Holidaying From Home – The new discovery of the summer

It’s a funny feeling: On the one hand, on Instagram, we see how Influencers and friends are all flying south again, surrendering to the soothing languor of the Mediterranean sun, and on the other hand, we see photos of a crowded pool party from Wuhan and think that’s stupidity and provocation without equal.​

royalty-free images vacation at home
© Peter Scholl/Westend61

However, we experience a little bit of a double standard, or at least moral indecision, especially during the hot-weather days; the head says, “Stay at home,” but the heart says, “I want out!”

The Baltic Sea, the North Sea, or the Allgäu – A Holiday at Home, the middle ground

Those who do not dare to enter the congested airport and travel a little farther, for example to the Netherlands or Austria, will focus on holidays in their own country this year. Holiday homes on the North and Baltic Seas have been fully booked for months, and even the motorhome rental business is going through the roof. I, myself, was in Kiel with friends a while ago and drove to a supposedly “secret spot” there, which had never before come close to the danger of overcrowding. Now VW vans were lined up from camper to camper and camper to tent – a whole range of charcoal grills and sunburns were on display. For the fans of noise and highlife, it was a dream; for us, it was rather less suitable.

royalty-free images vacation at home
© Cavan Images/Westend61

Another downer was the steep coast that we visited the next day, which due to its location was not easily accessed; surely it would deter some people. Here we were able to find the pleasant calmness we were looking for. Things don’t seem to be much different in the south. The coronavirus brings with it a national tourist boom that turns seemingly peaceful places into the epicenters of summer pleasure.

royalty-free images vacation at home

Have the perfect holiday … from Home!

Holidays at Home

What do we do if we can’t quickly find a small, remote place or even have one nearby? What do we do if we think that crowds of people on holiday are counterproductive, which, moreover, crowds certainly did have an adverse effect during the Covid19 pandemic? An obvious decision may be both the easiest and the most difficult one. Holidaying in one’s own home probably comes too close to feeling like quarantine to many people. 

royalty-free images vacation at home
© Lars Hollander/Westend61

We have already noticed how important and beneficial it can be to get back to the basics. Of course, a holiday is always a break from everyday life, but in the end, it is a time of intensive gathering with family, friends, and loved ones. So why should we now force the stress of overcrowding onto us, just to experience the feelings, focus, and essentials of a holiday somewhere else under adverse conditions? Maybe this year is simply the year without traveling, without packing lists – true to the saying: Standing in line at the ice cream parlor in Hamburg can be just as nice as in Italy. 

royalty-free images vacation at home
© Rainer Holz/Westend61

Day trips to the surrounding area, the reconnaissance of the local hinterland, and, above all, time and relaxation take the place of planning stress, long car rides, and the struggle to find the wicker beach chair in the shade.

Premium photos of the home make you long for more

The coronavirus pandemic also brought about a change in stock photography. Home productions with Hygge Flair are no longer just home / lifestyle productions, but rather they now serve the holiday and vacation sector as well. We’re certainly not mistaken if we think this sounds like sustainability. In our pool of photos, you will find wonderful inspirations for holidays in your own home. 

royalty-free images vacation at home
© Jan Tepass/Westend61

From cooling off on the balcony, a romantic picnic on the rooftop terrace, barbecues in the garden to splashing around in the pool or simply relaxing on the couch, you can find everything here. We at Westend61 hope that these photos will not only appeal to potential customers but also to other readers who are not yet able to imagine a holiday within their own four walls. But with all the things happening around us, this one is simply worth it.

Sebastian Bentzin

For over ten years Sebastian works in the digital media field. The Hamburg-based social media manager combines his professional background with his interest in photography contributing to the Westend61 outlets.