5 Of The Best
Words: Sophy Grimshaw August is here and it’s time to get out and catch some sun. Top up your vitamin D at some of these hot outdoor locations Jolly Beach, Antigua Maybe it’s the scent of tropical flowers on the breeze, the candy pink wooden beach huts shaded by palms, or the pale white sand that evokes those TV ads for Bounty bars; [...]
Words: Sophy Grimshaw
August is here and it’s time to get out and catch some sun. Top up your vitamin D at
some of these hot outdoor locations
Jolly Beach, Antigua
Maybe it’s the scent of tropical flowers
on the breeze, the candy pink wooden
beach huts shaded by palms, or the pale
white sand that evokes those TV ads for
Bounty bars; yes, there’s something
almost ludicrously paradise-like about
Jolly Beach. The private resort in St Johns
is one of the Caribbean’s best-known
beaches and a stand-out favourite with
lovestruck honeymooners. It’s also
the best place to top up your tan;
www.jollybeachresort.com
Jaffa Port, Tel Aviv
The ancient port city of Jaffa is ideal for
sun-worshippers who want to do something
more energetic than just laze in the park
or at the beach. With its panoramic views
of the glittering coastline, the130 feet high
Jaffa Hill is the place to head for catching
some sun. The fisherman’s port below,
where you’ll find the day’s fresh catch for
sale along the wharf, borders the winding
stone streets of Old Jaffa, which are named
after the signs of the zodiac and are dotted
with outdoor cafés. The Clock Square
(around the 1906 Clock Tower) is the usual
rendevous point for walking tours;
www.tel-aviv.gov
Al Azhar Park, Cairo
At the heart of Cairo’s historic old
town is the 30-hectare green lung
of Al Azhar Park. Before the park
opened in 2005, this area had been
a rubbish dump for the previous 500
years. Now you’ll find gardens, sports
fields, a playground and even an
amphitheatre. During the clearance
of the site, stones with hieroglyphics
and a 12th-century city wall from the
reign of Salah el-Din were uncovered
here. New York’s Project for Public
Spaces named it among ‘60 of the
World’s Great Spaces’ for the way it
has transformed Cairo summers;
www.alazharpark.com
The Trafalgar Roof Garden, London
If you’re in need of a little greenery
in the British capital, you’ve got more
options than just Green Park (though
it’s not a bad place to start). The rooftop
garden of The Trafalgar Hotel (2 Spring
Gardens, Trafalgar Square) is packed with
tropical foliage and bright white outdoor
furniture. On a sunny day it’s perfect
for taking in a 360 degree view of the
capital: Nelson’s column, the London Eye
and St Paul’s Cathedral all punctuate the
skyline from here. As the day cools down,
chat over a cocktail at a candlelit table;
www.thetrafalgar.com
Vondelpark, Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s largest city park attracts
10 million visitors through the gates
to its grassy expanses every year
– from joggers and rollerbladers to
families, dog-walkers, sunbathers and
of course cyclists. Its proximity to the
Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum
make the 120-acre Vondelpark,
located south of the Leidseplein,
prime take-a-break territory. This
month, look out for open-air theatre
(www.openluchttheater.nl) and music
near the Eeghenstraat entrance;
www.vondelpark.nl
