Many people I know decided to spend their early summer holidays in Greece, Spain, and Italy. Sounds like they all had a lovely time. The weather was great and those who had booked early enough might have avoided the extortionate holiday prices I am seeing for Europe as the summer goes on. This was due, in part, to the high demand from clients who had opted for a short-haul holiday, thinking it would be way cheaper than going further afield. They might have got a better deal going long haul, as it turns out. Availability was a huge problem, and this was exacerbated by the high number of Americans travelling to Europe, with the exchange rate very much in their favour. As I write, the school holidays are almost upon us and the temperatures in Europe are exceptionally high. You’ll need plenty of sunscreen and access to water, where possible! If this trend continues, you might want to consider places like the Caribbean and Mauritius next summer, where temperatures stay around 30 degrees.
For those of us who chose to enjoy the British summer, it has been glorious. Endless summer days (except for the first week of Wimbledon, naturally!) and plenty going on everywhere, from outdoor theatre and concerts to summer fetes.
Thoughts now turn to Autumn travels, and I thought I’d offer a word of warning. It used to be that the prices fell dramatically from mid-September, but I fear this will not necessarily be the case this year. Those who did not travel over the summer period will have booked in advance to travel to Europe and I know that hotels are reporting high occupancy levels right until the latter part of the year. I have the solution: instead of opting for the most popular places, such as Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, try one of the lesser visited cities, all of which have so much to offer.
For example, Krakow in Poland is a medieval city with a magnificent town square, art galleries and museums and a wonderful jazz scene. Maybe San Sebastian in Spain, which has more Michelin-star restaurants than any other city in the world and a very fine beach, too. Basel in Switzerland has picture box houses and is famous for its art galleries. Tallinn in Estonia is a wonderful medieval city with great restaurants and cafes. I keep hearing people raving about Oporto in Portugal, famous for its port wine, yes, but also for its cobbled streets, baroque churches, and hand-painted tiles. In France, let us not forget that there are so many beautiful cities, such as Strasburg, with its canals and timber-framed houses, Aix en Provence, which has all the chic of Paris, wide open boulevards, and a chance to see Paul Cezanne’s art studio. Both these French cities are reachable by Eurostar.
Have I got your attention? I could go on for hours and am sorry I cannot write about more of the fabulous places there are to visit in Europe alone! So many deserve a mention, and I can offer splendid, luxury accommodation in all these locations. So, if you fancy a change from your usual city break to Paris (sorry, Paris, I do love you!!), then please get in touch and I will find you your perfect luxury Autumn break.
I have a lovely special offer at the wonderful Meneghetti Wine Hotel in Croatia, which I featured in an earlier blog:
Valid for September and October, book a minimum of 4 nights and get one free, ie. Stay 4, pay 3. Includes breakfast!
Feeling inspired? Book your next escape now. Get in touch with Lizzi by emailing [email protected] to book your dream trip!
by net effect