Best last-minute holidays to book for July

With summer getting into its stride, it’s time to sort out that last-minute holiday in July to make the most of the good weather. Whether you’re looking for a Continental sun fix, an African adventure or a summertime break closer to home, these ideas are here to inspire your next getaway.

You’ll have Venus Beach in front of you and the ancient Tombs of the Kings within a short walk when you stay at Venus Beach Hotel. When you’re not relaxing on those golden sands, you’re stretched out by the large outdoor pool or playing tennis. Mercury Holidays has seven nights at Venus Beach, departing 19 July, from £615pp. This includes flights and breakfast.

Surround yourself in three acres of lush riverside landscapes and ancient woodland at Riverside Snowdonia, a romantic stone cottage on the edge of Coed Cymerau in Snowdonia National Park. It has two bedrooms to go with its cosy interiors and wood-burning stove if the evenings get chilly. Pop into nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog, Betws y Coed and Portmeirion when you’re not hiking in Snowdonia. Booked through Sugar & Loaf, it’s available for a week’s self-catering from 6 July for £911, down from £1,007.

Soak up the sunshine of Puglia’s Adriatic coast when you stay at Grand Hotel Santa Lucia. Designed like a traditional Puglian farmhouse, the hotel is a short distance from its own two private beaches, and on site there’s an enormous pool as well as a tennis court and gym. During the summer, there’s a shuttle bus to the gorgeous hilltop of Ostuni. Citalia has a week’s stay from £871pp, including flights, transfers and breakfast.

There’s #vanlife, and then there’s this self-drive rooftop camping holiday through Namibia. You’ll have your own Toyota 4WD with all the camping equipment you’ll need, as you get to know this wondrously wild country. This two-week holiday takes you to Sossusvlei, Etosha National Park, Okonjima and Swakopmund, staying in campsites as well as a B&B. As it’s the dry season, the wildlife you see will be as spectacular as the landscapes you’ll be exploring. Rainbow Tours offers this 14-day self-drive holiday starting at £2,650pp, including flights, vehicle rental and some meals.

With people usually shunning the mountains for the beach in the summer, this is the time to lose yourself in the awe-inspiring beauty of the Swiss Alps. A self-guided walking holiday offered by Inntravel takes you into the heart of the Bernese Oberland, where you walk through flowery meadows in the shadow of the Jungfrau and Eiger. This seven-night break costs from £1,230pp and includes accommodation, breakfast, dinner, luggage transfers and route maps. Flights are extra, but the rail option costs £1,720pp and self-drive with Eurotunnel from £1,350pp.

If you’re looking for a rural retreat closer to home, check out Coniston Cottage in the small village of Youlgreave in the Peak District. With two bedrooms, a wood-burner and a compact garden, it’s in a great spot for visits to nearby Bakewell, Haddon Hall and Chatsworth House, as well as walks in Limestone Way and Bradford Dale. Available through Peak Cottages, it costs £664 for a week’s self-catering starting 15 July, down from £732.

Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk.