It has been another busy week across our three branches in Heckmondwike, Brighouse, and our fabulous Ossett store – which, believe it or not, celebrates its second birthday this week! It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since we opened our doors in the heart of this lovely market town. Time really has flown (pun fully intended).

We are proud to say we’ve still got the very same friendly team in Ossett that started with us on day one. Their dedication and knowledge have been a huge part of our success, and we’re incredibly grateful to all of our wonderful customers – whether you’ve been with us from the start or you’ve just recently booked your first trip. Your support means the world and allows us to continue doing what we love: helping our communities see the world with confidence.

Now, let’s talk about a recent bit of travel news that’s been creating a buzz – and might just inspire your next break away. A new study has revealed British holiday-makers favourite European city break destination – and the winner was of no surprise.

Based on the experiences of over 1,600 holidaymakers, the consumer group Which? ranked 40 European cities, scoring them on everything from food and drink to cultural attractions, shopping, and overall value. Coming out right at the top was Krakow, Poland. This beautiful southern Polish city scored an impressive 92% in the final rankings and received glowing reviews across the board.

placeholder image — Our fabulous Ossett team

Visitors rated it particularly highly for affordability, delicious local cuisine, welcoming accommodation, and ease of getting around. It also did very well in the culture category – no surprise for a city with such a rich history and stunning architecture.

Venice came in second, impressing travellers with its world-famous sights and charming accommodation, although its high prices brought down its value score. Sharing the third spot were the sunny coastal city of Valencia in Spain and the elegant capital of Austria, Vienna. Tied in fourth were Seville and Istanbul – both steeped in history and packed with flavour (literally and culturally!).

Other high performers included Bordeaux, Prague, Berlin, and Florence, with Funchal, Rome, and Nice also making strong appearances in the top 20. If you're thinking about a quick city escape this autumn or a longer spring getaway, we’d love to help you find somewhere that suits your taste and your budget.

As always a brief overlook at what’s been popular with our customers this past week. October continues to lead the way, claiming 14% of last week’s bookings, closely followed by May 2026, which took 7% of the share. It’s always great to see people planning ahead, but we’ve also noticed a strong demand for spontaneous getaways, with late bookings making up 27% of all bookings this week.

As for destinations, Turkey once again tops the chart for passenger numbers – it’s easy to see why, with its winning combo of sunshine, great food, and value for money. Tenerife South (TFS) came in second, and Palma (PMI) secured the third spot.

Look out for us next week as two of our team have been invited to take a look round the Cunard Queen Mary 2 in Liverpool. They will enjoy a ‘spot of lunch’ onboard and get to look at the facilities and staterooms. I can’t wait to hear all about it.