A last-minute getaway will be at the top of many people’s lists right now as the kids embark on their summer holidays up and down the country.
While traditional holiday destinations such as Spain, Portugal and, more recently, Turkey, are still incredibly popular there may be an even more glamorous option closer to home.
Once-popular destinations across Europe, such as Barcelona, Lisbon, Milan and more, have witnessed locals protest excessive tourism with some even seeing graffiti demanding tourists ‘go home’ and visitors being sprayed with water guns.
Mounting costs only exacerbate the dilemma, as insurance market researcher, Consumer Intelligence, reports that Brits are now much more incentivised to go on staycations, with 52% holidaying on home soil last year, according to their study.
With this in mind, there are plenty of beauty spots up and down these isles which can be reminiscent of a far-off land, with one even being compared to the Maldives online.
Scotland is home to many well-known, and a few hidden, gems, especially along its 11,646 miles of coastline including its various islands.
One of which is the Isle of Lewis and Harris, in the Outer Hebrides, with its southern section, Harris, known for its stunning beaches and rugged mountains.
Luskentyre is located on the west side of Harris and might be home to one of the prettiest beauty spots in the entire UK, or even Europe, according to its many glowing reviews.
TripAdvisor ranks it as the top attraction on the island, and it has more than 1,100 reviews on the travel guidance platform, managing to maintain a near-perfect score of 4.9 out of five.
“Luskentyre Bay is a little slice of Maldives on the coast of the Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides – honestly worth the drive,” Writes Cyd J after a visit to the beach in August 2024.
Meanwhile, after a trip last summer, user Spiaggia described Luskentyre as being “One of the most beautiful beaches in the world,” while IslandGurl2, visiting from Canada, which boasts some of the world’s best beauty spots itself, scored the beach ’10 out of five!’
They posted: “10 out of 5! This beach is Outstanding!!! I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.
“The views on the drive up to the car park are otherworldly. Beautiful turquoise water, soft golden sand that stretches for miles, grass-covered dunes.
“There’s a public toilet at the car park with a donation box, so that’s helpful! The wind blew warm when we were there in early May, and it was so much warmer than the other end of the island we visited later the same day. As we were walking out, we even got to see two Highland cows sitting on the bluff overlooking the beach, chewing their cud.”
So, amazing beach? Check. Smooth sand between your toes? Check. Turquoise sea? Check. Is there any need to travel abroad this summer?