Author Topic: Holidays - UK or abroad?  (Read 43286 times)

Online rob1966

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Holidays - UK or abroad?
« on: January 27, 2021, 05:26:13 pm »
The Covid thread sort of got hijacked this morning with discussions about holidays.

Now, I have enjoyed some really nice breaks in the UK, we go to Haven in Prestatyn around Easter, a place near Skipton in September for our anniversay/lads birthday and lounge in a hot tub and we've been the lakes for Christmas.




The UK has some lovely scenery however the weather can be really shite, and for me, nothing can beat waking up to a warm sunny clear morning, sitting outside to eat breakfast without the sounds of next doors kid, chilling at a bar in Greece with its own pool, or walking along a clean beach and walking and swimming in warm, clean water.





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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2021, 05:28:21 pm »
I don't mind a UK city break, and liked going away with the dog in the UK, but if I had to pick between the UK or abroad then the latter wins it every time.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2021, 05:31:41 pm »
The change in culture is the biggest thing for me.  Always enjoy going back home, but it’s good to get away from the humdrum of every day reality for a while
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2021, 05:37:05 pm »
Until I went off to uni I think I’d only had two holiday abroad with my parents. We used to go to north Wales and then Scotland.

So now I appreciate and enjoy a bit of time in the sun and the kids love it. My wife’s a teacher and in laws are in Northern Ireland so get some weeks there in the summer too just so they get to experience a miserable, wet summer with nothing to do like I had to. :D

I have always though the west coast and islands of Scotland would be good to visit, just never managed to persuade he rest of my family.

Offline Son of Spion

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2021, 05:42:26 pm »
If I had to choose one or the other, then it's abroad every time.

Britain is such poor value for money and the weather is incredibly hit and miss. Having said that, we do like short breaks here. City breaks to take in gigs have been brilliant in places such as Bristol and Leeds. A few days in the Lakes or North Wales is also lovely and we'd like to see the Scottish Highlands. Mind you, we tend to do those kinds of stays in winter rather than at peak season in summer.

For proper holidays it's always abroad though. Better weather, far better value for money and, sad to say, often much nicer people. We love snorkelling, and as much as there are some nice places to do this in the UK, the water is freezing. You just can't beat snorkelling in crystal clear, warm water in southern Europe or the Caribbean.

We've written this year off as far as holidays are concerned, though.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2021, 05:46:42 pm by Son of Spion* »
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2021, 05:44:21 pm »
Not really planning on any holidays this year. Got a wedding in Switzerland in August but I'm pretty sure it is going to be delayed for another year. MY cousin is determined it will be a normal wedding with no social distancing and masks etc so would prefer to delay.

Will probably have long weekends in Edingburgh/Glasgow to see fammily and friends I haven't seen in nover a year.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2021, 05:49:42 pm »
Where do you all go that's cheaper than the UK cos I've never found anything abroad that is?



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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2021, 05:56:45 pm »
Where do you all go that's cheaper than the UK cos I've never found anything abroad that is?
I think the only places we've been that were worse value for money than the UK was Iceland and Barbados. Iceland is scandalously expensive. Both places are brilliant, but both are expensive.

Value for money in the UK is terrible, and definitely one reason why so many go abroad instead.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2021, 06:11:19 pm »
Where do you all go that's cheaper than the UK cos I've never found anything abroad that is?



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IF it goes ahead, we've got a week booked end of May in Lanzarote for the 4 of us, £990 including flights. We'll need about £1k for spends, but could do it cheaper if we need to. A weekend in the Lakes, in a lodge with a hot tub in August, has cost us around £600, the same last year was almost a grand, we swerved the hot tub but still paid over £600, a meal in a pub for the 4 of us cost almost £80 and wasn't that impressive. In the past I've managed to get flights to Tenerife for £250 for us and an apartment for £200 a week, so that was 2 weeks in January, temps in the mid 70's for under £700. Drinks were dirt cheap, plus we bought wine and beer from the local shop and I made meals some nights.

Expensive was Dubai for her 40th, £8 a pint, £35 for a bottle of wine.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2021, 06:11:56 pm »
Where do you all go that's cheaper than the UK cos I've never found anything abroad that is?



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We had a 5* villa in Fuertaventura booked for mid-Feb for 2 weeks, own heated pool, hot tub on roof with pizza oven/BBQ, etc. for a tad over £100 a night. Flights were just over £200 each inc all baggage. A 5 min walk there is a massive supermarket which did amazing fresh food for a tiny fraction of the cost here, and in the centre we could eat out in really nice restaurants for less than somewhere shite like Frankie & Bennys over here.

There is no chance we'd get even remotely similar for that sort of price in the UK.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2021, 06:23:15 pm »
I think the only places we've been that were worse value for money than the UK was Iceland and Barbados. Iceland is scandalously expensive. Both places are brilliant, but both are expensive.

Value for money in the UK is terrible, and definitely one reason why so many go abroad instead.

Norway and Switzerland are terrible as well.... I usually have to go to both for work every now and again (pre-pandemic) and go to Switzerland for family as well.

At least for work I can put most stuff on company credit card but it still hurts when you are paying a tenner plus for a pint and £40-£50 pound for a main course in a not particularly fancy restaurant.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2021, 06:29:18 pm »
When I was younger I loved going abroad, the normal places the Spanish Islands, France etc. But now I find I crave a different kind of holiday to those ones. I have never really been one for beaches or lying on a sun lounger. I mostly holiday in the UK now, though I have been to Ireland as well and usually its a walking holiday as I just enjoy exploring the countryside. I would still go on holiday on a short city break abroad though.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2021, 07:29:51 pm »
See 2 grand for a week even for 4 of you is expensive to me when we can do a week here for less than 500 all in.

I've also found a week for 6 adults, 3 kids and a dog here for less than a grand when the same abroad was over 3k and that was with all the kids going free and no dog.

I agree the top end stuff like 5* luxury with hot tubs etc is costly but I've yet to find anything cheaper abroad.  Not that I look that often cos I can't afford it [emoji16]

I suppose my cheapest holiday abroad was the last one I went on 20yrs ago which was camping/kayaking for 2wks in the Pyrenees.

I should add that anything over about 23/24° is too hot for us so we tend to do most stuff here from September to May and hide inside with the blinds and windows shut during the summer [emoji2957]
« Last Edit: January 27, 2021, 10:08:55 pm by reddebs »

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2021, 07:33:57 pm »
A year ago today I was in Dubai, the weather was nice, holiday was wonderful and there was some kind of flu in China that sounded bad if you caught it but was probably not being passed from person to person.

The plan was to go Canada for a couple of weddings this June (luckily the weddings are only a week apart) on my wife’s side, go Dubai next year for my 40th, then take the kids to India in 2023 (I want to take my kids and would rather go while my mum is relatively young and mobile) and then 2024 for my wife’s 40th. Right now, the only one I’d put any money on is my wife’s 40th :(
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2021, 07:43:10 pm »
A year ago today I was in Dubai, the weather was nice, holiday was wonderful and there was some kind of flu in China that sounded bad if you caught it but was probably not being passed from person to person.

The plan was to go Canada for a couple of weddings this June (luckily the weddings are only a week apart) on my wife’s side, go Dubai next year for my 40th, then take the kids to India in 2023 (I want to take my kids and would rather go while my mum is relatively young and mobile) and then 2024 for my wife’s 40th. Right now, the only one I’d put any money on is my wife’s 40th :(

We were two weeks away from going to Tenerife, lad at work was questioning if we'd be allowed to go, I was all stop overreacting. We flew out and back as expected by I was worried it would get cancelled, then it all kicked off.

We were supposed to be in Dubai mid Feb, pushed it out to Easter, waiting to see if that goes ahead.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #15 on: January 27, 2021, 08:05:10 pm »
For me it's abroad every time. Places like Spain, Turkey, USA, Dubai, etc all offer so much more. Skegness, Cornwall and Lake District all have a certain charm but there's only so much you can do, and the weather is always unpredictable.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #16 on: January 27, 2021, 08:49:15 pm »
Abroad. It’s not even a close choice.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #17 on: January 27, 2021, 09:02:58 pm »
Missed holidays to Bulgaria, Dublin, York and Spain because of lockdown. Thankfully got to Turkey just at the end of August before the shutters came down. Looking like it's not going to change anytime soon.

I used to love impromptu holidays, land then sort out accomodation, now I live for All Inclusive. It's the dogs bollox.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #18 on: January 27, 2021, 09:03:53 pm »
Norway and Switzerland are terrible as well.... I usually have to go to both for work every now and again (pre-pandemic) and go to Switzerland for family as well.

At least for work I can put most stuff on company credit card but it still hurts when you are paying a tenner plus for a pint and £40-£50 pound for a main course in a not particularly fancy restaurant.
I forgot Switzerland. Geneva was very expensive when we were there, although it was more of a few days away rather than a proper holiday.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #19 on: January 27, 2021, 09:06:36 pm »
I've got an 18 month old great nephew is New York who I haven't seen since December 2019 when he was about 3 months old. The whole family are desperate to get back over, as you can imagine. The wee lad is growing up too quick, and Facetime just doesn't cut it at times.

That said, I'll be happy with a long weekend at my brother's in Crieff the way things are. It's a great area to go to and use as a base as long as we can avoid him, that'll do me. For now.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #20 on: January 27, 2021, 09:23:16 pm »
I've got an 18 month old great nephew is New York who I haven't seen since December 2019 when he was about 3 months old. The whole family are desperate to get back over, as you can imagine. The wee lad is growing up too quick, and Facetime just doesn't cut it at times.

That said, I'll be happy with a long weekend at my brother's in Crieff the way things are. It's a great area to go to and use as a base as long as we can avoid him, that'll do me. For now.

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Offline UntouchableLuis

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #21 on: January 27, 2021, 09:38:32 pm »
Abroad in the summer, a week or 10 days in Spain or the Canaries. No messing about, just lying by the pool and reading, loads of food and drink in the night.

Happy going away in the UK a few times a year other than that. Love a hot tub weekend or a spa hotel.

I hate the airport and the whole flying experience if I'm honest, I'd probably swerve abroad for years if my fiancee wasn't so mad on going.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #22 on: January 27, 2021, 11:16:26 pm »
My nephew lives in Brighton so we as an extended tend to go down there to see him , my lad was at uni there too until a couple of years ago , a weekend away there you could easily spend £800 on travel , hotel , food , drink etc . but usually manage a few trips abroad as well inc a few European always in that .

Last year managed to get to Madrid away and then in September went to Sorrento which was fine and only slightly restrictive but also missed out on a booked trip to Berlin and a cruise of the fjords and villa we had rented for ten days in Portugal .

The cruises still seem a long way off and we do have the villa rebooked for June in Portugal this year but will have to wait and see I suppose but as soon as restrictions are lifted I think I need a bit of sun somewhere

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #23 on: January 28, 2021, 08:07:39 am »
When I was younger I loved going abroad, the normal places the Spanish Islands, France etc. But now I find I crave a different kind of holiday to those ones. I have never really been one for beaches or lying on a sun lounger. I mostly holiday in the UK now, though I have been to Ireland as well and usually its a walking holiday as I just enjoy exploring the countryside. I would still go on holiday on a short city break abroad though.

Same here, my idea if a good holiday is a week of camping and walking in Scotland or Wales. Not saying there aren't nice places elsewhere, but honestly I don't feel the need to go anywhere else for a holiday. Happily stay at home and just ride my bike every day too ;D

Would love to visit my family abroad though.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #24 on: January 28, 2021, 08:17:38 am »
i hear wuhan has some tremendous offers  :wave
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #25 on: January 28, 2021, 09:50:59 am »
Where do you all go that's cheaper than the UK cos I've never found anything abroad that is?



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Eastern Europe - Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria - some of the less touristy places (certainly for Brits and it's always nice to escape them!) and you can't give your money away. Stunning scenery and gorgeous beaches and food (and people!). Ahhhhh, can't wait to go back. :(
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #26 on: January 28, 2021, 10:06:34 am »
Eastern Europe - Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria - some of the less touristy places (certainly for Brits and it's always nice to escape them!) and you can't give your money away. Stunning scenery and gorgeous beaches and food (and people!). Ahhhhh, can't wait to go back. :(
Been a few times to Croatia and love it there. Would always be somewhere I’d consider going back to. It’s a good one to do independently and travel round by ferry and bus. Did that once in the north around the islands of Rab, Krk and Cres and another time in the south around Mljet, Korcula, Hvar and Brac. The ferries are regular and dead easy to book. Another time got the ferry to Vis from Split and ended up staying there for the whole holiday. Just brilliantly relaxing places. Montenegro was great too. Very similar. Incredible seafood. Love UK hols too but I think I’ve just answered Rob’s question in the thread title! Will be UK this year though I suspect.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2021, 10:08:08 am by Red_Mist »

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #27 on: January 28, 2021, 10:07:06 am »
Eastern Europe - Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria - some of the less touristy places (certainly for Brits and it's always nice to escape them!) and you can't give your money away. Stunning scenery and gorgeous beaches and food (and people!). Ahhhhh, can't wait to go back. :(

I was blown away by how nice Croatia was. Went there in 2003 I think which felt fairly adventurous at the time (wasn’t really but felt a bit different to the big standard week in Spain).

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #28 on: January 28, 2021, 10:16:15 am »
I was in Croatia before it was Croatia. I was about 20 at the time and far too young to appreciate how beautiful it was. Went to Venice for the day, was really disappointed it that. 20 Marlboro were £10 is the main thing I remember about St Mark's Square.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #29 on: January 28, 2021, 10:26:12 am »
I was blown away by how nice Croatia was. Went there in 2003 I think which felt fairly adventurous at the time (wasn’t really but felt a bit different to the big standard week in Spain).
Massively want to go to Dubrovnik.

It's got to be abroad for me - I've had some nice little breaks in the UK, but it's also worth saying they don't perforate the norm enough to stand out as experiences - I'll take a beach holiday or city break abroad over a UK stay any day.

When things eased in September, we rented a house in Abersoch which was lovely, and in 2019 me and friends rented a big house in the lakes as a couple's break, right on the water at Windemere. Both were great breaks which I recommend, but as the OP said, it's not comparable to waking to perfect weather and crystal seas. That transportation away from the norm is what's so great about it all. UK breaks are not far removed enough for me, and represent horrid value for money generally.

I was lucky enough to go away in 2020, to Tallinn and Helsinki over five days in February before things started to change. Tallinn especially was an incredible little city with a great history that I would recommend to anyone - We flew there and back, stayed in a nice four star hotel, ate at good restaurants every night, visited multiple hotels and also caught the ferry across to Helsinki and back and saw the sights there, all for less than £600 as a couple - phenomenal value in my eyes. We ate at the best restaurant in Estonia, 3 courses and wine and it came to less than the equivalent of £40 - expensive for Estonia but compared to the UK, you'd pay probably quadruple for a similar quality over here.

In contrast, 3 nights in Abersoch, when including travel costs to get there, food for the house, eating out a couple times a day (given most of it was spent at the beach which is free) still ran us upwards of £450. I know which I felt provided the more lasting, meaningful experience and was better value for money.
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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #30 on: January 28, 2021, 10:40:40 am »
Massively want to go to Dubrovnik.
Avoid mid-summer. Bit of a tourist trap in the height of the season. Undeniably beautiful but absolutely rammed in August, and not in a particularly good way.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #31 on: January 28, 2021, 10:44:16 am »
Abroad in answer to the title. Not that I have an issue with a holiday in the UK as there are so many stunning places to go. However, there are certain things I like doing and experiencing which you only get abroad. I also tend to find that the sort of holiday we do on the continent is actually cheaper than the UK which is often very expensive.

We go to France every year although haven`t, for one reason or another, been away for 3 years and it is getting to me. I really look forward to my 2 weeks away lounging around, wandering through local markets, fresh bread and coffee in the morning and just generally a change in the culture and tone. What is upsetting is that my teenage daughter is missing out on what is a major part of any childhood - the annual family holiday. We are booked to go at the end of July but I fear that this may not be possible yet again and by the time we are able to go again she will have tipped past the age where she really likes the sort of holiday we do.



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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #32 on: January 28, 2021, 10:48:21 am »
Avoid mid-summer. Bit of a tourist trap in the height of the season. Undeniably beautiful but absolutely rammed in August, and not in a particularly good way.
Cheers for the tip mate. I can be a bit of a tight arse and due to my partner's work commitments, we tend to do a city break early in the year in winter, and save our 'Summer' holiday for September after schools are back. This can reduce the amount of places that you can go if you want some real sun, though in 2019 me and some mates went to Cyprus and it was 36 every day in the last week of September and first week of October.
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Offline Red_Mist

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #33 on: January 28, 2021, 10:55:52 am »
Cheers for the tip mate. I can be a bit of a tight arse and due to my partner's work commitments, we tend to do a city break early in the year in winter, and save our 'Summer' holiday for September after schools are back. This can reduce the amount of places that you can go if you want some real sun, though in 2019 me and some mates went to Cyprus and it was 36 every day in the last week of September and first week of October.
September / October is a great time to get some late summer sun and warmth. We’re limited to October half term unfortunately, which can be a bit late for guaranteed good weather (Canaries aside). But we’ve had some warm (comfortably swim in the sea, lie on the beach, mid-20s) in southern Italy (Puglia), far-eastern Crete and Almeria/Cabo de Gata in the last week in October, even into November. Like you, I’d choose a month earlier though if I could.

Offline Drinks Sangria

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #34 on: January 28, 2021, 11:00:54 am »
September / October is a great time to get some late summer sun and warmth. We’re limited to October half term unfortunately, which can be a bit late for guaranteed good weather (Canaries aside). But we’ve had some warm (comfortably swim in the sea, lie on the beach, mid-20s) in southern Italy (Puglia), far-eastern Crete and Almeria/Cabo de Gata in the last week in October, even into November. Like you, I’d choose a month earlier though if I could.
Some good recommendations there, thank you. Puglia is on a long list for me!

I think Cyprus and the Canaries are always going to deliver the sun that time of year if staying in Europe is a must (often it is for us, budget wise).

Most of my mates are in the landscaping or gardening trades, so they can't get away in the height of summer, so when we've done lads holidays (more chill out holidays, we're too old to do the club scene etc) they've always been back end of September. Both Cyprus and Tenerife have delivered perfect weather in those timeframes. We had Mykonos cancelled for September last year which has given me holiday pangs of late.

I love some of the spots that the UK offers, but when you can pay slightly more to have a vastly different experience to your day to day life with a trip abroad, then I'm always going to opt for the latter. City breaks are particularly important to me and my girlfriend.
“Seeing these smiling faces is the greatest pleasure. They have been magnificent all season. They have been our 12th man. I have always said our fans are the best in England. Now I know they are the best in Europe too.” Rafa Benitez

Offline Stubbins

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #35 on: January 28, 2021, 11:01:02 am »
I was in Croatia before it was Croatia. I was about 20 at the time and far too young to appreciate how beautiful it was. Went to Venice for the day, was really disappointed it that. 20 Marlboro were £10 is the main thing I remember about St Mark's Square.

You must be as old as me. We did a week in Porec in Istria, back when Tito was still holding it all together as Yugoslavia. Venice was the default day trip. I too remember how expensive the restaurants were around St Marks (they've got an orchestra you know !) and just the heaving mass of tourists at the height of summer.

Offline Stubbins

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #36 on: January 28, 2021, 11:12:34 am »
Massively want to go to Dubrovnik.


It's beautiful but gets completely overwhelmed in summer, especially when there's 2 or 3 cruise liners in port. There's a collective sigh of relief when late afternoon, those off the cruises are on the tenders taking them back to the ships. You then get a chance to relax & find a spot on one of the terraces.

My tip. Try staying at Cavtat a little to the south. Smaller and compact around two small bays, it's far more chilled out. Also has a regular ferry service from early morning to late night, to and from Dubrovnik, only about 30 minutes away. Best of both worlds I thought.

Offline Red_Mist

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #37 on: January 28, 2021, 11:13:35 am »
Some good recommendations there, thank you. Puglia is on a long list for me!

I think Cyprus and the Canaries are always going to deliver the sun that time of year if staying in Europe is a must
Yes I’d forgotten about Cyprus, but you’re right, good one. Keeps that warmer weather just that bit longer. We’ve never been and always tended to think it wouldn’t be for us, so I wouldn’t know where to go. But it’s a big place so must be plenty of variety and scope for finding somewhere to suit. Hmmm 🤔

Long flight though. Get a bit twitchy after 4 hours on a plane!
« Last Edit: January 28, 2021, 11:15:27 am by Red_Mist »

Offline Red_Mist

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #38 on: January 28, 2021, 11:30:50 am »
It's beautiful but gets completely overwhelmed in summer, especially when there's 2 or 3 cruise liners in port. There's a collective sigh of relief when late afternoon, those off the cruises are on the tenders taking them back to the ships. You then get a chance to relax & find a spot on one of the terraces.

My tip. Try staying at Cavtat a little to the south. Smaller and compact around two small bays, it's far more chilled out. Also has a regular ferry service from early morning to late night, to and from Dubrovnik, only about 30 minutes away. Best of both worlds I thought.
Good tip. We only had 2 nights but also stayed out of the centre in a western suburb called Lapad. Nice little beach and some good restaurants. Easy bus to the old town in the evening when things have calmed down (a little bit!). Found Korcula Town to be like a mini Dubrovnik but less chaotic. Still v.busy but maybe less of a rip off.

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Re: Holidays - UK or abroad?
« Reply #39 on: January 28, 2021, 11:31:03 am »
Yes I’d forgotten about Cyprus, but you’re right, good one. Keeps that warmer weather just that bit longer. We’ve never been and always tended to think it wouldn’t be for us, so I wouldn’t know where to go. But it’s a big place so must be plenty of variety and scope for finding somewhere to suit. Hmmm 🤔

Long flight though. Get a bit twitchy after 4 hours on a plane!

We're due to go to Cyprus end of October. Missus has been, I've not, but she reckons I'll love it as I loved Zante. Luckily the kids are OK on long flights, they've done Florida twice and Dubai and are used to the 4 to 4.5 hr flights to Tenerife.

I was late to holidaying abroad, first flew at 27 when I did a skydive, didn't fly commercial til I was 29 and went to Amsterdam. My missus is a holiday freak, so when I met her at 39, it all started properly for me. Our kids have been abroad two or three times a year since they were babies, not bad for 10 and 12 yr olds. Must eldest wants to live abroad as soon as he can, he's got his eye on Tenerife right now.
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