How to escape the crowds on an Italy holiday
Italy is home to some of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, from Rome 's historical marvels and the towering cliffs of the Amalfi Coast to the glistening waters of Lake Como.
But with natural beauty and awe-inspiring architecture and comes flocks of tourists. In this week's episode of TravelSmart, the Independent 's Travel team shares their advice on the best spots off the tourist trail so you can plan an Italy holiday away from the crowds.
Assistant Travel Editor Emilee Tombs reveals underrated Tuscan gems like the coastal region of Maremma, as well as the charming hilltop towns of Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano, while Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman shares her favourite spots in the breathtaking Dolomites. And they delve into how you can find a slice of tranquility in popular tourist destinations like Florence and Sardinia – you just need to know where to look.
Watch TravelSmart on Independent TV.
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Times
6 hours ago
- Times
Ooh la la! These are France's best beaches to laze on this summer
Holiday destinations need sunny beaches to make it big in world tourism. And France, being the top holiday destination in Europe, has a bucketful of the best, evenly distributed across three very distinctive coastlines. The northern coast, facing the UK, has some of the most magnificent stretches of sand, thanks to shallow seas and the wave action from galloping tides. However, the water quality (and temperature) can be mixed, so the emphasis falls more on the tradition and style of the resorts. The story changes further west. Around the jagged coastline of Finistère the water becomes clearer, the beaches smaller and more secretive, snuggled into creeks and coves. Finding them becomes a journey of discovery. Heading south, the Atlantic-facing coastline smooths out by Morbihan, where the beaches start to widen and lengthen. At the Vendée, down by Nantes, the weather is reliably warm, so this is family beach holiday territory par excellence, moderately priced and accessible by car from the UK. Towards the distant southern end of this coast and the Pays Basques, the surf's the thing, with Atlantic rollers grinding to a halt on the beaches of Biarritz. And finally, jumping across the foot of France to the Mediterranean shoreline, the focus changes again. Here the water is calmer, warmer and more luxurious. There's more glamour, more people-watching, and more splashing — of cash. The beaches in the obvious Cote d'Azur hot spots — Antibes, St Tropez — can also be very crowded, with everyone heading for the sea to escape the summer heat. So, wherever you go, there's something here for everyone. For the selection of beaches that follows we have taken water quality gradings from the French government website, which uses four categories: poor, adequate, good and excellent. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue Water quality: excellentCurved and sheltered by 90m chalk cliffs, Étretat's (pebble) beach is famous for its sea-carved arch at one end, supposedly like an elephant dipping its trunk in the sea. The belle époque resort was popular with artists, including Monet, and remains a retreat for the elite. Where to stay and eatThere's inexpensive local produce in the lovely old wooden market hall, some of whose 19th-century ambiance is served up along with good food across the road in the Taverne des deux Augustins. Stay in Le Donjon Domaine Saint Clair, a glamorous spa property with a sea doubles from £117 ( Take the ferry to Dieppe • 10 of the most beautiful places in France (and how to see them) Water quality: goodWhile Le Touquet and Étretat are partly about socialising with the right kind of people, in Deauville the beach takes centre stage. Particularly down its more budget southwestern end, where extensive shallows make it ideal for families and uncertain swimmers. Where to stay and eatUp by town there's a catwalk boardwalk and fancy-coloured parasols, and this is where the fashionistas strut their stuff before tucking into oysters in the Peniche restaurant, a converted barge, then retiring to the town's neo-Tudor five-star hotel, Le Normandy. Room-only doubles from £341 ( Take the ferry to Caen Water quality: goodThe Normandy beaches are not just about recreation. Gold Beach by Arromanches is where British troops landed in the Second World War, while Omaha and Utah to the west are where the Americans came ashore. So enjoying these fantastic stretches of sand today is a bittersweet experience, as well as being very educational, particularly because Gold Beach has German bunker sites. Where to stay and eatFamilies will appreciate the burgers at Sergent Willys, just opposite the Normandy Landings museum in Arromanches (£11; and all the green space around the converted farm-hotel Ferme de la Rançonnière. Room-only doubles from £79 ( Take the ferry to Caen Water quality: excellentThe Chauseys are granite outcrops 45 minutes by passenger ferry offshore from Granville on Normandy's Cotentin peninsula. The tides here are huge, but Grande Greve is an immaculate, curved, south-facing strand whatever the water level. Day-trippers colonise the sand in summer, but early and late you're likely to have the whole thing to yourself. Where to stay and eatThe islands are famous for lobsters, so try the lobster roll in the only restaurant, Contre Vents et Marées ( and then amble across the path to the island's hotel, with its garden overlooking the anchorage. Half-board doubles from £180 ( Take the ferry to St Malo • 8 of the best beaches in Europe for summer 2025 Water quality: excellentA little beauty of a sheltered beach at the end of a sandy track through overhanging pines, Tahiti beach is something of a local secret. It sits at the end of the Carantec peninsula and looks out across the Bay of Morlaix at the castle on a rock that is Château du Taureau, the French Alcatraz. Where to stay and eatIn Carantec itself, the Michelin-starred restaurant Nicholas Carro makes the most of the 15 oyster farms in the bay (set lunch from £30). His restaurant is part of the Hôtel Carantec, whose stylish, modern rooms are perfect for foodie, beachy, people. Room-only doubles from £82 ( Take the ferry to Roscoff Water quality: excellentThis narrow two-mile spit of white sand sticks out into turquoise waters, with rock pools and water sports. You couldn't really ask for more of a beach, especially as it is south-facing, secreted at the back of a sheltered bay. Sailboats saunter in, attracted by the likes of the medieval walled town of Concarneau over on the bay's eastern shore. Where to stay and eatBut there's no need to budge from Cap Coz, with the brasserie Le Canot right on the beach for crêpes and scallops and the Hôtel de la Pointe ideally placed mid-spit for early morning swims. Room-only doubles from £109 ( Take the ferry to Roscoff Water quality: excellentGauguin spent two years in the tiny village of Le Pouldu, on the softer southern side of Brittany's Finistère, where it is riddled with rias, seafood-rich creeks. The light here has a luminous intensity, the air so clean that it almost squeaks. Kerou is the best of a succession of small, dusky, wave-ribbonned beaches, where kitesurfers harvest the breeze. Where to stay and eatWalk the wildflower-rich GR34 coastal path and you'll reach the Bar des Îles, a London double-decker serving tapas on the beach. Return to the unassuming Hôtel Naéco Le Pouldu, with its dorms and apartments. Room-only doubles from £57 ( Take the ferry to Roscoff Water quality: excellentThe Morbihan section of the Brittany coast is family-friendly, with big, broad, generous beaches ideal for sandcastles. Carnac distinguishes itself amongst them because it is south-facing with silky sand, its hinterland littered with neolithic standing stones, and it is right by the placid, island-rich inland sea of the Gulf of Morbihan. Where to stay and eatAt Carnac, the upmarket beach bar Le Fisher is great for sunset cocktails ( and the beach's main hotel, the Churchill, is a modern spa and pool property, despite the name. Room-only doubles from £100 ( Take the ferry to Roscoff • 10 of the best things to do in France for solo travellers Water quality: excellentYou can't go wrong with the beaches in the Vendée, particularly if you're travelling with young children. This section of Atlantic coastline is effectively an intermittent 90-mile ribbon of fine sand, southerly enough for good weather. It is broadest at St Jean de Monts, backed by pedestrian streets lined with resort-type shops, family attractions and extensive campsites. Where to stay and eatGet your crêpes at La Bolee (from £7.50; and rent a mobile home at all-singing, all-dancing Camping Zagarella. Three nights' self-catering for four from £139 ( Take the ferry to Roscoff Water quality: excellentThe Atlantic coast west of Bordeaux is dune country. Europe's highest, at more than 100m above sea level, is at Pilat, but the best actual beach here is just across the water on the sun-washed hanging finger of land that is Cap Ferret. Here the long Plage des Dunes is pristine and uncommercialised, while the bay of Arcachon inside it has everything you'll need. Where to stay and eatThat includes a restaurant with a view of the Pilat dune, La Cabane du Mimbeau which combines seafood with Bordeaux's wines ( and a boutique hotel, Le Landerenis, with a pool and a bay view. Room-only doubles from £185 ( Fly to Bordeaux • Read our full guide to France Water quality: excellentSurfie culture has made Biarritz cool. Big Atlantic rollers sweep unhindered across the Bay of Biscay and come shuddering to a halt on the town's sands, with dudes with dreads hitching a ride for the last part of their journey. Where to stay and eatHardcore surfers may avoid a family-pleasing town beach like the Miramar, but it's a good place for surf lessons and people-watching, particularly for surf widows, who can adjourn to Milady for great food and cocktails (mains from £10; Or chill in the spa of the sumptuous Regina Experimental on the cliffs above. Room-only doubles from £166 ( Fly to Biarritz Water quality: excellentBlessed are the waters of Hendaye, for they refresh the pilgrims on the Camino en route to Compostela. Straddling the French-Spanish border, this wide, flat beach is simultaneously a learn-to-surf and family destination, while the town itself is a rail hub and old fishing port. Where to stay and eatA former casino on the shore hosts the Hegoa café (mains from £13, should a pilgrim want refreshment overlooking the Twins, Hendaye's distinctive offshore islets. The smart Ibaia hotel sits between the beach and the new marina in the old port. Room-only doubles from £110 ( Fly to Biarritz Water quality: excellentThe cove of L'Ouille sits just north of the pretty port of Collioure on France's southernmost Mediterranean shore. Many of its visitors arrive on foot along the coastal path. The beach is tiny pebbles rather than sand, but sheltering headlands ensure that the water is particularly calm, brilliant for snorkelling. Where to stay and eatCollioure was a favourite for artists such as Matisse, Derain and Picasso, drawn here by the light and the colour. No doubt they would have loved the hippie chic L'Imprevu café on the beach ( and appreciated the rooftop views from the Madeloc hotel too. Room-only doubles from £83 ( Fly to Perpignan or Montpellier Water quality: excellentMuch of France's Mediterranean coastline between Perpignan and Montpellier is a string of sunwashed beaches, backed by large campsites. Many are on a thin rib of sand separated from the mainland by an inland sea of connected lagoons. Palavas-les-Flots sits offshore from Montpellier, at a lagoon intersection, its five miles of sand busy with jet skis, stand-up paddleboarding and beach volleyball. Where to stay and eatThis is a place for serious tanning, with laidback beach cafés such as the Plage Bonaventure offering food and shade ( Keep cool by staying on a converted barge with a plunge pool. B&B doubles from £143 ( Fly to Montpellier Water quality: excellentThe south of France has one of the most intensely visited coasts in the world, but there are some secluded spots. This six-mile strand is on the west-facing cheek of the Camargue, a huge and protected area of marshes, lagoons and meadows. At Espiguette, reached via the small town of Grau du Roi, it seems like the sand goes on for ever. It's a place to find your own half-mile and let your soul hang. But there are facilities, even here. Where to stay and eatThe off-grid restaurant L'Oyat Plage is fashioned out of wood, reed and sailcloth ( And the Miramar, a more substantial café with rooms, is in town but still chilled. Room-only doubles from £101 ( Fly to Montpellier Water quality: excellentThe Calanques is a unique shorescape serrated by deep, cliffy creeks just south of Marseilles, one of which — En Vau — ends in a gem of a (stony) beach that can only be reached by sea or on foot from the small town of Cassis (two hours). It's a protected area and there are no facilities, but the clarity of the water creates a fantastic aquarium for fish, so bring goggles, but beware cliff jumpers. Where to stay and eatYour nearest refreshment is back in Cassis, where the Presquile serves oysters on its sea-view terrace (three courses £44, Here the Mahogany hotel sits above another more accessible beach, the Bestouan. Room-only doubles from £128 ( Fly to Marseilles Water quality: excellentThis is all you'd expect of a beach that is just down the road from St Tropez: iconic good looks with beautiful people, azure water and three miles of silky white sand. Superyachts, beach clubs, beach bars and water sports kiosks aplenty. Pricey, of course, but that comes with the territory. Where to stay and eatEat here, at Byblos (mains from £29, where every shades-wearer could be a star. And in the Ferme Augustin hotel, just up the road, they'll serve breakfast in your room into the early afternoon — how decadent is that! Room-only doubles from £265 ( Fly to Marseilles Water quality: goodAnother big name on the Cote d'Azur. There's a dozen little beaches sequestered around Cap d'Antibes, but the vast majority of visitors head for the heart of the action, on the long curve of the bay by Juan les Pins. The strand here is not very broad, so it can get busy, but that means buzzy too. The nightlife is animated and the horizon is a catwalk for superyachts. Where to stay and eatIf you have the budget, Effet Mer Plage has tables on the beach (mains from £24; and the art deco Juana hotel recreates the glamour of the 1930s. Room-only doubles from £196 ( Fly to Nice Water quality: excellentCap Ferrat is a dangling foot of land east of Nice, caught in the act of kicking a ball at Monte Carlo. Plage Paloma sits on its instep, a well kept slice of small pebbles and coarse sand, down a small flight of steps and shaded by pines. The water here is clean, but it is the outlook that makes Paloma special, with a distant Monaco gleaming like spilt paint on the flank of the Alpes Maritimes region. Where to stay and eatIn the evening, eat in Léo Léa by the St Jean marina just to the north, watching the lights come up (mains from £15; To complete the picture, stay in an Italianate villa, the Brise Marine, walking distance from Paloma. Room-only doubles from £148 ( Fly to Nice Water quality: poorThe water may not be tip top, but France's most fashionable resort between the wars has retained its art deco elegance and appeal, in part because it is so accessible from Paris. Given the water quality, many opt for sand yachting on its undeniably magnificent eight miles of flat sand. Where to stay and eatBack in the day, the likes of Noël Coward and Winston Churchill were Le Touquet regulars, and you can even buy scones in Elizabeth's, a British style tea-room. The imperious Hôtel Barrière Le Westminster is where everyone grand stays. You might see the Macrons, who have a holiday home here. Room-only doubles from £212 ( Take Le Shuttle to Calais Have we missed your favourite beach in France? Share your secret in the comments
BBC News
9 hours ago
- BBC News
Can Europe beat the overtourism crisis?
Last year's anti-tourism protests drew global headlines. This summer, the tensions are back – but so are ideas to fix the system. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in the Canary Islands this year to protest mass tourism. Now, a new wave of anti-tourism protests is being planned across southern Europe later this summer. You could be forgiven for feeling that nothing has changed since last year when frustration over crowded cities, soaring house prices and bad traveller behaviour erupted into public anger. Change in the tourism industry is often slow, requiring consensus from a broad range of stakeholders as well as time to implement schemes. But signs of progress are emerging. Across Europe, a slew of new initiatives is aiming to balance tourism with the needs of local residents – addressing the environmental, social and economic pressures created by overtourism. Thanks to screaming headlines and greater awareness of the issues, travellers are becoming increasingly conscious of their impact. Meanwhile, local communities have ramped up pressure on authorities to take meaningful action. Here's how three destinations are responding with new ideas for a more sustainable travel season. Switzerland: Investing in trains and taxes Switzerland's national train network will be run completely on hydroelectric power this year as part of its new Swisstainable strategy that aims to distribute tourism more evenly across the country and calendar. With its ski seasons threatened by warming temperatures and its glaciers vulnerable to collapse – as seen in the recent tragedy in Blatten – Switzerland knows all too well the importance of balancing tourism and the environment. The landlocked nation is focussing on public transport; it has some of the most public transport-accessible mountains in the world, with mountain trains servicing their peaks for more than 150 years. The Swisstainable website offers 33% off public transport when booking a sustainability-certified Swisstainable hotel, or 25% off for any stay in a Swisstainable hotel. In addition, campaigns featuring Roger Federer are pushing for off-season travel, showing what the country is like beyond ski season and summer hiking. Ski lifts across the country will be running for longer periods and seasonal hotels will also extend their opening dates, making Switzerland more accessible year-round. While Switzerland isn't in Europe's top-10 overtouristed destinations in Europe (Zante, Istria and Fuerteventura top the list, according to a recent Which? report), it faces pressure in hotpots like the waterfall-rich town of Lauterbrunnen, and Lake Brienz, where the Korean Netflix drama Crash Landing on You was filmed. According to a 2024 survey, locals find Instagram tourism – a superficial, drive-by consumption of culture and local life – a particular problem. "We get jet-setting – but not in a good way," said Alexander Herrmann, Director UK & Ireland Switzerland Tourism. "It can hit you unprepared when enormous numbers of people arrive. The way we thought about it is: how can we benefit a bit, by using [visitor numbers] to build infrastructure, toilets and parking? It happened very quickly, and you have to find a way to manage the situation." Switzerland Tourism's solutions include a tourism tax of CHF5 (£4.50) for anyone visiting the pier featured in the Korean drama, with money being spent on local maintenance and infrastructure; plus a new car park outside Lauterbrunnen that links to an easy train connection into the town and its waterfalls, thereby helping the flow of tourists on the overwhelmed one-way road. Their message: explore off season and by public transport; and be prepared to pay more for the most popular spots. Spain: Using data to redirect tourists Spain has been the focus of much of the overtourism debate over the last two years, and continues to be hugely popular as the number one destination for British tourists in 2024 and the second most-visited country in Europe. But amid growing concern about overtourism – especially in the Canary and Balearic Islands – the country is acting fast. Already this year, it has called for the removal of nearly 66,000 unregulated Airbnb listings and pulled back on social media influencer campaigns that bring selfie tourists to its small and easily overwhelmed beaches. And there's more. "We are working with a sustainable tourism model leading with smart technology," said Jessica Harvey, head of press at the Spanish Tourist Office. "We have developed a digital platform that monitors how many people are on beaches, as well as the air quality, sea temperatures, weather and even jellyfish in the water." The information can be accessed by tourism offices and hoteliers via a Smart Destinations app, helping them – and therefore visitors – make smarter decisions about where to go and what to do. It's one of several initiatives being taken in Spain, where Harvey says just five regions of the country – The Canary Islands, The Balearic Islands, Valencia, Catalonia and Andalucia – receive 85% of visitors. Tour operators and travel agents are being introduced to new regions to avoid bottlenecks in popular spots; and tourist taxes that taper off for longer stays have come into play in some areas, including the Balearic Islands, benefitting those who stay longer. The government is also investing heavily in cultural heritage through its Paradores of Spain initiative, a state-owned luxury hotel chain using historic buildings like castles and manor houses to attract travellers beyond the beach. "We want to welcome everybody," Harvey said. "We just want to move the tourism model to make it more sustainable long term." Berlin: Rewarding sustainable tourists Hot on the heels of last year's CopenPay initiative in Copenhagen – which has been extended and enhanced for summer 2025 – Berlin is developing its own set of rewards for sustainable tourists. "The aim is to use targeted incentives to make sustainable behaviour more attractive to guests," explained Sabine Wendt, CEO of visitBerlin. "These could include free guided tours, discounts or admission to attractions if our Berlin guests take part in planting or waste collection campaigns next year." More like this:• 8 ways to travel more sustainably in 2025• Is there such a thing as guilt-free safari?• Is it time to change how we buy travel souvenirs? Berlin is pushing its green credentials through influencer campaigns and a growing directory of eco hotels, sustainable souvenir shops and bike trails. The tourism authority has also developed an unusual 15-minute city concept, meaning that participating hotels have everything you need within 15 minutes on foot or by bike, helping travellers lower their footprint while exploring the area like a local. What about flights and cruises? Despite these promising efforts, two elephants remain in the room: air travel and cruising. Even the most thoughtful destination strategies can't offset the impact of rising tourist arrivals by sea and air. Without limits on visitor numbers, Europe's most popular spots are likely to keep feeling the strain – and protests are likely to continue. "There will be anti-tourism demonstrations in Spain this summer," said Harvey. "The solutions take time to work. Communication is the key: we need to understand why these things are happening. It's not directed at British tourists – it's about making sure that local people's quality of life is not impacted." "Will we still be talking about overtourism in the Canary Islands in 10 years' time? Let's see." -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Alisha Lehmann leaves little to imagination in tiny bikini on boat leaving Maya Jama lost for words
ALISHA LEHMANN left her fans lost for words as she soaked up some sun in a bikini. The footballer has been enjoying the offseason after a title-winning campaign with Juventus and completing international duty with Switzerland. 22 22 22 And she has wasted no time in finding some time to relax and enjoy the summer heat. Taking to Instagram, Lehmann shared pictures of her wearing a tiny black bikini while on an inflatable river boat. The 26-year-old was seen with her hair down and added some sunglasses to her look. She was all smiles as she also enjoyed playing with a waterproof ball. Taking to the comments, Lehmann's fans were enamoured by the post. The pair struck up a friendship after teaming up as co-managers in the Baller League. Swiss international team-mate Riola Xhemaili commented: "Much love," followed by a heart emoji. Another fan said: "Your smile brightens the day." A second said: "Beautiful." A third added: "Drop dead gorgeous." Lehmann had been in a relationship with Juventus men's star Douglas Luiz and had completed a double transfer switch over to Italy from Aston Villa to join him there. However, in May it was reported she had broken up with him, although the pair do still follow each other on Instagram. Lehmann has 16.7 million followers on the platform. Scroll down to see more of Alisha's glam life 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22
