We’ve featured a lot of budget travel options lately because, let’s face it, times are hard.
But that doesn’t mean we’re not dreaming of a luxury getaway. Of course, it would be great to get another comp win to take us somewhere exotic, but once COVID releases its world-wide grip, we’re more than ready to push the boat out.
So here are the luxury locations we’d put on our bucket list, if we believed in bucket lists.
Which we don’t!
7 luxury holiday destinations
Croatia
If I had to chose one, and only one, type of holiday for the rest of my days, it would be a private villa with its own pool. The location could be almost anywhere from a Mediterranean island to a rugged mountain, as long as it was luxury all the way!
Pork Belly says he’d keep me company for a day or two, then pack his bags and camera gear and be off exploring!
So Croatia is a destination that suits us both.
There’s history and culture in Dubrovnik (with a splash of Game of Thrones fantasy) and Venetian ports and hilltop villages in Istria.
In between there are majestic mountains, golden Adriatic beaches and more than enough produce to satisfy most tastes – grapes, olives, seafood and even truffles.
Flight time from the UK to Croatia is around 2 and a half hours.
Coastal areas enjoy a Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine. Summers are hot and dry and winters are mild and wet.
Inland it’s a little cooler and in the mountains there’s plenty of fresh air, but it will be cool even in the height of summer.
Visit Croatia’s official tourism website for more information. And if Istria’s your area of choice, see the latest info here.
Japan
From the wildness of Hokkaido in the north to the hot springs and volcanoes of southern Kyushu, Japan is a gem of geography, history and culture, not to mention a foodies’ paradise.
Familiar and yet also disorientatingly alien, it’s a country of bustling cities and lonely villages.
A sleek bullet train will take you from the neon-lit streets of Tokyo to the fresh air of the Japanese Alps. Buddhist temples can be found everywhere, and in rural communities the old traditions still survive as part of daily life.
Visit Japan from March to May if you want to see cherry blossom, and from September to November for glorious autumn foliage.
The summer months can be very hot and humid, so best to enjoy outdoor activities in Hokkaido or the Japanese Alps at this time.
Flights from the UK are about 12 hours.
For more information, see the official tourism website for Japan
The Azores
Green hills, aquamarine seas, dormant volcanoes and exotic wildlife wait for you in this archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
A string of 9 tiny islands, created by volcanoes around 10 million years ago, form a spectacular Geopark with caves, grottoes, craters and lakes to explore.
Whale and dolphin watching are high on visitors’ wish lists, and if you like trekking there are more than 60 trails to choose from.
The climate in The Azores is subtropical oceanic, which means summers are pleasantly warm but not baking hot and winters are mild – perfect for outdoor activities.
Flights from UK are around 5 hours.
See Visit Portugal for official tourism advice and information on The Azores.
The Caribbean
We love Antigua and want to return, but there are so many other Caribbean jewels to discover. Every island has beautiful beaches of soft white sand, crystal blue waters and unique wildlife.
It’s where watersports and nature come together with a laid back, feel good vibe.
Difficult to chose but if a Pirate of the Caribbean was forcing me at cutlass point I’d say St Lucia for its soothing waves, rainforests and hospitable people.
Weather is tropical, so hot all year round – but the Caribbean gets pretty wet from June to November.
Flight time from the UK is about 9 hours
For more information (and pictures of beautiful sandy beaches) see the St Lucia tourism website
France
A long-time favourite destination of ours, we’ve spent many a road trip exploring its regions from the Normandy Cider route, through the Loire châteaux to wild Auvergne and the wine-and-myth soaked Languedoc.
We’ve mostly done it at the budget end, staying in little auberges or self-catering in rural farmhouses. But if you want luxury, then France has you covered.
Why not stay in a castle?
Or a gîte with a private pool?
A tiny loft apartment overlooking the Seine in Paris?
Or a secluded alpine chalet in the heart of the forest?
The weather will depend on which part of France you are heading for. Expect cool winters and warm summers, but of course the further south you go, the hotter it will be.
Getting to France is easy from the UK, even after Brexit!
You can fly, take your own vehicle or Eurostar it.
Hot tub heaven in the UK
Still not ready to go abroad?
Don’t worry, the UK has more than its fair share of luxury, and what better way to relax than a forest cabin with your own private jacuzzi?
So after a day of walking, cycling, tree-top trails and forest bathing you can sink into a hot tub under a canopy of trees and a starlit sky.
The Antarctic
And finally, if time is on your side, a cruise to the rugged, icy wilderness of the Antarctic has to be the ultimate voyage of discovery.
Antarctica is one of the world’s most remote and fascinating places, which has yet to reveal all its mysteries.
First, you need to reach either Argentina or Chile, both of which are jump off points for Antarctic cruises. The route takes in the infamous Drake Passage, a 600-mile body of water that separates South America from the Antarctic Peninsula.
There are some fly/cruise options that avoid this sea route by landing on a tiny airstrip.
Either way, you’ll be rewarded with views of a frozen wilderness of glaciers, icebergs, and amazing wildlife.
It’s not so much the weather that determines the best time to take a worldwide cruise, but the sea conditions.
The Antarctic summer runs from November to March, when wildlife is at its busiest and there’s up to 24 hours of daylight.
An expedition to Antarctica is not your usual holiday, so check out Discovering Antarctica for more information.
Where to next?
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