Enjoy a peaceful summer in one of Europe’s most stress-free destinations

Tourism in Europe is expected to reach record levels this year, as forecasts estimate tourists will spend€742.8 billion in 2024.

To provide travellers with the best options for a stress-free vacation, the experts at HAYPP created an index study analysing data for seven different variables to reveal Europe’s most stress-free destinations in 2024.

Europe’s top 10 stress-free travel destinations

Rank

City

Country

Population with Convenient Access to Public Transport (%)

Number of Spas & Wellness Spots*

Number of Nature Spots**

Beach Areas (km2)

Relaxation Score (/100)

1

Nice

France

94.6%

97

49

0.5

75.4

2

Oslo

Norway

95.3%

43

81

0.6

75.2

3

Vienna

Austria

97.3%

112

83

0.1

68.2

4

Reykjavik

Iceland

94.9%

31

32

1.8

65.7

5=

Sofia

Bulgaria

89.8%

107

36

0.9

62.8

5=

Marseille

France

98.1%

72

52

0.4

62.8

7

Porto

Portugal

89.2%

69

52

6.9

61.9

8

Bologna

Italy

99.8%

43

48

0.0

61.0

9

Istanbul

Turkey

76.5%

366

202

0.4

60.1

10

A Coruña

Spain

93.5%

6

18

0.6

59.4

Anyone looking for a stress-free summer vacation should head to Nice, France. The city is crowned Europe’s most stress-free travel destination after securing a relaxation score of 75.4/100. Situated on the breath-taking French Riviera, Nice provides easy access to public transport, along with 49 nature spots where one can admire its beauty.

Following very closely behind, boasting a relaxation score of 75.2/100, is Oslo, Norway. An ideal destination for anyone who wants to escape the summer heat, Oslo has everything required for a stress-free vacation, having 81 nature spots, as well as 43 spas and wellness spots. And with 95.3% of people having easy access to public transport, exploring the city would be a breeze.

Third on the list is Vienna, Austria, with a relaxation score of 68.2/100. Austria’s capital provides easy public transport access to a whopping 97.3% of the people, which means you don’t have to worry on how to best get around the city. Talking about stress-free, visitors of Vienna can pick from 112 spa and wellness facilities to ensure they go back home fully relaxed.

Yet another European destination to provide shelter from the summer heat, having a relaxation score of 65.7/100, Reykjavik, Iceland places fourth. Providing a variety of spas and wellness spots (32), including hot springs, the city is perfect for a stress-free vacation. With a population of just over 120,000, it’s a lovely destination to avoid crowds and enjoy some peace and quiet.

And rounding off the top five are two cities, Sofia, Bulgaria and Marseille, France, both achieving a relaxation score of 62.8/100. For those who like to enjoy wellness treatments, Sofia has 107 spots to choose from, 35 more compared to Marseille (72). But if you’d prefer to spend time in nature, Marseille might be the better choice, as it provides 16 more nature spots (52) than Sofia (36).

Maintaining Office Style when things get Hot in the City

Ian Fielding-Calcutt the founder of Fielding & Nicholson tailors, which has studios in London, Zurich and New York, a go-to  for those with impeccable sartorial taste all over the UK and the world. Ian has provided some indispensable advice on how to maintain style in the office over the summer months. This includes exploring seersucker, slightly shorter hemlines, and how to avoid Sweat Patch Syndrome by not confusing deodorant with antiperspirant – probably one of the biggest sartorial fears men have over summer, and one of the reasons they may avoid tailoring.

1. Invest in a tailored jacket that has been designed for the season. It will need to come in a lightweight fabric cotton, linen, or light wool. These materials will keep you cool and comfortable throughout the day. Choose unlined or lightly structured jackets for a more relaxed and breathable feel during the summer. You can’t wear an AW blazer in the spring or summer and expect not to get hot – even if you wear it with a t-shirt.

2. Embrace the freedom of summer. It’s generally deemed more acceptable to be a little more adventurous with colours and prints for summer tailoring. Choose light-coloured suits such as beige, light grey, or sky blue, which reflect heat and help you stay cool under the sun. You could also incorporate bright and vibrant colours into your wardrobe. Think pastels, blues, greens, and yellows.

3. A little tip…Seersucker is great for keeping you cool. Consider wearing a seersucker suit for a classic summer look. The puckered texture of seersucker fabric helps with air circulation, keeping you cooler. It will look smart, but there’s also something relaxed about seersucker which makes it a brilliant summer fabric.

4. Create airflow with shorter hemlines. Opt for trousers with a shorter hemline to allow more airflow and prevent overheating. A slight break or no break is ideal for a polished summer look. Don’t go too high though, certainly no higher than the ankle bone.

5. Be wary of short sleeve shirts. They can work on certain occasions but be careful how you wear it, don’t go too tight and avoid garish patterns. Be conscious of the overall silhouette with a short sleeve shirt, they look best with looser fitting trousers styled with a quality pair of leather sandals or espadrilles.

6. Tailored shorts. Whilst this used to be considered a big no-no, in certain industries it is becoming more acceptable to wear shorts to work. Plus, given that summers in the UK are becoming hotter, it does seem like this is something we will see more of. If you are going to do it, do it properly. The only acceptable shorts to wear are tailored shorts that hit just above the knee for a sophisticated and summer-friendly alternative to trousers, consider having a jacket tailoring to match the shorts and keep the footwear smart – loafers would work best.  

7. Which brings us nicely on to shoes. Swap out your regular dress shoes for breathable shoes like loafers, boat shoes, or espadrilles to keep your feet cool and stylish during the summer months. You could also invest in a pair of white canvas or white leather plimsolls. They’re (very) casual, but they do tend to work with most tailored summer looks. Needless to say, flip flops are to be avoided at work, or in any city or urban setting. Your feet will get dirty. For the beach only please.

8. Accessorize thoughtfully. Don’t bring a rucksack to the office. I don’t think it looks smart enough, plus it will crease your clothes and make your back sweat! A stylish leather or canvas tote bag is best, or a holdall. Plus they won’t crease your clothes. Think about your sunglasses too, I’ve seen many a stylish outfit ruined by Terminator or wraparound style shades. Wayfarer, rounded or Clubmaster styles are much more appropriate.  

9. Top it off. Incorporate hats like straw fedoras, Panama hats, or boaters into your summer outfits for sun protection and a touch of style. These would always look great with a well-tailored summer look.

10. And finally… try to avoid ‘Sweat Patch Syndrome’! Tricky. However, do you know the difference between antiperspirant and deodorant? Antiperspirants actually prevent you from sweating by blocking sweat glands, while deodorant protects against odour – but you’ll still sweat. If you have a big meeting and want to avoid the wet patches, use a good antiperspirant the night before.

Looking to layer up as searches for bomber jackets up 54%

We recently got a short but sweet taste of the summer heat as temperatures rose to 31C in some parts of the country. With the sudden drop in temperatures, we are turning to search for extra layers to stay warm assearches for bomber jackets have shot up by 54% in the past week.

If you’re looking for the right bomber jacket to layer up this cold summer, JACAMO has shared a few below.

Grey Relaxed Fit Washed Twill Bomber – £48 (Was £60)

 

Jacamo Black Bomber Jacket Regular – £39 (Was £48.75)

Lyle & Scott Olive Quilted Bomber Jacket – £104 (Was £130)

BOSS Logo Bomber Jacket Black – £289

Brotherly love – The Brother’s Trust

Everpress, is proud to have launched the Lungs Of London campaign with The Brother’s Trust – a charity organisation founded by parents of Paddy & Tom Holland.  

Everpress is the platform for independent creatives. By offering their tools to sell, manufacture and distribute your creations; they are changing the way things get made. No risk. No waste.

This particular Tee was designed by Tom Holland’s brother, Paddy Holland, the design showcases their family dog, Tessa, alongside a large print of Richmond Park, where they spent many days walking Tessa.

”In memory of my childhood dog Tessa, I designed this tee for her to live on. Our lovely dog Tessa, not only was loved by the family, but loved around the world. That inspired the design for this tee. I loved the idea of selling a high quality, authentic garment, while supporting such great causes.” Paddy Holland, Co-founder.

The tee is priced at £28 and 100% of all profits go directly to The Brother’s Trust,

Now equally interesting, is The Brothers Trust was set up in 2017 by Nikki and Dom Holland, parents to four boys; Tom, Sam, Harry and Paddy – the ‘brothers’. Tom Holland is the focal point of the charity and its fund raising efforts, but he is ably supported by his younger brothers.

Using Tom’s reach and popularity, the trust intends to run a number of events each year and the funds raised then being granted to charities who we support. 

The trust is keen to shine a light on charities who struggle to be heard in the noisy and competitive not-for-profit sector – and charities who can best demonstrate the most effective use of funds to profit the people in need and not on bloated administration.

They support charities who struggle to be heard. To shine a light on charities where your generous donations can be used to maximum effect.

Currying favour – CURRY & PAXTON X FRED PERRY

British heritage eyewear brand Curry & Paxton has partnered with iconic British fashion label Fred Perry to launch the latter’s first ever eyewear product. Curry & Paxton have been a pioneer manufacturers of ophthalmic instruments since it was founded in 1886.

From opera glasses and binoculars to motoring shades, skiing goggles and bespoke tortoiseshell frames,Curry & Paxton’s innovative eyewear has always been popular receiving a royal warrant and cementing their place in popular culture with the iconic YVAN frame, as championed by Sir Michael Caine both personally and in his acclaimed film roles as British spy Harry Palmer. A fan of the brand, Caine revisited the frame again in 1969, sporting the YVAN sunglasses in the one of the most popular British films of all time, as Charlie Croker in, The Italian Job . Michael went on to wear the frame both on and off screen throughout the 70’s & 80’s.

Their iconic YVAN frame has been reworked in Black and Champagne colour ways to reflect Fred Perry’s definitive style culture that being represented by the Black polo with Champagne tipping.

Curry & Paxton and Fred Perry have a unique place in British pop-culture history. Reflecting both and featuring dual branding, the new frame perfectly complements each brands place in British men’s style. Peter Lynes, Curry & Paxton CEO said, “When we considered this inaugural collaboration it felt so natural that it should be Fred Perry. Bringing together two of the greatest British heritage brands with unrivalled histories, our iconic Y VAN frame is the perfect accompaniment to the F red Per r y shirt . As mentioned, first worn by Sir Michael Caine during the 1960s, the frame is a timeless classic and , as with the Fred Perry shirt, recognised the world over and continues to appeal to global fans.

Today, the Curry & Paxton x Fred Perry Yvan frame is made using premium quality cellulose acetate from Italian manufacturer Mazzucchelli. The hinges are 5 barreled, generally considered the optical industry’s most durable, creating the famous Curry & Paxton six pin logo featured on the original frames. Premium lenses are sourced from the UK and Swiss lenses legend Zeiss and provide 100% UV protection. Finally, and staying true to its British roots, the frame is handmade in the workshop in East London.

Richard Gilmore, Fred Perry Managing Director said,

We’re excited to partner with Curry & Paxton on our first ever eyewear product. Both brands are shorthand for originality, rooted in the British psyche via film, craftsmanship and men’s style, resonating globally. The sunglasses come in two colours, inspired bythe most rebellious of Fred Perry Shirt colours – Black and Champagne, the shirt that’s been a piece of subcultural uniform since the 1950s.