I love to travel but I hate crowds. When I go somewhere I want to be
able to enjoy the atmosphere and feel of the pace as well as tick off
the must-see museums and attractions. If it’s me and a million other
tourists, it spoils my trip. I’ve learnt that most people go to the same
big places in the summer when most Europeans take their holidays, so
will a little bit off planning and research it’s possible to visit
wonderful places and not have the experience ruined by too many other
people. So here would I recommend to beat the crowds?
The Garfagnana region of Northern Tuscany is one
such place. Reached by following the Secchio river north from the
beautiful walled city of Lucca. To the west lie the Alpi Apuane or
marble mountains, famous for the quarries that provides the marble for
the great churches of Florence and the statues of Michelangelo. To the
east are the Appenine, the mountainous spine that cuts Northern Tuscany
in half.
From here you can visit small mountain villages and hamlets unchanged
for centuries, walk in the mountains in the National Parks, maybe
taking in the Pania di Corfino, a small viewpoint that gives spectacular
view of the whole valley. The food is rustic, traditional and
delicious, washed down by the agricultural Chiantis they import by the
barrel.
The south coast of France gets heaving with tourists during the
summer months visiting the iconic towns and cities such as Nice and
Canne, as well as enjoying its beautiful beaches. Travel a few
kilometres inland into the Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur
region and you enter the rural France of yesteryear. Dramatic roads
climb into the hills through steep alleys and canyons, passing hilltop
villages such as Gourdon. Small, sleepy villages such as Cipieres,
dominated by its lovely chateaux, hang to the mountain sides. A bit
further and you come to small, ski resorts such as Greolieres, perfect
places to base yourselves for beautiful mountain walks.
In the UK you should consider destinations that escape the large
numbers of tourists who flock to places like Cornwall in the summer,
popular with Londoners escaping the city. Consider Norfolk,
locate only 90 minutes from London but with wonderful beaches you can
almost have to yourselves. It contains the Broads, a network of man-made
lakes dug in medieval time when peat was extracted as a fuel and then
naturally flooded. Boating here is a peaceful break, enjoying the unique
landscape and visiting traditional British pubs every night.
For something more exotic then consider a trip to Morocco, basing yourself in one of the Berber cities of Marrakech or Fez,
or even the coast fishing town of Essaouira. You can do trips into the
Atlas Mountains, snow-capped until spring, visiting local villages such
as Around and trekking towards the highest peak in the range, Jebel
Toubkal. You can head south to visit the Sahara Desert, travelling by
4×4 to see the Bab n Ali or visiting the Todra gorge. The food is
delicious, with tagines and couscous cooked perfectly and washed down by
freshly made Mint tea or spicy Berber coffee.
Going on a break doesn’t always have to be city based. Look around
and you can find National Parks, forests, mountains and coasts that made
the perfect destinations for escaping the crowds. It’s now easier than
ever to find accommodation that lets you stay in the heart of these
beautiful places and really enjoy your own space.