Take These Epic Daytrips On Your Next Holiday

Need a break from the big city? These five escapes – all just a boat ride away from the mainland – offer an antidote to urban fatigue.

From Stockholm: Värmdö

The Stockholm archipelago’s 24,000 islands provide ample choice for a change of scenery from the Swedish capital. Värmdö is the archipelago’s largest island and a compelling destination for lovers of art and nature. Its siren attraction is Artipelag, a modern art gallery and design space established on a forested headland in Gustavsberg by the founder of the BabyBjörn brand. Besides arresting architecture and art, Artipelag has a cafe serving light lunches and next-level pastries as well as a weekends-only restaurant renowned for all-day brunches and sea views. Elsewhere on Värmdö, you'll find the 200-year-old Gustavsberg porcelain factory with a museum, shop and clay workshops for children, a craft brewery and hiking trails. Artipelag runs a direct bus from Stockholm’s Cityterminalen to the museum but there’s a far more scenic option: between May and September the former steamship MS Gustafsberg VII departs Stockholm for a 90-minute voyage and islands tour to Värmdö.

Don't miss: Sculpture in Nature (above) is Artipelag’s permanent exhibition of outdoor artworks set amid meadows, forests, headland and shore. Currently there are a dozen installations by Nordic and international artists, including Maria Miesenberger and Jaume Plensa. Museum entry is free but there's a small charge for the guided map to help visitors navigate and appreciate the sculpture park works.

From New York City: Roosevelt Island

When you need respite from Manhattan’s hustle or you just want some killer shots for your socials, make a break for this tiny 56-hectare island on the East River between Manhattan and Queens. Take the F Train, the aerial tramway or catch an Astoria Line ferry from Wall Street or East 34th Street to reach Roosevelt Island. If time’s tight, use the free red shuttle bus to get around; if not, it takes little more than an hour to walk around this three-kilometre-long landmass.

Roosevelt has an intriguing history and the sites to show for it: visit the former smallpox hospital (the island was a quarantine station until the 1950s), the ruins of the first New York asylum, the quaint lighthouse and Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park. In the late afternoon, head to the 18th-floor rooftop bar at the Graduate by Hilton New York for breathtaking panoramas of the metropolis.

Don't miss: Making the crossing via the Roosevelt Island Tramway (it’s actually a cable car) from East 59th Street and 2nd Avenue is one of the best ways to maximise your visit. For the most photogenic views in either direction, park yourself at the ends of the tram rather than the side windows and marvel at Manhattan’s buzzing sidewalks below.

From Athens: Aegina

The Saronic Gulf island of Aegina, a favourite weekend break for Athenians, is a microcosm of Hellenic island charm about an hour by boat from the Greek capital. Picture pastel-toned Venetian manor houses, lively ouzeris serving ouzo and fish mezedes, a dozen sandy beaches and ancient ruins that predate the Parthenon. From Athens’ main port of Piraeus it’s an easy crossing by hydrofoil (40 minutes) or regular ferry (85 minutes) to Aegina Town, where waterfront restaurants crowd the port. Try Ouzeri O Skotadis for sea urchin or oyster shots and katsoules, a type of razorfish endemic to the gulf. Wander the shore to the single remaining column of the Temple of Apollo, set on a low hillside with wonderful vistas over island and sea (and swimmers in the bays below). A taxi is the best way to visit the impressive Doric temple of Aphaia, built in 480 BCE, and Agia Marina, a popular swimming beach lined with bars and tavernas.

Don't miss: Paleochora was Aegina’s capital for 900 years before being abandoned in the early 19th century. Today it’s a ghost town and open-air museum dotted with the ruins of more than 30 Byzantine churches, stone houses and town walls. BYO water and snacks as there are no vendors at the site.

From Hong Kong: Lamma Island

Hong Kong is exhilarating but if you're looking to slow the pace there’s always Lamma Island, a tropical, car-free haven less than 30 minutes from downtown. Regular ferries depart Central Pier 4 headed for either Yung Shue Wan or Sok Kwu Wan, in the north and centre of the island respectively. Yung Shue Wan is the laid-back epicentre offering multicultural restaurants, boutiques and souvenir shops. For an even chiller experience – or to avoid weekend crowds – the quieter fishing village of Sok Kwu Wan is renowned for its seafood eateries serving the day’s catch straight off the boats. The famous Lamma Rainbow restaurant on the waterfront serves Cantonese-style dishes (bamboo clams, steamed fish, fried chilli crab) in a slightly kitschy open-air setting. Avoid the sticker shock of “market-price” produce by ordering a set menu (from about $80 a head) and grab a table on the terrace if you can.

Don't miss: It's not recommended in summer but if you're visiting in the cooler months (September to February) there’s an easy scenic hike between Sok Kwu Wan and Yung Shue Wan. The well-signposted and mostly paved Lamma Island Family Trail follows coastal paths as it wends its way between the two main villages via Hung Shing Yeh Beach, with a temple and a belvedere selling cold drinks along the way.

From Auckland: Waiheke Island

Auckland shares its charmed position on the Hauraki Gulf with dozens of islands that offer choose-your-own-adventures, from off-grid escapades to Māori sacred sites. If you have to pick just one, make it Waiheke. Just 40 minutes from Auckland by ferry, this popular island is the quintessential city escape, with charming beach towns, stunning landscapes, vineyards and modern dining. From Waiheke’s gateway Matiatia Bay, it’s a pleasant walk or short bus ride to island hub Oneroa, home to galleries, chic boutiques and cool eateries. Alternatively, while away an afternoon at an award-winning winery such as Mudbrick, which serves restaurant and bistro fare, premium chardonnay and Bordeaux-style reds alongside spectacular garden and gulf views. To explore further afield, hire a car or book a spot on Fullers’ hop-on hop-off bus that visits 15 of Waiheke’s top attractions, including wineries, nature walks, galleries and beaches. 

Don't miss: Onetangi in the quieter middle of the island has some of its best beaches and dining. Eat seaside at Three Seven Two or Casita Miro vineyard, grab vino and views at Batch Winery and take a hike in Whakanewha Regional Park. Fancy staying longer with friends? Luxurious Kaitiaki Lodge sleeps 10, has a heated pool and stunning outlooks.

SEE ALSO: 34 of the Best Daytrips From Europe’s Biggest Cities