Alternative Ways To Spend Your Summer Holiday

As summer draws nearer, most people start to look for holiday packages, which most often include the seaside and lounging on the beach. City tours are also popular, but many still like to escape the city and head out to enjoy nature.

If you are in fact in the mood to visit a city or region you haven’t before, and are browsing your options for 2017, here are our suggestions:

Alternative Ways To Spend Your Summer Holiday

Bordeaux

There is much more to Bordeaux than red wine. The city is a combination of the neoclassical and the contemporary, and your best choice is to rent a bike and cruise around town. If you want a break from the summer sun, stop by the bank of the Garonne, and cool down a bit. Alternately, you can do so in the Miroir d’eau pool in front of the Place de la Bourse.

If you feel like leaving the city for a bit, you can rent a car and drive out to Medoc, where you will indeed find the vineyards. Try some of the wine, but do make sure you are not the one doing the driving afterwards.

You can also sample oysters at Arcachon, or even go surfing at the Bay of Biscay.

Montreal

Montreal is the place to be if you are a jazz aficionado, but there is much more to the city you need to soak in as well. For starters, there is the MURAL, an amazing exhibition of public art, visited by a million people each year.

Your next stop can be Olmsted’s Parc du Mont-Royal, where you can find a spot in the shade to escape the heat, and enjoy your view of the Montreal skyline. If you go on a Sunday, you will also be able to experience the parade of drummers that will invite you to dance.

While in Montreal, you should absolutely not miss out on the food. Truly a foodie paradise, the city offers the best of French-Canadian cuisine, and has a huge selection of fantastic restaurants to choose from.

The Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago is a collection of pilgrim routes leading to the town of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and is walked by many every season. If you are in the mood for a walking holiday, one of the ways to Santiago may be the right choice for you.

You can walk through France, Spain or Portugal, or even start from the UK, but be prepared for an adventure, and make sure you have the stamina for it. Some Caminos can take up to five weeks to complete, while others are about a week long.

Walking the Camino de Santiago will surely be an experience you will never forget, and will allow you to explore a part of Europe unlike anything else.

Alternative Ways To Spend Your Summer Holiday

The Faroe Islands

If you are looking for a bit of isolation, the Faroe Islands could be the perfect choice. You will also wish to travel there if you are a music lover, and are looking to enjoy the festival season. The famous G! Festival is an experience like no festival in the UK or the continent. Some performances are held on the beach, others are hidden away in tiny villages, so make sure you do travel around a bit, and enjoy all the festivities the island has to offer during the season.

Kotor

If you do want a side of sea with your holiday, why not head down to Montenegro. The town of Kotor and its stone walls, nestled at the foot of the mountains, can be a perfect mix of sea and culture, topped with a lot of history. You will find churches dating back to the 12th century captivating you with their mystery, a Prince’s Palace full of treasures, and cobbled streets that lead to hidden corners and quaint restaurants.

The Bay of Kotor is a gem as well, and you can take boat tours to the small towns and villages on the coast, stopping in long enough to sample to local dishes and take a few captivating photos.

Make this summer memorable and head out on the road. Break out of your comfort zone and explore the world around you – there is a reason why people say that traveling is good for the soul. Don’t let your daily routine stop you from seeing and feeling as much as you can of this blue planet of ours.