PERFECT ISLANDS
LUNDY, ENGLAND
OPOPULATION 28
OSIZE 2 square miles
Lundy is one of Britain’s great unsung
treasures – a chunk of land between
Devon and Pembrokeshire in the realm
of shipwrecks and Atlantic squalls. It
has a dramatic history to match: having
been ruled by treasonous nobles,
Moroccan pirates and not a few people
who proclaimed themselves king (one
as late as the 1920s). Luckily it’s
possible for anyone to pretend they’re
the monarch of this island, with the
Landmark Trust leasing out 23
properties around Lundy. Would-be
kings should book in the Castle Keep
Cottages, studious types in the Old
School and those seeking isolation in
Tibbetts, a tiny cabin poised on a remote
cliff, from which 14 twinkling
lighthouses can be seen on a clear night.
OGETTING THERE See landmarktrust.org.
uk/lundyisland for details of boat and
helicopter transport to Lundy (from US$85
return). All depart from near Barnstaple in
Devon, reachable by train from Exeter. Fly BA
to London before connecting on AccesRail
(from US$58; accesrail.com).Best for Mavericks
BORNHOLM,
DENMARK
OPOPULATION 40,000
OSIZE 227 square miles
Although located closer to
Poland, Sweden and Germany,
Bornholm is emphatically
Danish, with woods out of a
Hans Christian Andersen story,
a castle worthy of Hamlet and
a growing reputation for New
Nordic food. The pioneer is
Kadeau, a restaurant where
foraged ingredients become
high-concept dishes such as
oysters with hemp wrapped in
a kale leaf. If you’ve space left,
book a seaside table at elegant
Le Port (pictured) or try heartier
food, such as cured herrings,
at Nordbornholms Røgeri,
a traditional smokehouse.
OGETTING THERE Fly Turkish
Airlines to Copenhagen, then take
the 35-minute flight to Bornholm
(from US$106; dat.dk).Best for Food
PHOTOGRAPH: STEFON COX/500PX