Still need to book your summer holiday?

As May slides towards June it’s time to start thinking about summer holidays, if you haven't already made plans. You certainly don’t have to travel far for some cultured sun. The Basque Country's tapas menu of pretty beaches, medieval towns and artistic cities and the island piazzas and azure bays of the Amalfi Coast are just a short European hop away.

However, heading further afield rewards with twisting train journeys through the Canadian Rockies and holidays that start with leopard safaris in South Africa and end on Mozambique's white sands. There are even Burmese cruises that stop off at colonial sights on their way to ancient temple cities.

We've hand-picked our top summer destinations, including some classics as well as the more unusual. All offer an ideal time to travel and exceptional value.