Glamping Abroad in 2021 – Part 2
Welcome back to part 2 of our top picks for glamping in Europe. We often think of glamping as a UK thing, but there are glamping sites all over the world so we can spread our wings and explore the planet, sticking with the beauty of glamping while we experience new cultures, foods and enjoy a break from the daily grind.
Spain is a popular destination for beach holidays, but we often think of the standard package holiday with full board in a generic hotel – there’s so much more to Spain than the “Benidorm” style package holiday in resorts crowded with people. In Lanzarote, you will find the Finca de Arrieta which boasts two yurts located around the Palm Pod that doubles up as an extra bedroom in hot weather. The private bathroom and kitchen provide all of the modern conveniences and the swimming pool gives you total peace to lounge around and enjoy the sun. The beach is only 300 metres away, so you can pack light for a day on the beach, safe in the knowledge that your facilities are a short walk away.
If you love the mixed cultural heritage of Spain, with the Moorish influences and nods to bedouin style you’ll be delighted by La Jaima in Alicante. Part of a sustainable site, La Jaima is a tent lodge designed and made by the man who created luxury tent lodges for a Moroccan king, and the influences can be seen in this pretty structure, tucked away in a private grove. La Jaima is close to local attractions and is perfectly situated for exploring the dramatic landscape around Alicante. The tent features a double skin wall, so you can adjust for the weather, rolling up the sides to get a breeze through in the evenings.
Peel Cabin, in Huelva on the Spain/Portugal border is a real rustic, bohemian hideaway that comes with a rowing boat, so you can pop across to Portugal for lunch if the fancy takes you. The hippy vibe of this cabin is just gorgeous and sits perfectly in the almond and olive groves which surround it. This is a semi off-grid glamping experience so while you get hot running water in the outdoor shower, there is a compost loo and gas stove, ensuring you get the right mix of rustic basics and little touches of luxury.
For those who want to go further afield the Treehotel in Norbotten, Sweden, cannot be missed. There are seven unique tree houses, some of which you will have seen on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces. We think the Birds Nest is particularly quirky, covered with branches and twigs so it looks like part of the tree canopy. A hidden electric stepladder descends from the nest to let you in, and inside you’ll find a sleek, modern interior with a loo, two bedrooms and under-floor heating. The main bathroom and eating area are in the 1950s style guesthouse from whence the seed for the tree hotel grew. There are six more unique tree top hotel rooms to choose from so if you love the Birds Nest you can always return and try the others out.
As you can see, Europe has some really unique glamping options, so if you feel you have explored most of the UK and/or you want to try somewhere new there are inordinate amounts of places you can visit for that unbeatable glamping feeling, that offer a new culture, with new foods to try as well.
