SAIL AWAY

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With the traffi c light system of travel in place, Portugal was initially proving a popular destination this summer. But green or amber, this is a fantastic location to holiday and has long been a popular spot for sailors.

If you are not sure where in Portugal to head for, why not choose Madeira. This remote archipelago consists of two inhabited islands (Madeira Grande and Porto Santo) as well as six smaller uninhabited islets.

A week long cruise of the islands is ideal for a year-round getaway. Starting in Caniçal, head to the capital city of Funchal and then continue around to the small town of Calheta for some relaxation time on the beach, before sailing to Porto Santo. This is the place for diving; the warm waters and rugged coast make it one of Europe’s best dive sites. Back on board and it is time for some real isolation in Ilyas Desertas. Then it is time to head back to Madeira Grande for a fi nal stop in Santa Cruz before sailing back to Caniçal.

For more information about this, or another Portuguese break in, say, the Azores or Algarve, get in touch with Kraken Travel. Kraken.travel

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The pretty town of Weymouth is going to be a popular choice for for summer staycations.

As one of the sunniest locations in the UK, its Blue Flag award-winning beach is not to be missed, and there is nothing better than sitting with the sun on your face whilst sipping a glass of wine by the harbour. Weymouth offers an array of eateries too, from fi ne dining to fi sh and chips, with a real focus on locally sourced produce – literally boat to plate.

If you are going to have children or grandchildren with you, there are activities galore from donkeys on the beach to a SEA LIFE Marine Centre, not to mention watersports and boat cruises.

Spare some time to enjoy a wander through the streets and pick up a holiday memento or two from the many independent shops, although there are larger chains too for those holiday essentials you may have forgotten.

Then, once the sun sets, it is time to take in the vibrant nightlife of Weymouth with live music venues throughout the town, a relaxed Mediterranean vibe in Hope Square and late night bars on the seafront. www.weareweymouth.co.uk

Sea Cloud Cruises’ new Sea Cloud Spirit has been delivered from its Spanish shipyard, and her maiden voyage has been set for 14 September with a 10-night roundtrip, Rome to Rome.

She will be spending the autumn in the Western Mediterranean and then the upcoming winter season in the Canary Islands.

As cruising makes its return, the new build, with a capacity of only 136 guests, is expected to become a nice alternative for younger guests looking for a smaller cruise experience.

The experience of nature is at the centre of every journey on the Sea Cloud Spirit. Roughly 4,100m of sails will billow under the sky bringing guests up close to nature.

Like her sister ships, the majority of each trip is conducted under the sails, engines off, which is the cleanest way to travel. It takes the crew almost one hour to hoist the sails by hand, and it is a fascinating spectacle every time.

The Sea Cloud Spirit will become the third ship for Sea Cloud Cruises, who currently sail the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II. The Sea Cloud is actually the oldest sailing passenger ship in the world and has a history unlike any ship ever built. First, she was a private yacht for American socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post, then a fl oating diplomatic palace for leaders from all over the world and later a warship ship for the Americans during WWII.

This year she celebrates her 90th birthday, and so it is fi tting that the new Sea Cloud Spirit launches in the same year. www.seacloud.com

Borrow A Boat is planning global expansion into eight more countries following a very successful crowdfunding campaign.

In just fi ve weeks, the company surpassed its original target of £250,000 by 199 per cent, bringing their total funding to £3.9 million. The company will be investing in global operations over the next year; as well as launching the platform in more countries including the US, France, Germany and Italy.

Borrow A Boat has access to more than 35,000 vessels in over 65 countries, and offers peer-to-peer listings as well as boat rental through traditional charter companies.

CEO and founder of Borrow A Boat, Matt Ovenden, said: “It is clear that the appetite for travel is still there, however the type of holidays Brits are taking will need to adapt to the new normal.” www.borrowaboat.com

Sunseeker Charters’ UK charter fl eet is available for this summer’s staycations with boats starting from £2,500 a day. Whether you want to relax on board a Sunseeker 76 Yacht or Sunseeker Portofi no 53, you have a choice of craft to explore the South Coast of England or even the Scilly or Channel Isles. info@sunseekercharters.com

Image: Ascannio / Shutterstock.com

The government announced the countries on the initial green travel list in early May, as part of the new traffi c light system implemented when the international travel ban was lifted. This is to be reviewed every three weeks, which means, this month, we can expect an up-date around 15 July.

It should be noted that no countries were added to the green list in the fi rst review, but although there are no guarantees – look how quickly Portugal moved from green to amber – it is thought more parts of Europe will move to green over the summer.

On 24 June, Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands, several UK overseas territories, and Caribbean islands, including Barbados, were added to the government’s green list, joining Israel, Gibraltar, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Brunei, Falkland Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Of course, just because we consider a country to be green does not necessarily mean they will welcome visitors from the UK.

At the end of June, the government also revealed its intention to reopen international travel, including plans to remove the self-isolation period for amber list countries for those who are fully vaccinated, with full details to be set out this month.

However, these changes could be too late for many travellers to commit to travelling abroad this summer, especially with the delay in easing restrictions until 19 July at the earliest.

Before travelling it is recommended that you read the advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Offi ce and check your travel insurance carefully.

Follow current Covid-19 rules in relation to where you live iin the UK.

IMPORTANT - The outbreak of COVID-19 continues to evolve. Please check FCO travel advice pages for the latest travel information: www. gov.uk/foreigntravel-advice. FURTHER INFORMATION ■ Nautilus Yachting: www.nautilusyachting.com ■ Nisos Yacht Charter: www.nisosyachtcharter.com ■ Seafarer: www.seafarersailing.co.uk ■ BVI Charters: www.bviyachtcharters.com ■ Ocean Elements: www.ocean-elements.co.uk ■ The Moorings: www.moorings.co.uk ■ Mauri Pro: www.mauripro.com ■ Dream Yacht Charter: www.dreamyachtcharter.co.uk ■ Sunsail: www.sunsail.co.uk ■ Mallorca Yacht Charter: www.mallorcayachtcharter.eu ■ Tall Ships Adventures: tallships.org ■ Naleia Yachting:www.naleiayachting.com