Summer Holiday 2014

vinnygal

We havent been away on holidays for 6 years and my son turns 16 next year and would really like to go on holidays. Im starting to save my pennies and would like suggestions as to where to go or websites/travel agents to use. I looked at Falcon 2014 brochure and there wouldnt be much change from £3k :eek: There will be hubby, myself and my 16 year old son. We would like somewhere abroad for the nice weather but are not really lying on the beach people. It would have to be during school holidays in July and August - i even thought about a camping holiday in Spain or France although my OH is not keen on the idea of driving abroad.

Any suggestions would be greatfully received.

belfastgirl23

Well it depends on what you fancy.

It's worth a look at where you can fly to direct from Belfast and/or Dublin if you'd consider going via there. I know from Belfast you can do Paris, Pisa, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante, Faro and a few others. I'd suggest focusing your search around areas close to your destination airport. If cost is a major factor, consider self catering apartments - ownersdirect is a good website for this but there are others. Remember July and August will be the busiest time, you may have an advantage going in early July since English school holidays don't start til after ours. I'd also suggest thinking about somewhere you may be able to speak some of the language if you are sorting your own travel on from the aiport to your final destination. Or budgeting for private hire taxi.

Tripadvisor is the best website for reviews of hotels and of destinations. So if you're thinking about where to go start there.

Also think about public transport from wherever you choose to stay. If your husband isn't keen on driving there, don't make him, it'll ruin both your holidays!

I did have a colleague in a similar position last year. She got so overwhelmed by choice she just went into a travel agent and asked them for their best price for a holiday for four it is worth thinking about, it takes a lot of the stress out of it. I really enjoy the thinking and planning but I travel a reasonable amount so it doesn't feel as stressful to me. Think about what your style is!

by the way I always thought that this website looked good https://www.sunway.ie they don't have anything up for next year yet but they do seem to do good trips to sunny destinations from Dublin and they do a range of accommodation prices and offers. Haven't used them myself though I should stress!

Let us know what you decide

motorguy

Use thomascook.com as you dont have to plug in a destination and it will select all available.

https://www.thomascook.com

Just did a quick check for you there - holidays July fortnight 2014 for the three of you from £1655 self catering 3 star.

guiriman

We did Croatia with Jet2 Holidays this year, staying in Cavtat (half board). Cheaper than everywhere else except Turkey and Tunisia and a beautiful country with lovely people. Plenty of interesting things to see and reasonably priced day trips in Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro if you don't fancy driving. Eating out is cheap enough too if you don't want to go all inclusive or cook for yourself.

jellynose

Hi

I would recommend Nice.

You can fly direct from Belfast with Easyjet.

We stayed in an apartment facing the Promenade Des Anglais (beach), this meant lower accommodation costs and we could eat in out if we pleased.

We went on day trips to Antibes, Cannes and Monte Carlo. Our 15 year old son (as did other half) loved the cars in Monte Carlo and as fans of F1 we did a tour of where the F1 cars drive. Any looking at all of the massive luxury cruise liner/boats is amazing. The cost of transport was really cheap, a bus is about 1 euro each way.

The old town of Nice is also beautiful to look around.

Below the apartment was a bakery so fresh crossiants and pain au chocolat on the balcony in the morning and fresh baguettes with cheese, ham and wine on the balcony in the evening for supper.

I think that Nice provides a good mix of places for sightseeing or a beach nearby to spend a few hours if that's what you fancy.

We all loved it and will be going back.

newtownardsgirl

What about having a look on Terra Travel Website
Telephone No: 028 3832 7222 for good deals!

snowmen

We had to book our family holiday during the school holidays this year and were horrified by the difference in price compared to going in September.
We got to the stage where we weren't going to go anywhere but eventually found an all inclusive for 11 nights in Ibiza for £2200 at a reasonably good hotel on the jet2holidays.com website (flight, hotel and transfers). Everything went smoothly too!

sill

I take it your 16 year old will be doing GCSEs this year. Before you do anything try to find out date of last exam the year my son sat them his last exam was 17 th June so we went 20th June saved us a small fortune. Sill

esson1

Jellynose
Where did you stay ?

BOBS

jellynose wrote: »

Hi

I would recommend Nice.

You can fly direct from Belfast with Easyjet.

We stayed in an apartment facing the Promenade Des Anglais (beach), this meant lower accommodation costs and we could eat in out if we pleased.

We went on day trips to Antibes, Cannes and Monte Carlo. Our 15 year old son (as did other half) loved the cars in Monte Carlo and as fans of F1 we did a tour of where the F1 cars drive. Any looking at all of the massive luxury cruise liner/boats is amazing. The cost of transport was really cheap, a bus is about 1 euro each way.

The old town of Nice is also beautiful to look around.

Below the apartment was a bakery so fresh crossiants and pain au chocolat on the balcony in the morning and fresh baguettes with cheese, ham and wine on the balcony in the evening for supper.

I think that Nice provides a good mix of places for sightseeing or a beach nearby to spend a few hours if that's what you fancy.

We all loved it and will be going back.

Would love to know where you stayed too

NAR

I have nearly always found that teletextholidays.co.uk provided the best deals.