DESTINATIONS • June 2016
Seven cities best visited in July
Not taken a summer holiday yet? Why not discover one of these seven urban treasures, says Alicia Miller, assistant editor at the Sunday Times Travel Magazine
Venice
Venice’s canals glimmer under July’s sunlight; and the city’s ancient quarters are sparkling too, illuminated by the kaleidoscopic flowers and fireworks of Festa del Redentore, a 500-year-old, blow-out party in the city. Keep the old-world vibe by checking into lagoon-side grand dame the Hotel Cipriani.
Get there: Friday’s BA2586 (11:45) from Gatwick gets you in with time for an afternoon stroll around Piazza San Marco, before it’s bathed in the glow of fireworks.
Berlin
Berlin is the city of summer festivals. In July the capital is flooded with alfresco events – including pop-up art exhibits, classical concerts in the majestic Gendarmenmarkt square (pictured), and midnight cabaret in the Botanical Gardens. Book into the new Hotel Oderberger, a former bathhouse – its cosy Kaminbar is just the place for a post-fest nightcap.
Get there: Friday’s BA0982 (08:45) from Heathrow will give you time for an alfresco lunch at Prater biergarten.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a sun-seeker favourite, and in July those jewel-like islands off the coast will be ripe for sunbathing, the luminous sea warm enough to swim in. The atmospheric, orange-roofed fortified centre is busy, but visit mid-week and you can still wander the warren of streets without hordes of cruise-ship passengers clogging your path. More importantly, you’ll be able to bag a waterside seat for a long, lazy seafood lunch.
Get there: Take Tuesday’s BA2678 (12:30) from Gatwick to have enough time for a dip in Villa Dubrovnik’s sea-facing pool.
Porto
All things vinous are on the menu at July’s Porto Wine Festival, where you can join tutored tastings and cookery demonstrations among the white-washed Port houses of cobbled Vila Nova de Gaia. Check into The Yeatman hotel, where wine even makes it into the spa – you can soak in a bubble bath enriched with grape extract.
Get there: Take Friday’s BA2782 (14:10) from Gatwick to allow time for a pre-dinner stroll across the majestic wrought-iron Dom Luis I bridge, which spans the Douro river.
Toronto
Winters may be frosty, but by July Canada’s largest city is sizzling – you can cruise vast Lake Ontario, taking in the iconic CN tower across the blue; watch its baseball team, the Blue Jays, hit home-runs under the stars; or down cut-price meals from the city’s top restaurants at the Summerlicious food festival. And, you can actually bag a room at The Hazelton Hotel in Yorkville – come September, when the annual TIFF film festival hits, it’s reserved exclusively for celebs.
Get there: Friday’s BA009 (17:00) from Heathrow gets you into Toronto ready for dinner at swish, sky-scraping restaurant Canoe.
San Francisco
Every wanted to cross the Golden Gate bridge? At the end of July you can actually run (or walk) across it, by joining the San Francisco Marathon. Too exhausting? Instead take in the bridge during the Fourth of July waterfront festival (pictured), complete with bands and all-American fireworks.
Get there: Friday’s BA0285 (11:30) from Heathrow lands you with time for an early check in at Hotel G in Union Square.
Biarritz
Surf’s up in Biarritz – this glitzy Belle Epoque town on the Bay of Biscay is famed for its waves. In July you needn’t be a hardened surfer to enjoy the foam – not only is the water warmer, but you can balance board time with hydrangea-fringed strolls along the grand seaside. Follow with a kir aperitif on a sunny waterside terrace, a laze on the brilliant beaches, and a snooze at pretty Villa Vauréal Hotel.
Get there: Take Wednesday’s new BA0382 route (16:25) from Heathrow to get in with time for a Basque pintxos dinner in the covered market.
This article has been tagged Destination, Travel Tips