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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask: if you had a four day weekend and a budget of about £600 for flights and accommodation, where would you travel in Europe?

134 replies

lookingdownoncrearion · 28/07/2026 16:34

In March. Had a half marathon booked but I’m never going to get to the required fitness level and the thought of it has me dreading running ever again. So I’m going to cancel and go away.

Any recommendations welcome!

OP posts:

Savvysix1984 · 29/07/2026 09:35

Lisbon. We stayed in amazing boutique apartments and once there it was very reasonable cost wise.

LejlaKapovic · 29/07/2026 09:31

daffodilandtulip · 28/07/2026 16:53

We’ve just had a fantastic break in Budapest. All walkable and easy public transport.

I was going to say Budapest, too.

blueberry8 · 29/07/2026 09:24

zebrazoop · 28/07/2026 23:44

give it a rest, nasa are sending people to the moon and the planes are going to fly anyway, regardless if OP is on one.

id personally go somewhere warm in March, canaries and spend the time chilling on the beach with a book

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The planes wouldn’t be flying if people gave it up. Humans are selfish, and they will carry on doing whatever they want regardless of the consequences. It’s always “ other people” who have to stop doing things first.

Echointhedarkness · 29/07/2026 06:28

Valencia is a beautiful city and the beach along that coast is lovely.

Original poster

lookingdownoncrearion · 29/07/2026 06:28

SummerSally · 28/07/2026 21:09

Ah no I think you’d need to be there earliest end of March. Maybe next year if you can go later!

I do love a good train Journey though - I remember getting the train down to Cornwall one year and it was such a long journey; I read two novels and ate an entire box of chocolate muffins and it was just blissful. I was really sad when i had to get off!

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I’m considering a home reading break too. It could be fun!

OP posts:

Original poster

lookingdownoncrearion · 29/07/2026 06:27

Twoboysandabengal · 28/07/2026 23:20

Where are you planning to stay in a hostel? That’s peanuts!

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£600 for 3 nights is peanuts? I’ve done ten days in Italy this year for £680 total accommodation costs - two Airbnbs!

OP posts:

Original poster

lookingdownoncrearion · 29/07/2026 06:27

Melarus · 29/07/2026 01:40

Actually, this week's news has been so horrific - wildfires in the west, floods in the east - that I'm seriously rethinking a long-haul trip I was going to take next year. It just feels wrong.

You’ll still go. You’re just virtue signalling.

OP posts:

momager22 · 29/07/2026 06:25

Budapest is great and the accommodation is very affordable.

Ineffable23 · 29/07/2026 06:21

We went to Porto on holiday and it was super interesting but it was So rainy. We were absolutely drenched multiple times. We went in late October which does get more rain than march, but it's still 15 days a month of rain at that time of year. So as many days of rain as you get in the East of England at that time of year and double the overall rainfall for that month.

Thechateau · 29/07/2026 06:20

Pisa is lovely but you can see it in an afternoon. I'd go for Madrid or Seville, both great cities

KatiePricesKnickers · 29/07/2026 06:18

Melarus · 29/07/2026 01:40

Actually, this week's news has been so horrific - wildfires in the west, floods in the east - that I'm seriously rethinking a long-haul trip I was going to take next year. It just feels wrong.

I bet you still go though.

KatiePricesKnickers · 29/07/2026 06:17

Another vote for Budapest.

Dameputtingonabraveface · 29/07/2026 02:20

I am the queen of cheap breaks and have been to some wonderful and weird destinations based on having a tiny budget! Use skyscanner to find cheap flights, UK to everywhere, and see what comes up. Then use Booking.com and find places that have free cancelation so you can play around with your ideas. In recent times, flights outside school holidays seem to get cheaper nearer the date but this takes away the fun of planning. If you do not want to hire a car, trains/coach travel in mainland Europe is much more efficient and cheaper than the UK. In lots of places coach travel is more efficient and quicker than trains (in Turkey you even get a seat back info/entertainment system and trolley service included)! This is due to the geography of certain countries where trains are slow or cannot go due to mountains etc and is not the 'low price' alternative that it seems to be in the UK.

Melarus · 29/07/2026 01:40

Actually, this week's news has been so horrific - wildfires in the west, floods in the east - that I'm seriously rethinking a long-haul trip I was going to take next year. It just feels wrong.

zebrazoop · 28/07/2026 23:44

blueberry8 · 28/07/2026 16:47

Countries are literally on fire right now due to climate change. Maybe not fly abroad.

give it a rest, nasa are sending people to the moon and the planes are going to fly anyway, regardless if OP is on one.

id personally go somewhere warm in March, canaries and spend the time chilling on the beach with a book

Twoboysandabengal · 28/07/2026 23:20

lookingdownoncrearion · 28/07/2026 16:34

In March. Had a half marathon booked but I’m never going to get to the required fitness level and the thought of it has me dreading running ever again. So I’m going to cancel and go away.

Any recommendations welcome!

Where are you planning to stay in a hostel? That’s peanuts!

Gingerbreadlattetoppingsontheside · 28/07/2026 23:17

Loved everything about Krakow

Barcelona the sights are incredible but otherwise i could take it or leave it.

I want to do Malaga as a proper adult not a grumpy teem

tinytemper66 · 28/07/2026 23:13

Nice; Seville; Madrid; Athens

SleepyHollowed84 · 28/07/2026 21:36

Budapest all the way

Thecows · 28/07/2026 21:35

Johnogroats · 28/07/2026 21:16

lookingdownoncrearion · 28/07/2026 17:02

I was thinking Porto! Or maybe somewhere in southern Italy that may have a slightly better chance of sun?

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My son loves Porto. We went to the Amalfi coast in May and had a storm and very mixed weather. Likewise our Corfu in May photos look more like Scotland. You may be lucky…. But we weren’t! How about marrakesh?

AgnesMcDoo · 28/07/2026 21:15

Go to Eastern Europe - Poland, Bulgaria or Hungary. Your money will go much further and you will have a great time

my top picks would be krakow or Budapest

SummerSally · 28/07/2026 21:09

lookingdownoncrearion · 28/07/2026 17:09

Will they be there mid/early march?!

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Ah no I think you’d need to be there earliest end of March. Maybe next year if you can go later!

elQuintoConyo · 28/07/2026 21:06

Madrid is the bomb, so much to see and do. Totally different vibes from Barcelona, but equally as fab.

Original poster

lookingdownoncrearion · 28/07/2026 21:01

Silvertree188 · 28/07/2026 20:08

Pisa Italy
so easy to get a round went to Lucca and florance On train .Fabulous and very cheap when u are there .

Is there much to do in pisa aside from the tower? It’s never really been somewhere that’s spiked my interest before!

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