Summer is here — and with it comes the endless stream of holiday Instagram posts. Let me guess: every time you open your feed, you're greeted by an endless stream of idyllic, perfectly curated holiday posts. There's one of your school friends laughing on the beach in Greece. There's your colleague smiling into her Aperol Spritz on an Italian piazza. And there's your sister, radiating post-hiking joy at the top of a mountain in Spain. Good for them, you think with a resentful eye roll as you return to your over-air-conditioned office and get back to the grind.
If you can't get away from your real life for a fancy holiday this summer, I feel you. The FOMO is real when you're stuck in a sweltering, grimy city, mindlessly staring at Slack. But there's no reason why you can't get that holiday feeling right here in the UK. What you need is a fake vacation — a facation, if you will.
Here are a few ways you can create your very own holiday — no airlines required. Try booking a week off work and ticking each and every one of the following items off your list:
Cute toddler not included.
Nothing will get the relaxed holiday vibes going like a day at the spa with nothing to do but relax. Find a local spa in your city or head out for a weekend getaway. Bishopstrow in Wiltshire is a wonderful example of a spa hotel destination where you can unwind in the pool, indulge in a massage and enjoy delicious meals on the patio before taking a stroll around the idyllic estate gardens. Think spa meets a real-life Jane Austen novel.
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Sure, you can't make it to the beaches of Greece this year — but the UK has plenty of its own beaches on offer. Take a day off work, rent a car, and head to the nearest patch of sand. Head south to the beaches around Brighton or a little further west to Bournemouth.
Spend a whole day having a lazy picnic in the park. Bring some games. Invest in some deck chairs. Create a beautiful spread of picky bits. And, of course, wear your flounciest sundress for the 'gram.
Instead of an ordinary meal out, why not commit to a theme? Plan an entire day around your favourite film or novel and explore your own city through new eyes. For literary fans, explore the beautiful area around Bloomsbury before grabbing a bite and a cocktail at The Bloomsbury's Dalloway Terrace.
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Inspired by Virginia Woolf's famous London-based novel, the terrace is decorated with seasonal decor. This summer, the patio is decked out in gorgeous arrangements of pink hanging flowers, while the cocktail menu features four themed Silent Pool gin cocktails inspired by the author – the Ophelia Highball is particularly delicious. Enjoy a relaxed meal on the patio and imagine yourself being whisked into the pages of the novel.
We tend to spend our time frequenting the same old haunts day in and day out. Spice things up by picking an area of your city you've never been to. Spend a day exploring the shops, grabbing some food, sitting in a new park — guess what: you'll feel like you're a million miles from home without having to buy a single plane ticket.
Sustainability and surfing, how I discovered the surprising side of The Maldives at Gili Lankanfushi.
Be a tourist in your own city. Take in an exhibition. Learn something new.
You have nowhere to be. Pick a patio with a relaxed, sunny vibe and kick back and enjoy. The Brush in Shoreditch is a great spot to enjoy some cocktails and some tasty snacks from their Pour Menu. This summer, they're also offering a delicious BBQ lunch menu cooked from their Big Green Egg — the Jerk Pork Chop is a must-try.
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Be spontaneous. Have a gelato, take your time, stop and enjoy the city skyline. We spend so much of our time rushing around, but on a staycation, you can get that lazy, no-obligations holiday feeling in your own city with the right frame of mind.
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