Top Destinations for This Summer
If you’re thinking about where to go for your next holiday, it’s time to get planning. To help you whittle things down, we’ve pulled out a handful of the best places to go. Whether you’re looking for quality family time, adventure or a healthy serving of culture, our selection is sure to stir your wanderlust.
Skopelos
If you’re still bursting out with little snippets of ABBA hits, then your subconscious is trying to tell you something: your next summer holiday should be in Skopelos. It’s the Greek island where Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth et al brought the hits of the Swedish pop group to a modern-day audience, and you can find a host of places to stay in Skopelos on Holiday Hypermarket. Graced with gorgeous beaches and olive groves inland, we’re confident even non-Mamma Mia lovers will adore it here, too.
Vietnam
If this summer is the year you treat yourself to a holiday a little different to your usual short-haul destinations, make it the summer you discover Vietnam. The best time to go is from late August to October when temperatures are a little more manageable and rainfall will be minimal. The country boasts the Unesco World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay where lofty cliff-edged mini-islands stud emerald waters. The city buzz comes courtesy of the capital, Hanoi, where you’ll find ultra-modern shopping malls side by side with the patchwork of shops, bars and restaurants of the Old Quarter. And then there’s Ho Chi Minh City – a rush of crowds, traffic, 24-hour living and then, suddenly, you turn the corner and there’s a French colonial landmark like the Notre Dame cathedral.
Croatia
With a flight time of two-and-a-half hours, it’s easy to switch UK soil for Croatia’s. Wander around the ancient walled city of Dubrovnik, dance until you’re hot and sweaty at one of the country’s famous music festivals, or get back to nature in the breathtakingly beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park (a two-hour bus journey from Zadar). Dubrovnik and Split are both Unesco World Heritage Sites, so if you like to mix historic buildings with days by the sea, these two places make ideal bases. And with a great bar and club scene, there’s plenty to do once the sun goes down. Like any tourist hotspot, Dubrovnik can get busy in the summer months – if you prefer something a little quieter, look for a hotel a little out of town on the Babin Kuk peninsula.
Portugal
Over the past few years it seems anybody who’s anybody has been jetting off to Portugal. First up, you’ve got the gorgeous cities of Lisbon and Porto. Board a wooden tram and rattle around Lisbon in true 1930s’ style, or track down one of the country’s best beaches like Praia da Adraga near Sintra for rolling Atlantic waves. If it’s a family holiday you’re thinking about, then the Algarve, with its soft sandy beaches, kitted-out hotels and super-fun water parks, is seriously kid-friendly. Wherever you stay in Portugal, it’d be rude not to round your holiday off with a glass (or two) of the country’s national drink – port.
Morocco
It takes three-and-a-half hours to fly to Marrakech from the UK, so if you fancy somewhere exotic but don’t want to be on a plane for the best part of a day, Morocco makes sense. The souk-lined streets of this famous city may be the first place you think of when Morocco comes to mind, but what about a holiday in Essaouira or Fez instead?
In Essaouira you can wander through the walled medina, stroll round art galleries and enjoy the seriously chilled-out vibe you’ll find in this seaside hub. As for Fez – get ready to unearth Morocco’s hidden gem. Winding alleyways laced with spices, rugs, and colourful leather goods give way to squares with intricately tiled fountains. Fez is a rush for the senses – soak it all up during the day and cosy down on a riad roof terrace come sunset.
Planning where and how you’re going to spend your precious time off is one of life’s little pleasures. Whether you’re working out a place to go for one week or two, we hope this streamlined selection of holiday destinations for this summer helps make your task a little easier.
