Travel blog

In August the Spanish themselves leave their own cities, and that's the best signal of where not to be this month. We break it down honestly: how hot it gets in Madrid, Seville and along the coasts, why the Canary Islands are cooler than the mainland in August, what's shut for the whole month, how much the Catalonia tourist taxes now cost, and who should move their trip.

Vietnam stretches 1,650 kilometres, and its three climate zones run out of phase - so the question "when to fly to Vietnam" has no answer until you've chosen a region. We break down the north, centre and south separately, work out the budget, explain how the visa rules differ by passport, and cover what's known about LOT's direct flights from Warsaw to Hanoi.

A damaged suitcase on the baggage belt is a situation with a clear course of action and strict deadlines that most passengers only find out about too late. We break down where to report it at the airport straight away, what documents you'll need, how much you can realistically claim under the Montreal Convention, and what to do if the airline refuses compensation.

Before a trip to Thailand in August, everyone checks the rain forecast, and the disappointment arrives from a completely different direction - from the sea. We break it down honestly: what "the rainy season" really means, why red flags fly on the west coast this month, which islands are shut until mid-October, where in Thailand it's dry in August, and how much you can save in low season.

From EUR 35 to 4,000: what gets you fined on beaches in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Croatia. Swimwear in town, speakers, early sunbeds and smoking - by country.

August is Turkey's most expensive and most crowded month, but one decision matters more than price: which coast you pick. We break it down honestly - how the Mediterranean around Antalya differs from Aegean Bodrum, why the meltemi wind changes everything, which excursions to skip this month, and who barely notices the August heat.

Crete holds four different islands in one: western Chania with the best beaches, central Rethymno and Heraklion with history and nightlife, and the quiet, upmarket east around Elounda. We break the island down by region — beaches, sea temperatures month by month, which of the two airports to fly into, weekly costs, and what to do about gorges, Knossos and the 2026 entry rules.