The Best Spots for Summer Reads

There’s nothing like picking up a good book over the holidays to break away from the routine of our daily lives. At the beach, in the mountain, in the big city, in a park, at a terrace, at your local library… There’s no excuse to not read during the summer holidays because there’s just no wrong time or wrong destination. Flipping through the pages of a book is a real luxury, as is going to bed, waking up to and napping in its company. Let’s review some of the best places to break off from the outside world.

 

Lake Como, Italy: One of those places where peace abounds. On the northern part of Italy, and right by Switzerland, you’ll find a lake that tells secret stories to those who feast their eyes on it because it has come a long way, dating back to the Glacial Era. This huge glacier created the glacial groove that later became Lake Como, which has borne witness to the profound transformation of its immediate environment. Como is the perfect destination to open a book and enjoy the silence of this small town on northern Italy.

Central Park, New York: New York’s green lung is so large that it’s not hard to get lost in it. You’ll see that time seems to hold still once you venture into Central Park. There is no time. There is no noise. There are no crowds. Any spot in the park can be quiet enough for a good read because, as we mentioned, it is that large. With sides measuring 4000 and 800 meters, this rectangle is twice the size of Monaco, and 8 times the size of the Vatican. My advice to you is to rent a bike, explore each and every corner, and then pick your favorite spot for a read.

Phoenix Park, Dublin: At over 700 hectares, we could say that this is Europe’s largest city park. It was created in 1662 as a deer reserve and it wasn’t until 1745 that it finally opened its doors to the public, although several families of deer stayed behind. Ever since then, Dubliners and tourists alike make this park the backdrop to some of their daily activities. You’ll find people exercising, walking, having a picnic or visiting the zoo built on part of its grounds.

Plaza de Oriente, Madrid: Any part of Plaza de Oriente can become the perfect spot for a good read. It’s a space open to inspiration; a direct witness of Madrid’s historic past where something as simple as having a coffee (at Botillería del Café de Oriente, for example) feels like a real treat; as does picking up a book and letting the hours run by at the feet of the impressive Palacio Real and the monumental Teatro Real. And that’s been one of the possibilities of downtown Madrid ever since the 18th century, when the plaza was built.

Park Güell, Barcelona: The great Antonio Gaudi let his imagination run wild and created a space full of unconceivable shapes almost out of thin air. The work was financed by Catalan businessman Eusebio Güell, and it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984. Bring a book to this magical and fanciful park, not far from the Sagrada Familia, and let yourself get lost in it. I can’t imagine a better place to end this post at.