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.
18 October 2018
The UK's average life expectancy is predicted to increase from 80.8 years to 83.3 years over the next 20 years, according to new research.
[more...]
17 October 2018
Family doctors are being urged to prescribe physical activity for patients living with some of the most common medical conditions.
16 October 2018
Patients with brain tumours lose out on almost £15,000 per year, a new report has revealed.
13 October 2018
Chris Grayling has given his "categorial assurance" to Parliament that a no-deal Brexit will not ground flights in and out of the UK, despite recent warnings from experts that this remains a possibility.
12 October 2018
The rising cost of fuel could force more airlines out of business, the boss of easyJet has warned.
11 October 2018
The image of the boozy backpacker might be a thing of the past as a new study suggests more and more youngsters are shunning alcohol completely.
10 October 2018
The NHS says just one in 10 drinks sold in English hospitals will be sugar-sweetened, as part of its bid to curb rising obesity levels.
09 October 2018
More than 260,000 diabetes patients were put at risk of lasting harm or even death during hospital stays last year due to medication errors, a new report has revealed.
06 October 2018
NHS patients with a specific type of lymphoma will soon be able to access a "game-changing" new treatment, health officials have revealed.
05 October 2018
People living with diabetes are being warned they might be "unwittingly" storing their insulin incorrectly.
04 October 2018
The world's first commercial jet part-powered by a new form of biofuel touches down in London on Wednesday (3rd October).
03 October 2018
New 'hotel-style' carriages that were due to be rolled out for the Caledonian Sleeper have been delayed until next year.