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If there’s one country that made me fall in love with slow travel, it’s Croatia. Since my first visit, an unforgettable late spring trip where I travelled with a tent rather than a plan, it has remained cemented in my heart. Crossing from Dubrovnik in the south to neighbouring Slovenia in the north using buses, ferries, trails and trains, I found myself not just falling in love with the country but extending my trip every day. Indeed, it’s a destination that deserves to be explored slowly — making the contenders for best places to visit in Croatia almost as long as the country itself.

From the (over)touristed walled city of Dubrovnik, famed for its gorgeous mediaeval fortified Old Town, to the laid-back islands — around 50 are inhabited, while the islets stretch into triple figures — ideal for lazy days swimming, sunbathing, and snorkelling, Croatia promises a kaleidoscopic mix of experiences. Sure, it’s one of the best beach destinations in Europe, but inland, you’ll find national parks peppered with gushing waterfalls, while the historic cities that once guarded the coast easily make for stand-alone city breaks.

Whether you’re visiting Europe in winter to try and seek a spot of off-season sun or planning a summer island-hopping escape, I’m sure you’ll also fall in love with at least a few of my favourite places to visit in Croatia.

Korčula

Due to bus and ferry delays, I nearly skipped Korčula. But thankfully, I decided to continue with my detour, as this handsome verdant island ended up being one of my favourite places to visit in Croatia.

For the most part, the main reason to visit is Korčula Town, a small, fortified settlement on a peninsula, often compared to Dubrovnik in miniature. But as I was camping a bit further away, I saw just how special the island is beyond the labyrinth of narrow old-world streets. There are some gorgeous beaches, quiet swimming spots, peaceful pine forests to stroll through, and the island’s vineyards pump out delicious white wines that taste even better at sunset.

Only a short hop from Orebic (also rather pretty) or a few hours by public ferry from Dubrovnik or Split, Korčula is also reasonably easy to access on your own. However, if you want to experience the Adriatic properly and explore a few islands, such as ancient Vis or party-centric Pag, you’ll want to book a cruise or private gulet charter rather than rely on ferries; you’ll maximise on time, and it makes for a more leisurely journey, especially to the more isolated isles.

Pula & Rovinj (Istria)

The Istrian peninsula is one of the best places to visit in Croatia if you want to experience another side of the country. Once under Italian control, there are plenty of Roman sights to see. Plus, compared to the Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian coast, it’s still something of a European hidden gem.

In coastal Pula, you’re never far from a gorgeous Adriatic beach, but you’ve also got magnificent attractions to explore, such as the Pula Arena — a well-preserved Roman amphitheatre — and the two-thousand-year-old Temple of Augustus.

Postcard-perfect Rovinj is another must-visit in Istria, although it can get a little busy given its size. Here, jutting out into the calm waters, the cluster of colourful houses decorate a web of narrow streets, while a collection of small islands is best explored on a lazy boat day trip.

Hvar

Long a bolthole for the rich and famous, Hvar established itself as a holiday hotspot and one of the best places to visit in Croatia some fifty years ago, continually growing in popularity ever since. As one of the more popular islands in Croatia, Hvar is usually featured on most 10-day Croatia itineraries, especially those covering Dalmatia.

Founded by the ancient Greeks and shaped by the Venetians, there’s some gorgeous architecture here to admire alongside the equally beautiful views, with Fortica Fortress, a mediaeval castle high above the Old Town, combining the best of the two.

Be warned, though, Hvar comes with a bit of a price tag compared to some of the other islands. There are plenty of upscale bars and restaurants here — the island has five listings (not stars) in the Michelin Guide — and some of the most gorgeous and luxe villas in Croatia are tucked away in the island’s prettiest corners. Still, while I was dubious about visiting, thinking it would break my budget, there are a few affordable deals and local restaurants to enjoy; you’ll just usually need to sacrifice the sea views.

Split (and Trogir)

The history of Split is one of the most interesting in Croatia, and it spills out across the streets of the historic Old Town, centred on a former Roman emperor’s palace, the Diocletian’s Palace.

Mighty and mesmerising, this palace is one of Croatia’s best places to visit. Slip into the magnificent Saint Domnius Cathedral, visit the underground cellars, and then get away from the crowds inside the walls to walk the Split Riva esplanade. Continue a bit further, and you’ll find the stairs climbing up to forested Marjan, where epic viewpoints await.

You should also leave some time to take a day trip to nearby Trogir (a 30-minute drive), a UNESCO-listed town crammed with architectural wonders.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

One of the best places to visit in Croatia’s interior is the UNESCO-listed Plitvice Lakes National Park, but be warned, in summer, it’s going to be crowded.

Still, it’s absolutely worth making the journey from Zadar (two hours) or Split (2.5 hours) to see this protected park of wonderful waterfalls and lakes shrouded by forest. The waters are crystal clear, and as you cross the wooden walkways that weave through the park, you aren’t just admiring nature from afar, but you feel like you’re part of it.

The most impressive points are where the terraced lakes tumble from a high inside the limestone canyon, but there’s also an underground world of caves inside the canyons that are worth exploring.

Zadar

Many people told me that Zadar wasn’t worth spending much time in, but it actually ended up being one of my favourite places to visit in Croatia. Perhaps it’s because it’s more of an underrated European city compared to Croatia’s big hitters, but I enjoyed that there were fewer tourists, and it felt a bit more ‘local’. That said, I’m assuming it might be a different story if you’re here on a day a cruise ship docks.

Like many of Croatia’s finest cities, most attention goes to the Old Town, which has more than one thousand years of history. The Roman Forum, various religious buildings, and the archaeological museum will keep you busy for at least a whole day, while the quirky ‘Sea Organ’ – an instrument built into the promenade that creates sounds from the waves – makes for some excellent sunset entertainment.

Dubrovnik

While Dubrovnik is considered one of the top places to visit in Croatia, I’ve got to admit it’s become harder to enjoy since Game of Thrones came out. On my first trip, it was a delight to walk around, but when I returned a few years ago after a journey across Bosnia and Herzegovina, I couldn’t believe just how busy and unpleasant the experience was: pushing and shoving an Old Town devoted to souvenir shops, and seriously overpriced and poor food. My tip is to make this one of your European destinations in March, as the weather is generally pleasant, but there aren’t many cruise ships calling yet.

That’s not to put you off visiting; there’s a reason for all these crowds, after all. But just be prepared, especially on the busiest summer and cruise days, that it might be a bit overwhelming. So, if you’re spending one week in Croatia, I think it’s best to start here and then head off to calmer quarters.

Still, mass tourism aside, Croatia’s exclave is an incredible destination, with the mighty Old Town Walls (do walk atop them) and views from high above via the cable car two of my highlights.

You might also want to consider staying outside the old town if you want a little more peace (I lodged near Lozica), though often the late evenings are the best time to walk around the city, as day-trippers and cruise ships are long gone.

Krka National Park

If you’re exploring Croatia’s coast and want a slightly quicker-to-reach alternative to Plitvice, Krka National Park is a great alternative. While Krka doesn’t have the same number (or beauty) of waterfalls that Plitvice has, it does have a couple of impressive cascades, and the water is equally as enchanting. Another reason I loved Krka is you could swim in some of the waterfalls here, but sadly, a couple of years ago, it was banned, bringing it in line with the rules of Plitvice.

Krka is also not far from Šibenik, another of my favourite places in Croatia and an excellent place to spend a night or two while visiting the park. Again, it’s a gorgeous millennia-old city, but it doesn’t quite see as many tourists as the more famous destinations.

Zagreb

Of all the places to visit in Croatia, Zagreb is often criminally skipped or rushed as people take a quick tour before exploring more of the country. But I’d suggest staying for a couple of nights to get to know the largest city in Croatia better.

There is an abundance of museums that will help you get to know the country better, such as the Zagreb Ethnographic Museum, and also some somewhat quirky spots like the now-infamous Museum of Broken Relationships.

Then there are the more typical expectations of any European capital: Cathedrals, S. Mark’s Church, and grand squares to enjoy a drink. Yes, it’s got a different look to the south of the country due to the Austro-Hungarian architecture, but I found the atmosphere to be really welcoming, and there are some outstanding wine bars around the mediaeval Upper Town.

Bosnia & Herzegovina or Slovenia

Rounding off my list of favourite places to visit in Croatia, I’m actually crossing into two other nations. Both of my big trips to the country have either started or ended in a neighbouring country, and given the ease of combining Croatia with Slovenia or Bosnia & Herzegovina, I’d urge you to consider doing the same if time allows.

To the north, Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is easily reached in around three hours from Zagreb. Here, in one of Europe’s greenest capital cities, you can sip wine along the river, take a day trip to Lake Bled, or explore the incredible vineyard region of the Vipava Valley.

Meanwhile, if you’re heading to Dubrovnik, then you might want to consider touring some of the best sights in Bosnia & Herzegovina. While the old and bizarre double border-crossing bus journey through Neum — Bosnia & Herzegovina’s tiny spot of coastline — has become less enticing since the bridge connecting Croatia’s exclave and the bulk of the country was built, there are still plenty of day trips or more extended options which could be taken. Mostar, best known for its gorgeous Old Town and history-defining Stari Most Bridge, could be combined with Blagja.

However you decide to spend your time exploring Croatia’s best towns, cities and coastal hotspots, I’m pretty certain you’re going to love it — this is a country that certainly leaves a lasting impression.

Near halfway between Europe and Canada, a cluster of tussled, rugged, lush, and windswept isles form Portugal’s far-flung Eden-like archipelago – the Azores. Piercing the Atlantic Ocean, these nine lush yet volcanic specks show off some of Mother Nature’s finest work, and the best things to do in the Azores are as adrenaline-pumping as they are effortlessly soothing.

Long a port of call for those sailing – and smuggling – between the two continents, the archipelago has been scripting seafaring stories for centuries. More recently, however, the isles have become an in-the-know sanctuary from the modern world – something I can testify to since I made Portugal my home.

This is a world where whales and dolphins dance in uninterrupted waters, geysers and geothermal activity tease from the underworld, hot springs alleviate, hydrangea-lined trails lure, and epic hikes to lofty peaks elate. Panoramic from all angles, patchworks of pastures spill down mountainsides towards the ocean, occasionally interrupted by charcoal-hued vineyards, basalt stone churches, and whitewashed rural villages. The Azores don’t warrant any Hawaii comparisons; they more than stand on their own nine feet.

So whether you want to walk through lava tubes, ascend Portugal’s loftiest peak, or recharge in an eco-resort after surfing the Atlantic’s snarling swell, these top ten things to do in the Azores will leave you under the archipelago’s spell.

Delve deep underground in lava tubes

While Madeira, Portugal’s second archipelago, might have its unique levada (irrigation channel) walking trails, the Azores can boast of something even more special: lava tubes.

Given these beautiful islands have volcanic origins, it’s unsurprising that many of the best things to do in the Azores were shaped by seismic activity and magma eruptions. But, for me, this is one of the most remarkable volcanic-related experiences across the archipelago.

Thankfully, more than one island has accessible lava tubes, and you can visit this fascinating phenomenon on Pico, São Miguel or Terceira. The longest of the three is the Gruta das Torres on Pico, and although you can’t explore the full depth of the cave, it is my favourite. On São Miguel, you’ll find the Gruta do Carvão on the outskirts of Ponta Delgada, and Terceira’s tubes are called Gruta do Natal.

While you can’t just wander in freely anymore – once you could, keep an eye out for graffiti in some of the tunnels – the experience is still incredible. At Pico’s Gruta das Torres for example, you’ll be given a briefing and quick video overview of the tunnels’ history before being kitted out with a hard hat and being led into the dark depths of the tube. However, only a certain amount is open to the public.

Not only is the experience seriously cool, but it’s also informative. Along the cavity, you can see the markings on the dark walls, which show the scars of the different temperatures and outbursts. By the time you come back into the light, you’ll be more than in awe at the power of nature.

GETTING TO THE AZORES
Many people assume that Ponta Delgada on São Miguel is the only gateway to the Azores. However, TAP Airlines (in conjunction with Azores Airlines) also offer direct flights from the mainland to Terceira, Faial, Pico, Graciosa and Santa Maria, meaning you could start and end your trip on different islands. If you’re travelling from further afield, TAP’s stopover programme, which includes beautiful Lisbon or Porto’s food scene, is worth considering, as it will also give you a 25% discount on all domestic flights.

Hike to epic viewpoints

With numerous impressive trails across all the islands, the best free thing to do in the Azores is go hiking. Thankfully, complimentary doesn’t mean missing out here, as the spectacular panoramas are genuinely priceless.

My favourite place for hiking is São Jorge, a long and thin ridge-like island that dramatically spills downwards into the Atlantic Ocean. Azoreans have a specific word for these – fajã – which describes the flat part of the land which meets the ocean, usually formed by lava spill cooling on contact with the water.

The most famous and impressive of these is the Fajã dos Cubres, which has a lake-like area separated from the ocean by a slight stretch of land. Reachable on the PR1 trail, which starts in Serra do Topo, it’s one of many fantastic routes you’ll find on this lush isle alongside long-distance, multi-day routes.

On São Miguel, the showstoppers are the trails around the Sete Cidades crater lake. Often mistaken for two different lakes due to one being blue and the other green, they are, in fact, the same body of water – the different hues are caused by the light’s refraction. The relatively easy trail to Boca do Inferno is perhaps the best known, but the whole island has plenty of well-marked routes. For a close-up of the lake, allow an hour for some serene kayaking.

If you want the Azores’ outdoor activity with the most alien-like landscape, hike across Capelinhos on Faial Island. While the island’s capital is called Horta, which translates as ‘vegetable garden’ due to its greenery, this side of the island is dark dust, red rock, and decidedly bleaker. Caused by an intense 13-month-long eruption in 1957 – which in turn saw 1000s of Azoreans relocate to the USA – this side of the island was wholly re-shaped and expanded.

If hiking is one of the things to do in the Azores you’re most keen to do but are travelling solo, fear not, there are many well-traversed and non-dangerous hikes to do. Alternatively, consider booking a group hiking tour.

Whale watching and dolphin spotting

When the navy waters of the Atlantic surround you, there’s no question that you’ll want to include a boat excursion when planning your Azores’ outdoor activities. Luckily, all of the islands offer trips out into the deep blue, as one of the most popular things to do in the Azores is to try to spot marine mammals.

With four resident species – sperm, fin and sei can often be sighted – and plenty of dolphins, you’ll be in good hands on a marine-biologist-led boat tour. Most companies take their responsibility to the environment and wildlife seriously – sustainability is revered in the Azores, both with tourism and in day-to-day life – and companies such as Futurismo also offer responsible wild dolphin swims from Ponta Delgada.

Still, it doesn’t matter which island you’re based on; you’ll be able to find companies offering whale-watching trips across the archipelago, including regular departures from Pico Island, Horta on Faial Island, and on glass-bottom boats from Terceira.

Prime whale-watching season kicks off in Spring, making this one of the best European destinations in April, as you’ll hopefully not be jostling with any cruise ship crowds by this point.

Descend wine terraces to golden sands and discover currais

While sipping wine is certainly not an adventure activity, the art of growing them very much is in the Azores. Not only is this one of the most extreme places to cultivate wine, but it’s also one of the most visually impressive.

One of the most tranquil things to do in the Azores is to explore the vineyards on the island of Pico, which are one of Portugal’s UNESCO sites in their own right. Weathered vines rise from the basalt volcanic rock, telling the back-breaking story of creating viniculture in such an adverse setting.

Growers would have to – and sometimes still do – chisel into the harsh volcanic rock to plant their grapevines, using the hacked-out stone to build the currais (stone-walled areas, sing. curral) which protect the plants from the sometimes fierce Atlantic gales.

Close to Pico’s vineyards, you’ll find a wine museum (Museu do Vinho do Pico), but I’d also suggest a visit to the Wine Interpretation Centre on the other side of the airport. Here, you can enjoy sampling the unique wines while learning the history of the vines. Afterwards, visit the Casa dos Vulcões next door to stand on an earthquake simulator and learn about the volcanic nature of the island, including a breakdown of what makes each one unique.

While Pico has the most famous vineyards of the Azores, I also found the terraced vines on Santa Maria island – where you’ll find the Azores’ only golden sand beaches – just as impressive and dramatic. The descent down through the steeply stacked growing area of Maia is not for the faint-hearted, but this corner of the island, complete with a waterfall, is captivating.

Unlike Pico, Santa Maria’s wines are not exported due to legal reasons. Therefore the wines are only fermented for local consumption. So, if you can find a glass of it during your visit, you’ll taste something impossible to find elsewhere.

Bathe in the thermal waters

Not all adventures and outdoor activities in the Azores need to get your heart thumping, and sometimes you’ll want to give yourself over to the natural state of flow these islands boast by bathing in the healing waters.

São Miguel island is home to nearly all the Azores’ hot springs and thermal pools, and one of the most popular things to do in the Azores is to visit the Terra Nostra Hot Springs in Furnas. This large, round, and paid-access bathing pool is a murky brown due to the minerals, yet the botanical gardens which envelop it are far prettier.

I prefer the other nearby option at Poça da Dona Beija – which has some manicured landscapes around the handful of pools. Better still are the springs at Centro de Interpretação Ambiental da Caldeira Velha, which are a little further out. Still, you’ll want to arrive early to avoid summer crowds and book in advance .

São Miguel also has a thermal pool overlooking the ocean at Termas da Ferraria. Just around the corner from there, you’ll find Ponta da Ferraria, a no-charge bathing location in the ocean itself, warmed by thermal vents below. While other islands have more incredible natural pools – such as the Piscina Natural Simão Dias on São Jorge – they don’t have the thermal springs and hot waters that São Miguel offers.

On Graciosa Island, you’ll find a less attractive hot spring option – it’s more like a traditional pool – at Carapacho.

Snorkel on a protected islet inside an exposed volcanic crater

If you find yourself on São Miguel Island between June and early October, be sure to take the short boat trip from Vila Franca do Campo to Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo.

Idyllic and tranquil, this small islet is a protected nature reserve and one of the world’s most unique swimming and snorkelling spots. The island’s circular ‘swimming pool’ is actually the crater of a submerged volcano, and while the beach is compact, the calm waters and epic location make this a place not to miss.

Fair warning, this is one of the most popular things to do in the Azores during summer. With visitor numbers capped at around 400 people daily, you should absolutely book your tickets in advance.

Summit Portugal’s highest peak

While Torre in the Serra da Estrela claims the title of mainland Portugal’s loftiest point, the country’s actual highest pinnacle is on the island of Pico.

Towering up to the heavens and often piercing the clouds, Mount Pico – which literally translates to peak and gives the island its name – offers one of the Azores’ best adventure activities.

From afar, it might seem like more of a steep hike than a climb due to the lower slopes’ less intense ascent, but once you start heading up, you’ll quickly realise that it’s a slog due to the challenging terrain. Still, once you’ve reached the top (2,351 metres) and taken in the far-reaching vistas, you’ll likely agree it’s one of the ultimate things to do in the Azores.

New restrictions have come into force in 2023 to protect the fragile landscape, and a guide is highly recommended, especially on a night hike. As the weather can change quickly in the Azores, you should always check in at the hiking centre beforehand or register your plan to hike without a guide on the new online portal before heading up.

Marvel at majestic waterfalls (while canyoning)

One of the most extraordinary outdoor adventures in the Azores is chasing, swimming in and canyoning around the waterfalls. From small scenic tumbles to vertical falls, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to cascades.

Flores Island – which translates to flowers – should be called Cascata Island, as this true hidden gem in Europe is the best destination for waterfalls. There are numerous cascades littered across the dense vegetation of the island, with Poço Ribeira do Ferreiro and Poço Ribeira do Ferreiro and perhaps the most impressive.

Seek out Cascata do Aveiro in Santa Maria, while São Jorge’s Cascata do Cruzal is a more tame affair. São Miguel also shines in waterfalls, with various impressive tumbles to be found.

For those who want to embrace these fast-running waters, one of the best things to do in the Azores is to go canyoning. You can do this on Flores Island or in Ribeira dos Caldeirões Natural Park on São Miguel, where the rappel adventures are fairly priced, open to all levels, and can be booked in advance.

Embrace the geothermal activity

No trip to São Miguel would be complete without visiting Furnas, the fiery heart of the island. As well as the previously mentioned thermal springs, there are plenty more chances to embrace geothermal activity.

In the town itself, you’ll find smoke billowing and geysers bubbling in the open-to-all public areas. Then, settle into one of the local restaurants and order Cozido das Furnas. This typical dish is a mixture of meat and some vegetables, but what makes it special is the cooking method as it’s placed underground and cooked by volcanic activity, similar to a hāngī in New Zealand.

Another place you can visit – although there is a small entrance charge – is the Antigo Pomar das Caldeiras, where boardwalks pass atop the hive of geothermal activity bubbling below. While it’s a bit out of the way and more artificial due to the wooden walkways, the lakeside setting and hive of action make it more impressive than the spots in town.

If you’re based in Ponta Delgada, you might find it easier to book a day tour – which also includes a stop at the island’s beautiful tea plantations – to experience it all.

Surf or sunbathe

You can’t talk about all the things to do in the Azores without mentioning the beaches; these are islands, after all. No matter what kind of beach day you’re craving, you’ll surely find the perfect slice of sand along these shorelines.

Surfers especially are spoilt for choice, with swell favourites including the Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara on São Miguel or the Fajã de Santo Cristo on São Jorge – although the latter will involve lugging your board.

For golden sands and dazzling bays, you’ll want to head to Santa Maria Island. Here, São Lourenço Bay shines with the stone-walled vineyards behind it, while Praia Formosa is equally inviting.

Family-friendly beaches can also be found at the sheltered Praia de Porto Pim on Faial or Praia Grande on Terceira. For something a little different, venture to Praia do Fogo on São Miguel, where, if you bury your feet far enough into the sand, they will be warmed by the hydrothermal vents below.

Sure, these aren’t the typical holiday sands you’d get in Spain’s islands, but that doesn’t make them any less beautiful!

After ten years of travel blogging and helping to plan various holidays to far-flung islands for friends and family, I’ve become rather apt at hunting out the best value luxury vacation deals. Stretching my budget has become essential to allow me to travel more for work and leisure, and while that often means seeking out the most affordable solutions, sometimes you’ve just got to splurge and enjoy a well-earned vacation.

From finding a week in the Maldives for less than £400 pp to return flights from London to New Zealand – which ended up being upgraded – for around £600, I’ve also had a fair bit of luck alongside my determination to find a taste of luxury without breaking the bank.

Of course, some of the most obvious tips, such as travelling in the off-season, are a given if you want to find the best deals. Then there are other misleading tips I regularly hear, such as clearing your browser cookies when searching for a flight – something even major flight search engines have debunked – or always booking in advance when, sometimes, last minute can yield some fantastic luxury holiday deals.

Bottom line, there is no easy-win or fixed formula for saving money on a luxury vacation, but these are some of my tried-and-tested methods for scoring a great deal.

Sign up for member-only deals

Booking directly with a hotel or resort is common advice for getting the best luxury vacation deals on a hotel room. But to do this successfully, you need to understand how OTAs (online travel agencies) – such as your go-to hotel search engine – work.

Usually, these hotel search engines take a commission from the price of your reservation. The amount can vary between a little to a rather large sum, depending on which website you are using – perhaps lately, you’ve noticed some are disclosing that the search result may be ‘influenced’ by how the hotel has partnered with them. This commission goes to the price comparison website, and if there has been a referral from a secondary website (such as this one), part of that commission will be split. These additional costs, therefore, have to be factored into the base rate that hotels set on the platforms – kind of like an Airbnb service fee, but hidden from view.

So why don’t the hotels list the lower, non-commission prices on their own websites, you might be asking? Well, these booking engines have serious power and reach, and thus, as part of their contract for listing the hotel (or even smaller family-run guesthouses), they usually must agree not to promote a lower price publicly on any other platform, including their own website. Some resorts will get around this with ‘deals’ for booking directly, such as free room upgrades, complimentary parking, or other resources, but this doesn’t actually get the face-value cost down for you. This leaves two options for scoring a better room rate.

The first is to email the hotel and ask for a lower rate as you’d prefer to book directly. However, in my experience, this doesn’t always work. Sometimes, I receive a reply from a front desk that might not understand the dynamics at play from the head office pricing, or (even more baffling, as they could be losing up to 20% of the fee) I’ve been told to make the reservation on an OTA to get the better price as they simply can’t override their system.

The second is to sign up for member-only luxury holiday deal websites, which are allowed to offer lower rates as they aren’t ‘public facing’ and are thus member perks. There are a range of websites with this setup, ranging from affordable monthly payments to annual subscriptions, which makes this a better idea if you travel more than a couple of times a year. Others, such as A Small World – who regularly offer luxury spa weekend hotels and tropical resorts with additional nights complimentary – allow you to sign up for an account without a fee, bringing these deals directly to your inbox.

Find fares without the faff

While I’m a big advocate for taking the train where possible, especially as great deals can now regularly be found in Europe if you book a month or so in advance, flights are the standard when it comes to luxury vacation deals in warmer climates.

Finding the most affordable flight fares is another task which takes a little patience and luck. Thankfully, there are some tried and tested methods for getting the best deals – and perhaps even turning left.

The most obvious of these is obtaining status with an airline and using credit card hacks to stack up points. This is written about enough elsewhere, and as a Brit who doesn’t have access to the same level of points cards as in the USA, I am no expert.

Another way to find the best fares is to fly on the days other people don’t want to. One of the cheapest intercontinental flights I’ve ever taken was from London to New Zealand, and that’s because I departed on New Year’s Eve – celebrating the turn of the year somewhere in the skies to little fanfare. Not only was the flight an absolute steal – less than £600 return – I also got bumped up into business class, as did many others, because there were very few people flying on that particular day. The same can often be said for actual Christmas Day or other holidays that people want to spend at home.

If you’d rather not take a chance on getting an upgrade, it’s always best to book your business or first tickets ahead. Search engines such as Flights Finder have dedicated search options for first and low-priced business class flights, allowing you to scan all the options on a particular route in one go.

Another popular way to score flight-only luxury holiday deals is to find error fares, where the wrong prices are loaded into the system, leading to drastic discounts. This takes a lot of luck, though, leading to the launch of many flight alert newsletters. Sign up for one of these (and take the paid membership if you also want business class alerts), and you’ll get regular alerts when these full-time flight searchers find a seriously good deal.

Look for new openings with promotional rates

When a new hospitality and tourism business opens, there is often the chance to score a great luxury vacation deal thanks to introductory prizes. Often called ‘soft openings’, these periods are when a resort is still finding its feet, meaning some teething problems are to be expected. As such, discounted opening rates can be offered to ‘test’ the launch, service, and dining options (and potentially get those initial reviews) with the expectation that travellers will overlook any minor issues as the price reflects this.

When I was a restaurant manager, this was how we would spend the few weeks after a new opening – usually offering around 50% off meal tabs as we got our service perfected.

That said, finding one of these luxury holiday deals will take a little more research, as you’ll need to see if a new resort is opening in your destination on the dates you wish to travel. As such, it tends to be better to book your flights and dates around the openings, which are usually outside the main holiday season. To find these new openings, you can usually look for press releases on your favourite hotel chain’s website or search in Google’s news section along the lines of ‘new hotel openings in X in 2024’. Sometimes, dates can be delayed with construction work, so the rooms generally aren’t going on sale a year in advance, but with a little patience and flexibility, good deals can be found.

Trade in your destination (or resort) for a similar alternative

Sometimes, adapting your travel plans will allow you to stumble upon luxury holiday deals that you would have otherwise missed. When I planned my trip to the Maldives, I dreamed of taking one of the tiny plane resort flight transfers, but I quickly realised the fees for this were taking me over budget. Instead, I looked for resorts that had boat connections from Male and then searched high and low to find the best deal.

Eventually, on a small UK travel agent’s website, I found an all-inclusive private beach villa on a resort island for £400pp, which was the same price as just the transfer flight to my original choice. Sure, it wasn’t as luxurious as my original plan, but I got to see the freaking Maldives for the price of a peak-summer European flight. As it was an addition to my Sri Lanka trip, and Sri Lankan airlines were at the time offering ‘free stopovers’, the actual Maldives flights didn’t cost a thing. I did a similar think in Fjii and opted for a more affordable resort on the mainland, investing the savings in day trips from Nadi instead.

But keeping the Maldives in mind, another way to find luxury vacation deals is to consider similar but alternative destinations. If your main pull for visiting these pristine islands is more the chance to stay in an overwater bungalow than the nation itself, you can find similar style accommodation in Indonesia’s 1000 Islands or even in Greece.

Loyalty is rewarded, and points can help

There are two ways to approach luxury holiday deals. You can always book with whichever option (airline, hotel) is the most affordable and appealing at the time (my way) with no loyalty to one particular airline or hotel group. Or, you can always book with the same operator to make use of their loyalty schemes.

That said, with travel growing more popular by the day, many airlines and resorts are changing how their tier levels operate and the points you need to enjoy certain benefits. Delta’s status levels are one of the most discussed in 2023.

If you’re in the USA, however, obtaining status levels via certain credit cards is much easier than for us Brits. Likewise, the BA Avios scheme that I used for many years when I lived in London pales in comparison to other countries – I’d often save my points for long-distance flights in Australia, where they had much more value with Qantas. Being loyal and picking a preferred partner works well if you regularly travel to destinations your chosen resort and airline codeshare operate, too, but it won’t work for everyone. And sometimes, just buying an annual premium airport lounge subscription can be cheaper than racking up points or the annual credit card charges.

And if all else fails, make some fishermen friends in Fiji and go island hopping with them instead!

Sustainable travel has become something of a buzzword in recent years, with various tourism boards, hotels, tour operators and even airlines bragging about their eco and responsible travel credentials. However, when you dig a little deeper, those statements don’t always add up, leading to accusations of greenwashing across the industry.

But what are we, as travellers, able to do to travel more sustainably? One person flying less or one less plastic bottle can seem trivial in the grand scheme of things. Likewise, many of the most obvious sustainable travel tips are just extensions of behaviours we have adopted at home: recycling, reducing single-use, and using public transport.

Cutting through the noise and sometimes lies of those companies – who usually place profit before environmental protections – isn’t an easy task. Still, there are easy steps we as travellers can take that don’t need to be difficult nor impact our trips, and with sustainable and responsible travel now blurring lines, our impact on destinations isn’t just limited to refilling a water bottle but reconsidering whether that location can even handle more visitors.

These sustainable travel tips might not be possible for everyone, but every little action we take as individuals can contribute to slightly improving the world we love to explore.

Fly less (or take the train where possible)

One of the most obvious (and hardest) sustainable travel tips is to stop or reduce the amount we fly. But often, this is lamented the loudest by those with little consideration for people’s budgets, number of vacation days, or geographical locations.

It’s one thing to say ‘stop flying’ when you live in, say, Austria, which has decent train connections across Europe, and another if you live on an island such as New Zealand. And while recent news suggests that France will try to lead the EU to have a fixed higher price for flights within the continent, it’s still something I disagree with, even as someone who has gone flight-free in Europe. Raising prices simply makes it another tax on lower incomes who might lose their annual holiday, while the wealthy continue to fly without a thought.

Still, there are a lot of great benefits to switching to low-emission bus or train travel wherever possible, and not just for the environment. I’m currently on a flight-free trip across multiple European countries and I relish the freedom, the chance to stop at offbeat European destinations, and the ever-changing views overland travel brings. But I’m aware I have the luxury of time as a remote worker – if I were still working in restaurants, this would be near impossible.

If you’re travelling inter-continental, I get that a flight is a necessity; perhaps changing to a night train when you travel onwards from Venice to Vienna, or taking the Eurostar from Paris to London instead of a short flight might be a small change that can be made though.

When searching for flights, consider claims of carbon capture programs or credits, which aren’t always as they seem. Some flight search engines do go beyond the obvious, though. If you book with Flyla, for example, they don’t just plant trees for each reservation but also fund offshore wind farm projects to try and balance the unavoidable CO2 generated by flying. Also, keep in mind that direct flights are nearly always better than connecting flights (the take-off and ascent consume the most fuel) and that some airlines have mode modern, and fuel-efficient fleets.

Pick the right destination

One of the usually glossed-over sustainable travel tips, perhaps because it’s usually discussed more from a responsible tourism angle, is picking (or swapping) destinations with sustainability in mind.

This can cover a lot of bases. For example, some destinations, such as Graz in Austria, have sustainability ingrained into their daily life, making environmentally-friendly choices easy for travellers.

Other destinations, such as Hallstatt in Austria and Santorini in Greece, suffer from serious overtourism, so much so that it’s affecting the lives and homes of the residents. Considering visiting in the quieter months or choosing other less-known but similar destinations can help ease the effects of tourism.

Swapping out similar destinations can also be an easy, sustainable step when distance or cost is problematic. For example, while Greece isn’t quite the Maldives, the Stella Island Resort on Crete has overwater bungalows, and they can be reached by ferry rather than a couple of flights to the Indian Ocean. Spending a week in a Caribbean destination rather than taking a cruise can help invest most money into a destination.

Then there are destinations leading the way with public transport, such as Luxembourg, where all public transport is free, or Norway, which is making car ferries to lesser-visited islands free from summer 2023.

See wildlife in the wild

Wildlife has long been a hot topic when discussing responsible travel – with captive dolphin shows or elephant rides in Thailand being a common conversation. However, wildlife tourism isn’t just about making responsible choices these days; it can also play a pivotal role in sustaining species, ecosystems, and communities.

During the pandemic, with a pretty much complete stop of tourism to popular safari destinations, poaching levels increased. Without guides, tourists, and funds coming in, areas that had previously seen preservation rates increase noted a backward trend. By spending money on seeing wildlife in the wild, you not only avoid cruel captive practices but are often contributing to conservation.

Choosing an operator with a base in the country, or at least with a proven track record of understanding local needs, is always a good sustainable travel practice. Nkuringo, for example, offers wildlife safaris in Uganda to see gorillas and chimps while also combining cultural immersion and visits to local communities. Founded and operated by locals, they know the importance of keeping funds within the country, as well as protecting the environment, which isn’t always guaranteed with a foreign-operated company.

Shop and support small and local

In keeping with the above sustainable travel tip, supporting and shopping locally has long been the go-to advice to make an impact through easy choices.

But what does this even mean? At the most obvious level, buying groceries from a farmers market or buying souvenirs by local artisans in boutiques spring to mind – but it’s not always that clear cut. In Lisbon, where I live, I see plenty of ‘local shops’ selling tiles or other typical items for travellers to take home, but if you start asking questions, you’ll often learn ‘local’ is a very loose term and might just be referring to the physical store and not the mass-produced and imported items.

It takes a little more research to ensure you’re truly buying locally, but it’s still one of the easiest ways to make an impact. This read by Lebawit Lily Girma, discussing how people will spend thousands for a wildlife Safari but don’t think to spend another 30 dollars on a local community experience, touches on this, highlighting how small investments in our travels not only are more responsible, but actually lead us to have a better, and more valuable, travel experience.

Booking local guest houses rather than foreign-owned investment properties, Googling the name of the ‘local artist’ before buying their work, and booking a truly local experience are all easy, sustainable travel tips that will likely also improve your overall experience of that destination.

Say goodbye to single-use and slow down

It might seem like the most obvious sustainable travel tip, but saying goodbye to single-use anything – let alone plastics – is not always that easy. In some countries, buying bottled water is essential – though trying to find refillable or larger vessels in which you can refill your own bottle is a way to mitigate this slightly. Likewise, travelling with a little cutlery set, coffee cup, or even reusable chopsticks in Asia (it’s estimated that 40 billion disposable chopsticks are used each year in China alone) can make a little difference.

And the best thing is you often don’t need to spend anything. While a lot of websites will list the various bamboo kits or fancy equipment you can buy and earn them a sales commission, it’s easier to add a fork from your draw at home to your backpack than to buy a dedicated travel one.

Reducing the single-use mindset when we travel, though, isn’t just limited to plastics. Asking not to have your towels or linen changed daily reduces the number of washes and discharges, choosing an eSIM rather than a traditional insertable SIM card means one less thing to toss at the end of the trip, and bringing your own toiletries or dry-shampoo bars rather than miniatures are all easy actionable steps.

Slowing down while travelling also aids this. While sometimes a one-night stay is unavoidable, by spending longer in a destination, you’ll not only reduce the laundry but also spend more in the local community. Oh, and be sure to turn off and avoid using the AC whenever possible.

Volunteer the right way (or give to local experts instead)

While volunteerism has often been seen more as a responsible tourism conversation than under the sustainable travel tips banner, I think it’s a situation that crosses both lines.

I’ve seen first-hand projects in Cambodia where a group of well-meaning travellers have come on a volunteer trip to build toilets. Sadly, with no experience, when I visited the community a few months later, they were left with little more than a useless concrete block and backed-up pipes – neither sustainable nor beneficial for the environment or community.

This is just one example, and it’s not to say that all volunteer abroad opportunities are like that – some, such as a house building project I visited in Mexico, hired local builders to lay foundations and do the important tasks. Those who had donated towards the homes essentially arrived at the final moment to do decorative steps and see the impact of their donation.

But still, even when those basic rules of having experts and creating local jobs are followed, it’s important to ask the question of who is getting the real benefit from any volunteer experience. If it’s you, more than the local community, or you’re taking a job away from a local, that’s a red flag straight away. This becomes even more critical when you start talking about teaching very short placements or volunteering in orphanages when these paid opportunities often lead to an increase in children ‘needing’ those services.

If you’re ever in doubt, then consult with a respected expert of an NGO that operates in the country to see if you’re helping or hindering your want to support. There are also other ways to help communities from afar without needing even to visit, such as donating directly to community projects.

Consider housing crises when choosing accommodation

Post-pandemic, this sustainable travel tip has become even more important. I’ve seen first-hand how rent in Lisbon, for example, has doubled, with some rooms in shared houses shooting far above the local minimum wage. With increased remote workers, digital nomads, and tourism, locals are being priced out of the city where their families are or their jobs or studies. It’s a similar situation happening in many cities across the world – but when you consider a recent study which said Lisbon is now Europe’s most expensive city to rent in, alongside the fact that Portugal has one of the lower minimum wages in the EU, you start to see the extent of the problem.

Sadly, there is no easy fix for this, nor do I believe the problem is really that of travellers to address. Governments need to do more to ensure new affordable housing is being built, or at least that holiday and short-term rental properties are licensed correctly – at the end of the day, it’s a supply and demand issue. However, there are ways we can try to mitigate this.

Doing an internet search before visiting to see the current situation on the ground in local news reports is a good way to understand if it’s a problem in your chosen destination. Then, you can at least try and make informed decisions. If it’s a city break and you’ll be eating out, do you really need to rent an apartment with a kitchen, or could you take a hotel room? Sure, for longer stays, it’s a different story.

Then, there are platforms such as Fairbnb, which are starting to expand around some of the hardest-hit destinations. While the system works similarly to AirBnB, the requirements to be a host are much more strict. This ensures that management companies or owners with multiple properties aren’t able to rent; instead, those advertising must prove connections to the destination and only rent one property.

Shop second hand

An easy and actionable sustainable travel tip is shopping second-hand wherever possible. We can all forget something when we’re travelling or need an extra layer because the weather has turned. But by going to a local second-hand or charity shop to grab something, rather than cheap fast fashion, we get what we need for that short trip and can simply donate it back into the re-use market when we return home.

Use apps to make a difference

Technology has made a huge impact on the way we travel, with the best travel apps helping us to navigate, plan, and document our trips in seconds.

But there are also plenty of apps which can help us travel more sustainably too. Too Good to Go, for example, allows you to purchase unsold food from cafes, bakeries and even hotel breakfast towards the end of the day or service. It’s a great app to get a bargain meal or picnic while helping to save food waste – just keep in mind that sometimes plastic packaging is used, so you might want to bring your own reusable bag and box for collection.

Another of my favourite sustainable travel tips, which is often helpful to reach destinations less served by public transport, is BlaBlaCar. It’s basically an app for connecting a driver going on a certain route with travellers who need a ride – think of it as something between Uber and hitchhiking but with pre-booked journeys where you share conversations and petrol money.

With plenty more sustainable travel apps – from crowd-sourced water fountains and recycling maps to river pollution reporting apps – technology can help make sustainable travel even easier.

Don’t be afraid to talk about sustainable travel

Sometimes, what is an obvious sustainable travel tip or day-to-day practice for one person might be completely different for another.

We’ve all been first-time travellers and learnt along the way many of the above points. I know I was guilty of not understanding Elephant tourism properly when I first visited Asia, nor did I travel with a reusable bottle when I first started backpacking. No one is perfect, but by sharing sustainable travel tips and advice with other travellers – without being patronising or condescending – we can make a little difference.

But talking about sustainable tourism shouldn’t just be limited to our friends or fellow travellers; giving feedback to businesses on our travels is equally important. Mentioning that you’d prefer a refillable soap bottle than miniatures in your hotel room, questioning why there isn’t a refillable water tower in the lobby of destinations where tap water isn’t drinkable, or raising any environmental concerns with operators are all ways to provide feedback to business to help them see that environmental concerns are important to travellers.

And when somewhere is doing a really great job on that front, let’s celebrate it with some positive reviews.

Stretching for some 90 kilometres along the alluring bath-like waters of the Adriatic Sea – from the Reno River to Gabicce Monte – the Emilia Romagna Riviera is awash with entertainment for all kinds of beach bums. Want to party all night with the sand under your feet? No problem. Fancy a side trip to see some dazzling Byzantine mosaics? Sure thing. Prefer a wild stretch of dune-backed sand to escape it all? You’re covered. Keen on spotting some flamingos in a Venice-like fishing town? Walk right this way.

Yes, the Adriatic coast harbours a reputation as a destination for chilling out, sampling the freshest seafood, and topping up the tan at popular seaside resorts, such as Milano Marittima, where row-upon-row of rentable parasols have fluttered in the breeze for over a century. But it’s also an ideal choice for blending beach days with everything else that makes Italy so special, and that’s exactly what this one-week Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary will help you do.

Often simply called the Riviera Romagnola, as the majority of the coast-touching provinces (Ravenna, Forlì-Cesena and Rimini) sit in the historic Romagna region, while the northern province of Ferrara was in the historical Emilia region, it’s a beloved region for Italian locals to enjoy a summer getaway. Less visited by international tourists, it also offers somewhat of a more ‘local’ insight than the preferred beach destinations of foreign travellers, such as the beautiful islands along the Amalfi Coast, Puglia or Sicily. And while it hasn’t got the dramatic rock-hugging villages of Cinque Terre, it has plenty of soft sand beaches, fascinating museums, and incredible regional dishes.

Whether you’re looking for the best beaches near Bologna, a delightful coastal stay, a traditional fishing village or a historic city boasting Byzantine mosaics aplenty, you’ll find it in this one-week Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary.

One week Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary

This Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary includes three bases: Comacchio, Ravenna and Cervia, with suggested ways to travel between the destinations mentioned by public transport. However, if you have a car, you might prefer to book one base for the week and then visit the different places as day trips – none are more than a 75-minute drive from each other.

If you’re arriving by plane, then you could either get to Bologna (around 70 minutes driving, two hours by train) or Venice (around two hours driving, three hours by train) and then fly out of either Rimini as the endpoint or Bologna (around two hours driving, or one hour by train). Alternatively, if you’re booking a return flight to a single airport, it doesn’t take long to loop back at the end of your trip.

Day one and two: Comacchio and The Po Delta

Begin your beach week tour of the Emilia Romagna Riviera in the north of the region, close to the border with Veneto. Comacchio sits along Italy’s Adriatic Coast and has long been an important port for fishing and trading, even as far back as the Etruscan times, when the ancient city of Spina was of the utmost importance.

Nowadays, the sleepy town – often referred to as ‘Little Venice’ – is a fantastic seaside getaway. Here, you can relax at the beaches, stroll along the canals of the historic centre, and spend some time visiting the surrounding Po Delta, a vast flamingo-frequented wetland at the end of Italy’s longest river.

Day one: Beaches and dolphins

After dropping off your bags, head straight to the Adriatic to wash away your travels. Le Dune Beach, Florida Beach, or the pine forest-backed stretch near Lido di Spina are great places to enjoy a lazy afternoon on the water, with some fantastic sea-view restaurants for lunch. You could also contact TAO (Turtles of the Adriatic Organisation) to see if they are organising any dolphin spotting trips during your visit, should you be interested.

Day two: Canals and flamingos

Start your day in search of flamingos in the wetlands and marshes of the Po Delta, which is moments from the historic centre. You can either visit by foot, bike or boat, and you’ll have the chance to spot the traditional fishing houses (Trabucchi Comacchiesi) en route. Bike hire can be arranged from the IAT Comacchio tourist office, though it’s best to try and book a Po Delta tour by boat and bike to gain access to the salinas, which require a guide. Regardless, even if you just cycle the Valli di Comacchio on your own, there’s a chance you’ll spot a pink flock in the distance.

After lunch, take a stroll around Comacchio’s historic centre, tracking the canals. For a little culture, slip into the impressive Museo Delta Antico archaeological museum. The space covers everything about Comacchio’s history as a fishing town and the Etruscan town of Spina. However, the standout is the well-preserved Roman merchant ship and its contents, which are presented inside. If you want a local speciality for dinner, try an eel dish from La Locanda del Delta and take in the sunset terrace views of this little hidden gem in Europe.

Getting from Comacchio to The Po Delta: Hiring a bicycle is the best way to circle the Po Delta’s lagoons and spot flamingos. On foot, you could opt for one of the boat trips to take you deeper into the park.

Stay at: Villa Cavour B&B has spacious rooms, a quaint garden to enjoy a lazy breakfast, and a couple of the rooms face a smaller canal.

Day three and four: Ravenna

Both an underrated European city and a province, Ravenna is criminally overlooked by most visitors to Italy – especially when considering its historical importance. The last capital of the Western Roman Empire, the city witnessed its fair share of stories, which are chronicled across the eight UNESCO-listed monuments and beyond. Dazzling, well-preserved Byzantine mosaics take centre stage, while more modern studios offer workshops for those keen to learn this age-old art.

But more than its monuments, Ravenna is just a really great place to soak up a more cosmopolitan lifestyle along Italy’s Adriatic Coast. It’s only a short hop to the Maritime Park of Ravenna, where wooden walkways, pine forests, and inviting sands await, allowing you to easily enjoy sunset dinners on the beach after a day of sightseeing.

Day three: Mosaics and golden sands

With two days in Ravenna, you’ll easily be able to see the city’s highlights, and a multi-attraction ticket for the mosaics is a good investment. To start, head to the imposing Basilica of San Vitale and the (more modern) Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, built to be the burial place of the Roman Empress Galla Placidia. These are two of the city’s most iconic attractions, with intricate mosaic ceilings and walls sure to leave you speechless.

Afterwards, venture to the Domus of the Stone Carpets, a 6th-century floor-coating mosaic that’s more typically Roman, and the Basilica of San Francesco, where the crypt’s mosaics are now visible underwater. After a local lunch of piadanas or polenta at Mercato Coperto, you can continue the Byzantine mosaic tour at the Basilica of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo and The Arian Baptistry, or head to the beach for an afternoon of sunshine – Finisterre Beach is a good choice for a sea-view sunset dinner.

Day four: History and workshops

Continuing the mosaic theme of this Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary, start your morning in MAR, the modern mosaic museum. It’s an impressive collection of creative tiled pieces and a fantastic contrast to the historic art you saw yesterday. Afterwards, if time and budget allow, you might want to have a chance at creating your own souvenir mosaic at the Koko Studio. I took a similar class in Castel Gandolfo, a small town near Rome, and it was one of my favourite experiences in Italy.

After a late lazy lunch, spend the afternoon strolling around the pastel-coloured streets of the historic centre, or head slightly out of town to Classis, where another art museum awaits. Alternatively, visit Dante’s tomb and learn a little more about the Italian philosopher and writer. Most evenings around sunset, there is a reading of his most famous work, the Divine Comedy, outside his tomb. For dinner, go to Ca’ de ven, where delicious Emilia Romagna dishes, such as the local speciality stuffed pasta, Cappelletti, are served in a 15th-century palatial building.

Getting from Comacchio to Ravenna: It’s around a 40-minute drive, or you can take the 333 bus, which takes 80 minutes.

Stay at: Hotel Sant’andrea offers spacious and central traditional rooms at a fair price .

Day five and six: Milano Marittima and Cervia

Heading further south, it’s back to the beach proper to spend a couple of nights staying in Cervia, a somewhat more offbeat Italian destination for international visitors. This historic coastal city has been shaped by the surrounding salt pans, which were once owned by the Pope himself. Nowadays, the canals which meander towards the golden sands are used more for fishing vessels servicing the seafood restaurants.

A short walk south along the promenade of Milano Marittima and you’ll find even more choices for topping up your tan. This Garden City is dotted with slightly dilapidated Art Nouveau villas, which were built when the resort town started to blossom in the early 1900s. It’s a pretty Italian beach town with plenty of greenery and flowers, as well as upscale boutiques for a little retail therapy.

Day five: Seafood and shorelines

After spending the last few days of this Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary in the city, it’s time to return to the lazy beaches of Milano Marittima. The area around Cala Zingaro would be my pick, as you have loungers and a beach bar if you want it, but also a stretch of wild sand if you’d prefer not to pay up for the parasols. After enjoying the afternoon and a fresh fish lunch on the beach, stroll along the boulevards of Milano Marittima (L’Ottocento gelateria is great for a treat) before heading back to Cervia to enjoy dinner at Officine del Sale, a multi-space seafood restaurant housed in an old salt storage unit.

Day six: Saltworks and sea views

Many of Cervia’s attractions are best enjoyed later in the day, so the morning can be spent lapping up more of Italy’s Adriatic Coast. The beaches in front of Cervia are lined with concessions and entertainment options, making lunch with the sand beneath your toes an easy task. After lunch, take a little tour around the Quadrangolo neighbourhood (there’s an app you can download to guide you) to learn more about how the town was picked up and re-built from its original position in the salt pans – you can also climb to the top of the Torre San Michele for an aerial view.

Towards sunset, head slightly out of town to the Salt Pans of Cervia Visitor Centre, where you can take a walk with a guide through Cervia’s famed salinas. The slightly sweet salt here – often called white gold – is celebrated, but that’s not the only reason to visit, as the nesting flamingos are another star. For dinner, I suggest trying Cervia’s fantastic mussels at Circolo dei Pescatori, a traditional fisherman’s club, before taking a late-night peek inside the MUSA Museum, which will answer any last questions about Cervia’s salt history.

Getting from Ravenna to Milano Marittima and Cervia: The joint train station sits in between the two locations and can be reached in less than an hour (including walking time). The drive takes around 30 minutes.

Stay at: Hotel Smart Has a great location, being close to both Cervia’s canals, old town and beaches .

Day seven: Cesinatico or Rimini

Depending on how much time you have left on your final day of this Emilia Romagna Riviera Itinerary before your departure, you could tack on a final stop slightly further south.

Rimini is a good choice (especially if you’re flying from the small airport here) as you can see some of the region’s Roman history or just stroll along the upscale Parco del Mare promenade for a final beach dip. Cesinatico is similar to Cervia, with its tall ships and canals, and would make for a cute stop for a final delicious lunch before heading home.

Getting from Cervia to Cesinatico or Rimini: It’s just a 20-minute drive to Cesenatico and less than 40 minutes to Rimini. By train, you can reach Cesenatico in less than 10 minutes (with a short additional walk), while the regional train takes around 35 minutes to Rimini.

Five fantastic coastal stays on Emilia Romagna’s Riviera

You have plenty of options when deciding where to stay along the Emilia Romagna Riviera, whether you want to hop between a few different hotels on a road trip or pick one central base. From family-friendly resorts like camping villages and more budget-friendly tent setups to luxury resorts in Milano Marittima and laid-back hotels in Ravenna, the choice is extensive – just keep in mind August can see prices soar.

Camping resorts near Comacchio

Around Comacchio and the Po Delta, there are plenty of camping options, which are a far cry from a plot of grass for your tent. Some of them, such as the Spiaggia Romea Club Village (where I stayed on my first visit), offer a nature-based resort close to the beach, complete with pools and activities alongside different styles of lodgings. Other decent choices include the Holiday Village Florenz, which has both cabins, pitches and glamping tents and its own beach club, and Camping Tahiti, which is a little back from the beach (it has a complimentary shuttle) but perhaps the most family-friendly resort I’ve been to in the area.

Family-run base in Ravenna

On my most recent visit to Ravenna, I stayed in the family-owned Hotel Sant’andrea, which was the perfect base to explore the city and even the coast. Just a few minutes from Ravenna’s main thoroughfare, the spacious rooms have a traditional charm. But the highlight is the garden courtyard area, perfect for enjoying the breakfast buffet.

Upscale resort in Milano Marittima

The first hotel ever built in Milano Marittima, MarePineta Resort, is now a renovated and luxurious lodging choice, just a short walk from the sea. With a gorgeous pool, tennis courts, courtyard restaurants and plush rooms, this is an excellent choice for a refined Romagna beach holiday.

Historic Ravenna luxury stay

If you want to splash out on a gorgeous historical stay in the heart of Ravenna, then the Palazzo Bezzi Hotel is an excellent choice. This magnificently renovated property has spacious designer rooms, a spa space with a sauna, and a roof terrace to relax on.

Fair-priced seaview stay

While you won’t really find a budget option in Milano Marittima or Cervia at the height of summer, Hotel Moderno B&B is great value for what you get. With some Seaview modern rooms at fair prices, it’s a good option if you can snag a deal.

Five of the best Adriatic beaches in Emilia Romagna (Best beaches near Bologna)

For me, the best beach is usually the nearest, and wherever you end up stopping on your Emilia Romagna Riviera trip, you’re sure to find some inviting sands to take a dip in the Adriatic Sea. But, if you just want to make a beeline to one of the best stretches of sand or are looking for the best beaches near Bologna, these are some of my favourite places to start.

Just keep in mind that beaches work a little bit differently in much of Italy than in other destinations. If you go to one of the bagno (beach resorts) with umbrellas and concessions, you must pay a daily reservation fee. However, the beaches themselves aren’t private, so the small strip of empty sand usually found in front of the long rows of sunbeds are for the taking. Still, if you’d prefer to be away from these busy and often crammed stretches, it’s best to head to one of the public beaches (sometimes called wild), where you’ll find more space and, likely, a more relaxed recommendation.

Le Dune Beach, Comacchio

In front of Holiday Villa Florenz, on Comacchio’s coastline, Le Dune Beach is less overrun than some of the others nearby. You can rent Gazebos rather than parasols here or just relax on the soft, inviting sands. There’s also a decent restaurant, Monnalisa, to grab lunch.

Cala Zingaro, Milano Marittima

Moments from the pretty flower-lined boulevards of Milano Marittima, Cala Zingaro bridges the best of both worlds on the Emilia Romagna Riviera. With a gorgeous and well-kept beach club to one side and blissful sands devoid of umbrellas and sunloungers on the other, you can enjoy a lazy afternoon on the sands with decent drinks and snacks a short stroll away.

La spiaggia libera di Marina di Ravenna, Ravenna

The long expanse of coastline that belongs to Ravenna has plenty of choices on offer. To the north, closer to the ferry terminal, you’ll find a range of decent beach clubs and restaurants (I’ve eaten at both Finisterre Beach and Singita), which are decent for lunch, sunlounger rental or a beautiful sunset often followed by a summer party. However, for a less developed option, place yourself in the middle of the stretch at Spiaggia Libera di Marina. Backed by dunes and pines, this wilder part of the beach is one of the few free beaches in Ravenna, and it’s an ideal choice if you want to enjoy the Adriatic Coast without background music and rows of umbrellas.

Cervia’s Coastline

In front of storied Cervia, the coastline is packed with entertainment, beach clubs, and row upon row of umbrellas that coat this vast swathe of sand. It’s not somewhere to come for a peaceful moment of reflection, but if you want plenty of choices and competition for beach concession deals, music in the background, and to be just a short stroll from Cervia’s fishing restaurants, it’s a solid choice.

Spiaggia Le Colonie, Rimini

Rimini has plenty of paid-for beach concessions, but there are also plenty of public beaches nearby. I’d suggest heading to the south of the city – further away from the port – to Spiaggia Le Colonie or nearby. This gorgeous stretch of wild sand isn’t coated in parasols, and you’ll usually find a quiet corner for yourself.

Five best coastal experiences on Emilia Romagna’s Riviera

Beyond the beaches, the Emilia Romagna Riviera has plenty of attractions to keep you entertained when you want a break from topping up your tan or bathing in the Adriatic – these are my top picks of places to visit and things to do nearby.

Marvel at Ravenna’s UNESCO-listed mosaics

Ravenna is arguably one of Europe’s most underrated cities. Once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, this city, a short drive from the Adriatic Sea, is steeped in history. Most impressive are the eight UNESCO-listed monuments (some of which I mentioned above), especially those decorated with colourful Byzantine mosaics. If you do one daytrip as part of your Emilia Romagna Riviera, this would be the one I recommend – it truly is one of my favourite cities on the planet.

Explore Commachio’s Canals and Po Delta

Comacchio is one of my favourite places in Italy and remains a somewhat offbeat destination in Europe. I can’t really tell you why, but I think it’s because the fishing town was relatively cut off from the rest of the country until the last century, which has helped it keep much of its traditional charm and helped preserve the nature of the Po Delta.

As well as exploring all of the highlights mentioned in the above Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary (flamingos, historic ship museums, and pretty canals), you can spend longer delving into the town’s fishing past in the eel-focused Manifattura dei Marinati Museum (they even have an eel festival in September), or heading out deeper into the Po Delta, perhaps even joining one of the traditional clam fishermen to collect these tasty morsels near the Sacca di Goro using the traditional method of a wooden rake called a rasta.

Discover Cervia’s salt works

Alongside the MUSA Salt Museum and flamingo spotting salt pan tours I covered in the Emilia Romagna Riviera itinerary above, there are a couple of other opportunities to learn more about Cervias’s sweet salt. The museum also organises ‘experiences’ during summer to see what it’s like to work the salt pans for the day, while visits to the piled-high Camillione salt pans are possible by a guided tour during the summer afternoons on Thursdays and Sundays.

See the canals and boats of Cesenatico

Cesenatico has a lot of similarities to Cervia and is only slightly further along the coast. With colourful canals similar to Comacchio – though these are more likely to have a couple of the grand traditional sailing ships on them – and a fine stretch of sand, it’s one of the most popular destinations in the region with locals, yet remains something of a hidden gem in Italy for visitors.

Visit the historic city of Rimini

While Cattolica marks the end of Emilia Romagna’s Riviera, Rimini is the furthest I’ve explored, and it’s a great city to include if you want some history served up alongside your sunbathing. With over two thousand years of history, this port city was a key part of the Roman Empire and flourished again during the Middle Ages. Key sights include the Roman arch and Ponte di Tiberio bridge, the 13th-century Malatestiano Temple and a handful of museums, and families will enjoy an afternoon at the ‘Italia in Miniatura’ theme park.

Barcelona is one of the best cities to visit in Spain for good reason. The Catalan capital serves up everything you need for the perfect city break: central sandy beaches, acclaimed food and drink, a clutch of world-class museums and some of the most creative and unique architecture on the planet. And for that, we must thank Antoni Gaudí – the mastermind behind some of the city’s most famous attractions.

Of those, one certainly stands out in sharing the story of the late architect: Casa Batlló. While not as vast as Park Güell or as imposing as La Sagrada Familia, the intricate attention to detail and whimsical touches inside this remodelled and recently renovated family home left me in awe. A much more intimate experience than the soaring ceilings of the cathedral, here I really felt able to understand the influences and (some) of the inner workings of Gaudí’s visionary artistic mind.

And since 2022, that task has become a little easier for visitors, thanks to a forward-thinking interactive experience that brings Casa Batlló to life like never before. From multimedia projections sharing Gaudï’s childhood inspirations to new contemporary installations crafted by international artists, a tour of this gorgeous home is much more than just seeing – but why is this residence wedged between two rather bland facades so important?

Antoni Gaudí’s architectural imprint in Barcelona

With more than a dozen of Gaudí’s architectural wonders dotted around Barcelona, the legacy of the great Catalonian architecture more than lives on in the city. Of these, some have earned Unesco status, and a trio of central marvels, in particular, are staples on any visit to Spain’s second city: La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and, of course, Casa Batlló.

But to understand why this home on Passeig de Gràcia, one of the city’s most elegant boulevards, has become so intricately connected to the architect, we have to trace his life and studies – for Casa Batlló was actually originally built by one of his professors, Emilio Sala Cortés.

Gaudí was born in 1852 in Reus, Spain (south of Barcelona, near Tarragona), and his passion for design is said to have been nurtured in his father’s workshop. However, due to poor health in his youth, he would spend long periods stuck inside, and this window of time is often cited as when much of his interest in nature and shapes was formed. After moving to Barcelona, Gaudí started his architecture studies proper, where his creative and unique ideas blossomed. Quickly after graduating, commissions of all sizes arrived, resulting in many of the numerous architectural masterpieces that still stand – and in perhaps the most famous case, are still being completed – today.

The remodelling of Casa Batlló by Gaudí in a modernist style took place between 1904 and 1906. By then, it had been sold to the Batlló family and was no longer owned by his former professor. With the freedom to redesign the building at his whim, Gaudí created something truly special within – and indeed, outside – these walls. Perhaps it was that freedom that made me feel like the home was much more connected to the architect himself as I explored the many marvellous rooms.

That’s not to say the building hasn’t evolved and changed over the century since, and various adjustments have occurred. And so, it’s rather fitting that last year, on the 170th anniversary of Gaudí’s birth, Casa Batlló again sought a new creative way to present the home to visitors.

Casa Batlló’s new award-winning interactive experience

Combining the original visionary works of Antoní Gaudí with modern artists, such as architect Kengo Kuma (most famous for his work on Japan’s Olympics or in Kochi) and modern-media creative Refik Anadol, Casa Batlló’s new experience has taken creative, bold steps.

On the 75-minute interactive tour, you’ll walk through some of Gaudí’s grandest creations in the house: The Noble Floor with its butterfly-like windows, the ‘Dragon’s Belly’ hallway, the recently restored Main Hall, the blue tiled lightwell, and the cityscape views from the fanciful rooftop. But all of this is accompanied by plenty of new interactive touches, weaving in Gaudí’s inspiration en route.

Starting from the fully immersive ‘Gaudí Dôme’, where the architect’s childhood inspiration of nature envelops the space, through to Refik Anadol’s 360-degree enveloping lightroom, the ‘Gaudí Cube’, everything has been designed to delight the senses. Anadol is also the mastermind behind the ‘Living Architecture’ presentation, projected onto Casa Batlló by night.

Other highlights include Kengo Kuma’s shimmering rain-like descent to the basement, which brings another creative side to the dwelling’s story, as does Dani Howard’s compositions, with her soundtrack accompanying the tour. Augmented Reality Tablets enhance the experience by providing interactive and informative content, and by the end of the experience, you won’t just feel like you’ve visited Casa Batlló but perhaps inside part of Gaudí’s genius mind, too.

Plan your visit to Casa Batlló

Tickets can be brought online in advance via the official website, and you can enjoy the 75-minute experience daily during visiting hours: 9 AM to 8 PM, with the final entry at 7:15 PM. Entry for children up to 12 years is complimentary.

Throughout the summer months, ‘Magic Nights’ are hosted, which include a visit to Casa Batlló, followed by an evening concert.

After visiting Casa Batlló and some of Gaudí’s other famous sites, don’t forget to try and seek out some of Spain’s hidden gems too – this architect’s designs might have mainly been limited to Catalonia. However, he has a couple of other works around the country, including in León, Spain.

My first memory of the Algarve is a beaming face and wrinkled hand passing me freshly-picked oranges. Sitting under an almond tree for shade, I quickly peeled and devoured one – saving the other – and the flavour was so sweet it tasted like heaven. Twenty-five years later, I still smile at the thought of that moment every time I step off a flight at Faro airport and smell the scent of oranges, which often lingers in the air.

In many ways, a lot has changed in the two-and-a-half decades since; more resorts, more tourists, and many of those fishing villages are now so developed you wouldn’t recognise them in a faded postcard. On the other hand, it’s still just the same. Oranges are hand-picked and sold on the roadside, and away from the must-visit attractions, there are still some Algarve hidden gems to experience.

While you might picture the Algarve as boozy Brits and big resort hotels in Albufeira, trust me when I say you don’t have to stray far to discover some of the secret Algarve. Serene shorelines, lakes dotted with flamingos, tiny villages and remote forested trails, it’s all here.

These are some of my favourite Algarve hidden gems from nearly a lifetime of exploring the sun-kissed south of Portugal. But, before diving into these ‘secret Algarve’ spots, have you read about the main places to visit in the Algarve?

Silves: for a slice of Moorish history

In my opinion, Silves should be a must-visit in the Algarve. But sadly – or perhaps happily – many people still don’t make it to any of the inland towns.

A short drive from the coast, an afternoon – or even a day or more – in Silves is a joy. Crowned by the best preserved Moorish castle in the Algarve, it’s quite a sight to behold. Ochre roofs climb the gently sloped hill, orange trees line the landscape, and a laid-back vibe permeates.

Silves is also one of the best Algarve hidden gems to learn about the Islamic history of the region when it was under Moorish rule. As well as touring the castle, you can visit the church – once a Mosque – and see ruins and artefacts in the small but well-kept museum.

If you’re around during August, be sure to attend Silves Medieval Festival, when the streets come alive with history thanks to reenactments, parades, stalls and activities.

Alcoutim: for the smuggling past

Many Algarve hidden gems are found in the region’s east, especially along the Guadiana River, which defines the border with Spain.

While you can take boat trips up the river – and even across it to Spain’s Ayamonte – for a more exciting border crossing, head further inland to Alcoutim, the start of one of Portugal’s best multi-day hikes, the Via Algarviana.

Here, you can kayak or hop a water boat to the Spanish village of Sanlúcar de Guadiana. To return, Limite Zero operates a zip line, which will allow you to cross the border – and a time zone – at some speed. Certainly one of the most unusual experiences in the Algarve.

For the majority of the year, the sleepy village stays in a slumber. However, for a long weekend in March every other year, the Festival of Contraband (the next event is 2025) brings it back to life. In celebration of the historic smuggling route across the river with Spain, a floating bridge brings a temporary connection with the neighbouring country, while stalls, music and events add to the festivities.

Castro Marim: for the castle and salt pan experiences
Just north of Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Castro Marim has long stood guard at the Guadiana River – watching Spain and defending Portugal’s border. Nowadays, the small town has become something of an offbeat destination in the Algarve, but it’s worth a visit for a few hours.

Start at the Castelo da Vila de Castro Marim. Inside, you can walk amongst what remains and see a small medieval torture museum inside the central tower. A medieval festival brings everything from bygone days back into the spotlight in August each year.

At the lower levels, just outside the town’s limits, there is a selection of salinas (salt pans), which are renowned for their premium and organic Flor de Sal production. On one side of the road, you can float in the salt baths in summer, while on the other, at Salmarim, you can learn about – and even try your hand at – the harvesting method. For something really special, you could splurge on a combined salinas and private cooking experience with Chef Noélia Jerónimo (one of Portugal’s Master Chef judges) using the best of local ingredients.

Cacela Velha: for a breathtaking viewpoint

Cacela Velha is a tiny village perched on a cliff at the end of the Ria Formosa lagoon system, and it’s worth visiting for the view alone. Not to be confused with Vila Nova de Cacela – this is where Cacela’s train station is, and it’s a bit of a walk – the more historic spot is an absolute Algarve hidden gem for those who don’t know to take the turn.

There’s not much here; a couple of cafes, an old clifftop fort and a whitewashed church, but the ocean views – especially at low tide when the turquoise waters swirl into the sand – are incredible. A staircase descends to the beautiful beach, but keep the tides in mind so you don’t get stuck out on the sandbar when they rise.

Vale de Bispo: for a recovered whitewashed village

For a unique place to stay in the Algarve, head to Aldeia da Pedralva, slightly inland from Sagres.

At one point, this whitewashed rural village was nearly left to ruin. Luckily, some Portuguese friends crowdfunded the restoration of the village and turned it into a ‘hotel of sorts’. Now, the old homes act as hotel rooms, little streets still lead to the old cafe and post office, and the surrounding trails are super serene – a little slice of secret Algarve bliss.

Tavira’s outskirts: for seasonal flamingo-heavy salt pans and waterfalls

Tavira is one of my favourite places in the Algarve – I’m writing this article from here, in fact – but outside the beautiful town itself, there are two Algarve hidden gems worth a visit.

First, you have the Tavira salinas (salt pans). You can spot seasonal migrating flamingos – mainly from November to March – and walk or cycle through the landscape. Sometimes, when the salt concentration is just right, some salinas turn a near-photoshopped pink colour.

Secondly, a short drive inland is the Pego do Inferno waterfall. Be warned, it rarely has much water from late Spring until Autumn, but it makes for a nice relaxing spot over the winter.

Thirdly, Ilha de Tavira is one of my favourite beach islands in the Ria Formosa. You need to take a short and cheap boat to get here, but it’s worth it – especially if you stroll a little way from the main beach to find an empty spot.

Alvor: for the ‘secret’ sea caves

While the Benagil Cave is undoubtedly one of the Algarve’s most famous attractions, it’s not the only sea cave you can explore in the region. With the crowds at Benagil becoming so intense, you may want to consider a more unusual thing to do in the Algarve – such as snorkelling or canyoning tours – and seek your caves elsewhere.

Around Alovr’s coast – near Praia de Boião – are some tremendous secret Algarve spots to explore. You’ll need to snorkel into some of these caves rather than Kayak like at Benagil, so you may prefer to go with a Zip&Trip small group tour led by a local marine biologist.

Estoi: for Roman ruins and palace stays

Just outside Faro, the Algarve’s capital city, you’ll find Estoi, a small parish home to two of the Algarve’s hidden gems.

First up are the Roman Ruins of Milreu. Once a vast and opulent Roman Villa, the site is now in a less grand state. There are still some mosaics and parts of the walls and temples, and it’s a cheap ticket for a slice of culture.

Second is the Pousada de Estoi, another grand building renovated and converted into a luxury hotel, perfect for an elegant Algarve hidden gems overnight experience.

You don’t have to be a guest to explore the main rooms and grounds of this 18th-century palace, and a chilled glass of wine on the veranda comes with a slice of grandeur you’ll struggle to find elsewhere in the Algarve. If you want to experience Turkish baths and boutique luxury, you’ll need to book a room.

Loulé: for Islamic baths, markets and carnival culture

Loulé, another inland town, makes for an excellent base in the Algarve if you don’t want to stay on the coast. The reason I love Loulé so much is that, as of yet, tourism hasn’t wholly pushed out the traditional way of life, and it remains a more traditional feel. Workshops with a focus on preserved Algarvian handicrafts also help cement those credentials.

There are castle walls and the stand-out Art Nouveau market hall to explore. A new addition in 2023 is a small museum housing Portugal’s only known Islamic Baths, which remained a buried and secret Algarve spot for centuries.

While Loulé is an excellent offbeat Algarve spot to visit year-round, the town really comes alive in February for the Carnaval de Loulé, the Algarve’s largest carnival celebration.

Over three celebratory days, the town sees the arrival of many visitors from near and far who come to experience the colourful and joyful affair. If you’re around, it’s one of the best winter experiences in the Algarve.

Alte: for a waterfall dip

A short drive from Loulé is the small village of Alte, which offers an insight into a slower-paced and more storied way of life. While it is more on the tourist trail now, as some bus tours occasionally stop here, they often move on quickly.

The village is quaint and compact, with a few cafes amongst the whitewash. Watermills and small canals make for a great picnic area, while the Algarve’s best waterfall is just a short walk from the village. In the warmer months, expect some friends and families to be here, which can make it feel ‘busy’. Still, even in the off-season, it makes for a refreshing, if chilly, dip.

Castle of Paderne: for a laid-back walking trail

While these ruined fortress walls from the 16th century aren’t much to look at anymore, they still play an essential part in the country’s history; the Castle of Paderne is one of the seven castles on the Portuguese flag.

The trail, however, is pleasant for a stroll. Passing a nearby mill where little turtles can often be spotted in the river, it’s an enjoyable two-hour break from the beach if you have a car.

Carvoeiro & Ferragudo: for fishing village nostalgia

Although the population of these two old fishing villages is relatively small – trust me, while it’s still warm in winter for Europe, you can’t believe how quiet it can be – both villages have become popular tourist spots in summer and crowds balloon.

If you visit outside of the tourism season, you’ll find them much more peaceful. In Ferragudo, you can see fishermen tending their nets and bringing in their catch. In Carvoeiro, the main draws are the small beach, clifftop boardwalk, and the wave-battered Algar Seco rock formations and pools.

Estombar’s Fontes: for picnics and greenery

This municipal park is a popular spot for locals to escape the beach and enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by nature; however, it’s still a rather unusual thing for tourists to do in the Algarve. The 12+ picnic tables quickly get busy on a sunny day, mainly because six BBQs are available – just bring your own coal and cooking tools.

Away from the picnic area, though, there’s a lovely green – but not too shaded – walk around the park and estuary of the Arade River. An od-water wheel, amphitheatre and miller’s house are the main ‘sights’, but the park also hosts various wildlife and birds, with flamingos being a welcome addition during the season.

Marmelete: for some very strong liquor

In Marmelete, a tiny village en route between Monchique and the west coast, you can see how one of the Algarve’s local liquors, medronho, is made.

Brewed from bright red berries, this fruit brandy is often called firewater and can be tried in bars across the region. Here, you can see a small museum to learn more about the brewing process, and with prior arrangements, you can visit some brewing spots, often extensions of people’s houses. This drink has a kick, though; it’s certainly not as easy on the lips as the wines from the foodie region of Porto and the Douro.

Lagoa & Silves: for winery experiences

Lagoa has grown hugely in the past 30 years and has become a relatively well-known wine region in Portugal (read: vineyard tasting/drinking is compulsory). It’s located just outside Carvoeiro and Ferragudo and, again, like Loulé, provides a much more local town feel.

Quinta dos Santos, a relatively new craft beer and winery, offers the chance to hit up a cellar-door tasting or grab some tapas. Lagoa’s converted cooperative, now home to the Lady in Red Gallery, also serves up both wine and culture. In Silves, there are also more traditional vineyards and wine experiences to enjoy.

If you are around in early July, then Lagoa’s night-time, the candlelit market, is a beautiful time to visit and see the streets.

Porches: for a rock-crowning chapel

Chapel Nossa Senhora da Rocha is another gem and can serve as an extended starting point of the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail.

Two sandy bays sit on either side of a high-rising cliff, and perched on the top is this little chapel. You can walk out to it, and the views are really something special – it’s somewhere I like to come with a book and look out to the never-ending Atlantic Ocean beyond.

Praia do Barril: for a ‘cemetery of anchors’

One of the more unusual places to visit in the Algarve is the ‘cemetery of anchors’ on Praia do Barril.

This strange site, set on a sand-dune-backed beach in the Ria Formosa natural park, was created after the demise of the tuna industry. Local fishermen laid their anchors out here, and now they are slowly ageing and sinking into the sand.

The island is also one of my favourite beaches in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, as you don’t need to take a boat; you can walk here by foot over the lagoon-crossing bridge or even hop on a little train. Once you get to Praia do Barill, turn left and walk further up the beach to find a more peaceful spot. If you keep walking, after a couple of hours, you’ll eventually arrive at Ilha da Tavira.

Santa Luzia: for octopus

This small fishing village near Tavira – and a short walk from Praia do Barrill – is famed in Portugal as the country’s Octopus capital.

For centuries, octopus – polvo in Portuguese – have been caught in these waters using traditional clay pots, although many fishermen have traded these in for similar, but more modern, options. Nearly all the restaurants in the village are dedicated to the local speciality, which can be ordered fresh and in numerous forms.

Aljezur: for a west coast village

The Algarve’s west coast is awash with surfing spots, empty beaches, small villages and farming valleys, yet, there’s also some culture and history to be found here.

In Aljezur, the ruins – it’s just the outer walls – of a 10th-century Moorish castle tell the history of the region; if you haven’t noticed yet, a lot of places around the Algarve begin with Al, which highlights the history and roots of the Arabic period on the Iberian Peninsula. You’ll also find a couple of museums here, mainly dedicated to religious art.

Costa Vicentina: for nearly footprint-free bays

There are some truly incredible beaches along the west coast of the Algarve, known as the Costa Vicentina. From windswept bays and dune-backed stretches to surfing hot spots and river-meets-ocean carved sands, these are some of Portugal’s best beaches.

While some are pretty popular – Arrifana for surfing and Odeceixe for simply being breathtaking – there are plenty more bays and beaches which don’t get as much foot traffic. If you have a car, take a road trip, and be sure to detour down minor roads to small coves – you’ll undoubtedly find a little slice of near-empty Algarve hidden gem heaven to enjoy, especially outside peak summer.

Querença: for sleepy villages and trails

The small village of Querença sits upon a hill and is a beautifully spotless whitewashed land with a solid commitment to culture and literacy, even though it’s tiny. A small square with a church is the ‘meeting place’ with two restaurants-cum-cafes. Try the local almond cake for a sweet treat.

There’s also a short local walk – popular for bird watching – which takes you through part of the park. Follow the trail from the village to Fonte da Benémola, where watermills, streets and olive presses complement the verdant setting.

Once you’ve explored all of these Algarve hidden gems, be sure to check out the best things to do in the Algarve and these unique places to stay in the Algarve to help plan your visit. If you want to explore more off-beat Portugal, consider these reasons to visit the Azores islands.

Sometimes you arrive somewhere, gawp a little bit too much, and then admit it’s worth the hype. For me, that place was Český Krumlov, a real-life fairytale town – complete with a castle, of course – in Czechia’s (Czech Republic) South Bohemia region. But perhaps I’m not the first person to tell you how magical this river-hugging chateau-crowned spot is? Certainly, many people had showered me with stories of their love-at-first-sight meeting with this mediaeval marvel. Though if anything, that had actually put me off visiting.

That’s not to say the Czech Republic hasn’t long held a special place in my heart. Prague was the first city break I took my mum on as a finally-earning-money adult. Karlovy Vary was the city where I had my first thermal spa getaway. Kutna Hora is where I learnt that churches can be coated with bones. And last year, in Brno, I discovered just how fine Czechia’s wines could be.

But I’d always purposefully bypassed South Bohemia. I didn’t believe Český Krumlov could actually be worth that much hype while not being totally overrun with fellow tourists. However, with the country celebrating its 30th birthday this year – and indeed, it being the 15-year anniversary of my own first trip to the country – I found myself back, this time passing through South Bohemia while overlanding from Italy to the Baltic States.

So I decided to stay a while and turn my trip into a long weekend in South Bohemia, and wow, am I glad I did! This region, rich in ponds, lakes, castles, and cute towns, left me in awe; my only regret was not staying longer.

České Budějovice

My journey in South Bohemia didn’t start in Český Krumlov but rather in the regional capital České Budějovice, easily reached from Prague – a very intentional choice. Recommended to me by a friend from Prague as a more lived-in example of Bohemian life (plus much more affordable accommodation), I made this underrated city my base for the four days I spent hopping between the other cute towns and fabled castles of South Bohemia. With a well-connected bus and train station, everywhere that I wanted to visit could be reached in less than an hour.

But that’s not to say České Budějovice doesn’t deserve its own in-depth visit. Just this month, it was announced that the city would be one of the European Capitals of Culture for 2028.

Dating back to its original founding in 1265 by the then Bohemian king, Ottokar II, the mediaeval city is rich in South Bohemian culture. Presiding over the regional museum, a vast and photogenic town square, and a varied history of production from porcelain to pencils, the laid-back location is further enhanced by the meeting of two rivers: the Vltava and Malše. It’s also just a short drive or bus ride from the mighty Hluboká Castle.

However, the city has another side beyond the Baroque-style architecture and mirror-like lakes. Known as Budweis in German (the city was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire prior to WWI), České Budějovice has been home to the similarly named Budweiser Budvar beer brewery since 1895. One of many famous brewers in the world – and one of many in the Czech Republic – you can take a tour and, more importantly, a tasting in the brewery itself.

Top three things to do in České Budějovice, South Bohemia

Explore the Old Town’s highlights
České Budějovice is easily explored on foot, and many of the main attractions can be found leading away from the extensive Přemysla Otakara II Square. See the 18th-century Samson Fountain in the middle, peek inside the Baroque town hall, and climb the 16th-century Black Tower for views across the city.

Visit the Museum of South Bohemia
Perhaps the most important museum in the region, this grand building houses a fascinating collection of provincial artefacts and interactive displays. With the information in English, you can easily start to understand the region’s history and see some well-preserved examples of traditional life alongside more generic natural history collections.

Enjoy beers in the Budweiser Brewery
Book a tour and tasting of one of the world’s most famous breweries, located just a short walk from the city centre.

State Chateau of Hluboká

Before this trip to South Bohemia, I hadn’t even heard of the State Chateau of Hluboká, one of Europe’s most impressive Romantic castles and a very easy half-day trip from České Budějovice.

Constructed as a royal seat in the 13th century, the building changed appearance many times. Falling into private hands in the late 18th century, the chateau has had two major redesigns since, firstly in the Baroque style and then later in its current Romantic reconstruction.

Thankfully, the state recovered ownership of Hluboká Chateau after the end of WWII, and its gorgeous gardens, impressive and lavish halls, and panoramic towers are now open to the public again. Most of the castles and palaces in South Bohemia and the Czech Republic have very strict no photography rules in the interior rooms, hence why you’ll mainly only see photos of the grand exteriors online. However, you can usually take photography from the towers and areas outside of the interior rooms and halls.

Opting for one of the four tour options – this also seems very commonplace in the Czech Republic, where you need to book (sometimes in advance) timeslot-defined guided tours to the part of the building which interests you most – I was swept away for an hour of history. With teardrop chandeliers, portraits of royalty, and ornately decorated wood-panelled rooms aplenty, the interior is magnificent as you’d expect.

Having added the tower to my ticket option, I could climb the deer-head-decorated staircase up to Hluboká’s highest point. From here, the small town below, backed by dense forests, looked like a pop-up book, while a network of lakes near and far added cerulean splodges to the panorama.

Top three things to do in Hluboká nad Vltavou, South Bohemia

Tour the State Chateau of Hluboká

The grounds and exterior of the chateau are free to enter and open to all, while a ticket for the tower costs a few euros. To enter the building, you’ll need to book a tour (available in a few different languages), and if you’re coming in the summer, it’s best to reserve your time slot online in advance. There are a few different tours to choose from (Private Apartments, Kitchen or the impressive Representative Rooms) – if you have the budget to do all three, great, but I was more than happy with my singular tour and tower ticket.

Stroll through the town of Hluboká nad Vltavou
The State Chateau isn’t tucked away from the real world anymore and is actually amidst the town of Hluboká nad Vltavou. Small, pretty and with plenty of great coffee shops, it’s worth walking around the town after you descend from the castle to peek into the two churches and take a coffee.

Walk or boat around the Munický Rybník lake
From the top of the tower, it’s this expansive lake which stands out most. You can take a boat out on the lake or just walk around it and enjoy a picnic for lunch – I found it surprisingly calm, given how popular the chateau is.

Český Krumlov

Arguably South Bohemia’s crowning glory, and now one of the most popular places to visit in all of the Czech Republic, Český Krumlov is a literal fairytale. Like I said, I had been dubious about visiting since I saw the explosion of gorgeous photos on Instagram in recent years. Yet, arriving on a warm summer’s day in July, I was pleased to see that Český Krumlov was far from overrun, and that was on a weekend.

Wrapped inside a horse-shoe-shaped section of the Vltava River, the mediaeval Old Town is storybook personified. Cobbled streets, colourful squares, and soaring towers all add to the painting-like panorama, while the impressive 13th-century castle overlooks it all from a high.

But the castle’s appearance has changed greatly since its first construction. The impressive Renaissance extension was constructed in the 16th century, while the unique aqueduct-like Cloak Bridge was built in the 18th century, replacing an earlier wooden structure. Regardless of dates, it’s mighty impressive and holds the title of the second largest castle in the country after Prague – no mean feat given the much smaller size of Český Krumlov

Inside, it’s equally lavish, with elegant carriages and upscale furniture decorating the ornate halls, complete with detailed wall paintings and frescoed ceilings. There’s also an incredibly well-preserved and restored Baroque Theatre, one of only two in Europe still preserved in this style, visitable with a separate ticket.

Beyond the hulking castle complex and pretty gardens, the rest of the Old Town unfurls in its shadow. Gorgeous at every turn, I can see why this has become one of the country’s most popular day trips, but there are still plenty of excellent independent bars – both along the river and down side streets – to enjoy a perfect pint of craft beer.

At one of those spots, Bistro 53 Beer Point, I was lucky enough to meet a local rafting guide Michal, who I had read about in an article about the city’s over-tourism problems before arrival. He told me all about his rafting company, which uses the same traditional boats and methods as the old production rafts from the 11th century. With a Na zdraví, as we clinked glasses, I ended my day with a smile, happy to see that ancient traditions and conversations were still very much alive in this busy corner of South Bohemia.

Top three things to do in Český Krumlov, South Bohemia

Tour the State Castle of Český Krumlov and the gardens
There are five different tours you can take inside the castle, which can all be booked online in advance if you want to guarantee entry. The grounds are free to enter; however, the tower ticket is combined with the Castle Museum.

Enjoy some river rafting in the summer
Given Michal’s great beer banter, I’ve got to give a particular shout-out to his traditional rafting company, Voroplavba. These flat timber rafts have been a tradition of the Vltava River for nearly one thousand years, and it’s a great way to see the city from the water. Alternatively, pack rafts and kayaks give another way to loop the Old Town by water.

Get lost in the Old Town
Walking around the Old Town here is a photographer’s dream, with plenty of museums covering everything from art to torture. Bragging numerous amazing viewpoints, such as Seminární Zahrada, the tower, or the raised area near the bus station, Český Krumlov looks good from all angles. After you’ve had your fill of cobbled streets and river strolls, settle in on one of the floating pontoons with deck chairs for a refreshing brew.

Třeboň

Surrounded by artificial lakes and fishing ponds, quaint Třeboň is perhaps Czechia’s perfect countryside city. Getting off the bus from České Budějovice, I made a beeline for the Spolský Potok lake, tracking the shore and canals before entering Třeboň Old Town via the historic gates.

One of South Bohemia’s historic spa towns, Třeboň is a popular getaway for locals looking to recharge and reconnect with nature. That’s not to say the city is without storied architecture, and the 12th-century Gothic Saint Giles Church and Renaissance-style State Chateau of Trebon are two of the standouts.

Entered via an enclosed courtyard, the chateau operates in the same style as others in the region, with three different tours to choose from. One will guide you through the more impressive Rosenberg interiors, while the others, which I didn’t experience, enter the Schwarzenberg suites or the stables.

For me, Třeboň was more of a standout for the cobbled streets and natural walks nearby, and I’m glad I made time to squeeze a visit into my last day before continuing to Prague.

Top three things to do in Třeboň, South Bohemia

Tour the State Chateau of Třeboň
Three types of guided tours are offered through the chateau, and tickets can be purchased online in advance. However, this is less visited than some of the region’s other castles, so you likely don’t need to book as far ahead.

Stroll along the canals and lakes
Třeboň’s ‘Golden Network of Canals’ and carp-loaded lakes and ponds were Middle Ages engineering marvels. From the back of the town, you can track the canal out towards the lake, where in summer, boats and watersport rentals are available. The Dům Štěpánka Netolického museum explains more about the pond system.

Explore the Old Town
Quaint and compact, Třeboň’s Old Town highlights can be visited in a couple of hours. Above the market square, the Old Town Hall’s tower provides the best views in the city, and the historic Saint Giles Church is worth a peek. Or, just chill out in the Regent Brewery with a local brew.

The Lakes Beyond

South Bohemia is so much more than castles and cute towns, though, and this region is famed for something else: ponds and lakes. Since the 12th century, numerous bodies of water have been established and created, both for fishing and recreational use. This makes South Bohemia a fantastic summer getaway – especially in a landlocked country – as you can cool down, take a dip, or enjoy watersports.

With plenty of dense forests and untouched corners, it’s a natural paradise for long leisurely hikes or even cycling between some of the Czech Republic’s most impressive castles on canopy-covered tracks.

Some of the most impressive clutches of ponds are found around Třeboň, where a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve protected the canals, ponds and flooded plains, which were established back in the 15th century. Nowadays, they fit into the scenery like a perfectly sized glove, but plenty of years of hard work went into creating these bodies of water, with historic engineering techniques re-shaping the landscape.

However you spend your time in South Bohemia, my biggest advice is to not just come on a day trip to Český Krumlov from Prague. There is plenty of history and heritage to explore in the region other than the most famous chateau, and I can’t tell you how nice it was to experience the Czech Republic beyond the big cities and see the nation’s more natural side.

If you have longer than I did, you might also want to check out the beer-heavy city of Plzeň (Pilsen), the various tree walkways such as Lipno, or seek out even more castles – there are plenty of Europe’s hidden gems to be found in South Bohemia.

“But isn’t London super expensive?” is one of the most common questions I’m asked when talking about travel to the United Kingdom’s capital. And, while it might be a surprising answer, I always reply that cheap may be a stretch – but London on a budget? Absolutely!

There are heaps of tips and tricks you can follow to cut your costs and make a stay in one of England’s best places to visit more affordable. Take it from an ex-local who survived in this city as a waiter for more than a few years; you can make your pound go much further if you know how.

Of course, all the usual stuff applies: visit in the off-season, avoid dates when huge events mean prices spike, and consider hostels or further-out accommodation. But, rather than focusing on the obvious that can apply anywhere, I’ve tried to focus more on London-specific tips and ways I’ve personally tried to do London on the cheap while living here.

So, before even thinking about all the best things to do in London – including all these fantastic free museums – here are some of the budget basics you need to know when planning and during your trip.

1.Flying to London (or not)

Firstly, let’s look at the most significant initial cost: flights. London has two major airports (Heathrow and Gatwick), one city-centre airport that mainly caters to business travellers (London City), and two further large airports (Stansted and Luton), which mainly serve European and budget flights. There’s also London Southend Airport, which I’ve used once for a package holiday; however, it’s tiny and far away, so I will ignore it here. To be fair, most of these airports aren’t really in London, so how you get into the city centre from these airports (see point 5) is also a cost to factor in.

So, the first thing you’ll want to do is search for cheap flights to all of these airports. Skyscanner is great for this, as you can put in your starting point and then ask it to search for flights to London (any) and see which airport is most cost-effective. You can even search for a whole month, or from all your nearby airports, to find more options.

If you’re coming from Europe, then chances are that budget carriers like Ryanair (mainly Stansted) and easyJet (mainly Luton and Gatwick) will offer the cheapest fares. Just keep in mind that on these no-frills airlines, certain extras do cost more.

Luckily, if you play the game, you can find good deals for your flights to London – just be sure to know the main things that will give you surprise fees at the airport. The first is to understand the difference between carry-on vs personal item, as on airlines such as Ryanair, the latter is free, while the first can get you a hefty surprise charge when it comes to boarding. The second major point that a lot of people fall foul of is not doing their check-in online; to do it at an airport usually means a rather eye-watering fee.

From further afield, such as Australia or the USA, you may want to consider other options. While a weekend in London will mean you will want to fly directly to the city, if you’re instead using London as a starting point to explore Europe’s hidden gems, it may be cheaper to start and end your trip elsewhere on the continent.

I have travelled to Amsterdam or Rome to take long-haul flights in the past because it has been up to £250 cheaper each way. London has high taxes, and direct fares are not always that competitive, so look at flying into a different European city first, saving some bucks for a night or two there and then jumping on a budget flight – or a Eurostar train – to London. Alternatively, look at airlines which offer ‘stopover’ deals or connecting flights, as these can also be cheaper to reach the UK while also allowing you to see another city. Two well-known options include TAP Portugal’s Lisbon stopover and Norway-based Norse, which launched in 2021.

If you’re coming from the United States and want to visit London on a budget, you might also want to sign up for one of the cheap flight email services to be notified when deals or error fares are available.

You can also use your flights to save money on accommodation if you book an overnight arrival and late-night departure – essentially giving you two full days. There are loads of places to ditch your luggage for the day if your hotel or apartment doesn’t offer this service. LuggageHero is pretty cheap and has lots of different storage locations.

2.Book your tickets and activities in advance

When you’re planning your cheap trip to London, you’ll likely have already made a list of all the attractions and activities you want to visit. Of course, many of these will not cost a penny, such as seeing the Changing of the Guard or visiting a free-entry museum; however, the reality is not everything will be so wallet-friendly.

So, to reduce and manage these costs, look for deals and discounts so you can book as many activities as possible in advance. You may assume that booking directly will guarantee the best prices, and while this is true most of the time, it isn’t always the case. There are plenty of coupon and discount websites in the UK, and you can often find some of the capital’s best attractions listed with deals.

Some websites worth checking before booking include Voucher Codes, which shares discount codes to use at checkout, and Groupon, which has both discount codes and deals on certain activities and hotels. For theatre tickets, consider websites such as Love Theatre – but also keep in mind day tickets and the West End lottery mentioned below. If you’re travelling to London by train, you can also usually get decent attraction deals on National Rails’ Discount website when using your train ticket.

You might also want to consider one of the various London Passes. Some bundle 2-7 attractions together for a discount, while others are for specific periods and include transport. I know these are really popular websites to recommend as they pay us a nice commission fee for each sale; however, they are only cost-effective if you really make the most of them.

So, evaluate what attractions you will certainly see in London – many museums and galleries are free – and then work out if one of these passes will actually save you money before buying it. If it will, great, snap it up. If you only plan to visit one or two attractions, it might be better to book separately and find deals on those specific activities.

3.Finding affordable London accommodation

Whatever search engine you use, I promise you one thing: cheap does not usually mean cheerful in London. Whilst there can be some bargains to be found the further out you go, you’ll have slim pickings in central London.

As well as searching on hostel or hotel comparison websites like Trivago, take a look at the websites of budget hotels such as Tunes, Easy or The Z, which usually offer central accommodation at a fairly reasonable price and will guarantee a certain standard of hygiene and facilities. Also, some budget hotels, such as Premier Inn, aren’t listed on comparison websites and should be searched and booked directly.

Alternatively, stay further out and use it to your advantage. London is a super-connected city, and we even have a night metro on weekends now so that you can rent any one of London’s high-quality short-term rentals, and you won’t miss out on a thing. The bonus of staying in zones 3 and 4 is that not only is accommodation usually cheaper, but food and drinks can also drop dramatically in price, and you’ll get a more ‘local’ experience.

If you plan to stay in London for longer than a few days, you might also want to consider housesitting. This tends to work best for slightly longer stays – sometimes a week or more – as you’ll be looking after someone’s home (and potentially pets or plants) while they go on holiday themselves.

There are a few different platforms which help potential sitters and hosts connect. Many of these platforms require a subscription, so you may want to read a firsthand TrustedHousesitters Review before making the initial payment. However, once you’ve secured your first housesit – especially in a city like London – the savings will quickly add up.

4.Rent a car only when you need one

It might be tempting to rent a car the second you arrive in London, especially if you’re planning to explore other parts of England or road trip Scotland, but if you’re looking to do London on a budget, this isn’t wise. Firstly, you just won’t use your car much when you’re in the city, and secondly, by the time you account for car parking and any congestion charges, those costs will rack up.

As such, it’s better to pick up your car on the day you plan to start your road trip. Alternatively, if you want some wheels for the day to head off to a few nearby places, consider a service like Ubeeqo. This car-sharing website offers easy access via an app to local cars by the hour or day, already including fuel and insurance. They have around 100 parking locations in London, and cars can be rented as far afield as Hertford or Cambridge, so it saves on train fares if you’re staying outside the capital and driving in, or vice versa.

5.Don’t get scammed on your airport transfers and trains

“Express Trains” are not something you will find me on. Often, these services only shave a few minutes off the journey time and come at a hefty premium, and there are much more cost-effective ways to reach London’s centre.

These express trains operate from Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted, so when you’re planning how to reach the capital itself, compare the prices and timings of these services with the regular routes – you’ll be amazed at how much extra you are paying when the difference can be as little as 10 minutes. That said, the express services offer some advanced tickets at a heavily reduced price, so it’s always worth checking to see if you can book one of these.

From London City and Heathrow, you can also use the tube or DLR – Heathrow even has access to the new Elizabeth Line – as these are usually cheaper than rail. National Express coach services from Luton or Stansted can also be cost-effective alternatives depending on the time at which you arrive. The bottom line is there are plenty of options, and depending on where in the city you are staying, the express trains might not be the most direct or cheapest option to arrive in London on a budget

6.Walk, cycle and get contactless

London may seem scarily big when you look at a map – or especially a tube map – but walking around central London actually does not take too long. In fact, walking between some tube stations can be quicker than taking the metro when you add up all the time. So, my tip to you is that when the weather is good, do as much of London on foot as possible.

We also have the Santander Cycle scheme – standard and e-bikes – which you can find dotted around the city and access with an app or bank card. While these aren’t as cheap as they once were – standard bikes now cost £1.65 per 30 minutes – they offer a really nice way to get around London. If you’re planning to stay in the city for a while and make heavy use of the scheme, the £20 monthly option may be appealing.

You may have heard of the Oyster card, which is cheaper than buying individual travel tickets for the underground and bus network as it has a capped daily price and cheaper individual fares. Thankfully, this benefit also applies to paying with a contactless credit card, so you don’t need to purchase an Oyster card to enjoy the same price cap. If using a foreign card, you’ll just want to check that your bank will not add an additional exchange fee each time; if so, get the Oyster or find a better travel card such as Wise or Revolut.

7.Use public transport for sightseeing

Public transport in London is pretty decent and a daily occurrence for most of us, so if you are from a country/city that requires a car to get around, forget it – TFL can become your best friend when visiting London on a budget.

While the Tube is great, if a little crowded, heading underground will mean missing some of the best Instagram spots in London. So, make use of the buses and sit on the top deck to get that hop-on, hop-off tourist feeling without spending a fortune.

If you want to experience the River Thames without paying for a river tour, then you’ll want to make use of the Thames Clipper, London’s public ferry service. From as little as £4.80 for a standard single – or £18.90 for a full-day pass – you can take a jaunt along the river and spot some of the city’s most famous attractions on the way.

8.Check out the free attractions

London may be an expensive city, but many of the best attractions actually cost nothing. Learning how to travel the world for free is a fine art, and here, you have plenty of it to practice.

Some of London’s best free attractions and museums include the British Museum, St Paul’s Church (not the cathedral), The Tate, The National Portrait Gallery, strolling through Covent Garden, people watching at Borough Market (I know a lot of people recommend this for cheap eats, but in reality, many stalls are quite boutique) and taking in the views from Greenwich. There are also plenty of beautiful parks to enjoy.

Then there are the cultural attractions such as watching the Changing of the Guard, exploring the street art in trendy neighbours such as Shoreditch and heading up to one of the free rooftop viewpoints such as One New Change and the Oxo Tower – they might not be as high as The Shard, but they are a lot cheaper!

9.Skip the Shard and get views for free

The Shard may be the most famous of London’s skyscraper viewing platforms, but it’s not the only option.

My favourite spot is actually found across the river – the bonus is you can see The Shard – in the SkyGarden. Not only will you get some far-reaching vistas across London’s best landmarks, but the space is incredible, with plenty of inside foliage.

You do need to book your visit online in advance to get free access – the tickets are batch-released every Monday – but that little bit of forward planning will save you the same cash. Alternatively, you can book a table at one of the restaurants, but this turns one of London’s best free attractions into a more pricy experience.

10.Look for free events and gigs in London

London’s cultural scene is all-encompassing, and there is no denying this is one of the best cities in the world for music, arts, theatre and other creative pursuits. Thankfully, that means there are plenty of free – don’t forget to drop some coins in appreciation – events to enjoy throughout the year.

Keep an eye on websites like Secret London, which keep a decent and up-to-date calendar of free events in London so that you can plan ahead – or go last-minute – to an extraordinary event. They cover anything from buskers in Covent Garden and free Royal Opera House performances to church choir performances and Friday night parties at the Tate Modern.

11.Chain restaurants are not the enemy

Yeah, yeah, I’m probably going to get slated for saying this – especially as someone who loves supporting independent businesses – but there are some pretty decent chain restaurants in the UK which can provide affordable deals in decent locations, ideal for a quick, easy and affordable lunch.

Some of my favourites include Pizza Express (they often run 2-for-1 deals), Wahaca for Mexican food, and chain pubs such as Greene King or Fullers for decent-priced British grub and pints. Most of these chains have apps with discount deals. For a slightly more upmarket option with good-quality British dishes, head to one of the Browns Bar and Brasserie’s across the city, the restaurant group where I worked for many years.

If you’re going to spend a while in London, then the Taste Card may be worth considering as after a certain amount of uses, the discounts will more than pay for themselves.

12.Hunt out set menu deals

Set menus, especially on quieter evenings (like Sundays or Mondays) and during lunches, are pretty common in London. These are the times when restaurants are not too busy, and you’ll most likely find the best deals.

If you have a restaurant you really want to visit whilst you are here, call or check the website to find out if they offer a set menu – it will usually save you a fair chunk on the À la carte price.

Do keep in mind that the locations you are looking at will likely change the available deals. For example, in financial districts such as the City of London or Canary Wharf, lunches are usually their prime time with office workers, meaning deals aren’t likely during weekday lunches. On the flip side, in the Theatre District and around Soho or Covent Garden, Prix-Fixe menus are usually early evening to get diners in and out quickly before a show.

13.Picnic on a meal deal

If you want to go super cheap – and generally ‘live like an office local’ – then grab yourself a meal deal. It’s not exactly fancy, but it’s a way to cut your travel costs and do London on a budget.

These simple lunch deals are something of a staple in the UK and are offered in places such as supermarkets and even health retailers such as Boots. Usually costing between £3-£4, you can grab a sandwich, crisps (or fruit and other snacks) and a drink. Take these to one of the beautiful parks in London, and you have a bargain picnic lunch on your hands.

14.Try and get last-minute theatre tickets

West End theatre tickets can run into triple digits, especially for the best seats at the hottest shows. Yet, there are a few ways to save money beyond the voucher websites I mentioned previously. Of course, these options aren’t ideal if you need a specific show on a particular day – for that, it’s best to accept the price and book in advance – but if you have some flexibility, consider the below.

Firstly, there are nearly always last-minute tickets up for grabs directly from the box office. These may be returns or just tickets that have been held back for various reasons. On my last visit back to London, I scored great tickets to Miss Saigon for £20 about an hour before curtain up.

Some other shows also offer a ‘lottery’ a little before the performance starts. For example, the Book of Mormon even runs a lottery every day for £20 tickets if you want to gamble daily 2.5 hours before the performance. This is a great way to enjoy London on a budget and appreciate the incredible cultural scene.

15.Book train fares in advance

This isn’t so much a London on a budget tip, but it will apply if you plan on leaving London to visit other parts of the UK, such as Cornwall’s attractions, Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh, or the buzzing city of Manchester.

The fact is rail travel in the UK is very costly. You might think these high train prices mean excellent services, but that also isn’t always the case – sometimes a seat isn’t even guaranteed – and you may find yourself standing for much of the journey. As such, you’ll want to book in advance online.

Not only can you usually score a seat reservation this way, but you can sometimes save up to 50% or more from on-the-day ticket prices.

While individual train companies (we don’t have one rail company) allow booking on their websites, The Train Line is an excellent place to start as it will search all operators on that route and show you the best prices. However, they charge a small booking fee, so if you want to save a pound or two more, once you’ve found the deal, go to the operator’s website to try and book directly.

If you plan to travel to some of the most beautiful parts of the country, such as visiting the Cotswolds, these advance fares will be your biggest money saver. Also, check out National Express, the UK’s long-distance coach company. These buses are nearly always modern, comfy, and good value – providing an additional option to reach places perhaps not served by the trains or at an even lower price.

Epitomised by soft white sands, lightly lapping waves, and cotton candy sunsets, a holiday to most Caribbean destinations often means little more than switching off and chilling out. Yet, if you’re like me, you’ll be seeking more than just a sea-facing resort and swim-up bar when choosing a Caribbean vacation.

Thankfully, this beauty-endowed corner of the world offers plenty of attractions beyond its beaches. Whether you’re a couple looking for a luxury island vacation to celebrate your honeymoon, adventurers seeking a multi-day hiking holiday or a solo traveller searching for both sea and culture, the Caribbean will happily oblige.

Here are five Caribbean destinations to whet your appetite and provide some inspiration for your next vacation, no matter what kind of traveller you are.

Quintana Roo, Mexico, for paradisiacal playas and Mayan history

While a Caribbean vacation usually means heading to an island, that doesn’t have to be the case. On Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula – along with the Guianas and Belize – you can also enjoy those dreamy Caribbean sunsets and golden sands the region is renowned for.

Quintana Roo, one of the three states on the Yucatán Peninsula, is arguably the best place to head for the most typical Caribbean experience, especially along the Riviera Maya. This divine stretch of coast spans around 80 miles and is bejewelled with inviting beaches, such as Playa Akumal and Playa Maroma, and backed by tropical jungle. This tropical hideaway is also appealing for those who want to avoid flying – whether for sustainable or aerophobia reasons – as you can book alternative Mexico transportation to arrive overland, something which isn’t as easy with the other island destinations on this list.

But it’s not all sun, sea and sand. Slightly inland, you can also appreciate visits to Mayan ruins such as the Tulum Archeological Area and, further afield, Chichén Itzá. Then, of course, you have the nightlife and all that mouth-watering Mexican cuisine.

Still, if you’re after the complete check-in and chill-out luxury experience and little else, that’s very much possible. There are countless luxury resorts along the coast, with the likes of Iberostar’s Riviera Maya all inclusive hotels having seven properties alone, and you’ll find a good mix of either family-friendly or adult-only options. If you’d prefer a more traditional island experience, nearby Isla Holbox is worth considering.

When to go: January to April is generally considered the best time to visit the Yucatán Peninsula for decent weather. If you want to spot whale sharks, it’s best to come later in the year, around July or August. As with many Caribbean destinations, the hurricane season is from June until November, with September and October usually being the peak months for downpours and potential hurricanes.

Dominica, for an active adventure holiday far from the crowds

There are some places you fall in love with the second you arrive, and for me, that was Dominica. Far from being your classic Caribbean island – here days are much more about spotting endemic birds in a rainforest or hiking to waterfalls than lounging on the beach – the island of Dominica is an ideal Caribbean destination for adventurers.

Known as ‘the Natural Island’, this small slice of paradise is unsurprisingly rich in natural attractions. Check in to a beach bungalow and enjoy your morning coffee on the black sands. Venture on a day trip to the Boiling Lake, a fumarole in the UNESCO-listed Morne Trois Pitons National Park. Embark on the multi-day Waitukubuli National Park Trail through the rainforest or head to the Kalinago Territory to learn about the indigenous people of the land. Then, get an adrenaline kick as you experience canyoning in the Caribbean, arguably one of Dominica’s best attractions.

That’s not to say Dominica should be discounted as a romantic destination, as active couples will find this one of the more unique honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean. Whether you’re spotting the resident sperm whale population from a private boat charter or sailing down the Indian River to visit bush bars, memorable moments are aplenty.

Thankfully, Dominica has stayed relatively untouched due to the lack of access. The tiny airport means larger planes can’t land here, and with connections required through a neighbouring island, it’s remained somewhat ‘off the beaten path’. However, this is changing, as the first direct USA flight (Miami) recently launched, cruises are calling more regularly, and larger – albeit eco-focused resorts – have started opening.

When to go: June to October is Dominica’s hurricane season, and December until April is when the majority of cruise ships arrive. If you want a ‘remote’ island feeling, aim to visit in November or May, although the latter is when the humidity starts to rise. For less humidity and crowds, plan for November or December or arrive in April for sunny days at the tail-end of the season.

Aruba, for a family-friendly – or friends – island escape

While there might not be such a thing as a ‘perfect island,’ I’d argue that Aruba comes pretty close. Whether you’re a family looking for a laid-back vacation, a couple seeking a romantic getaway or a group of friends after some good vibes, there are countless reasons to visit Aruba.

Not only is this compact isle packed with idyllic beaches – mangrove-shrouded Mangel Halto is my favourite – but there are also numerous other ways to keep yourself and the kids entertained.

Water sports enthusiasts are particularly well catered for. Kayaking, SUP, and jet skis can all be easily hired, and Aruba’s renowned trade winds make this a top windsurfing destination. Numerous scuba diving sites, ranging from wrecks to drifts, also make it a popular place to learn scuba diving.

Away from the shore, you’ll find rugged and adventure-friendly landscapes in Arikok National Park. With a cactus-coated terrain ripe for quad-biking and craggy caves adorned with ancient Arawak drawings, it’s a far cry from the high-rise resorts on the other side of the island. Throw into the mix the street art of San Nicolas, numerous luxury spas, and the pastel-hued Dutch-style architecture of Oranjestad, the island’s capital, and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing Caribbean destination.

Indeed, the island’s tourism board bills Aruba as ‘one happy island’, and it’s fair to say that my smile had become permanent after a week in this absolute paradise, especially after learning how it’s planning to become a more sustainable destination.

When to go: Aruba is blessed as it sits outside the hurricane belt, making it a more year-round friendly Caribbean destination. There is still a rainy season between October and January; however, showers are often short bursts rather than prolonged rainfalls. Aruba’s Carnival is in January and February.

Jamaica, for travellers seeking culture, coast and cuisine

Jamaica has long been known as one of the world’s best islands to visit, both for its idyllic beaches and its genre-defining music culture. Yet, having spent a month exploring every corner of the country, I think it’s fair to say I massively underestimated how much the island has to offer.

Not only is this one of the most established Caribbean destinations for an all-inclusive resort stay but there’s also an abundance of culture, history and heritage to appreciate. Thus, Jamaica is an ideal Caribbean vacation for those who want the best of both worlds.

To dive deeper into the nation’s past, you’ll also want to visit some of Jamaica’s heritage sites and cultural institutions. While the Bob Marley and Culture Yard museums are the most obvious for reggae fans, the street art murals created by Kingston Creative and the National Gallery offer plenty more cultural insight. It’s also well worth planning a visit to Maroon Town to learn about the freedom-fighting Maroons,

Other places worth visiting include the Blue Mountains or Cockpit County for verdant hikes, waterfalls such as Dunn River and Reach Falls, and a nighttime boat ride on the Luminous Lagoon to spot bioluminescent plankton.

When to go: Jamaica’s hurricane season runs from June until November, with the rainiest months being early in the season. The riskiest months for hurricanes are usually August and September. You’ll often find decent weather and luxury vacation deals if you visit pre-Christmas (November until mid-December). Jamaica’s Carnival is in April.

Antigua and Barbuda, for laid-back and loved-up resort days

Consisting of three islands – there’s also the uninhabited Redonda – the main draw of Antigua and Barbuda is its reputation as a beach destination. Reportedly, the island has 365 of them, one for each day of the year, although I only had a chance to explore a handful during my visit.

With a little less to explore and experience than some other Caribbean destinations, I found Antigua the perfect place to switch off and relax in the resort. So, if you’re seeking an idyllic island without too many ‘distractions’ from doing nothing, consider setting your sights on this heavenly escape.

Yet, that’s not to say there aren’t some cultural and heritage attractions worth a visit when you can tear yourself away from the golden sands. The capital city of St John’s offers plenty of chances to try local dishes and learn more at the island’s Museum, tour Nelson’s Dockyard to learn more about naval history, and for perhaps Antigua’s best panorama, head to the lively parties at Shirley Heights.

Antigua is also known as the ‘sailing capital of the Caribbean’, making it an ideal destination for a sailing adventure – or at least a romantic sunset yacht trip – to get out on the waters.

When to go: As with most Caribbean islands, Antigua’s hurricane season is from June until November, although the risk is lower here than on some other isles. Consider planning your vacation from December until April for the best weather. You can often find some decent deals in January after the Christmas holidays.