Holidaying in a far off distant land is great and all, but that often involves forking out for the pleasure of being sat on a plane for a ridiculously long time and having to pay for less than pleasant in-flight ‘meal’. Sometimes we’re just not about (can’t afford) that life.
The thing is though, we are always about that sunshine. But, you don’t actually have to travel that far for the heat, don’t ya know? There are lots of beautiful and warm locations a whole lot closer to home. Here’s where to head for some fun in the sun, without the unbearable flight time.
1. Sardinia, Italy
Italy is generally great as a holiday destination. The food, the architecture, the food. But it often slips from peoples ‘Places To Go’ lists as soon as the hunt for beautiful beaches comes into play. But Sardinia, a b-e-a-u-tiful little island to the west of the mainland has some of the most beautiful beaches this side of the Caribbean. Also, it’s the home of SUNANDBASS festival in September which is pretty much eight days of music, food and partying in the sun.
Flight time from London: approx 2hrs 40mins
2. Costa Calida, Spain
Okay, so there’s Marbs. And there’s also Mallorca. And of course, there’s Ibiza. But the alternate sunny Spanish destination I would like to recommend is Costa Calida, which literally translates to ‘the warm coast’. As you’ll be less likely to find it on the bucket lists of every other Brit abroad, you’re less likely to bump into Kev from the Chippy on a boozy tour with the lads. Instead, you’ll find a gorgeous shoreline with miles of old cities, pretty beaches and a saltwater lagoon that you can go do watersports in if you fancy.
Flight time from London: approx. 2hrs 40mins
3. Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech is really cool, you guys. So cool that there’s a Yves Saint Laurent Museum due to open there later this year. But beyond the world of designer luxury, it’s one of the best places to visit in the off-season staying nice and hot (we’re talking 27/28degrees) right through to October. The city is full of painstakingly Instagrammable things to see – souks, architecture, museums and of course the traditional hammams and spas. And yes, it’s a bit more than three hours but for those extra 30 minutes, you feel like you’re completely on the other side of the world.
Flight time from Birmingham: approx. 3hrs 30mins
4. Seville, Spain
Here's where to go if you want some real heat while at the same time still able to get home in less time than it takes to watch one of the Lord of The Rings films. At this time of year, this particular area of southern Spain tends to be around the 29/30 degree mark - not for the feint hearted/those without factor 50 in tow. But to distract you from the heat when wondering around the city gets a bit too much, you've also got an abundance of yummy tapas to eat and genuinely interesting history to consume.
Flight time from London: approx 2hr 45min. Lord of the Rings running time: 3hrs 38mins.
5. Hvar, Croatia
Is it just us, or is everyone suddenly in a rush to holiday in Croatia at the moment? It’s not without reason, it’s warm, beautiful, and not too far away. Which is precisely why you need to add the island of Hvar to your hit list. It’s got a bit of a resort vibe going on with lots of nice beaches but you can also quite easily hop on a boat to go and visit one of the other nearby islands whenever you fancy a chance of scene. That said, we hear that Hvar is one of the best places to be if you like to be out and about late in the evening.
Flight time from Bristol: approx. 2hrs 35mins
6. Copenhagen, Denmark
Okay, we’ll give it to you straight. Copenhagen isn’t hot all the time. But if you’re after a quick picturesque city break with a temperature that’s typically similar to the UK, then this is probably one of the trendiest places you can visit as an in-the-know millennial. There’s a reason why scandi is still cool. Cycling around the city is a thing you’ll probably want to do, as well as taking lots of pretty pictures by the river and eating all the food.
Flight time from Manchester: approx. 1hr 50mins
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.