IN LIFE YOU NEED CERTAINTY
In our last blog post, we addressed the issue of overtourism and how this new form of tourism damages the very idea of a holiday. Indeed, if holidays were to become a job or a form of stress, they would not fulfil the primary meaning embodied in the etymology of the Latin word vacantia from vacans, the present participle of vacare meaning to be empty, free. In practice, the deeper meaning of holidays would be to suspend all those dynamics we use in our daily routine, to change our habits to make room for calm, relaxation and freedom.
However, in the idea of holidays (and travel in general) there is always a high percentage of stress, the organisation of the trip, especially when it is a family unit, is often complex: suitcases, transfers, reservations, documents and deadlines. Cesare Pavese, one of the great Italian poets of the 20th century, commented on the idea of setting off for unfamiliar destinations: ‘Travelling is a brutality. It forces one to trust strangers and to lose sight of the familiar comforts of home and friends. You constantly feel unbalanced’.
So what can be done to prevent holidays from becoming a nightmare?
Many travel agencies have been quick to find alternative routes to escape over-tourism, launching and suggesting off-the-beaten-track destinations that are just as rich in history and natural beauty for authentic, uncrowded experiences.
TIMEOUT magazine selected some ‘secret’ places to escape mass tourism ‘Europe’s 21 Most Underrated Tourist Destinations for 2025 – As many places on the continent struggle with over-tourism, these overlooked destinations are waiting to be explored’.
Other travel magazines have ventured into so-called ‘trap destinations’, real less crowded and cheaper alternatives: Seville instead of Madrid, Lyon for Paris, Palermo instead of Lisbon and so on….
But are we really sure that these ‘new’ destinations when they are published and exposed in the media, bouncing between social networks, travel agencies and travel magazines, will not in turn become popular tourist destinations?
So back to our main question: who will save your holiday from the over-tourism, stress and unknowns associated with ‘underrated destinations’?
Certainties. ‘You need certainties in life’, said a TV commercial for a famous insurance company, and yet taking a holiday is in a way about making sure you and your family have a pleasant and relaxing time. In this case, our advice is that your choice should be guided by the known, by the knowledge that you are going to a place that you know and that, although within its limits, will not have any unpleasant surprises in store for you. So why not go back to the places that made you feel good? Choosing the known rather than the unknown is certainly less adventurous, but that doesn’t mean it won’t also provide us with wonderful memories.
Since 1953, Hotel Bonsol has been offering a family tourism experience, ‘a home away from home’, working season after season to build together the holiday you deserve, calmly and unhurriedly. The Bonsol family is already working to ensure that in 2025 everything will be the same as you left it, with a few improvements here and there, of course, and looking forward to welcoming you with open arms and our ever-present smile.