Travel guides

The questions that sit around an itinerary rather than inside one — what you need to get in, when to go, and how to get about once you’re there.

When to go When to go: shoulder season, and the months worth paying more for The same two months keep winning across very different countries, and it is rarely the ones the school calendar picks. How to read a destination's season, when peak is genuinely worth the premium, and when the cheap months are cheap for a reason. Read the guide →
Getting around Getting around: when a rail pass pays, and when it doesn't Rail passes are sold as the obvious choice and are often the expensive one. How to work out whether a pass beats point-to-point tickets in an afternoon, the booking windows that beat both, and what actually moves you around once trains run out. Read the guide →
Visas & entry Schengen visas: how the application actually works One visa covers 29 European countries — but which embassy you apply to, how far ahead, and which document sinks most applications are not obvious. The process, the lead times, and the two border systems changing right now. Read the guide →
Practical tips eSIMs and staying connected A travel eSIM has quietly replaced roaming, rental wifi boxes and queueing for a local SIM. What it costs, when a local SIM still wins, and the one compatibility check to do before you fly. Read the guide →
Money Cards, cash and the fees nobody mentions The same three mistakes cost travellers money in every country: accepting the terminal's currency conversion, using the wrong ATM, and carrying cash where it isn't needed. What to do instead, and where cash still genuinely matters. Read the guide →