- swimming
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Fancy a swim? Believe it or not, you can swim outside in London. Shoreditch House – owned by Nick Jones, the man who brought us Soho House – is situated in east London and has a heated rooftop pool.
It also has a fabulous set of places to drink inside, an onsite bowling alley and a Cowshed spa. Very possibly the best place to chill out in the capital.
Two outdoor public swimming pools great for family fun. One in Portagem near Marvão with a large swimming pool and smaller children's pool, sun loungers, shades, a grass area with a small stream and bridges and cafe/restaurant.
The other one in Castelo de Vide with two great slides for the kids, large swimming pool, small children's pool, sun loungers, shades and grass areas with small olive trees and a cafe/restaurant.
A respite from the hot Alentejo sun and the kids will love it.
If you need a morning swim to pep you up, then you should book into the Intercontinental, which has one of the largest swimming pools you’ll find in a hotel – it’s junior Olympic size and heated (a leftover from when this used to be an athletics club).
I spent a very hot weekend in Geneva recently and found the perfect cure to the heat - Les bains des Paquis is a city beach on the shores of Lac Leman. Entry is two CHF for unlimited time. In addition to the pebble beach and the lake, there is a restaurant (which serves an excellent salade Greque), a hammam with massage services and a games area.
Sounds tacky? I thought it would be, but it wasn't! Swimming in the lake in the height of the summer with city views all around, the jet d'eau in the background and the snow-capped mountains in the distance is really something else.
It's on the same side of Lac Leman as the Cornavin station. Walk down to the Quai Mont Blanc and head left (towards the parc mon repos), the bains des Paquis are clear signposted and are accessed via a bridge.
Lovely self-catering apartment right by the river Dart. Swim before breakfast! Such a relaxing spot, trees, river. Dartmoor and the sea within easy reach.
When heading north out of Kerikeri most people will turn off to visit or camp at Matauri Bay. This place is fantastic for swimming, fishing, walking and diving amongst other activities. But make sure you follow the road around to the next bay for a visit. Te Ngaere Bay is a quieter and more secluded area which has lots to offer. There's easy access for boats so it's a great place to go fishing, kids will enjoy the rock pools for exploring and the beach is perfect for swimming. Allow a full day to properly enjoy the surroundings.
The Kai Iwi Lakes in the Taharoa Domain reserve are an absolute gem. The area itself feels like you're off the beaten track but it's not too far north from Dargaville township. Perfect for a day- or week-long trip. The campsite has great basic facilities but can get busy in summer so book ahead. The freshwater lakes are perfect for any watersports and there are great walking tracks around the area too.
Ngarunui is the main swimming beach in Raglan and is perfect if you're learning to surf. You can choose to go with a local surf school, or if you've had a few lessons and are keen to go along with a friend, hire boards and wetsuits individually by the hour (without making a booking) from the main entrance to the beach below the carpark. It's not too pricey either and there are usually people around so it's not too scary if you're just starting out.
I know a lot of people in the UK are still nervous about visiting Egyptian resorts, but I'd highly recommend it. Sharm El Sheikh is perhaps the best-known diving town, but it is not the only option. Hurghada is also an excellent place to visit.
The town is growing quickly and is becoming more and more popular from year to year. A lot of building work is also going on in the town and it is becoming a popular area for people looking for property investments. I'd recommend visiting.
Hurghada, Egypt
www.hurghada.com
Köyceğiz is a beautiful quiet town with hot summers and friendly local people.
The Lake of Köyceğiz is often said to be as "as smooth as glass" till noon and then great for wind surfing in the afternoon. The Köyceğiz Lake contains almost every kind of seafood from fish to crab.
The Rock Tombs are tombs carved into the rock in Dalyan and date back to the ancient harbour city of Caunos.
The Mud baths are natural hot mud baths - very good for the skin!
Koycegiz, Dalyan
Kalymnos is located in the Dodecanese between the islands of Leros and Kos. Mountains ideal for rock climbing, crystal blue waters for swimming, fishing and scuba diving.
The capital of the island is Pothia, worth seeing are the villages of Vathy, Masouri and the small island of Telendos. You can get there by ferry from Piraeus or by plane via Kos or Rhodes.
We were in Marrakech early March and found out that many pools were still closed because the temperature of the water is too cold.
We found a place called Caravan Serai just outside Marrakech with a heated pool. We took a taxi (about £10 return) and arrived in a very quiet, lovely place. It is a hotel with a couple of rooms and a decent size swimming pool. We had to pay to use the swimming pool for the day (£15), but this included a very nice lunch. Worth a visit if you want to chill out a day in hectic Marrakech.
This is a beautiful villa with a shared pool (shared with villa opposite) in a quiet town, which is on the edge of a huge lake. It's really beautiful, and we were very well looked after during our stay. We loved it so much that we're heading back in May! If you like diving, it's not far from Dalyan where you can jump on a boat (we used Tripoint Diving) they were very good. Incredible viz, and we dived a great wreck!
Ticks the boxes for adults and kids. Fantastic Art Noveau building with probably the most photographic indoor pool in the world for the adults to appreciate. Outside is another pool with sun loungers around it and every hour a wave machine is turned on. Shrieks and shouts from kids aged 4 months to 40 years (and some).
If you want a break that gives you peace and quiet, beautiful Scottish island scenery, a pristine beach, sparkling sea and masses of outdoor space to let the kids explore, this is perfect.
There is no formal camp ground. You pitch your tent on the grass next to the beach and put some money in a box in the local village. There are public toilets to use but other than that, this is pretty wild camping.
The area is really safe so the kids can go off and explore the beach and rock pools whilst you relax and get the camp fire going. Long summer days, lovely walking, swimming, fresh air and starry skies. This is a wonderful, memorable place to take the family.
Ardroil Beach
on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis
Scotland
The Lycian coast of Turkey has many jewels: choose from Kalkan, Kas, Gocek or Fethiye. Beautiful villas and apartments at very reasonable prices, frequent scheduled and charter flights, extremely friendly, hospitable and humorous people, roof terrace restaurants offering local delicacies or international cuisine, fabulous swimming and water sports at stunning locations and the longest and best sandy beach in Europe within easy reach. And there are inland excursions and activities and a 20 mile gorge to explore, for the more energetic. The combination is unbeatable and offers exceptional value for a family holiday - just do a little research on the internet!
A jewel in the Aegean, the easternmost of the Cycladic Islands, it has an evocative beauty, and is remarkably unspoilt. Swimming and plenty of remarkable walks, which give you views to the smaller Cycladic Islands to the north and west. It is a dreamy place, a place to rest and let yourself be taken by a traditional, intimate and quiet life of the island.
A small settlement on the west coast of Australia where Ningaloo reef is just a short swim from Paradise Beach.
I'd recommend it for those on a budget as the snorkelling rivals any organised trip on the Great Barrier Reef and can be done to your own schedule.
Stay at the nearby campsite for a few days and you can venture out on to the reef as many times as you like and see reef sharks, turtles, trumpet fish, octopuses, you name it. It's also handy if you fancy doing a diving course without being out at sea for days, or if you want to take in a leisurely glass-bottom boat tour. It's best to visit outside of the school holidays.
Visit www.coralbay.org/
Captain Shallo and Sail Kenya run sailing safaris along the Lamu archipelago. Captain Shallo also runs sailing safaris from Kalifi between Mombasa and Malindi.
I went on the four-day Lamu sailing safari last September and would truly say it was one of my best ever holidays. Captain Shallo and the crew really make sure you have a great time - swimming in clear, warm, blue water, walking along the most powdery of white sands, visiting tiny villages along the north-eastern coast and eating great super-fresh food.
It's not a luxury comfort holiday, but a bit of an adventure combined with a lot of pleasure.
Small village set on a bay on the Budva riviera. Not too over-developed and with a range of different types of restaurants from western-style cool and chic with 'Blanche' to local fresh and simple seafood with 'Konova More'.
A really pleasant little beach lapped by clean, clear aquamarine waves. Friendly and low-key. Perfect for a couple wanting to get off the beaten track and do a little exploring. Easy access by seashore path to King's Beach, Queen's Beach and the famous and extremely pretty Sveti Stefan.
20 minutes south of Budva by taxi or bus along the coast road.
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