Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
15 November 2012 09:12
High tides have flooded Venice, leading Venetians and tourists to don high boots and use wooden walkways to cross St. Mark's Square
Freak weather conditions and industrial action in Europe have combined this week to highlight what can go wrong on holiday. Firstly, in Venice, heavy rain and seas whipped up by strong winds have flooded the famous Italian tourist city. Sunday's high tide mark of 59.06 inches (150cm) was its sixth-highest level since records began in 1872, according to the Ansa News agency.
Elsewhere in Northern and central Italy, the same weather system that put 70% of central Venice under water this week, was also wreaking havoc, with hard-hit Tuscany seeing 200 people evacuated from their homes. Although flooding is common in Venice at this time of year, the need for securing adequate travel insurance is perfectly illustrated by these stories of weather conditions across the Italian regions that aren't always predicted or adequately researched before travel.
Other issues affecting European travel this week have occurred in Belgium, where rail unions have called a second 24-hour strike in six weeks. Train traffic throughout the country and the high-speed service between London and Paris are expected to be seriously hampered on Wednesday. Warnings of disruptions have come from both the national railway company and the Thalys European high-speed service. Industrial action also paralysed train traffic six weeks ago, when both the Thalys lines from Paris and the Eurostar from London had to interrupt their services.
29 September 2016
Tour operator Thomas Cook says its earnings are still being impacted by recent terror attacks.
[more...]
28 September 2016
The English tourism industry is predicted to grow faster than the overall economy every year for the next decade, according to new research.
27 September 2016
Monarch Airlines says its flights are operating as normal amid fears the firm is in financial trouble.
24 September 2016
Slim people who look physically healthy may still be at increased chance of being diagnosed with bowel cancer if they have raised insulin levels, according new research.
23 September 2016
Theresa May is being urged to give the go-ahead for flights to resume between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh by the head of the cross-party parliamentary group on Egypt.
22 September 2016
Budget airline Jet2.com is to open its first base in the south of England at Stansted.
21 September 2016
Smoking rates have dropped to the lowest level on record in England, new figures show, suggesting messages about the health effects of cigarettes are hitting home.
20 September 2016
Concerns have been raised over flight disruptions caused by heavy drinking among passengers.
17 September 2016
British Airways' decision to launch direct flights from London to Tehran earlier this month positions Iran as one of the hottest destinations to visit in 2017, according to experts.
16 September 2016
More than 100 flights have been cancelled as French air traffic controllers go on strike again.
15 September 2016
Two thirds of MPs would support an expansion at Heathrow.
14 September 2016
TripAdvisor is launching a new homepage, making the booking of holiday activities and tours even easier.