🛡 Travel insurance
Answered in full on travel insurance.
When should I buy travel insurance?
As soon as you book, not the week you fly. Cancellation cover starts the day you buy, so buying late leaves the deposit unprotected. Many insurers will not cover you at all once your trip has already started, so you have to buy before you leave home.
Do I have to declare a pre-existing medical condition?
Yes. Skipping a pre-existing condition to save a few pounds can void your entire medical claim, not just the part relating to that condition. Not declaring is the single biggest cause of rejected claims.
Is a GHIC enough instead of travel insurance?
No. The free UK Global Health Insurance Card gives access to state healthcare in the EU on the same terms as a local resident, but it will not fly you home, will not cover private treatment and does not cover cancellation or lost belongings. It is a top-up to insurance, not a replacement.
Does FCDO advice affect my travel insurance?
Yes. Travel to an area the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against and a standard policy can be void entirely, including for something unrelated to the reason for the warning. If you do need to travel somewhere the FCDO advises against, look for insurers that specialise in covering those destinations.
What cover limits actually matter on a travel insurance policy?
Medical and repatriation limits matter most. A lost bag is an inconvenience; an air ambulance can run to six figures. Check the medical limit is high, ideally a million pounds or more, before comparing baggage limits.
What is commonly excluded from travel insurance?
Scooter and motorbike hire, skiing and winter sports, high altitude hiking and alcohol-related incidents are often excluded as standard. Read the exclusions and add cover for what you will actually be doing on the trip.
💳 Money
Answered in full on money.
Should I pay in pounds or local currency abroad?
Always choose the local currency. Being offered the price in pounds is dynamic currency conversion, where the shop or ATM operator sets the exchange rate rather than your card network. The Norwegian Consumer Council found markups averaging 7.6 per cent and reaching 12.4 per cent, and concluded that customers were worse off in 99.7 per cent of cases. If a card machine has already defaulted to pounds, ask the assistant to cancel and run it again in local currency.
Is it a bad idea to change money at the airport?
Airport bureaux and airport cash machines give some of the worst rates available. In a case published by Which? in July 2026, a traveller withdrawing 300 euros at Gatwick was charged £338.94, an effective rate of about £1.13 per euro at a time when the pound had not been weaker than about £0.90 to the euro at any point in five years. If you need cash on arrival, buy it before you travel or withdraw it from a bank ATM at your destination.
Which ATMs abroad charge fees?
As a general rule, machines operated by a real bank and sited at its own branch charge least. Independent operators such as Euronet, Travelex, Cardpoint, Cashzone and YourCash run many of the machines in airports, stations and tourist areas, and these typically add their own withdrawal fee on top of anything your bank charges, as well as pushing currency conversion hard. The machine must disclose its fee on screen before you confirm, so read that screen rather than pressing through it.
What should I do if my bank card is blocked or lost abroad?
Plan for it before you go rather than after. Carry two cards from different providers and ideally different networks, keep them in different places, and store your bank's 24-hour international number somewhere you can reach without the card and without the app. Keep a small amount of emergency cash separately. Also check you can still receive your bank's security codes abroad, because a blocked card plus a text you cannot receive is the combination that strands people.
Do I still need cash when travelling?
It depends entirely on the destination and the answer has become less predictable. Parts of Scandinavia are close to cashless and some businesses refuse notes altogether, while much of Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Balkans and rural areas almost everywhere still run on cash. Check before you go rather than assuming, and carry a modest amount of local currency for taxis, tips and small traders even in card-friendly countries.
🎄 Christmas markets
Answered in full on christmas markets.
Do I need a visa or travel authorisation for a European Christmas market in 2026?
No. UK passport holders can visit the Schengen area for short stays without a visa, and ETIAS, the EU's travel authorisation, is not yet in force. The EU withdrew its published start date in July 2026 and has said it will announce the real one several months in advance. You will, however, be registered by the Entry/Exit System at the border, which takes fingerprints and a facial image on your first crossing.
Does a UK GHIC cover me at a European Christmas market?
In these five countries, yes. Estonia, Denmark, Czechia, Finland and Croatia are all EU member states, where a UK GHIC gives access to state healthcare on the same terms as a local resident. It is not a substitute for travel insurance: it will not fly you home, does not cover private treatment, and does nothing for a cancelled flight or a stolen phone.
When do the 2026 European Christmas markets open?
Brno and Copenhagen's Tivoli both open on 13 November 2026. Tallinn's Old Town market opens on 20 November 2026. Brno runs to 31 December 2026, Tivoli to 3 January 2027 and Tallinn to 6 January 2027. Santa Claus Village in Finnish Lapland is open all year. Zagreb had not confirmed its dates when this was written.
Does travel insurance cover husky sledding and snowmobiles in Lapland?
Often not as standard. Snowmobiling is usually treated as a motorised activity and can be excluded outright or require you to hold a valid driving licence. Husky and reindeer sledding, snowshoeing and ice-fishing may sit outside a basic policy too. Check the activity list before you book the excursion, not after, and add winter sports cover if the trip needs it.
🎉 New Year
Answered in full on new year.
Do UK travellers need a visa for Australia at New Year?
You need permission to travel, but British citizens qualify for the eVisitor, subclass 651, which is free. Many third-party sites will steer you to the Electronic Travel Authority, subclass 601, which carries a service fee. Apply through the Australian government's own channels and do not pay an agent for something issued free.
Does a UK GHIC work in Iceland and Australia?
Yes to both, which surprises people. The NHS lists Iceland as valid for both the UK GHIC and UK EHIC. Australia is valid for the GHIC only, where you use it as proof to access Medicare. Neither covers repatriation, so travel insurance is still essential.
When is Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2026 into 2027?
The festival runs across four days. The Torchlight Procession is on 29 December 2026, the Night Afore Party on 30 December, and both the Street Party and Hogmanay in the Gardens take place on 31 December 2026 from 20:00. First Footin' on 1 January 2027 is free and unticketed.
Is New Year's Eve travel insurance different?
The policy is the same but two exclusions bite harder over New Year. Most policies reduce or refuse claims where alcohol was a contributing factor, and events cancelled for weather are usually only covered if you bought the ticket as part of an insured package. Buy cover when you book, not in December, because cancellation protection only starts from the day of purchase.
🌍 2027 destinations
Answered in full on 2027 destinations.
Will I need ETIAS to travel to Europe in 2027?
Nobody can say yet, and anyone giving you a firm date is guessing. ETIAS was scheduled for late 2026, but in July 2026 the European Commission removed the published start date from its website and said it will communicate the real one several months before launch. There is also a transitional period after launch during which it is not compulsory. Check the EU's own ETIAS page rather than a third-party site, and never pay an agent to apply on your behalf.
What are the big travel events of 2027?
Three dominate the calendar. Expo 2027 in Belgrade, Serbia, runs from 15 May to 15 August. The FIFA Women's World Cup is in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July, the first time the tournament has been held in South America. The Rugby World Cup is in Australia from 1 October to 13 November, expanded to 24 teams across seven host cities.
Does a UK GHIC work in Greenland?
No. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but sits outside the European Union, and it does not appear on the NHS list of countries where a UK GHIC or EHIC is valid. Since medical evacuation from remote Greenland is among the most expensive anywhere on earth, travel insurance with a high repatriation limit is essential rather than advisable.
Which countries can UK travellers visit without a visa in 2027?
Rules change, so always check the FCDO entry requirements page for your destination before booking. As a general picture, British passport holders currently have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to most of Europe, much of Latin America, and a growing list of Central Asian countries including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Saudi Arabia offers an online tourist visa and Rwanda issues a visa on arrival.