Exotic holiday destinations in the UK – as coronavirus stops travel to our favourite foreign countries
CORONAVIRUS has turned most of our favourite holiday destinations into no-go zones, with Spain, France and Italy all on lock down.
But believe it or not, there are actually plenty of holiday spots around Britain that are just as exotic looking.
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The island has a number of locations where if you didn't know any better... you'd swear you were abroad.
In North Wales, there is a tiny village that looks like it would be better suited to the cliffs of the Amalfi coast for instance.
Up in Scotland meanwhile, there are several white sandy beaches that wouldn't look out of place in the Caribbean.
Sure, you might risk more rain by staying in the UK... but you'll also save the hassle of flights and currency conversion.
Read on to see which exotic British holiday spots have to be seen to be believed...
Castell Coch in South Wales
No, this isn’t a castle in Bavaria, this is Castle Coch in South Wales.
The 19th century building was built near the village of Tongwynlais by a Victorian who was fascinated by the Middle Ages.
John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd marquess of Bute, paid William Burges to design the property in the High Gothic style.
Norfolk Lavender at Caley Mill in Norfolk
Fields of lavender like this are typically found in the south of France, but this particular garden is in rural Norfolk.
Norfolk Lavender features more than 100 varieties of the flower in beds.
Guests can buy lavender, enjoy the rare breeds farm hop in the extensive plant shop and sample some of the famous lavender cake.
There is also an opportunity to take a tour and watch employees extract the fragrant oil from the plant.
Portmeirion in North Wales
This village looks like it would be found in a corner of the Amalfi coast, but it is actually a tourist village in Gwynedd, North Wales.
The entire village was built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975, with his inspiration coming from the pastel-coloured Italian villages.
There are free walking tours of the village and visitors, but dogs are not allowed.
The pretty village attracts around 225,000 tourists every year and it has also been used for several TV shows, including The Prisoner.
Brighton Royal Pavilion
If you thought for a moment that you were looking at the Taj Mahal, you could hardly be blamed.
The Royal Pavilion in Brighton was built in the late 18th century for George, Prince of Wales, in a French-influenced neo-classical style.
But it was redesigned in the early 1800s by the designer John Nash in Indian and Chinese style.
Minack Theatre, Cornwall
The Minack Theatre in Porthcurno, near Lands End, Cornwall, wouldn’t look out of place in Greece.
The unique outdoor theatre sits high on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic ocean.
It was built in the early 1930s by Rowena Cade, who lived in the nearby Minack, and Rowena and her gardener created the stone theatre in her garden using granite boulders.
Nowadays, more than 80,000 people a year watch shows at the theatre.
Lulworth Cove, Dorset
Lulworth Cove on the Jurassic Coastline in Dorset is part of an UNESCO World Heritage site and its aquamarine waters and beautiful limestone rock surroundings make it look much like a beach in the
Balearics.
Thousands of tourists come to the beach every year to take in the panoramic views and swim in the sheltered cove.
Luskentyre beach, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides
Luskentyre beach can be found on the west side of South Harris and it has previously been called the most beautiful beach in Britain.
The bright white sand and the clear turquoise water makes the bay appear as exotic as the Maldives.
Don’t be fooled though – if you’re going to pay a visit, you’ll need a woolly jumper and probably a wetsuit for swimming.
Camber Sands, East Sussex
Camber Sands in East Sussex has long been popular with Londoners who want a day out at the beach.
The beautiful sand dunes that border the beach make the coastal stretch appear like an area in the Hamptons.
The movies The Theory Of Everything, The Invisible Woman and The Monuments Men have all filmed scenes on the beach.
Sandwood Bay, Sutherland
Sandwood Bay in Sutherland on the north west coast of Scotland has a one-mile stretch of beach that is edged by large dunes.
The remote beach, we can only be reached by a four-mile footpath, is one of the country’s most spectacular beaches and one of the most unspoilt in mainland Britain.
Surfers also love the sandy stretch as it has good waves during the summer months.
Appletree Bay, Tresco, Isles of Scilly
Appletree Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Isle Of Scilly, which is no mean feat considering most of them are stunning.
The beautiful white sand and sparkly azure waters look like their belong in the Caribbean.
St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall
St Michael’s Mount is a tiny tidal island in Mount’s Bay just off the Cornish mainland that can be reached by foot only at certain times of day when the tide is out.
A medieval church and castle sit on top of the rocky island, making it look more like an outcrop in Croatia or Malta than the English seaside.
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