Last-chance Europe: the best adventures to have before Brexit
Forget about Brexit and enjoy your last summer in Europe
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Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Of course you can still visit Europe after 31 October – but it sure won’t be as easy. And with the rest of a hot-hot-hot summer on the horizon, here are Europe’s best adventures: from swimming and cycling to driving and nightclubbing.
Drift down the Rhine, Basel
Swiss cities really know how to do summer. Thanks to all those crystal clear alpine lakes and rivers, the water is shimmery perfect and by July, has warmed up to such a degree that the water won’t make you shriek when you dip your toes in. The Swiss city of Basel, right on the border of France and Germany, is bisected by the gentle turquoise of the Rhine river that residents and visitors think nothing of plopping into and drifting gently downstream after work. An essential piece of kit is a waterproof bag called a Wickelfisch: you stick your belongings in it, fold it down until it’s totally sealed, then use it as an inflatable while you float right through the middle of Basel’s best landmarks.
Where to stay: Nomad Basel is a modern design hotel near the old town, with a Finnish sauna in the basement and a bar stocked with locally produced Volta Brau beer.
Drive the Arctic Coast Way, Iceland
This summer, northern Iceland finally snaffled the attention that the southern Golden Circle has been enjoying for decades by opening the Arctic Coast Way, a 900km coastal road that just skims the Arctic Circle. Drivers on this epic road will skirt villages, mountains, geothermal pools and the icy Arctic Sea – and through the summer months, the midnight sun. If you’re going to road-trip anywhere in Europe, make it Iceland.
Where to stay: The Icelandair Hotel Akureyri is right in the middle of the route and has a contemporary, cosy-cool Scandi vibe.
Try to get into Berghain, Berlin
Half the fun of going to Berghain is queueing to get in. This louche Berlin club (which takes its name from punky neighbourhoods Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, between which it sits) is dangerously cool and the door policy is super-strict to ensure “the right mix”. If you can get in though, you’ll find banging techno music, a 24-hour opening from Friday night until your alarm usually goes off on Monday, and one of the craziest parties across the whole of Europe. People that have actually got in swear by wearing black, going alone and looking utterly bored the whole time. Oh, and don’t even think about turning up before 2am.
Where to stay: If you’re successful getting into Berghain, you won’t need a hotel. If you need to sleep off the rejection, book into the Moxy Berlin Ostbanhof.
Cycle the Mallorcan hills, Spain
Mallorca might be better known during the summer as the home of the Love Island villa, but there’s a whole lot more to this rocky island than meets the eye. The Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, a Unesco World Heritage Site, covers 30 per cent of Mallorca and is ripe for exploring on two wheels: paved roads take in sweeping climbs through hairpin bends, all with jaw-dropping views of surrounding orange and lemon tree groves and the beaches beyond. Cycle hire is available in the town of Soller, which is a good place to start.
Where to stay: Jumeirah Port Soller is a push-the-boat-out kind of place, and you might need the spa and infinity pool after a day pushing up the Tramuntana climbs.
Run the Marathon du Medoc, France
Combining a marathon with wine tasting sounds like the worst idea ever, but somehow this September race through the vineyards of Gironde in southwest France works. There are 23 wine tasting stops, as well as other local specialities such as steak, oysters and ice-cream. Most runners do it in fancy dress, so expect a carnival atmosphere rather than a serious race vibe. Rather than a medal and an energy bar at the end, finishers get a bottle of a wine – and presumably a hangover.
Where to stay: When the hangover subsides, check into the opulent 17th-century Chateau Cordeillan-Bages. There are two hectares of vineyards plus there’s on-site wine tasting.
Do an alternative ‘triathlon’ in the Vipava Valley, Slovenia
Slovenia’s Vipava Valley – an idyllic area 50 minutes’ drive from the capital Ljubljana – is making a name for itself in the world of adventure tourism. Voted one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 regions to visit in 2018, this verdant, hilly landscape has its own weird yet wonderful microclimate, with Mediterranean-like hot, lazy days that are sometimes 10 degrees warmer than if you head just 20 minutes further north.
Aside from exploring on two wheels, the best way to experience the valley is by partaking in the region’s alternative “triathlon”. Forget running, or even cycling: this variant is comprised of wine tasting, hiking and paragliding. Local guiding outfit Wajdusna offers a package of all three activities for €195pp.
Where to stay: Majerija is a farm-stay offering 10 fresh, contemporary rooms, unusually located under the property’s herb garden next to a 300-year-old farmhouse.
Skiing and sunbathing in Cervinia, Italy
Who says you can’t ski in summer? Book onto a five-day course in Cervinia, Italy, and you can shred it on a snowsure glacier shared with the neighbouring resort of Zermatt across the Swiss border, all while sharpening up your skills.
The Warren Smith Ski Academy runs trips throughout the summer for intermediates and upwards, designed to improve skiers’ confidence and develop technique on off-piste terrain and moguls. Daily lessons kick off early and finish by 1pm when conditions start to get slushy. Courses are complemented with sessions on biomechanics and ski physiology plus video analysis.
Where to stay: Course participants get a discount at the three-star Hotel Mon Reve, situated at the foot of the Cervino.
Walk the Camino in Spain, Portugal or France
The ultimate Christian pilgrimage trail, the Camino de Santiago, is the bucket-list hike for those who like to mix spirituality with choice. With nine separate trails spanning Spain, Portugal and France, walkers will come across a huge diversity of gorgeous terrain whichever route they take.
The Camino Frances or French Way is the most famous route, starting in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France before taking in Pamplona, Burgos and Leon in Spain. But you can also kick things off in Seville, Lisbon, Porto or San Sebastian, among others. Different trails vary in difficulty, length and accommodation offerings, so it’s worth doing your research when planning a trip. While August can get a tad scorching, September is a great time to go – meaning you can just fit in an amble pre-Brexit.
Where to stay: If you’re unsure of how to proceed, book through a specialist. Follow the Camino is the first tour operator to operate on the Camino de Santiago and can offer invaluable advice on which options to go for.
Chill out at the Icehotel, Sweden
Finding life too hot to handle this summer? Step out of the heat at the Icehotel in Swedish Lapland. Since 2016, the introduction of the separate, permanent 365 hotel means guests can stay on ice all year round. The incredible rooms, created by teams of sculptors from all over the world, are more works of art than sleeping quarters. Guests bed down in their one-of-a-kind chamber, tucked into a thick sleeping bag designed to withstand the -5C chill (and ticking off the ultimate bucket list experience in the process).
Outside those icy walls there’s plenty to do too, from stand-up paddle boarding, rafting and fishing on the Torne River to hiking under the midnight sun – all led by strapping Swedish guides who are a dab hand at brewing up an excellent kokkaffe (coffee boiled in a kettle over an open fire).
Where to stay: Discover The World offers four-night, self-drive packages to the Icehotel and the Treehotel in summer, including return flights.
Go seal-watching off the coast of Ireland
It requires a certain amount of low-level insanity to get to Inis Mor, the biggest of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. Door-to-door, it takes more than 12 hours and a journey involving a Tube, flight, coach, bus and ferry to get there from London. But that makes this idyllic isle all the more beguiling. Once there, you’ll be rewarded with pristine beaches with perfect swells for surfing, heart-pumping walks, historic ruins and opportunities for cliff diving and rock climbing. There’s also spectacular wildlife to be spotted, including a resident seal colony.
Where to stay: Aran Camping and Glamping’s seven Tigin glamping pods opened last year, offering mini-kitchens and en-suite shower rooms and sleeping up to six people.
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