https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Cities across Europe will gain more leeway to curb short-term rentals such as Airbnb under plans to bring down housing costs in tourism hotspots that the European Union is to unveil Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.com/20260905/eu-to-help-cities-clamp-down-on-tourist-rentals Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:38:52 +0200 eu-to-help-cities-clamp-down-on-tourist-rentals Spectacular images of lava flowing down the slopes of an erupting Mount Etna have drawn flocks of sometimes ill-equipped tourists to the Italian volcano – drawing concern from local guides. https://www.thelocal.com/20260813/safety-warnings-as-tourists-rush-to-erupting-mount-etna Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:26:10 +0200 safety-warnings-as-tourists-rush-to-erupting-mount-etna If you’re planning on buying a property in Spain to rent out to tourists on platforms such as Airbnb, you need to think very carefully about where the property is located as many places have strict restrictions. https://www.thelocal.com/20260803/a-quick-guide-to-restrictions-on-airbnb-in-spains-main-cities-and-regions Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:14:28 +0200 a-quick-guide-to-restrictions-on-airbnb-in-spains-main-cities-and-regions Looking to enjoy a relaxing holiday on the beach in France? Here are the rules you should know before setting up your umbrella. https://www.thelocal.com/20230704/sand-smoking-and-sex-the-rules-of-french-beaches Tue, 04 Jul 2023 16:50:28 +0200 sand-smoking-and-sex-the-rules-of-french-beaches Headlines in France in recent days have been dominated by a series of huge wildfires, with thousands of hectares burned, homes evacuated and others left without power. So is it still safe - and advisable - to holiday here? https://www.thelocal.com/20260722/is-it-safe-to-come-to-france-in-wildfire-season Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:58:35 +0200 is-it-safe-to-come-to-france-in-wildfire-season Swedes' interest in travelling to Southern Europe does not seem to be decreasing despite the major fires in France and Spain, according to airlines and travel agencies. https://www.thelocal.com/20260731/swedes-still-booking-holidays-in-southern-europe-despite-fires Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:36:40 +0200 swedes-still-booking-holidays-in-southern-europe-despite-fires More and more tourists from southern Europe – particularly France and Spain – are heading to Sweden to experience a cooler summer, according to new data from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Development. https://www.thelocal.com/20260730/tourists-from-france-and-spain-flock-to-sweden-for-cooler-summer Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:55:23 +0200 tourists-from-france-and-spain-flock-to-sweden-for-cooler-summer Firefighters battling the giant wildfires in south-west France have reported a 'calmer night', but Wednesday brings a return of scorching temperatures to the region. https://www.thelocal.com/20260727/latest-bordeaux-wildfire-evacuation-plans-and-travel-warnings Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:07:15 +0200 latest-bordeaux-wildfire-evacuation-plans-and-travel-warnings European holidaymakers worn down by recurrent heatwaves are currently snubbing Mediterranean destinations for northern climes in hopes of cooler temperatures, but it remains to be seen whether it is just a fad or a durable shift in the tourism market. https://www.thelocal.com/20260726/will-heatwaves-push-european-holidaymakers-to-coolcations Sun, 26 Jul 2026 14:18:09 +0200 will-heatwaves-push-european-holidaymakers-to-coolcations If you're planning on combining a holiday in France with a couple of days of work this summer, you may need to check whether your company allows this. https://www.thelocal.com/20260720/can-your-boss-ban-you-from-working-remotely-from-france Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:29:44 +0200 can-your-boss-ban-you-from-working-remotely-from-france As French ski resorts prepare for the peak February season, the news of more deaths have hit the headlines - here's how to stay safe while skiing in France. https://www.thelocal.com/20260112/avalanche-risk-is-it-still-safe-to-ski-in-the-french-alps Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:51:13 +0100 avalanche-risk-is-it-still-safe-to-ski-in-the-french-alps At the start of 2026 France unveiled a new price structure for its national museums - including the Louvre and Versailles - that charges higher prices to non-EU visitors. Readers of The Local share their thoughts on this new law. https://www.thelocal.com/20260119/its-discrimination-reactions-to-frances-museum-price-hike-for-non-eu-members Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:03:14 +0100 its-discrimination-reactions-to-frances-museum-price-hike-for-non-eu-members At the start of 2026 France unveiled a new price structure for its national museums, including the Louvre and Versailles, that charges higher prices to non-EU visitors. Here's how the new pricing structure works. https://www.thelocal.com/20260114/explained-frances-new-museum-prices-for-tourists-and-residents Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:39:37 +0100 explained-frances-new-museum-prices-for-tourists-and-residents France has unrolled a new policy which involves charging higher prices to non-EU citizens to visit tourist attractions such as the Louvre and Versailles - and we want to hear your views on that. https://www.thelocal.com/20260113/share-your-view-what-do-you-think-of-frances-higher-museum-prices-for-non-eu-visitors Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:04:45 +0100 share-your-view-what-do-you-think-of-frances-higher-museum-prices-for-non-eu-visitors Should foreign tourists pay more for state-funded galleries than locals, or should art be accessible to all, without discrimination? France is hiking prices for non-Europeans at the Louvre this week, provoking debate about so-called "dual pricing". https://www.thelocal.com/20260113/french-museum-fare-hikes-for-non-european-tourists-spark-outcry Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:51:30 +0100 french-museum-fare-hikes-for-non-european-tourists-spark-outcry The Louvre closed its doors to thousands of disappointed visitors on Monday due to a strike over working conditions at the Paris landmark, two months after a major robbery. https://www.thelocal.com/20251215/louvre-faces-closures-as-staff-walk-out Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:30:35 +0100 louvre-faces-closures-as-staff-walk-out Staff at the Louvre in Paris have issued a call for an 'indefinite' strike in protest at their working conditions - topping off a terrible year for the museum that has involved structural issues, a water leak and of course that high-profile jewel heist. https://www.thelocal.com/20251208/paris-louvre-staff-call-indefinite-strike-over-working-conditions Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:40:41 +0100 paris-louvre-staff-call-indefinite-strike-over-working-conditions The mayor of a small French town suffering from an influx of tourists to its famous Christmas market has decided to introduce an order of silence in the street, after noise complaints from locals. https://www.thelocal.com/20251201/french-mayor-introduces-order-of-silence-in-the-street Mon, 01 Dec 2025 13:32:15 +0100 french-mayor-introduces-order-of-silence-in-the-street In most German states visitors can expect to pay a local tax for overnight stays at hotels. But a recent court ruling in Bavaria confirmed that hotel taxes may not be collected in the southern 'Free State'. https://www.thelocal.com/20251124/where-in-germany-youll-pay-hotel-tax-and-why-you-wont-in-bavaria Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:17:05 +0100 where-in-germany-youll-pay-hotel-tax-and-why-you-wont-in-bavaria The Forbes of list of the 10 European towns with the best cultural heritage contains some well-known names like Florence, Dubrovnik and Bruges - plus one small town in south-west France that often flies under the radar, but contains some fascinating treasures. https://www.thelocal.com/20251028/the-below-the-radar-french-town-named-on-european-cultural-heritage-list Tue, 28 Oct 2025 15:13:15 +0100 the-below-the-radar-french-town-named-on-european-cultural-heritage-list