Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

For my final podcast for The Independent, I am talking to film director Ido Fluk about his new movie – which transported me back to 1970s Germany. a war-weary land where much was changing. Koln 75 tells the story of the best-selling jazz piano album by Keith Jarrett – who was cajoled to Cologne and onto the stage by a teenager named Vera Brandes. A great story, told with great care of time and place.

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Get up to speed with the help of data sleuth Dr Nick Brown, who believes that in time the EES will work well – but adds a warning or two about Etias.

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My guest today is Simon Woodroffe – the entrepreneur behind household names including YO! Sushi and Yotel, and also one of the original Dragons on BBC’s Dragons’ Den.

He has been telling me about the travel aspects of his career: founding Yotel, sailing the South Pacific and creating an eco-resort in Thailand. His autobiography, YO! Man, is published on 4 June 2026 by Whitefox Publishing.

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Senior travel writer Natalie Wilson has just returned from her first trip to Tuscany and Umbria. She tells of being quoted €1,000 for a cab ride in Italy, and reports on her experiences of the EU entry-exit system.

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The European President has set out her vision for more integrated rail travel across Europe. Mark Smith, the international rail guru known as The Man in Seat 61, explains how ticketing appears to have gone backwards over the decades – but holds out some hope that rail travellers could be as protected in the event of disruption as airline passengers.

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.