By Adam Bloodworth
It’s been the year we’ve gone on as many holidays as we could, as the end of You Know What inspired us to do more. Whether by rail, exploring more of the UK, or going further afield, Brits have been relishing the chance to travel, which has taken on a new role this past year: as well as providing hedonism and relaxation, travel has felt more necessary for our mental health and wellbeing than ever before.
And after years of being cooped up, 2022 was the year we realised there’s no time like the present to start ticking off our bucket list destinations.
Here are 10 carefully chosen stories from our travel writers at City A.M. that speak to some of the travel trends we’ve seen this year. May they inspire your wanderlust and your travels for 2023!
Londoners are getting their Chelsea Tractors stuck as they flock down the windy-windy roads to Devon
Devon has of course always been popular, but with an overtourism problem in Cornwall, and more of us seeking UK retreats, Devon has seen more tourists than ever. The new hotspot for holidaying Londoners is beautiful Salcombe. A grand new hotel, the Harbour Beach Club & Hotel, has opened, meaning that you honestly needn’t venture far, but if you do want to, the bay area and local pubs and shops are some of the most simply stunning in the UK. In short, get out of London and get on a canoe in Salcombe next year, like our writer and City A.M. Travel Editor Adam Bloodworth did.
St Andrews is great for Kate and Wills tourism, oh, and golfing too
2022 was the 150th anniversary of The Open golfing championships which began all those years ago in St Andrews, Scotland. The tournament returned to its home town for the anniversary which injected new life into the old town. The university campus is gorgeously Oxonian, the beaches, pearly white, and as for the golf, the Old Course is a joy to walk up and down if getting one of the sought-after tickets to play a round doesn’t work in your favour. (Some queue overnight for the privilege of playing on these most famous turfs.) Kate and Wills also met here, so go on a hunt for their history, and notice the current students’ in-jokes about the royals. Student houses sometimes have jokes about the couple in their windows to confuse tourists. One student house window says: “Wills first boned Kate in here.” Read more about our trip here.
Disneyland without the kids
Disneyland is just as good without the kids – even better, if you like lounging around in gorgeous spas in-between heading on rides and having a generally lovely escapist time. We went down and had a lovely weekend, without much drinking, just lots of gazing in awe at the cute attractions and watching Mickey go by during the parade.
Skiing with Eddie the Eagle
City Ski Championships is where hardened skiers go to flex, and up their game with the coaching of world-leading pros. Eddie the Eagle was there this past year, and even went out to cut a few slopes with our writer, Simon Miller. It’s the sort of money-can’t-buy experience that happens at the Championships. Book now for 2023 and ski with another host of famous names.
Checking into The White Lotus hotel – and avoiding death
Adam Hay-Nicholls checked into the White Lotus season 2 hotel in Sicily to see if he’d get murdered. He didn’t, thankfully for us, as it meant he could write his article. Based in Taormina, the xx is a lavishly stylish hotel with Mount Etna views. Out in the town, wander through streets that feel so pretty that they’re taunting you with their majesty. Beaches are a short cab ride away when you fancy a dip.
Visiting the world’s last ‘new’ territory at AlUla, Saudi Arabia
Saudi is basically the last international territory to open to tourists that was formerly closed. Locals are seeing natural heritage monuments for the first time as international guests as the country is just coming to terms with tourism of any kind. Sandstone monuments at AlUla are older than the pyramids and visiting in 2023 is truly the chance to be one of the first to see these staggering new natural sights. Of course, wandering the streets is worth taking time for too.
Forest bathing in the glorious countryside
We’re all about promoting UK tourism, and a forest bathing retreat at a luxury countryside mansion has our name all over it. Experiential travel is massively on the rise, and is there’s one thing we’re sure 2023 will continue to bring, it’ll be new and unusual ways to examine ourselves, both mentally and physically, during our travels.
Bond around the world is the ultimate wanderlust
We celebrated James Bond’s 60th anniversary on the big screen in 2022. Bond is as famous for its destinations as its Bond girls and villains, and so Adam Bloodworth dove into some of the most gorgeous 007 destinations around the world to visit if you’re a fan. Even if you aren’t: these islands, mountaintops, and glamourous hotels will spoil any visitor.
Santorini has always been about selfies
You read a lot about Santorini being full of poseurs, and you know what, it is, and that’s part of its charm, says our writer Julia Leyland. But Santorini has always been muse, it’s hardly something that just happened with social media. In short, the island is still very worth visiting, even if it is one of the most expensive of the Greek islands. There’s a reason it’s so well-known: it has a certain prestige that can be felt in every panoramic view.
Getting real about Qatar ahead of the World Cup
Travel is as much about being responsible as it is about enjoying ourselves. After all, we’ve all heard about leaving only footprints and taking only photos. Our reporting around Qatar as a destination was simple: don’t gloss over the horrific human rights violations that occurred in the building of the stadiums when many lost their lives, but also, don’t blame the people on the ground. Like any destination, Qatar is brimming with amazing culture and brilliant people waiting to show you it. Our pre-world cup guide managed to talk about both.
Sometimes it’s an all-inclusive that does the trick
It’s true that many of us are looking for experiences, and to get more authentic travel experiences. But also, with our busy working lives, a fly-and-flop still maintains its appeal. Alex Dymoke’s honest reporting around the joys of a Sandals all-inclusive felt refreshing and reminds us all how much we can enjoy – and should push ourselves more to enjoy – the art of doing nothing on holiday.
For more Wanderlust, and travel inspiration for 2023, find out stories at City A.M. Travel
The post Wanderlust: The 10 best travel stories from City A.M. in 2022 appeared first on CityAM.
