a lot into a short space of time. Both times I’ve been to Amsterdam have been great, and I’m back there for a day in October during a cruise which I’m very excited for.

After my first trip I learned a few lessons, so here are some tips to maximise your trip to Amsterdam.

Book tickets for Anne Frank’s house in advance

If you want to visit Anne Frank's house (which is a must) then make sure you book it before you arrive in the city. The earlier the better! Before 3pm you can only enter if you have a pre-booked slot and after that, it works on a first-come, first-served basis so you could be waiting around. And when you’re on a city break you don’t want to waste hours of time queuing.

The first time I went I didn’t have a booking and didn’t have the time to spend waiting. I made sure to book for my second time, and even two weeks before most time slots were already sold out.

Don’t bother visiting the sex museum

There are lots of museums in Amsterdam and the sex museum is usually hyped up, but it’s not worth the time or money. Everything felt very outdated, it wasn’t particularly interesting and there was no logical layout to see the displays. Instead, head to the Right Light Secretsmuseum to find out more about prostitution in the city (it’s a really interesting visit).

At least the museum is only 4 euros so you won’t waste too much money if you do go.

Head to the Amsterdam sign before 8am

The Amsterdam sign is a pretty iconic photographic spot, but like most tourist hotspots it gets super busy. And during the day it’s pretty much impossible to get a good photo without hundreds of other people. During my last trip we headed there at 3pm and we could barely see the sign nevermind get a photo.

If you head there early in the morning you’ll beat some of the crowd and have better odds for a good photo.

Visit the Pancake House for opening

If you’re getting up early for a photo at the iconic sign then make sure you head over to the Pancake House for its 10 am opening. It’s one of the most popular places in the city to get pancakes, so much so that it was marked on the map our hotel gave us. And their pancakes are the best I’ve ever had.

But as it’s both small and popular you’ll have to queue most times, so get there for opening to guarantee a table. And order the Dutch pancakes (thank me later!)

Rent a bike

One of the easiest ways to get around the city is by cycling, and it works out a lot cheaper than other forms of public transport.

You can hire bikes all across the city with a lot of spots by the main Central station ranging from a few hours to a few days.

Head to the Red Light District after 9pm

The Red Light District is a huge part of Amsterdam, but if you head there too early you won’t really get a feel for what it’s all about. But by 9pm the street is lit up and full of life.

Both times I’ve been it’s never felt seedy, but I can’t say the same would be true much later in the evening. So be warned if you head there too late; you may be surrounded by drunken British stag parties!

Looking for more?

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I didn’t go on any all inclusive holidays as a kid, so when I first encountered them as an adult I didn’t know what to expect.

There’s so much choice when it comes to all inclusive holidays where do you begin?

What does all inclusive mean?

All inclusive typically refers to accommodation that includes meals, drinks and certain activities or amenities for a single upfront cost. Generally, it means that once you’ve paid that amount you won’t need to spend anything else on your holiday.

In most cases all inclusive accommodation will be a hotel complex including on-site restaurants and bars including facilities like a swimming pool and can also include entertainment areas. They also tend to include transport if you book as part of a package including flights and transfers from the hotel.

Many people will choose to stay at their hotel or resort for the duration of their trip, or at least for all major meals to save money.

What to look out for at all inclusive resorts

Check out the dining options

All inclusive resorts and hotels can vary massively when it comes to dining options. Most will include a buffet-style restaurant open for most meals of the day and others will include various a la carte restaurants. Before you book, take a look at the food options available and reviews.

If you’re staying at a resort for two weeks and it only has two options for dinner you may end up getting bored and wanting to go out.

We went to an all inclusive resort in Jamaica for our honeymoon at the start of 2024 and one of the main things we looked for was the choice of places to eat. We were there for two weeks and didn’t want to end up bored. The resort we picked in the end had over 10 different options for dinner alone so we were really happy!

Specialist and a la carte restaurants

At some resorts (or with some packages) there may be limits on the number of times you can visit certain restaurants during your stay.

When we went to a resort in Crete you could visit the a la carte restaurant once per week you were at the resort. And you had to book your night there in advance as it wasn’t very big compared to the size of the resort. Then the rest of the time you were restricted to the buffet restaurant.

Make sure you know what is included and if you need to book, do it as soon as you arrive.

Look at what drinks are included

Every resort will be different when it comes to drinks. Some will offer anything you want within the price, others may have restrictions. I’ve been to all inclusive resorts that only included soft drinks, others that gave you one alcoholic drink included with dinner, and others where everything bar top shelf spirits was included.

If you’re not a big drinker this may not be a deal breaker for you, but if you want a drink try and find a resort or package that will save you money in the long run.

On a recent cruise we paid slightly more for a package which included alcohol because we only needed to get two drinks a day for it to be worthwhile.

Alongside the type of drinks you can have, make sure to check out any time restrictions.

Look out for the star rating of your resort

Star ratings are actually based on facilities of a resort rather than the standards and service, although naturally 5 star resorts tend to have higher service. And different countries have slightly different rating systems.

Most all inclusive hotels will generally be between 3 and 5 stars.

Are all inclusive holidays good value for money?

All inclusive holidays can be great value for money, but it does depend on what you’d usually spend when you go away. Compare what you would normally spend on food and drink across a week away with the price of an all inclusive resort. Most of the time the all inclusive is likely to be cheaper, but this isn’t always the case.

Some resorts may offer half board options so you can have breakfast and then either lunch or dinner. I think this is a good option to allow you to find local restaurants some nights.

If you’re someone who loves to explore the local area and try new restaurants then a full all inclusive may not be beneficial for you. You may be better off looking for half board, or even a bed and breakfast option.

How to book a cheap all inclusive holiday

Compare booking yourself to a package holiday

If you find where you want to go, compare the prices if you booked everything yourself vs how much a package holiday with a provider or travel agent would be. Sometimes it can work out cheaper to buy a package as tour operators can have deals with the resorts directly.

Remember if you decide to book transport and accommodation separately yourself then you normally won’t get ATOL protection.

Be flexible with location

If you’re planning to go to an all inclusive resort to relax and stay on site then it’s less important where you are so be flexible.

When we booked our honeymoon we knew we wanted to go to the Caribbean and we knew the company we wanted to book with but we were flexible as to location. We focused on the amenities, restaurants etc and then that led to us choosing a resort in Jamaica.

But heading to less known holiday spots can work out cheaper, especially in popular spots like the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

Don’t follow the trends

Popular destinations will book up the quickest and be the most expensive. For example, the beautiful island of Santorini is currently a very expensive spot because it’s really popular on social media.

The lesser-known locations are no less beautiful and relaxing, but they just may get less attention online. Don't be put off if you’ve not heard of a place, just do a little research and you may find a hidden gem.

Book early if you’re going in the school holidays

If you’re travelling in peak times like the school holidays, book as early as you can. Prices tend to change based on demand, and when demand is high then prices go up.

When we were younger I remember my parents booking our summer holidays a full year (or sometimes more) in advance. This way you can lock in the best price possible.

It is possible to get last-minute deals if you are flexible as to where you go and when.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

My Winter Adventure in EAST Hokkaido, Japan. Places that I visit within this video: - Memanbetsu Airport - Shibetsu Fishing Port Seabird Watching - Rausu Drift Ice & Bird Cruise - Blakiston's fish owl observatory - Lake Abashiri Tsuruga Resort - Drift ice sightseeing icebreaker Aurora - Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings - Adventure Base SIRI Premium day Tour - Snowshoe Trekking on Lake Akan - SIRI Morning Cafe Tour Lake Akan and Mt. Ouaman

Looking for more?

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In this video, Jason takes viewers on a journey to Antalya, Turkey, exploring the latest prices for summer 2024. He provides a detailed look at the cost of living, dining, and activities in this beautiful coastal city, helping you plan your next holiday with ease.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

For me one of the biggest things about travelling to new places and experiencing different cultures is trying new food. But eating out when travelling can quickly add up and blow your budget if you’re not careful.

With a little creativity and planning it’s possible to eat well without breaking the bank.

Embrace street food

You don’t always have to go to a sit-down restaurant to experience great food. Street food is not just delicious but it’s really affordable. Street vendors around the world offer a taste of local food at budget-friendly prices as you’re not paying for service in the same way as at a restaurant.

Even closer to home in London, I'll favour a market like Spitalfields or Borough Market where you can get dinner for under a tenner.

Seek out the larger and popular street food markets to sample loads of different dishes without spending loads of money.

Eat like a local

Restaurants located in tourist hotspots tend to be more expensive than those hidden down side streets. When heading out favour neighbourhood restaurants frequented by locals rather than larger chains.

Not only are you more likely to enjoy authentic cuisine, but you’ll often find the prices are lower.

When we went to Rome the restaurants located around the Colosseum were pretty expensive, but heading down a few backstreets led us to a restaurant we loved so much we went back twice.

Opt for larger lunches or early dinners

Many restaurants will offer lunch specials or set menus at discounted prices compared to prime dinner time. So either have your largest meal at lunchtime or opt for an early dinner depending on your options.

Switch around your meal schedule to take advantage of any savings you can find, and then have a snack for dinner.

Share meals and dishes

Look around at the portion sizes in restaurants when you walk in to see how much food you need to order. The last thing you want to do is order too much and waste it because you’re too full.

Save money and prevent food waste by sharing meals with people you’re travelling with. Not only will you save money but you’ll be able to sample more dishes.

On a recent trip to Turin we shared a pizza in one spot as they were so big we wouldn’t have managed one each.

Cook for yourself

If you’re staying in accommodation with kitchen facilities, consider cooking some of your own meals rather than eating out for every meal. You can pick up items at local markets and grocery stories to make your own delicious dinner.

When I went to Edinburgh a few years ago we had an apartment with a kitchen so to save money we made our own lunches to save eating out. This meant we were only paying to have one meal out each day.

Pack snacks for during the day

Avoid getting hangry and overspending on potentially expensive impulse food by keeping snacks on you to enjoy throughout the day.

Cereal bars, nuts, crisps and fruit are all easy and cheap options to keep in your bag and prevent you getting hungry in between meals.

Do your research

Before you travel, or even before you head out for the day, research some options for food. I tend to use Tripadvisor when I’m in a new city as I can look at menus and see prices before exploring. Alternatives are Google Maps, or HappyCow if you are vegetarian or vegan.

Travel blogs and forums are also a great resources for finding hidden gems and knowing what to expect when it comes to prices.

Looking for more?

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We have just 3 new wins to report this week...

Hetty let us know about two successes she’s had since the start of the year.

Her first win is an overnight stay for two in an Estate King room at SCHLOSS Roxburghe in Kelso with 3-course dinner, full Scottish breakfast & spa access

She then won a second overnight stay for two, this time at The Black Horse in Climping, West Sussex with breakfast and sparkling wine from a Cool Places competition.

Not bad at all!

And Matthias has won a Govia Thameslink Railway competition and will be enjoying an overnight stay at University Arms Hotel in Cambridge with breakfast, return train tickets from anywhere on the GTR network and a Fitzwilliam Museum goody bag.

Congratulations to Hetty(x2) and Matthias! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Travelling to a new city is always an exciting time, however sightseeing can be expensive, making it a challenge to stick to a budget. But one way to make your budget stretch further is by using city passes. 

I am a massive fan of a city pass and will always look into them before travelling to a new city. I’ve used passes in cities from Copenhagen and Oslo to New York. 

Whether you get a pass or just pay for attractions it’s usually cheaper to bookin advance, and you can pay for it before your trip, freeing up money while you’re away.

What are city passes?

City passes are specially designed tickets that give you access to a range of attractions, tours, museums and sometimes even transport within a particular city. 

The passes are typically valid for a specific duration such as one, two, or multiple days.

You can save money on attractions

City passes will often include access to a wide range of attractions and it usually works out cheaper to do them this way than buying everything individually. We saved a lot of money doing this in Oslo as the city pass covered pretty much every attraction in the city. 

By bundling multiple attractions into a single pass you can often save a good percentage off the regular admission prices. This is especially good for cities where there’s a lot of must-see attractions.

They sometimes include travel

Some city passes will also include travel such as the Copenhagen pass which covers all bus/ tram travel in the city.

If you do this then you’ll save money on travel while you’re in the city, and this can make a huge impact on your budget. 

You can skip the queues

While this doesn’t directly save you money, time is money. 

Once you have your city passes you’re generally set up for all the attractions which means you can just walk into places without having to queue for tickets. 

This can be especially useful at busy attractions, especially during peak season. So if you’re right on time you can spend it at the attraction as opposed to queuing for it.

Two ways to maximise your savings with city passes

Plan ahead



Before purchasing your city pass look at what’s included and their regular admission prices to determine if the pass offers good value for money. Remember to take into consideration the attractions you’ll actually visit as a city pass may not work out beneficial if you don’t want to go to all of the places.


Check the validity period



Look into how long the passes are valid and their activation process. Some passes are activated on first use for example 48 hours from the first time you use it, whereas others might be valid for a specific number of calendar days. Make sure the length of pass you choose aligns with the days you’re in the city and when you’re available to visit the attractions.

Where to buy a city pass

Some cities have their own city pass scheme, so check a reputable source, such as Lonely Planetor an official tourist board website, for details. I'd advise against a generic Google search, as scam websites do exist in this space. Alternatively, check reputable city pass websites, including;

• Go City
• CityPass

Looking for more?

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The keen-eyed will have noticed that there weren't any wins and updates reported last week. That's because I've been away travelling through Italy and have had some very flakey internet connection! So this week there’s a couple of weeks’ worth to share...

⁠It was lovely to hear from 2 separate winners (Sharon and Susannah) of the Gaydio competition we featured in June. Sharon messaged: “YES, YES, YES! I finally got one!!!! Thank you soooo much for your Travelscoop roundup... I got a call from... Gaydio yesterday to say that I am one of the 8 lucky winners & I'm flying out to Thessaloniki with hubby next Thursday...”

The full prize was a trip for 2 to EuroPride in Thessaloniki, Greece, including return BA flights and a 3-night hotel stay.

It seems that Lucky Dan (our Facebook group’s most prolific winner) has passed some of his good luck onto his wife. She won the GAME Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes comp that we included in the Sunday emails in May: “My lucky wife again! She won this super trip to Madeira with flights, car rental, 2 nights luxury hotel + 2 nights glamping, 4x4 tour, bird watching tour, horseback riding and sunrise trek. They have kindly agreed to let us take our baby so there may be some adaptation to the activities offered but it will all be amazing.” AMAZING!

Sandra has won a 4-night holiday to Las Vegas with flights, hotel and £500 to spend with Radio X and Bally Casino: “Thank you so much... (I won) the global radio comp for the holiday to Las Vegas…! I can’t believe it, first win ever!”

James was announced as the winner of a Tropicana competition. His prize is a trip to Belgium to create his own Tropicana juice. Very cool!

Dani let us know that she was the winner of the Waterstones comp we featured in early June to win a 2-night luxury Richmond hotel stay up to £500, day pass to Hampton Court Palace & maze + travel allowance up to £150.

Deanna won a pair of UK lounge airport passes and airport fast-track with Hays Travel: “My second win since joining… last year. Not a holiday but a great prize to start a holiday off. Thank you…”

Naomi got in touch to let us know she was one of the runners-up in the Premier Foods Group and Hasbro New York competition: “I recently won a competition! It was one of the runner up prizes for a trip to New York that was featured in the newsletter in May. My runner up prize was a Cluedo board game. It may not be a holiday, but it's my first win! And I didn't have the game Cluedo already ... I am on the FB group, but enter the newsletter competitions more often. Thank you for sending them every week! I'm extremely grateful.” Thank you for the kind words, Naomi!

Some of you might recall that we also knew the overall winner of the same Hasbro New York competition - Kirsten - who we mentioned in the successes a few weeks ago.

Lots of our Facebook group members have won runner-up prizes in the TripAdvisor Australia Northern Territory comp and have been receiving their Northern Territory gift packs worth £80. Well done to Kelly, Jonathan, Lee, Katie, Jane, Greig, Kim and Michelle. At least 8 winners out of the 100 runner-up gift packs on offer isn’t bad at all!

PRIZEWINNER UPDATES

Christine has just returned from a 9-day cruise that she won with Greatest Hits Radio and Norwegian Cruise Line: “Sailing from Barcelona around the Mediterranean, stopping off at Cannes, Livorno for Pisa and Florence, Civitavecchia for Rome, Naples, Messina Sicily, Katakolo for Olympia, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens. It was fabulous with temperatures reaching 37° - phew!! Good luck everyone with your travel comps...”

Elaine got in touch to let us know how her weekend away at Trelay Holiday Park went: “The lodge was beautiful. Visited Looe, Polperro and even managed to visit a few locations from the programme “Beyond Paradise”. Weather wasn’t great but that didn’t spoil our weekend away. Plenty of cream teas and local cider, were consumed!”

Sophie has just got back from Spain after winning a GoGalicia competition: “It was my first win so I was a bit apprehensive, especially when the owner of the villa contacted me and said the villa was damaged and so we couldn’t stay there after all. He was so kind though and paid for us to stay in another villa nearby and is also giving us a free week next year. He really couldn’t have been more generous! Thank...!”

Congratulations to Sharon, Susannah, Dan's wife, Sandra, James, Dani, Deanna, Naomi, and all the Northern Territory runner-ups! And thanks for the updates, Christine, Elaine, and Sophie. To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Long-term travel can be hugely impactful, but it can get harder the older you get and the more responsibilities you have. I know a lot of people who did longer-term travel as part of a gap year or between their university years, and it’s something I wish I’d done.

It’s not as easy as packing a bag and jumping on a plane as you have to plan how you’re going to afford it. Here are some tips to save money on longer-term travel.

Prioritise where you want to go

The locations you chose to visit can have a massive impact on how much the trip costs you. For example, if you choose to go to Europe or North America chances are you’ll spend a lot more than if you choose Asia or South America.

Work out a rough plan for your trip so you can work out how much money you’ll need to save. Use lonely planet and tourist boards to get an idea of prices and remember to check seasonality as a lot of things can be dependent on the weather and time of the year.

Give yourself a daily budget

Once you know where you’re going and roughly how expensive it is, set a daily budget. This way you’ll be able to keep on track better and know you’ll have enough to cover your whole trip and not spend everything in the first quarter of your trip.

You may find your daily budget changes depending on location. For example, £50 may not last long in Europe, but in Asia it may last a lot longer.

Consider hiring or buying a car/ moped

Transport can be one of the biggest expenses and driving is generally the easiest way to explore a country. If you’re planning to be in one country/ area for a longer period of time then look at the costs of hiring a car, or even buying a cheap second hand run around. 

You’ll have the flexibility to stop-and-start whenever you want and you don’t have to rely on potentially unpredictable public transport. This would be great if you’re spending time in Australia for example as some locations in the outbacks are in the middle of nowhere and hard to connect between.

Plan your accommodation

Accommodation can be one of the most expensive parts of a trip especially when you don't plan in advance. And booking things in advance can work out cheaper. Paying an extra £10 a night might not sound like a lot but if you're travelling for a longer period this can amount to a lot of money so it pays to be prepared.

Check out our other posts for more tips onhow to save money on accommodation.

Consider working while you’re away

If you’re travelling for longer periods of time you might find it beneficial to work for some of the time you’re away. This will depend on the location you’re travelling so make sure you look into it before you go and don’t rely on working to cover your spending. 

I know a lot of people who will work for a month, earn as much as they can and then use that to fund travelling for the next few months. And then they’ll do the same thing so that they can continue working. You may find some working spots will also provide accommodation and/ or food during your time there. 

Depending on your skillset you may be able to work remotely or freelance while away to make some extra pennies. And sitting in a beach front cafe or outside in the sunshine is far better than working from home. Note that many tourist visas prohibit remote working, so do so at your own risk!

Have a backup buffer

When travelling longer-term it’s important to have a fallback plan and a buffer to cover for any unfortunate or unforeseen events which may happen. 

Hopefully you’ll never need it, but if an emergency strikes it’s much easier to manage if you have a backup.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

A fabulous five new winners and one prizewinner update to let you know about this week...

New winners

⁠On Monday we were excited to draw the winner of our own competition - to win return Icelandair flights for 2 to New York City with an optional layover in Reykjavik, Iceland. The lucky winner was... drum roll…. Gemma Kislingbury. Gemma was understandably delighted: “Thank you so much… it couldn’t have come at a better time for us.”

Laney was another big winner this week - she won the Bloomsbury Virgin Voyages European cruise for two that we featured 3 weeks ago: “So pleased to have won a Virgin cruise... My first big win.” Laney says she’s likely to choose a Mediterranean and Rome cruise departing from Barcelona.

Jade was overjoyed to find out she’d won the Woo Nobu Ibiza competition we featured recently: “Oh my gosh I won something!! Woke my husband up this morning singing 'Oooh we’re going to Ibiza' like a Vengaboy.”

Jade’s full prize is a 2-night stay at the 5-star Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay for 2 people, including a 5-course Omakase dinner with wine in the restaurant, a holistic hike, and signature massages at the spa.

Cindy won a 7-night holiday to the Isle of Wight.

Peter was thrilled to win a Yurtshire competition: “It's a win!! …shared via Instagram with those who were happy to be tagged… better start doing my downward dog.”

Peter’s full prize is a 2-night stay for 2 in a luxury Tree-Yurt at Yurtshire Eavestone Lake, 2x one-hour yoga sessions with one of their yoga instructors, 2x 30-minute back, neck & shoulder massages, unlimited sauna use, private hot tub, wild swimming, paddle board use and more.

Prizewinner updates

Debbie got back in touch after enjoying her win from a few weeks ago: “Had an amazing time using my prize gin tasting at Langley Castle last night, the food was incredible and we really enjoyed the gin! Would definitely recommend this place for a visit.”

Debbie’s prize was a gin tasting evening with 3-course dinner & overnight stay at Langley Castle, with a goody bag to take home.

Congratulations to Gemma, Laney, Jade, Cindy, and Peter! And thanks for the update, Debbie. To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

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Are we too British for Carnival? We find out as we embark on our first cruise with Carnival Cruise Line on board the Carnival Legend for a 12-night cruise from Dover, UK to Iceland and Ireland. Not many Carnival cruise ships sail out of the UK so we grabbed the chance to try the refitted Carnival Legend. Online Carnival Cruises have a bit of a reputation but is it deserved? Also, is it too American for us, or are we too reserved for the “Fun Ship”? 

Looking for more?

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Budapest is one of my favourite European cities, and despite visiting twice I’m itching to head back. If you’re heading to the Hungarian capital here are some cheap (or free) things to do in the city.

Walk the chain bridge

Budapest is actually split into two parts; Buda and Pest. And the Chain Bridge is one of many which stretch over the Danube river connecting the two, but it’s perhaps the most iconic.

At night time it’s beautifully lit up and it’s a beautiful walk across the river.

Visit the Parliament building

The parliament building is one of the largest in the world, spanning a huge area on the Pest side of the city. And I think it’s one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve come across.

You can get amazing views from walking around at ground level and also from the Buda side, but a river cruise is a great way to get some uninterrupted photos. You can also pay to take a tour around the building as well which is on my list for next time.

Go to Margaret Island

The small island sits in the middle of the Danube and is accessible via a bridge or via boat and it is a beautiful green oasis. During the day it’s a great place to relax, take a picnic and just sit back and enjoy the views. But at 9pm every night is the main attraction, the musical fountain light show.

The light show sees crowds gather around the fountain to see the choreographed water and light show take place to the sound of a mixture of traditional Hungarian and English music, and of course George Ezra's 'Budapest';. It's so pretty and well worth the walk up to see.

Go to a thermal bath

Budapest is famous for its thermal baths and they are scattered all over the city. Some are much larger than others, and they all have a mixture of beautiful outdoor pools at various temperatures and indoor pools from freezing plunge pools to extremely hot ones. There’s also steam rooms, saunas and jacuzzis you can use.

Szechenyi is one of the largest ones and a truly beautiful space, although it does get a little busy whilst Rudas is a lot smaller but more relaxing. This attraction will cost you, but it’s well worth the price, and you can stay there for as long as you want.

Go up to the Citadel

At the Gellert Hill, on the Buda side of the city, you’ll reach the highest point of the city where the citadel is located. It’s quite a steep climb to reach the top, but the hop-on, hop-off buses do head up there as well, but the views are well worth it.

There's a small fortress up there which used to be used for military purposes but now is much more of a tourist attraction.

Try some traditional treats at The Great Market

The Great Market is a fantastic way to try traditional Hungarian food, and stock up on some souvenirs of your trip.

Downstairs are loads of food stalls selling pastries and other types of food. Upstairs is then a market for gifts and souvenirs so perfect for grabbing a few presents.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

The base price of a flight might seem reasonable but when you add on all the extras it can work out pretty expensive. And baggage is one of the biggest costs because if you add it one way, you’ll need it when you return. 

Packing for a trip can be daunting, especially if you’re trying to avoid baggage costs. It can save you money (and hassle) if you travel light, whether that’s for a weekend away or a longer trip. On a recent long weekend in Italy we chose the basic lite option for baggage - which was under-seat hand luggage -  and I had to learn to pack really light!

Here are some packing tips to minimise your luggage and avoid additional fees.

Choose the right size bag

Every airline is different when it comes to allowances so check out their carry-on policy. Some airlines will charge for larger hand luggage (like a small suitcase) whereas others offer it as standard. So make sure you know your allowance and have a bag that fits that.

I’ve seen a lot of videos lately of people going on Ryanair flights and their bags being checked to make sure they comply with sizes. If you end up taking one that’s a little too big you could be slapped with a fine or excess to pay.

Opt for a bag that is lightweight and durable with plenty of storage space and extra pockets/ spaces to maximise your packing game.

Stick to the essentials

Less is more when it comes to packing so be ruthless in your decision-making and only take what you know you’ll need. If you’re going for three days you don’t need seven outfits. One spare one, fine, but you don’t need to go overboard.

Shoes can be one of the bulkiest items so really limit what you take. Can you get away with just the pair you wear? If so you’ll save a lot of space.

Minimise toiletries

If you’re going hand-luggage only you’ll probably have a limit on the liquids you’re allowed to take through security, so minimise what you take. If you’re staying in a hotel chances are there will be shampoo and shower gel provided so you don’t need to worry about those. 

And if you’re travelling with friends who use similar products, think about sharing. One person can take toothpaste, another face wash and another sun cream. This way you’re not all packing the same things.

Opt for sample or travel-sized items where possible to reduce how much space you use. For trips less than a week long I always dig out the free samples of things so I can save space, and most of the time I use them up and don’t even need to bring them home with me.

Use compression packing cubes

Packing cubes are a travellers best friend when it comes to maximising space and staying organised, but you can even get compression ones. So when your cube is filled you can use an additional zip to compress everything and make it take less space up in your bag.

I used one for all my clothes when I went to Italy and it massively reduced the size and allowed me to fit more in my bag.

Wear your bulkiest items

For any bulky items like jumpers, coats and boots, try and wear them. You’ll save space in your luggage by not packing them and things like jumpers and coats can be really handy on the plane if it gets chilly.

If you have a coat, utilise pockets for smaller items such as a book or travel essentials. But don’t go overboard with how much you stuff in.

Even if you try just some of these packing hacks you may be able to streamline your luggage and avoid paying extra to check a bag in.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

This morning we drew the winner of our competition to win return flights to New York City, which closed for entries on Saturday night. We had thousands of entries, but there could only be one winner... 

A Big Apple congratulations go to Gemma Kislingbury!

Gemma and a guest will be jetting off to New York with Icelandair to celebrate the city's 400th birthday. As a bonus, she'll have the option of stopping off in Iceland to explore the land of fire and ice!

A very big congratulations to Gemma from all of us here at Travelscoop. If you didn't win this time around, enter our brand new competition to win a three-night break at the luxury Bodmin Jail Hotel in Cornwall. For lots more competitions, bookmark our main competitions page, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/travelscoop.co.uk and join our Travel Competitions Facebook Group where over 26,000 compers share the best competitions the UK has to offer. 

Looking for more?

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There are five new winners and a prizewinner update to tell you about...

New winners

We received 3 messages in a single day this week from people letting us know they’d won competitions from our Sunday competitions email

Kirsten won the Premier Foods Group Cluedo comp: “I am over the moon to tell you that I have won the family trip to New York... which you featured in your Sunday email a few weeks ago! We have won flights, transfers, 3 nights in a 4-star hotel, £500 spending money, a carriage trip around Central Park and tickets to the zoo! We are all very excited, especially my 7 year old daughter who cannot wait to go to America! So so grateful to you for sharing all of the competitions - my first holiday competition win! Thank you so much.”

Fiona won the Sophie Allport and National Trust competition from five weeks ago: “… I’ve just won a £1000 voucher for National Trust Holidays along with a £500 Sophie Allport voucher. I was really surprised as I’ve been doing comps from your newsletter for years and never won anything so I’m very happy.”

And Lisa discovered she’d won a competition that we featured at the end of March: “Just wanted to let you know that I’ve had my first win! I’ve been receiving the weekly travel competitions round up for the last 18 months and enter competitions every week but had a notification today to advise I’ve won a Condé Nast Johansens 2-night break to the Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel & Spa in Portugal!”

Carrie Lou was another big prizewinner this week - from a The Lady and Visit Sarasota County competition: “… I won tickets for the Ballet in London at the Opera House and a 5 night all expenses stay in Sarasota (Florida)! Flights, hotel and hire car with VIP tickets for nearby attractions! …hope this will give hope to those who don't enter as much (I enter about 5 comps a day at the moment…) … even if you only enter a few you can still be lucky!!”

Finally, Sandy won a pair of River Roamer tickets with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers.

Prizewinner updates

We also received a prizewinner update from “lucky Dan”: “A couple of weeks ago, we made use of the prizes that my wife and I won. Mine was the stay at the beautiful Harbour Hotel in Richmond, which included spa treatments, dinner and breakfast. The hotel were so accommodating and it was a lovely place to visit with our baby. Then we headed off on the train further south to the Beachcroft Beach Huts in Felpham. These are perfect for families and we got to enjoy this with dinner on both nights… It was a wonderful first holiday as a family.”

Congratulations to Kirsten, Fiona, Lisa, Carrie Lou, and Sandy! And thanks for another update, Dan. To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Join Jason as he embarks on a captivating journey to Bursa, Turkey, just a short trip from Istanbul. Known as the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, Bursa is a treasure trove of history, featuring stunning mosques, bustling bazaars, ancient tombs, traditional hans, and relaxing hammams. Not to mention, the local cuisine is a delight for any food lover.

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It might not feel like it, but summer is here and it's time to get outside! Life is more expensive than ever and spending time out can end up pretty pricey, so I’m always looking for ways to keep myself busy without breaking the bank. Here are a few ways you save money this summer.

Take a free walking tour

Whether you’re going away to a new city, or just want to find out more about your local area, there are plenty of free walking tour options.

Freetour.com offers free in-person group guided tours which you can find by searching by location. Your guide may invite you to tip at the end, so if you liked the tour you can leave a little something at the end.

Or you can run your own walking tour via VoiceMap app. The app is free on both iPhone and Android and each tour gives you a map of the walk you've chosen with an audio guide to accompany it. Tours include an introduction to London's theatre district narrated by Sir Ian McKellan, and a Harry-Potter themed walk around Edinburgh.

Explore things outdoors

While the weather is a bit nicer, make sure you take advantage of being outside. There are lots of walks through countryside, woodland and coastlines which are maintained by the National Trust. And you can find online maps that are free to access here. The maps show the difficulty level of the walk and the length so you can choose one that suits your fitness levels and time.

If you've got kids you can download the National Trust's '50 things to do before you’re 11¾'. The list has a checklist of activities ranging from making a home for wildlife to stargazing. Most of the things on the list are free or cheap to do and will keep the kids entertained.

Go geocaching

Geocaching is a free app that can be downloaded to your phone where you can access a map of any nearby caches or treasure. Once you find a cache you sign the logbook hidden and leave it for the next person to explore.

These are great ways to see more of your local area or explore somewhere new.

Pay less for attractions

You can save loads of money by booking attractions in advance instead of paying on the day. This gives you time to search for deals, vouchers and the best price.

Check out sites like Buyagift or Red Letter Days for family or couples vouchers which allow you to choose from a range of activities. If you buy the voucher when there's a promotion on you can save extra money!

For example, a deal for the Tree Top Adventure at GoApe for one adult and one child is £38 with Buyagift, and £40 if you book through Go Ape. If it's your first time you can sign up for a £10 discount on your first Buyagift order and you can get cashback through cashback sites. And every penny adds up!

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Going on a solo adventure can be one of the most rewarding and freeing experiences. You can do what you want when you want and you can be a little bit selfish and not have to worry about someone else.

I’ve solo travelled a few times, both to cities to explore on my own or I’ve joined onto group tours.

Travelling on your own can feel daunting, but it can also be the price that puts people off. Here are a few tips and tricks to help plan a solo adventure that is affordable.

Plan your budget

Like with any travel plans, budget before you set off. Determine how much things will cost and how much you can afford to spend on areas such as travel, accommodation, food and activities. Having a clear budget will help you make decisions and should avoid overspending.

Going away on your own means everything is your decision, so you can choose to save a bit of money by going with cheaper options. Or, if there’s a tour you’re not fussed on, you don’t have to do it just because your friends want to.

Travel off-peak

Travelling off-peak will save you money regardless of whether you’re a solo traveller, but you may notice the savings even more when you’re paying for everything yourself.

Not only will you save money but you’ll avoid larger crowds in destinations. I did a solo trip to Edinburgh in February and being out of season it was cheaper for accommodation, and much quieter than other times of the year.

Choose affordable destinations

Opt for budget-friendly, and solo traveller-friendly destinations when picking your destination. Places like Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central America may be far cheaper than solo travelling through North America or Western Europe.

Stay in hostels

Generally, accommodation prices are based on two people sharing a room, so if you travel in a pair you can split the cost. But travelling solo means it’s only you paying, so try a hostel where you can share a room with others. This way, you’re only paying for a bed and not a whole room. And if you’re looking to meet people it can be a great social option.

But if you want your own space and some privacy a private room in a hostel tends to be much cheaper than a hotel alternative.

Eat like a local

Skip out on touristy restaurants and go for local places and street food stalls & markets. Not only are they likely to be cheaper, but you’ll probably get a more authentic experience. If you can speak to some locals and find out where they like to go and would recommend.

I always like to ask the staff wherever I stay for the places they like to eat at. In Turin we found a really small Italian restaurant where the staff didn’t even speak English. But we had some of the best food there, and it was so cheap.

Take advantage of public transport

Taxi costs can be okay when split between a few people, but when you’re paying on your own try to avoid them unless necessary. Public transport is often the most affordable and efficient way of getting around and between destinations.

When I did a solo trip to New York, if I couldn’t walk somewhere I would always take the subway as opposed to paying for a taxi.

Embrace free activities

In most locations you’ll find free or low-cost activities to embrace. Anything from walking tours and parks/botanical gardens to museums can be free. Do a little research before you travel and make a list of attractions you can do at little cost.

Solo travel doesn’t have to break the bank, just plan carefully and take advantage of the opportunities that arise.

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When it comes to European cities, the Austrian capital Vienna is seen as a pretty pricey place to visit. When I headed there a few years ago I braced myself that I’d probably be spending a lot. But is it really that expensive? And can you do it on the cheap?

How expensive is transport in Vienna?

Transport is a necessity when it comes to a city break, even if it’s just the travel from the airport into the city centre.

Spending a lot of time in London I use it as a bit of a basis when it comes to prices, and I’m pleased to say Vienna is much cheaper when it comes to transport.

We paid €21 each for a return train from the airport into the city centre via the CAT (City Airport Train). To me, this feels like a pretty standard price for airport transport compared to other European cities. And a lot cheaper than having the €40+ for a taxi. Trains in Vienna run like clockwork twice an hour from the airport into the city.

When you get into the city it’s still pretty cheap, and you can buy tickets via the transport app so there’s no language barrier or worry when you board. A single journey is €2.80, but a full day pass to use all the transport in the city (underground, trams and buses) is just €5.80. So no matter how much exploring you want to do you're covered with this price.

How expensive is accommodation in Vienna?

With hotels and accommodation you get what you pay for, and there are plenty of budget options between €60 and €100 a night which works out pretty cheap if you’re travelling with a friend.

And with transport costs so low, you can afford to stay slightly further out of the city centre to save money, if you choose to.

How expensive is food and drink in Vienna?

Like accommodation, costs to eat out is as expensive as you want it to be. Like most cities there are fancier more expensive restaurants, but there are plenty of cheaper eats. Although if you plan on drinking alcohol then prices can go up.

You can get traditional hot dogs from stands on the street for €5 for an authentic lunch. And you can head to a traditional cafe/ restaurant for schnitzel for a tenner which is great value.

Take a look on tripadvisor.com before heading out to see some of the menus and prices and you may find a hidden gem. We went to a mid-range steak restaurant on our anniversary and had a 3 course meal with an alcoholic drink each and it worked out at £40 each. We couldn’t get anything that good in London so we were very happy.

Things to do in Vienna that won’t break the bank

Like most cities you can save money by booking some attractions in advance. For example, the hop-on, hop-off bus is €27 in advance, or €30 when you arrive. So you can easily save a few euros over your trip. The bus is a great way to give you an overview of the city and allow you to get your bearings. Plus you can use the limited travel across the network all day.

If you plan to visit a lot of attractions you can save money by picking up a Vienna PASS which covers a number of the cities attractions.

Schönbrunn Palace was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers in Vienna and you can take a tour of the palace. Combination tickets alongside the zoo do work out cheaper, but you can explore the gardens free of charge.

Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo was one of my highlights of the trip and is actually the oldest continuously running zoo in the whole world. It started life as an imperial menagerie in 1752, housing some of the royal animals before expanding out into a full-blown zoo. You can spend hours and hours exploring, especially if it’s a nice day.

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There are 4 new winners and 2 prize updates to tell you about this week...

New winners

Nicola only started comping recently and was delighted to get her first win from a competition we listed back in April: “My first win! I’m fairly new… so perhaps beginners luck, but I have won a 3 night trip to Biarritz, that I saw through the Travelscoop email. Thank you!”

Nicola’s full prize is a 3-night stay in a 4-star hotel in Biarritz with breakfast, return flights, airport transfers, and a private surf lesson.

Natasha was another first-time winner, from a competition we featured 3 weeks ago: “My first win!!! My tickets have just arrived so it’s official (eeek) - I’m off to Glastonbury, after winning the National Express competition for 2 free festival tickets, OVER THE MOON.”

Natasha’s prize includes return coach travel to Glastonbury, tickets to the Festival and standard camping passes.

And Kerry won the Gaydio and Explore Worldwide competition that we featured two weeks ago. Her prize is a 7-night small group adventure tour - visiting Athens, Naxos and Santorini in Greece. It includes return flights from London, hotels with daily breakfast, transfers, and all guides/drivers.

Debbie messaged to let us know she’s won tickets to a gin tasting evening with 3-course dinner and overnight stay with breakfast at Langley Castle Hotel in Hexham, Northumberland. Debbie’s prize also includes a gin and tonic goody bag to take away.

Prizewinner updates

Kim got in touch after enjoying her stay on Easdale Island near to Oban in the Inner Hebrides: “I enter only a few comps weekly as I look for those that could accommodate a family of 4…well I won an Instagram competition recently which was 3 nights self catering in a cottage on Easdale Island (Inner Hebrides).. it's not a place I'd ever have considered but it really was beautiful and I'm so pleased we went, and thankful for this group that led me to competition! Thought I'd share a few photos of our weekend.”

And finally this week, Tracey updated us on a big prize trip: “Some of you may remember my fab win last year (a trip to NYC with $1000 spends, or a cash alternative). I took the cash and put it towards a bucket list trip to the Maldives… We had the most amazing time at a very small and laid back resort and can’t wait to go back. Good luck to everyone with their comping.”

Congratulations to Nicola, Natasha, Kerry, and Debbie! And thanks for the updates, Kim and Tracey. To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

There are 5 new winners to let you know about this week...

New winners

Bonnie messaged to tell us about an exciting one: “My first big win! I’ve won a trip to Nepal with the Bucket List Company. Thank you everyone for posting competitions! I’m ecstatic.”

Amie won a Darwin Escapes competition for a stay in her favourite of the two Blenheim Palace Lodges designed by the finalists in the recent series of the BBC’s Interior Design Masters. Her prize also includes two annual passes to Blenheim Palace: “Woohoo, I’ve had my first win!… Thanks so much… Just rewatched the final to decide which room to stay in!”

Phil was the lucky winner of an overnight stay in a luxurious superior suite at Prom Hotel on Great Yarmouth seafront.

Kim emailed to let us know she'd bagged a runner-up prize in the recent TripAdvisor/Australia Northern Territory competition and will be receiving a Northern Territory Gift Pack worth about £80: “Glad to say that after two+ years of entering comps, I've finally had a little win! ... No idea what the gift pack will contain, but that makes it all the more exciting! Thanks for your Sunday emails and all the lovely people that post comps on the Travel comps pages!”

A win is a win! Make sure you let us know what's in the gift pack, Kim!

And finally this week, Kristina updated us on her last two wins that she’d forgotten to tell us about at the time:

Prize 1 was a stay at Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire that she'd won via a Condé Nast Johansens comp for a that we featured in the last week of 2023. The full prize is 2 nights in their Royal Bedroom for 2 people - with daily full English breakfast, a 3-course dinner with bottle of wine, and Harley Street facials in the spa.

Prize 2 was a £500 voucher with cottages.com from a Country Living Magazine competition: “I’ve booked myself into a cottage in the Lake District for next Summer.”

Congratulations to Bonnie, Amie, Phil, Kim and Kristina (x2)! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

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Join Jason as he uncovers the hidden gems of Istanbul's lesser-known neighbourhoods on the European side. Starting in the charming area of Vefa, he journeys through the vibrant streets of Çarşamba, before concluding his adventure in the colourful district of Balat, where he indulges in a delicious meal at a renowned kebab spot. This exploration promises to reveal a side of Istanbul that many overlook.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Join Jason on a culinary adventure through the vibrant streets of Istanbul as he indulges in some of the finest Turkish street food the city has to offer. From the iconic simit at Galata Simitçisi to the mouth-watering fish wraps at Sokak Lezzeti, this video showcases a delightful array of snacks and dishes that capture the essence of Turkish cuisine. With stops at renowned eateries like Hafiz Mustafa 1864 and Tarihi Odabaşı Çiğbörekçisi, viewers can expect a feast for the senses. Get ready to explore the flavours of Istanbul!

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There are just two lucky winners to let you know about this week...

New winners

Anna won a stay at Apart Neptun in Gdansk, Poland, along with airport lounge passes for two after entering a Wigan Runner competition.

Anna found out about her win from another Facebook group member who saw the winner announcement and realised Anna was in our competition group: “That’s such a nice surprise to wake up to.”

And Beth messaged to let us know that she’d won (and already been on) a Condé Nast Traveller competition after we featured it back in January: “Hi! I won a holiday and have just come back 2 days ago! It was the competition for Lesante Cape Resort & Villas in Zakynthos. It was the most magical trip like being in a movie! Thank you so much for sharing!”

Beth’s full prize was a 4-night stay in a signature sea-view suite with private pool including daily buffet breakfast and five-course dinner, complimentary spa treatment, cooking lesson at Bostani Restaurant, and return flights and airport transfers. Lovely!

Congratulations to Anna and Beth! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

There are four new wins and a winner update this week...

New winners

Kelly had her first big Instagram success in a year thanks to Secret Escapes and ACAI Outdoorwear. She’s won a £250 voucher from each: “…I'll now be able to go to my son’s graduation in Edinburgh and stay in a lovely hotel.”

Lindsey won an overnight stay for 2 people in a Club Room at the Crowne Plaza Leeds which includes the Club lounge, full access to the leisure centre, a 3-course dinner in the restaurant - plus breakfast, a bottle of prosecco, and parking.

Tracey didn’t win a holiday but was still pleased to receive a copy of The Holiday Escape, the latest novel by Heidi Swain, after entering an On The Beach competition.

And finally to “Lucky Dan” who has notched up his 20th win since joining our Facebook competition group! Dan won the Caledonian Sleeper theatre break that we featured two weeks ago. He’ll be enjoying a return journey for up to 4 people on the Caledonian Sleeper - plus tickets for 4 to see both parts of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre in London, and an overnight hotel stay with breakfast at the Moxy London Stratford.

Prize updates

Dan has also been enjoying another of his successes this week...

“Last weekend we used our 2 night Pentahotel prize which included a £50 food spend. We decided (as it needed to be used by June and baby is only 2 months old) to use it in Birmingham… as it's quite local. It was a good test for us as it was our first trip away from home since baby arrived and will help us get back into the swing of travel, this time with a new consideration to make!”

Congratulations to Kelly, Lindsey, Tracey, and Dan! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Old Welsh things, not us but the historic Welsh buildings around the grounds of St Fagans National Museum of History near Cardiff, Wales. St Fagans is one of Europe's leading open-air museums and Wales's most popular heritage attraction. We take a trip to the museum which is only 15 minutes from the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. It is free but parking is £6 at the time of recording. There is enough to see and do in the museum for at least a half-day visit.

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A short and sweet update this week with just two prize wins to tell you about. But one is a biggie...

New winners

Sherren emailed to let us know she was chosen as the lucky winner of the South African Fruit competition that we featured at the end of March: “I’ve just found out I won a trip to South Africa. I would have never known about this or entered if it weren’t for Travelscoop. So, thank you.”

Sherren will be enjoying a two-week bespoke package holiday, staying in multiple destinations across South Africa. Her prize includes return flights from London Heathrow, internal flights, transfers, all accommodation, and at least one excursion.

And Kate won an overnight B&B stay at Crowne Plaza hotel in Harrogate which included a bottle of prosecco and parking, plus a wine pairing dinner for two at Jesper’s Bar & Kitchen. Lovely!

Congratulations to Sherren and Kate! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

New York is one of my favourite cities and I've been lucky enough to head there five times now. Cities, especially big ones like New York can be pricey, but it’s only as expensive as you make it. And there are ways you can keep the costs down.

Here are some ways you can travel to New York on a budget.

Be flexible with when you fly

Like most places, if you're flexible when you fly you'll get much cheaper flights. Heading to New York in the summer or around events such as 4th July, Thanksgiving and New Year can be much more expensive. I always use apps like Skyscanner or Google Flights to see when the best times to fly are.

When I went to New York in March 2018 we managed to get flights there for £99 and flights back for £149, and that included a checked bag. While March can have mixed weather we still had a great time. And like most cities, there’s plenty you can do inside if the weather isn’t great. Plus having been to the city in July you don’t want to be there when it’s too warm!

Book your accommodation as soon as you can

Accommodation is likely to be one of the biggest costs in the city, so make sure you book it as soon as possible. The last time I went we booked our hotel through booking.com with a £0 deposit and free cancellation (sometimes called book now, pay later), so if we found something better it would be easy to switch around.

You might be tempted to stay far out from the centre of Manhattan, but consider the time and money you might spend on travelling to see the main attractions. Sometimes it’s worth spending a little more on central accommodation as you’ll save in the long run. Look around mid-town, in between the financial district and Times Square, where you can get a well-priced hotel within easy reach of everything.

Explore the city on foot

Things might seem really spread out in Manhattan but actually walking blocks doesn't take as long as you think. So walking 20 or 30 blocks really isn’t that far. And because most of the city is built on the grid system it’s quite easy to navigate your way around. Not only will you save money on subway tickets or taxis but you'll see more if you walk around.

Supplement walking with the subway, which is easy to use and inexpensive. This way, you can avoid more expensive taxis.

There are loads of free things to do on foot. Walk the High Line down to Greenwich Village, where you can check out the Friends' apartment building and Carrie Bradshaw's house from Sex in the City. and many other filming locations completely free.

Try out street food and markets instead of restaurants

New York is a foodie paradise, but restaurants can be very expensive. You'll want to try some, but you don’t need a sit-down restaurant for every meal. Throughout the city you'll find plenty of street food stalls, markets or places you can grab on-the-go food which can work out much cheaper.

Some of the best food I've had in New York has been on the go including fresh pretzels from pretty much any cart in New York and a slice of pizza for under a dollar from Joe’s pizza.

Book combination attraction tickets

If you’re heading to the city for the first time, you'll probably want to do some of the tourist attractions like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. Individual attractions can work out expensive, but there are lots of city passes and combination tickets available. Reputable companies include City Pass and New York Pass.

By booking your passes in advance you’ll not only save money, but you’ll save time queuing when you arrive. When I last went we got the Citypass as it covered six major attractions with some interchangeable options for the best deal.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

There are three new wins to tell you about this week...

Nicola emailed to let us know about a nice win from a comp we featured in April: “I wanted to let you know that today I won the holiday for a family of 4 to Sardinia with Annabel Karmel!! I have been receiving your email for a while and religiously enter as many competitions as I can hoping that one day, probability means I will win. I’m so pleased to have finally won something.”

Nicola’s full prize is a stay for 2 adults and 2 children at Forte Village Resort on Sardinia’s southern coast with daily breakfast and dinner, plus VIP experiences including welcome cocktails, champagne at sunset, and access to the spa.

Charlotte is a multiple competition winner in the group, and she’s had another huge win this week: “After a fairly dry spell for the last 6 months, I've won a biggie, and one that's perfect for me - the Snapdragon travel bundle (worth £4200) including: a ⁠£1500 AirBnB voucher; flights to anywhere in the world up to £2000 value; a ⁠£300 suitcase; ⁠£300 Bose earbuds; one year music streaming subscription."

"It's very unusual for me to win a big prize in a random draw - most of my past holiday wins have been from creative/judged comps, so I was shocked to receive the email saying I had won! I'm currently taking a career break to travel, so this is a huge help with that. A suitcase and earbuds were on my wish-list too! I've got a few ideas of how to use the prize, but I think my favourite idea at the moment is a trip to Ecuador with my best friend. There are AirBnBs in most of the touristy places there, and we would just pay to add on a four day Amazon trip, so it would make the overall holiday pretty cheap.”

⁠And last but not least, Zoe discovered she was the lucky winner of a 2-night B&B stay at any Leonardo Hotel.

Congratulations to Nicola, Charlotte and Zoe! To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

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We embarked on our very first cruise a year ago, 4 days on P&O Aurora. Since then we have been on 5 cruises on 3 cruise lines. Three P&O cruises on Arvia, Britannia and Arvia, a cruise on MSC Euribia and Princess Cruises Sun Princess. So from complete newbies to regular cruisers, what did we learn in our first year and what hints and tips do we have for other new cruisers.

Looking for more?

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Scandivania in general is seen as quite expensive, and Oslo usually comes up near the top of these lists. So before I went to the Norweigan capital the thing I worried about most was how much money I’d end up spending.

Yes, we did spend a bit more on evening dinners than we may usually, but there are ways to save money in and around the city. 

Get an Oslo Pass

Most cities offer some sort of city pass to cover attractions etc, and the Oslo one is 100% worth it. Prices for the Oslo Pass sit at around £55 for a 48 hour pass, but you can also get them for 24 and 72 hours. Check the latest prices and find locations where you can pick up a card here.

The pass covers entry into almost all of the paid attractions in the city including the Nobel Peace Centre, the Viking Ship Museum and the Contemporary Art Museum. And it also covers some walking tours alongside giving you money off other things such as the Fjords sightseeing boat tour. The pass also covers all your travel on trams and buses in the city, and when I went we used these a lot to get around.

When I went, I bought my pass from the Visitor Centre in the main station, but you can also buy them online and just collect your card. Getting this card saved us so much money as we didn’t really pay for any attractions outside of those available with it.

Check out the free attractions in the city

There are actually a fair few free attractions in the city, so make sure you take advantage of them. When we went we used our Oslo passes for the first 48 hours and then did the free bits on our final day.

There are a few sculpture parks that are free to explore including Frogner and Ekebergparken. And the botanical gardens are also free to explore. Then at 1.30pm much like in London you can see the changing of the guard which is a pretty big spectacle in the city.

Use your city pass for restaurant discounts

If you do get the city pass, check out the additional discounts you can get when using your card. We didn’t realise this was a thing until after we’d had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe (now closed, sadly) and realised we could have saved some money.

Check out the discounts in the booklet or via leaflets in the visitor centre.

Look at prices before you go into a restaurant

There’s a big difference in costs for food, especially along the main tourist roads. So make sure you check out the menu and prices before you enter a restaurant so you can prepare yourself for how much you’re going to spend.

If you can, opt for smaller places, or restaurants off the main roads as they’re likely to be cheaper. 

Make the most of the hotel breakfast

Here’s another foodie-based recommendation, because let’s face it food is one of the biggest expenses on any trip. If your hotel or accommodation offers breakfast then firstly take advantage and make it a larger meal. But if you can, make lunch or take some snacks to eat during the day.

When I went we made up some rolls and grabbed some fruit to take with us and this meant that we didn’t need to buy lunch when we were out and about and definitely saved us a lot of money.

Limit alcohol

Alcohol is probably one of the most expensive things in Oslo. Thankfully, I don’t tend to drink very much in general, but if you do it might be worth cutting back in Oslo to save a bit of money!

When we were on our boat trip we looked at the menu and it was around £40-50 for a bottle of wine. 

Use public transport as opposed to taxis

The tram and bus network in Oslo is great and connects you all around the city very easily. If you get an Oslo pass the travel network is included so take advantage of it. The transport works for the most part all night, although not too regularly in the early hours. But this can save you loads compared to the prices of taxis.

On my trip the only train we paid for was between the airport and the main Oslo station, which was £10 each way. And it worked out much cheaper than paying for a taxi.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

It's a short update this week with 2 new winners and one prize update to report...

New winners

Mark got in touch to let us know that he'd won a Devon break: "Thanks for the great work with the competitions. I've finally had my first win with Country and Town House. A 7 night cottage stay, with hot tub and a £150 meal for 4... So excited.”

Sharon was delighted to win a stay in Scotland: “Today I've won my first ever travel competition (after years of trying!) A platinum wedding package at Gretna Green with a two day stay."

Prizewinner updates

Lastly, Karen updated us on her recent New Forest stay: “On Monday I returned from 'Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa' in the New Forest. I came second in the 'Monopoly Moments' competition (August of last year) creative comp… I took my daughter and we had a lovely time (apart from getting squished up against a wall by a New Forest pony!!) I thought I was a goner! Thank you to everyone who contributes… It's my fourth win since joining and I'm really grateful.”

Congratulations to Mark and Sharon! And thanks for the updates and amazing photos, Karen. To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

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You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

El Salvador Wild East Three Days of Adventure and Discovery. I also visited CATM - Central America Travel Market in San salvador. Places that I visited across El Salvador Wild East: - El Salvador International Airport - Fonseca - pupusa chicarrón - Gulf of Fonseca - La Unión - Zacatillo Island - Jiquilisco Bay - Puerto Barillas Lodge - ProCosta Hawksbill Turtle Conservation Program

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A look around the new ONEWorld Lounge at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Launched to mark the 25th anniversary of OneWorld in 2024.

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We have 3 new winners and lots of prize updates to update you on this week...

New winners

Rebecca has won the Cruise Nation Easter competition: “I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you…I have just received (an) email to say that I have won a £500 MSC cruise! My first win in absolutely ages!”

Elizabeth was alerted to a prize win by one of our Facebook group moderators and she’ll be enjoying a 2-night autumn break in Haybarn Cottage at Swainsley Farm Holiday Cottages near Leek, Staffordshire.

And we had a lovely email from Caroline letting us know about her £1000 easyJet voucher win that we featured in March: “I’m delighted tonight with my first holiday win!! We had been hoping to go to Andalucia in October but during school holidays it was coming out too expensive, however now we can hopefully go after all!!! Thank you for the newsletter every week, I look forward to it every Sunday!!"

Prizewinner updates

Paula shared some great photos from her 5-night trip to New York that she won with loveholidays: “We've recently come back from our holiday to New York that we won with loveholidays on Instagram. It was a trip for 2 but amazingly they paid for our daughter as well. It was a fantastic holiday and we're so grateful for this group…”

Laura messaged us from Saint Lucia where she’s currently enjoying her prize-winning stay: “Just sending a little thank you... Last October I won the Notting Hill and Saint Lucia Tourism Agency competition. Currently feeling very blessed having a wonderful time at the Coco Palm…”

Laura’s full prize is a 7-night stay at Coco Palm in St Lucia with daily breakfast, return flights from London, airport transfers and a ‘Rhythm of Rum’ tour.

Helen was delighted with her winning London hotel stay: “Before Christmas…I won a night in Park Plaza Riverbank London. Tonight my husband and I are staying here for his 60th birthday. What a view.” Helen’s prize also included 6x bottles of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Champagne and £500 gift vouchers for dining at Café Nucleus in Kent

Tracey posted an update after enjoying her Carnilove win: “Finally got round to enjoying the 2 night break that I won last June with Carnilove! Their PR agency booked a gorgeous AirBnB (converted milking parlour) on a working organic farm near Loughborough and we sampled lots of breakfast goodies from the on-site shop & bakery (and brought some home as well.)”

Congratulations to Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Caroline! And thanks for the updates and photos, Paula, Laura, Helen, and Tracey. To join our BIG list of winners, make sure you've entered all the competitions open for entries today, and consider joining our Travel Competitions Facebook group, where you'll find lots more giveaways posted daily.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.

Accommodation costs can often be the largest part of your holiday budget. But with some savvy planning, you can find affordable options without sacrificing on the experience.

While you want somewhere comfortable and clean to sleep, chances are you’re not going to be spending too much time there, especially on a city break. So be realistic, don't get seduced into spending more and follow my top tips below.

Book as far in advance as possible

Prices almost always go up when there is less availability, so book your accommodation as early as possible. With some booking sites and hotels you can book without having to pay upfront, which is always an option I go for when available. This way you can secure a room at a good price but not have to pay until you arrive.

Remember that out of high season, off-peak and mid-week stays tend to be cheaper, so opt for these whenever possible.

Use price comparison websites, but also look direct

Always look around for the best price when comparing hotels. Many of the comparison and booking websites are owned by the same companies, so to get a genuine comparison, compare the rates on booking.com and Expedia. The same hotel might be offering very different rates across both platforms. You'll also find that they will vary in payment terms (remember, you're looking for no upfront payment) and breakfast options.

When you've identified a good hotel, always look at the price of booking directly via their website. Hotels will pay a percentage to comparison sites so you may find it slightly cheaper going direct. Even if the price is the same you may get an added perk by going direct like a free upgrade on arrival or free breakfast.

Embrace alternative accommodation

I’ve mentioned hostels before but make sure you don’t discount them. You don’t have to book large rooms with masses of bunk beds, or shared bathrooms, there are private or semi-private rooms on offer.

Hostels generally work out cheaper than hotels which can save you a lot of money. I’ve stayed in hostels quite a few times including one in Gothenburg in Sweden. My friend and I opted for a private room but a shared bathroom (which was not an issue at all). The city is quite expensive so choosing this option saved us a lot of money.

Other options which may work out more affordable than a hotel include guesthouses, Airbnbs or rentals and homestays.

Take advantage of loyalty schemes

Wherever possible, I book my hotels with the same website as you can earn loyalty points and levels the more you book. A lot of the time I get 10% off or a free breakfast/ upgrade. And the few pounds savings here and there all add up.

Many hotel chains do the same, offering reward programmes where you get points or discounts on future bookings. 

Examples of booking sites offering loyalty programmes are booking.com, hotels.com, and Expedia. Good hotel chains offering loyalty are Accor Live Limitless, Radisson Rewards, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy.

Take advantage of any free options

In a lot of cities, you will be able to find options such as house swaps (if you have your own property to swap), or you may be able to pet sit or house sit for someone while you are away. These options might not always be readily available, but if they are you can save so much money if your accommodation costs are free. I've covered these options in my post on funding a big trip.

Find accommodation with free breakfast included

Breakfast is one of the most important meals, especially so if you’re on a city break and likely to be on your feet all day. If you find a hotel that has free breakfast included, you can save a lot of money on eating out.

When I went to New York in 2016 very few hotels offered breakfast because there’s so much choice in the city. But I found one that did and over my week's stay it saved me so much money compared to buying breakfast everyday.

If you’re in a very expensive city you can try and stock up so you don’t need a big lunch. When my friend and I went to Oslo we had a large breakfast and took a few snacks/bits of fruit with us to eat during the day so we saved on lunch costs.

Looking for more?

You can find lots of other travel posts and deals at travelscoop.co.uk. Our aim is to help you travel more, while spending less, which includes travel offer alerts, money saving tips and competitions.