Welcome Beyond Spotlights 2025 Holiday “Swap List”
With over-tourism making headlines and popular destinations straining under the weight of the crowds, it’s becoming ever more important for tourism to disperse beyond the areas of greatest visitor concentration. So for 2025, why not seek some fabulous alternatives to ever-popular holiday destinations, with the help from the hand-picked accommodation experts, Welcome Beyond. Even venturing ever-so-slightly off the beaten track helps ease the pressure, and with one-of-a-kind holiday rentals and small, independent hotels in some of the world’s most interesting locations, Welcome Beyond makes “swapping” easy.
Why not swap…
Bohemian beach getaway in Tulum for Trancoso, Brazil
Brazil’s answer to Tulum, the beach town of Trancoso is special due to its simplicity. It offers abundant, lush nature, a beautiful beach, great food, historic architecture and a laid-back, bohemian vibe. It isn’t easy to get to, but then again, usually it takes effort and patience to find paradise. No surprise the A-List have already discovered it, with fans including Beyoncé, Will Smith, Naomi Campbell and Leonardo di Caprio.
Stay: Ten unique houses make up Uxua Casa Hotel. It is a luxury boutique hotel with houses that are up to 500 years old, with thatched roofs, cement and wood floors, surrounded by tropical gardens. Most of the casas are centred around Trancoso’s Quadrado, the UNESCO-protected town square. Through restoring the houses with the help of local craftspeople, designer Wilbert Das has fulfilled his dream to create a bohemian chic getaway and at the same time preserve historic Trancoso and support the local community.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at Uxua Casa Hotel from £305, based on two sharing, including breakfast.
Beach holiday in Mallorca for Ameland, Netherlands
A gorgeous spot in the Dutch Wadden islands, Ameland offers miles of pristine sand dunes to be explored. A scattering of relaxed, pretty villages are home to picturesque streets, independent shops and lively cafes and restaurants. Whether your vibe is sipping cocktails at a buzzing beach club, or cycling through a spectacular dune-covered nature reserve, this Dutch island makes a wonderful European beach holiday alternative.
Stay: A private beach house set in amongst dunes, only 500m from the endless white sand beaches. Dune House offers total privacy and beautiful views of the surrounding nature. This is a super comfortable and stylish hideaway with a luxurious beach vibe, with lots of light, neutral colours and an understated, mainly monochrome design. The living area’s large windows bring in lots of light and offer spectacular views of the Ameland skies. The ‘basement’ is the hidden surprise of the villa: it has a playful and light design, is very spacious and houses a cinema room and ping pong table room.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at Dune House from £350. Sleeps 8 people. Minimum stay 7 nights.
Culture and bar hopping in Barcelona for Portimão, Portugal
Head to Portimão, the vibrant port city known for its old historic quarter, busy marina and proximity to many beaches. Throw in plentiful seafood lunches, surf lessons, a party-loving bar scene and you have a fantastic alternative to busy Barcelona.
Stay: Ana Ana Artistic Habitat is a place that combines hospitality, style, comfort and art in its many forms. It is the house-atelier of the artist, creative director and interior designer Eric de Bruijn. The house is located in the heart of Portimão, only a few metres from the riverside, and a 15 minutes walk from the nearest beaches.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at Ana Ana Artistic Habitat from £556. Sleeps 10 people. Minimum stay 7 nights.
Historic city break in Venice for Uzès, France
The cobbled streets and alleyways of Uzès transport you to another time. Visit the castle, cathedral and the Pont du Gard aqueduct, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hot air ballooning is a great way to enjoy spectacular views, or swap your gondola for kayaking down the river from under the aqueduct, an amazing way to view it. Historic buildings, a bustling market brimming with local produce and beautiful boutique stores mean you can potter this hidden medieval town for days.
Stay: L’Albiousse, a B&B set in a traditional historic house in the heart of town. The building is a grand 16th century family home and used to be owned by the Albiousse family. It is located on one of the oldest streets in Uzès, strategically placed between the bishop’s cathedral and the duke’s castle.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at L’Albiousse from £210, based on two sharing, including breakfast and complimentary mini bar.
Scenic Santorini for Serifos, Greece
@ Thomas Zikos
Serifos is an unspoiled, calm and authentic island with a wild, rugged beauty and numerous stunning, peaceful beaches to explore. The island’s villages have been built the traditional way - white-washed houses with blue-coloured window frames, adding to the scenic beauty of the area.
Stay: Villa Nectar combines traditional Cycladic architecture with modern design elements from Greek architect Georgia Nikolopoulou. The four bedroom hideaway is set across different levels, meaning plenty of space and peace for up to eight people to relax. The unheated outdoor pool is the perfect tonic to lazy days in the hot summer sun.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at Villa Nectar from £489. Sleeps 8 people. Minimum stay 7 nights.
Surf and laid-back party vibes in Phuket for Ahangama, Sri Lanka
Ahangama is a laid-back surfers’ village on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Here, you’ll find fantastic surf, lively parties, and despite being a mecca for those seeking to get away from the crowds, this burgeoning bohemian hotspot has hustle and bustle on a small scale, with a number of hip cafes, restaurants and cool hotels to check out.
Stay: Offering magnificent views across the surrounding paddy fields, Villa Ahangama is a contemporary holiday rental in a village called Thiththagalla, a cinnamon and rice-farming community ten minutes from Ahangama. The villa features open plan living spaces, five bedrooms with balconies or lawn access, and a beautiful swimming pool. Rates include a team of staff including private chef, and delicious made to order breakfasts of fresh fruit from the garden and Sri Lankan egg hoppers with sambol.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at Villa Ahangama from £508. Sleeps 10-12 people. Minimum stay 1-3 nights depending on dates.
Rolling hills and vineyards of Tuscany for Le Marche, Italy
Le Marche feels a bit like Tuscany many years ago. This hidden gem is home to breathtaking landscapes - think medieval towns dotted along rolling hills, vineyards sweeping for miles and olive groves bordered by pristine Adriatic coastline. There’s an abundance of wonderful local food and wine too, making this the best low-key, serene alternative to the busier, more heavily touristed parts of Italy.
Stay: Le Marche is an old farmhouse that’s been stripped back to what it was two centuries ago and fitted out with the simple necessities required for modern living. It’s not designed to be a luxury villa — it’s what was there in the landscape 200 years ago, with a clear distinction between old and new. A highlight activity from here is horse riding down to the lake of Cingoli, which is surrounded by fields of sunflowers and olive groves that make it an idyllic picnic setting.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at Le Marche from £1,100. Sleeps 11 people. Minimum stay 7 nights.
Lake-side living in Lake Como for Lake Arrowhead, USA
Deep in the majestic mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest, known as “The Alps of Southern California” is Lake Arrowhead, the best kept secret on the West Coast. Stunning views and wildlife and crisp mountain air make this peaceful lake resort a paradise. Here you can enjoy countless outdoor summer activities such as hiking, cycling, fishing and water skiing - and in winter a host of snow-based activities such as skiing, snowboarding, tubing, sledding and ice skating come alive.
Stay: The Arrowhead Lake House was designed by Jenni Kayne, who is the epitome of California cool. Her brand is all about living well and the four bedroom property exemplifies this ethos. It exudes effortless style - neutral colours, with lots of texture and beautiful details. Every room has an incredible view of the lake, and the deck offers the dream setting for lake-side barbecues and alfresco dining.
Welcome Beyond (www.welcomebeyond.com) offers nightly rates at Arrowhead Lake House from £1,013. Sleeps 8 people. Minimum stay 2-5 nights depending on dates.
Welcome Beyond is a global collection of holiday houses, b&bs and boutique hotels, all with unique architecture and design at their heart. The company features properties in over 43 countries around the world, at all price points and to suit every holiday vibe. Welcome Beyond was recognised as one of the best travel companies in the world by Conde Nast Traveller’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.