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Moonlight Colosseum Tour

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+39.348.341.9823

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• Duration: 1 Hour
• Max Participants: 15
• Min Participants: 2
• English, Spanish, Italian
• Effort: Easy

Meeting Point

Meeting time.

30 Minutes before start time

Total Duration

Colosseum Underground Colosseum Arena Floor

Max Participants

15 (More than 15 participants? Contact Us )

Min Participants

Language (in-person guides).

English, Spanish, Italian 

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible Not stroller accessible No service animals allowed No infant seats available Near public transportation

Price Includes

• A licensed professional guide
• All Fees and Taxes
• Access to Colosseum Underground
• Access to Colosseum Arena Floor

Price Excludes

• Hotel pick up and drop off
• Private expenses

Important Notes

On this tour, some of the venues or parts of the venue may be subject to last-minute, unpredictable closures. When this occurs, we are happy to offer customers an extended tour in keeping with the advertised total length of the tour.

• Tickets for this tour are nominative and will show the visitor’s personal data. Please note that these tickets are nominative for each participant and it will not be possible to change the name after the purchase . In case of mismatch with the identity document, access to the Colosseum will not be allowed and no refund will be issued.

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Italy In Love Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Italy in love tours - enjoy Italian luxury

Want to discover boundless wonders of such a magnificent cities like milan, venice, or rome with a dedicated italy in love tours,without any stress or rush in just a one day "> "> your preferred time, personalized itinerary, convenient hotel pick up.

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FEEL THE ITALY in YOUR WAY

Forget about the stress of transportation, navigating unfamiliar streets, and choosing between endless options. Our professional guides will be your knowledgeable companions, leading you through the city’s tapestry and sharing fascinating stories along the way. Sit back, relax, and let us take care of all the details while you make the most of your time in this captivating urban landscape. Explore iconic landmarks, savor local flavors, and experience the culture that defines this extraordinary country.

· Flexible timings · Pick up at your hotel · Best selling and reviewed city tour

One day in..., italy in love tours.

Why to choose Italy in love tours with us?

Do you need us to plan your italy in love tours.

We specialize in tailoring personalized trip for you, your family and friends taking into consideration needs of everyone.

Boat trip? Wine tasting? Best places in town for food? Hidden gems of the countryside? Exploring city like a local?

Just let us know your wishes and we organize the vacation you wont forget in a lifetime

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About italiatut, "> "> elizaveta evlonskaya, the founder and ceo.

“It all started with me. Allow me to introduce myself – Elizaveta Evlonskaya, the founder of GIDTUT and the chief ambassador of Italian “dolce vita.”

Ten years ago, I arrived in Italy for the first time and fell head over heels in love with this unique country. From the very first steps I took here, I knew I wanted to learn everything about it. Every little house, every alley, every tradition, all to share with you.

Our main mission is not just to share knowledge, but to share something greater – sincerity and genuine passion – a love for Italy.

Here are some examples Italy in love tours

Romantic tour como, dolomites adventure bernina tour, romantic maggiore lake tour, lugano switzerland food tour, "> "> reviews.

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We allow users to cancel their bookings according to our terms and conditions and reputation for quality and safety.

It typically takes 1 to 5 days from start to finish.

We work closely with clients to tailor tours based on their specific preferences and requirements.

Yes, our 24/7 concierge service provides support for all transportation and accommodations requests.

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Golf Tours Rome

2 hours and 30 minutes

 Small Group and Private Tours by Italy In Love Tours

You will see the major attractions of the city from outside, being able to cover a large area with this golf cart. we can stop on request where possible for a special view or picture. with the ease and mobility of the golf cart, your tour will be relaxed and fun. you will see the major highlights of rome as you wander through the typical narrow streets. the tour is led by a licensed official tour guide, who will introduce you to roman history and will tell you some funny stories about this ancient city, while you sit back and enjoy the view of the most famous attractions. the sites will not necessarily come in this order, depending on the day and traffic of the city, but all the routes are guaranteed., what's included, please note.

• Public transportation nearby
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Not stroller accessible
• Not suitable for pets
• Infants must not sit on laps
• Infant seats unavailable
• Not recommended for people with heart conditions
• On this tour, some of the venues or parts of the venue may be subject to last-minute, unpredictable closures. When this occurs, we are happy to offer customers an extended tour in keeping with the advertised total length of the tour.
• Not suitable for babies / children
• Meeting time: 30 minutes before the start time. Tickets will be redeemed in our office.

What to bring

Contact info.

  Via del Cardello 31, 00184 Rome, Lazio  – Italy

+39 348 341 9823

[email protected]

Italy In Love Tours – ONTARIO SRLS – VAT 14306581001 – Licence number GR285087

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Italy In Love Tours

• See all photos

Colosseum Arena Floor Guided Tour with Ancient Rome Access

Golf Tours Rome

Private Tour of Villa Borghese and Gallery

Private Golf Cart Tour in Rome

Rome City Center Walking Tour and Gelato-Tasting

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Italy In Love Tours - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

Italy In Love Tours

• See all photos

Colosseum Arena Floor Guided Tour with Ancient Rome Access

Golf Tours Rome

Private Tour of Villa Borghese and Gallery

Private Golf Cart Tour in Rome

Rome City Center Walking Tour and Gelato-Tasting

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

ITALY IN LOVE TOURS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Italy in Love tours

Tours view all.

2-Hour Colosseum, Palatine ...

Go back in time on this authentic gladiator experience and enter the reconstructed Arena Floor of the Colosseum, where most ...

Rome Landmarks 2-Hour Golf ...

Go on a 2-hour tour to discover the Baroque district of Rome: Navona Square, the famous steps of the Spanish Square, Piazza del ...

2-Hour Rome Walking Tour

Visit Piazza del Popolo, with the amazing twin churches of Santa Maria in Montesanto and Santa Maria Dei Miracoli. Stob by Via ...

Services Provided

Professional License/Certificate

About Company!

Trust us, we’ve been through it all.

Through our own experiences in Italy, we’ve cultivated unique and creative ways to see Italy.From finding new ways to experience the well-known attractions to sharing the lesser-known hidden gems.We go out of our way to make sure we are giving visitors the experience of a lifetime, from organizing a special agreement with the Colosseum and Vatican Museums.You name it, we’re on it! 

On top of that, we’re all nice people who want you to enjoy Italy! You stop to smell the flowers and taste the pizza or enhance your travel experience more.Join our tours take home the experience of real travel and stories.

Most of the staff we have today showed up of their own accord, picked up a shovel and just kept digging; a lot of our guides arrived on our doorstep unsolicited; and most of our products wrote themselves after we kept getting the same requests from guests.Our focus was never on world domination.It was always on that single guest and how they would feel on this tour, with that guide.We are still working on more tours we are exploring more with our guides and our diversed team to provide at-par service for you.

Yet while we were focusing on the little things, big things are happening.We’ve gone from four guides and a tech whizz working out of their tiny Roman office, to an international team and experience and licenced guides.We all have one thing common though: A love of slow, immersive travel; of exploring a city at ground level, through its museums and monuments, but also through quieter streets and local restaurants.

TourHQ ID: IT85050

Private Tours Operator in: Rome

Languages spoken by our guides: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Romanian, Spanish

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Italy In Love Tours

• See all photos

Colosseum Arena Floor Guided Tour with Ancient Rome Access

Golf Tours Rome

Private Tour of Villa Borghese and Gallery

Private Golf Cart Tour in Rome

Rome City Center Walking Tour and Gelato-Tasting

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

ITALY IN LOVE TOURS (Rome) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

More From Forbes

Travel to italy like an insider with the best local experts.

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A trip to Italy is too special to get wrong. Here's how to do it right. (San Gimignano, Tuscany)

I absolutely love Italy, for many different reasons. But I hate the way in which many Americans go about planning trips there. Survey after survey shows it is the number one dream destination for U.S. leisure travelers, but the way those travelers get their information and advice gives me nightmares.

Throughout the years I’ve heard people say over and over that “I was told to do this in Italy,” or “I was told not to do this in Italy.” By who? “A friend.” I have close friends who recently planned their entire 12-day trip on the basis of another couple they knew who gave them advice—after their first visit. I’ve heard of many people who skipped Rome because “we heard it was too busy, just another big city.” Or passed on Venice, one of the world’s most magical destinations, because, “I heard it was touristy.”

There are American tourists who say you should skip Venice. They are wrong.

It goes on and on, but suffice to say, I have been to Italy in the neighborhood of two dozen times, summer and winter, for food, wine, skiing, golf, hiking, cycling and more food, from north to south and east to west and islands too, and I know a lot about Italian cuisine, but I still ask real experts for advice every time I go. I specifically ask for advice on where to eat, what to see, and who to choose as guides. And by experts, I mean people how live in Italy, specialize in particular areas of travel, and know their subject matter.

“We get multiple guests a year who want to wing it,” says Cherrye Moore, owner of My Bella Vita travel. Moore moved to Calabria two decades ago after falling in love with the region on a visit, and opened a bed and breakfast, learning about what her visitors were looking for. Her company now specializes in planning trips—especially foodie and ancestry trips—to the area in Southern Italy where many Italian Americans trace their heritage. “They say, ‘My neighbor just showed up in their family’s hometown and it went great for them,’ or, ‘Our friends went to Italy last year and said we don't need a driver.’ It’s true that you can rent a car and drive to your family’s hometown, but that experience is vastly different from having a dedicated driver and a heritage specialist who has done research on your family’s history, who has already identified the home your grandfather was born in, and who has arranged meetings with locals upon your arrival.”

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Anyone can tour the Vatican, but only the right guides can get you a private visit.

I just got back from an exploration of Turin followed by a weeklong hiking trip in surrounding Piemonte, Italy’s most prestigious wine region, which included multiple winery visits. For restaurants and guides and sightseeing in Turin I used an Italian-based travel specialist that is the choice of many of the best luxury travel agents/advisors in this country (the best travel agents are savvy enough to know what they do not know and regularly rely on local experts). For the hiking trip, I used an Italy-based active travel specialist that does nothing else, and does it with a food-centric spin. It was another fantastic Italy trip, one amazing day after another, featuring many meals, wineries and experiences I never would have found by myself, especially by asking random friends or watching You Tube influencer videos by people with far less Italy experience than myself.

“We don’t focus on stars or diamonds, we focus on really special one-of-a-kind experiences and lodging that lets you discover our Italy,” said Heather Dowd, who lives in Turin and along with her Italian husband Beppe Salerno. They run Tourissimo , the active travel company we used. We had several friends hiking with us who were on either their very first or second trip to Italy, and when we reviewed our experiences at the end for the trip, one place we stayed, an 18 th century castle turned boutique hotel, was the overwhelming favorite. It did not have whirlpool tubs or Frette linens, it did not have a concierge or room service, but it had excellent food and beautiful gardens in which we had an epic dinner. It had cooking classes, a great location, a fun aperitivo evening cocktail session, and most of all, incredible charm..

Everyone wants the perfect meal in Italy, but not everyone knows where the locals go to find it.

It was exactly what my first timers dreamed Italy would be like, and it was a place we never would have found online. It was perfect, and even in Italy not every place is, but the reality is that Heather and Beppe and their guides spend a lot of time behind the scenes visiting small hotels and vetting them, way more time than the people who rate their stays on booking websites. One of my friends was so impressed he is already planning an extended family hiking trip to Sicily with Tourissimo next year.

If you want to have an insider experience in Italy, and see the places locals go, you need a local insider to help you out.

“Our goal is for guests to experience Calabria like we do, so we’ve built experiences that aren’t available online,” said My Bella Vita’s Moore. “Nowhere else can you find a multi-course lunch hosted at Zia Pina’s or a picnic prepared and delivered by Signora Francesca. Lunch in the home of our friend, Chef Massimo, isn’t available on Google. When creating or reviewing experiences I always think of my sister in Texas. If she were visiting, would I take her here? If that answer is yes, I know we have a winner.” That is exactly the standard by which I’d like my Italy travels to be judged.

A trip to Italy is a beautiful, special, and almost sacred experience, so don’t screw it up by taking bad advice. I do not know every local specialist—and I hope to keep finding more—but I know several experts I would recommend for different kinds of travel. Or use a good travel advisor, something I recommend for all travel (Read my article Why You Need A Travel Agent More Than Ever here at Forbes ), and communicate with them to ensure they are on the same page in terms of sourcing these kinds of local experts. If they are good, they will already be familiar with several of these companies.

Active Travel

All of Tourissimo's cycling and hiking trips in Italy emphasize food and wine, which is how it ... [+] should be.

Italy has long been the dream destination of cyclists, with Tuscany atop the Bucket List for global road riding destinations. But for the past few years the fastest growing sector of cycling has been “gravel grinding,” and with hundreds of miles of its stunning unpaved “white roads,” Tuscany has also emerged as the world’s top travel spot for gravel lovers. There are also plenty of other amazing places to ride in Italy, including Piemonte, Sardinia, Puglia, the Lakes region, and many other areas. World class hiking abounds, especially the stunning Dolomites—a UNESCO World Heritage Site of beauty unmatched by most other mountain regions on earth. Beyond this there are the Alps in the east, the Cinque Terre, Sardinia, and many other great options.

Italy is so well known for cycling and hiking that every major active travel company in the world runs trips there. But for my last two active trips, one hiking and one biking, I chose a tour operator that is actually based there, founded by an Italian with a passion for cycling and food. Tourissimo may be Italian, but they cater to the American market, and founder Beppe Salerno worked for am American cycling company as a guide before realizing he could do the real Italy better himself—to me, the perfect startup rationale. Over the years since, Tourissimo has grown its library of offerings, with both with an array of scheduled group trips and private custom options. While they do mostly road riding, they are notably one of the only tour operators scheduling gravel trips, and can also arrange custom mountain biking itineraries, with years of expertise in cycling and hiking.

Superstar Chef Mary Sue Milliken has led about galf a dozen Chef's Cycling Tours in Italy for ... [+] Tourissimo.

In addition, Tourissimo has also been a pioneer in “Active Culinary Travel,” a hot new category I have written about here at Forbes (and for other magazines and newspapers). They offer an annual series of six group rides (and a hike) each hosted by an acclaimed chef like Mary Sue Milliken, an award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author (five!) and co-host of the popular PBS cooking show Two Hot Tamales . She is also an avid cyclist and has led the Tourissimo Chef Bike Tours for several years, along with other big names. These trips are a unique option for serious foodies who also ride, while the other trips cater to just about anyone. Otherwise they offer several styles of trips, from Bici Basics for new riders to Ambitious Tours for the more hard core.

Tourissimo puts a focus on local, choosing small and often historic hotels that they have curated and vetted (like the castle I just stayed at in Piemonte), places that you would never be able to distinguish from hundreds of other non-chain options online. Same for restaurants, wineries, and all the other ways they take you behind the scenes and into their real Italy. Their Mission Statement? “We don't want to be the biggest adventure travel company. We want to design and run the best tours in Italy. We strive to be the most authentic and the most beneficial to local communities.” Fantastico!

Bellagio on Lake Como is one of the most famous destinations in Italy — and the perfect place for a ... [+] food-centric bike tour!

Bike It! Bellagio offers another insider biking experience on a much different scale, providing a great one-day experience for visitors to Italy’s most famous lake town. This bike shop on Lake Como is run by a former pro racer and his wife. They rent bikes (road, mountain and e-bikes) out, but also offer one-day guided tours with multiple food and drink stops. Given that the owner grew up here and knows everyone, it’s not surprising that the food and drink spots are insider picks. The shop sits near the iconic Madonna del Ghisallo climb, the most famous in the Giro di Lombardia, a race more than a century old, and several days a week the shop offers guided group rides with a climb of the pass, on road or e-bikes—Bianchi bikes of course!

There are scheduled tours Monday through Saturday, as well as wide range of customizable private tours. These are often taken by families with mixed ages, but for more aggressive riders they offer longer road tours, mountain biking and gravel riding, along with a wide range of less demanding e-bike tours, including some even more focused on food and wine. They also offer a handful of multi-day tours and can put these together as custom on demand, usually for groups, including an iconic coast to coast traverse of Italy. If you are a guest of one of the many stunning (and pricey) ultra-luxury hotels around Bellagio, and ask the concierge to arrange a bike tour, they are likely going to call this shop anyway (and mark it up) so just do it yourself.

Luxury Travel in Italy

From planning your entire itinerary with flights, hotels, and transfers to just booking the best tours, guides and VIP access (often to non-public highlights), it pays to use a top local specialist.

Last year I attended the annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, which has been called “the Oscars of the travel industry.” Virtuoso is the leading global luxury travel consortium, and many of the best travel advisors on earth belong, So does just about every top hotel, resort, safari lodge, cruise line, and luxury tour operator. Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch was explaining the many advantages of using a travel advisor (I wholeheartedly agree) and something he said really stuck with me. He explained that with all of the new online tour booking companies, it was easier than ever to book a tour or guide in just about any destination on earth, but harder than ever to judge the quality. The caveat was that, “you can book a guide, but you can’t book my guide.”

One of Italy's greatest hidden gems, Turin was the nation's first capital and a Winter Olympic host. ... [+] It's worth getting a good guide if you visit.

The Vatican is the Vatican and the Colosseum is the Colosseum, so when you opt for a guided tour, what really matters and makes it a good, bad or great experience is the guide—and their special access, like a tour of the Vatican when no one else is there.

For my recent trip to Turin, I called Imago Artis Travel , an Italy-based luxury travel specialist. They are what is known in the travel industry as a destination management company or DMC, the same companies luxury travel agents call to arrange local details for their clients. There are great DMCs all over the world, and local knowledge is valuable everywhere, but many of them do not deal directly with travelers, while in Italy the best ones do.

I wanted a private day tour of Turin and its surrounding attractions for my wife and I, most importantly the Reggia di Venaria Reale, aka the “Italian Versailles” (one of two places in Italy with this lofty but accurate nickname). The guide they got for me was a licensed guide, and lifelong resident of Turin, and spoke excellent English, which was all good, but she was also an architect, which was great in a city where so much is driven by architecture. That’s not so easy to find on global tour aggregator website. Imago Artis also gave me a list of their favorite restaurant recommendations, which were spot on, then made my reservations for me. At a minimum this eliminates the language barrier of calling or the technology barrier of booking through often tricky (or non-functional) Italian restaurant reservation websites, but in many cases it also gets you a better table and instant VIP treatment—which definitely does not happen when I book myself.

Italy is rich in world-class crafts, and companies like Imago Artis can take you behind the scenes ... [+] to meet the makers.

Imago Artis Travel is a Virtuoso member, which means when you book through them, if you book your luxury hotel, you get extras like room upgrades, late checkout, spa credits etc., one of the big advantages of working with Virtuoso travel advisors. If you have a bigger budget than I do, they can handle all sorts of luxury transport, private jets, helicopters, boat charters, and also offer VIP Meet and Greet services at just about every airport in Italy. They can even arrange private security details. On a more accessible luxury level, they specialize in exclusive experiences, unlocking historic buildings and art collections not open to the public, and taking you behind the scenes with many artisans of Italy, from custom shoemakers to sculptors to jewelry designers. They know food, they know the guides, and I especially like their mission statement, “Our mission is simple: Getting You to the Heart of Italy.” That’s what it is all about.

Another top luxury DMC that is also a member of Virtuoso that I have used in the past with great success is IC Bellagio . They offer a similar array of luxury services and are very well connected, but they also specialize in Villa rentals as well as 5-Star hotels. Differentiating villas in Italy may be the single biggest challenge, more so than restaurants, with so many options and so few valid reviews. IC Bellagio has also boldly acknowledged the overtourism problems some of the most popular parts of Italy face, and are pushing “Slow Season Travel,” which varies in each of the country’s 20 regions but is something they are expert in. Last winter I went to Venice in the off-season, and it was spectacular, and I just traveled in a slow season to Piemonte. It was much, much better than fighting the crowds.

Skiing in Italy is awesome, and it's the best place in the world to stay in mountain rifugios — but ... [+] you need help for the perfect trip.

Skiing in Italy remains a bit under the radar for Europe, especially compared to France and Switzerland. Well, let the crowds go to other countries, because Italy has two different major ski regions, both of which have hosted the Winter Olympics, and the Games are returning to Milan and Cortina in 2026. The interconnected Dolomiti SuperSki lift and trail network in the Dolomites is arguably the largest “ski resort” in the world, and inarguably one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes on the planet. The towns are charming, the food is great, there are spectacular hotels from non-chain independent hidden gems to world-class luxury (Aman, Mandarin Oriental, Relais & Chateaux, etc.) and it’s cheaper than much of the rest of Europe. Did I mention the food?

I first went to the Dolomites to go hiking, and was so wowed I thought, “I have to come back and ski here.” I came back the next winter and skied, and the following year I got a group of friends together and went back. I have skied all over the U.S., and all over the world and never had the same compulsion to return to the same place immediately. That’s how good skiing in Italy is ( read much more in my Italy skiing piece here at Forbes ).

I’ve only used one company for ski travel in Italy and see no reason to switch gears, especially since the local logistics (a great guide/instructor, transfers, the best on-mountain meals and staying a couple of nights in the region’s unique on-mountain rifugios) is very hard to organize on your own. The company is Dolomite Mountains , a specialist in both resort ski vacations and backcountry touring trips (using skins and alpine touring or AT gear). They too are a U.S. facing company with mainly American clientele.

Like many active travel companies, they offer both group trip scheduled departure options and private custom trips to fit whatever you want. The group option is called the Dolomites Ski Safari and is a 7-day trip mixing stays in amazing rifugios with in-town hotels (4 and 5-stars on the Italian system) and includes all breakfasts and dinners, a full-time guide, ski pass, luggage transfers and more. Custom options include the same kind of trip for your own group, or anything you want, and while its name suggests local expertise—quite true—Dolomite Mountains also handles ski trips in the rest of Italy, like Courmayeur, and connected border regions of France, Switzerland and Austria, as many lift systems here know no national boundaries (ski with your passport!). They are also a Virtuoso member.

Calabria & Southern Italy

Many Italian Americans trace their ancestry to Southern Italy's Calabria, and if you want to visit, ... [+] make sure you do it right.

My Bella Vita travel focuses on this area, including both small group trips and custom privates. Their specialties include “Heritage Tours” for those interested in their ancestry, and a food focus for the rest of us. For instance, Taste of the South is a 12-day gastronomic journey through Calabria, Basilicata and Naples—the birthplace of pizza! Food & Wine of Calabria is an 11-daty trip and just what it sounds like.

These are some of the scheduled small group tours offered, but the rest of their business is private trip planning and custom options.

“Italy is deceivingly large, and travelers think two weeks is enough time to see everything. It isn’t,” insists Moore. “You can’t even experience all of Calabria in two weeks. Our team collectively spends about six months a year scouting new hotels, restaurants, and experiences in Calabria and we are constantly re-evaluating and tweaking our recommendations.”

There are some other Italy specialists I have not personally experienced, but that come highly recommended by some of my other experts:

My Bella Vita’s Cherrye Moore says, “ In Sicily, I recommend Lucia Davies of Sicily Tour , one of a trio of British expats who have lived in Siracusa, Sicily for decades.” A family-owned tour-guiding company based in Siracusa, they have nearly 40 years of experience on the island and create trips fostering cultural exchange between Italy and English-speaking visitors, specializing in small group and custom tours.

Food & Wine

Life is too short to go to Italy and not eat well.

Beppe and Heather Dowd of Tourissimo recommend Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures , a company that has also earned kudos from other travel industry folks I know. Owner Francesca Montillo grew up in Southern Italy where her father was greengrocer. An Italian-American cookbook author, she launched the company a decade ago, and she personally leads the tours. She does numerous scheduled tours to different regions each year, and also offers custom private itineraries.

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Travelling Without a Passport

Best Valentine’s Day Destinations for 2024

It’s the season of love and time to take a trip with your plus 1. Here are our top destinations for Valentine’s Day 2024

Many places around the world compete for the title of “most romantic,” but where you choose will depend on your shared interests, budget and how far you’d like to travel. There are cities where you can stroll hand-in-hand by the river, beaches to relax on together, and unique destinations where nature will put on a show. In need of inspiration for your next Valentine’s Day getaway? Here are our suggestions of the best Valentine’s Day destinations for 2024.

Paris, France: The City of Love

No list of the most romantic destinations to visit would be complete without the City of Love. In February, Paris is likely to be chilly, so wrap up and walk hand-in-hand next to the River Seine, dipping into the Tuileries Garden and stopping for a chocolat chaud (hot chocolate). Then, spend a romantic afternoon ambling around the cobbled Montmartre district, where the Sacré-Cœur at its summit has fantastic views over the city.

If you’re a first-timer, a visit to the Eiffel Tower is a must, but up the romantic stakes and avoid the crowds by visiting its champagne bar or Michelin-starred restaurant in the evening. A day trip to the Palace of Versailles should also be on your itinerary on an extended stay.

If you’d like someone to plan your itinerary for you, making sure you visit all of the city’s key sites, take a look at our most popular France tours and trips, which include a Paris and Versailles cultural getaway and an extended Romantic France tour.

Reykjavík, Iceland: Natural Wonders for two

Embrace the cold in February and whisk your other half to the capital of Iceland, Reykjavík, for your next Valentine’s Day getaway. Winter is the best time of year to see the Northern Lights here, so plan a trip away from the bright lights of the city to witness this natural phenomenon together. One popular place is the Island of Grótta, a nature reserve with a lighthouse, less than an hour’s walk from the city or a short bus ride away.

You’ll also be able to soak in thermal waters together in Iceland—top spots are the Sky Lagoon just outside Reykjavik and the Blue Lagoon around a 50-minute car journey from the city. 

Make sure you allow time to explore the city itself too, refueling with Icelandic specialties such as hot dogs, slow-roasted lamb, and Skyr (a cross between yogurt and cottage cheese). If you’re feeling brave, you could try fermented shark too. 

Still looking for inspo? Check out these romantic tours and around Iceland .

The Maldives, Indian Ocean: Ultimate Romance

The Maldives is perhaps the most romantic destination if you’re looking to make a big impression this Valentine’s Day and it’s a perennial favorite on any best valentine’s day destinations list. The nation of more than 1,000 islands in the Indian Ocean is a place to relax in a luxurious villa while walking barefoot together down a white-sand beach or over dinner looking out to sea.

February is one of the best times to travel to the Maldives as it’s one of the driest months, with low humidity and temperatures hovering at around 77-86F. While you’re here, book an excursion to an uninhabited island for a romantic champagne picnic, admire the technicolor underwater world together (you might be lucky enough to see a spotted ray!) while diving or snorkelling, or learn a new water sport. Sound too strenuous? Lounge side-by-side under a beach umbrella while gazing out over the turquoise water then enjoy dinner under the stars on the sand.

Be inspired by our Maldives tours and trips, pack your bags and go!

Maribor, Slovenia: Romance in the Vineyards

If you’re wine enthusiasts, consider a romantic trip to Maribor, Slovenia’s second-largest city for a Valentine’s Day getaway. In the country’s northeast corner, Maribor boasts romantic sites aplenty. It’s home to the world’s oldest vine, which is more than 450 years old and has its own dedicated museum, the Old Vine House. As well as learning about the vine and winemaking in the region, you can enjoy tastings here, too.

Nearby, in Maribor’s center, you can also venture underneath the city streets in the Vinag Wine Cellar, one of the oldest wine cellars in Europe. Here, you can explore its underground passages and peek (or squeeze) inside its biggest barrel.

To really wow your loved one, plan a trip to the nearby vineyards for tastings. Here, in Slovenske Gorice along the Austrian border, you’ll find a heart-shaped road that’s been named one of the most romantic roads in the world. One theory behind its shape is that an extra turn was added to the path to make it less steep. Pose for a photograph above it then sample some fizz nearby.

Combine a trip to Maribor with other destinations in Slovenia on a tour . 

Verona, Italy: Romeo & Juliet Cosplay

Head to the home of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet this Valentine’s Day for history, culture, fine food, and romance. Verona is a UNESCO World Heritage city and you can start a trip here with a tour along its ancient city walls. Once you’ve got your bearings, head to Juliet’s House where there’s a bronze statue of Juliet in the courtyard. Local legend says that she is the keeper of true love and if you touch her breast, you’ll enjoy the luck in love that Romeo and Juliet missed out on.

If you’re literature lovers, head to S.I.M next to find out more about the author and the characters in his tragedy. Or book a Romeo and Juliet tour of the city to discover sites that featured in the tale of the star-crossed lovers. Away from Shakespeare, you could book a night at the opera or the theatre. Start your evening by sipping an aperitivo and sampling the city’s fine food such as risotto al tastasal made with pork.

Plan a romantic break in Verona and other sites in Italy here .

Marrakech, Morocco: Sunshine and Souks

Morocco suffered an earthquake recently but that shouldn’t stop you from planning a romantic break in the land of casbahs as it’s a top valentine’s day getaway for a reason. Escape for some much-needed February sun on a romantic break for two in Marrakech. Here you can embrace the buzz of the Red City while shopping in its souks and bazaars, then take a breather in the medina’s Le Jardin Secret, which is divided into an exotic and an Islamic garden.

Later in the day, enjoy an invigorating trip to a hammam (bathhouse) to be scrubbed and moisturized together before watching the sunset. Then head to the heart of the medina, UNESCO-listed Djemaa el-Fna square, as it gets dark. Here you can watch performers ranging from snake charmers and storytellers to acrobats.

For the perfect romantic retreat, book a stay in a bijou traditional riad and explore historic sites together such as the impressive ruins of El Badi Palace or the 19 th -century Bahia Palace. In the evenings, enjoy drinks and food on a roof terrace overlooking all of the action below.  

Explore Marrakech and more on a Morocco tour .

Cathy Toogood

Cathy Toogood is an award-winning freelance travel journalist based in Manchester. With more than 10 years’ experience, she writes about travel for The Telegraph, The Times, The Independent and Travel Weekly.

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8 Best Places to Au Pair This Year

Hannah’s love for international travel began in college, when she studied abroad four times: in I...

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Want to get paid to live abroad? Becoming an au pair is the perfect way to experience life in another country, gain work experience, and have the adventure of a lifetime!

As an au pair, you’ll be more than just a tourist in your host country. You’ll have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the local culture and language and create bonds and memories to last a lifetime.

In this guide, we’ve put together a list of the best places to au pair this year. From France to China to the Land Down Under, there are exciting au pair opportunities worldwide. So, if you’re ready to begin your adventure abroad , read on to learn more about the best countries to au pair!

Do au pairs need a work visa?

Work as an au pair and you’ll get to see the world while living like a local.

Before you start your au pair journey, one of the biggest questions you might have is, do au pairs need a work visa ? Most countries require a work visa for au pairs, but requirements will vary based on your nationality and the country you want to work in.

When applying for an au pair visa, you’ll need to supply a valid passport , an invitation letter from your host family or organization, a signed au pair contract, and a criminal background check. Exact requirements will vary by country and nationality, so be sure to research requirements once you decide where you’d like to au pair.

There’s even a chance you may not need a work visa at all. For example, if you’re an EU citizen, you can become an au pair anywhere in the EU without a work visa!

Get matched with 5 au pair gap year programs right now

8 best places to au pair.

Before you pack your bags , your first task is to decide where you want to au pair. With so many amazing opportunities worldwide, it can take time to decide. To make it easier, we’ve put together a list of some of the best places in the world to au pair!

Best countries to au pair in Europe

Europe is full of fantastic au pair opportunities. With cheap local flights and abundant rail options, the travel opportunities within Europe are endless, making it one of the best places in the world to au pair. As an au pair in Europe , you can spend your free time traveling, exploring, and making new memories!

France has so much to offer . From the bustling streets of Paris to the lavender fields of Provence and the beaches of the French Riviera, there are countless opportunities for exploration.

As an au pair in France, you’ll be immersed in the French language and culture and, of course, delicious French cuisine! How does enjoying a coffee and croissant at a Parisian café sound? Or a weekend wine tasting in Bordeaux?

Working as an au pair in France, you’ll be more than just a tourist. You’ll see France through the eyes of your host family and experience the country like a local.

• Recommended program: Au Pair France – Explore Europe as an Au Pair

Looking for a gorgeous backdrop to your au pair gig? Look no further.

Becoming an au pair in England is the perfect option for anyone wanting to improve their English language skills. You’ll live with an English host family and be immersed in the English language.

Even if language learning is not your goal, England is an excellent choice for an au pair experience. Your host family will provide meals and accommodation , so you can spend your money traveling and exploring Europe. Becoming an au pair in England is an invaluable way to improve your English language, learn about English culture, and travel through Europe!

• Recommended program: Au Pair in the UK – Become Part of the Family!

Unsurprisingly, Italy is one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. The country is world-famous for its art, architecture, fashion, and of course its food !

As an au pair, you’ll have the opportunity to experience Italy like a local. And of course, you’ll improve your Italian language skills too.

Being able to explore Italy in your free time is the best part. Spend a weekend exploring Tuscany’s vineyards, the south’s beautiful beaches, or the historic streets of Rome. Choose Italy for your au pair experience and live la dolce vita !

• Recommended program: Au Pair Italy – Complete Italian Cultural Experience

Best countries to au pair in Asia

Becoming an au pair in Asia is the perfect way to experience a new culture, learn new language skills , and create memories to last a lifetime! Living and working in Asia will build your intercultural communication skills and look great on any resume , making it one of the best places to au pair.

1. South Korea

South Korea is an amazing blend of tradition and modernity. Home to K-pop and towering modern skyscrapers, the country is also famous for its traditional cuisine, jimjilbang (traditional bath houses), and beautiful Buddhist temples.

As an au pair in South Korea, you’ll experience everyday life with a Korean family. Practice your Korean language skills, experience local cuisine, and spend your free time traveling throughout this beautiful country . Becoming an au pair in South Korea is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a unique and adventurous place to live abroad!

• Recommended program: Gap Year Programs Around the World

The cultural exchange makes China one of the best places to au pair.

English-speaking au pairs are highly sought after in China, so you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect placement. The country is home to everything from the skyscrapers of Shanghai to the ancient Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an and the stunning rice terraces of Yunnan Province, giving you countless places to explore in your free time.

As an au pair in China, you’ll be immersed in the Chinese language and culture, an experience that will look great on any resume . Practice your Chinese language, experience local cuisine, and spend your free time traveling and getting to know the Middle Kingdom!

• Recommended program: Wanderlust Culture Home-stay English Teaching Program

Best countries to au pair elsewhere

There are endless opportunities to work as an au pair all over the world. From North America to the Land Down Under, here are a few of the best countries to au pair outside Europe and Asia.

1. Australia

Australia is home to beautiful multicultural cities and incredibly diverse landscapes, from the arid Outback to the subtropical beaches of the Sunshine Coast. If you’re a native English speaker, working as an au pair in Australia will be a breeze!

Australia is a great choice if you’re looking to improve your English language skills, too. Working as an au pair in Australia will allow you to experience total English-language immersion, offering an invaluable language-learning environment. If you’re ready for the au pair experience of a lifetime, the home of koala bears, kangaroos, and Vegemite awaits you!

• Recommended program: Melbourne Gap Year: Paid Work Opportunities in Australia

Canada is a safe and friendly country , making it one of the best countries to au pair. Canada is a bilingual country, so depending on where in the country you work, you’ll have great opportunities to practice your English or French.

There’s also so much for outdoor enthusiasts to do. Ski resorts abound, and destinations like Banff National Park in Alberta draw visitors from all over the world.

If cities are more your thing, diverse international cities like Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver are exciting places to live or visit. From the wilderness to the big cities, Canada has something for everyone !

• Recommended program: Working Holiday in Canada | The Ultimate Gap Year

3. New Zealand

If you love the outdoors, you can’t beat New Zealand as an au pair destination.

With its stunning landscapes, New Zealand is a wonderland for any outdoor enthusiast. Snow-capped mountains, lush forests, bubbling geothermal pools, and glassy fjords are just a few examples of what makes New Zealand one of the most beautiful countries to work as an au pair.

New Zealand is also the perfect place to build your English language skills as you immerse yourself in everyday life with native English speakers. In your free time, explore the great outdoors, learn about traditional Māori culture, or explore a vibrant city like Auckland. Its diverse landscapes and unique culture make the Land of the Long White Cloud, as it is known in the Māori language, one of the best places in the world to au pair.

• Recommended program: Working Holiday in New Zealand – Your New Home in the South

Explore ALL au pair programs on GoAbroad

Make money and explore the world in a meaningful way as an au pair.

You’re in for a meaningful adventure when you work as an au pair abroad.

Now, you’re ready to start your adventure abroad as an au pair. By becoming an au pair , you can experience another culture , master a new language , and make lasting connections while living abroad. All that’s left to do is decide where you want to go , apply for your au pair visa, and get ready for the experience of a lifetime!

Compare Au Pair Programs Side-by-Side with MyGoAbroad

Explore Gap Year Programs on GoAbroad.com

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Money latest: How to avoid a holiday data roaming charge (while still using the internet)

Our cost of living specialist is back with a money-saving tip for using the internet abroad. Read all today's personal finance and consumer news - and listen to the latest Ian King Business Podcast below.

Friday 10 May 2024 08:41, UK

• Interest Rates
• UK exits recession, official figures show
• Interest rate held at 5.25% | Bank of England: June rate cut 'not ruled out but not fait accompli'
• Gordon Ramsay to open new restaurants on London skyscraper

Essential reads

• Ed Conway on economy:  Britain out of recession with a bang
• How to avoid a holiday data roaming charge (while still using the internet)
• Mortgage rates up again this week - here are the best deals on the market
• How you can turn nightly chocolate into a superfood
• Cheapest 10 European cities for a holiday - and how costs compare
• Listen to the Daily above and  tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts

Britain is not just out of recession. 

It is out of recession with a bang.

The economic growth reported this morning by the Office for National Statistics is not just faster than most economists expected, it's also the fastest growth we've seen since the tailend of the pandemic, when the UK was bouncing back from lockdown.

But, more than that, there are three other facts that the prime minister and chancellor will be gleeful about (and you can expect them to be talking about this number for a long time).

First, it's not just that the economy is now growing again after two quarters of contraction - that was the recession. 

An economic growth rate of 0.6% is near enough to what economists used to call "trend growth", back before the crisis - in other words, it's the kind of number that signifies the economy growing at more or less "normal" rates. 

And normality is precisely the thing the government wants us to believe we've returned to.

Second, that 0.6% means the UK is, alongside Canada, the fastest-growing economy in the G7 (we've yet to hear from Japan, but economists expect its economy to contract in the first quarter).

Third, it's not just gross domestic product that's up. So too is gross domestic product per head - the number you get when you divide our national income by every person in the country. After seven years without any growth, GDP per head rose by 0.4% in the first quarter. 

And since GDP per head is a better yardstick for the "feelgood factor", perhaps this means people will finally start to feel better off.

But this is where the problems come in. 

Because while this latest set of GDP figures is undoubtedly positive, the numbers that came before are undoubtedly grim.

GDP per head is still considerably lower, in real terms, than it was in 2022, before Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget, or for that matter lower than in early 2019.

Raising another question: when people think about the state of the economy ahead of the election (and obviously these new figures are likely to increase the speculation about the date of the election), do they put more weight on the years of economic disappointment or the bounce back after them?

Do they focus on the fact that we're now growing at decent whack or on the fact that their income per head is, in real terms, no higher today than it was five years ago?

These are the questions we will all be mulling in the coming months - as the next election approaches. One thing is for sure: this won't be the last time you hear about these GDP numbers.

The chancellor is speaking to Sky News after the welcome news that the UK has exited a recession. 

"It's encouraging that the UK economy is growing faster over the last quarter, not just than France, Germany or Italy, but actually faster than the United States," Jeremy Hunt says.

"But I think what's more encouraging is the longer-term data that we are now seeing about the economy."

He praises the government's handling of the economy. 

"I think that for families who've been having a really tough time, this is an indication that difficult decisions that we've taken over recent years are beginning to pay off and we need to stick with them."

He nods to the Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey's comments yesterday that inflation is expected to fall to 2% in the coming months: "So we're seeing that inflation is falling faster and I think people recognise it's been a very, very challenging period."

He's then asked whether the UK can compete with the US's economy in the coming years. 

Mr Hunt says he wants the UK to become "the new Silicon Valley" as a route into the tech sector. 

"Tech is the sector that is growing the fastest and will continue to grow the fastest," he says. 

Finally, he's asked when national insurance will be abolished - a recent Tory pledge. 

"We haven't set a date... we'll only do it when it's affordable and when we can do so without impacting on public services."

Our economics editor Ed Conway   is giving his first reaction to the ONS statistics that show the UK is no longer in recession. 

"These are great numbers," he says. 

"Certainly in the context of things, they are close to what we would normally historically call trend growth - a good rate of growth - and that's going back a long time. 

"They're better than expected... this is definitely some good news."

The UK economy is no longer in recession, according to official figures.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.6% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics said.

A recession, which is defined as two consecutive three-month periods where the economy contracts, was declared in February.

The previous set of figures showed that GDP, a major measure of economic growth, shrank 0.3% between October and December. It followed a contraction of 0.1% in the three months from July to September.

The slump was blamed on reduced consumer spending power as inflation and energy bills stayed high. Months of wet weather also contributed to keeping shoppers at home, commentators said.

Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, was buoyant about the figures: "It has been a difficult few years, but today's growth figures are proof that the economy is returning to full health for the first time since the pandemic." 

By Megan Harwood-Baynes , cost of living specialist

When my plane touched down on the runway of Manila airport, I was welcomed to the country with a text. Coming from Sky Mobile, the message informed me that using my phone abroad would incur hefty charges - including £2.16 for every megabyte (MB) of data I used.

One MB is equivalent to a short WhatsApp voice note message, and given my average monthly data allowance is 20GB (20,000MB), I would be quickly bankrupted if I continued to use my phone as normal. And while I love switching off from work while I am away, for me, the internet is as much a holiday essential as toothpaste and a hairbrush. 

From the ability to check Google Maps when out and about, or do a quick search to check I am not being scammed, it is now something I always factor into my holiday budget.

Welcome to the world of eSims

An eSim is an industry-standard digital SIM card that allows you to activate a mobile plan on your phone without the need to install a physical SIM into your phone.

TLDR - it means you can activate a short, temporary internet plan while on holiday for a fraction of the price it would cost you through your network provider.

I used an app called Global Yo (other providers are available, but this is the one I used), which has 24-hour plans from as little as 99c (71p) for 1GB. 

Once downloaded from the App Store, you can scroll through the list of countries to select your destination. Select the plan you want - while in the Philippines, I paid around £7 for a weekly plan that would give me 5GB of data. It is cheaper to do it day by day, but that also means you have to remember to top up each morning.

Once purchased, you are sent a QR code to scan - this will help you install the eSIM. The process varies by phone, but once installed, you go into the SIM manager settings on your phone. You can then toggle the settings so your calls and texts come via SIM 1 (your primary phone number), but mobile data uses the eSIM. This means you won't miss any vital text messages that come through to your phone number while on holiday.

The downsides

Not every network, or mobile phone, supports eSIMS, so check with your network provider before you shell out, and make sure your phone is unlocked. My sister, who lives in Hong Kong, wasn't able to install the eSIM on her phone but only realised this after paying £7.99 for a week's worth of data. 

We also had some difficulty installing it on my mum's iPhone, but that could be because we are all Android users.

You also have to be connected to WiFi /the internet to install the eSIM in the first place, so make sure you do it while at your hotel in the morning. A few times while I was paying each day I would forget this, head out and be without internet for the day. 

This wasn't exactly a hardship, but did mean I couldn't share with my Instagram followers what a great time I was having.

It can be hard to balance eating well without spending a lot.

In this series, we try to find the healthiest options in the supermarket for the best value - and have enlisted the help of Sunna Van Kampen , founder of Tonic Health, who went viral on social media for reviewing food in the search of healthier choices.

In this series we don't try to find the outright healthiest option, but help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

Today we're looking at chocolate - and why, before sugar and dairy is added, it's a superfood, in Sunna's view. 

A superfood is anything with a very high "nutritional density" - or lots of nutrients for few calories. 

Superfoods need a high concentration of antioxidants - molecules which neutralise unstable molecules that can harm your cells.

You can get antioxidants by purchasing expensive "greens" powders, but Sunna says plenty of supermarket options can be classified as "superfood".

"Chocolate is not unhealthy, it is actually a superfood - it's the sugar we added to it that is the problem," he says.

"Chocolate in the supermarkets tends to come in at only £27.50/kg, which is almost half the price of your cheapest greens powder." 

Sunna points out that cacao, from which chocolate is made, is in its own right a superfood and has more antioxidants than blueberries, acai berries and cranberries - well-known superfoods. 

"Cacao actually has more than 40x the antioxidants of blueberries in its raw form," he says. 

But, as he says, the added sugar is where the problems come in. 

Sunna's guide to buying chocolate

Sunna recommends picking chocolate that contains a high proportion of cocoa solids - which brings down the sugar content. 

Here's how the different kinds of chocolate stack up:

• Milk – 25% cocoa solids, 54g of sugar per 100g.
• Dark – 47% cocoa solids, 49g of sugar per 100g.
• 70% dark - 70% cocoa solids, 29g of sugar per 100g
• 85% dark - 85% cocoa solids, 15g of sugar per 100g
• 90% dark - 90% cocoa solids, 7g of sugar per 100g

"A typical milk chocolate only contains 25% cacao solids, and the first two ingredients are actually milk and sugar," Sunna says. 

"For chocolate to be a superfood, it has to be dark chocolate - at a minimum of 70% dark ideally."

A couple of pieces after dinner each night means you'll be consuming 200g of superfood chocolate a week for £5.50.

"If you're a milk chocolate fan, don't fret," Sunna says. "It is possible to retrain your taste buds in just 10 days to get the superfood benefits of 70% and above."

That might sound easier said than done, but Sunna says the trick is to start with the lower percentages and work your way up to the higher ones. 

"Get to a level you are comfortable with and then make sure you have a piece of chocolate every night for 10 days straight," he says. 

"The more you train the taste buds, the less sugar you consume."

The switch from milk chocolate to 70% dark will save you 2.6kg of sugar a year, while working your way up to 90% will save you more than 4.8kg of sugar a year (assuming 200g consumption per week). 

"Small chocolate changes - and a bit of work to train your tastebuds - can lead to huge sugar savings that are worth it not just for the reduction in sugar, but also the increase in antioxidants," Sunna concludes. 

Read more from this series... 

Every Friday we get an overview of the mortgage market with independent experts from  Moneyfactscompare.co.uk .  Today, finance expert Rachel Springall outlines what's been happening with mortgages this week, before honing in on the best rates for remortgaging…

Fixed-rate mortgage repricing has quietened down this week, but a couple of prominent lenders have made tweaks, such as Virgin Money increasing selected fixed by up to 0.2% and Barclays reducing by up to 0.39%. 

This comes off the back of a busy week for repricing, as lenders reacted to rising swap rates. 

The Bank of England's next rate decision will be in June, but it's uncertain whether a rate cut will happen, with some economists predicting no change until the last three months of the year.

Week on week, the overall average two and five-year fixed rates rose to 5.93% and 5.51%.

Looking at remortgaging, this week the lowest two-year fix for customers with 40% equity comes from The Co-operative Bank, priced at 4.76%, which comes with a £1,999 fee and offers borrowers £250 in cashback and provides a free valuation and free legal fees incentive package. This is available to those who borrow a minimum of £750,000.

Those looking to fix for longer will find the lowest five-year fixed remortgage deal comes from NatWest this week, available to those with 40% equity. Priced at 4.32%, this deal carries a £1,495 fee and offers a free valuation and free legal fees incentive package.

Best buy alternatives

As a remortgage customer, it's possible you are looking to save on the upfront cost of any deal. You might also want a deal to cover a valuation or legal fees. A best buy mortgage could be the most cost-effective choice in this instance.

This week the top packages on a two-year fixed remortgage deal at 60% or 75% loan-to-value come from First Direct, priced at 4.83% and 4.98% respectively, both of which come with a free valuation and free legal fees incentive package and charge a £490 product fee. 

If you want to borrow more, then there is a best buy deal priced at 5.19% from Suffolk Building Society at 80% loan-to-value, which carries a free valuation and free legal fees incentive package and charges a £1,198 product fee.

A five-year fixed mortgage may be more appealing for you to guarantee your monthly repayments for longer.

Vernon Building Society has a deal priced at 4.49%, and charges a product fee of £999 but does not carry any incentives. If you are borrowing at 75% loan-to-value, then Cumberland Building Society has a best buy package priced at 4.58% for five years, which includes a free valuation and free legal fees incentive package and charges a £999 product fee.

Looking for some longer Money reads for your evening/commute/lunch break?

Here's four from the last few months you might like...

Should you offer kids cash rewards for good grades? The psychologist's view

As exam season gets under way, some parents are putting hundreds of pounds aside to reward their children if they achieve certain grades. 

While some parents lambasted the idea as "absolute potatoes", others told Sky News they saw their children's focus increase after offering up to £250 for the top results.

We also spoke to teachers and a psychologist...

What can I do if flexible working request declined?

Every Monday we put your financial dilemmas or consumer disputes to industry experts. A few weeks ago Sky News reader AJ2024 asked...

"While on maternity leave my employer rejected my flexible work request and told me to pick from four new shift patterns or take redundancy if they didn't suit me. All new shifts were full working hours. No support as a new mother and ruined my last few precious weeks. What are my rights?"

We got an employment lawyer to answer...

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Money blogger Jess Sharp spoke to people who swear they've made money from manifestation - before finding herself meditating under a tree to see if she could get in on the action...

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Interest in a phenomenon known as "dark tourism" has been steadily rising in recent years - but what is it?

To find out, we spoke with tourism academic  Dr Hayley Stainton  and renowned dark tourist and author Dr Peter Hohenhaus, who runs a  dark tourism website ...

Fraud is "rife" on second hand marketplaces including Depop, Shpock and Preloved, according to a new survey by Which?.

The consumer magazine/website found that, of 1,300 buyers, 32% had been scammed on a second hand marketplace in the two years to January.

The most common ruse involved consumers receiving incorrect goods or nothing at all, while others were delivered an empty package or fake goods.

57% of those surveyed said they had experienced a scam on Depop.

This compares with 53% for Shpock and 51% for Preloved and Nextdoor. 

Amazon Marketplace came in at 35%, while for Gumtree and eBay the figures were both 29%. 

The number for Facebook and Vinted was 24% and 22%, respectively.

Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said the survey’s findings were "worrying". 

"It's important that people properly check the seller's reviews and profile," she said, adding that marketplaces need to have proper checks in place and ensure that scam profiles are removed quickly.

Depop told the Guardian it offered protection for buyers and sellers and was investing in new technology. 

"We strongly encourage consumers who are buying and selling anywhere online never to share personal information with other users, to be very wary about following links to other sites, and to report any suspicious behaviour via in-app reporting systems."

Sky News has reached out to the other companies mentioned.

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The Protesters and the President

Over the past week, thousands of students protesting the war in gaza have been arrested..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

Free, free, Palestine!

Free, free Palestine!

Free, free, free Palestine!

Over the past week, what had begun as a smattering of pro-Palestinian protests on America’s college campuses exploded into a nationwide movement —

United, we’ll never be defeated!

— as students at dozens of universities held demonstrations, set up encampments, and at times seized academic buildings.

[PROTESTERS CLAMORING]:

response, administrators at many of those colleges decided to crack down —

Do not throw things at our officers. We will use chemical munitions that include gas.

— calling in local police to carry out mass detentions and arrests. From Arizona State —

In the name of the state of Arizona, I declare this gathering to be a violation of —

— to the University of Georgia —

— to City College of New York.

[PROTESTERS CHANTING, “BACK OFF”]:

As of Thursday, police had arrested 2,000 students on more than 40 campuses. A situation so startling that President Biden could no longer ignore it.

Look, it’s basically a matter of fairness. It’s a matter of what’s right. There’s the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos.

Today, my colleagues Jonathan Wolfe and Peter Baker on a history-making week. It’s Friday, May 3.

Jonathan, as this tumultuous week on college campuses comes to an end, it feels like the most extraordinary scenes played out on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles, where you have been reporting. What is the story of how that protest started and ultimately became so explosive?

So late last week, pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles.

From the river to the sea!

Palestine will be free!

Palestine —

It was right in front of Royce Hall, which I don’t know if you are familiar with UCLA, but it’s a very famous, red brick building. It’s on all the brochures. And there was two things that stood out about this encampment. And the first thing was that they barricaded the encampment.

The encampment, complete with tents and barricades, has been set up in the middle of the Westwood campus. The protesters demand —

They have metal grates. They had wooden pallets. And they separated themselves from the campus.

This is kind of interesting. There are controlling access, as we’ve been talking about. They are trying to control who is allowed in, who is allowed out.

They sort of policed the area. So they only would let people that were part of their community, they said, inside.

I’m a UCLA student. I deserve to go here. We paid tuition. This is our school. And they’re not letting me walk in. Why can’t I go? Will you let me go in?

We’re not engaging with that.

Then you can move. Will you move?

And the second thing that stood out about this camp was that it immediately attracted pro-Israel counterprotesters.

And what did the leadership of UCLA say about all of this, the encampment and these counterprotesters?

So the University of California’s approach was pretty unique. They had a really hands-off approach. And they allowed the pro-Palestinian protesters to set up an encampment. They allowed the counterprotesters to happen. I mean, this is a public university, so anyone who wants to can just enter the campus.

So when do things start to escalate?

So there were definitely fights and scuffles through the weekend. But a turning point was really Sunday —

[SINGING IN HEBREW]:

— when this group called the Israeli American Council, they’re a nonprofit organization, organized a rally on campus. The Israeli American Council has really been against these pro-Palestinian protests. They say that they’re antisemitic. So this nonprofit group sets up a stage with a screen really just a few yards from the pro-Palestinian encampment.

We are grateful that this past Friday, the University of California, stated that they will continue to oppose any calls for boycott and divestment from Israel!

[PROTESTERS CHEERING]

And they host speakers and they held prayers.

Jewish students, you’re not alone! Oh, you’re not alone! We are right here with you! And we’re right here with you in until —

[WORDLESS SINGING]:

And then lots of other people start showing up. And the proximity between protesters and counterprotesters and even some agitators, makes it really clear that something was about to happen.

And what was that? What ended up happening?

On Monday night, a group of about 60 counterprotesters tried to breach the encampment there. And the campus police had to break it up. And things escalated again on Tuesday.

They stormed the barricades and it’s a complete riot.

[PROTESTER SHOUTING]:

Put it down! Put it down! Put it down!

I went to report on what happened just a few hours after it ended.

And I spoke to a lot of protesters. And I met one demonstrator, Marie.

Yeah, my first name is Marie. M-A-R-I-E. Last name, Salem.

And Marie described what happened.

So can you just tell me a little bit about what happened last night?

Last night, we were approached by over a hundred counterprotesters who were very mobilized and ready to break into camp. They proceeded to try to breach our barricades extremely violently.

Marie said it started getting out of hand when counterprotesters started setting off fireworks towards the camp.

They had bear spray. They had Mace. They were throwing wood and spears. Throwing water bottles, continuing fireworks.

So she said that they were terrified. It was just all hands on deck. Everyone was guarding the barricades.

Every time someone experienced the bear spray or Mace or was hit and bleeding, we had some medics in the front line. And then we had people —

And they said that they were just trying to take care of people who were injured.

I mean, at any given moment, there was 5 to 10 people being treated.

So what she described to me sounded more like a battlefield than a college campus.

And it was just a complete terror and complete abandonment of the university, as we also watched private security watch this the entire time on the stairs. And some LAPD were stationed about a football field length back from these counterprotesters, and did not make a single arrest, did not attempt to stop any violence, did not attempt to get in between the two groups. No attempt.

I should say, I spoke to a state authorities and eyewitnesses and they confirmed Marie’s account about what happened that night, both in terms of the violence that took place at the encampment and how law enforcement responded. So in the end, people ended up fighting for hours before the police intervened.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

So in her mind, UCLA’s hands-off approach, which seemed to have prevailed throughout this entire period, ends up being way too hands off in a moment when students were in jeopardy.

That’s right. And so at this point, the protesters in the encampment started preparing for two possibilities. One was that this group of counterprotesters would return and attack them. And the second one was that the police would come and try to break up this encampment.

So they started building up the barricades. They start reinforcing them with wood. And during the day, hundreds of people came and brought them supplies. They brought food.

They brought helmets, goggles, earplugs, saline solution, all sorts of things these people could use to defend themselves. And so they’re really getting ready to burrow in. And in the end, it was the police who came.

[PROTESTERS SHOUTING]:

So Wednesday at 7:00 PM, they made an announcement on top of Royce Hall, which overlooks the encampment —

— administrative criminal actions up to and including arrest. Please leave the area immediately.

And they told people in the encampment that they needed to leave or face arrest.

[DRUM BEATING]: [PROTESTERS CHANTING]

And so as night falls, they put on all this gear that they’ve been collecting, the goggles, the masks and the earplugs, and they wait for the police.

[DRUM BEATING]:

And so the police arrive and station themselves right in front of the encampment. And then at a certain point, they storm the back stairs of the encampment.

[PROTESTERS CHANTING]:

And this is the stairs that the protesters have been using to enter and exit the camp. And they set up a line. And the protesters do this really surprising thing.

The people united!

They open up umbrellas. They have these strobe lights. And they’re flashing them at the police, who just slowly back out of the camp.

[PROTESTERS CHEERING]:

And so at this point, they’re feeling really great. They’re like, we did it. We pushed them out of their camp. And when the cops try to push again on those same set of stairs —

[PROTESTER SHOUTS]:

Hold your ground!

— the protesters organized themselves with all these shields that they had built earlier. And they go and confront them. And so there’s this moment where the police are trying to push up the stairs. And the protesters are literally pushing them back.

Push them back! Push them back!

Push them back!

And at a certain point, dozens of the police officers who were there, basically just turn around and leave.

So how does this eventually come to an end?

So at a certain point, the police push in again. Most of the conflict is centered at the front of these barricades. And the police just start tearing them apart.

[METAL CLANGING]

[CLAMORING]

They removed the front barricade. And in its place is this group of protesters who have linked arms and they’re hanging on to each other. And the police are trying to pull protesters one by one away from this group.

He’s just a student! Back off!

But they’re having a really hard time because there’s so many protesters. And they’re all just hanging on to each other.

We’re moving back now.

So at a certain point, one of the police officers started firing something into the crowd. We don’t exactly know what it was. But it really spooked the protesters.

Stop shooting at kids! Fuck you! Fuck them!

They started falling back. Everyone was really scared. The protesters were yelling, don’t shoot us. And at that point, the police just stormed the camp.

Get back. Get back.

Back up now!

And so after about four hours of this, the police pushed the protesters out of the encampment. They had arrested about 200 protesters. And this was finally over.

And I’m just curious, Jonathan, because you’re standing right there, you are bearing witness to this all, what you were thinking, what your impressions of this were.

I mean, I was stunned. These are mostly teenagers. This is a college campus, an institution of higher learning. And what I saw in front of me looked like a war zone.

[TENSE MUSIC]

The massive barricade, the police coming in with riot gear, and all this violence was happening in front of these red brick buildings that are famous for symbolizing a really open college campus. And everything about it was just totally surreal.

Well, Jonathan, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Thanks, Michael.

We’ll be right back.

Peter, around 10:00 AM on Thursday morning as the smoke is literally still clearing at the University of California Los Angeles, you get word that President Biden is going to speak.

Right, exactly. It wasn’t on his public schedule. He was about to head to Andrews Air Force base in order to take a trip. And then suddenly, we got the notice that he was going to be addressing the cameras in the Roosevelt Room.

They didn’t tell us what he was going to talk about. But it was pretty clear, I think. Everybody understood that it was going to be about these campus protests, about the growing violence and the clashes with police, and the arrests that the entire country had been watching on TV every night for the past week, and I think that we were watching just that morning with UCLA. And it reached the point where he just had to say something.

And why, in his estimation and those of his advisors, was this the moment that Biden had to say something?

Well, it kind of reached a boiling point. It kind of reached the impression of a national crisis. And you expect to hear your president address it in this kind of a moment, particularly because it’s about his own policy. His policy toward Israel is at the heart of these protests. And he was getting a lot of grief. He was getting a lot of grief from Republicans who were chiding him for not speaking out personally. He hadn’t said anything in about 10 days.

He’s getting a lot of pressure from Democrats, too, who wanted him to come out and be more forceful. It wasn’t enough, in their view, to leave it to his spokespeople to say something. Moderate Democrats felt he needed to come out and take some leadership on this.

And so at the appointed moment, Peter, what does Biden actually say in the Roosevelt Room of the White House?

Good morning.

Before I head to North Carolina, I wanted to speak for a few moments about what’s going on, on our college campuses here.

Well, it comes in the Roosevelt Room and he talks to the camera. And he talks about the two clashing imperatives of American principle.

The first is the right to free speech and for people to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard. The second is the rule of law. Both must be upheld.

One is freedom of speech. The other is the rule of law.

In fact, peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues. But, but, neither are we a lawless country.

In other words, what he’s saying is, yes, I support the right of these protesters to come out and object to even my own policy, in effect, is what he’s saying. But it shouldn’t trail into violence.

Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It’s against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses —

It shouldn’t trail into taking over buildings and obstructing students from going to class or canceling their graduations.

Threatening people, intimidating people, instilling fear in people is not peaceful protest. It’s against the law.

And he leans very heavily into this idea that what he’s seeing these days goes beyond the line.

I understand people have strong feelings and deep convictions. In America, we respect the right and protect the right for them to express that. But it doesn’t mean anything goes.

It has crossed into harassment and expressions of hate in a way that goes against the national character.

As president, I will always defend free speech. And I will always be just as strong and standing up for the rule of law. That’s my responsibility to you, the American people, and my obligation to the Constitution. Thank you very much.

Right, as I watched the speech, I heard his overriding message to basically be, I, the president of the United States, am drawing a line. These protests and counterprotests, the seizing and defacing of campus buildings, class disruption, all of it, name calling, it’s getting out of hand. That there’s a right way to do this. And what I’m seeing is the wrong way to do it and it has to stop.

That’s exactly right. And as he’s wrapping up, reporters, of course, ask questions. And the first question is —

Mr. President, have the protests forced you to reconsider any of the policies with regard to the region?

— will this change your policy toward the war in Gaza? Which, of course, is exactly what the protesters want. That’s the point.

And he basically says —

— no. Just one word, no.

Right. And that felt kind of important, as brief and fleeting as it was, because at the end of the day, what he’s saying to these protesters is, I’m not going to do what you want. And basically, your protests are never going to work. I’m not going to change the US’s involvement in this war.

Yeah, that’s exactly right. He is saying, I’m not going to be swayed by angry people in the streets. I’m going to do what I think is right when it comes to foreign policy. Now, what he thinks is that they’re not giving him enough credit for trying to achieve what they want, which is an end of the war.

He has been pressuring Israel and Hamas to come to a deal for a ceasefire that will, hopefully, in his view, would then lead to a more enduring end of hostilities. But, of course, this deal hasn’t gone anywhere. Hamas, in particular, seems to be resisting it. And so the president is left with a policy of arming Israel without having found a way yet to stop the war.

Right. I wonder, though, Peter, if we’re being honest, don’t these protests, despite what Biden is saying there, inevitably exert a kind of power over him? Becoming one of many pressures, but a pressure nonetheless that does influence how he thinks about these moments. I mean, here he is at the White House devoting an entire conversation to the nation to these campus protests.

Well, look, he knows this feeds into the political environment in which he’s running for re-election, in which he basically has people who otherwise might be his supporters on the left disenchanted with him. And he knows that there’s a cost to be paid. And that certainly, obviously, is in his head as he’s thinking about what to do.

But I think his view of the war is changing by the day for all sorts of reasons. And most of them having to do with realities on the ground. He has decided that Israel has gone far enough, if not too far, in the way it has conducted this operation in Gaza.

He is upset about the humanitarian crisis there. And he’s looking for a way to wrap all this up into a move that would move to peacemaking, beginning to get the region to a different stage, maybe have a deal with the Saudis to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for some sort of a two-state solution that would eventually resolve the Palestinian issue at its core.

So I think it’s probably fair to say that the protests won’t move him in an immediate kind of sense. But they obviously play into the larger zeitgeist of the moment. And I also think it’s important to know who Joe Biden is at heart.

Explain that.

He’s not drawn to activism. He was around in 1968, the last time we saw this major conflagration at Columbia University, for instance. At the time, Joe Biden was a law student in Syracuse, about 250 miles away. And he was an institutionalist even then.

He was just focused on his studies. He was about to graduate. He was thinking about the law career. And he didn’t really have much of an affinity, I think, for his fellow students of that era, for their activist way of looking at things.

He tells a story in his memoir about walking down a street in Syracuse one day to go to the pizza shop with some friends. And they walk by the administration building. And they see people hanging out of the windows. They’re hanging SDS banners. That’s the Students for a Democratic Society, which was one of the big activist groups of the era.

And he says, they were taking over the building. And we looked up and said, look at those assholes. That’s how far apart from the antiwar movement I was. That’s him writing in his memoir.

So to a young Joe Biden, those who devote their time and their energy to protesting the war are, I don’t need to repeat the word twice, but they’re losers. They’re not worth his time.

Well, I think it’s the tactics they’re using more than the goals that he disagreed with. He would tell you he disagreed with the Vietnam War. He was for civil rights. But he thought that taking over a building was performative, was all about getting attention, and that there was a better way, in his view, to do it.

He was somebody who wanted to work inside the system. He said in an interview quite a few years back, he says, look, I was wearing sports coats in that era. He saw himself becoming part of the system, not somebody trying to tear it down.

And so how should we think about that Joe Biden, when we think about this Joe Biden? I mean, the Joe Biden who, as a young man, looked upon antiwar protesters with disdain and the one who is now president and his very own policies have inspired such ferocious campus protests?

Yeah, that Joe Biden, the 1968 Joe Biden, he could just throw on a sports coat, go to the pizza shop with his friends, make fun of the activists and call them names, and then that’s it. They didn’t have to affect his life. But that’s not what 2024 Joe Biden can do.

Now, wherever he goes, he’s dogged by this. He goes to speeches and people are shouting at him, Genocide Joe! Genocide Joe! He is the target of the same kind of a movement that he disdained in 1968. And so as much as he would like to ignore it or move on or focus on other things, I think this has become a defining image of his year and one of the defining images, perhaps, of his presidency. And 2024 Joe Biden can’t simply ignore it.

Well, Peter, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

Here’s what else you need to know today. During testimony on Thursday in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, jurors heard a recording secretly made by Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen, in which Trump discusses a deal to buy a woman’s silence. In the recording, Trump asks Cohen about how one payment made by Trump to a woman named Karen McDougal would be financed. The recording could complicate efforts by Trump’s lawyers to distance him from the hush money deals at the center of the trial.

A final thing to know, tomorrow morning, we’ll be sending you the latest episode from our colleagues over at “The Interview.” This week, David Marchese talks with comedy star Marlon Wayans about his new stand-up special.

It’s a high that you get when you don’t know if this joke that I’m about to say is going to offend everybody. Are they going to walk out? Are they going to boo me? Are they going to hate this. And then you tell it, and everybody cracks up and you’re like, woo.

Today’s episode was produced by Diana Nguyen, Luke Vander Ploeg, Alexandra Leigh Young, Nina Feldman, and Carlos Prieto. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Michael Benoist. It contains original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you on Monday.

• May 9, 2024   •   34:42 One Strongman, One Billion Voters, and the Future of India
• May 8, 2024   •   28:28 A Plan to Remake the Middle East
• May 7, 2024   •   27:43 How Changing Ocean Temperatures Could Upend Life on Earth
• May 6, 2024   •   29:23 R.F.K. Jr.’s Battle to Get on the Ballot
• May 3, 2024   •   25:33 The Protesters and the President
• May 2, 2024   •   29:13 Biden Loosens Up on Weed
• May 1, 2024   •   35:16 The New Abortion Fight Before the Supreme Court
• April 30, 2024   •   27:40 The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok
• April 29, 2024   •   47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring
• April 26, 2024   •   21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
• April 25, 2024   •   40:33 The Crackdown on Student Protesters
• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Jonathan Wolfe and Peter Baker

Produced by Diana Nguyen ,  Luke Vander Ploeg ,  Alexandra Leigh Young ,  Nina Feldman and Carlos Prieto

Edited by Lisa Chow and Michael Benoist

Original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

Warning: this episode contains strong language.

Over the past week, students at dozens of universities held demonstrations, set up encampments and, at times, seized academic buildings. In response, administrators at many of those colleges decided to crack down and called in the local police to detain and arrest demonstrators.

As of Thursday, the police had arrested 2,000 people across more than 40 campuses, a situation so startling that President Biden could no longer ignore it.

Jonathan Wolfe, who has been covering the student protests for The Times, and Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent, discuss the history-making week.

On today’s episode

Jonathan Wolfe , a senior staff editor on the newsletters team at The New York Times.

Peter Baker , the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times covering President Biden and his administration.

Background reading

As crews cleared the remnants of an encampment at U.C.L.A., students and faculty members wondered how the university could have handled protests over the war in Gaza so badly .

Biden denounced violence on campus , breaking his silence after a rash of arrests.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Jonathan Wolfe is a senior staff editor on the newsletters team at The Times. More about Jonathan Wolfe

Peter Baker is the chief White House correspondent for The Times. He has covered the last five presidents and sometimes writes analytical pieces that place presidents and their administrations in a larger context and historical framework. More about Peter Baker

Luke Vander Ploeg is a senior producer on “The Daily” and a reporter for the National Desk covering the Midwest. More about Luke Vander Ploeg

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