RAVEL Best STAYCATION Deals TEN OUT OF Chill out in the lap of luxury on scenic isle
Norfolk from
£245: Save
50% on a threenight self-catering Haven break at Caister-on-Sea holiday park near Great Yarmouth.
Based on a family of six sharing standard accommodation and arriving on July 24. See haven.com or dial
0333 202 5250. Mid-Wales from £42pn: Ivy’s Way shepherd hut near Rhayader in Powys, sleeps two for this summer and has a hot tub out on the decking.
Not surprisingly, it’s very rural! Head to holidu.co.uk.
AS the sun slowly sets, distant sailing boats are silhouetted against the vivid pinks streaking across the sky.
I finish the last of my Aperol spritz, order another, then savour that golden spell of stillness as the colours of daytime fade into dusk.
Sofas on the elevated terrace bar at the five-star Riu Palace Tenerife hotel are the most sought after at this time of day.
They come with panoramic views out to sea and all the way down to the shining lights of the hotels and spirited nightlife of Playa de las Americas (inset right).
Just a couple of miles up the coast here at Costa Adeje, however, there is an entirely different vibe.
Centred around upscale properties, quality restaurants and bars and designer shopping, this is where to discover the swankier and more serene side of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.
The Riu Palace, our abode for the week, occupies a prime spot on the seafront where there’s a promenade and a black sand beach, which has a great novelty factor if you have kids.
A two-minute walk down the coast will bring you to the pale-sand, Blue Flag beach of Playa del Duque, where huge waves crash into the rocks at one end, and upmarket bars and cafés are dotted around.
But as temperatures are still in the high 20s in the winter months, why venture out in the heat when there is a beachfront infinity pool and Balinese beds in the hotel’s lush grounds?
After grazing through course after course at the lavish breakfast buffet – smoked salmon and cava, a full English, coffee and croissants, in that exact order – this was a lovely place to chill out, catch up with the papers and go for a dip.
There’s also the Body Love Wellness Centre, should you fancy a bit of quality pampering, as well as a steam bath and gym. We were staying half-board and rarely bothered with lunch, and the days just slipped peacefully by. There’s a good variety of rooms here – our family room had a king-size bed and a double sofa bed for the kids, a fridge, large bathroom with double sinks, walk-in shower, free use of the safe and a widescreen TV with English channels.
Mount Teide is the obvious choice for a day trip when you’re holidaying on Tenerife. The highest peak in Spain and the third highest volcanic structure in the world, there’s an amazing view from the top – so I’m told.
Unfortunately, we were there in October after the clocks had gone back, which meant the cable car ride to the summit wasn’t operating. It starts up again every March.
Instead we, like all the other daytrippers, had a quick look at a spectacularly pointy rock known as La Catedral, just below the mighty Teide, then reverted to our plan B. Tenerife’s volcanic fireworks have left
TERRIFIC Tenerife beckons as air bridges mean we can head off to sunny Spain once again! their mark in a wondrous way on the island’s north west coast at Garachico, a beautifully preserved town which was once the main port on the island.
The natural swimming pools of El Caleton were created by lava, which formed deep channels into the sea and now make for a rather refreshing dip. Pathways marked out along the top allow you to admire their beauty without taking the plunge. There are also steps cut into the rocks for