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Local Germany
10 hours ago
- Local Germany
Hotels, transport and food: How the cost of travel in Germany is rising this summer
The price of a summer holiday in Germany is rising once again this year, with hotels costing between 20 and 30 percent more in 2025 than five years ago, according to analysis by Budget Your Trip . For example, in 2025 the average price of a hotel room in Germany is €90 to €110 per night for a standard room - up significantly from five years ago when the average price was approximately €65 to €75. It's possible to pay a lot more, of course, and rooms can still be found for €30 to €50 per night in budget hotels. READ ALSO: How to save money on a camping holiday in Germany Higher transport costs Travelling by car or train remains a cost-effective option for many, especially for longer or interregional trips, but even here the overall trend is toward higher travel expenses for residents and visitors alike. The most visible change this year was the rise in the Deutschlandticket price to €58 a month, but road travel has also been affected by higher fuel and parking costs. COMPARE: Is it cheaper to fill your fuel tank in Germany or across the border? Eating and drinking out According to Germany's statistical office and current industry analyses, restaurant prices in Germany have risen by an average of around 30 percent since 2020, approximately double the rate of inflation over the same period. Even simple dishes like lasagne or salad have become around 20 to 25 percent more expensive and side dishes such as fries have seen an even greater increase. The steep rise in prices – driven by high energy costs and labour costs as well as inflation – is especially marked when it comes to drinks. The price of beer, in particular, has risen dramatically, with the cost of a litre of Helles set to hit a record high of €15.80 at this year's Oktoberfest. READ ALSO: Major German beer brands announce price increases Advertisement How are Germans reacting to the rising costs of a holiday at home? Germany remains the favourite travel destination for German tourists, accounting for 36 percent of all leisure trips taken by Germans in 2024. But the number of people choosing to holiday abroad continues to grow. A stand-up paddler sails on Lake Constance (Bodensee). Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Felix Kästle According to the ADAC Travel Monitor, one in every three Germans is now prioritising saving when it comes to planning their summer holidays, with a growing number of people looking at more affordable destinations including Bulgaria, Tunisia, and Egypt. Germans are also booking their holidays earlier to take advantage of early bird deals. According to the ADAC, 44 percent of German holiday makers booked their main vacation four months in advance in 2024, compared to 39 percent in 2022 and 35 percent in 2020. The most important criterion for people in Germany booking their summer holiday remains uncomplicated arrival and departure - named by nearly three-quarters of German travellers. For people holidaying in Germany, Bavaria maintains its position as the number one destination among the federal states. READ ALSO: Eight of the most beautiful German villages to visit this summer Advertisement Following an analysis of German tourism by the Stiftung für Zukunfstfragen (Foundation for Future Studies) , Professor Ulrich Reinhardt summed up the domestic travel trends in Germany: 'classic destinations such as the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts or the Alpine region remain popular, but lesser-known destinations are becoming increasingly important. "More and more citizens are consciously choosing new places away from the busy holiday areas and are looking for more individual travel experiences.'
Daily Record
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Good times will be pouring in Kilmarnock next weekend
The event will take place on the grounds beside Rugby Park. Organisers of next weekend's inaugural Kilmarnock Beer Festival have unveiled a special beer for the occasion. And after months of hard graft and promotion, they say they 'can't wait' to welcome punters through the gates of Rugby Park. The team behind the event were 'delighted' to have worked with Black Isle Brew to come up with Killie's own beer for the day, Squirrel Helles. Organiser Fraser Wilson told Ayrshire Live: 'It's brilliant to be able to tell the people of Killie they have their own beer for the day and we really hope festival-goers give it a try. 'Black Isle are one of Scotland's best brewers and the Helles lager is a really refreshing session drink - one we expect to be a hit with craft beer lovers and non-craft beer lovers alike.' This limited-edition lager will be available at The Taproom bar where you can also get your hands on the popular St Mungo's lager by WEST and a seasonal German Radler. Fraser added: 'Every summer Schofferhoffer do a limited run of their Radler and it's one of the highlights of the year for beer enthusiasts. 'The 2025 summer flavour is Tropical and it tastes amazing – think passionfruit and mangoes. It's a low percentage wheat beer cut with fresh fruit juice and is the ideal beer to have with your mates in the sun.' Over 1500 thirsty beer lovers are set to descend on the grounds of Rugby Park stadium, with organisers hopeful the event will be a welcome boost to the local economy. Counting down the hours, Fraser added: 'Like a shaken can of IPA, we're about ready to burst - I just wish it was here already. 'There's been a lot of work gone into this and a lot of effort in trying to make it something Kilmarnock can be proud of. There's definitely nerves and anxiety surrounding the event, but we're confident that's something we've achieved. A different event to what you'd expect to see at Rugby Park on a Saturday, the June 7 'swally' runs from 12pm-7pm and will showcase the best of independent Scottish beer, gin, cocktails, wine and fantastic street food. The tasty suds and spuds will be supported with a fantastic line-up of live music. That will see newly signed Ayrshire singer, Kayleigh, perform with covers band, Underdog, also taking to the stage. Edinburgh trad singers, The Greasy Whiskers, will play throughout the day, with the day's entertainment headlined by DJ Kevin Spalding, better known as Let's Get Eclectic. Pouring pints at the festival will be Dookit, Outlandish, Simple Things Fermentation, Two Towns Down, and Tempest breweries. They'll be joined by fellow brewers from Sulwath, Five Kingdoms, Winton Brewery, and Williams Bros. For non-beer lovers, Angels Dare Cocktails, The Dispensary Bar, EspressoKart, The Little Margarita Truck and Panther Milk will be in attendance. Champer Camper will be taking care of the weekend's fizz and Ayrshire very own Ayrshire Riviera will be serving crisp, refreshing cider. There will also be a dedicated gin and tonic bar from the team at The Orry Botanical Gin and another from the Agronomist. Food vendors will be serving up the Killie gyros , tacos, BBQ, smash burgers, fish & chips, pizza and cheesecake.
San Francisco Chronicle
09-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
New S.F. beer garden opens on the waterfront
A long-awaited San Francisco beer garden is opening on the waterfront just in time for summer. Humble Sea Brewing Co. opens its Pier 39 location on Friday, the brewery announced on Instagram. The taproom and beer garden will pour the label's IPAs, Helles and other fresh beers just steps away from the pier's lounging sea lions. Humble Sea opened in Santa Cruz in 2015, becoming one of Northern California's most popular craft beer companies. It is best known for its 'foggy IPAs,' the company's name for hazy IPAs, and its tall cans with colorful cartoons and artwork. Humble Sea announced the Pier 39 location last April, with original plans to open by the end of last summer. The San Francisco taproom is the latest in Humble Sea's lineup and part of a revitalization at the waterfront entertainment center. It operates three Santa Cruz area taprooms. It expanded to Pacifica in 2021 and launched an Alameda location in 2023. A representative for the brewery did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Local Germany
23-04-2025
- General
- Local Germany
Germany's lesser-known beers that are worth a try
April 23rd is Germany's national beer day. As opposed to international beer day, which is celebrated in August, Germany's beer day is set on this date to commemorate the passage of the Reinheitsgebot (or the Purity Law) on April 23rd, 1516. The Purity Law stated that beer may only consist of water, malt, hops and yeast. Germany is home to around 6,000 different beers, according to a report by RND, and to recommend any of them above the others is sure to invite some serious backlash among German aficionados. As to my own credentials, I won't claim to be an expert, but I have drunk nearly 400 different German beers since I arrived in Germany, and I kept track of the good and the bad with a rating app. READ ALSO: 365 German beers - What I learned from drinking a different variety each day So, based on my own exploration of German beers, here are a few suggestions of some good, and lesser-known, brews that you could crack open to celebrate this special day. When in Bavaria While the whole country of Germany is known for its beer, Bavaria has really done some heavy lifting to build that reputation and keep it alive. Munich's Oktoberfest is the largest beer-drinking festival in the world, and a Lederhosen- wearing German with a litre of Helles in hand is undoubtedly the image that comes to mind for most people outside of the country when they think of German beer. Thanks in no small part to the aforementioned Reinheitsgebot (which originated in Bavaria) the Free State's most popular beers are classic types made by a handful of established breweries. By and large Bavaria is not the place to come looking for innovative, new craft breweries. It's where you come to find pure beer that's been brewed in the same way, and served in the same biergartens for centuries. A perfect, and somewhat lesser-known example of this is Kloster Andechs. Benedictine monks have been brewing beer at the Andechs Monastery since 1455. A more recent up-and-comer is the Giesinger Brewery. Founded in 2007, Giesinger has quickly become a local favourite around the Bavarian capital, but interestingly the Association of Munich Breweries has so far managed to prevent it from being called a 'Münchner Bier' or from being sold at Oktoberfest. Advertisement Not too far to the north, the Franconian region is home to its own collection of breweries. I've heard it said that upper Franconia is home to the highest number of breweries per capita in the world , but I've also seen other sources give that title to other places. One thing that's certain however, is that you could taste beers for a lifetime around here. Nuremberg is famous for its Rotbier (red beer) which get their colour from being stored in old wine barrels. One of my favourite German beers is the Nürnberger Rotbier by Hausbrauerei Altstadhof, which you can visit near the base of the city's castle. The Hertl brewery from this region is also worth a mention. If you are in the mood for something different, try Hertl's 'Schwiegervater's Stolz', which is their take on a smoked beer – a unique type that is especially popular in Bamberg. The classic Bamberg Rauchbier to try is called Aecht Schlenkerla – either the Märzen (Festbier) or the Urbock. READ ALSO: Travel in Germany - Sipping smoked beer and soaking up culture in beautiful Bamberg Advertisement When in Berlin Berlin's classic beers are all pretty plain pilsners, such as the well-known Berliner Pilsener or Kindl. But the German capital is also home to a number of smaller breweries that have started to gain some notoriety – at least in the local scene – and increasingly it's also home to some interesting craft breweries. A glass of beer rests on the counter at Eschenbräu in Berlin's Wedding neighbourhood. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Henrik Josef Boerger BRLO is probably the Berlin craft brewery with the widest name recognition, but for something a little more interesting I'd say head to Eschenbräu or Vagabund - both based in the district of Wedding - instead. These both offer some of their own craft recipes as well as their takes on the German classics. In my opinion these smaller breweries feel a bit more authentic, and serve fresher tasting beers than the larger generic-feeling breweries. Advertisement Fuerst Wiacek is a Berlin-based micro brewery creating the kinds of uniquely branded recipes that would give even the wildest California-breweries a run for their money. This one doesn't have its own brick-and-mortar location, but you can find it at a number of bars and shops in Berlin and elsewhere. Another great Berlin-based brewery is Quartermeister, which has set itself the task of being the first beer 'for the common good', meaning the company is organised as a social enterprise and also supports local projects. Oh, and their beers are all really tasty of course!
Middle East Eye
29-03-2025
- General
- Middle East Eye
Palestinians starve as Israel continues full ban on humanitarian aid
Huda Helles enjoyed a brief respite during the first days of the latest two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. She lived with her family of eight in a makeshift tent in Al-Wihda Street, central Gaza City, after their house in Al-Shujaiya was bombed by an Israeli air strike in 2023. She and her family had a plan for the various dishes they wanted to cook during Ramadan. That plan was turned upside down on 2 March, when Israel closed the borders, halting the entry of all humanitarian aid, food, and goods into Gaza. The renewed blockade has brought the enclave to the brink of famine once again. 'We used to cook a variety of dishes every day, but now, for over 20 days, all we've had is rice,' Huda said. 'Now it's starting to give me severe stomach cramps.' On Wednesday, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said in its latest update that Israel's ban on entry of aid has continued for nearly a month and that no aid entered the enclave throughout this period. All requests by humanitarian agencies to coordinate access with Israeli authorities have been denied. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Moreover, Israeli attacks killed eight humanitarian workers since its unilateral decision to resume hostilities on Gaza on 18 March, bringing the total number of aid workers killed by the Israeli army in Gaza to 399, OCHA said. Helles recalled when the blockade was imposed. The shops were empty within hours, and what was left was too expensive, she said. Even the charity distributions, which once offered a variety of meals, have dwindled, now providing only small servings of rice at the time of Iftar. An elderly man moves with a walker past rubble along a broken road as people displaced by conflict from Beit Lahia arrive in Gaza City on 22 March 2025 (AFP) After days of eating little more than rice, Huda couldn't sleep at night, suffering from severe stomach pain and colic. She was diagnosed with a stomach infection two weeks ago. 'Doctors advised me to eat healthy food and avoid canned goods,' she said. 'But there's nothing else to eat except the low-quality charity distribution. I am surviving on eating only bread and cheese, when possible.' Helles's mother, Manal, 52, was also supposed to eat healthy food. She suffered a heart attack and high blood pressure at the beginning of this month. Huda thinks that the main reason for her mother's deteriorating health is living in the harsh conditions in the tents, including the dire lack of food and clean water for drinking. 'During Ramadan, my mother used to prepare a beautiful spread of chicken, meat, and vegetables, carefully preparing each dish for the family,' Huda recalled. 'Now, she looks at us helplessly, asking us to hang on, hoping that the starvation will not last much longer.' 'We lived on canned hummus' Before the ceasefire, Huda and her family had been displaced to Khan Younis, in the southern part of Gaza. 'We were not able to find a piece of bread. For two months, we lived only on canned hummus.' 'We no longer have the energy to flee from one place to another, fetch water, or even recover from wounds due to the lack of food and medical care' - Ahmed Ramda During the ceasefire, Huda and her family feared the return of war and the famine that would inevitably follow. And that is what has happened. 'It's unfair to live in starvation again,' she said. Ahmed Ramda, 38, also struggles to find something to eat or feed his four children during Israel's current complete blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid, including food. He thinks that the blockade's impact is even worse than last year. 'We no longer have the energy to flee from one place to another, fetch water, or even recover from wounds due to the lack of food and medical care,' he said. 'They want us to be homeless, reliant on limited humanitarian aid, but all we want is for the borders to open so we can work, make a living, and live in peace.' He was once a driver, but his car was bombed by Israeli air strikes in November 2023 while he and his family were evacuating. His house was also destroyed, his father killed, and many other family members were wounded. Now, Ramda and his family live in a tent on Omar Al-Mukhtar Street in central Gaza. UN experts condemn Israel's renewed 'weaponised starvation' in Gaza Read More » 'My children cry every day, refusing to eat the lentils or rice from the charity distributions. They ask me for chicken, meat, and fruits,' Ahmed said. 'Their mother even lied to them, telling them she put minced meat in the food, but it melted while cooking.' 'I wish to be dead before the moment I see my children starve to death.' In January 2024, Ramda and his wife, Sana, welcomed their baby girl, Misk, into the world in their displacement tent in Deir al-Balah, in the middle of the Gaza Strip. However, due to the lack of proper nutrition, Sana had a difficult time breastfeeding Misk. Tragically, Misk died of malnutrition in August 2024. 'Sana struggled to breastfeed Misk due to the lack of healthy food and because we couldn't afford what was available in the markets,' Ramda explained through tears. Meanwhile, his 10-year-old daughter, Jori, has been battling dehydration. 'I lost one daughter, and I'm terrified of losing another before the borders open and we get food,' he said. 'I appeal to the world to end our suffering - not for us, the adults, but for the sake of our children, who are deprived of their most basic rights. "If the borders open, I hope to flee Gaza, seeking a new life in Norway or Belgium, where I can find a job and live in peace with my family." 'We want the war to end' Mazen Marouf, 48, a farmer, struggles to survive with his 11-member family. During the ceasefire, he and his six sons had planted tomatoes and onions on their farmland in Beit Lahia, hoping to feed themselves and make a living from their crops. But when Israel broke the ceasefire on 18 March, their plans were shattered. 18 March 2025: The day 183 children in Gaza were massacred by Israel Read More » 'Israeli artillery and aerial shelling began suddenly in the morning. We could only take our tent,' Marouf said. 'We didn't know where to go.' Marouf and his family could hardly find an empty place to set up their tent in Al-Yarmouk neighbourhood due to the crowded movement of displaced people. They are still struggling to find something to eat, as they have no money and were unable to bring any food with them when they evacuated. The north of the Gaza Strip, especially Beit Hanoun, was once considered the food basket of Gaza, but has been decimated by the war. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), at least 67.6 percent of cropland in northern Gaza has been destroyed by Israel. 'We only eat when charity distributions come or when others share their canned food,' Marouf explained. 'My family and I are sick and suffering from malnutrition.' 'We don't want to rely on humanitarian aid. We want the war to stop now and to live in peace and dignity.'
