When it finally comes to having the luxury of a little time and money to get away on holiday, often the hardest part is then deciding where to actually go. With usually a once in a year opportunity to spend some time in the sun – with no work, no stress – it’s imperative that the week you have goes to plan. You want the location to be convenient, views to be spectacular and the sun to be in abundance, so which country gets your (your partners, kid’s, the in-laws) vote?
We’ve chosen a top 5 hit list of destinations to please the cultural, outdoors-y and the beach goddesses amongst you. Getting the family to follow, we’re afraid, is up to you!
City Break
Rome: the capital of Italy and quite possibly one of the most culturally attractive cities in the world – or so we think. It is often referred to as ‘The Eternal City’, which with a history spanning back over a couple thousand years, we can see why. The sights of the city are breath taking, and can be enjoyed amongst the bustle of other tourists, who give the city a fabulously intense vibe.
This is the place to go if you wish to absorb more of the history of the Roman Empire, the rulings of Julius Caesar, and the presence of the centrally located Roman Coliseum; the largest amphitheatre in the world.
Mountain
If you’re looking to spend time a little at altitude, than the stunningly beautiful Lausanne region in Switzerland will surely take your breath away. The town boasts 36 hectares of vineyards which are spread across five estates, making it the largest public vineyard owner in Switzerland.
You can walk amongst the vines and appreciate the surroundings these grapes have to thrive in, with the option to visit the city of Geneva, located just 40 minutes away. Be sure to sample the wine of Lausanne’s vineyards before you leave though; not many bottles make it out of Switzerland, so you might be disappointed when trying to seek out a sentimental bottle in your local off-licence.
Sea
If you can already scuba dive, you’ll no doubt be looking to get stuck into the depths of the ocean and explore a new sea-bed ship wreck, but if you can’t – there are plenty of places to learn.
A coastline twice the length of the United States surrounds the Philippines, giving you great scope to holiday pretty much where you want on the island, and still be able to access some of the diving schools located here, and the enchanting seascapes they are able to offer beginners and advanced water babies. On land or under the sea, this part of the world is a sight not to be missed off the travellers wish list.
