CITY BREAK THE CONTINENTAL TRAIN JOURNEY

Sincerest apologies to: Cadiz, San Sebastian et al

Splendid substitute: St Davids

St Davids can be more than a cycling end-point. The secret to a successful summer city break is to pick somewhere little; an “urban” bolthole bereft of queues, noise and any hint of overcrowdedness. You can avoid all these things in Britain’s smallest city – a dot on the map of just 1,600 people. Its only real element of size is its 12thcentury cathedral, but there are options for drinks and dinner (including local booze-and-produce hotspot St Davids Gin & Kitchen; stdavidskitchen.co.uk) – after you’ve enjoyed a walk on the cliffs.

Do it A three-night stay at Roch Castle (a restored 12th-century jewel, nine miles round the coast; 01437 725566; rochcastle.com), arriving on August 18, starts at £630 in total

Sincerest apologies to: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Splendid substitute: the Jacobite Steam Train

Many a European adventure begins on a platform. But while any summer travel chaos is more likely to affect the scheduled services of Eurostar and Eurotunnel than the rare elegance of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, there is a case to be made for keeping on the rails in the UK. Not least when one option is the antique affair that is the Jacobite Steam Train – which chugs along the West Highland Line, from Fort William to Mallaig.

Do it Great Rail Journeys (01904 521936; greatrail.com) runs a regular “Edinburgh, the Highlands and

Islands” group tour – which, in nine days, ticks off Loch Ness and Mull, as well as the Jacobite. Two departures in August still have availability, from £1,745 per person

‘Relax in style’: Somerset Long House in Redlynch