DREAM BREAKS
For when we can travel
Holidays have, of course, been on hold for what seems like an eternity, but we could all use a little bit of inspiration right now. So where would you love to visit when restrictions are finally eased? Here, travel editor David Wickers presents his own top 10 must-visit destinations for 2021 (when we’re allowed to)… Greece is the word
Throughout the various lockdowns, whenever I daydreamed about being abroad, the images that most frequently popped into my head were of the gorgeous Greek islands and their unrivalled mix of sunshine, easy-going living, picturesque white villages, family-run tavernas and beautiful swimming. This summer, all being well, I will probably return to old favourite Paxos, with its white pebbled beaches, vibrant blue waters and an interior coated with olive trees, or maybe sleepy, tiny Tilos in the Dodecanese. With grown-up children now living on their own, it hasn’t been easy for us to ‘bubble up’ during lockdown, so I think we’ll rent a villa and hopefully arrange a tribal gathering. Go with The Villa Collection (gicthevillacollection.com).
African adventure
Whenever friends ask me what they should do for a special birthday, I usually recommend a safari. The sheer privilege, as Sir David Attenborough once put it, of coming eye to eye with the greatest animals that walk our planet, is a travel experience that’s second to none. Were I to pick one of the many safari destinations I love, it would be Botswana, specifically the Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta in the world; a vast 16,000 sq km biomass of lagoons, water channels and islands. It’s also one of the continent’s richest sanctuaries for wildlife. Go with Expert Africa (expertafrica.com).
Swedish break
In January, I booked my very first trip for later in 2021: a four-day spring break to Stockholm. Sweden’s capital is a jigsaw of 14 islands on the silvery waters of the Baltic Sea. The combination of seaside location, the easy-mannered pace of life and small-town proportions come together to make Stockholm ideal for weekend pleasures, especially in early summer when the days are at their longest. Go with Best Served Scandinavia (best-served.co.uk).
Serenely India
I can’t stress this enough about India: I can’t wait to go back. Having been to both Rajasthan and Kerala, I ought to consider another state. But I so loved Kerala on my visit two years ago that pushing the boundaries will have to wait, as I am ready to press the repeat button. So why Kerala? India’s deep south has it all: the faded grandeur of colonialism, hills blanketed by tea plantations, gorgeous sandy beaches and a seductive tangle of rivers, lagoons and lakes that make up the so-called backwaters. Kerala is a most wonderfully serene state, sensuous, beautiful and a far less frenetic India. Go with Cox & Kings (coxandkings.co.uk).
Uniquely Japan
Despite embracing the 21st century with vim and vigour, Japan is still one of the world’s most culturally distinctive destinations. Scratch below the surface and you’ll find unique, deeply embedded traditions, from sumo wrestling to tea ceremonies, Zen gardens to geisha musicians. I’ve been lucky enough to have visited twice, but next time I want to deviate from the twin cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, paired by the exhilarating bullet train, and explore places more off-piste, where I might double-take at the sight of another westerner. Go with Inside Japan (insidejapantours.com).
Traditions in Turkey
Travel by yacht or traditional gulet, with a crew to take care of all things nautical as well as feeding you like a sultan, and a Turkish holiday afloat is one of the most appealing ways to enjoy the coast. Or stay put in one of the less busy resorts such as Kalkan or Kas, both situated on harbours with lots of shops, restaurants and cafes in their narrow streets. You’ll experience one of the wildest, most dramatic coastlines on the Mediterranean, overlooked by mighty broom and pine-covered mountains. Go with Tui (tui.co.uk).
Italy on foot
If I could only have one last trip abroad, I would choose a walking holiday. One booked through a company that not only provides maps and notes on the route but also arranges accommodation along the way and, most important of all, transports your luggage between them. Should I be forced to whittle down the specific destination to just one, it would be Italy, and probably Tuscany, following the network of footpaths and farm tracks that link magnificent hill towns and Renaissance cities. Option two would be Switzerland’s Engadine Valley because, well, the views. Go with Inntravel (inntravel.co.uk).
The best of British
Throughout lockdowns, we have been craving an injection of foreign culture but I, for one, have never overlooked the beauty of our home shores. My number one destination is the Isles of Scilly. They are stunning, but they are also never crowded, since you can only get to the islands by ferry, very small plane or helicopter. Stay at the four-star Star Castle Hotel on St Mary’s and enjoy day trips by boat to the other islands, where you’ll discover beaches, even at the height of summer, with barely a footprint. Go with Prestige Holidays (ukprestigeholidays.co.uk).
US road trip
The only question if considering a US getaway is: where to begin? For a classic road trip, California is hard to beat, combining the stunningly scenic Pacific Coast Highway, bookended by San Francisco and Los Angeles and with Yosemite National Park easily bolted on. Fly into Las Vegas and you can do a grander tour, incorporating the Grand Canyon and one or two of Utah’s National Parks. For my own next US journey, I’m planning to fly into Washington and, after exploring some of its imposing imperial sights and many museums, driving south, snaking along the crest of the Appalachian backbone and linking the Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains. Part of the drive includes the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic road built for no other reason than to bring pleasure to motorists. Go with Travelbag (travelbag.co.uk).
Cruise like an Egyptian
I am a late convert to the pleasures of river cruising. Whichever waterway you choose, you’ll be rewarded with a pageant of historic sights without having to repack, getting stuck in traffic jams or having to find somewhere to park. I could recommend several, but the one that tops my list has to be the Nile, the birthplace of civilisation, with fantastic archaeological sites concentrated on its banks. It’s the ultimate journey in time as well as place. Go with Avalon (avalonwaterways.co.uk).