Has Anyone Booked a Holiday Yet?

[Unabomber]

29 minutes ago, Greg2607 said:

Is it your first time there???

Yes mate not booked hotel yet 

[CosbehFox]

I’d search Rome back through this thread as been lots of good tips. 
 

I can highly recommend Trastevere as a base rather than central Rome. Amazing pub called Treetop which you’d really like too. 
 

If you wanna do the big, big tourists spots, get well organised for it. 
 

 

[stretch1965]

Just booked a week staying in Marmaris if anyone has any tips as we have never been to Turkey

Thanks

[bovril]

On 24/01/2024 at 14:25, Stadt said:

Few trips booked recently or in the offing.

 

Wells-Next-the-Sea at the end of the month for a weekend, not been for well over a decade.

 

Mallorca on my mate's boat in Alcudia in April

Kotor in Montenegro for early May

Cala Galdana in Menorca in June

 

Going to have to take my laptop with me for a few of these though as the Christmas period swallows up my AL this coming FY

Try and get to a couple of medieval churches and/or old monasteries. The ones in Norfolk are better than anywhere else in the country in my very biased opinion. 

 

My favourites around there are:
Mary Magdalane, Warham - amazing medieval stained glass from the Norwich school which was one of the most prolific in Europe.

Binham Priory - Originally a priory from the 12th century which is still very spectacular inside. Early examples of English gothic tracery - predates Westminster Abbey. Interesting also to see the pictures of saints defaced and painted over with bible verses in English from the reformation.

Burnham Deepdale and Burnham Norton - both with late Saxon/ early Norman round towers and lots of interesting monuments inside. 

Bale - a bit further away but some of the best medieval glass I've seen anywhere in England.

[Chris_OGrady]

Going to Istanbul with the Mrs for 4 nights in March. Going to do most of the standard stuff - Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar etc. Any recommendations for bars/restaurants/cool areas and stuff off the beaten track, or any general advice on how to do the standard stuff, would be great.

Edited 28 January by Chris_OGrady

[Tommy G]

On 28/01/2024 at 08:13, stretch1965 said:

Just booked a week staying in Marmaris if anyone has any tips as we have never been to Turkey

Thanks

Teeth and Kebabs

[South Shire Fox]

On 15/01/2024 at 20:23, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Most places are €2/3 for a large bottle of keo or Leon 
 

Yes there’s a few places you can hire quad bikes, beach buggies, scooters and motorbikes out. We hired a quad bike for the day and drove over to Nissi beach. 

Ive booked Protaras now, staying at the Sunrise Jade in June. Cant wait! Any recommendations on best restaurants/bars? 

[Mich-ol]

We've just booked a cruise around Iceland

 

[FoyleFox]

3 hours ago, Mich-ol said:

We've just booked a cruise around Iceland

 

It's a lot easier and cheaper if you just use a trolley....

[Mich-ol]

21 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

It's a lot easier and cheaper if you just use a trolley....

ha ha

 

[suffolk fox]

On 28/01/2024 at 21:04, Chris_OGrady said:

Going to Istanbul with the Mrs for 4 nights in March. Going to do most of the standard stuff - Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar etc. Any recommendations for bars/restaurants/cool areas and stuff off the beaten track, or any general advice on how to do the standard stuff, would be great.

Watch Midnight Express before you go will give you lots of tips what to do at the Airport and places to go.

[Raj]

20 minutes ago, Mich-ol said:

ha ha

 

[kingkisnorbo]

Question. 

 

Going to Stockholm next week and I've dropped the ball a bit. Flying with Ryanair and have put my preferred rather than legal first name on the booking and checked in. Since it's still a week away will they be sound and sort it for free or am I getting shafted? 

 

[Joe90lcfc]

On 28/01/2024 at 08:13, stretch1965 said:

Just booked a week staying in Marmaris if anyone has any tips as we have never been to Turkey

Thanks

🥵 that was me last July, late 40s, if you take cash get it changed out there you get a better rate, great food, reasonable prices, great beer efes!! Don’t bother with the local water park 

[Lako42]

10 hours ago, kingkisnorbo said:

Question. 

 

Going to Stockholm next week and I've dropped the ball a bit. Flying with Ryanair 

 

Shafted

[FoyleFox]

11 hours ago, kingkisnorbo said:

Question. 

 

Going to Stockholm next week and I've dropped the ball a bit. Flying with Ryanair and have put my preferred rather than legal first name on the booking and checked in. Since it's still a week away will they be sound and sort it for free or am I getting shafted? 

 

They'll be sound...........as long as you pay the fee of €115.....

https://help.ryanair.com/hc/en-ie/articles/12890364450961-What-passenger-details-on-my-booking-can-I-change-online

[grobyfox1990]

11 hours ago, kingkisnorbo said:

Question. 

 

Going to Stockholm next week and I've dropped the ball a bit. Flying with Ryanair and have put my preferred rather than legal first name on the booking and checked in. Since it's still a week away will they be sound and sort it for free or am I getting shafted? 

 

Pay the fee and sort it before you get to the airport and get done in. Lodge a claim and/or get creative if you want it back 

[Trev3939]

anyone got a good suggestion for a cheap place with a good beach but also interesting stuff to look at for summer?

[bmt]

On 27/01/2024 at 19:13, Unabomber said:

Just booked flights to Rome so any tips would be greatly appreciated. 

Stay in/near Trastevere and spend evenings there, it's very affordable and has exceptionally good food, nice bars and a good vibe.

 

I would book Vatican museum in advance (as well as Borghese gallery if you want to go there) to avoid the queues. In fact queue jump for those two and Colosseum is probably worth it. The forum was great to look around.

 

Definitely visit Pantheon. Unbelievable building.

 

The Janiculum hill is a great view of the city in the early evening.

 

If there are any Leicester games on while you're there there are Irish pubs etc who will put the game on for you.

 

Make sure you have comfy footwear, everything is walkable but it means you spend a lot of time on your feet.

[bmt]

On 25/01/2024 at 21:55, Greg2607 said:

Italy is my favourite country..... Florence, Rome, Naples, Verona or Lake Como are all stunning for a short break.  I did a two week holiday in Italy and basically did all of those places.   Naples is hugely underrated, it's a really interesting city.  But if you've never been to Rome. Start with Rome. 

 

If you need any advice, just drop me a note. 

We have two days in Naples - trying to get a Napoli game in but do you have any other advice on things to do? Fancy doing one of the underground things but not too sure otherwise. We are also going to Amalfi Coast separately. Thanks in advance

[slymunn]

51 minutes ago, Trev3939 said:

anyone got a good suggestion for a cheap place with a good beach but also interesting stuff to look at for summer?

Depends what sort of place you are after. Plenty of cities with a beach close by such as Barcelona, Gdansk or Nice.

 

If you are after a beach resort, I'm not too good with them! 😀

[kingkisnorbo]

2 hours ago, Lako42 said:

Shafted

 

1 hour ago, FoyleFox said:

They'll be sound...........as long as you pay the fee of €115.....

https://help.ryanair.com/hc/en-ie/articles/12890364450961-What-passenger-details-on-my-booking-can-I-change-online

 

1 hour ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Pay the fee and sort it before you get to the airport and get done in. Lodge a claim and/or get creative if you want it back 

Yeah, shafted. 

 

Bastards. 

[Greg2607]

On 27/01/2024 at 20:23, Unabomber said:

Yes mate not booked hotel yet 

The beauty of Rome is that you can literally just walk around and you'll stumble onto things that are incredible: - 

 

Highlights for me though.

 

Clearly, you are going to do St. Peters Basillica, but make sure you also do the rooftop. The views across Rome and St Peters is stunning.  I don't like heights, but I loved it up there. 

Someone else has mentioned Trestevere. It's brilliant. Especially in the evenings for food and drink and a really great atmosphere. 

Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain as well as the Pantheon are all pretty close to each other... so try to group them together where you can.  Be careful of pick pockets and scam artists on the Spanish Steps. 

The old Forum is well worth a visit.  Colloseum, Forum and the Emmanualle Vitoria Momument are all pretty much in a straight line with each other, so you can group them together well. 

 

but the biggest advice I have, is be prepared to get up "relatively" early and get to places early.  Otherwise you'll waste most of your break queueing, even if you buy tickets in advance.  The crowds in Rome can be insane. 

 

Enjoy the food though, have an aperol spritz and look for traffic when you cross the roads, the Romans are crazy drivers! 

[kenny]

On 29/11/2023 at 13:26, ousefox said:

I've just written a travel blog on Gdansk in Poland. I went in January and would really recommend the city if anyone is interested.

 

https://www.littlecornersofeurope.com/post/a-year-in-european-travel-gdansk

Just got back from Gdansk. Very useful blog, we had a great time, thank you!

[Greg2607]

37 minutes ago, bmt said:

We have two days in Naples - trying to get a Napoli game in but do you have any other advice on things to do? Fancy doing one of the underground things but not too sure otherwise. We are also going to Amalfi Coast separately. Thanks in advance

if you are going to the Amalfi Coast, depending on how you get there, the vesuviana railway is notorious for pick pockets.  I had my phone and wallet taken and I didn't have a clue! didn't feel a thing. so be alert for that, they are super clever. 

 

In terms of Naples, I felt safe everywhere I went, but the area up near the train station is pretty sketchy, so only go there during the day (there isn't that much to see at that end of town, it's fairly industrial. 

 

Castel Dell'Ovo and the surrounding area is really nice. Marble lined streets, good restaurants and great for both a day time and  a night time walk. 

 

But as a top tip, if you head out at about 17:00 anywhere in italy and order a cocktail, they also bring you free food. The italians tend to eat late at night, so "happy hour" is great for topping up on arrancinni! 

 

There is one long street through the centre of naples that is full of little pop up food stalls (I forget what it's called, but it's worth googling) - you can walk along that one evening and have loads of cheap snacks and great food. 

 

The underground caverns are fascinating as well, full of relics from WW2.  I'd definitely recommend doing that!