ONE of Europe’s most popular attractions has revealed plans to double entry fees for tourists.

Barcelona’s Park Güell welcomes millions of tourists a year.

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However, the attraction could soon cost a lot more, with the local government revealing a hike in fees for holidaymakers.

Designed by Antoni Gaudi, Park Güell was free to visit until 2013.

Currently, entrance fee costs between €10 (£8.36) and €14 (£11.70), with the latter including access to the museum as well as the park.

However BComú has revealed plans to increase this to €20 (16.72), local media reports.

This means it would be a similar price to other attractions in the city such as the Sagrada Familia (€26/£21.74) and Casa Batllo (€29/£24.24).

But this also means tourists would be forced to shell out nearly €80 (£66.88) to see the major attractions.

However, Catalonia’s tourism head Cristina Lagé explained the new fees are part of a wider increase in tourist taxes being introduced to reduce the pressure on locals.

She said in a local interview this would help services function properly.

Park Güell’s other new rules introduced include tickets only being available to buy online, which was introduced in July.

This is in place to reduce the crowds at the entrance of the park.

The city council said it will also “encourage scheduled visits, generate staggered and fluid access to the park and avoid unnecessary travel and dissatisfaction when tickets are unavailable”.

Park Güell once welcomed as many as nine million tourists a year, although last year reported around 4.4million.

It’s not the only tourist attraction looking at hiking fees for holidaymakers.

Turkey’s Hagia Sophia is now charging tourists  €25 (£22) to visit with access to the mosaics and gallery floor.

Portugal has ditched entry fees to 38 of their attractions – although tourists still have to pay.

And we’ve rounded up the attractions that are free to visit across England.

EUROSTAR has brought back its half-price ticket scheme – the first time in five years.

The train operator’s Snap lets passengers book tickets that are up to 50 per cent off, when booking last minute.

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First launched in 2016, it was suspended in 2019.

Passengers can now choose a travel destination and date that they want to book, although not the time.

Bookings can include up to three friends, and can be up to two weeks in advance when travelling from London.

Travellers are then notified 48 hours before departure if this has been confirmed for the discounted rate.

Destinations for Brits include London to Paris and back as well as London to Brussels and back.

The London to Amsterdam route is included, but only one way.

Travel times are between 5:30am and 8:40pm.

François Le Doze, Chief Commercial Officer at Eurostar, commented: “Snap has been a customer favourite, and we’re thrilled to bring it back year-round,offering a smart solution for travellers who can be flexible with their schedules.

“With Snap, Eurostar makes a simple yet compelling promise: travellers pick the date and destination, we select the time, and they can snap up to 50 per cent off the price for remaining Eurostar seats.

“It’s a smart way to travel, ensuring no seat goes unused – a win for our customers, a win for Eurostar, and a win for the planet.”   

There are some restrictions – the previous Snap scheme let you choose whether you wanted an AM or PM ticket.

You also can’t book a day trip so you will have to return at least the next day.

The cheap rates cannot be exchanged or refunded and you can’t pick your seats.

Kids under four can go for free without a seat reservation but Snap currently can’t be used for kids older than this.

But if you time it right, it could mean you get 50 per cent off a £39 ticket – meaning a one-way trip for less than £20.

Eurostar is also a great option for Brits heading to Christmas markets abroad.

With no liquid restrictions, it means you can bring back wine and snow globes without running into problems at security.

Eurostar tickets could even get cheaper next year.

Train regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) had said fares should be cut by 7.7 per cent from April 2025.

Feras Alshaker, ORR director for planning and performance said the high speed line “makes a crucial contribution to the UK economy, supporting growth”.

They added: “[We] should see the costs of operating on the line reduce significantly, giving savings for both international and domestic operators over the next five years, with benefits for passengers and freight users.”

And theare also calls for more Eurostar stops in the UK.

Previously stopping at Ashford International, this was paused during the Covid pandemic and is yet to return.

And there are also calls for it to stop at Stratford International, which the Eurostar also travels through.

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RYANAIR has threatened to scrap hundreds of UK flights next summer.

Michael O’Leary, CEO of the budget airline, has revealed a rise in aviation taxes would cause some flights to no longer be viable.

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He said: “If they raise APD (Air Passenger Duty) again on domestic flights then there will be a cut in capacity, no question.

“These routes are not particularly profitable, they barely break even.”

It comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to increase a number of taxes in her Autumn Budget.

She is yet to reveal which taxes will be impacted, but has warned of “difficult” decisions.

The Chancellor needs the cash to halt cuts, cover an annual £22billion overspend and for a financial buffer.

Treasury officials are now looking at ways to close the mammoth shortfall with tax rises being a central part.

Ryanair has already cut its capacity in Germany in reaction to higher taxes.

Mr O’Leary added: “We’ve put a lot of additional capacity into Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast.”

It comes as a third of UK businesses are understood to be working on “exit plans” ahead of the Budget, a survey of executives has found.

Labour has repeatedly promised not to increase the main rates of income tax, national insurance and VAT and has limited any rises in corporation tax to no higher than 25%.

As a result, ministers are looking for other ways to raise the cash necessary to plug the “black hole”.

BUDGET airline Ryanair has launched a new route from Belfast to Kaunas in Lithuania.

Last year, the budget carrier started operating from Belfast Airport following a 17-month hiatus.

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Following on from its success, the no-frills airline has added a new winter service to Kaunas.

The twice-weekly service will operate every Wednesday and Sunday throughout the winter.

Wednesday afternoon flights will depart at 4pm before touching down in Lithuania at 8.55pm.

Return flights will then leave Kaunas at 9.25pm, landing back in the UK at 10.30pm.

Sunday afternoon flights will leave the UK five minutes later at 4.05pm, landing at 9pm local time.

The Sunday return flight will operate at the same time as the Wednesday service.

Sun Online Travel have found return fares for £45.81 in November, with flights operating from October 27, 2024.

Located in southern Lithuania, Kaunas has an old town with charming streets and a 14th century castle.

Kaunas Castle was built to defend the city against crusaders, making it one of the oldest stone castles in the country.

The city is also home to Kaunas Christmas Market, which dates back to the 16th century.

Nowadays, the market is a maze of wooden stalls selling homemade souvenirs and gifts.

Local delicacies like kūčiukai (small sweet pastries) and Cepelinai (potato dumplings stuffed with meat or cheese) will also be sold at the Christmas Market.

The Christmas market runs from the end of November until Christmas Eve.

It’s been praised by visitors online with one person writing: “It’s a winter wonderland with a beautiful old town and even more magical town square just in time for Christmas!”

Kaunas is just over an hour away from Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

Lithuania’s capital city is a real winter wonderland and one of the most affordable Christmas market destinations in Europe, with flights from as little as £15 and mugs of mulled wine for less than £3.50.

The no-thrills airline also added additional winter flights to Alicante, Krakow and London.

Ryanair chief marketing officer Dara Brady said: “Since reopening Ryanair’s base in 2023, we have grown and invested heavily in the region with two based aircraft and support of over 850 local jobs, as well as driving important inbound tourism year-round. 

“Through our ongoing investment, we have grown our Belfast operation by 64 per cent verses pre-Covid levels, and we will continue to grow at Belfast, have recently switched over 50,000 winter seats from Dublin due to the 2007 traffic cap rendering Dublin airport closed for business.”

Other new Ryanair routes include Newcastle to Marrakech in October.

Earlier this year, Jet2 confirmed that a new route will operate between Manchester Airport and Porto.

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LONDON is one of the best cities in the world for theatre – but every now and again a show comes along that blows you out of the water. 

For me this year, that’s Come Alive! The new musical circus spectacular inspired by The Greatest Showman. 

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The performance takes part in a big top, following a young girl called Max who discovers her potential as a showman. 

But while the plot is pretty weak, the big budget song and dance spectacles and the circus exhibitions that go alongside them are truly brilliant.

You’ve never seen a circus show like this before – the big songs, recognisable from the blockbuster movie that inspired it – feel like Hollywood-style performances. 

And the acts are top tier. We watched strongmen bounce each other into the sky, an acrobat spin 40ft high by her hair and an incredible fire display that saw a woman set fire to her body… on purpose. 

This is Cirque Du Soleil in a sparkly jumpsuit with a megawatt smile. 

But what made it extra special was the walk-through at the start. 

While this is far from London’s West End – in a large venue close to West Brompton tube station in the west of the capital, the space this buys mean the creators dreamt up an extra pre-show experience.

The venue opens an hour before the show, for guests to walk through “The Empress Museum”.

This is an attraction that truly deserves the “immersive” tag that seems to accompany everything these days. 

Gypsy caravans and mini-showtents line the path, as well as jugglers and other performers. 

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We were encouraged to duck into the various tents, where we witnessed everything from spoon bending and incredible bubble-blowing, to fortune telling and trampolining acrobats. 

There was also fast food available, along with a decent range of drinks that included posh cocktails like margaritas and bloody marys. 

Yes, the show isn’t cheap – tickets start from £45 but the pre-show is an event in itself and given the snug size of the main circus tent, all of the seats are decent. 

Rare for any kind of show to achieve,  my 5 year old and I both enjoyed the performance in equal measure, and the 70 year old I sat next to seemed to be loving it just as much.  

Tickets for Come Alive start at £45. To find out more, head to comealiveshow.com

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A UK train station was once the world’s largest has opened a new lounge for parents to take the kids.

York Railway Station confirmed the second family-friendly zone will open next month, after the success of the one at London Kings Cross. which opened in 2022.

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The new family lounge is being built by rail operator LNER, with works already staring.

Inside is a children’s play area that’s based on the city’s historic walls with a fake castle.

There will also be beach huts with tabletop games, wall games, soft flooring and crawl spaces.

A series of specially designed murals focusing on York’s famous landmarks will decorate the walls inside the lounge.

Other features are set to include a breastfeeding area for new mums as well as ample seating for the entire family.

The family lounge is due to open in mid-December, giving families travelling for Christmas an additional space to unwind at the Victorian train station.

Colette Casey, LNER’s Customer Experience Director, said: “As a parent, I’m delighted that LNER is introducing Family Lounges with a new space in York our latest addition.

“York is a major hub station for us with millions of customers starting or ending their journeys here each year.

“We constantly strive to deliver improved experiences for all our customers as they travel with us and providing these new facilities is bound to aid that.”

York Railway Station was the largest in the world when it first opened in 1877.

The northern railway station had 13 platforms, a train shed, station buildings and a hotel.

It has undergone several renovations in its 147-year history, with the family lounge being the latest feature to open at the station.

Visitors to York Railway Station have previously raved about their time at the train station, with one person writing on TripAdvisor: “A beautiful historic railway station.”

Another person added: “This is an impressive old train station.”

Even if you aren’t in York, you can head to London Kings Cross Station to see what the lounge is like.

Located next to the Travel Centre in London Kings Cross, the family lounge is accessible for families who are booked on to trains departing from the station.

Inside are four brightly-coloured beach huts complete with tabletop toys and games.

There’s also a bespoke Hornby train set, keeping both big and little kids entertained, and a soft play area with a slide and a tiny black boulder doubling as a climbing frame.

Other features include a breastfeeding area for new mums, ample seating for the entire family and interactive screens with films.

The lounge can be used by families travelling with any rail operator, not just those who have a ticket with LNER.

Meanwhile, the world’s most beautiful train station is just one hour from the UK, and it is like “travelling back in time to golden age of rail”.

And a derelict train station dating back to 1881 could be transformed into a holiday park.

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