Hidden Gems | Late Summer Getaways
As the evenings become quietly darker and the days a little shorter, we look further afield to ignite our wanderlust and endless desire to chase the everlasting sun.
At the heart of Wanderlust Life is a deep love of travel, an inspiration for our jewellery and creative living. We asked members of the Wanderlust Life family about their favourite late summer getaways, near and far. Explore our travel guide this season...
Georgie – Founder
Fuerteventura
Flights - £150-200 return
Temp – 22-26 degrees
Stay - El Cotillo. Stay away from the crowds and keep things laid back and low key in El Cotillo, a sleepy fishing village on the northwest coast. It’s the perfect place to relax and revive after a busy summer at Wanderlust Life.
Explore - Car hire is super cheap (around £100 for the week) and the roads are quiet, making road trips relaxed and stress-free. Head up onto the North Track for unspoilt, isolated beaches and good chances of a wave.
Eat - No morning is complete without a caffeine (and cake) fix from El Goloso, voted the best bakery in Fuerteventura. I love La Vaca Azul for seafood & alfresco dining on the harbour wall, and for relaxed (and inexpensive!) tapas, try the little place at the bottom of the old harbour. Don't miss trying Canarian Potatoes with the mojo sauce. So garlicky, so good.
Fuerteventura
Flights - £150-200 return
Temp – 22-26 degrees
Stay - El Cotillo. Stay away from the crowds and keep things laid back and low key in El Cotillo, a sleepy fishing village on the northwest coast. It’s the perfect place to relax and revive after a busy summer at Wanderlust Life.
Explore - Car hire is super cheap (around £100 for the week) and the roads are quiet, making road trips relaxed and stress-free. Head up onto the North Track for unspoilt, isolated beaches and good chances of a wave.
Eat - No morning is complete without a caffeine (and cake) fix from El Goloso, voted the best bakery in Fuerteventura. I love La Vaca Azul for seafood & alfresco dining on the harbour wall, and for relaxed (and inexpensive!) tapas, try the little place at the bottom of the old harbour. Don't miss trying Canarian Potatoes with the mojo sauce. So garlicky, so good.
Gemstone of choice - Dalmatian Jasper, a beautiful stone to carry with you when travelling due to its grounding and energising properties.
Holly – Office Administrator
Croatia
Flights - from £150 return
Temp – 21 - 24 degrees
Croatia
Flights - from £150 return
Temp – 21 - 24 degrees
Stay – We stayed in the hills of Markaska on the south of the Dalmatian coast. This gave us panoramic views from the dramatic woodland hills right down to the vast coastline and across to the islands of Brac and Hvar.
Explore – The Krka national park. It’s beautiful and full of lush green trees, lakes and dramatic waterfalls. I loved that there were little stalls along the walking track where local ladies sold home-grown fruits, including blackberries, sugared oranges and figs.
Eat – Take a boat and head to the hidden coves of Hvar island. There are some great little marinas including Vrboska, where the cafes help you moor up when you arrive. Take your pick of delicious clay oven fired pizzas or from the many tanks of fresh local fish, ready to be hand selected and cooked on the grill. Also, don’t miss the delicious ice cream… Hazelnut was my personal fave and the girls ate their bodyweight in the unicorn flavoured one!
Shop – We enjoyed strolling along the cobbled back alleys of Makarska town, with hidden little independent shops, bars and restaurants, all set to the back drop of local choirs in the town square in the evenings.
Gemstone of choice - Holly's favourite, Amazonite. A soothing stone that keeps energy balanced and creates happiness. The perfect travel companion.
Jennie – Sunside Studio
Portugal
Flights from £50 return
Temp 20-22 degrees
"To get through the winter I need to store up all the vitamin D I can find - and I often find it at the very South West tip of Portugal."
Stay - Sagres - Mareta Beach House (from £100pn based on two sharing) is perfectly placed and as close to the beach as you can get, with amazing views, boutique rooms and a good array of birds of paradise in the grounds. There's something about those exotic flowers that makes me feel a million miles from home.
Eat - The chef's potatoes in Armazem are what dreams are made of, hot little new potato jackets with all the taste of the Atlantic. Who knew the humble potato could taste so good? (ok, we all did, but these really are exceptional). You can't go too wrong in most of the restaurants in the area with any of the seafood on offer either.
Drink - A Sagres at the bar/cafe right on Mareta beach. For your flat white and daily pasteis de nata head to the hangout.
Explore - The beaches, all as stunning as each other, just drive along the rugged clifftops and find your spot. There are so many hidden gems to discover all around this coastline.
Shop - There's only one thing to stock up on in the area - and that's all the pottery. All of it. Whatever your style, you'll find it - my favourite are the hand filling mugs to carry you through the long winter days ahead.
Gemstone of choice - Aquamarine, a stone born of water, carrying with it luck and protection when out at sea. Wear as a talisman when exploring the coast.
Anna – Marketing Assistant
Italy
Flights - £200 – £300 return
Temp 19-22 degrees
Stay - Naples. A beautifully historic city set along the stunning Amalfi coast. Bask in the warm Mediterranean sun and sip on the local poison; limoncello whilst overlooking the azure waters at one of the many harbourside hang outs.
Explore - Take a trip out to visit the ancient roman city of Pompeii. Engulfed in volcanic ash and pumice from Mt Vesuvius when it erupted in 79AD, Pompeii is both a fascinating and moving insight into one of the most distinguished roman cities during it’s final beating moments.
Getting around - We pre-arranged an Interrail pass (from £92pp) so we could explore every place on our list, from Naples to Sorrento via Pompeii, through to Rome, Florence and Milan, before finishing in the alluring, floating city of Venice.
Eat - PIZZA. Naples is famous for its neopolitan food, including the delicious pizzas. We absolutely loved it.
Gemstone of choice - Moonstone, the perfect travel token, promoting safe journeys, love & happiness.
