Flying and flopping is not for everyone, but neither is trawling museums in 30-degree heat. So, allow us to present a compromise with a bit of both, urban sightseeing followed by good old horizontal sunbathing on a twin-stop road trip through southern Spain.
Seville
It’s the end of April when I arrive in Seville, and to my relief, the ‘Frying Pan’ temperatures the city’s nicknamed after have yet to materialise. After a quick cab ride from the airport, I pull up at Cristine Bedfor Sevilla, which is set in the rather grand bones of a former theatre, one designed by the same architect who dreamed up the city’s iconic Plaza de España, no less. There’s a lot of terracotta, which seems to be having a design moment, I muse, feeling validated for having recently bought bedside tables in the same shade to inject Mediterranean-villa vibes into my London flat. There’s also ikat carpet everywhere: on the floors, on the walls — the latter harder to pull off without looking like a panic room, but somehow here it works. My room overlooks the street below, and within blue is the over-arching palette, there’s a bathroom as big as the bedroom and toile de jouy everywhere. It may not be especially hot today, but I head to the rooftop for a café con leche and a dip in the pool nonetheless.
Events are often held in Cristine’s courtyard, but nothing is on during my stay, so I set off in search of a flamenco show instead. My first experience of the traditional dance had been an avant-garde performance put on by the Spanish spitting-image of Charlie Sheen in Madrid, so I appreciate the commitment to the classic polka-dots and ruffles form at Teatro Flamenco.
The next morning, my first stop is the Real Alcázar (also known as Dorne to Game of Thrones geeks), a majestic palace with manicured mazes and towering palms that is still in use by the Spanish royal family today, more than a millennia after it was founded. Alas, it’s overcast and drizzling, but I take a moment to picture its fountains and courtyards with the more frequently occurring Andalucian backdrop of bright blue skies and scorching sun.
That night, I relocate to Corral del Rey, one of the original great boutique hotels of Europe, open since 2007. I’m pleased to find it has lost none of its charms, as I settle into my room, which has a staircase leading up to another terrace with a pool. My private mirador overlooks the towers and rooftops of the Casco Antiguo (old town), and the narrow street below. At late-night eatery La Trastienda down the road, I ignore the stark lighting and focus on the authentic tapas experience, sitting at a stool surrounded by locals, admiring the seafood behind the counter, ordering prawns that come in a sizzling garlic oil and various bits of fish served on top of soft bread. It’s slightly weird to be eating this close to midnight, but when in Seville…
Sotogrande
On the drive south to the Andalucian coast the next morning, there are plenty of pitstops providing scenic spots for stretching my legs. My first is Jerez de la Frontera, where I pull in for a wander around its golden-hued architecture and huge cathedral. There are lots of tapas bars spilling onto the streets, and I pause for yet another portion of patatas bravas and some shade.
Just south of Sotogrande and a two-hour drive from Seville along motorways flanked by lush green mountains, Oku Andalusia is in the sort of manicured, purpose-built, holiday-resort village that will have you taking up golf in no time. I pass the gated entrance and drive along the hilly palm-lined streets that lead up to the hotel. After a check-in enhanced by some cava, I’m taken in a golf-buggy to my room — necessary, because the resort is big, with 250-plus rooms arranged on a hillside. The adults-only spa is a temple of neutral tones, with an indoor pool lined by archways, freakishly strong therapists and a meditation courtyard. Should you wish to undergo an extensive wellness programme, among the more niche treatments on offer is laughter therapy.
Also tempting you away from classic Costa del Sol sun-worshipping is the sports centre, with padel and tennis courts, a football pitch, and neighbouring golf courses; and a buzzy beach club with DJ sets. Needless to say, I’m more of a massage-bed and sunlounger kind of girl, so stay lying down until it’s time for a delicious dinner of chilli-garlic prawns, zingy ceviche and perfectly grilled sea-bream.
A 20-minute drive up the coast, just before you reach Marbella, Sotogrande is an upscale residential resort in San Roque, with sandy beaches, polo fields and, of course, world-class golf courses. Also nearby are the Rock of Gibraltar and Los Alcornocales natural park. But if you’re here for the shoreline, locate marina-facing Playa de Sotogrande, west of the Guadiaro River; the spacious Playa de Torreguadiaro, which is lined with chiringuitos; and the peaceful Playa de Guadalquitón, a quiet dune-backed stretch. Or, if you love sardines, seek out Playa de Cala Sardina, where you’ll be able to eat them fresh off the boat.
On the drive back to the airport in Seville, I make a detour to Cádiz, a city built at the tip of a long peninsula with a busy industrial port and sprawling borders. The old town is naturally the most charming part, with more tableside cervecerías and tapas bars to settle into once you’ve explored the historic harbour, cathedral and maze of narrow streets.
As far as metropolises go, Seville is compact and easy to navigate on foot, so this is a lite version of a city-and-sand sojourn. And even in the sweltering heat of high summer, siestas and cooling courtyards are on hand to help make Seville manageable to visitors used to cooler climes. It’s perfect for a bit of culture before experiencing what Spain does best — sun and fun on the costa.
More easy city and shore combinations
Stockholm and Lidingö
Stockholm is built on an archipelago, with 14 islands forming the centre of the city and thousands more around it in the Baltic Sea. The isles at the furthest reaches of the network take hours to reach by ferry, but an easy way to get a taste of the Stockholm Archipelago is to head to Lidingö after a sojourn in the centre. You don’t even have to get on a boat — it’s less than a 30-minute drive away from a slick urban stay such as Ett Hem or Stockholm Stadshotell. On the island, Ellery Beach House awaits — it’s the perfect place to find yourself on a sunny day, thanks to its many pools, cocktail bars and sunloungers. There are buzzers you can press to summon champagne and South American-influenced small plates on tap.
Athens and the Athens Riviera
You don’t even have to leave the official confines of Athens to experience the enduring glamour of its coastline. From an Acropolis-admiring hub such as The Dolli at the edge of the Plaka neighbourhood in the city centre, it’s around a 40-minute drive out to the Athenian Riviera. You’ll be in good company along the shores of Glyfada, where One&Only Aesthesis occupies what was once the Asteria Hotel. When I stayed a few summers ago, Stavros Niarchos’s super-yacht was moored in front of my villa. Glyfada and the wider Riviera has been a hyper-glamorous holiday playground for decades, catering to high-profile visitors such as Jackie and Aristotle Onassis, and Maria Callas. Another hotspot is Vouliagmeni, which is where you’ll find Cape Sounio, casually located next to the Temple of Poseidon.
Copenhagen and Køge
The Scandinavians are masters not only of temperature extremes and hygge, but also knowing how to spend their summers. Pretend to be one of them with a twin-centre trip to Copenhagen and Køge — the latter a historic port town located 40 kilometres south-west of the capital. After a few days admiring the colourful townhouses of Nyhavn and strolling along the Havnegade Promenaden during a stay at Hotel Sanders, head for some coastal convalescence at Rox Resort in Køge, which overlooks the Øresund Strait just outside the centre of town. You won’t find any Scandi minimalism here — the interior designer favours damask fabrics, plenty of patterns and scalloped headboards instead. When you’re ready for your immersion therapy, three rooftop pools and the Baltic Sea are on hand, as is a sauna to help warm you up afterwards.
See more of our city destinations for an urban summer, or stick to the coast at these brilliant beachfront hotels in Europe