Summer Lovin’

As the days stretch out in the warmer months, adventure and relaxation are beckoning

When I look back at my childhood, it’s the memories of summertime travel that stand out. Nostalgic scenes of lying under the shade of an olive tree reading a well-thumbed book accompanied by the unmistakable sound of crickets, wandering around ancient sites in the sunshine, or learning to swim in sun-warmed waters. Summer meant a feeling of freedom and of being in nature, of joy and optimism, and the chance to discover yourself as well as the world.  

Nowadays, this longed-for season has taken on an even more vital role. I daydream all year about those treasured months, when I’ll have the chance to return to a much-loved destination or explore a new place, while being able to disengage from work schedules, reconnect with family, and most crucially, to reset and renew. 

I grew up in the U.K. and spent my summer vacations in Europe, later venturing farther afield to Asia and Australasia as a young adult. Since moving to North America, my family and I have embraced the wonderful culture of long, expansive summers, where normal schedules are set aside for a couple of months. We’ve also discovered the tranquility and joy that can be experienced simply by sitting beside a lake. Whether it’s a morning coffee on the dock, listening to the loon calls and breathing in the stillness, or having sundowners with friends, taking in yet another glorious sunset to the soundtrack of chilled-out beats, those experiences have given me a deep insight into the rejuvenating power of summer. Come Labor Day, it’s always with a heavy heart that we return to city life and everyday routines.

While summering at the lake is a very North American embodiment of summer, the stunning lakeside resorts of Europe also have a gravitational pull for many travelers looking to restore and relax. For summer elegance, a stay at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como in Italy is hard to match for its mix of Old World Hollywood glamour and contemporary luxury. I’ll never forget seeing the wind in my daughter’s glorious red hair as we took a trip in the hotel’s immaculately restored Riva launch to cruise past magnificent residences such as Villa del Balbianello. Our days were spent by the exquisite Flowers Pool or the showpiece floating pool offering views of the mountains and Bellagio, while the balmy evenings called for a pre-dinner cocktail on the terrace before indulging in delicious suppers of pasta dish cacio e pepe or the hotel’s signature saffron risotto.

During the years I lived in Switzerland, summer meant taking a leisurely lunch cruise on Lake Lucerne aboard a traditional paddle steamer, surrounded by the towering peaks of Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus. Or meeting friends at the local badi (swimming spot) for an Aperol Spritz and a sunset dip with glimpses of the snowcapped Alps in the distance. 

Of course, Europe’s coastal resorts are no less alluring in summer, whether it’s relaxing in one of the chic beach clubs that line the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, or the glamorous yet laid-back vibe of Ibiza’s north and east coast, where we once spent a very happy two weeks with a toddler in tow.  

However, for me, it is a vacation on a Greek island that represents the ultimate in summer joy. An intoxicating combination of blue seas and even bluer skies, summer here equals freedom and a sense of time slowing down. New memories with my family now blend with those precious childhood ones – hours spent swimming until my hair and skin were coated in sea salt, followed by an overindulgence of feta and tzatziki in a whitewashed taverna overlooking the sea. 

There is something truly uplifting about summer: not only when it arrives exuberantly with all the pleasures it brings, but how the very thought of it manages to sustain us throughout the year. Indeed, dreaming of summer and making travel plans can brighten up even the darkest, coldest days. We yearn to feel the sun on our skin, to have the time to sleep late and stay up late, to bask in warm seas and cool lakes, encounter new cultures and cuisines, and to replenish our memory banks with life-affirming experiences. 

The magical sense of renewal that summer brings is perhaps best captured by the 19th-century essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote: “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” Wherever your travels take you, I invite you to do the same this summer.