Tourists have been caught smuggling all kinds of stolen souvenirs home from holidays, from artefacts picked up in Pompeii to sand from Italy’s famous pink beach on the island of Sardinia.

The Belgian city of Bruges is the latest victim of keepsake crime, but the item visitors have taken a fancy to is unexpected.

The city council has reported the theft of dozens of cobblestones from the city centre, and suspects tourists are the culprits.

Tourists suspected of pilfering Bruges’ cobblestones

Bruges’ cobblestones are increasingly being pilfered from well-known spots in the UNESCO-designated historic centre, public property councillor Franky Demon reported this week.

“At iconic locations such as Minnewater, Vismarkt, Markt and Gruuthusemuseum, it is estimated that 50 to 70 pieces of cobblestone disappear every month. And that number could be even higher,” Demon told press.

“The phenomenon increases significantly, especially during busy tourist periods such as spring and summer,” he added.

For this reason, authorities suspect visitors are pocketing the stone as souvenirs.

‘Leave that cobblestone where it belongs’

As well as damaging a valuable part of the city’s heritage, the stolen stones have created safety issues.

The gaps from removed stones present trip hazards for pedestrians – and are costly to repair.

“It’s unfortunate that our employees constantly have to go out to fix potholes and loose stones. This causes a lot of additional work and costs: about 200 euros per square metre of reconstruction,” explained Demon.

The councillor urged visitors to respect the historical environment of Bruges.

“We simply ask for respect. Anyone walking through Bruges crosses centuries of history. Leave that cobblestone where it belongs,” he said.

Bruges’ cobblestones are apparently not the only sought-after street souvenir.

Along the famous Paris-Roubaix cycling route, tourists are known to pilfer parts of the pavement.

While Rome’s iconic ‘sampietrini’ – cobblestones made of solidified lava – have also disappeared into suitcases over the years.

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Greek island of Crete early this morning, Wednesday 14 May.

Authorities issued a tsunami alert in the area shortly after the tremor, which was felt as far away as Israel, Syria and Egypt.

Tourists are being warned to stay away from coastal areas in the popular holiday spot.

Here is the latest travel information from the local government.

Tourists in Crete urged to move away from coastlines

The earthquake was at a depth of 35 kilometres with its epicentre near the islands of Kasos and Karpathos in the Aegean Sea.

Greece’s Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection issued a precautionary tsunami warning for the area, including the east coast of Crete and the island of Rhodes.

Authorities urged residents and tourists on the island to keep away from the coastline and move to higher ground.

“A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 48km SE of Kasos. Risk of possible Tsunami in your area,” the Ministry posted on its X account this morning. The magnitude was later updated to 6.0.

“Move away from the coast immediately. Follow the instructions of Local Authorities.”

Samaria Gorge, one of Crete’s most popular hiking routes, is temporarily closed as officials check for any damage done to the route.

“The Natural Environment and Climate Change Organisation announces that due to the earthquake that occurred today south of Kasos, the gorge will remain closed to visitors in order to check the route for possible rockfalls,” authorities said. “A further announcement will be made late this afternoon.”

Crete earthquake: Is it safe to travel and am I entitled to compensation?

Foreign governments have not issued travel advisories as yet, so it is currently still considered safe to visit Greece and its islands.

This also means that, should you choose not to go ahead with your trip, you are unlikely to receive compensation.

Depending on your travel insurance policy, you may be able to receive a refund for some or all of your trip if it includes compensation for cancellations due to natural disasters. Check with your provider and read your terms and conditions carefully.

There have been no reports so far of injuries or major damage from the earthquake, but authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have warned people should remain vigilant.

If you are on holiday in or about to travel to Crete, Kasos or Karpathos, make sure you stay up to date with the latest information.

Crete and its surrounding region are considered one of Europe’s most seismically active zones.

In October 2021, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook the island just weeks after another tremor killed one person and injured several others.

Train travel is enjoying a booming renaissance, and Europeans are all for it, according to new research.

A survey of 11,000 people commissioned by rail manufacturer Hitachi Rail found that almost half of the respondents intend to travel more by train and less by plane in the next five years.

Globally, over seven in ten said they would use public transport more if it were better connected, and over half would use it even if it cost more.

Rail travel is on the rise in Europe

The new research found that citizens in countries around Europe and in North America anticipate train travel to soar in the coming years at the expense of flying.

Rail travel already accounts for around one-third (29 per cent) of long-distance journeys – those which are 2.5 hours or more.

One-third of people surveyed also expect to travel more by train in the next 12 months. For rail travel in the next five years, that increases to 40 per cent across countries and 49 per cent across cities.

In contrast, plane travel is set to stagnate, with only around 2 per cent expecting to fly more in the same time period.

Respondents said they anticipate their car travel growing, but by 50 per cent less than rail.

Two-thirds of Europeans back banning short-haul flights

The eagerness for more train travel in the future is also complemented by a clear majority (62 per cent) backing legislation to ban short-haul flights where high-speed rail alternatives exist.

In Europe, where there are an increasing number of high-speed rail routes, support rises to 67 per cent.

Such legislation has already been introduced in France, and has been proposed in Spain too.

In both countries, more than twice as many respondents are in favour of the ban as opposed to it, the research found. Those surveyed in both countries said they would even support stronger additional legislation (63 per cent in Spain and 56 per cent in France).

Across every place surveyed, more people backed funding new rail infrastructure with increased air or road taxes than those opposed to it.

The research also explored how to grow public transport usage, with passengers identifying crowding, affordability and convenience as the biggest challenges.

Across all countries included in the survey, over seven in ten said they would use public transport more if it were better connected, and this remained at over half even if it cost more.

“Those surveyed expect to increase their rail usage more than any other form of transport in the next five years, and they support government action to enable this,” said Edoardo La Ficara, group chief markets officer at Hitachi Rail.

“We, as an industry, have a crucial opportunity to meet this public demand by delivering a great sustainable mobility transition.”