There are places across the UK and Ireland that rarely appear in travel guides, at least not the kind with bold headlines and “Top 10” listicles. They’re not secrets exactly, just quieter, less obvious, and all the better for it. Usually, the people who find them are the ones who weren’t in too much of a rush, who took a wrong turn or followed a recommendation from someone who knew the area well. That’s often how the best discoveries happen.
Isle of Colonsay, Scotland
Parts of Scotland look, on the right day, almost impossibly beautiful, the kind of white sand and blue water that wouldn’t look out of place in a travel brochure for the Maldives. Colonsay is one of those places, and it tends to catch people off guard.
Getting there is part of it, the ferry crossing gives you room to decompress, watching the mainland fade behind you, and by the time you arrive the pace has already shifted. Days here are shaped by tides and weather rather than plans. The coastline sets the tone: wide, empty beaches, paths that wind to hidden caves, the occasional seal or seabird going about its business nearby. From there, the tidal crossing to Oronsay is a must-do when visiting, you walk across at low tide to reach the ancient priory, returning before the sea slowly reclaims the ground behind you.
Inland, Colonsay House Gardens rewards a slower wander through woodland paths and unusual planting, with a café to stop and linger on freshly home baked goods. The island’s food and drink deserves attention too, the Colonsay Smokery’s salmon and gravadlax is exceptional, and the local distillery and gin carry the same quiet pride in doing things properly. End the day at the coastline sauna, moving between heat and cold water with open Atlantic views ahead of you. And when night falls, the lack of light pollution means you can sit back, count the stars and quietly replay the day.
Best for: slow travellers who like days shaped by tides and weather rather than timetables. Anyone who’s been craving that proper sense of switch-off that’s becoming harder to find closer to home, and who loves the outdoors without needing it to come with a challenge.
If Colonsay has caught your attention, our Scottish Island Escape is a good place to start exploring what island travel in Scotland can really look like.
Isles of Scilly, England
The Isles of Scilly offer that same gentle removal from everyday life, but with their own distinct character, not far in distance from the mainland, but miles away in pace. Five inhabited islands means Scilly is made for moving between. Regular boats make island-hopping easy, and each island has its own feel. St Mary’s has a little more going on, boutique shops, artists’ galleries, somewhere to stop for a long lunch, and the Scilly Carts are a brilliant way to explore at your own pace, winding between beaches and coastal paths without much of a plan. St Martin’s is quieter and more personal, worth a visit for the vineyard alone, one of the most southerly in the UK, and the kind of place that genuinely surprises people.
In summer especially, there’s something about Scilly that feels less like England and more like a small corner of France. Clear, sheltered water, unhurried lunches by the sea, creative studios and galleries add an unexpected creative input to the day. Boat trips, coastal spas and relaxed wellness spaces round things out nicely, all sitting naturally alongside the slower pace of the place.
Best for: couples, art lovers, anyone drawn to being by the water, and those who enjoy gentle exploring without a fixed agenda. Scilly rewards those who aren’t chasing a packed schedule
If this has caught your eye, check out our holidays which include this beautiful part of the world.
Dunkeld, Scotland
Dunkeld is one of those places that gets passed on the way further north more often than it deserves. In reality, it’s somewhere worth stopping for, and staying in.
Set along the River Tay, it carries a quiet but strong sense of history. The cathedral sits right at the water’s edge, the surrounding woodland feels almost timeless, and the wider Perthshire landscape has a cinematic quality that’s landed it on screen more than once, nearby locations featured in Outlander and Braveheart, and you can immediately see why.
From the village you can walk straight into The Hermitage, where towering Douglas firs lead to the Black Linn Falls, or follow quieter riverside paths that open into wide views across the Tay. The village itself has its own unhurried rhythm, independent shops and cafés, easy access to local distilleries, and countryside drives that reward taking the long way round. A short drive away, Scone Palace adds another layer: historic grounds, the traditional crowning place of Scottish kings, and a calendar of seasonal events from garden fairs to food festivals worth building into your visit.
Best for: travellers who want a base with depth rather than a single highlight. History, walking, food, film locations and proper countryside, Dunkeld sits at a useful crossroads for exploring Perthshire at its own pace.
You can find more inspiration for exploring this part of the country on our Scottish Highlands pages.
Aberaeron, Wales
Aberaeron offers something a little brighter, but no less relaxed. Sitting on the Cardigan Bay coast, it’s instantly recognisable for its pastel-coloured houses lining the harbour, but it’s what you do here that gives it real substance.
Days start slowly by nature. A walk along the harbour or out onto the coastal path, where quiet coves and views stretch along the Ceredigion coastline. Boat trips in search of dolphins, often spotted just offshore, are worth building in, and nearby Llanerchaeron, a beautifully preserved Georgian estate with walled gardens and traditional farm buildings, makes for a quieter, more immersive afternoon than you might expect.
Local producers are worth seeking out too. The New Quay Honey Farm offers a genuine insight into beekeeping alongside the chance to taste what the area produces, and the much-loved Ice Cream Experts nearby has a habit of becoming more than just a quick stop. Back in Aberaeron, the rhythm of the place takes over, independent shops, fresh seafood, and the simple pleasure of sitting by the water as the evening rolls in. Plans stay loose here, and that’s often when it’s at its best.
Best for: those who like their days balanced, enough to fill your time without ever feeling over planned. Great for wildlife lovers, foodies, walkers and anyone drawn to a working harbour with real character.
Take a look at our Wales holiday ideas if Aberaeron, or anywhere else along this coast, has caught your eye.
Glengariff, Ireland
Tucked into a sheltered harbour in West Cork, Glengariff is the kind of place where the landscape feels softer, greener and just a little more layered than you’d expect.
Countryside and coast meet here in a way that gives real variety. A short boat trip out to Garnish Island, where Italian-style terraces, rare plants and quiet walking paths create something unexpectedly exotic, is one of those experiences that tends to catch people off guard. The Beara Peninsula is worth a day too, offering dramatic coastal and mountain scenery without the crowds that gather on more familiar routes.
Closer in, woodland walks through the nature reserve wind through ancient oak forest to viewpoints like Deirdre’s Lookout, where the harbour opens up below. The Bamboo Park feels almost out of place in the Irish countryside, in the best possible way, and The Ewe Experience, a small creative garden and sculpture space, rewards the kind of curious wandering that Glengariff tends to encourage.
Time on the water is just as easy to fill. Kayaking on the bay, an evening boat trip, or simply finding a spot to watch the light shift over the harbour, which, in West Cork, it does in a way that’s hard to describe until you’ve seen it.
Best for: those who want the beauty and pace of the west of Ireland without the most-visited routes. Ideal for walkers, nature lovers and anyone drawn to somewhere genuinely unhurried, with enough variety to fill several days without ever feeling rushed.
Our Ireland holiday pages are a good place to explore what else the west, and the rest of the country, has to offer.
Not sure where to start? That’s what we’re here for.
These are just five places that don’t always get the attention they deserve, and there are plenty more where they came from. Finding the right one for you is something we genuinely enjoy.
We’ve been planning trips across Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales and the Channel Islands for over twenty years. Not from brochures, but from actually being there, walking the same paths, eating in the same places, building the kind of knowledge that only comes from that.
If any of these corners have caught your eye, or if you’d like to tell us what you’re looking for and let us suggest somewhere you might not have considered, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch today.
