Two travel giants have joined forces to create a budget airline that will immediately become one of the six biggest in Europe.

Etihad, based in Abu Dhabi, and the pan-European TUI Group are soon to announce the name of a new low-cost carrier.

Etihad Aviation Group, the holding company for the Abu Dhabi carrier, said: "The leisure airline group will be supported by the expertise of Etihad Aviation Group, the fastest-growing aviation group in the world, and utilise TUI’s state-of-the-art distribution capacity."

The working title for the project is “Blue Sky” — which was also the name used by British Airways while it was developing its low-cost offshoot, Go.

With 60 aircraft, it will be one of the largest budget airlines in Europe, alongside Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling, Norwegian and Wizz Air.

Around half the aircraft will be Boeing 737s from the TUI fleet. It will also use 737s belonging to Air Berlin, the loss-making carrier part-owned by Etihad. In addition, it will deploy Airbus A320 jets belonging to FlyNiki, founded by the Austrian racing driver Niki Lauda, which is itself a subsidiary of Air Berlin. FlyNiki is based in Vienna, which is expected to be the home base for the new airline.

The two firms said they aim “to create a strong European leisure airline group, focused on point-to-point flying to connect key tourist markets”. It will be based at airports in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, but will serve “a broad network of destinations” which are likely to include some UK airports.

The airline consultant John Strickland described the venture as “A bit late into the low-cost space but if they stick to the German home market where the TUI brand has strength for consumers they can probably survive.

“Branching beyond known territory would be more risky given the amount of capacity around, especially from Ryanair.”

Ryanair’s chief executive dismissed the prospects of the new venture. Michael O’Leary told The Independent: “This is about the fifth restructuring we have seen of the German low-cost market.”

Malcolm Ginsberg, Editor in Chief of Business Travel News, said: “Etihad likes to invest and control failing airlines. With Air Berlin it has a real problem.”

Rare horse steak and extra-cheesy burgers: Where to eat with the locals in Zurich

With plenty of quality Swiss and international restaurants to choose from, Zurich is the right place to be hungry. It may be better known as an expensive, stuffy centre of banking and finance, but the city actually has a really creative, midrange food scene alongside its more expensive eateries. We've asked the Spotted by Locals team on the ground in Zurich to point you in the direction of a top dinner.

First up is Frau Gerolds Garten, located in one of the few remaining slightly seedy-looking areas in flashy Zurich West. The main word here is "communal" and everything and everyone here is locally grown. The restaurant's future is a little uncertain, and it's an institution worth supporting.

Some of you may not see the appeal in having a bit of Black Beauty for dinner, but for those who do, have a steak at Eisenhof . The menu has other options for you, such as a regular beef steak, but local Christine has never strayed from the horse steak. It's served on a hot stone, and rare, so if you'd like yours to be cooked through you can leave it on the stone for longer. Another place for steaks made solely from beef is La Cote.

For those not making their way to Italy any time soon, your next best bet is to order the pizza at Restaurant Rosso. It's a little hard to find, as there are no signs outside this industrial warehouse venue, but the excellent thin-crust pizza makes it well worth the search. Or, head for dinner at Chianalea for Calabrian-style Italian. Chianalea is the place to be when in need of soul food and uncomplicated company. A few southern Italian dishes, authentic Calabrian products such as the 'nduja on bread and Calabrian sausage, followed by delicious pizzas, will satisfy any foodie.

You'll be rubbing elbows with locals if you spend an evening in Les Halles. Also not that easy to find, Les Halles provides an excellent starting point if you want to explore Zurich West’s nightlife. It will seem like you’ve gone to at least three different places even though you never left the premises. Definitely order the moules et frites!

Sometimes all you need is a good burger, and Holy Cow offers just that. Everything has a Swiss tinge, from the interior decoration to the drinks. But the menu is what you're here for: local Allan's favourites range from beef (Elvis blue cheese) to chicken (camembert and cranberry), to vegetarian (veggie chèvre). This being Switzerland, there's a big focus on cheese - one is topped with "Gorgonzola Fondu". Let's just say you’ll need some time to select one of the 23 freshly made burgers on the menu.

And finally, for some proper Swiss cuisine, you can't go wrong at Café Boy says local Ajuni. Tasty Swiss grub with a continental twist served in a cosy, airy and welcoming bistro-like atmosphere. It's not cheap but most dishes are available as starters or mains, and if there’s a few of you, it’s probably best to order a selection to share.

Ultra-long haul flying takes off – but is the UK being left behind

As 2017 shapes up to be the year for new ultra-long air routes, Britain could find itself sidelined — with the vast majority of the most distant links involving the Gulf, the US and Australasia.

Last week, Air India claimed it had launched the world's longest flight — though this was purely thanks to its choice of routing. The mileages quoted by airlines are for the “Great Circle” route, the shortest distance between the two cities. In practice, the actual distance flown is significantly longer for reasons of geo-political sensitivity or, more usually, wind patterns.

For example, the direct track between Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi passes north of Greenland and close to the North Pole, but typically the Etihad flight stays well south, adding 500 miles or more to the 8,387 Great Circle route.

Air India has two very different routings between Delhi and San Francisco to take advantage of the jet stream. Outbound from the Indian capital, the flight goes across the Pacific; inbound, it flies the more direct route over Atlantic. As a result, the Delhi-San Francisco leg often exceeds 9,000 miles, compared with the 7,701 direct track.

At present the two most distant cities linked by a non-stop flight are Dubai and Auckland, 8,824 miles apart. Emirates flies the Airbus A380, the world’s biggest passenger jet, daily between the two cities. The journey takes 16h 5m eastbound and 17h 25m westbound.

From 1 February next year, its rival Qatar Airways will also fly non-stop to New Zealand’s largest city. As the Qatari capital is over 200 miles further away, the new Doha to Auckland link will take the prize. The scheduled journey time is only five minutes longer, as the Boeing 777 to be used for the route has a slightly faster cruising speed.

At present the longest route from Britain is 7,275 miles, in the shape of the Garuda link from Heathrow to Jakarta, the Indonesian capital. The longest hop on a UK airline is 6,906 miles on British Airways from Heathrow to Buenos Aires. From January, BA will add a non-stop flight from Heathrow to the Chilean capital, Santiago, 7,249 miles away. But this is well short of the distances covered by the top 10 routes globally.

Eight of the longest 10 links begin or end in the US, and seven start or finish in the Gulf. Three serve Australasia (two to Auckland, one to Sydney). Europe and Asia are unrepresented, with Africa represented only by Johannesburg.

As The Independent revealed a year ago, Qantas is considering the first non-stop flight between Europe and Australia, with a link connecting London and Perth. Such a route would become the second-longest worldwide, with a direct distance of 8,991 miles. But the Australian airline is guarded about the possibility. Markus Svensson, the carrier’s regional general manager in the UK, says: "Potential routes include the likes of Perth-London and Melbourne-Dallas, but Qantas haven’t confirmed anything yet."

The Independent understands significant hurdles have emerged to such a pioneering link — involving the airports at each end. The Australian airline will launch the flight only if it can arrive and depart from the Qantas domestic facility at Perth. The carrier believes the route will be viable only with easy onward connections to destinations such as Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin. At present Perth airport’s international terminal is on the “wrong” side of the runway, 15 minutes’ drive away. Qantas is demanding that international facilities are installed on its side of the airport.

At the London end, Qantas has fewer slots at Heathrow than it used to hold, and would need to acquire more at a time when prices are extremely high. It is conceivable that Gatwick, where more space is available, could be used instead — though this would reduce connection opportunities to and from the Western Australia flight.

Qantas says it is also considering three new Australia-US flights, holding out the prospect of links between Melbourne and Dallas or Sydney and Chicago. The strongest candidate is Sydney-Chicago: it would connect Australia’s biggest city with the third-largest in the US, and would have plenty of connecting traffic at either end of the route. At 9,238 miles, it would become the longest in the world — until 2018, at least, when Singapore Airlines has vowed to re-launch non-stop flights between Singapore and New York. This 9,521-mile link launched in 2004, but closed three years ago when the fuel-heavy A340-500 made it uneconomic. The carrier says it will use a much more efficient A350-900ULR for the reinstated route.

Ultra-long-haul flights are extremely expensive to operate, and depend on relatively cheap oil for profitability. They burn a disproportionate amount of fuel per mile, because of the volume that needs to loaded to sustain the journey, and demand heavy crew resources. The Singapore-New York link operated with six pilots.

Several ultra-long-haul routes have been touted but failed to materialise. Emirates announced last year it would launch a Dubai-Panama City flight of 8,588 miles, and even started selling tickets for it, but the plan was shelved. Qatar Airways promised a link from its hub in Doha to Santiago in Chile, 8,967 miles away, but there is no sign of services beginning.

Travel Guide To… Iran

British Airways relaunches flights to Tehran today, four years after the last direct service from the UK took off, and around a year after the UK embassy reopened its doors in the Iranian capital. Both moves are beating a more accessible path to this controversial country for curious travellers, following a thawing of frosty relations between Iran and other world powers thanks to a landmark nuclear deal.

And while Iran often finds itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, intrepid globetrotters consistently sing the country formerly known as Persia’s praises, calling it a surprisingly welcoming destination with plenty of untouched treasures to discover. The fact Iran doesn’t exactly top the to-do list of mass tourism means those with an open mind will likely enjoy the nation’s riches largely all to themselves.

Visitors heading here will find a country that is as complex, colourful and deeply traditional as the Persian carpets for which it is renowned. History lovers are spoiled for choice when it comes to incredibly preserved archaeological sites (including the ancient city of Persepolis), while the photogenic beauty of classic Persian architecture – usually covered with those famous blue tiles – will please anyone with an eye for design.

Plus, outdoor enthusiasts have a surfeit of mountains to climb and ski, desert landscapes to explore and scenic valleys to trek. All this, combined with ultra-welcoming locals, a refined and delicious cuisine (succulent grilled kebabs, flavourful stews) and an ancient culture steeped in poetry, music and art, mean that Iran is a destination as rewarding as it is revelatory.

British nationals need a visa to travel to Iran. The process can be notoriously long and frustrating, so you should apply well in advance of your planned travel dates. There are also reports of difficulties securing visas through private visa agencies. The Iranian embassy in London has commenced a visa service.

FCO advice warns against all travel to certain parts of Iran. The FCO also claims the risks to tourists in Iran are higher for those travelling independently than for those travelling as part of an organised tour.

Cultured capital

Situated on the lower slopes of the Alborz Mountains, their snow-tipped peaks providing a dramatic backdrop in winter, Tehran should present a pretty picture. However, gridlocked traffic and heavy air pollution are everyday realities in this modern metropolis. The noisy streets of central and southern Tehran, where visitors will spend most of their time, are crowded with shoppers, office workers and students and crackle with energy. The city’s northern suburbs aren’t as frenetic. Though largely residential, they also have upmarket retail strips where affluent locals come to shop, dine and drink coffee in stylish boutiques, restaurants and cafés.

Most visitors forgive Tehran’s aesthetic shortcomings when confronted by the wealth of treasures displayed in the city’s museums. Start by admiring the archaeological artefacts in the National Museum of Iran (Imam Khomeini Avenue; 200,000 rials), which include exquisite inscriptions and friezes from Persepolis; then head to the Treasury of National Jewels (200,000 rials) to ogle its simply extraordinary collection of jewellery made by Persian artisans and acquired by the Safavid shahs. The treasury’s best-known exhibit is the Peacock (Naderi) Throne, encrusted with 26,733 gems.

Ancient markets

Those keen to see a more exotic Iran than that offered by Tehran's traffic-clogged roads should head for the atmopsheric bazaars of some of the country's most historically significant cities. Tabriz, a former capital, has the most famous. Its sprawling, labyrinthine bazaar – a Unesco World Heritage Site dating back 1,000 years – is replete with ornate, dimly lit timchehs (halls) that immerse you in an almost mystical, back-in-time feel.

South of Tehran, Isfahan’s Bazar-e Bozorg is just as old, and has welcoming teahouses in spades. Its location between Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the Masjed-e Jameh, two of the city’s major attractions, is also supremely convenient.

Tehran’s bazaar is more modern (it’s a mere two centuries old) but is just as maze-like and full of temptations.

Pilgrimage sites

Home to the largest concentration of Shia Muslims in the world, Iran has many important religious shrines and pilgrimage sites. Crowded with pious worshippers – usually in family groups – these are wonderful places to observe the importance of religion in day-to-day Iranian life. They can also demystify this culture for many Westerners, being places where worshippers are just as likely to be exuberant and joyful as they are quietly contemplative.

The most significant and beautiful of these is the massive Haram-e Razavi (Holy Shrine of Imam Reza) in the north-eastern city of Mashhad, where gold-covered domes and tapering minarets seem to float above the compound's profusion of courtyards, mosques and museums. Shia pilgrims from across the globe come here to visit the shrine of the only Shia Imam to be buried in Iran.

In the south of the country, the Aramgah-e Shah-e Cheragh (Mausoleum of the King of the Light) in Shiraz is nearly as holy. Its bulbous turquoise-tiled dome, gold-topped minarets and mirrored interior are wonderful examples of late Qajar period architecture.

World heritage trail

There are 21 Iranian sites and landscapes on Unesco’s World Heritage List, and many first-time visitors to the country end up devising their itineraries around visits to the big-hitters.

Don’t miss Persepolis, the majestic former capital of the Achaemenid empire (200,000 rials, plus extra charge for museum). It’s an extraordinary showcase of grandiose Achaemenid construction, including staircases featuring exquisite carved reliefs, majestic gateways topped with statues, and the remains of palaces that once housed magnificent columned halls.

The desert fortress of Bam, recently rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 2003, was once a thriving trading post on the legendary Silk Route. This mud-brick citadel has massive ramparts, ornately decorated towers and monumental gateways aplenty.

Another must-do is the postcard-perfect Naqsh-e Jana (Imam) Square and the Masjed-e Jameh (Jameh Mosque) in Isfahan. The latter, the largest mosque in Iran, comprises a series of elaborate iwans (open prayer halls) clad in exquisite blue and gold tiles.

Finally, formal Persian gardens, such as the Bagh-e Fin in Kashan (Amir Kabir Rd; 150,000 rials) – an oasis featuring a series of turquoise-coloured pools and fountains, richly decorated pavilions and a profusion of orange trees – also deserve a place on your list.

Outdoor adventures

More than half of Iran is covered by mountains, so skiing and mountaineering are popular pastimes. Head to Mount Damavand and Mount Sabalan in the Alborz Mountains to climb in summer, and to Dizin in the Alborz Mountains or Sepidan or Chegard in the Zagros Mountains to ski in winter. In good weather, trekking through the Alamut area in the Alborz Mountains is hugely enjoyable. Desert trekking should only be done with an experienced guide – when in desert areas, it’s best to explore on a 4x4 expedition or camel trek leaving from Yazd.

Boutique boltholes

Serviceable but somewhat dowdy three-star business hotels predominate in most Iranian cities and towns, but tourists are better off opting wherever possible for the slowly growing number of boutique hotels set in historic buildings.

The best of these are in central Iran, such as recently opened, top-end boutique choice Saraye Ameriha Boutique Hotel (sarayeameriha.com) in Kashan, or Iran’s most famous luxury hotel, the Abbasi Hotel (abbasihotel.ir) in Isfahan, with its magnificent courtyard garden. Niayesh Boutique Hotel (niayeshhotels.com) in Shiraz, in the heart of the old quarter, has a laid-back traveller vibe.

Outside the cities and towns, it’s worth considering a homestay, which will give you a true taste of local life.

Getting there

Imam Khomeini International Airport just outside Tehran is Iran’s major international air hub. There are also international airports in Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad. The country’s busiest domestic airport is Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran.

Swallows and Amazons: 5 ways to have your own outdoor adventure in the UK

With the adventure-packed summer film Swallows and Amazons hitting cinemas today, and the school holidays in full swing, there’s no better time to kindle children's sense of adventure and take them out for a fun-filled family adventure. Discover hidden caves and perfect camping spots, or take the Walker children's boating experience in Arthur Ransome’s story to the next level.

Cruise the broads 

Get back to nature on a guided bushcraft canoe trail on the Norfolk Broads. Spend daylight hours discovering the channels and backwaters of the Broads best accessed by canoe, before setting down for the night with your freshly learned survival skills, including fire-lighting and cooking over an open fire. A two day expedition costs £125 for children over the age of eight and £175 for adults with The Canoe Man.

Rich pickings

There's no need for scrumping when there are plenty of other ways to fill up on the season's best produce. Wild Food UK (wildfooduk.com) runs foraging courses around the country, where you can learn to identify edible plants and fughi, from around £17.50 for children and £35 for adults. Alternatively, head to a pick-your-own farm such as Roundstone in West Sussex (roundstonefarm.co.uk), where you can park up for the day, grab a basket, and forage in the fields. Summer months will see many farms growing strawberries, blackberries and raspberries ripe for the picking.

Crawl into new spaces

The Yorkshire Dales are known for their scenic beauty, but there’s a whole new world to discover if you head underground. Anyone aged seven and up is able to don a helmet and head-torch and walk (or crawl) through the natural caves in the Pennines, encountering everything from mud to underground waterfalls along the way. There are even hot showers and changing rooms to get cleaned up in at the end of the day. How Stean (howstean.co.uk) offers half a day of caving for £45 per person.

Pitch up 

Swallows and Amazons takes place in the Lake District, so what better way to walk in John, Susan, Titty (renamed Tatty in the new film) or Roger’s shoes than by camping out there? Among the many sites to choose from there is the option to be near a busy town such as Keswick or the chance to choose a far quieter area like Eskdale. The truly adventurous can try wild camping in the national park, too – though you do have to check the land owner's permission before pitching up for the night. Pitchup.com has various options in the Lakes, including The Quiet Side, between Grasmere and Elter Water, which has grass pitches from £15.

Stand tall 

The children of Ransome’s story may have used dinghies to get to their island, but there’s another way to explore on the water. Stand up paddle-boarding is exactly what the name suggests - the board being something akin to those used in surfing, but it's much easier to get the hang of. Try finding your sea legs on an SUP tour around Wales's stunning Gower coastline with Stand Up Paddle Gower (supgower.com; from £45 per person).

Summer without the crowds: escape to Greece's quiet corners

To get away from it all, to find a stretch of paradise untouched by another, is almost impossible. Most stones have been turned, and paths trodden. The next best thing, therefore, must be to escape to a remote destination where there might exist the slim possibility of some peace and quiet and solitude.

I’m not looking for a wi-fi free zone or some far-flung corner of the globe without network coverage. I’m not trying to escape from my iPad, email, games or online shopping... No, I just want to escape other people.

And so it was, at 6.30 on the morning of 6 July, after a 90-minute ferry ride from Kamiros Scala, on the south-eastern tip of Rhodes, I found my slice of heaven: the island of Halki, a rare gem, embellished with neo-classical buildings in rich colours of ochre, burnt umber and red.

As we drifted into the harbour I could see a couple of restaurants, a grocery store, an ATM and a post office – and little else, apart from fishing boats bobbing on the crystal clear waters.

I was met by Janis, who owns a little travel agency, Zifos, and we made our way up the gently winding tracks to Villa Evi, a traditional Greek house high up on the hills with breathtaking views across the bay. With my bags unpacked, I set off for the beach.

Pondamos, the nearest beach, was completely deserted – and just a 10-minute walk away, past the army barracks. At this end of the Aegean, on the Dodecanese islands, Turkey is just a few kilometres away; I discovered later that Rhodes has six army barracks and regularly stages military exercises against potential Turkish invasions.

But back to the beach: the road to the sea skirts around a beautiful church – one of the few blue and white buildings on the island – and cemetery, where families are obliged to disinter and wash the bones of their loved ones after a few years and move them to a mausoleum to make way for the newcomers.

The beach taverna at Pondamos puts on a superb lunch and stays open late on Fridays for supper. My preferred spot for an evening meal was Valantis, down on the harbor, which served some of the finest grilled feta I’ve ever eaten, along with kefalotyri cheese and souvlaki.

Top tip for fellow crowd-dodgers: avoid Pondamos on Tuesdays as a nearby island puts on a day trip and the place is mobbed. Reserve Tuesdays for walking; there are some excellent paths to follow (pick up a map for €5 at Petros’s general store).

I don’t believe I have ever felt so relaxed or refreshed by a holiday; the peace and tranquility were intoxicating, the villa charming and unpretentious, the locals incredibly friendly, and the water was the clearest and bluest I have ever seen. It was with a heavy heart that I packed my bags to leave Halki for my next destination. The only remedy? Booking a villa for next year.

Back on Rhodes, and not a million miles from Faliraki, is Ixia, a much smaller resort on the western tip of the island. I was staying in the Atrium Plantinum, a luxury hotel that’s been exquisitely designed by a local architect, with the pool taking pride of place. After the peace of Halki I was worried about being around too many people, but even though I wasn’t the only guest, the hotel never felt crowded, with ample space between sunloungers, and even the tables in the restaurant.

In the quest to locate other tucked-away treasures on Rhodes I travelled to the tiny fishing village of Haraki, on the south-eastern side of the island, just above Lindos, on the Mediterranean. The pebbly shore is lined with a few tavernas, shops and holiday apartments, and in peak season the beach road is closed to traffic, allowing visitors to promenade along the seafront.

From here I travelled up the coast to Stegna, where you’ll find Stegna beach at the end of a steep, winding lane. The main street backs on to another long stretch of white sand, where at one end you’ll find a tiny fishing harbour, and Stegna Kozas, quite possibly the best restaurant on Rhodes.

Established on the beachfront in 1932, it has been passed down through the generations to current son Kozas, who wears a black gown and apron and, oddly, is barefoot at all times. Several locals with weathered faces line his bar, quite possibly the same people who carry cases to the studios, clean the apartments and fetch the fish in the early morning. Nothing much happens here and that’s the way the people of Stegna – and I – like it. I used to think of Rhodes and bristle at the thought of Faliraki but I’ve discovered there are some stunningly quiet places to escape to too.

Simon Calder on determining eligibility for flight compensation

Q We were booked on a Monarch flight from Birmingham to Funchal in Madeira at 6.15am scheduled to arrive at 10.05am. Our departure from Birmingham was delayed by more than three hours, and so I put in a claim for compensation. It was declined – with the airline accepting the delay was more than three hours at departure, but saying it was less than three hours on arrival. How can this be? Have you heard of this before?

A Yes, I have heard of this before, and indeed have been involved in just such an event. To qualify for delay compensation under the European passengers’ rights rules, known as EC261, you need to arrive three hours late at your destination.

The crucial issue in deciding whether or not you is not what time you left, but what time the plane reached the gate at Madeira’s airport and the door was opened. If it was three hours or more after the scheduled arrival – i.e. at or after 1.05pm – then you could be entitled to €400 in compensation. If it was 1.04pm or earlier, then you have no such right. From Monarch’s response, I infer that the latter applies.

On many occasions it is possible for a plane to be delayed for three hours-plus, but arrive less than three hours late. Schedules are usually “padded”, i.e. with an extra 10 or 20 minutes added to allow for delays such as air-traffic control restrictions.

In addition pilots can fly faster than normal to make up time, and if it saves the airline owing every passenger €400 then it may well be a decision the captain takes.

I was on a delayed British Airways plane from Dublin to Heathrow that was three hours, 10 minutes late in leaving. But since that meant a take-off at midnight, the captain knew he would be cleared to land without a wait at Heathrow because there would be no other traffic at 1am. We arrived “only” two hours and 50 minutes late, and BA escaped the obligation to pay compensation.

Simon Calder On How To Visit Iceland On A Budget

Q I am travelling to Iceland with my girlfriend for 10 days in late August and early September, on a fly-drive trip. Our itinerary and accommodation are booked and paid for. It’s the high cost of food, drink and activities that concern us. Any tips about mid-range restaurants, good deals, etc?

A The good news is that you have paid upfront for the most expensive elements of your trip, hopefully before the collapse of sterling.

Against the Icelandic krona, as with other currencies, your pound is worth a lot less than it was before the EU referendum. When I was last in the country in the autumn, I was getting almost ISK200 for £1; today, you would be lucky to get ISK150. So a dinner that was a good deal at ISK3,000 per person has risen from £15 to £20. Iceland is once again a high-cost country (after the economic meltdown, and with sterling strong, it went through a few years of moderate prices).

If you drink, the easiest way to economise is on alcohol – depending on your thirst, you might want to maximise on the duty-free allowance, which is two bottles of wine (or a litre of spirits) plus six litres of beer each.

Switching lunch each day from a restaurant to a picnic will also generate good savings. Assuming you are starting in Reykjavik, you can take advantage of the biggest supermarkets in the nation to stock up on essentials.

Next, organise your sightseeing efficiently. In the capital, you can visit the three impressive galleries that make up Reykjavik Art Museum for a single ISK1,500 ticket (about £10).

Outside the capital, many locations – from waterfalls to geysers – are natural attractions for which there is no admission charge. And you can even economise on the €50 minimum fee for the Blue Lagoon – by not going in. That sounds banal, but in fact the area around this steamy bathing complex is rather more beautiful and rewarding than inside. Later, go for a soak in one of the many outdoor municipal baths, heated from the restless earth, for a fraction of the price.

On the trail of Roald Dahl in Great Missenden

You might not have heard of Great Missenden. It’s a quaint little village tucked away in Buckinghamshire’s Chiltern Hills, which has managed to retain a quiet and unassuming feel, despite for decades having been home to one of the country’s best-loved writers.

This year, on 13 September, marks what would have been Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday, and ahead of the centenary, Steven Spielberg’s big-screen adaptation of one of the author’s most popular books, The BFG, is released in cinemas this weekend.

Dahl lived in Great Missenden for 36 years, until his death in 1990. He once wrote: “I have never lived in a town or city and I would hate to do so.” His home, Gipsy House, an 18th century farmhouse on the edge of the village, is not open to the public, but you can still get a taste of the Dahlian magic from the outside. It was here he pretended to be the BFG, climbing a ladder to blow happy dreams into the windows of his children, and later his grandchildren, just as the giant would. And the gypsy-style caravan he had in the garden for the children to play in inspired the one in which Danny and his father lived in Danny, The Champion of the World.

Walking down the village’s main street, made up of neat terraces with tiny, brightly painted front doors, you’ll find the inspiration that permeates Dahl’s best works. At the top of the High Street is the rather plain 1970s Great Missenden library, but it’s where Matilda (in the book of the same name) spent her time when her mother went off to Aylesbury to play bingo.

The Red Pump Garage petrol station, which was the inspiration for the garage in Danny, The Champion of the World, has been captured in time; it still has 1950- style pumps, with the white Shell Oil sign at the top. And slightly further down, Crown House, a timber-framed building occupying number 70 on the High Street, is the basis of Sophie’s “norphanage” in The BFG.

Yet the epicentre of the village’s connection to the author is the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre. Dahl’s writing hut, which he diligently worked in for 30 years, writing only in pencil and on yellow paper, has been moved from his garden to the museum. The quirky outbuilding looks exactly how he left it, complete with one of his removed hip ball sockets on the table, among other bizarre keepsakes.

Dahl was not always a writer, as the Solo gallery in the museum tells. Starting a career in oil, he was first posted to Tanzania, where his sense of adventure really came to life. “I was off to a land of palm-trees and coconuts and coral reefs and lions and elephants and deadly snakes ... I couldn’t wait,” he wrote in his autobiographical book Boy.

Dahl often walked from his home to the nearby woods, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in search of inspiration, and the same trails are still visible to walk along today.

Angling Spring wood was the inspiration behind one of the writer’s most charismatic characters, Fantastic Mr Fox. The gnarled Witches Tree is said to be where the four-legged family lived.

“On a hill above a valley there was a wood. In the wood there was a huge tree. Under the tree there was a hole. In the hole live Mr Fox and Mrs Fox and their four small foxes,” he wrote. Unfortunately the tree blew down in 2003, but it continues to lie where it fell. And almost directly opposite, Atkins Wood, with its towering trees and dark forest floors, is what inspired the pheasant hunting in Danny, The Champion of the World.

Back in Great Missenden proper, you will find Dahl’s final resting place. On Church Lane is the small church of St Peter and St Paul, set on a mound. The writer’s grave is often decorated with onions, owing to his love of the vegetable, and there are also some very large footprints nearby, in case you need a friendly guiding foot to find it.

Travel firms reassure holidaymakers heading to Turkey

Travel firms are attempting to reassure customers due to fly out to Turkey that flights and holidays are operating as normal following this weekend’s failed coup. However, a company that helps people deal with holiday complaints said those due to head to the country in the next few days should be offered the chance to obtain a refund or amend their trip.

According to the Association of British Travel Agents, around 50,000 British holidaymakers are currently believed to be in Turkey.

Thomas Cook was offering free cancellations and amendments to customers due to fly out on Sunday 17 July, though the company has made clear that “normal terms and conditions” now apply.

In a statement posted on its website on Monday 18 July it said: “There has been no change to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice regarding travel to Turkey following the events on Friday night. Our flight and holiday programme is operating as normal, and our staff on the ground in resort tell us is that everything is calm and customers are enjoying their holidays.” It added that any customers who were concerned should contact the company on 01733 224536.

In a joint statement, Thomson and First Choice said “normal booking conditions apply for all travel dates to Turkey”. They added that all flights departing on Monday 18 July 2016 were operating as normal, though they were continuing to “closely monitor the situation”.

Turkish Airlines has announced that for flights to and from the country between 15 July and 20 July inclusive, “all rebooking/re-routing will be made without any charge”, and for unused tickets “refund[s] will be made without any charge”. It said the validity of tickets can be extended until 15 August without penalty.

The FCO said the situation in Turkey appeared to be calming, but it added: “The security environment, however, remains potentially volatile. Following earlier disruption, flights to and from airports in Turkey are returning to normal, although some disruption remains and you should check with your airline or tour operator before travelling.”

It said travellers “should take extra care in public places – particularly those visited by foreigners” and added that apart from Marmaris on the south-west coast, “the coastal resorts do not appear to be significantly affected at present … Continue to exercise vigilance in resort areas.”

The Association of British Insurers has said that those booked to travel to Turkey should contact their tour operator, travel agent or airline for advice. It added: “If alternative arrangements are made, you should be able to transfer your travel insurance to the new destination.”

Meanwhile, HolidayTravelWatch, a company that helps people complain and make a claim if something goes wrong, argued that a “significant change” had arisen with holidays to Turkey.

Spokesman Frank Brehany said: “There is no question that British holidaymakers scheduled to travel to Turkey in the next few days will be concerned as to their safety, particularly as the effect of this coup is likely to last for some weeks ahead.”

He said it was therefore time for travel firms to “recognise their obligations” under the package travel regulations, which set out what happens when there are “significant alterations to essential terms”, and offer customers penalty-free refunds or cost-free changes to holidays.

Travel question of the day: Simon Calder on safety in Cyprus

A Personally I wouldn’t travel to Cyprus in August. But that is not because of any sense of danger – just the heat on the island in the warmest month of the year, when the average temperature is above 30C. April and October are my preferred months; May and September are also lovely.

I infer, though, your question has nothing to do with excessive sunshine, but rather the proximity to the appalling war that has cost so many lives in Syria; the Syrian coast is only 50 miles from Cyprus. I see no risk that the unfolding tragedy in Syria will spill over to the island. So apart from the heat, I would happily go to Cyprus – and take my family there. But I wouldn’t rent a car, because the roads are about twice as dangerous than the UK. That is where the main risk resides, along with the water: “Be aware of strong seas and undertows,” says the Foreign Office.