With July on the horizon, all thoughts are well and truly on the summer holidays. In our last travel special, we explored all of the amazing locations across the UK that are waiting to be explored (if you missed it, be sure to check it out online), so now we’re gazing beyond our borders to see where this year’s trends will take us. 

Oldies but goodies

When it comes to holidays, Brits can be creatures of habit. Come summer, we flood the Continent in our millions, with France, Portugal, Italy and Greece all featuring in our top-five international destinations. 

Spain clearly leads the way, though. According to the 2025 YouGov DestinationIndex, the country is the top spot for British holidaymakers, and for good reason. Sandy shores, superb tapas (and sangria) and lively cities are just a few of the draws. It’s long been a favourite, from the heyday of Hollywood glamour in the Sixties to the considered luxury on offer today – and 2026 is set to be no different. 

Beat the heat

The playground whispers are spreading and in-the-know families are swapping the  Mediterranean for the mountains as heatwaves and wildfires continue to plague some of Europe’s more traditional holiday locations.

A new generation of Kinderhotels are on the rise in destinations such as Austria, Germany and Switzerland, and are an increasingly popular choice. 

In it for the long-haul

The European Union’s newly-implemented Entry/Exit System (EES) could cause havoc in some of our preferred holiday spots this year. I recently travelled to Italy and, having spent two and a half hours in a queue to register just to get into the country, I was immensely grateful that I didn’t have my toddlers in tow. 

One way around this is to travel to countries where the EES doesn’t apply – the Greeks have just decided they’re not making it mandatory this summer, while Turkey is exempt for the obvious reason that it’s not in the EU. If you’re looking for something a little more exciting, though, why not opt for long-haul? 

Heading West is an option – to the shores of the US, Canada or the Caribbean. But if you know where to look, you can wrap every type of holiday into one for a fraction of the price.

Katie Bowman reveals why Sri Lanka could be the answer to your summer holiday conundrum – whether you’re travelling with family, friends or heading off on that all-important honeymoon.  

Do a classic well

Nowhere sashays into summer like Marbella, an iconic holiday destination that has its own bikini-body mantra. “No carbs before Marbs” was made famous by the TV show The Only Way is Essex, helping the Costa del Sol city skyrocket in popularity among Brits.   

A star-studded history

Marbella was legendary long before Gemma Collins and Mark Wright took to the beach clubs, with the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Ava Gardner and Audrey Hepburn photographed at Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe-Langenburg’s legendary Marbella Club Hotel in the Sixties.

Today, Marbella remains the A-list go-to. There’s something about its mix of sandy coastline, yachting scene and Andalucian old town that ticks every box, attracting names from the world of sports to Silicon Valley. 

Hollywood stars are also regulars here, of course, with some so enamoured with the city that they have even purchased homes here (such as Eva Longoria and Antonio Banderas). 

See and be seen

The place to congregate is Puente Romano, an oceanfront resort that first opened its doors in 1974 – think of it more as a cultural phenomenon than a hotel. The estate is home to high-end boutiques (stocking Valentino and Orlebar Brown), a Six Senses Spa and a tennis academy where Novak Djokovic has played. But it’s the Chiringuito beach club that has real pulling power, with sought-after beds and excellent cocktails (puenteromano.com).

If you can’t get a reservation, La Cabane (lacabanemarbella.com) is another popular beach club renowned for its infamous parties, as is – of course – La Sala, where the Towie cast regularly filmed their special summertime episodes (lasalabythesea.com).

Away from the beach

Marbella’s Old Town is a beauty and deserves at least an afternoon of exploration. Life revolves around Plaza de los Naranjos (“orange tree square”), where citrus trees bloom and scarlet geraniums burst from every pot and windowsill. There are ancient churches to poke your head into, pretty cobbled streets to explore and the square is the perfect place to end your day with a “tinto de verano”, the Spanish summertime drink of red wine and lemonade).

Puerto Banús is Marbella’s famous marina, where mega-yachts bob, and super-cars cruise. The wealth will knock you out and the people-watching is off the charts.

A personal escape

The only way to do Marbella properly is to rent a villa. Solmar Villas has a brilliant selection, including Casa Penati in the heart of Marbella on the must-stay Golden Mile. It has a private pool, outdoor kitchen and sauna; you’re also moments from Playa de Casablanca. 

How to do it: Casa Penati costs from £4,700 per week (solmarvillas.com). Sleeps ten.

How to beat the heat

Last month saw the hottest May day on record, with temperatures over the second May bank holiday weekend reaching 34.8°C in south west London. And as temperatures climb higher across the globe, travellers are increasingly eschewing traditional summer destinations for “coolcation” destinations that offer milder climates and outdoor breaks without the extreme heat. 

Among my own friends, bookings for Greece and Spain have been replaced with plans in Scandinavia and Scotland. And after my family managed to avoid wildfires in the south of France last June amid the 35°C-plus heat, I was keen to explore an alternative to the more traditional summer destinations. 

Family adventure in Austria 

It was 16°C and snow still rested on the mountain peaks of the Grossarl Valley near Salzburg in Austria, as my husband, toddler and I arrived for our May break at the luxury Moar Gut family resort, home to practically everything a parent – or child – could ever need. Every day took us somewhere different: scrambling around an adventure playground, feeding my son’s “adopted” rabbit for the week on the on-site small animal farm or splashing in the baby pool.  

The hotel’s “kinderhof” (nursery) is open from 9am until 9pm with a continually changing rota of activities to try out alongside its superb facilities that include the best-looking soft play I’ve ever come across. Although all of its 46 rooms were booked during our stay, nowhere ever felt busy. 

Glorious food 

While the focus is on family fun, there’s plenty to amuse adults too. I enjoyed me-time in the adults-only spa and a gallop up the mountain on an Icelandic horse from Moar Gut’s stables. But we all loved the food (included in the stay). As well as an endless breakfast spread (I counted 16 types of bread) and lunch buffet, every evening we sat down to an elegant four-course meal that included local specialities to appease even the fussiest eater – by the end of our break, our son was even asking for spätzle (buttery German pasta) instead of chips.

How to do it: Double rooms at Moar Gut Family Nature Resort cost from £545; from £2,420 for a luxury suite (moargut.com). Includes full board and childcare.

The affordable summer holiday destination you probably haven’t thought of

Travellers gravitate to the Mediterranean during the UK summer, assuming that long-haul destinations are overpriced, suffer from monsoons and are in the depths of winter. 

Yet, unusually, July to September is the perfect time to visit Sri Lanka’s east coast. This island in the Indian Ocean promises wall-to-wall blue skies, calm seas and gorgeous temperatures circling around 30 degrees celcius. 

The region is packed with incredible experiences too – you can cram a safari, beach and cultural holiday all into one. Minneriya National Park is where you’ll see baby elephants at the watering hole; Pasikudah is a dreamy beach spot, with sea-skimming palm trees and lagoon waters you’d expect from the Maldives; and Polonnaruwa Ancient City has more temples and statues than your social feed can handle.

Paradise for peanuts

The perfect mix of great weather, superb swimming and sensational sights over our summer months make the country an anomaly in the region (southern Asia and the surrounding areas are too hot and muggy). This means that flights are not as expensive as you’d think  – in fact, August fares are around a third cheaper than similar journeys in December.

Hotels are cheaper on Sri Lanka’s lesser-visited east coast too (the entire country could be classified as affordable, but this particular region is even better value than the more popular south). 

The Maldives without the price tag

Sun Siyam Pasikudah is a five-star beach resort with all the luxuries of an Indian Ocean hotel – beach villas, private pools, a spa, sand-under-foot dining – but rates start from as little as £100 a night (sunsiyam.com).

Those looking for a honeymoon following the summer wedding season should also take note: Sun Siyam is a Maldivian-owned group, meaning the hotel has perfected the island-fantasy style many newlyweds are searching for. There’s a cinema under the stars, a floating bar with a glass floor and an infinity-edged swimming pool that looks as though it’s been taken straight from the pages of a bridal magazine.

How to do it: Trailfinders has seven nights at Sun Siyam Pasikudah from £1,849pp (trailfinders.com). Includes breakfast, flights and transfers.