Get your own slice of the dolce vita in the clifftop town of Taormina, the dramatic backdrop to hit series "The White Lotus", for only £269pp. Flights, daily breakfast and a wine tasting are all included with this 4-night stay at a beach front hotel, just 15 minutes from Sicily’s “glitziest” village.

See this trip and more in the Travelzoo Top 20 →

You might remember, readers, that this summer saw members of team JFC join forces in Lupine Travel’s Trans-European , travelling overland from London to Istanbul. Spoiler alert: we may not have won in terms of speed, but we sure did win a whole load of lessons about travelling overland!

One of the main takeaways we could all agree on after a week on (and off) the rails, is that clever packing makes all the difference. We did meet some fellow racers travelling with small wheelie cases, however we all opted for the backpacking life.

Flight Finder Lauren has put together a handy guide on how to pack for a trip across Europe when you’re carrying it on your back! Here are a few of her top tips:

The bag

This quintessential bit of kit can ultimately make or break your travels (and your body). It doesn’t matter that you're a packing genius if you then have to lug around an awkward rucksack from place to place. Comfort and practicality are the way to go.

Let's start with size. The average dimensions of the JFC team’s bags were around 40-42 litres. Now, that’s pretty roomy, but it’s worth bearing in mind that we all travelled with our laptops and work equipment. That being said, none of the team confessed to being short on space, so treat this size as an absolute maximum.

In terms of design and features, this part can make all the difference. I personally found hip straps to be a real game changer. By adjusting the straps to my height, I was able to carry the majority of weight on my hips, saving my shoulders from a whole lotta pain. The 40l Venture from Mountain Warehouse seemed to work just fine for me.

A few of the team also had bags that unzipped like a suitcase, allowing easy access to the contents. A clear winner for Allan was his 42l Allpa bag from Cotopaxi.

If you're not sure where to start, get yourself down to your nearest Decathlon, as they have tons of options. And before setting off, it might be worth doing a little test run, carrying your packed bag around for a bit, juuuust to check it all feels good. We can’t all be as lucky as Fran, who got to make a convenient stop off at her flat in Brussels to switch bags before continuing the race.

The things you might not think you need, but you ACTUALLY DO!

Come on, say it with me now, P.A.C.K.I.N.G. C.U.B.E.S. Yes, we can confirm the hype is real. The level of convenience that comes with organising your items into separate compartments is undeniable.

Picture the situation: You need to quickly grab an item from your bag, only for it to be packed right at the bottom. Since most bags open from the top, this means you would have to unpack then repack everything. With packing cubes, it’s just an easy game of Tetris without the need to refold all your belongings. For real, once you know, you know.

Don’t be fooled into thinking every hotel, hostel, and Airbnb will offer complimentary toiletries. We can confirm, they do not. Yes, all of ours did have soap, but don’t forget to pack shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel.

On to a real life-saver item…tissues. Without going into too much detail, public toilets across Europe (or at least the ones I chose to enter) seemed to have a real aversion to toilet paper. Thus, my little pack of tissues was very, very much appreciated.

And on to a real money-saving item…a water bottle. Forget what you’ve heard, we’re setting the record straight. The majority of tap water throughout Europe is perfectly safe to drink. So save your euros and the planet by refilling your bottle instead of buying new ones throughout the day.

Ending on a serious note, one thing you should never skip out on is travel insurance. It’s relatively inexpensive and 100% worth it. Additionally, if you're eligible for a European healthcare card, but haven't applied yet, do it now! It’s free and grants you access to medically necessary healthcare while abroad in Europe.

As a cautionary tale, poor Andreia took a nasty tumble from an e-scooter in Vienna, which ended in some pretty badass looking chin stitches. Sadly, her new souvenir also came with a hefty price tag, which she now has to pay out-of-pocket due to not having the EU healthcare card.

The things you think you need, but you ACTUALLY DON’T!

So, these first two are a little counterintuitive: a travel towel and a travel pillow. Just because they stick the word travel on it, doesn’t mean it’s going to be useful. Danni spent 99% of her journey with a cumbersome cushion swinging around her backpack every time she changed direction. And I can personally confirm that my travel towel wasn’t used even once—that’s one thing hotels (and hostels) never disappointed on.

One packing regret I’m personally guilty of is thinking I needed to bring a full-face of makeup supplies on the road, you know, juuuust in case. Do I wear it usually? No. Did I wear it throughout the trip? No. Why did I bring it? I’m still asking myself.

On a related topic, don’t even think about bringing a hair dryer. Honestly, sacrificing that much precious bag space for something most hotels already provide is just crazy.

Read more…

Got a burning travel question, or an idea for an article you’d like to see in The Detour? Let us know below :-)

I've got an idea! 🌴

The hills are aliiiiive, with the sound of muuusiiiic!

No, we’ve not been binge-watching musicals again, we’re just collating our top tips for a trip to Vermont. And where better to start than Stowe, home to the Trapp Family Lodge? Founded by the von Trapps themselves, the Austrian-inspired lodge is right at the heart of prime skiing and hiking territory. Plus, there’s an Austrian-style brewery on site—what’s not to love?

To be honest, Vermont has a bit of a thing for brewing in general, with the largest number of breweries per capita in the US. That’s one every 140 square miles, or one for every 9176 locals, depending on how you look at it. And it’s not just beer that they’re into—cider is huge. Editor Katy sampled a good few while there, and still lusts after a can of Shacksbury’s Arlo cider now and then.

Edible treats are in plentiful supply, too—provided you can eat dairy, that is. First up, there’s the cheese. A road trip along the cheese trail will open doors to over 150 varieties, while also taking you through jaw-dropping scenery, like Quechee Gorge.

Next up, you’ve got the ice cream. While there are loads of local makers to sample, we’d head straight for Waterbury, to a little-known place called Ben & Jerry’s! You can tour the factory and taste flavours you’ve never even dreamed of, before paying your respects to the fallen varieties that came before in the Flavor Graveyard.

The whole state has an undeniable charm, but basing yourself in the bustling metropolis of Burlington (population 44,781) gives you a chance to ditch the car and wander cobbled streets and scenic lakeside paths alike. It also offers its fair share of quirk, with must-see sights like the world’s tallest filing cabinet. Is it dull and absurd in equal measure? Yes. Do you need to see it? Absolutely.

The city looks out over Lake Champlain, offering unforgettable sunsets (best enjoyed from the terrace at Foam Brewers) and monster hunting opportunities. But if you want to feel like you’ve earned all those sunset craft brews, hike or bike up the verdant Bolton Valley and drink in those Adirondack Mountain views first.

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.

• Aurora chasers are in for a busy winter! Scientists have forecast that Northern Lights activity over the coming months is due to be the strongest in the past 20 years, as well as in the coming decade.
• The founder of MisterB&B, an accommodation booking platform for LGBTQ+ travellers, gives his advice on what to take into account when looking for LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and apartments.
• Hope is on the horizon for budget travellers in Europe, as the European Parliament wants to end extra charges for carry-on bags. At the very least, it looks like all airlines will have to follow standard measurements, so you shouldn’t face any nasty surprises at the gate.
• And finally, an airport worker in Manila was recently caught on camera going all out to secure herself a cash bonus. Video footage shows the security officer swallowing around $300 dollars stolen from a passenger during screening.
  We can only hope she also had a more conventional way of saving money, since she’s now likely out of a job.