Rügen Island

Proving that there are more beaches in Europe than those hemming the Mediterranean, Germany’s largest island and its resort town Binz has the kind of restored mansions and gracefully aging promenades you’d expect in a Long Island town. The beaches are family friendly with gentle lapping waves rolling warmly on to fine sand and behind them beech forests, perfect for a quiet picnic await ‘Famous Five’ style summer exploration.

Christopher Isherwood called Rügen the Nice of the north when he holidayed here before the ravages of war and communism passed over the horizon, but the resort has had a charmingly gradual recovery and now a Berlin bohemia colours the old town. You can even stay in an old Nazi holiday camp.