Where European leaders prefer to relax

European leaders decided to spend the summer holidays “democratically and budgetically”. For example, French President François Hollande will spend his holidays at Fort Bregançon (presidential residence) on the Cote d'Azur, as well as at his home in Mougins, 30 km from Nice. It should be noted that in Breganson, together with his friend Valerie Trierweiler Hollande arrived on a regular train, boarding the last train carriage at the Lyon station in Paris.

The head of state said he was "not entirely on vacation." “This is normal,” the president assured. Every day there are new events, situations that you need to be aware of 24 hours a day. In addition, vigilance with regard to the economic situation is necessary.” Thus, Hollande did not change his “pre-presidential” habits: before the election, he was repeatedly seen on the beaches of the country or sitting in a coastal cafe with a portion of oysters.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as usual, leaves her homeland for vacation. The Federal Chancellor spends his week in South Tyrol Italy. Together with her husband Joachim Sauer, Merkel stayed at the four-star Marlet Hotel in a village at an altitude of 1,900 m. There, the couple met with the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, and the athlete, who climbed all 14 eight-thousanders of the world, noted that Merkel is a tireless walker.

German President Joachim Gauck spends his first vacation in his new position together with his companion Daniela Schadt. First, they visited Olympic London, visited the city and attended gymnastics competitions. Then Gauck and his girlfriend went to the Polish Kostszyn-on-Odre, where the president had the opportunity to open a rock festival – one of the largest in Europe.

However, the holiday had to be interrupted for a working meeting with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, but Gauck plans to travel to Poland.
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann went to the Italian island of Sardinia. There he spends two weeks with his wife and daughters Martina and Flora, renting a private home in Sardinia's most popular resort Costa Smeralda.

Previously, the Austrian chancellor regularly traveled to Venice, and only for the second year prefers to rest further south. As he admitted, during the holidays, he appreciates peace and quiet and, even without the ability to completely turn off the mobile phone, puts it on silent mode.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti spent several days with his wife in the small town of Arona on Lake Maggiore. Accompanied by eight bodyguards, he made a walk around the city and surroundings, which surprised the locals, after which he returned to his villa in Leza.

Lake Maggiore is probably the favorite place of Italian politicians and cultural figures. There, for example, Silvio Berlusconi rested many times.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras refused to rest, instead holding talks with representatives of Greece’s creditors. The head of government demanded the same from his subordinates.

Unlike the Greeks, the Portuguese ministers were more fortunate. Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passusz Coelho allowed his subordinates to rest, however, forbade them to leave the country. He will spend two weeks with his family at home, in the southern resort of Mana Rota, near Faro.

In Spain, it is also not up to a full rest. Most ministers have been forced to shorten their vacations as much as possible this year, and many are vacationing close to home (an hour’s flight from Madrid).

“To all who can afford it, have a good holiday,” said Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. He himself will spend several days (how many are not specified, but presumably not more than a week) in his homeland in Galicia with his family. As a rule, in the summer Rajoy always rests at home. In the small town of Sanhenho in the province of Pontevedra he has a house.

Only the resting place of British Prime Minister David Cameron remained a mystery. Downing Street said the prime minister plans to spend two weeks in continental Europe with his wife Samantha and three children.

Source: Euromag