Has Anyone Booked a Holiday Yet?

[Tommy G]

14 hours ago, martyn said:

Got back from San Sebastian yesterday. Probably goes to the very top of my list of favourite ever city breaks. Beautiful place and will definitely go back and explore more of the Basque country in the near future. Enjoyable day trips to Bilbao and Hondarribia as well. 

 

 

Can't understand why you would go to such places when the likes of Benidorm is just a stones throw away.

[Guest Electric Yetis]

Gagging for a week in the sun with the kids.

 

Last few years we've done All Inclusive for the kids more than anything to sort the food/drinks/snacks etc.

 

Looking at the prices this summer they seem to have skyrocketed more than normal and change in work situation means I can't afford the usual.

 

Considering self-catering as the prices are obviously much lower but not sure where to look. We've done Crete and Majorca in recent years with Jet2. Would still probably prefer All Inclusive.

 

Any recommendations on anywhere for a maximum budget of around 2000-2500?

Edited 18 June 2025 by Electric Yetis

[boots60]

14 hours ago, martyn said:

Got back from San Sebastian yesterday. Probably goes to the very top of my list of favourite ever city breaks. Beautiful place and will definitely go back and explore more of the Basque country in the near future. Enjoyable day trips to Bilbao and Hondarribia as well. 

 

 

Went to San Sebastian with Mrs Boots last week & agree, what a beautiful, welcoming City. The semi circular bay & immaculate beach are brilliant & the old town is vibrant & while there are tourists, obviously I'm one myself, its not overrun with them.

The Pintxos are not just delicious but works of art & a cut above the standard Spanish Tapas. With day trips to Bilbao & Pamplona, perfect holiday.

 

 

[HighPeakFox]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

Can't understand why you would go to such places when the likes of Benidorm is just a stones throw away.

Am I right in assuming this is humour? 

[lcfc278]

1 hour ago, Electric Yetis said:

Gagging for a week in the sun with the kids.

 

Last few years we've done All Inclusive for the kids more than anything to sort the food/drinks/snacks etc.

 

Looking at the prices this summer they seem to have skyrocketed more than normal and change in work situation means I can't afford the usual.

 

Considering self-catering as the prices are obviously much lower but not sure where to look. We've done Crete and Majorca in recent years with Jet2. Would still probably prefer All Inclusive.

 

Any recommendations on anywhere for a maximum budget of around 2000-2500?

I'd done all inclusive in the past and then moved to self catering holidays and for me there is no going back at all. All inclusives are so restricting a) in terms of the food you eat which is the same 3 meals a day, b) you have a subconscious feeling of being tied to your hotel (like you have to get your monies worth), c) the beers are always either crap or served in small plaggy glasses and d) there's just a general feeling of being at feeding time at the zoo with the same people everyday for your entire holiday.

 

Go self catering and you can properly get out and experience where you go, eat in actual real restaurants, eat local food, eat where and when you want plus the beers are better in a nice ice cold glass etc. 

 

This is with kids as well. Unless you have loads of kids who literally need to eat something every 10/15 minutes I don't know why you would do one after experiencing it once.

[RowlattsFox]

19 minutes ago, lcfc278 said:

I'd done all inclusive in the past and then moved to self catering holidays and for me there is no going back at all. All inclusives are so restricting a) in terms of the food you eat which is the same 3 meals a day, b) you have a subconscious feeling of being tied to your hotel (like you have to get your monies worth), c) the beers are always either crap or served in small plaggy glasses and d) there's just a general feeling of being at feeding time at the zoo with the same people everyday for your entire holiday.

 

Go self catering and you can properly get out and experience where you go, eat in actual real restaurants, eat local food, eat where and when you want plus the beers are better in a nice ice cold glass etc. 

 

This is with kids as well. Unless you have loads of kids who literally need to eat something every 10/15 minutes I don't know why you would do one after experiencing it once.

In recent years I've fell into All inclusive, always been half board until I had kids where you generally had the best of both worlds. All inclusive is handy with young kids, but everything you'd said as a negative is spot on and they tend to be in the middle of nowhere too so you're even more stuck in them

 

However cost for self-catering isn't that much less these days, and then you add all the spending money you need 

[RowlattsFox]

What's Krakow like in Feb? 

I'm fine with it being cold (but not wet) and I think Auschwitz will hit harder in the winter. 

 

[Raj]

21 hours ago, Electric Yetis said:

Gagging for a week in the sun with the kids.

 

Last few years we've done All Inclusive for the kids more than anything to sort the food/drinks/snacks etc.

 

Looking at the prices this summer they seem to have skyrocketed more than normal and change in work situation means I can't afford the usual.

 

Considering self-catering as the prices are obviously much lower but not sure where to look. We've done Crete and Majorca in recent years with Jet2. Would still probably prefer All Inclusive.

 

Any recommendations on anywhere for a maximum budget of around 2000-2500?

Good job we have a heatwave this week- just take them Braggie Park and let them run around in the brook and pretend its Europe!

Edited 19 June 2025 by Raj

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

Just back from 26 days in Crete, had the most amazing time staying in 4 different places on the north of the island, travelling east to west and back again. 
6.1 earthquake within a few days of arriving, dust storm and loads of 🌞 

The locals were amazing, friendly and generous. 

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

2 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

What's Krakow like in Feb? 

I'm fine with it being cold (but not wet) and I think Auschwitz will hit harder in the winter. 

 

We went late February and it was great, Krakow itself is very pretty.

We went to Auschwitz/ Birkenau and it was such a humbling and interesting experience, our trip had the salt mines tagged onto the end which I can recommend as it’s good to go there after such a harrowing visit to the camps and it takes your mind away from the dreadfulness of it. 

[Dr The Singh]

Benidorm with @Tommy G

[Tommy G]

18 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Benidorm with @Tommy G

Yes please

[Zear0]

21 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Benidorm with @Tommy G

Place never recovered from the passing of Sticky Vicky 

[Dr The Singh]

4 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

Place never recovered from the passing of Sticky Vicky 

My girlfriend has taken over

[Dr The Singh]

8 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Yes please

let's do it

[Guest Electric Yetis]

4 hours ago, Mark 'expert' Lawrenson said:

Just back from 26 days in Crete, had the most amazing time staying in 4 different places on the north of the island, travelling east to west and back again. 
6.1 earthquake within a few days of arriving, dust storm and loads of 🌞 

The locals were amazing, friendly and generous. 

Terrible airport though!

[Unabomber]

On 18/06/2025 at 00:53, Nalis said:

Short tram or long walk from central Porto though.

 

Hilly city but not as hilly as Lisbon if you've been there.

 

Love Porto, Mistu does great food, decent street bars in the Aliados, or sort of west of Aliados Metro stop.

 

Taste Porto did an amazing food tour if you are into that sort of thing, guy called Ricardo knew his shit.

 

Douro Valley is worth it if you can fit it in for the vineyards and scenery, there's a few places that do day trips out there.

 

Whatever you do you'll have a great time, fairly chilled out city with decent architecture too.

We don’t mind the walk, just fancied staying in Gaia. Love good food so thanks for the recommendations, will check them out 

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

1 hour ago, Electric Yetis said:

Terrible airport though!

Heraklion? Yes it’s awful 

[Stadt]

Anybody ever stayed in El Campello just outside of Alicante?

[Guest Lako42]

19 hours ago, Mark 'expert' Lawrenson said:

Just back from 26 days in Crete, had the most amazing time staying in 4 different places on the north of the island, travelling east to west and back again. 
6.1 earthquake within a few days of arriving, dust storm and loads of 🌞 

The locals were amazing, friendly and generous. 

Get shot by any farmers? 

[BirminghamFox]

 Can you call Glamping at the Isle of Wight Festival a holiday? 🍺 

[ry.cunningham.5]

Just booked Verona for the Italian Grand Prix,any recommendations whilst there?

[bovril]

3 minutes ago, ry.cunningham.5 said:

Just booked Verona for the Italian Grand Prix,any recommendations whilst there?

If you search this topic for Verona there are a lot. 

[Unabomber]

4 hours ago, ry.cunningham.5 said:

Just booked Verona for the Italian Grand Prix,any recommendations whilst there?

I was there this April and absolutely loved it. You got hotel etc sorted? Pasta at la bottega della Gina xxl was amazing, they make it fresh and it’s not a restaurant just a small place with seats outside. We also went to Iris which is fancy but absolutely brilliant. Antica bottega del vino was a class spot too for wine/food. It’s only 15 train to lake Garda which we did a couple of times. Train to desenzano del garda then boat to sirmione was class. 

Edited 21 June 2025 by Unabomber

[The Year Of The Fox]

On 18/06/2025 at 14:00, Electric Yetis said:

Gagging for a week in the sun with the kids.

 

Last few years we've done All Inclusive for the kids more than anything to sort the food/drinks/snacks etc.

 

Looking at the prices this summer they seem to have skyrocketed more than normal and change in work situation means I can't afford the usual.

 

Considering self-catering as the prices are obviously much lower but not sure where to look. We've done Crete and Majorca in recent years with Jet2. Would still probably prefer All Inclusive.

 

Any recommendations on anywhere for a maximum budget of around 2000-2500?

Tenerife 

Laguna Park 1

 

Dont believe the reviews

 

 £2k for 4