Inside the colourful, sun-filled history of the British holiday

Whether you’re jetting off to Marbs or heading on a luxury excursion further afield, as you sip your first pina colada of the season, spare a thought for the holiday pioneers of British summers past

It’s that time of year again when your office begins to resemble a cage, your desk a ball and chain attached to your ankle. While the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the drinks are chilled for those lucky enough to escape, it’s the ideal time to turn your email alerts off and decamp to a sandy beach.

The British holiday has come a long way. In the Victorian era it was all about seaside towns, like Margate and Scarborough. Then, the advent of low-cost flying popularised the Spanish costa. (While residents of abandoned British seaside towns lamented the fall in trade, residents of previously tranquil Spanish towns surely lamented the sudden proliferation of Red Lion pubs).

Karim Aga Khan on Holiday on French Riviera

Karim Aga Khan On Holiday On The French Riviera, 1959

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