9 Die-Hard Travellers Reveal the Best Summer Holiday Destinations in 2018
Posted on By Blog Admin
While planning a holiday you will get a list of top 20, 50 or 100 summer holiday destinations to confuse you from choosing the best one of them.
So, we asked some travel bloggers and frequent travellers one simple question:
“If you have to recommend the best summer holiday destinations in 2018 which would you choose?“
We wanted to come across some of the off-beat tourist destinations that can be explored this summer.
Best Summer Holiday Destinations 2018:
Valentini Argyropoulou | My Shoes Abroad
Summer 2018 is ahead and what is the best destination for a summer holiday if not in Greece?
Symi is a small beautiful island located in the Aegean sea, not accessible by air but just 1-2 hours by ferry from Rhodes (the famous Greek island) or a bit more from Kos (one more famous Greek island). Rhodes and Kos have international airports so at the end of the day…it is not that difficult to reach Symi! In the high-season there is even a connection with Turkish side too. If you are brave enough you can fly to Athens (the capital of Greece) and take a ferry that will take roughly 17 hours!
Symi has one of the most picturesque harbours in Dodecanese (=group of Greek islands located South East of the country) and the neoclassical buildings –the first thing you notice from the ferry!- are located uphill. Be prepared for lots of stairs, cobbled narrow streets, friendly locals, unique architecture, nice food, amazing photos and crystal sea water! A cheap frequent mini-bus will take you in the nearest beaches and the central village but you can also rent a car/ motorbike or book daily trips around the island. However, a must-do is to hop on/ hop off the boats/ taxis to the beaches that are not accessible by road- the bay of Saint George Dysalona , Diavates islet, Maroni Bay just to name a few! A famous religion building is also the Monastery of Archangel Michael Panormitis (south of the island) if you are up for churches!
A hidden highlight of this destination is that here you can learn more about the traditional sponge diving history and culture that counts lots of years in Dodecanese Islands but specifically in Symi. This is a unique opportunity to understand everything about the sponges and this old job before it disappears completely into the history books…
Please avoid the period between mid of July and 20th August as the island can be extremely busy. If you prefer bigger days May-July is the best period (the sunset is around 9 pm) but if you don’t mind smaller days September is great too! Don’t forget your sunscreen, a good snorkelling mask and here you go! Symi is waiting for you!
About Valentini: Valentini is a travel blogger from Greece who has already travelled in more than 30 countries! She holds a Master in footwear design, she has been living in London for 6 years but at the moment she is at the beginning of a 4 months trip around Russia- Siberia- China- Thailand and…who knows what is next? She has written posts for the World Nomads and she is also the co-founder of the travel design website http://www.hidethemap.com/ – however, she is unsure if she likes the job title «digital nomad» or not!
Connect with Valentini on Instagram: @valentiniargyropoulou
Heather Ewert | Adventures Of A Wanderluster
Croatia – So much history across the country and every island is gorgeous. The weather is hot but you have to be aware that some islands are mostly pebble beaches if that is what you are looking for. Hvar and Korcula are very good for sandy beaches.
Algarve, Portugal – Perfect hot weather and gorgeous sandy beaches. Portugal is still quite cheap which makes it a very good choice.
Bali, Indonesia – I recommend Seminyak which is a lovely area away from all the major touristy beaches and areas. Weather is quite good during the summer months and there is a lot to do if you are into sightseeing or just relaxing on the gorgeous sandy beaches. Bali is also quite cheap for food, travel, and shopping.
About Heather: I am an avid wanderluster and have visited a total of 58 countries to date. I am always looking for recommendations and offering my best advice on where to go as well! Travel is my biggest passion and I have lots of knowledge on where is good to go next!
Connect with Heather on Instagram: @adventuresofawanderluster
MUST READ: 10 Delights of the Mediterranean Kitchen You Shouldn’t Miss In Spain and Portugal
Luis Carrillo | Written From
Quito, Ecuador.
Why?
Quito is uniquely placed on the continent. A large administrative city perched on peaking Andean mountains, located in the ring of fire and cut through by the equator. On top of that, Quito shares in the incredibly tumultuous history of Latin-America, which means that the complexity of the culture runs deep at every turn and experience.
Touching the clouds at an altitude of 2,000+ metres, the vistas are incredible, whether atop the Cotopaxi or Pichincha volcanoes, El Panecillo or from the streets of Quito’s historic centre. The culture is rich and complex: La Basilica del Voto Nacional and the baroque church La Compania de Jesus, in the historic centre, are remnants of Spanish Colonialism, whilst the Rumicucho Incan ruins are an echo of Ecuador’s Indigenous legacy. The Centro Cultural Metropolitano museum takes you through the struggle for liberty, and independence and the Mitad del Mundo monument gives you the opportunity to stand on both sides of the equator.
Further out from the city centre, there are a number of day trips you can take to unbelievable natural wonders like Quilotoa – a dormant volcano whose crater is filled with turquoise water – and historic indigenous markets like Otavalo market. We have an article on 8-day trips you can take from Quito over on writtenfrom.com.
If you seek after natural beauty and cultural tourism, this is the perfect destination. Ecuador has made significant strides in the last two decades to make the country accessible and safe for tourism. Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to visit such a diverse city.
About Luis: Co-founder of Written From. Luis received his BA in Philosophy and set up Written From as a platform for Travellers and cultural storytellers, with the intention of making travel accessible to a global audience. We bring the world to you. “At Written From, someone is writing to you from the other side of the world.”
Connect with Luis on Instagram: @luis_carrillo13
Mel | BRB Travel Blog
Bulgaria, an eastern European country, is often overlooked by its southern neighbour, Greece. In this former communist country, you will find beautiful mountains with Pristine water from glaciers, the Seven Rila Lakes. Several UNESCO World heritage sites like the jaw dropping murals in the Rila Monasteries. Along the Black sea coast, spend the afternoon smelling the country national symbol, the Damascena rose, in the Balchik botanical garden. The garden is perched in a small hill overlooking the sea. All through the country, you will find a mix of picturesque little towns and natural wonders like the smallest town Melnik and its rock pyramids. Spend a day or two in Sofia visiting the colourful Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Serdika square and the Vitosha street. In Plovdiv, the hipster city, get lost in Kapana and the old town. 2 hours away from this artsy city, visit the ovni monument, an imposing abandoned communist building overlooking the Balkans mountains.
About Mel: Hi, I’m Mel! I”m a part-time travel blogger discovering the world one vacation at a time. BRB Travel Blog is my cure to my serious case of wanderlust. At the age of 3, I took my first plane and since then, I have visited more than a dozen countries. I’ve lived in North & South America as well as in Europe. I’m fully fluent in Spanish, in French and in English.
I’m currently living in the most interesting city in the world, Montreal.
Connect with Mel on Instagram: @brbtravelblog
Inês Miranda | Sempre Entre Viagens
I think this summer is your great opportunity to come to Europe and discover some huge heritage and centuries of history. Why two so different countries in the opposite extremes of the continent? Russia because Football World Cup will be held there during June and July, so the whole country will be happy and prepared to receive you all, and you still can just meet Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi walking around 🙂
In the opposite side, Portugal is the last trend in Europe, sunny beaches of Algarve, light and rush capital city Lisbon and Porto and amazing cozy and colorful town near Porto wine Douro region are the perfect excuse t relax, touristing a bit and have the best gastronomic experience of your life. Moreover, Portugal has been granted in the last years with many awards in the tourism area, so take the chance to know a wonderful country which is looking forward to be known by everyone.
About Inês: Hi, my name is Inês Miranda and I am a Portuguese travel blogger. I was already in 48 countries and willing to keep travelling the world. I usually present myself as: “Traveller for passion, scientist to live, blogger in the freetime” Hope you like my suggestions and we’ll see you around.
Connect with Inês on Instagram: @sempre_entre_viagens
Renata Green | Bye:MySelf
Let your friends sweat their butt off on Southern shores – this summer you should hit the beach West of Riga and indulge the old world charm of Jürmala. Northern Europe with its mild temperatures is much more enjoyable than the Mediterranian during the summer months. Go there while Riga is still the best-kept secret when it comes to great summer destinations.
To balance the bohemian lifestyle out, visit some of Riga’s great museums and explore what else Latvia’s capital has to offer!
About Renata: Journalist & Travel Blogger
Connect with Renata on Instagram @byemyself_
Matthijs Bettman | Bettman Photography Blog
Washington D.C.
When you’re going on a city trip or just passing through, if you want visit it all in Washington D.C. a good preparation is essential! But how do you do prepare for such big city?! The first thing you need to know is “what do I want to see”.
I can hear you think: “Oh man, it’s just a city trip, relax. I know everything” Just going downtown isn’t cutting it this time!
Taking photographs in Washington D.C.
Viewing all this beauty in Washington D.C. is of course why you initially go here, but of course you want to be able to show it at home! How do you make sure you take a good look at it? And do you also want these photos to be slightly distinctive from the vacation photos that everyone makes?
First of all, use Google maps to plan your day. When using google maps, you can see where all the monuments and memorials are. Don’t forget to use Google street view! This way you can figure out your composition.
Time of day
Okay, so you’re walking around in Washington D.C. and you want those slightly distinctive (or massive) different photographs from everybody else. The biggest difference between those awesome photographs you see hanging in the Smithsonian and your vacation photos, is that those photos are taken during sunrise and sunset. That way you get some awesome colours in the sky like orange, yellow and pink!
This way, you get massive different photos than everybody else!
Composition
The second most important thing to get awesome photos is: composition! When your composition isn’t appealing, the photo isn’t interesting enough to keep someone attention. And you need that attention! Try to go for some reflection in the water of the WWII memorial or go for a unique angle. But the easiest thing is, is to find something for your foreground. Something that will lead your eyes through the frame.
Some important tips
- Get up early. This way you have the place for yourself, with the best light and you can truly enjoy the memorials.
- Use public transport. You have three options: Cab, Uber, Public transport. Public transport is way cheaper that the other two options and take just 5 minutes more.
- Get a SmartTrip card for all your travels within Washington D.C.
About Matthijs: Hi, my name is Matthijs Bettman. I’m a passionate landscape and cityscape photographer who loves to travel. Besides photography, I’m working at the Amsterdam Medical Center as a radiotherapy technician.
Connect with Matthijs on Instagram: @bettmanphotography
Ruma Roy
Cilento Charm
Cilento, just a couple of hours drive away from the chaos of Naples still retains its virgin coasts, rugged mountainous landscape and dense forest areas. It is home to 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites Paestum, Velia and Certosa of Padula.
Quaint Praiano
The breathtakingly beautiful village of Praiano and its picturesque landscape of matchbox-like white coloured house perched on the mountain slopes resemble postcard visuals.
Picture-postcard set Positano
The photogenic town of Positano with the cascading houses brightly coloured in terracotta, pink, bright sunshine yellow appears in many a picture-postcards. You have to be there to see and feel it all to believe them to be true.
About Ruma: Ruma Roy is an ardent traveller having lived in several European countries and explored quaint and unspoilt places that are a travelling connoisseur’s delight.
Connect with Ruma on Instagram: @ruma_misti
Dinesh R Singh C
There is not a single destination that I would like to mention. But in 2018 I am planning to trekkers more than 30 forts scattered all around the Sahyadri region.
About Dinesh: Technocrat, Adventurer, Avid Trekker
So, you must be having now some real off-beat destinations to explore this year.
What is your holiday destination this summer holiday? Share with us in comments below and we will add the best picks.
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