Beyond the Brochure: 15 Unique & Interesting Places to Holiday When Flying from the UK
- Jeff Salt
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
Beyond the Brochure: 15 Unique & Interesting Places to Holiday When Flying from the UK: A Complete Guide
Fed up with the usual throng of Costas and boring Canary Island package tours? You’re not the only one. More and more Brits are opting out of the beaten path for vacation spots offering something intriguing, cultural, and full of discovery. What’s great about traveling from Britain is the ability to reach numerous direct flights to countries which aren’t quite typical holiday postcards. From volcanoes to vineyards and abandoned towns overrun by nature, this is your definitive guide to fascinating holiday getaways.
Adventure planning begins well ahead of time, before you even get through the gate. If you are flying into Tbilisi on a night flight or to the Faroe Islands in the early hours of the morning, it is important that you have a stress-free journey to the airport. For people who reside in areas above London, this is vital to a good start to their adventure. This is where transportation plays its role; for example, using Taxis Hemel guarantees that you reach your destination at Luton or Heathrow in peace and not having to struggle with your luggage at Thameslink station.
1. The Azores, Portugal: Europe’s Hidden Hawaii
The Azores, located in the mid-Atlantic, is not an accidental discovery; rather, it is a destination you pick if you want to experience pure nature. The Portuguese volcanic archipelago is home to nine islands, where you have a chance to visit everything from thermal pools surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to volcanic craters with turquoise lakes.
What makes it unique: Hike up Portugal’s tallest mountain, Mount Pico, and go down to explore its underground lava tubes. The next stop is Ponta da Ferraria where you will get the opportunity to swim with dolphins and bathe in hot springs formed by underwater thermal activity. From London, you can fly to the Azores via Ryanair (Stansted) or British Airways/Azores Airlines (Gatwick). It takes about four hours.
Best for: Adventure travelers, hikers, and couples.
2. Västerås, Sweden: The Lake Malaren Alternative to Stockholm
Avoid the hustle and bustle of Gamla Stan and venture 100 kilometres west to Västerås, one of the oldest cities in Sweden yet least visited. The beautiful city, which is bordered on all sides by the expansive Lake Mälaren, boasts runestones from the Vikings, an open-air museum called Vallby, and Europe’s biggest retro-tech exhibit at the Kokpunkten action park, located in a former steam turbine hall.
Why it is unique: Winter offers the chance to travel on a hovercraft over the ice while summer provides kayaking through a network of pristine islands. There are flights from London Heathrow and Manchester to Stockholm Västerås Airport (RYA) with Wizz Air that cost less than £30 each way.
Best for: Frugal travellers and those with a taste for history.
3. The unexpected coast of Albania (Ksamil & Sarandë)
Forget the exorbitant prices in Greece and the queues in Croatia’s Game of Thrones. The Albanian Riviera in Albania continues to be one of Europe’s hidden beach gems. Take a flight to Corfu (from most major airports in the UK) and then board the 30-minute hydrofoil to Sarandë. From here, you’ll have access to the three islets of Ksamil connected by crystal-clear shallow waters, similar to the Maldives.
What makes it unique: You can enjoy freshly prepared sea urchin pasta for £8 while lounging on an almost deserted beach. Further inland, you’ll find the UNESCO site of Gjirokastër, known as “the city of a thousand steps,” where Ottoman-style stone buildings reach skyscraper heights.
Recommended for: Budget-minded beachgoers and cultural enthusiasts.
4. The Faroe Islands: Waterfalls that fall directly into the ocean
For those who prefer holidays with less people than sheep, then Faroe Islands are perfect for you. It is an autonomous Danish territory located between Iceland and Norway, providing some of the most spectacular scenery on earth. Direct flights to Faroe Islands are available from Edinburgh (Atlantic Airways) and from London via Copenhagen.
What makes it unique: The opportunity to stand under the Múlafossur waterfall, which flows straight into the Atlantic Ocean; a village (Saksun) built in the middle of a lagoon; the Sørvágur sea cliff, where the ocean cuts through the rock. The islands boast a submarine roundabout, which is the world's first underwater traffic circle.
Suitable for: Photographers, loners, and hikers.
5. Gdańsk, Poland: A fairy-tale port with a rebel history
While most UK visitors travel to Krakow or Warsaw, they ignore the gem of Poland – the Baltic Sea city of Gdańsk. It is a beautiful reconstruction of a Dutch-style harbor which was destroyed during WWII. Currently, the city’s Long Market (Długi Targ) consists of alchemist houses, amber stores, and the world’s biggest brick church (St. Mary’s).
Why it is unique: You can visit the European Solidarity Centre (site of the fall of communism) and then walk two minutes to a neon-lit speakeasy bar offering craft vodka. Additionally, Westerplatte (the starting point of WWII) is a 15-minute tram ride from the city center. Flights available from London Luton, Liverpool, and Bristol by Wizz Air and Ryanair.
Best for: History enthusiasts, food lovers (pierogi and local fish), and weekend getawayters.
6. Lanzarote’s Fire Mountains (Timanfaya) – but stay in La Geria
Despite being popular, most visitors to Lanzarote do not get to discover its quirky side. Forget the holiday resorts at Puerto del Carmen and stay at a casa rural in La Geria, a surreal environment where the land resembles a moon-like surface made up of black volcanic ash and green vines. Each vine is grown within a semi-circular depression known as zoco, surrounded by a rock wall to collect the dew.
What makes it unique: Meals in this region use chicken cooked using the heat emanating from the earth just a few feet underground. Other attractions include the green lagoon of El Golfo and the cactus garden of Fundación César Manrique. If you want to be transferred directly from Hemel Hempstead Airport to the airport in Lanzarote, you can book Hemel Hempstead Airport Taxis before flying into Arrecife on an easyJet flight from Hertfordshire.
Best suited for: Couples and wine lovers (volcanic wine Malvasia is a must).
7. Matera, Italy (via Bari): The third city of caves
Matera (European Capital of Culture for 2019) is unknown territory for most British sun worshippers. Matera’s Sassi are caves hewn out of a ravine and have been inhabited for over 9,000 years. Fly direct to Bari from London Stansted or Luton (Ryanair) and catch the one-hour train south.
What makes it special: You can actually spend a night at a cave hotel where the rooms are carved into the rock and have all the modern amenities, including showers, along with frescoed ceilings. Matera even stands in for “ancient Jerusalem” in movies (The Passion of the Christ). In the evenings, the stone maze lights up amber and you can have dinner at a cave trattoria.
Ideal for: History buffs, architecture lovers, and honeymooners.
8. Bergen to Flåm, Norway: The railway over the fjord
While many choose to go to Oslo, Bergen is the real gateway to the sublime. Fly direct to Bergen from London Gatwick (Norwegian/Norse), Manchester, and Edinburgh. From Bergen, catch the Bergen Railway to Myrdal, before taking the Flåm Railway, one of the most steeply graded standard-gauge railways in the world, descending 864 metres in 20 kilometres.
Why it’s unique: Pass through Kjosfossen waterfall, where a “huldra” (a mythical being who dances on rocks in the forest) performs. The small town of Flåm, population 350, is found at the foot of the railway and at the head of the Aurlandsfjord. Kayak past goat farms and Viking burial grounds.
Recommended for: Train enthusiasts, families, and non-cruise travelers.
9. Sibiu, Romania: The city of eyes
Transylvania isn’t just home to Dracula’s castle. Sibiu is an old, preserved German town surrounded by 13th century walls. Travel direct from London Luton to Sibiu International Airport with Wizz Air (seasonal) or to Bucharest followed by a budget flight to Sibiu.
What makes it unique: The homes in the central square have “eyes” on their roofs – weird dormer windows that resemble the surveillance state out of a fairytale. Underground there are passages known as the Potters’ Tunnel, which contain craft beer bars. Outside of Sibiu is the Cibin Valley, where you can observe bears as well as the Transfăgărășan Highway (“Top Gear’s best road in the world”).
Best for: Skeptics of Halloween, medievalists, and road trippers.
10. The Lofoten Islands, Norway (via Leknes or Svolvær)
Yes, there are two Norways – since it is such a bizarre country. Lofoten Islands are Arctic islands where mountains jut up straight out of the Norwegian Sea. Fly from Gatwick Airport in London to Oslo and take a connecting flight to Leknes (LKN) or Svolvær.
Why it is unique: Enjoy the midnight sun (May-July) or the Aurora Borealis over red rorbuer (fishermen’s cabins). The islands also have the world’s first taste tour of cod liver oil in Å, which happens to be the smallest named village in the world. Surf in the Arctic and then relax in a floating sauna.
Ideal for: Polar explorers, nature photographers (eagles all around), and those who have "seen enough palm trees".
Practical travel tips for unique holidays from the UK
Book early: Flights to exotic locations such as Faroe or Lofoten offer few seats.
Be aware of visa requirements: Albania and Romania belong to the Schengen area for electronic border control checks; Norway is part of Schengen but not the EU.
Prepare for all weather conditions: The Azores may shower you with sunshine and mist in just one hour. Lofoten’s summer demands thermal clothes even in July.
Choose regional airports: Luton, Stansted, and Bristol might offer more options to strange destinations than Heathrow airport.
Final thoughts
It doesn’t take 12 hours’ travel by air to feel like an adventurer. From the volcanic quiet of the Azores Islands to the caves of Matera, the departure screens of the UK are full of places where you can vacation in a unique way. The secret is in going beyond the well-known destinations (Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona) and focusing on secondary cities, islands, and mountain villages. The next time you’re browsing through the same resort destinations, don’t forget that your next amazing adventure is right at hand via a direct flight and taxi ride to the airport. Safe travels.
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