Travel

Holidays That Break The Mold This Summer


Summer Holidays

Holidays have long been a part of British culture in which we all look forward to the summer months where work dies down for the summer, kids go on school holidays and the M5 comes to a familiar halt. From city breaks to beach holidays and all-inclusive deals in the Med, there’s nothing like packing your case for a few weeks away from it all.

In fact, statistics show that the UK gets one of the most generous paid holiday packages in the world at an average of 37 days per year. This is followed closely by France, Spain and Germany who also share our love of vacation time. However, since the pandemic, the way Brits take holidays has changed dramatically, in which many people now seek alternative holidays that make life a little more simple and cut the stress out of travel.

So, if you’re looking for an alternative and stress-free holiday this year, we’ve got you covered with a number of alternative holiday ideas below.

A shift in tourism since the pandemic

Summer Holidays Road Trip

Pre-pandemic, the most popular types of holidays Brits would take were city breaks; coming in at the most popular with 46% of holidays in the UK being of this type. This was closely followed by beach holidays, countryside retreats and all-inclusive holidays abroad.

However, the impact of the pandemic has meant that international travel reduced by 94% at the beginning of 2021, as well as UK cruise passengers falling from 2 million in 2019, to 259,000 in 2020. It hasn’t all been international travel that was affected either, with a 60% reduction in the number of Brits taking a domestic vacation during 2020.

While we seem to be through the worst of the pandemic and are now seeing travel return to a heightened level again, there has been a large change in the way Brits spend their holiday time. The latest statistics now show that there has been a decline in typical city breaks and a significant increase in rural and coastal breaks.

As a result, it has been difficult for many families to secure affordable accommodation, in which there’s now a heightened demand for alternative holidays that avoid the chaos of travel post-pandemic.

Ideas for unusual holidays to take in 2022

While finding a suitable holiday this year is proving to be a challenge for many Brits, there’s a range of unusual holidays that just might provide the ideal solution. Let’s take a look at some of these below.

A yacht charter

Once reserved exclusively for the rich and famous, today’s yacht charters are more accessible than many would have thought. The most popular destinations for yacht charters include the Mediterranean with Greece being a popular choice, closely followed by the likes of Bermuda, the US Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean.

yacht charter rent a boat mediterranean

If you’re thinking a yacht charter may be out of reach, there’s a number of options that can accommodate a variety of budgets. These include:

  • A Bareboat charter – This is where you hire the yacht only and sail it yourself, covering expenses like fuel and food too. Bear in mind that you will most likely need a sailing licence for this option.
  • A cabin – If a private yacht charter is out of the question, consider hiring a cabin on a shared yacht charter. There are a number of benefits to this as you get to meet new people, make friends for life and make some fantastic memories from the luxury of a fully staffed yacht, minus the price tag.
  • Crewed – If you have a little more cash to splash this year, a crewed charter offers the ultimate luxury.

Companies like Borrow A Boat offer a great range of options for chartering a yacht and cater to a variety of budgets too.

Summer Holidays Mediterranean Sea France
Take a splash in the inviting Mediterranean Sea this summer

A Lake District hiking adventure

If a coastal retreat is your usual go-to holiday, why not consider ditching the tourist crowds for something a little more peaceful in the scenic lake district. The Lake District is perfect for all the family, offering luxury spa retreats for couples, or scenic family friendly cottages nestled on the side of a lake with plenty of activities that kids and grown-ups alike will love.

Summer Holidays Lake Vacation

A wild swimming adventure

If a city break was your pre-pandemic style, why not consider getting outside your comfort zone by getting up-close and personal with nature. Snowdonia is a peaceful location where you can be sure to avoid the tourist crowds and painstaking queues that follow them, swapping it for a holiday filled with wild swimming in the famous llyns, before taking a mindful hike on one of the many remote mountain trails in the area.

A rail holiday

If you can’t bear to face the airport security queue or the motorway traffic, why not consider a rail holiday. Places like the Hebrides in Scotland offer a memorial holiday with breath-taking views of the Glenfinnan Viaduct and the iconic stone structures that are dotted across the countryside. The best part is, you can sit back and relax in a luxury cabin, without having to worry about things like where you’ll park or transfers to your accommodation.

uk rail train trip britain

Overall, while travel may have changed dramatically since the pandemic started, one thing is still clear, Brits love their holiday time. So, while we may not quite be back to ‘normal’ travel just yet, an alternate break could be just what you need to create lasting memories for 2022.


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