Get the factor 50 packed!
It’s been a mixed bag for the weather in this country recently. The first glimmers of summer were just starting to poke through the clouds before they were cruelly taken by storms and rain across the land.
But fear not, the sun shines on in Italy! And while you’ve probably seen the TikToks of overcrowded Rome or nearly spat out your tea at the extortionate prices of Cinque Terra, there’s a new ‘best kept secret’ you should put on your radar.
Not only is the stunning southern Italian region home to some of the best food in the entire country, it sports some near-tropical beaches to boot.
And you can now fly there directly from the UK for the first time ever.
Ryanair is now offering direct flights from Manchester Airport to the Italian region of Calabria in the south of Italy where you could enjoy the aforementioned beaches, incredible architecture, and a unique culture.
All of this, and it’s also one of the cheapest areas in Italy to visit, with pints reportedly coming in at a princely sum of just €3.76.
Flights haven’t even been going from the UK for a month at this point (they began on April 28), so you’d really be among the first to make it to this beautiful spot.
Prices, as always with Ryanair, range but can start as low as £14.99 per person.
If you weren’t convinced yet, listen to the experts at Lonely Planet, who say: “If a Vespa-riding, siesta-loving, unapologetically chaotic Italy still exists, it’s in Calabria… Its wild mountain interior and long history of poverty, Mafia activity and emigration have all contributed to its distinct culture.
“Calabria is unlikely to be the first place in Italy you’d visit. But if you’re intent on seeing a candid and uncensored version of la dolce vita that hasn’t been dressed up for tourist consumption, look no further.”
Calabria is as southern in Italy as you can get without heading over to Sicily.
But if Italy isn’t your thing and you want to go even further out of the usual tourist traps, try Ksamil in Albania, nicknamed the Maldives of Europe.
The Balkan Peninsula resort has been the talk of the town among travellers looking for something a little different to the over-priced and over-hyped usual European hotspots.
One person described Ksamil as “paradise on earth”, while others have raved about the “crystal blue waters like in the Maldives”.
Either way, you’ve got plenty of options to get away from this topsy-turvy weather in the UK right now. Thank us later.
Related links
Little-known UK resort described as ‘paradise’ is just a £15 ferry journey away
‘I spent £9k on 12 holidays in a single year – everyone should take time off once a month’
Brits flock to party resort with 80p pints and £9 hotel rooms
