Sylt (Germany)
Sylt, which is connected to the German mainland via a single rail bridge, is only three hours away from Hamburg. It is the largest of the North Frisian Islands, a sliver of land that stretches between the North Sea and Wadden Sea. Salt marshes, mudflats, and white sands cover the west coast.
Although relatively unknown in the UK, the island is a favourite destination among Germans. It also appeals to affluent tourists. Luxury hotels and innovative health resorts coexist with multi-storey apartments, modest camping grounds and laid-back surf schools.
Trains from Hamburg – soon to be upgraded with the new intercity (ICE L) fleet – arrive in Westerland, the largest town on the island, which expanded significantly during the 60s and 70s. Alternative bases include well-heeled Kampen or Keitum, the latter known for its maritime history and traditional thatched houses. Designated nature reserves cover other parts of the island, from the shifting dunes in List to the vast Braderup Heath, partly managed by a hardy breed of sheep.
Grab a coffee at Kaffeerösterei SyltOrder the Herring Sandwich Hafenkiosk 24 Don’t forget to try the delicious, salty Sylter Royal Oysters from Germany’s first commercial oyster farm. The restaurant Oma Wilma The bistro and shop focus on hearty food KäseklubA curated selection is served at, a cheese shop located on a former goat farm.
Accommodations: Villa Klasen The recently renovated boutique is housed in a charming building of art nouveau style with double bedrooms.s from €120 B&B
Kate Mann
Sherkin, Ireland
Sherkin Island, one of seven inhabited isles off the West Cork coast, can be reached in an hour, three quarters and ten minutes by car.
None of these islands is especially large – the biggest, Bere Island, takes up about seven square miles – but they are all remarkably different, from sheltered little Garinish with its fine Edwardian gardens, to the ruggedness of Dursey, exposed to the elements at the tip of the Beara peninsula.
Sherkin, the one I am most familiar with. I went there with a group of my friends a few years ago. We stayed at Sherkin’s North Shore, a simple, but attractive retreat. While the kids are taking sailing lessons on Roaringwater bay, the adults relax and take it easy. Michael O’Connor’s family and the owner of the cafe and sauna cook delicious communal dinners. Open Ear is a music festival that takes place on the bank holiday weekend in June.
Sherkin offers three well-marked walking trails that take you through lush interiors to stunning white-sand coves and beaches. You’ll find Sherkin’s one pub at the harbour. The Jolly Roger serves chowders and toasties and has music sessions during the busier months. There are also artists’ studios scattered all over the island. (Opening hours may vary, but it is best to call ahead and arrange a tour).
Baltimore, a bustling city on the mainland, is the gateway for Sherkin as well as Cape Clear further south.
Each island has a separate entry point. Heir and Hare Island can be reached by ferry from Cunnamore Pier (half an hour west of Baltimore). You’ll be rewarded in the summer months by a brilliant restaurant and cookery school called Island Cottage – I had the good fortune to go for lunch in 2019 and the food was hearty and delicious.
Accommodations: Sherkin North Shore has rooms from €65 a night per adult, €30 for under-13s) Camping from €80 for a bell tent, €15 for a pitch
Killian Fox
Torcello, Italy
Venice is full of sights, from the beautiful bridges that span its canals to the Renaissance galleries to hidden corners to explore. cicchetti Or small plates. After a few days, however, the narrow streets and winding canals packed with tourists often spur a desire to escape the island. For many that will mean a trip to Murano, famous for its glass-making heritage, or even Burano, with its wildly coloured houses, both a short boat journey away. But for a real change of pace, switch to a smaller boat at Burano for the short ride to the sparsely populated island of Torcello, at the northern end of the Venetian lagoon.
As you step off the boat, you are struck by a sense of spaciousness. Following a wide path through the centre of the island, with water on one side and trees on the other, will bring you past green fields and quaint houses to the Ponte del Diavolo, or devil’s bridge, a rare example of an old Venetian bridge without parapets. You can stop at Taverna Tipica Veneziana, where you can get a selection of fried seafood and vegetarian meals. Sitting in the garden you can watch the goats and Guinea pigs of the restaurant.
Continuing on the path will lead you to the main attraction: the Basilica of Santa Maria AssuntaThe first foundation was made in 639. The exterior is modest, but its interior walls are adorned with breathtaking artwork. 11th-century mosaics, including a depiction of the last judgment.
Finish your visit by enjoying an ice-cream next to the church by the water’s edge, before retracing your steps back to the buzz of the city or, better still, stay overnight to enjoy the peace of the island once the day trippers have left.
Accommodations: Junior Suites Venezia Has a garden, double bedroom, coffee shop and restaurants from £183 for the a Two-night stay
Kitty Croft
Frioul The islands of France
Just 20 minutes by boat from the Vieux Port of Marseille, the Frioul islands, part of the protected Calanques national park, make a great day trip from the city – but it’s even better to stay longer to enjoy the wild beauty.
The two main islands, Rattoneau and Pomègues (each about 1.5 miles long), are linked by a 19th-century dyke, and hiking trails wind across the white limestone landscape to secluded swimming coves, pretty creeks and viewpoints back across the sparkling Med to town.
Rattoneau is the first stop after arriving by ferry. A few houses, restaurants and shops cluster around the harbour. You can eat here or buy supplies as there is little else to do. Ou Sinon restaurant is a good choice for fresh seafood (try organic sea bass farmed on Pomègues).
About half an hour on foot from the port, Saint-Estève is the biggest beach on Rattoneau – sheltered, sandy and good for snorkelling (and there’s a small bar). Nearby, the 19th-century Hôpital Caroline, once used to quarantine travellers, is sometimes used for concerts today, while the old fort and second world war bunkers reveal the islands’ strategic importance. Across on Pomègues, it’s worth taking the long hike to the picturesque, remote cove Calanque de la Crine.
There are two other islands in the archipelago: tiny, rocky Tiboulen, used mostly for diving, and If island, home to a 16th-century fortress turned prison, the Château d’If (made famous by Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo). Ferries stop here on their way to Rattoneau.
The only accommodation available is in rental apartments close to the harbour. La Daurade du Frioul A one-bed beachfront apartment. from £70 A night
Jane Dunford
Cíes The islands of Spain
For a Caribbean-like break on a camping budget, it’s hard to beat the car-free Cíes islands in north-western Spain. This archipelago off the Galician city of Vigo has the white-sand beaches, the turquoise sea and even the exclusivity – visitor numbers are limited as the islands are part of a national park, and overnight stays are allowed only at Easter and in summer (15 May to 14 September). Admittedly, the illusion is shattered when dipping a toe in the chilly Atlantic …
For visitors to reach the islands they must request a free authorization code at least 90 days prior (at autorizacionillasatlanticas.xunta.galUse it to purchase a boat ticket. Details are at turismodevigo.org). There are daily crossings from Vigo to Monteagudo island (45 minutes), which is linked to Faro island by a sandbar across a lagoon; the third island, San Martiño, can only be reached by private boat.
Rodas, the biggest beach, is a short walk from the pier, and has kayaks and snorkels to rent – there are no tropical fish, but plenty of octopuses, lobsters and crabs, and often bottlenose dolphins. Along four hiking trails that connect lighthouses, viewpoints forests and an observatory with seven quieter beach, you can discover them. The beachside Restaurante Playa de Rodas specialises in seafood – scallops, razor clams, Galician barnacles – and local albariño wine.
Accommodations: Camping Islas Cíes On Faro Island, there is a great restaurant with tents that have beds. You can also find out more about the following: The pitch €10.90, plus €10.90 per adult, €7.90 per child, booking essential
Rachel Dixon
