This month has me reminiscing about the last lecture I had at Columbia Business School, which was from my Stats professor. No, he didn’t talk about regression. Instead, his words of wisdom were about enjoying the moment. Sure, he said, you can spend your life jonesing for the next promotion, the fancier car, and the bigger house. Sometimes, we get so ahead of ourselves, we don’t remember to enjoy the now. So the theme of this summer is say yes and enjoy the moment. And I see that many of you have the same philosophy, as travel is more popular than ever. We have long-time partners in Italy, Spain, and France who are turning down the chance to take bookings for 4,000-euro-a-night hotels. Simply, demand far exceeds supply. It’s crazy out there guys! But are there places to travel this summer that aren’t over-run? Absolutely. Check in on us for the best places to go throughout the summer on The Weekly, the Galavante website, and our new e-commerce project.

Galavante Online Booking + The Travel Shop

Yes, you read that correctly: I said e-commerce. We survived a global pandemic that crippled the travel industry, and took that opportunity to grow. In partnership with Expedia, you can book your flights, hotels, and car rentals right here on Galavante. And in the coming weeks, keep an eye peeled for The Travel Shop. I’ll get you acquainted with boutique hotels that I personally curate for you. Stay a few days, and we’ll take care of your airport transfers and a meal at the hotel during your stay. You pick your dates, and we do the rest. Essentially, it’s luxury travel at a click.

Of course, our travel team is on hand to take it all to the next level with our bespoke travel services. But if you want just a simple weekend getaway, or inspiration on where to travel now, The Travel Shop is for you. Expect places like Portugal, a hotel in the South of France that won’t break the bank, and gorgeous wellness retreats. Essentially, this is the guide of where to travel that’s away from the crowds this summer. Get ready for the best summer of your life.

Travel Ideas This Summer

Shut out of Amalfi and the south of France this summer? This is your chance to see the world. You don’t have to venture very far afield either. Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are prime destinations, and they exemplify where to travel that’s not crowded this summer. Ireland and Scotland are also easy, and beautiful for both family and couples trips. I also can’t say enough about beautiful Portugal, and we have some gorgeous hotels that you will see on The Travel Shop this summer.

My Summer of Yes

I didn’t come up with the “Summer of Yes” on my own. My friend Desiree had her year of yes in 2021, and that worked out pretty well for her. So this summer, I’m traveling to where I want to go. The five Stans are my bucket list (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan), and this is the summer I’m making it happen. I’ll try to visit students in Kyrgyzstan, for our charitable foundation, Galavante in the World. From there, I’ll take the old Silk Road and see this stunning part of the world.

This July, I will be in the South of France, at a wellness retreat that’s 20 minutes from Les Caves du Roy in St. Tropez. Because I think that wellness and dancing on a table until 4 a.m. make up balance. That and the wellness retreat is somehow not yet fully booked, and is on our list of “where to travel that’s not crowded this summer.” Just because it’s not crowded doesn’t mean it’s not going to be fun!

So here’s to the Summer of Yes. I can’t wait to hear about yours.

All the best,

Christine Drinan, Founder