Has Anyone Booked a Holiday Yet?

[ozleicester]

My long awaited China trip is a week or so away.

Has anyone been to Guangzhou... any tips?... also then to Hong Kong so unusual things there would be great too

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

14 hours ago, waddadamadda said:

Head to the Jewish Quarter as it has amazing cafes and eateries - it’s a stop on the hop on hop off bus.

 

I have to say that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Rome. I’m such a city girl and love just wandering around but found Rome to be really dirty and quite overwhelming. I’m thinking of going back there at a different time of the year to see if it was just a me thing.

 

The food though was insane! We ate away from the main tourist traps and were absolutely spoilt for choice.

 

And remember your water bottle! There’s a whole load of fresh water fountains throughout the city to fill up at. 

Thanks that’s great advice, I’ve only been Italy once before (Pisa/Florence) and enjoyed it. It’ll be a shame if it’s dirty but it’s just one of those cities that is a must see! 

[FoyleFox]

7 hours ago, ozleicester said:

My long awaited China trip is a week or so away.

Has anyone been to Guangzhou... any tips?... also then to Hong Kong so unusual things there would be great too

 

I'm 3 weeks away for the same. We don't go to Guangzhou, we're Shanghai, Xian and Beijing. If you use FB, I've found this group to be very helpful with recommendations,  includingthing to do and see in Guangzhou. It's covered all of the requirements for how to pay for stuff as you can't use normal cards, how to get Internet connections without the censorship etc. And saved me £300 because we don't need a full visa  I'd been unaware of the new extended TWOV for transit trips. 

 

In HK were getting the peak tram, going to a water village and a mini city tour. 

Edited 22 September 2025 by FoyleFox

[Tommy G]

9 hours ago, ozleicester said:

My long awaited China trip is a week or so away.

Has anyone been to Guangzhou... any tips?... also then to Hong Kong so unusual things there would be great too

Been to China a few times with work, Hong Kong too. I have only seen the industrial part of China where our business is and it's pretty grim, but I'm confident a tourist trip will be much better!

 

Hong Kong is really cool - get the train from the airport into HK - takes about 30 mins, you can get the ferry across to the party side aswell but I was heavily drinking so can't remember that much, there is a really nice hotel bar called the Darkside at the Rosewood, which had good views from the terrace.

 

We went here which was really good

 

https://www.ozonebarhongkong.com/

[st albans fox]

10 hours ago, ozleicester said:

My long awaited China trip is a week or so away.

Has anyone been to Guangzhou... any tips?... also then to Hong Kong so unusual things there would be great too

Hong Kong - maybe a ferry across to discovery bay if the hurly burly of the city is getting too much ! 
If you like a flutter then either sha tin on a Sunday or happy valley on a Wednesday evening is a great experience 

 

I loved spending a few days in HK. 
 

my only experience in Guangzhou was a dodgy duck foot served at a factory which gave my colleague a very uncomfortable flight back (and the people sitting near him 😄) 

[boots60]

Bit closer to home, I'm off to Lytham St Annes during the international break with Mrs Boots & Frankie (Worthington) the Jack Russell.

Anyone any experience of Lytham St Annes?

Ideally will be avoiding Blackpool.

 

 

 

[RowlattsFox]

2 hours ago, boots60 said:

Bit closer to home, I'm off to Lytham St Annes during the international break with Mrs Boots & Frankie (Worthington) the Jack Russell.

Anyone any experience of Lytham St Annes?

Ideally will be avoiding Blackpool.

 

 

 

Depends if you're in Lytham or St Annes  

 

I like Lytham but not been for a while, bit pricy for me these days, especially getting home in a taxi. The Taps still decent I think for an old-fashioned type up and the Lytham Bierhaus was worth a try. 

 

Although St Annes apparently as a couple of decent micro bars these days but never been to them.

 

I like both for a promenade walk if the weather is ok. 

[Voll Blau]

6 hours ago, boots60 said:

Bit closer to home, I'm off to Lytham St Annes during the international break with Mrs Boots & Frankie (Worthington) the Jack Russell.

Anyone any experience of Lytham St Annes?

Ideally will be avoiding Blackpool.

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

Depends if you're in Lytham or St Annes  

 

I like Lytham but not been for a while, bit pricy for me these days, especially getting home in a taxi. The Taps still decent I think for an old-fashioned type up and the Lytham Bierhaus was worth a try. 

 

Although St Annes apparently as a couple of decent micro bars these days but never been to them.

 

I like both for a promenade walk if the weather is ok. 

 

Going back a while since I lived up that way but I'll vouch for The Taps too.

 

If you're in St Annes, Pickles is still the business for quality lunchtime sandwiches. Have a wander up Clifton Drive if you want to see where 70s comedians have retired to.

[whoareyaaa]

18 hours ago, ozleicester said:

My long awaited China trip is a week or so away.

Has anyone been to Guangzhou... any tips?... also then to Hong Kong so unusual things there would be great too

Been to Beijing and Hong Kong both pretty eye opening but I had a good time, plenty to do/see.

 

Guangzhou is where most of the factory's are you should enjoy it though.

[Spudulike]

A word of caution on car rentals. 

 

Arrived at Venice airport last week with a car rental previously booked online at a cost of approx £395 for seven days (4 adults plus luggage). Turned up at the Sicily by Car desk to collect key etc but they insisted on seeing the physical plastic credit card used for the online booking. It was booked in my son-in-laws name but he only ever uses a virtual card on his phone. They wouldn't complete the booking or even transfer to another member of our party.

 

The outcome was to cancel the booking (losing £90 odd deposit) and rebooking in my daughters name with a physical card. The online discount was no longer available and the cost had now risen to £1,311!!!!!

 

Had to pay it as we needed a car for the weeks travel around Tuscany. Looking at doing a credit card section 75 claim but not confident.

 

Anyone else had this misfortune?

[VLC86]

39 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

A word of caution on car rentals. 

 

Arrived at Venice airport last week with a car rental previously booked online at a cost of approx £395 for seven days (4 adults plus luggage). Turned up at the Sicily by Car desk to collect key etc but they insisted on seeing the physical plastic credit card used for the online booking. It was booked in my son-in-laws name but he only ever uses a virtual card on his phone. They wouldn't complete the booking or even transfer to another member of our party.

 

The outcome was to cancel the booking (losing £90 odd deposit) and rebooking in my daughters name with a physical card. The online discount was no longer available and the cost had now risen to £1,311!!!!!

 

Had to pay it as we needed a car for the weeks travel around Tuscany. Looking at doing a credit card section 75 claim but not confident.

 

Anyone else had this misfortune?

Sounds like a little bit of a scam to me. Second horror story about an Italian car rental I’ve heard today actually, with the other trying to claim some damage that was proven to already be there so they examined underneath the car and found a dent, charging £400 😂.

 

Honestly, italy is a stunning country but some of the things that go on there are absolutely wild.

[Raj]

What's folks best England  city breaks?

Liverpool  ( I know they aren't English!🙄)

Manchester 

Bath

York

London ( obviously)

Oxford

Cambridge etc etc...

Edited 23 September 2025 by Raj

[grobyfox1990]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

What's folks best England  city breaks?

Liverpool  ( I know they aren't English!🙄)

Manchester 

Bath

York

London ( obviously)

Oxford

Cambridge etc etc...

Skegness 

Bristol 

Harrogate 

Brighton 

Torquay 

 

The towns/cities mentioned leaves me dumbfounded as to why people voluntarily go to places like France 

[bovril]

2 hours ago, Raj said:

What's folks best England  city breaks?

Liverpool  ( I know they aren't English!🙄)

Manchester 

Bath

York

London ( obviously)

Oxford

Cambridge etc etc...

Norwich. Some of the best medieval architecture in England. Lots of good pubs if that's your thing. Close to some lovely countryside.

[09bballer]

LIncoln is alright for a weekend. Easy enough by train from Leicester.

Can do the Castle, Cathedral and a bit of shopping/pub meals.

We did the International Bomber Command museum which was fascinating.

I even managed to watch a game at Sincil Bank too.

[Paninistickers]

4 hours ago, Raj said:

What's folks best England  city breaks?

Liverpool  ( I know they aren't English!🙄)

Manchester 

Bath

York

London ( obviously)

Oxford

Cambridge etc etc...

Had a chat with a Brazilian fella recently who'd never been to UK and asked for recommendations. 

 

If they really wanna see the England that they wanna see, the classic  then the smart money would be looping around Stratford, Worcester, Ironbridge up to Chester and maybe Liverpool. Obvs that was maybe a bit too niche for a Brazilian that's only heard of Buckingham Palace (like I've only heard of Rio and slum favelas) ...so I just told him what he wanted to hear; London and if he's feeling adventurous, Newcastle. 

[SemperEadem]

13 hours ago, Raj said:

What's folks best England  city breaks?

Liverpool  ( I know they aren't English!🙄)

Manchester 

Bath

York

London ( obviously)

Oxford

Cambridge etc etc...

York is a lovely place.

[Chris_OGrady]

On 23/09/2025 at 17:41, Raj said:

What's folks best England  city breaks?

Liverpool  ( I know they aren't English!🙄)

Manchester 

Bath

York

London ( obviously)

Oxford

Cambridge etc etc...

I always think it's nice to go somewhere where you can hop on the train easily to somewhere else too. The smaller, quaint towns are usually much nicer but don't have enough to keep you occupied for a whole weekend.

 

Leeds - York

Brighton - Lewes

Bristol - Bath

 

In terms of just the cities themselves, I think Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh are the best for a city break. 

 

Edited 24 September 2025 by Chris_OGrady

[Fox92]

17 hours ago, bovril said:

Norwich. Some of the best medieval architecture in England. Lots of good pubs if that's your thing. Close to some lovely countryside.

Underrated City.

[FoxesDeb]

Went to Tetouan for a couple of days last week and loved it.

 

It was sun and sand with a Spanish vibe but on a different continent and with amazing Morrocan food, and plenty of culture too.

 

It's a pretty dry city, obviously, but we found a great restaurant with a good alcohol choice showing the football. We will definitely go back. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Cheers for all the Krakow recommendations, we did basically everything suggested and had a great time. 

[jonthefox]

Got tickets to see the mighty Iron Maiden in Athens next year. 

[South Shire Fox]

Salzburg in november. Sound of music, Brewary tour, Halstatt and then either Innsbruck or a day in Vienna on the train.

Edited 28 September 2025 by South Shire Fox

[Unabomber]

Just back from Porto great city break 

[Stadt]

Booked Bologna for the back end of January, my girlfriend has been pining for an Italian trip having never been. Between March-May of 2022 I ended up spending a lot of time there first for @SemperEadem’s birthday, then I had a family holiday booked near Lecce in May. Coincidentally, we drew Roma a few days before so I made the intrepid 7 hour train journey hungover out of my mind. I booked first class thinking I’d get more than the paltry biscuit they gave me. Not fancied going back for a while but a Cremonese trip has already been priced in.

 

Perhaps she’s starting to appreciate a morsel of Vardy’s ability to do the unlikely. 
 

@CosbehFox @bovril what would you recommend? 

Edited 2 October 2025 by Stadt