10 Trips We’re Going to Book as Soon as This is All Over (and Why)
18 March, 2020
Whether
Whether
you’re a frustrated food-lover or a shackled party-goer,
these are the destinations we’ll be visiting once this dystopian
bubble has finally burst.
Escapism in the time of coronavirus: 10 destinations we can’t
wait to visit
Forte dei Marmi
Italy
Why? Help a brother out.
Lemons the size of human heads, craggy islands that fade into
sky-blue waters and enchantingly haunted ruins: the Amalfi Coast
has its perks. We suspect it might be a little busy once Italy
starts welcoming visitors once again, so we’ll be shuffling
slightly along the shore to Forte dei Marmi on the Versilia coast.
It’s where Tuscans holiday – the Sunday market here is the stuff of
fashion legend.
Where to stay: Villa Grey
Vilnius
Lithuania
Why? We might be out of the woods, but we’re
now in a recession, folks.
This deliciously affordable capital city has recently been
brought to our attention. If we weren’t in lockdown, we’d book a
return ticket pronto. As it stands, this cutesy medieval enclave
and the neighbouring “Republic of Užupis” – a tongue-in-cheek title
given to the city’s bohemian district – will have to wait.
Where to stay: Hotel PACAI
Omo Valley
Ethiopia
Why? To break out of our self-isolation
echo-chamber.
If any trip could help us break free from this self-isolation
echo-chamber, it’s a sweep through the Omo Valley in Ethiopia.
You’ll find esoteric pockets of welcoming tribespeople and a group
of diligent artisans known as the Dorze weavers turning out
magnificent textiles as per local tradition.
Where to stay: Bale Mountain Lodge
Leipzig
Germany
Why? To ceremoniously welcome the return of
mass gatherings.
It’s Berlin‘s
lesser-known sister city. Once mass gatherings are back on the
cards, we’ll be redressing the imbalance (financial, fun and
otherwise) by dancing through the nights at Leipzig’s warehouse
parties and pootling about its contemporary art galleries during
the days.
Where to stay: Meisterzimmer
Galway
Ireland
Why? For a much-needed palate cleanser (we’re a
bit bored of tinned beans to be honest). Since 2018, when it was
named European Region of Gastronomy, this Irish city has been on
the must-visit list of every food-obsessed travel junkie. It’s not
just about the city’s salty-fresh seafood, though. We’ll be hiring
a car (freedom of travel, yippee) and visiting farm-to-table joints
in the surrounding hills.
Where to stay: Inis Meái
Palawan
Philippines
Why? Because heaven is a place on earth,
despite
COVID-19.
You know that a remote island getaway is deserving of such a
moniker when you have to take more than four modes of transport to
reach it. Palawan is the sort of place which almost suffers from a
nature glut. Catch us paddling through Puerto Princesa Subterranean
River National Park, hiking the forests and navigating the lagoons
in full scuba get-up.
Where to stay: Amanpulo
Granada
Nicaragua
This is a city which bathes in the sun from November
through to April.
If you have either the time or inclination, look at the
meteorological records and see for yourself.
Where to stay: Jicaro Island Ecolodge
Dakar
Senegal
Why? Please. Do we need to explain
ourselves?
Sunny Senegal, the alliteration rolls off the tongue. This
colourful coastal city on Africa’s westernmost tip is a riotous
place to live it large once livin’ large is permitted. We’re
hitting up Tastemakers Africa for a street art tour of Medina, a
traditional sabar dance class and a jeep tour of Lac Rose – yes, a
bubblegum-pink lake. We’re salivating.
Where to stay: Solo Bade
Lanzarote
Spain
Why? Because it’s actually not as ordinary as
you might think.
Okay, it might be that place where less-discerning tourists
flock for cheap grub and a quick tan, but that’s only half of the
story. If you head north, you’ll find looming volcanoes, glassy
modernist architecture which slices through desert-like landscapes
and a rippling vineyard or three.
Where to stay: Caserio de Mozaga
Aarhus
Denmark
Why? Apparently, Scandi cool has been medically
proven to soothe coronavirus-induced hysteria.
We predict that people will be pouring into
Copenhagen once the current pandemonium has blown over. You’ll
find us in Aarhus, Denmark’s second city. It’s no less achingly
cool (perhaps even more so for its under-the-radar status) and
speckled with a similarly generous number of art galleries, cycling
routes and culinary festivals.
Where to stay: Hotel Oasia Aarhus City