Abroad for 1st time

duncan32

Hello all,

My family consists of me and my wife, and a 6 year old girl and 3 year old boy. Since Katie was born we've never ventured abroad, preferring the cottage holiday in England. This has been perfect in most respects, apart from the obvious lack of sun. Just yesterday we got back from a week in Newport, Pembrokeshire and the ONE very sunny day that we had really made us think how lovely it would be to get away somewhere where you're pretty much going to be guaranteed that every day.

I think we like the idea of a cottage, as it seems to give you that bit of privacy and we don't mind cooking our own food, in fact, quite like it, then deciding to go out for the odd meal if we feel like it. Some friends recommend the all-inclusive, but this seems a bit over the top and would limit you to staying in the Hotel, which seems a bit of a waste really. Just my opinion.

Anyway, I was just hoping for some initial thoughts if people would be so kind. Are we looking at paying a lot more for the cottage type holiday, rather than the Hotel? I am assuming that I would just need to book the cheapest flights that I could to the nearest airport and then maybe hire a car if the cottage wasn't near the beach, or get a taxi if it was. Is this something that anyone has done before? Any ideas of good sites to check out would be nice, as would stories of people's experiences. Obviously, we're thinking of next year's holiday, so there's no rush!

Thanks!

Duncan

Blue264

Some friends have been self catering in Limoge and Brittany this summer and I think there are direct flights to Limoge now.

http://www.visitfrance.co.uk/france.cfm?town=limoges&sr=6204117

My personal preference with young children would be Italy, particularly around Lake Garda. My mum used to swear by Melcesine.

You could try looking here...

http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/Italy-Italian-Lakes-1bed.htm

http://www.ownerssyndicate.com/region.aspx?dpid=43070&rpid=43485

http://www.gardalake.it/

jackomdj

We are staying in a villa near Malaga this year & our girls (3 1/2yrs & 17 months) are flying for the first time.

We did exactly what you have said, boked the villa, then looked for a reasonable priced flight & booked a car for the 2 weeks.

Don't forget to get your EHIC's (what was the old E1-11's).

When looking at villa's we were wary as a lot with their own pool don't have fences around them & as ours don't swim without armbands we went for a villa on a small complex with 2 pools on the complex - it means they can play outside without us constantly worrying about them being right beside the pool & falling in!

Nicky

melb

I'm always banging on about Javea in Northern costa Blanca but I just love it so much. you'll find loads of villas and apartments just by googling 'javea' and there are the usual rental sites of holiday-rentals, owners direct holiday lets and holiday lettings as well as loads more. We started when our children were about yours ages and have been back every year since for about 5 or 6 years. The positives are that you can fly to alicante or Valencia - both equidistant at about 90 minutes on an easy motorway drive so you are never short of flight possibilities. There is a lovely beach with soft sand and clean water backed by very good and inexpensive restaurants and cafes and the whole town is lovely and clean and has an upmarket feel (hope you don't think I sound snobby) but very keen prices. There are no package holidays here so you get a nice relaxed friendly atmosphere. I would take advantage of going out of school holidays while your kids are still quite young - we used to like going end of May beginning of June when you can get a 3 bed villa with private pool for about 400 pounds a week - or stay on a lovely complex within walking distance of the beach for the same amount where you kids might be able to pal up and make some friends. In Augst you get alot of spanish and french people there.

duncan32

melb wrote: »

I'm always banging on about Javea in Northern costa Blanca but I just love it so much. you'll find loads of villas and apartments just by googling 'javea' and there are the usual rental sites of holiday-rentals, owners direct holiday lets and holiday lettings as well as loads more. We started when our children were about yours ages and have been back every year since for about 5 or 6 years. The positives are that you can fly to alicante or Valencia - both equidistant at about 90 minutes on an easy motorway drive so you are never short of flight possibilities. There is a lovely beach with soft sand and clean water backed by very good and inexpensive restaurants and cafes and the whole town is lovely and clean and has an upmarket feel (hope you don't think I sound snobby) but very keen prices. There are no package holidays here so you get a nice relaxed friendly atmosphere. I would take advantage of going out of school holidays while your kids are still quite young - we used to like going end of May beginning of June when you can get a 3 bed villa with private pool for about 400 pounds a week - or stay on a lovely complex within walking distance of the beach for the same amount where you kids might be able to pal up and make some friends. In Augst you get alot of spanish and french people there.

Well, I've just spent fifteen minutes checking out a comprehensire website about this place and I must admit I've sort of fallen in love with it, too! Seems amazing. A couple of questions though, what sort of temperatures do you get there at various times of the year. I like the look of a week around the middle of June for £500.00. Would the heat be there around this time? To be honest, with young kinds (and a wife who managed to get sunburnt last week in WALES!!!) we wouldn't want massive temperatures anyway, but obviously a week of good sun and heat would be nice! Also looked at a car hire site and for 140 Euros a car would be handy for ferrying back and forth to the beach - which appears to be out of walking distance? These villas are sole occupancy aren't they? I would get there and be saying hello to another family sharing my space?

Thanks for taking the time to advise,

Duncan

duncan32

jackomdj wrote: »

We are staying in a villa near Malaga this year & our girls (3 1/2yrs & 17 months) are flying for the first time.

We did exactly what you have said, boked the villa, then looked for a reasonable priced flight & booked a car for the 2 weeks.

Don't forget to get your EHIC's (what was the old E1-11's).

When looking at villa's we were wary as a lot with their own pool don't have fences around them & as ours don't swim without armbands we went for a villa on a small complex with 2 pools on the complex - it means they can play outside without us constantly worrying about them being right beside the pool & falling in!

Nicky

Good point! Hadn't thought of that danger, but will sure keep it on my mind now. Another thing is I don't have passports for any of us, so that's £80.00 each to find before we even start....:eek:

Duncan

duncan32

Blue264 wrote: »

Some friends have been self catering in Limoge and Brittany this summer and I think there are direct flights to Limoge now.

http://www.visitfrance.co.uk/france.cfm?town=limoges&sr=6204117

My personal preference with young children would be Italy, particularly around Lake Garda. My mum used to swear by Melcesine.

You could try looking here...

http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/Italy-Italian-Lakes-1bed.htm

http://www.ownerssyndicate.com/region.aspx?dpid=43070&rpid=43485

http://www.gardalake.it/

Must say that I love Italy (only been there once, when at University, but it was so good), but the beach and the sea are integral to the holiday experience I want to create, so this might not be the thing. Thinking about Southern France though, maybe, as you could take your own car.

Thanks.

Duncan

McKneff

write a post nearer the time and i am sure that lots of people will help
with tips for abroad, money, local customs etc.

Voyager2002

A holiday that is apparently popular with the middle classes is to rent a gite in France. These are basically cottages and are certainly self-catering. Often in rural locations, so car hire would be needed unless you bought your own car over on the ferry.

My own experience was with a company called Interhome. They are based in Switzerland, where they have loads of properties, but seem to have a presence in most places that would interest you. They give cashback on bookings made through TopCashBack. I found their standards to be very high while their charges were low (four of us took an apartment in Lucerne for about 300 pounds for a week).

duncan32

Who are you calling middle class!? :cool:

Thanks all, anyway, I will indeed take Annie's advice and step it up nearer to the time. Its just nice to get it clear in my head what I am probably going to do, if that makes sense.

Duncan

melb

Hi duncan you were enquiring about the climate in Javea. It's lovely around end of may beginning of June but not so hot that it's uncomfortable - although it can be quite hot at times and there can be a cool breeze it varies from year to year. People say Javea has its own micro climate - I'm a bit sceptical but it is backed by plenty of mountains so maybe this accounts for the fact that we are going back for our third August holiday in a row. If you'd have mentioned to me going to Spain in August a few years back there's no way but somehow Javea managed to stay bearable with a breeze. We never stay on the beach past about midday though even so as the sun can be so hot. We're off on Friday and the tempreatures are a bit too high for me - I must be the only one who is hoping for a few clouds and a bit of rain. I would be looking at what's available now for next year but I wouldn't book it until nearer the time - particularly if you want to go May June the prices are usually reduced nearer the time. As one of the other contributors said if you post nearer the time people on here are always very helpful