Has Anyone Booked a Holiday Yet?

[kingcarr21]

4 minutes ago, Strokes said:

It would be a family break with the in laws most likely, so to cater for all ages. I’m really the only one who likes to go out and explore beyond the all inclusive and beach holidays. 

Went Turkey last year in October. Really nice place and cheap. We stayed at the family life in Sarigerme. You would need to do excursions though to find anything to explore

[Strokes]

18 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

Depends what you're looking for but Madeira is good for a nice relaxing break at that time of year.

I’ve just had a look and I think that is perfect, cheers. I’ll see what the boss says.

[FoxesDeb]

2 hours ago, Strokes said:

Im not going away this summer, I’m hoping to move house so I don’t want to book yet until I know what’s going on with that. So I’m looking for a week away in October, I’ve always looked at the Canary Islands that time of year because the weather is always good. Is there a decent alternative?

Malta is often still very warm at that time of year, I usually go in November and it's still bikini weather ☺️

[Nick]

Austria, Crete and Italy this year.

[Buce]

2 hours ago, Strokes said:

I’ve just had a look and I think that is perfect, cheers. I’ll see what the boss says.

 

No worries.

 

If you like getting out (and who wouldn't if you're going with the in-laws) there's some excellent hiking up in the hills. There are some canal-like water courses (laverdas, I think they're called) that offer relatively easy walking and some of them pass right through the hills. Also, most of the tourists stay by the coast and don't move an inch, so the inland communities are quite unchanged. I'm not sure about buses - it's been years since I was there - but a taxi will do the job, and will arrange to pick you up at a time and place of your choosing.

[Countryfox]

9 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

Austria, Crete and Italy this year.

 Jeez ...    it’s just holiday holiday holiday for some people ! ....     

[Nick]

2 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

 Jeez ...    it’s just holiday holiday holiday for some people ! ....     

Well Austria is the annual Snowboarding holiday, Crete is for the olds as it’s their big wedding anniversary and Italy is later in the summer as my mate selfishly decided to get married there - so a few of us are gonna ride there on our bikes and make it into a double holiday / road trip! 

[Buce]

Just now, Swan Lesta said:

Well Austria is the annual Snowboarding holiday, Crete is for the olds as it’s their big wedding anniversary and Italy is later in the summer as my mate selfishly decided to get married there - so a few of us are gonna ride there on our bikes and make it into a double holiday / road trip! 

 

Are you taking Col?

 

If he starts today, he might just make it by late summer...

[bovril]

21 minutes ago, Swan Lesta said:

Well Austria is the annual Snowboarding holiday, Crete is for the olds as it’s their big wedding anniversary and Italy is later in the summer as my mate selfishly decided to get married there - so a few of us are gonna ride there on our bikes and make it into a double holiday / road trip! 

Where in Italy?

[Nick]

30 minutes ago, bovril said:

Where in Italy?

Some place near Perugia? If that is the right spelling?

[Countryfox]

1 hour ago, Swan Lesta said:

Well Austria is the annual Snowboarding holiday, Crete is for the olds as it’s their big wedding anniversary and Italy is later in the summer as my mate selfishly decided to get married there - so a few of us are gonna ride there on our bikes and make it into a double holiday / road trip! 

 

Only messing Swanny as SOME people on here  seem to think I’m on holiday all the time !   ...     Wish I still had my bike and I’d join you ...   unfortunately the missus has slapped a lifetime ban on me ..    I was becoming the Shinji of the biking world though ..   spending more time on my arse than on the seat ...   

[bovril]

3 hours ago, Swan Lesta said:

Some place near Perugia? If that is the right spelling?

Beautiful. I'm going to Umbria in May. Some amazing places round there, Gubbio, Spoleto, Norcia, Spello, great architecture, food, landscapes and a surprising amount of renaissance art.

[Kopfkino]

Does anyone have much experience of the Balkans? Currently planning (well exploring the possibility) a road trip around the Balkans for pretty much all of September/possibly late August. 4-5 weeks in total. I think we're looking to start in Zagreb at the moment mainly due to availability of cheaper flights. Then probably head down the Dalmation coast and then over to Sarajevo, followed by Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia. Or maybe save the Dalmation coast til last and spend the last few days doing a bit more beach relax. Brainstorming right now. Ideally need to make it a round trip as it saves a lot on the hire car rather than dropping it in a different place. Anyone got any tips of places to definitely give a visit, where to avoid etc? Any advice on driving in these countries or just in general on road trips? I'd much rather take it a little leisurely and have a relaxed plan that doesn't involve making sure I'm in a particular place on a particular day etc. Would be as happy exploring some provincial areas as just ending up in the bigger cities. 

[ozleicester]

17 hours ago, Simi said:

 

Booked AirBNB for Niagara..im always worried about AirBNB as ive heard people cancelling your booking at last minute (Ive used them a few times and never had the issue)... just hope my room is sorted or....

[Buce]

 

Looking for a Greek island.

 

Not so big that you can't see it all with a hire car, but not so small as to make a hire car redundant; reasonably quiet and unspoilt; good beaches but some pleasant hikiing inland.

 

Any suggestions?

[Voll Blau]

9 hours ago, Kopfkino said:

Does anyone have much experience of the Balkans? Currently planning (well exploring the possibility) a road trip around the Balkans for pretty much all of September/possibly late August. 4-5 weeks in total. I think we're looking to start in Zagreb at the moment mainly due to availability of cheaper flights. Then probably head down the Dalmation coast and then over to Sarajevo, followed by Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia. Or maybe save the Dalmation coast til last and spend the last few days doing a bit more beach relax. Brainstorming right now. Ideally need to make it a round trip as it saves a lot on the hire car rather than dropping it in a different place. Anyone got any tips of places to definitely give a visit, where to avoid etc? Any advice on driving in these countries or just in general on road trips? I'd much rather take it a little leisurely and have a relaxed plan that doesn't involve making sure I'm in a particular place on a particular day etc. Would be as happy exploring some provincial areas as just ending up in the bigger cities. 

Only know Dubrovnik, but that sounds like a great trip. Fair few recommendations dotted throughout this thread if you have a quick search.

Edited 16 January 2018 by Voll Blau

[bovril]

9 hours ago, Kopfkino said:

Does anyone have much experience of the Balkans? Currently planning (well exploring the possibility) a road trip around the Balkans for pretty much all of September/possibly late August. 4-5 weeks in total. I think we're looking to start in Zagreb at the moment mainly due to availability of cheaper flights. Then probably head down the Dalmation coast and then over to Sarajevo, followed by Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia. Or maybe save the Dalmation coast til last and spend the last few days doing a bit more beach relax. Brainstorming right now. Ideally need to make it a round trip as it saves a lot on the hire car rather than dropping it in a different place. Anyone got any tips of places to definitely give a visit, where to avoid etc? Any advice on driving in these countries or just in general on road trips? I'd much rather take it a little leisurely and have a relaxed plan that doesn't involve making sure I'm in a particular place on a particular day etc. Would be as happy exploring some provincial areas as just ending up in the bigger cities. 

Lived in/ travelled round and studied the Balkans for most of my twenties and spent a lot of time exploring lesser known places for work and pleasure so would be happy to send you a PM when you have more idea of where you're going.

 

Definitely worth exploring the provincial areas like you said. In general the Kosovan landscapes are amazing and the Serbian monasteries in Kosovo are fascinating and beautiful, not least as they're still guarded by kfor troops. Bosnia is beautiful too, especially if you have your own car and you can get to some wilder parts.

Edited 16 January 2018 by bovril

[bovril]

14 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

Looking for a Greek island.

 

Not so big that you can't see it all with a hire car, but not so small as to make a hire car redundant; reasonably quiet and unspoilt; good beaches but some pleasant hikiing inland.

 

Any suggestions?

I think I've recommend Skopelos twenty times in this thread but it seems to fit your description. Its proximity to Olympos and Athos means it's lusher than other Islands and there are hiking opportunities. May time it's wonderful. 

[iniesta]

9 hours ago, Kopfkino said:

Does anyone have much experience of the Balkans? Currently planning (well exploring the possibility) a road trip around the Balkans for pretty much all of September/possibly late August. 4-5 weeks in total. I think we're looking to start in Zagreb at the moment mainly due to availability of cheaper flights. Then probably head down the Dalmation coast and then over to Sarajevo, followed by Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia. Or maybe save the Dalmation coast til last and spend the last few days doing a bit more beach relax. Brainstorming right now. Ideally need to make it a round trip as it saves a lot on the hire car rather than dropping it in a different place. Anyone got any tips of places to definitely give a visit, where to avoid etc? Any advice on driving in these countries or just in general on road trips? I'd much rather take it a little leisurely and have a relaxed plan that doesn't involve making sure I'm in a particular place on a particular day etc. Would be as happy exploring some provincial areas as just ending up in the bigger cities. 

Spent a lot of a time in Yugoslavia - Serbian women are outstanding 

[Merging Cultures]

Seychelles this year - it will just be us.

Usually when we go on holiday we are racing around to visit family and friends. It is brilliant seeing everyone, we obviously don't see them enough, but it is a bit tiring and not always the most relaxing.

This year we are just going to go away and relax.

[fuchsntf]

21 hours ago, Swan Lesta said:

Austria, Crete and Italy this year.

Oh I see....Kids in Austria, Wife in Italy, you are a Cretin...

[bovril]

2 hours ago, iniesta said:

Spent a lot of a time in Yugoslavia - Serbian women are outstanding 

I think Serbia produces the most supermodels per capita in the world. Although tbf a Serbian told me this... 

[Kopfkino]

4 hours ago, Voll Blau said:

Only know Dubrovnik, but that sounds like a great trip. Fair few recommendations dotted throughout this thread if you have a quick search.

 

Done Dubrovnik and Split myself and loved it, that's made me wanna properly explore the area because the scenery and history is phenomenal. Should have thought to search first, a good little bit of chatter early on in the thread. 

[Voll Blau]

1 hour ago, Kopfkino said:

 

Done Dubrovnik and Split myself and loved it, that's made me wanna properly explore the area because the scenery and history is phenomenal. Should have thought to search first, a good little bit of chatter early on in the thread. 

Yeah, I'd like to go back as it's a pretty handy base for visiting elsewhere. Regret not doing day trips to Split, Mostar and Montenegro (all possible from Dubrovnik) when we went.

 

Also worth hopping over to some of the islands off that coast on a service ferry, though we found the organised tours to be a bit of a swizz - advertised as three islands and we only visited two, though they tried to ply you with enough white wine that you wouldn't notice you'd visited two different bits of the same island. 

[bovril]

Croatia's like safe Balkans. I'd probably rather go to the Croatian coast just for a week's holiday but a road trip through the lesser known parts is even more rewarding if you're prepared to go out of your comfort zone.

 

31 minutes ago, Kopfkino said:

 

Done Dubrovnik and Split myself and loved it, that's made me wanna properly explore the area because the scenery and history is phenomenal. Should have thought to search first, a good little bit of chatter early on in the thread. 

If you are interested in the history then Misha Glenny's book on the Balkans from the 17th century to present day is a good starting point (if you haven't already read it), and Black Lamb and Grey Falcon is one of the greatest travel books ever written. People like Balkan Ghosts because Clinton carried it around with him during the wars in Yugoslavia but I found it quite cliched and superficial. Patrick Leigh Fermour is also a good person to read up on especially if you're going to dip into southern Albania or northern Greece.