Spring Equinox 2026 / Beyond The Beach: How To Avoid The Summer Honeypots / By Annabelle Thorpe

Soft sand, shimmering seas, a comfy sun lounger – what could be more relaxing than a beach holiday? In reality, staying right by the sea can often be a noisy, crowded experience, with bars pumping out music to the early hours and little chance to enjoy the peace and space we increasingly crave in our overwhelmingly busy lives.

Better, perhaps, to pick somewhere just a short drive away, offering the chance to dip (quite literally) in and out of the busy beach scene, with a tranquil oasis to return to.

Few places get more crowded than a Mediterranean beach in summer, but the lovely Villa Pascalia makes a perfect hideaway, tucked into the leafy hills above Corfu Town, and just 15 minutes’ drive from the long stretch of sand at Aghios Gordis.

Or settle in at Villa Atakoy, one of four elegantly-rustic boltholes, set in lush woodland a short drive from the Turkish beach resort of Akyaka, which combines a long stretch of sand with charming fish restaurants, set along the banks of the Azmak river.

C’an Elvera is a gorgeous, stone-built villa set in sweeping gardens

You could swap the hubbub of the beach resort of Puerto Pollensa in Mallorca for the picturesque inland town of the same name, around 20 minutes’ drive away. C’an Elvera is a gorgeous, stone-built villa set in sweeping gardens, ideal for a family, with a lovely kidney-shaped pool and plenty of space for the kids to run around.

If a hotel feels a more relaxing prospect than a self-catering villa, there are plenty that combine being in close proximity to a beach with the feel of a restorative retreat. Greenhills, on the sun-drenched island of Jersey, is a charming country house hotel with a tranquil pool terrace and luxury spa suite, just ten minutes’ drive from some of the island’s most beautiful beaches.

For something a little more exotic, the Postcard (see main image) is a gorgeous, colonial-style escape in Goa, surrounded by 3,500 acres of lush green paddy fields set in the sleepy village of Cuelim. The beach at Arossim is just three kilometres away, perfect for a swim before returning for Ayurvedic treatments at the Postcard’s spa.

The adults-only Katouna Suites is just 10 minutes away from Lygia Beach

If the Med is calling, check into the super-chic Son Bunyola, the latest addition to Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition brand, set in Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountains, but just a bike ride (or leisurely stroll) from the sea. Or head to Greece for a blissfully relaxing week at the adults-only Katouna Suites on Lefkada, with peaceful Lygia Beach just ten minutes’ drive away.

The UK has some pretty spectacular beaches, too. Cornwall’s Roseland peninsula is fringed with stretches of sandy shoreline. Trescor – a traditional Cornish cottage, sleeping up to five – is just a couple of miles’ drive inland, but feels wonderfully rural. In Wales, there are few seascapes that match those of the dramatic Pembrokeshire coast; Lower Nash Farmhouse is an easy drive from both Saundersfoot and Freshwater East, and is the perfect house for a get-together, with six bedrooms, a games room and outdoor hot tub.

And it’s hard to beat the Norfolk coast for its great swathes of sand and vast skies; The Cattle Shed is a super-stylish, open-plan barn conversion, sleeping up to eight, just eight miles from the sandy shoreline of Wells-next-the-Sea.

Ladera Resort has a spectacular location 1,000 feet above the Caribbean Sea

Thinking of somewhere further afield? The Ladera Resort, an elegantly-converted former sugar plantation on the island of St Lucia has a spectacular location, set on a volcanic cliff, 1,000 feet above the Caribbean Sea. Just six kilometres from Sugar Beach, the hotel is a classic mountain hideaway, with suites that look directly out to the Pitons – St Lucia’s iconic twin peaks.

Or discover the twin sides of Vietnam’s most picturesque town, Hoi An, with a stay at the leafily-luxurious Anantara Hoi An, just a few minutes’ walk from the centre, and an easy half-hour drive to the sparkling waters of the South China Sea at Cua Dai beach.

For the ultimate in peace and quiet, head into the silent wastes of the Emirati desert, with a stay at the Ritz Carlton Al Wadi in Ras al Khaimah. Stay in a Bedouin-style villa, with stargazing, archery and horse-riding all on offer, alongside a complimentary shuttle to the hotel’s private Al Hamra Beach.