[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ummer is the season when anyone with a keen eye on magazines, blogs, or even just Instagram, begins to notice that things are starting to look very similar indeed. It happens every year. First, there are the sun-drenched pictures, bright light, colourful hues – it’s inescapable. Everyone is jetting off on holiday, which means the beginning of a set amount of pictures to show what a stylish holiday is meant to be.
You’ll see lots of photos of cocktails on a table, the little umbrella balanced at an unnatural angle. Then you’ll see the bizarre “hotdogs or legs” photos beginning to appear. As for the photos showing people not wearing sunglasses – well, those won’t make a return until autumn rolls around again.
Of course, if that’s your thing, then you’re probably already planning to book a holiday that will follow the same kind of pattern. There’s nothing wrong with knowing your style and things that suit you, of course – but what if you want to try something a little bit different?
It doesn’t have to be one-way relaxation if you want to feel you’re keeping up in the style stakes. A cycling or walking holiday could just be delightful in a different way. Think attractive outdoor wear, wraparound sunglasses, and water bottles around your wrist just begging to be put on Instagram. You could even try glamping; while it may not be of the heights of popularity of a few years ago, there’s still something distinct about roughing it (without many of the rough parts!)
Why not try: The Three Valleys are famed for their skiing, but there’s plenty of walking and cycling to be enjoyed here also, take a look at the range of adventures at Purple Ski holidays.
Why not… try an active holiday?
Why not… self cater in a cottage?
While the idea of living in a cottage wouldn’t suit you most of the time, for a holiday, it can be completely idyllic. You get an escape from the city, a welcome retreat from the sunshine, and you can decide what food you want to eat and when. Hire a car and you can explore anywhere you want to go; it truly does offer a sense of freedom that other holidays just don’t.
Why not try: There are cottages the world over, of course, but some of the best are right here in the UK. In Scotland, you could head for Loch Ness and the surrounding areas for rural picturesque with a tartan flavour. In Wales, to the south you will find Gower, while further up the coast is the pretty area around Aberystwyth.
City breaks don’t have to be something you do when you don’t have time to go on holiday properly. You could go on two city breaks for the cost of a week away, extending the feeling of a summer of possibilities.
Why not try: In terms of style, the obvious cities of Rome, Milan, Paris etc are a little bit passé. Given the recent obsession of all things Scandi in the style stakes, then why not try Oslo or Copenhagen as a destination with a twist?
