... distant places ...
in search of quiet destinations
Top tourist destinations in Europe have become synonymous with overtourism. Venice now charges an entrance fee. Locals in Dubrovnik have lost their beloved medieval city to hordes of Cruise ship day trippers. The 800 residents of Hallstatt in Austria now play host to over 3 million, Instagram-inspired visitors. And it’s not just Emily who seems to be in Paris. At time it feels as if large chunks of Europe have been commercialised into one gigantic theme park.
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The sound of wheely suitcases being dragged along cobble stones. The sight of selfie sticks poking into the sky, the search for Europe’s best ‘xyz’ as fashioned by some influencer, the company of visitors who all seem to be chasing identical experiences. Surely there must be more to travel …
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Maybe we ought to look for remote, quieter places and for a retreat into more authentic and serene spaces, free from the pretence of our daily existence. If I long to immerse myself in a crowd, I go and watch the Arsenal, but whilst travelling? Seeking solitude is, at least for me, one of the key attractions of travel. It is not an escape from the world but instead a journey of discovery, that enables you to connect with nature, with a new culture, with art and architecture or indeed with people. I found it difficult to re-create that process when walking down Las Ramblas ….
You might want to try the following destinations, where your presence is not regarded as a nuisance but is instead appreciated.
Europe's longest running conflict. Cyprus has been partitioned ever since Turkey invaded the northern part of the island in 1974. What you will find is an economy in overdrive, fuelled by casinos, rampant (and often shady) property developments and (bizarrely) over 20 universities. But away from the boom, the North also has many quiet corners, in particular in the Karpas peninsula at the eastern tip of the island, and in the Kyrenia mountains.
Up until the country’s independence in 1991, most of its thousands of islands were military exclusion zones. With the departure of the Soviet Union’s Red Army, property has gradually been returned to its rightful owners and public access is one more granted to beaches and forests. Yet not many people have returned and the 21st century has not fully arrived on Saaremaa, Naissaar, Prangli or Vormsi.
The three islands of Pico, São Jorge, and Faial are located in close proximity of one another in the centre of the Azorean archipelago. Perfect for an island-hopping trip.
Just don't call it Scotland: an archipelago that is more Viking than Celtic with a fabulous history stretching back 5,500 years. And the scenery is superb too.
185 miles, 10 causeways, 4 ferries and 10 islands: Vatersay, Barra, Eriskay, North and South Uist, Benbecula, Berneray, Harris Lewis and Bernera. If you can brace the elements, a wild adventure awaits.
500 miles (well, 700 in my experience, taking in a number of side excursions) across the top of Scotland through a rugged, wild and isolated landscape. Camera at the ready, this one’s for the cinematographers (should the weather play along).
No hotel complexes or apartment blocks on the smallest of the Canary Islands. The perfect place to do not much at all, and to leave the trappings of modern civilisation behind.
Weird and wonderful: a recently extinguished volcano, black-sand beaches, towering mountains, steep ravines, and a vibrant cultural mix of 'old' and 'new' world. Not that many tourists either.
Green Spain. The Basque country, Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia: the places to which Spaniards escape to once the summer heat hits the parts of the country further south. And so should you: mountains, beaches, excellent wine, scrumptious food and even cider (if that’s your sort of thing).
One of the most beautiful islands in the world. At least according to the readers of Conde Nast who persistently rank it amongst the European Top 10. Avoid the crowds in Hvar Town, discover the lesser known villages and enjoy some truly mesmerising scenery.
A road trip through Denmark and southern Sweden. Skagen in Jutland, Gothenburg on the Bohuslan coast, the lake lands around Vastergotland, Bornholm, Copenhagen: Coasts, wilderness, islands, metropoles; a rather impressive list by anyone’s standards (and yes, even a luxury treehouse in which you can spend the night).
