Taking a break over the warmer months with your family and loved ones, whether at home or abroad, is something most people look forward to all year round.
If you’re looking for fresh ideas for holidays or short breaks, why not try basing your trip around an exciting sport or activity.
Here are a few of my favourite activity-based holidays:
Biking Holiday
Europe’s beautiful and varied scenery offers something for everyone, including several of the planet’s favourite and most beautiful cycling routes. After enjoying a glass of local red wine and a bowl of simple pasta, zoom down the flat, wide roads of Tuscany, luscious vegetation and olive groves on one side, a classic, Mediterranean market town on the other. What could be better than exploring the boot-shaped peninsula by bicycle? There are numerous companies who transport your bags from hotel to hotel, while you take in the warm, evening air, cycling calmly to meet them at your next destination.
Water Sports Holiday
Why not keep it local and try Cornwall? Newquay is the perfect place for newbies to learn water sports, the renowned Fistral Beach being home to countless surfing and body-boarding schools. If you would rather start off your surfing career in friendly waters, there really is no better place.
The seaside town is buzzing and full of life. Chill out on the sunny terrace of one of the many relaxing bars, cafes or restaurants after a hard day’s riding waves.
The south west of England, however, offers far more than just surfing. Why not learn to scuba dive in Portreath? The friendly and experienced team of instructors will have you in the open water in no time at all. What a way to explore the magnificent Atlantic Ocean!
Take a boat trip to the Isles of Scilly. Tresco, a family-owned island, is the second largest after St Mary’s. It’s a charming place to visit and has a wide selection of self-catered as well as full-service accommodation. You will be welcomed warmly by the permanent inhabitants and will always be within earshot or eyesight of the luscious, lapping ocean.
Alpine Holidays
Although the snow tipped Alps are not something that you would instantly connect with summer breaks, they are almost more beautiful in summer than they are in winter. A trip to Zermatt in the warmer months is perhaps one of the most delicious, the journey from Zurich airport being only possible by train. Imagine winding up the green and sunny slopes in the old, Swiss style red train carriages, through chocolate box villages and out above the clouds.
On arrival, not only are you greeted by a town centre of unrivalled beauty, but the sporting opportunities are many. Climbing, mountain biking, swimming and volley ball are all available, as, believe it or not, is skiing! Get up early to hit the glacier before the slush sets in, and the gondola will take you from town to peak within about 40 minutes.
An activity holiday is a great way to learn a new skill or to get comfortable with an unfamiliar environment. Booking a trip based around one of these sports will bring you closer to your companions and promises to be a trip you will not forget in a long time.
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