It’s August, so if your algorithm is anything like mine, your social media will be awash with photos of friends, celebrities and influencers living their best lives on holiday.
This summer, the Mediterranean rolled out its red carpet for the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Kendall Jenner and Kate Hudson, who have been spotted across St Tropez, Ibiza, Mykonos and the Amalfi Coast. Other popular European hotspots include Palermo, where Dua Lipa and Callum Turner were seen. Over in the Caribbean, St Barts and Turks and Caicos have drawn everyone from Rihanna to the Biebers for some summer downtime.
As a devourer of pop culture, I love finding out that a famous person has stayed at the same hotel as me. In 2023, when I checked into the Our Habitas Tulum in Mexico, I enjoyed being regaled with tales of Drew Barrymore and Paris Hilton's recent trips. More than a decade ago, I was shown around a hotel in Manila and the tour guide proudly boasted that US president Barack Obama had stayed there only months before. And then there are storied destinations such as Raffles Singapore, which had a corridor of photos of notable guests, including Queen Elizabeth II, Rudyard Kipling, Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor, when I visited in 2016.
This month, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, may have influenced a few holidaymakers in London, where he has been spotted dining at some of the UAE’s most popular export locations.
Last week, he stopped by Somewhere Cafe, which opened at Harrods department store in December. And this week, he visited Chef Izu Ani’s Shanghai Me London, at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Read more about the places Sheikh Mohammed has frequented here.
Sheikh Mohammed isn’t the only member of the Dubai royal family in the UK. His son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, shared photos of himself on his annual grouse shooting trip to Yorkshire, England last week.
He posted the photos on Saturday, just days after August 12, which is known as the Glorious Twelfth and traditionally marks the start of the red grouse shooting season in the UK.
Sheikh Hamdan has shared photos of himself and his family spending time in England most summers. Last year he even posted a photo from inside a British supermarket. See the photo highlights from his trip this year here.
Closer to home, Cristiano Ronaldo and wife-to-be Georgina Rodriguez have become frequent holidaymakers in Saudi Arabia. The couple live in Riyadh, where Ronaldo plays for Al Nassr Football Club, but have made many trips to the Red Sea and AlUla. Katy Gillett has rounded up some of their favourite Saudi hotspots here.
This week I was surprised to read about a budding trend that takes travel influence further than I’d have imagined. Influencers are now selling the chance to travel with them, not just like them, and Gen Z travellers appear to be lapping up the opportunities.
Companies such as TrovaTrip and Plotpackers sell holidays with influencers, on the basis that the trips will be fully planned and community-led, with safety and security in mind. Groups will be shown around destinations by influencers: right now you can pay $2,595 (not including international flights) for a nine-day trip to Egypt with Raven Todd DaSilva in March. DaSilva is an archaeology influencer with 14,000 followers on Instagram and 69.3K subscribers on YouTube.
I'm not sure I’d want to be shown around by an influencer – although they have gained very good access, if we think back to MrBeast’s trip to the Pyramids of Giza in February. However, after a busy summer of planning my own trips, the idea of having someone map out my days and activities does sound appealing.
Until next time, travel well.
Transformational travel on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage
Travel has the power to be transformational – an opportunity for reflection, healing and experiences that take us out of our comfort zone.
This is something Hayley Kadrou has written about in her piece about the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, a trip that took her two years to plan.
Inspired by her mum, she made an 11-day trek along the Portuguese coast up into Spain's Galicia region in April this year, a trip she says brought her back to herself.
“I discovered the Camino was a nice place to be alone in my head, away from the daily grind, to-do lists and expectations. I wanted to savour it. It gave me time to process, experience realisations and find moments of inspiration – something of a reset button,” she writes. Read all about Hayley's remarkable trip here.
Inside the small Polish town that's a hit with Gulf travellers
Move over Switzerland and Austria, there's a new alpine hotspot for holidaymakers from the Gulf escaping the summer heat.
Nestled deep in southern Poland's Tatra Mountains is the small resort town of Zakopane, where thousands of tourists from the region have flocked for alpine views and hiking trails.
Zakopane has become a major summer draw for travellers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, with up to seven daily flights to Krakow, about a two-hour drive north. Read all about the regional appeal of the destination here.
In the spotlight: Dundee
The small Scottish city of Dundee offers short breaks with substance, stories and solidarity stitched into their fabric.
Twinned with Nablus, there are messages of unity throughout the city – with the Palestinian flag flying high above Caird Hall in the City Square and the Thread Memory: Embroidery from Palestine exhibition running at the V&A Dundee until spring 2026.
Hayley Skirka dives into the city's rich cultural offerings, from historical sites to exhibitions and impressive public art. Read all about her trip here.
Travel news this week
Top travel tip
Get off the beaten track by asking a local where they would take an out-of-town friend for the day.
It's likely they'll skip the obvious tourist traps and you'll end up with their personal favourites, perhaps a tucked-away cafe, a quiet viewpoint at sunset or a family-run restaurant they’ve frequented for years.
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