The Guardian - UK (2022-04-30)

The Guardian | 30.04.22 | SATURDAY | 99

LIFESTYLE

PHOTOGRAPHS: JADROFOTO/ALAMY; LUKASZIMILENA/SHUTTERSTOCK

in calm water – protected by those

headlands – snorkelling over rocks

and hiking along the coast or into the

woods. In spring, sandpipers and

curlews arrive for the nesting season.

There are few accommodation

options in the reserve, but organic

agriturismo Sicilia di Vendicari

(doubles from € 110 B&B , siciliadi

vendicari.it ) is a half-hour walk from

the beach and has four cottages

(sleeping two to eight) among its citrus,

olive and almond groves.

36 | Sperlonga , Lazio

Halfway between Rome and Naples,

Sperlonga’s old, whitewashed centre

sits on a promontory jutting into the

sea, topped by a 16th-century tower.

To its south, past a small marina, lie

gorgeous golden sands backed by low

hills and a few campsites. There are

some concessions, with umbrellas and

sunbeds, but also plenty of stretches of

free beach. The best lies just before a

low headland 10 minutes’ walk along

the sand, which also off ers a view

through railings of a cave, and the

ruins of the villa Roman emperor

Tiberius would escape to from around

22AD, when tussles with the Senate

got too much. Five minutes’ walk from

the old town, two-room Villa Luisa

( doubles from €90 B&B , two-night

minimum , on Facebook ) does

generous breakfasts and its back gate

opens on to the beach.

C R O A T I A

37 | Krivica, Lošinj

Maybe it’s the fact that you have to

hike down a rocky path for 30 minutes

• and back up again – that makes
  Krivica’s pebbly beach so special. The
  reward is clear, deep turquoise water
  in a sheltered pine-fringed bay, with
  only sailing boats in the narrow
  channel for company. Lošinj, a long,
  misshapen island in the Kvarner gulf ,

is one of Croatia’s most fragrant places,

with an incredible profusion of wild

herbs. Villa Kredo ( doubles from €114

B&B , losinj-hotels.com ) is a colourful

hotel and restaurant overlooking a

pretty beach on the western side of the

h e a d l a n d f r o m Č i k a t B a y.

38 | Plaža Divna, Pelješac

Living up to its name – beautiful beach

• Plaža Divna is on the north coast of
  the Pelješac peninsula, with pine-
  covered hills fl anking the little pebbly
  bay. There are a few shady spots and
  the marine life between the beach and
  the tiny island facing the bay makes
  for brilliant snorkelling. A cafe sells
  drinks and basic food, and behind the
  beach is the small Camp Divna
  campsite (pitches from €5.40pp , on
  Facebook ) set in an olive grove.
  Non-campers can rent a fl at at
  Apartment Villa Waterfront (from €122
  for two or three people , waterfront-
  villa.com ) overlooking a beach near
  the ferry port of Trpanj.

39 | Mlini, Pakleni Islands

Those visiting Hvar who fancy a

change of scenery should take a taxi

boat to Mlini cove on the Pakleni

island of Marinkovac. There’s a

wonderfully laid-back air to this

pine-scented pebbly beach , along

with sunloungers for rent and a

beachfront restaurant. As with all

Croatia’s pebbly beaches, protective

swimming shoes will make things

more enjoyable, and the amazingly

clear blue-green water has people

snorkelling for hours. On the island,

R o b i n s o n H o u s e N i c o l i n a ( f r o m € 1 7 0 a

night for up to fi ve , robinson-house-

nicolina.com ) has two bedrooms and

tons of outdoor lounging, dining and

barbecuing space.

ALBANIA

40 | Porto Palermo, Qeparo,  Vlorë

County

Qeparo is a magical village off ering

spectacular colour combinations: the

blue of the sea, the green of the

hillsides and the white of limestone

rock formations popping out of the

dramatic mountainsides all around.

There are plenty of hidden beaches,

but even the main one, called Porto

Palermo, is beautifully undeveloped,

and perfect for relaxing on the pebbles

or exploring the nearby rocky

peninsula, topped with a 200-year-old

fortress. A short walk away along the

coast, Stone Beach hotel (studio

apartments from €70 , on Instagram )

has rooms with views south over the

Ionian Sea.

38

40

TRAVEL

Puzzle

solutions

(puzzles on page 101)

Answers to quiz

by Thomas Eaton

1 David Bowie’s

Zigg y Stardust.

2 Adlestrop

(Edward Thomas).

3 Primark.

4 Mother T eresa.

5 Postbox.

6 Delphi.

7 Salford (Man Utd FC

borrowed the nickname).

8 Ask me anything.

9 Wrote various The Art

of ...

10 Factions in the

French Revolution.

11 Halls of fame of

North American sports:

pro football;

baseball;

basketball;

ice hockey.

12 Distance from

the Earth to the sun,

in various units.

13 Grades in Hogwarts

wizarding exams.

14 Wine bottles

(x standard size):

Jeroboam;

Methuselah;

Nebuchadnezzar.

15 Places in Antarctica

named after women.

Answers to

Weekend

Crossword

by Sy

CGHC B

MA R I N E A TWOOD

LG I YHR

ADR I ENNE E I GG

EZNEE

TR I PP ENGL I SH

ABEE

MA L THU S A R I E L

RIRL X

ANNE BR I GHTON

HNANUC

SEXTON DANI EL

MKATT