My favourite type of holiday is one where I can both relax and recharge my batteries under the warmth of the sun, and soak in the culture. A holiday where I can sit on the beach and have interesting excursions. A holiday where I can sample local cuisine, enjoy the local hospitality, and really get to understand and be a part of the local area.
As an English person, I hate that we have gone to other countries and cannibalised it to suit our tastes. That we have brought England to that country. I remember the first time I went to Spain and being horrified that I could get a cooked English breakfast and a Sunday roast there. In fact, if I remember rightly, I couldn’t get authentic Spanish food in that or other holidays. I just don’t see the point. If you are that desperate to get a suntan, sit underneath a sunbed. It will have the same impact on your skin, so save yourself the money and save the other countries the horror of little England. I love my country, but I find this behaviour embarrassing.
Yes, when I was younger I loved the party holidays with friends. The first time I went to Ibiza, I didn’t leave the hotel until about 10pm at night and only saw the local area in daylight in the early hours of the morning on my way back from a club. Similarly, I went to Ayia Napa for party holidays though I did venture to the beach then despite our hotel complex having a pool. But, by far my favourite holiday to Ibiza was in the early season, in May. I went with a friend for a week to simply relax and recharge. We were both working very hard, both tired and in need of a break, and she is a huge fan of the island. I hadn’t been for 20 years, so was keen to go back. And it was glorious. Yes, there was the usual ‘Englishness’, but we went out of our way to avoid that, and embraced the local culture. We had some amazing meals, sampling the local food which was invariably delicious. We would also walk around to the ‘chill out’ bars and just sit watching the sun go down and quietly enjoying a couple of glasses of wine after a busy day sunbathing around the pool.
We also undertook some excursions with my absolute favourite being the day we spent in Ibiza Old Town which is just the most splendid medieval walled town. It is truly breath taking, and given it was combined with a medieval festival it was a unique experience for us. As someone who greatly loves history and has studied it at length, this was quite possibly the best day for me. It certainly stands out in my memory still, over 15 years after that particular holiday. It was a lovely, restful week and I came away with a much greater appreciation of the history and beauty of Ibiza than I had at 18 partying in the clubs! Both were great holidays for me, just for very different reasons. I have also been back to Cyprus, not Ayia Napa, and had a glorious time exploring the amazing food and culture there as well as doing some much needed relaxing (see previous blog on unwinding after a difficult day).
I know that some people view having a holiday as an absolute entitlement in life, and that’s fine. That is entirely their choice. I personally see it as a luxury, and usually approach holidays from that perspective. So, I do like to make the most of my time while I am wherever it is I am. I like to see and do things, I like to explore, and I like to spend quality time with whoever it is I am on holiday with. I love culture, I love to immerse myself in the area and get a feel for how people live in those areas. I can’t think of anywhere I have left and not wanted to live there myself. Top of that particular list is Italy. Every single holiday I have ever had in that country has been wonderful, and it has been a true wrench for me to leave. I have been all over the country, and there isn’t a part I don’t love. I have been there most times of the year as well and for some reason, spring in Rome and autumn in Venice and Florence are my favourites. There is something about the atmosphere in Rome in the spring where it isn’t too hot but is beautifully sunny to enjoy the city. The Spanish steps, the Colosseum, the Vatican, the immense history that is still in plain sight for everyone is best enjoyed on a lovely sunny day that isn’t baking you half to death! It’s a city to be walked around, to be savoured, to be enjoyed. The food is obviously spectacular and I have a particularly fond memory of wandering around with a gorgeous gelato as I took in the vibe of the place. Similarly, Venice and Florence are lovely on a cloudy day. The first time I went to Florence I will admit I was bored by it (I was about 12), but ever since then I have just adored it. Again, I have incredibly fond memories of wandering around both Florence and Venice just absorbing the atmosphere as well as marvelling at the architecture, art and culture.
I have in the past enjoyed holidays to the US, but I will be honest and say they are perhaps not amongst my favourite. I do love New York, but that for me is a long weekend and one not about relaxation. No, for me some of my favourite holidays have been relaxing ones in Europe where I have been able to enjoy the typical beach holiday and then gone off to explore some ancient, and not-so-ancient history and culture.
All of which has me yearning for a European holiday this summer…
Louisa Simpson 