YOU know that feeling when you see a place on TV, and wish it was real?
Well I’ve found a city that feels just like the movies, and lives up to it – and you can fly there directly from the UK.
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The city of Rio de Janeiro lived up to every hype – and I felt like I had stepped into the moviesCredit: GettyThe city has direct BA flights so its easy to get to, with a daily overnight flight
When you say Rio, you think carnivals, you think parties, hot weather (it hits 40C from December to March) and amazing food.
When it comes to the movies, there’s the James Bond Moonraker film which sees Bond go up the famous Sugarloaf Mountain, while the honeymoon scenes in Twilight were also filmed in the city.
Even some of the Godzilla and Fast & Furious movies were filmed there.
Nearly 50,000 UK visitors were recorded in January and February this year – its best first two-month period on record.
Getting there is easy too – Rio de Janeiro has direct daily flights from London with British Airways, taking just over 11 hours.
Santa Theresa is often called Little Lisbon, with the famous yellow tramCredit: AlamyIt also has amazing cafes and bars, along with street art and souvenir shops to exploreCredit: Alamy
They arrive in the morning making it the perfect time to watch that bright pink sunrise over the mountains.
But when it comes to beaches, Rio is unmatched.
The two most famous are Copacabana (famous from THAT Barry Manilow song) and Ipanema.
These aren’t just any beaches though, and how to spend a day on them is a lesson to be learned.
First, head to one of the many beach shacks and buy some seats and an umbrella for the day, often under £5 for them both.
Then you settle in, as you won’t need to get up for the rest of the day thanks to the roaming beach sellers.
Copacabana Beach is the best to spend an entire day onCredit: AlamyExpect beach sellers flogging everything from food to bikinisCredit: Alamy
There’s men selling Caipirinha cocktails and ‘mate’ (iced tea) from large silver vats on their shoulders for as little as 15 reais (£2.22).
Snacks come in the form of crisp-like Biscoito Globo, made from cassava starch and in either savory or sweet but weirdly moreish.
Corn on the cob, frozenacai, grilled cheese – you won’t go hungry from your beach chair.
Need a new bikini or beach towel? You can even get them too, with sellers having huge sticks with their wares and even mirrors attached for you to try on in front of.
Away from the beaches is the Santa Theresa neighborhood, nicknamed Little Lisbon for its yellow tram and fun art shops.
I recommend heading to Cultivar for breakfast, ordering acai and d ‘pão de queijo’ (a cheesy bread) before getting coffee at at Cafe do Armazem, filled with local art.
Souvenirs are a must too, best found at Lola Patua for handcrafted ceramics and prints, or Favela Hype for brightly patterned clothing.
Otherwise for where to spend the evening, Botafogo is where you will join the locals.
The beach promenade is lined with every store you can think ofCredit: AlamyIt’s even home to one of the Wonders of the World – and more Brits are going than ever
There’s pizza and sushi restaurants galore, along with so many wine bars that you could spend days hopping between them and still not do them all.
Boteco Treme Treme is a more classy wine bar, where you’lll see couples and friends sharing a bottle, or you can grab a local wine while sitting in a woven chair on the streets at Tao Longe, Tao Perto.
End with a big juicy pizza at Officina to soak it all up too…
And that’s before doing all of the tourist traps which even I admit are worth doing.
There’s the cable cars to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, a trip to see the Wonder of the World, Christ the Redeemer, or filling your suitcase with cheap Havaiana flip flops.
You’ll come back well fed, full of alcohol, and shopped out – what makes for a better trip abroad?
On Menorca’s north-east coast, Es Grau is a low-key village with a crescent of dark sand in a fan-shaped bay, behind which is the s’Albufera des Grau nature reserve. Tamarindos is actually two places: as you reach the Mediterranean, look left to see the bar, with shady tables under the trees; look right for the restaurant, with a terrace on stilts over the duck-egg-blue water.
At the bar, I go for the grilled brioche stuffed with sobrasada sausage, punchy Mahón cheese and local honey with a glass of local merluzo white wine. In the restaurant, my favourite is the paella with Menorcan red prawns, but the artichoke and seaweed version is good, too. Later on, you’ll find me back under the trees with a pomada – Xoriguer gin mixed with lemonade and crushed ice. Paella from €26 per person Annie Bennett
La Mar de Fondo, Playa de Frexulfe, Asturias
Photograph: Kevers/Alamy
On one of the least developed stretches of the Spanish coast sits the stunning Playa de Frexulfe. It forms part of a protected landscape of dunes, cliffs and rare coastal flora between the fishing towns of Navia and Puerto de Vega. It’s a rare glimpse of what Spain looked like before tourism; there is virtually no development – except for the best beach bar ever.
La Mar de Fondo is a creaky wooden structure perched on a hill overlooking the near kilometre-long beach. The vibe is as laid-back and wild as the landscape. It serves food and drinks, and though I’ve never stayed for a meal, it holds a special place in my heart as the spot where I spilled out of my first sleepless night of van life. The contrast between a smelly mosquito-filled vehicle and a quiet morning coffee, watching the water sparkle through the eucalyptus trees, goes down as one of my favourite travel moments. Meal about €30 Alyssa McMurtry
Restaurant La Isleta, La Isleta del Moro, Almería
Photograph: Lois Pryce
Teetering on a rocky peninsula on the Cabo de Gata coast, jutting out into the Mediterranean, is a tiny, white-washed fishing village, La Isleta del Moro: population 200. Sleepy and remote, it shot to fame briefly in 2018 when Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived in town to shoot scenes for Terminator: Dark Fate. Its few buildings are clustered on the waterfront, with Restaurant La Isleta in prime position, perched on the rocks by the jetty. Sitting on the terrace under a palm-thatched roof, you can hear the waves lapping beneath you, and watch the fishers haul their boats up the beach.
My arrival was more low-key than Arnie’s, arriving on foot while walking the coast, but the timing was perfect for a sundowner – an ice-cold beeras the sky turned Technicolor over the cliffs. As they say in these parts: I’ll be back. Average meal €50 Lois Pryce
El Refugio, Zahara de los Atunes, Costa de la Luz
Photograph: Fiona Dunlop
With perfectly framed views of grassy dunes, a sweep of white sand and a sapphire horizon of rippling Atlantic waves, El Refugio is an understated bar-restaurant in the village of Zahara de los Atunes. Wrapped around the simple whitewashed restaurant, a terrace shaded by an immense fig tree offers sun or shadow as well as salty breezes, which sometimes whip up wildly. Later, flamboyant sunsets paint the sky.
Food leans heavily on atunrojo (bluefin tuna), rich and buttery, the much-prized speciality of this coast ever since the Phoenicians introduced the almadraba fishing technique 3,000 years ago. Another local classic is tender, low-fat retinto steak, while salads, gazpacho and affordable Spanish wines help propel the mainly hipster clientele through long, lazy afternoons. No bookings though – El Refugio’s burgeoning popularity has led to a waiting-list system at the door. Three-course lunch about €35, plus wine Fiona Dunlop
FRANCE
Le Cabanon, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Provence
Restaurateur Gustavo Bossetti, who relaunched Le Cabanon in April. Photograph: Jon Bryant
You can smell the steaming clams and freshly baked focaccia well before you reach the bottom of the 100 steps down to Le Cabanon on the Plage du Buse. The bar-restaurant has had several management changes since I first visited a decade ago, but is always a fabulous place for a summertime drink overlooking the protected bay and headland where designer Eileen Gray built her modernist villa, E-1027, and Le Corbusier his wooden beach hut.
Le Cabanon reopened this April with a new side-hatch serving coffees, sublime gelato and goblets of Aperol spritz to beachgoers. It looks like a beachside conservatory with an open kitchen and a dozen tables upstairs on a shaded terrace. I always sit on its huge trunk of blanched driftwood to watch the cormorants, kayakers and distant super yachts. Mains €20-30 Jon Bryant
Le Cabanon de Paulette, Marseille
Photograph: Alexis Steinman
Le Cabanon de Paulette is a seaside watering hole that hooks you in from the first sip. It hugs a stone wall above the Plage de l’Abricotier, a small, sandy cove, and every stool has a front-row view of the Mediterranean and nearby Frioul islands. Though trendy, the bar has a convivial vibe, and the staff exude the warmth of the south.
I recommend the fried squid, octopus salad and famous moules frites de Mamie Paulette(garlic-cream mussels named for the owner’s grandmother). Bottles of rosé mirror the blushing sky at sunset, the golden hour that bathes revellers in a gorgeous glow while being serenaded by guitars. In the distance, ferries head towards Corsica. Meals €15-20, cash only Alexis Steinman
Le France, Saint-Marc-sur-Mer, Loire
Photograph: Carolyn Boyd
There’s a beach on France’s Atlantic coast that remains dear to many French people’s hearts thanks to its role in the classic 1953 Jacques Tati film, Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot. The film follows Tati’s much-loved character as he leaves chaos at every turn of his summer holiday.
I love that Monsieur Hulot is celebrated at the quiet beach with a bronze statue leaning over the railings in his characteristic hands-on-hips style. Beneath, Le France restaurant opens out on to the golden sand, with sun umbrellas and deckchairs giving it a suitably retro feel. The menu features seafood platters and moules-frites, and the service is laid-back – in keeping with the vibe of Tati’s dreamy film. Mains from €17 Carolyn Boyd
La Cale, Blainville-sur-Mer, Normandy
Photograph: Felicity Cloake
France’s northern coast, with its stiff breeze and broad sandy beaches, will feel familiar to a British audience – until lunchtime rolls around. Starchy, white-tableclothed restaurants serving up elegant platters of fruit de mer are lovely things, but sometimes on holiday you just want chips on the beach. Enter La Cale, a seaside shack on Normandy’s Cotentin peninsula, where you can enjoy good French cooking with your feet literally in the sand.
It serves all the classics, including platters of oysters and pots of moules with crispy frites, plus sausages and gigots of lamb cooked on the open fire, out on a ramshackle terrace that’s all but falling into the dunes. Don’t expect formality – the owner is a character, the bathrooms rustic – and don’t miss the local ciders, or tergoule, a sweetly spiced, very Normande, rice pudding. Average meal €20-30 Felicity Cloake
L’Oasis, Plomodiern, Brittany
Photograph: Helene Alexandre/Alamy
I stopped off at L’Oasis by chance, but this brilliant beachside restaurant on Brittany’s wild Finistère coastline immediately went to the top of my list of favourite discoveries. A striking yellow stone manor house looks out over the Plage de Pors Ar Vag (Breton for “boat cove”), the beginning of a 2-mile stretch of sandy beach. Chilling out on a manicured lawn above the lapping waves, diners sip glasses of chilled muscadet wine or artisan cider.
At sunset, the last surfers and family holidaymakers slowly leave the beach, while the restaurant offers memorable local seafood at affordable prices. Oysters and langoustines are a must, but more surprising are the signature juicy palourde clams grilled with garlic and parsley. And the profiteroles topped with hot chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream are to-die-for. Three-course menu €27 at lunch, €32 for dinner John Brunton
Le Marinella, L’Île-Rousse, Corsica
Photograph: Parker Photography/Alamy
There’s something deeply relaxing about sliding your toes into the sand while having a lazy lunch and drinking Corsican rosé by the sea. Le Marinella sprawls across the wide expanse of L’Île-Rousse’s beach on Corsica’s northern Balagne coast, where there’s also a lovely morning food market worth visiting. While you can sit on one of Le Marinella’s covered terraces, it’s more pleasurable to kick off your flip-flops and linger over a moreish Corsican take on tapas under the shade of a parasol.
Fried balls of brocciu cheese, saucisson, anchovy beignets and tapenade remind me that Corsican cuisine historically leans more inland than towards the sea – piracy made living on the coast too dangerous. But then along comes a bowl of mussels in a sea urchin sauce to take me firmly back to the Mediterranean and, eventually, to one of the restaurant’s sunloungers. Tapas €22, mussels €20 Mary Novakovich
ITALY
Trattoria Da Patrizia, Naples
Photograph: Image Source Limited/Alamy
Trattoria Da Patrizia is easy to miss, tucked between the smarter restaurants on the peninsula of Megaride, on the Naples seafront. The plastic chairs, chequered paper tablecloths and handwritten menu disguise what I believe to be the best (in all its simplicity) seaside lunch spot in the city. One sweltering August, when most Neapolitans had decamped somewhere cooler, I found myself there almost every day seeking refuge: tomato bruschetta to start, a big bowl of spaghetti alle vongole, and a carafe of cold falanghina white wine.
After lunch, the nearby boulders that line the fringes of the promenade make for a perfect sunbed, a lazy doze in the shadow of the majestic Castel dell’Ovo, and then a dip in the sea alongside the raucous scugnizzi – Naples’ beloved street urchins – terrifying anyone who cares to watch as they jump from the footbridge into the warm shallow water of the Borgo Marinari marina. Meal from €20 Sophia Seymour
Il Pirata, Termoli, Adriatic coast
Photograph: Joerg Hackemann/Alamy
From Termoli, capital of Italy’s south-eastern Molise region, the sandy beach stretches for miles, lined with a paved cycle track and footpath. About 15 minutes’ walk from town is a “free” beach called Il Fratino, after the plovers that nest there. The September I was there the water was clear and inviting, the sand golden and warm. But the real triumph came at lunchtime. About 100 metres up the beach, looking like an overgrown shepherd’s hut, is restaurant Il Pirata.
Staff settled us on a balcony table and proceeded to wow us with dish after memorable dish. Mussels pepata (with lemon and black pepper), great pasta (fish bolognese and masterful linguine with shrimps, lime and pistachio) and roast octopus on broccoli rabeand burrata all went beautifully with chilled local trebbiano (white wine). The meal became a family benchmark for beachside lunches. Now, “nearly as good as Il Pirata” is praise indeed. Two courses about €25 Liz Boulter
Bar Piero, Lavagna, Liguria
Photograph: Sipa US/Alamy
It’s not Rapallo, seven miles to the north, nor Sestri Levante, five to the south. In short, it’s not chic. In Italian, Lavagna means slate, which they were quarrying in Roman times. The beach is shale, shelving steeply, but the sea is a dazzling summery blue.
Right above the sea wall, on the promenade, is Bar Piero, a kiosk with white tables under white sunshades. It serves delicious fresh brioches that tend to run out after 10am. By 11am, there’s the sound of ice being vigorously shaken for cocktails, the smell of focaccia wafting from the oven. Then all the standard Italian fare at lunch, afternoon beer and spritz, and meat sizzling in the seaside dusk, with the gentle ebb and flow of strollers along the promenade and the sun melting into sea. Hard to beat. Panini about €6 Tim Parks
GREECE
Bardis, Loutraki Bay, Crete
Photograph: Susan Smillie
The best table I know is perched over shifting Greek seas and backed by lush green hillsides. Bardis is a taverna-cum-organic farm in Loutraki Bay, western Crete (population: three families). This is where I take visitors and Greek friends alike, and all invariably leave raving about it. Husband and wife Theo and Vasiliki serve up traditional food, cooked with great technical skill. Their focus is on freshly caught fish and seafood (try the fish soup), homegrown vegetables and meat classics.
It slopes down to a pebble beach on a gulf where turtles and dolphins can be seen. Stare to sea, the source of that seafood; lie in hammocks among shade-giving trees. Go early, have breakfast, stay the day (or night by arrangement). Lounge, lunch, swim, shower. Do not leave before dinner. Meal €25-€30 Susan Smillie
Aperanto Galazio, Varkiza, Athens
Photograph: Sven Hansche/Alamy
Greeks are spoilt for choice when it comes to beach cafes and tavernas – even in the capital’s seaside suburbs. Aperanto Galazio (The Big Blue – like the Luc Besson film) began as the canteen for the Varkiza Sea Sports Club (which produces Olympic athletes) and morphed into a popular, unpretentious taverna. It is perfect for sunny off-season lunches; on blustery days, the waves surge across the broad sandy bay and windsurfers speed by. It is also a breezy evening refuge in a heatwave, when tables with oil lamps are placed on the shingle and Athenians cool off in the shallows. As you sip cold beer or an iced ouzo and look out to sea, you feel you’re on an island. The food is reliable rather than gourmet, with a traditional seafood menu: filleted sardines, calamari, fresh salads and vegetables, and homemade tzatziki. Meal with wine around €30 Sofka Zinovieff
PORTUGAL
Camaleão Beach Bar, Ilha da Armona, Algarve
Photograph: Audrey Gillan
There’s a fork on the boardwalk on the island of Armona, giving you the choice to head to the Atlantic beach, or to the one along the edge of the Ria Formosa. Choose the left path and you will find a bar with low chairs in the sand and views out over the dunes to the sea.
To my mind, Camaleão has one of the best beach bar locations in the world. So much so that I bought a house on this tiny island, just a five-minute walk from this very spot. It’s the place to drink ice-cold Super Bock, a caipirinha or a pick-me-up espresso martini. The music is a bit cheesy lounge-core, but when you can hear the sea and nip down to it to cool off, it’s a small price to pay. Ilha da Armona is a 15-minute ferry ride from the town of Olhão; Camaleão Beach Bar is a 20-minute walk from the ferry. Audrey Gillan
Few beach restaurants balance Atlantic views and passionately prepared, good-value seafood as well as Chá com Água Salgada, perched on stilts above the eastern Algarve’s dunes. My first mouthful at this place – wine-sizzled clams hand-harvested from the nearby Ria Formosa natural park’s barrier islands – prompted instant devotion.
Then there is Thai-style tuna tartare with kiwi granita and samphire-infused cataplana, a fish stew steamed in the Algarve’s signature copper cooking pot. To finish, the goat’s cheese ice-cream, carob jam and fig leaf gourd is perfection. Post-lunch, paddle west to the peninsula beach where fishing boats bob beneath a diminutive clifftop fortress at the village of Cacela Velha. Meals from about €20 Daniel James Clarke
Cal Arrifana, Praia da Arrifana, Algarve
Photograph: Amelia Duggan
Naming a favourite restaurant when in Portuguese company is a tense business for expats – only raising Cristiano Ronaldo’s retirement carries more risk. So it was a great relief to find a circle of locals nodding with approval recently as I pledged my devotion to Cal Arrifana on the Algarve’s wild, western Costa Vicentina.
Embracing every sunset from its clifftop perch above the vast golden amphitheatre of Praia da Arrifana, Cal is a trendy upstart in a fishing village famous for its seafood, catering to a boho crowd with cocktails and playful small plates since it opened in 2022. The mezcal-laced oyster platter, roasted octopus on soft hunks of Algarvian Lira sweet potato and goat’s cheese cheesecake with berry sorbet live on in the memory. I love how Cal’s shaded terraces pull in board-riders fresh off the point break and hikers traversing the 140-mile Fisherman’s Trail; it feels like a laid-back staging post for everyone paying their respects to the Atlantic at one of its most dramatic addresses. Meals from about €20 Amelia Duggan
Bar Francemar, Praia de Francemar, Porto
The broad, handsome beach at Miramar, with its seaside shops and iconic chapel on the shore, is a natural draw for locals and visitors alike. But for a quieter, wilder beach experience, head 10 minutes on foot northwards along the wooden boardwalk to Praia de Francemar. Rare for the string of beaches just to the south of Porto, its shallows are free of rocks and stones, offering bathers a relaxed – albeit still chilly – entry into the sea.
The family-owned Bar Francemar, the only restaurant on this stretch of sandy dunes, is a local favourite for its old-style simplicity. Housed in a blue-painted shack, with an ample adjoining eating area, it offers a no-frills menu of seafood classics – best is the bream or, when in season (May-October), the sardines, which are grilled on a rustic barbecue. No need to book, but go early for lunch to guarantee a seat. Meals from about €25 Oliver Balch
CROATIA
Banova Villa, Rab, Croatia
Photograph: Adam Batterbee
On little Sveti Ivan beach and under the shade of Aleppo pines sits the wilfully ramshackle Banova Villa beach bar, its muslin-draped pergola roof blending into the forest behind it. What looks like someone’s laundry hangs whimsically from the pergola’s beams, above distressed furniture and chunky, wooden tables.
In front is a pebbly beach with sunloungers to rent. When the sun sets over Rab’s magnificent Renaissance architecture, the soft golden light bringing more than a hint of magic, it’s time for me to settle in with an Aperol spritz. Mary Novakovich
TURKEY
İncekum Beach, near Marmaris, Turkey
Photograph: Annabelle Thorpe
You’ve really got to want to get to İncekum; it’s about 5 miles off the main road to Marmaris, through winding country lanes. Once at the shady car park, an open-sided shuttle-tractor rumbles through more woodland to the beach. But it is well worth the effort; an isolated curve of fine golden sand and warm, clear water, loungers beneath the trees and cabanas dotted along the rocky shoreline.
Inevitably, a spot this beautiful does get busy. The restaurant does a nice line in classic Turkish dishes; freshly made gozleme stuffed with cheese or spinach, grilled kofte and tangy chicken doner kebabs. Lunch for two from about 910 Turkish lira (£25) Annabelle Thorpe
IRELAND
Linnane’s Lobster Bar, New Quay, County Clare
In the minuscule village of New Quay, Linnane’s Lobster Bar is housed in a centuries-old cottage and former post office at the end of a pier. From the jetty, a small, bone-white sandy cove gives way to the pale limestone slabs of the Flaggy Shore and wide, open water that shifts from steel grey to turquoise depending on the season. Inside, the bar is low-ceilinged and warm, with pints of Guinness settling on the bar. A terrace along the shoreline looks straight out to the ocean, where you can sit and watch the seascape that was the muse of Seamus Heaney’s poetry.
The menu leans on what is landed nearby. Local lobster is the headline act, served simply with butter or folded into salads and sandwiches. There are also mussels, oysters, crab claws and chowder – or a slab of Irish Hereford striploin for dedicated carnivores. Mains €20–€30, more for lobster or steak Vic O’Sullivan
UK
Goat Ledge, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex
Photograph: Pal News/Alamy
A trio of brightly coloured huts named for the farmers who used to bring their goats to graze on the seaweed that covered a rocky reef, Goat Ledge is set right on the long stretch of shingle beach, with the town’s Regency terraces unfolding behind. But its shabby-chic vibe belies superb food and service.
We came first for sunset cocktails – perched on sherbet-hued deckchairs, while Bob Marley oozed out of the speakers – and have returned for dinners of salmon hash, or glasses of its own-label pale ale with a side of katsu fries. But for me, there’s nothing to beat the Decimus Burton Breakfast Bap (bacon, egg, chilli jam, mayo and rocket) straight after a summer dip. Just make sure you have plenty of napkins to hand. Beers and dinner from about £40 Annabelle Thorpe
Cwt Tatws, Llŷn peninsula, Gwynedd, Wales
Photograph: Fotan/Alamy
The finest beachside cafe I ever knew, sadly long disappeared, was salvaged entirely from driftwood and old fishing nets, the tables an assortment of rickety constructions where you could balance a tin mug. Cwt Tatws on Porth Towyn beach has a little bit of that salty style, although thankfully backed by a fully modern and professional kitchen, plus a decent shop and vintage clothing section, too.
Owned and run by S4C presenter Daloni Metcalfe and her husband, Will, this is a place deeply grounded in the local community – Will’s family have farmed here for five generations. A couple of hundred metres away is Porth Towyn beach, a short and sweet curve of golden sand with a few rocks to hide behind should the wind blow (let’s not pretend that it does not). It’s a kid-friendly spot and popular with families, but when you’re ready for refreshments, head back to the cafe for a great range of homemade sandwiches, salads and cakes with an emphasis on local and Welsh produce. Sandwich with salad £7.95 Kevin Rushby
Driftwood Cafe, Archirondel, Jersey
Hiking Jersey’s east shore, rounding another crinkle, I spied the next bay ahead. And for a hot and hungry coast walker, Archirondel was the perfect scene. The clear blue sea – looking more like the Mediterranean than the Channel – swished up to fingers of craggy rock and scoops of flaxen sand. A squabble of gulls dazzled white in the shallows while a candy-striped tower (built 1792) stood guard.
Tucked behind was the Driftwood Cafe, run by Gabby Mason and her partner Leyton Hunnisett, both Jersey-born, both fishers. They deal in sustainably caught fish and seafood from Jersey waters, plenty of which make it on to the menu. I flopped on to the terrace with a crab sandwich (£16.50), thick-cut, fresh and delicious. Sarah Baxter
Drift Cafe, Cresswell, Northumberland, England
Photograph: Max Cooper
My first visit to the long, empty sands of Cresswell beach, at the start of the 62-mile Northumberland Coast Path, was memorable for coastal wildlife – and for homemade food at the Drift Cafe. Since autumn 2025, it has been owned by Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes, who were the first people to drive round the world by scooter and sidecar. They offer sidecar passenger tours, sometimes including afternoon tea at the Drift, as well as punchy coffee, pies and fry-ups.
There are toasties with slaw, chorizo brunch, gammon broth and everything is cooked on-site, from cheese scones to rum-raisin brownies. The cafe building was once the entrance to Blakemore drift mine, closed in the 1950s. The beach is steps away, through flowering dunes. Chorizo brunch £12.95 Phoebe Taplin
Namaka, Broadstairs, Kent
Photograph: Judi Saunders/Alamy
The quiet man of the Thanet coast, wedged between trendy Margate and regal Ramsgate, Broadstairs has more than its fair share of good places to eat, but those majestic cliffs mean there aren’t many on its magnificent beaches. In Stone Bay, Namaka, the beach-hut sister to Salt on the High Street, is a little piece of California in Kent, right down to the surfboard on top.
Don’t come expecting fish and chips – Namaka’s menu is heavy on açai bowls and avocado, plus excellent banana bread, smoothies and coffee to enjoy on sun loungers on the sand of what, in my opinion, is the best beach in the area – wide and spacious and perfect for swimming. Popular with early-morning dog walkers grabbing a coffee, it graduates to serving cocktails and cakes to sunbathers and sandcastlers as the sun rises higher in the sky … because as locals rarely fail to mention, Thanet is officially “the sunniest coastal destination in the UK”. Breakfast about £15 Felicity Cloake
WITHIN minutes of landing at Madeira’s Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, we were picked up by . . . Ronaldo.
No, not that one, but a taxi driver who said he was actually named after former US President Ronald Reagan, not the footballer.
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Madeira’s golden sands and rocky backdropCredit: CarlosGouveia5D3There’s whale and dolphin watching, too. We spent the morning with Rota dos Cetaceos Tours. A marine biologist onboard explained more about these incredible creaturesCredit: Getty
And he wasted no time in pointing out one of the island’s most famous landmarks, another Ronaldo.
The bronze statue of the footballer outside the Pestana CR7 hotel in Funchal, the island’s main town, is certainly memorable — not necessarily for the reasons the sculptor intended.
The two-metre, 800kg statue has a noticeably polished groin. Rubbing this delicate spot is meant to bring good luck, so it was obviously important I gave it a try.
But Madeira — a Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic — isn’t just a shrine to football greatness, it’s been attracting Brits long before free kicks and trophies.
There is fun to be had on the winding roads on the island’s famous — and slightly bonkers — toboggan rideCredit: AlamyThe capital of Madeira, FunchalCredit: Getty
According to our wonderfully knowledgeable guide, Graca Lopes, Victorians flocked here in the 19th Century for health reasons.
Madeira’s mild, subtropical climate (16C to 22C year round) and pure air make it ideal for respiratory health. The wild volcanic views, lush forests and fresh sea air are great for mental health and longevity too. Anti- ageing and an escape from rainy Britain? Count me in!
I’d heard Madeira described, slightly unfairly, as a haven for “energetic retirees with hiking poles”. And yes, there are plenty of older people and spectacular walks, but there’s definitely more on offer too.
Madeira is surprisingly compact. At 35 miles long and 14 miles wide, it’s roughly the same size as Greater Manchester.
The Levada das 25 Fontes, a popular trail near Rabaçal leading to a cascading waterfall lagoonCredit: GettyDaisy touches Ronaldo statue’s groin area – just for luckCredit: Supplied
The roads twist and climb at angles, often narrowing to only the width of a decent hallway. There is fun to be had on these winding roads on the island’s famous — and slightly bonkers — toboggan ride.
It involves a wicker basket hurtling down steep streets from hilltop area Monte, steered by two men in straw hats using nothing but their shoes as brakes. It’s in equal parts terrifying and hilarious but in the 19th Century it was the quickest way to travel.
There are plenty of other adventures to be had in Madeira. A Jeep safari along the rugged northeast coast, with AdventureLand tours, shows off the island at its most dramatic.
One minute the open-sided truck is climbing steep, muddy tracks, the next you are looking out over sheer cliffs to the vast swathes of the Atlantic.
The tour also includes a chance to admire the unique triangular-shaped houses at Santana with their traditional, red, white and blue paintwork and steep, thatched roofs.
There’s whale and dolphin watching too. We spent the morning with Rota dos Cetaceos Tours. A marine biologist on board explained more about these incredible creatures.
And for some of the most stunning beaches I’ve seen, take a day trip over to the neighbouring island of Porto Santo. It’s a two and a half hour ferry ride away but you’ll be rewarded with incredible beaches, including Calheta Beach, with its 9km of soft sands surrounded by unique rock formations.
These adventures were complemented by our gorgeous base, The Vine, a sleek, stylish boutique hotel in the centre of Funchal.
The interior design is inspired by wine. The furniture mimics twisted vines, there are grape-purple fabrics and the spa offers vinotherapy massages and facials.
The five-star hotel’s rooftop has a pool, Bali beds and bar, along with stunning views of the bay.
We took a walking tour of the town with guide Gracia. The cobbled streets lead to sea views and every corner seems to involve either food, history or both.
One must-see is The Painted Doors of Rua de Santa Maria — where artists decorated 200 of the street’s doors as it rises to the church of Santa Maria Maior.
In the picturesque fishing village of Câmara de Lobos we had lunch at the Restaurante Vila do Peixe. With incredible views, customers can choose fish fresh from the counter. The platter is around £35.
Another traditional treat is the tipple poncha. According to locals it’s the answer to any problems life can throw at you.
Got a cold? Poncha. Heartbreak? Poncha. Existential dread? Double poncha.
By day two I was fairly certain it could also strip paint and power small machinery.
We had dinners at various restaurants including the Three House Bake — a boutique hotel, restaurant and rooftop bar with a DJ and BBQ in Funchal town.
The Jard.in Magnólia in Quinta Magnólia, a 19th Century estate with huge botanical gardens, served up a great steak and seabass with lime risotto, with prices from around £22 for a main.
But Avista, probably the poshest restaurant in Funchal, set on a clifftop, was sensational.
The staff were incredible and the food was too. We had a seven-course pairing menu that featured Algarve red prawns, black Angus steak tartare and a chocolate tangerine dessert.
The tasting menu isn’t cheap, at around £80pp, but it’s definitely one for a special celebration.
Our final day saw us exploring a levada walk — unique hiking experiences using Madeira’s 1,350miles of 15th Century irrigation channels that now double as scenic trails.
There’s a huge variety of walks that promise strolls among lush forests, dramatic mountain scenery and stunning waterfalls.
Among the most popular is the Levada das 25 Fontes, a popular trail near Rabaçal leading to a cascading waterfall lagoon.
And then, just like that, it was time to leave. A final breakfast, a last look at the sea, and I’m back at the airport half expecting Ronaldo (either one) to wave me off.
Sadly, neither does. But Madeira has already done enough to win me over.
GO: MADEIRA
GETTING THERE: Fly to Madeira from several UK regional airports, including Gatwick, Stansted, East Midlands, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle with Jet2.com, easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways with fares from £46 return.
STAYING THERE: Double rooms at 5H The Vine Hotel, Funchal, from £120 per night in May. See hotelthevine.com.
BRITS love an all-inclusive from the packed buffets to drinks offerings and having everything at your fingertips.
The tough part is actually exactly which all-inclusive you want to try and if it’s worth the money, well if that’s what you’re after, then this one on the Costa del Sol is top notch.
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Inside the Ikos Andalusia are 9 restaurants and 8 barsCredit: Ouzo is the hotel’s Greek restaurant with shell decor on the ceilingCredit:
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Called Ikos Andalusia, the hotel has claimed number one spot on Time Out’s 2026 list of Europe’s top all-inclusive stays.
The resort has a whopping 451 rooms with nine swimming pools.
Expect great grub at the hotel’s nine restaurants, some of which even have Michelin-starred menus.
Each serves up dishes from around the world, like traditional Spanish to Greek, French, Italian and Japanese food.
There’s also a classic all-inclusive buffet style restaurant, so you can’t go wrong.
They’re beautifully decorated too. Ouzo, which is its Greek restaurant, has little white pots on the ceiling and prints on the walls with views across the pool to the sea.
Chiringuito is another restaurant right on the beach and serves up traditional tapas and lots of seafood.
As for bars, there are eight including a cocktail bar and one at the side of the pool – it has an extensive wine list with over 100 local labels.
The hotel is even sat on a 420-metre beach with an adults-only section.
Other facilities include a splash pad area for younger children, football, basketball, volleyball, cycling, tennis courts and watersports.
There’s plenty for children to do at the kids’ club which is catered for children between 4-17.
The complimentary Heroes Crèche for children 6 months to three years old holds activities like games, face painting, art and dance.
There’s also Heroes Kids Club (4-11 years) and Just4Teens (12-17 years) which has lots of activities on offer from arts and crafts to sports.
There’s even a complimentary 30-minute beach childcare service for kids from four years old.
Activities for adults include wellness sessions and various fitness activities from yoga to Pilates and Zumba.
For more holidays, here are some of our favourites in Spain…
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Hotel Best Punta Dorada, Salou
The Spanish resort is a popular destination near PortAventura World, a theme park with over 40 attractions and huge rollercoasters. It’s also close to sandy beaches like Platja de Llevant, and the scenic Camí de Ronda coastal walk.The hotel itself has an outdoor swimming pool to enjoy, as well as two bars along with evening entertainment and shows.
With its palm tree-lined pool and Mediterranean backdrop, it’s a miracle this Majorca resort is so affordable. Expect a classic family holiday feel – where days revolve around soaking up the Spanish sunshine, chilling by the spacious pool and sipping on frozen cocktails. Set away from the busier resorts, it’s a good option if you’re after a more out-of-the-way escape.
The Magic Aqua Rock Gardens Hotel is African-themed and less than a mile from the beach. It has two outdoor pools, including a children’s freshwater pool with a waterfall and a tipping water bucket for the little ones. There’s also an aquapark with slides, and a kids club for both younger children and teens.
For a calmer side of Ibiza, this hillside resort has two pools, a kids’ splash zone, and an all-inclusive buffet with a poolside bar. It’s a 10-minute walk from Cala Llonga’s shallow turquoise bay, offering a scenic, family-friendly base away from the island’s main party zone.
