Taking a holiday alone

Savvy_Sue

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Montpelier, Avignon, big port whose name I can't remember ...

MARSEILLE!

(It's been annoying me ever since I posted that, I just could not remember the name, have had to look at a google map of France!)

rachbc

I'd vote for Sienna over Florence

londoner1998

jason1231972 wrote: »

Thanks for the great suggestions, all.

I've 'narrowed' (!) it down to the following, based on budget flights from two local-ish airports. I've excluded places I've already been, or places that don't grab my interest.

I've excluded Tel Aviv because whilst Israel is such a tiny country, it's so big in terms of culture, history, politics, etc. Definitely somewhere I'd like to explore with my partner.

I've also discounted Paris for now as I'm getting not-so-subtle wind of a possible 'surprise' break there.

Athens is also a no-go for now, just because I don't really fancy getting caught up in riots, etc.

So....

Bilbao
Copenhagen
Corsica
Bordeaux
Gibraltar
Lisbon
Lyon
Naples
Nice
Salzburg
Budapest
Dubrovnik
Pisa
Milan
Rome
Venice

It's gotta be France or Italy, hasn't it?

How come I didn't think about it? BILBAO!!! My home town!! Small and quiet enough to have a pleasant rest, super-cosmopolitan with the gorgeous Guggenheim and superb food offer. Clean and with great transport links: you can do San Sebastian in an hour on a coach and may be spend a day there if you want (gorgeous beach, no trashy tourists) and also take a train to see the coast: you pass a natural reserve on the way to Gernika and the fishermen coast towns. In BIlbao you can also get to (one of the many) beaches in half an hour with the tube or go and see the mountains. Or spend the day shopping and eating in the old town...

You have really nice hotels in Bilbao at reasonable prices and get there in about 1h 45 min.

Go on, you know you want to...
Ax

VestanPance

Based on your original post I'd recommend Berlin. Wonderful city which is easy to get too, very easy to get around on public transport by yourself. Surprisingly cheap for food and drink when you are there.

Lot's of culture and history to take in. A wealth of museums.

Avoid the last weekend of September though, Berlin Marathon is on and the hotel prices will rocket on that weekend.

Slinky

rachbc wrote: »

I'd vote for Sienna over Florence

I'd vote for Florence over Siena!

londoner1998

VestanPance wrote: »

Based on your original post I'd recommend Berlin. Wonderful city which is easy to get too, very easy to get around on public transport by yourself. Surprisingly cheap for food and drink when you are there.

Lot's of culture and history to take in. A wealth of museums.

Avoid the last weekend of September though, Berlin Marathon is on and the hotel prices will rocket on that weekend.

Yes, I went there once and I loved it. Great place and so much to do and see..

jason1231972

VestanPance wrote: »

Based on your original post I'd recommend Berlin. Wonderful city which is easy to get too, very easy to get around on public transport by yourself. Surprisingly cheap for food and drink when you are there.

Lot's of culture and history to take in. A wealth of museums.

Avoid the last weekend of September though, Berlin Marathon is on and the hotel prices will rocket on that weekend.

Going Berlin in October with OH! We've been before, but only from late Friday night until late Sunday afternoon. Booked on a whim, flights were something daft like £34 return. Loved it, can't wait to spend more time there.

Still haven't made my mind up yet. Liking the Italy suggestions, will research further this weekend.

Norma_Desmond

jason1231972 wrote: »

Going Berlin in October with OH! We've been before, but only from late Friday night until late Sunday afternoon. Booked on a whim, flights were something daft like £34 return. Loved it, can't wait to spend more time there.

Still haven't made my mind up yet. Liking the Italy suggestions, will research further this weekend.

You can't really go wrong in Italy.

Except for Rimini. Don't go. Ever.

gildius

For me it would always have to be Venice - I was lucky enough to live there, and it's easy to spend a long time wandering around on your own. Just set off and aim to get lost

I went to Berlin recently and there was loads of good stuff to do there - museums, the Fernsehturm if you don't mind heights... There's also Amsterdam which is just beautiful!

Happy holidays

penguingirl

I absolutely loved Nice- great for a few days, lots of museums plus a lovely place to just wander and people watch (and the food is delicious), plus the train is easy/cheap/quick for Monaco.

I have female friends who have gone to various Italian cities without any bfs/hubbys/children and found it to be a bit intimidating with lots of comments thrown their way, hassle on the trains etc. I don't know how old you are OH, but it would put me off going there without my partner.