Where in Europe should we go then?

[Ormirian]

I haven't been abroad for 10 years since DD was a year old. Hassle, cost and just generally got out of the habit. Children are starting to whinge that everyone else goes abroad, and I do feel a bit guilty that they haven't been. But where? TBH I've been to various places around Europe in the past and very lovely they were too but if I am going to make the effort I want to go to Peru, or Botswana or Rajasthan.... not France. But...that isn't practical for 5 people for a week in the summer hols..

So where?

Need beaches I guess.
Nice weather (not too hot please)
We need to fly as all my DC want to go on a plane.
Somewhere that I can go and see churches and/or museums, plus some good archaeology.

Meanwhile I will have to invest in 4 new passports. DS1 is the only one who has one atm.

Does Spain tickle your fancy?

We went to a place out of season last year - called Nerja. It is in the opposite direction to Blackpool in the sun Torremolinos. It is not full of high rise hotel blocks. Small town/village feel. We swapped our timeshare for a week at El Capsistrano village which is made up of whitewashed houses of differing sizes, some of it is timeshare (no touts loitering though), some expats who live there full time and some locals

Just outside the village itself are the Caves of Nerja. Very very interesting.

We also visited the Picasso museum.

Will try and find links.

\link{http://www.elcapistrano.com/\El Capistrano}. Properties are also advertised on other websites if you google.

\link{http://www.andalucia.com/nerja/home.htm\Nerja}

\link{http://www.nerja.org/turismo_ing/index.php\caves of Nerja}. The pictures don't do it justice, it really is the most spectacular thing.

\link{http://www.malagainformation.com/museums.html\Picasso Museum and others}

Thanks fimbo. Will have a good look.

Oh and we went to \link{http://www.alhambradegranada.org/en/\the Alhambra palace in Granada} for a day.

Nerja is very nice - good for kids... though still quite touristy/English imo (think UK expat rather than union jack shorts and fry ups!). Frigliana is a nice village in the hills about 10 mins from coast and stunning views.

Fimbo makes a good point about Granada, we stayed there for a few days before trekking to the coast and it is a fabulous city.

Alternatively a couple of years back we headed to the Costa Brava (North of Barcelona)... I would go back like a shot. Very beautiful (lots of small cove like beaches, Gerona and Barcelona within reach, AND it's cava country . We stayed in this villa just outside Begur - here. This is the website for the region. And the bonus of a really short (and therefore cheaper!) flight! (If you decide to head out this way, I would recommending staying North of Palamos as the resorts between Barcelona and Palamos can be a little more English I think)

HTH - good luck!

PS: Also can't beat some areas of Greece/Turkey for culture too (obviously)... but not so experienced in those areas - haven't been for years and years!

Nerja and especially Granada are boiling in July & August (Granada regularly tops 40 degrees)

Both places are gorgeous if you can go at either May or October half-terms.

If you want somewhere not too hot in the summer hols, which you can fly to, with beaches, plus a bit of culture...I'm struggling to think tbh!

Normandy ticks most of those boxes, but flying there would be a bit OTT!

Good point about the heat Ponders!!

How about Provence? Still too warm maybe?

We went to the Costa Brava mid/late June - it was very pleasant, not too hot... but can't comment on July/August I'm afraid!

IMO anywhere south of about Paris is too warm in July/August, lurkingsnurker (most summers anyway)

Majorca might be OK - it's generally several degrees cooler than Costa del Sol. Not so much culture there though...

(I never go anywhere S of Birmingham between mid-June & mid-September )

I was thinking of Crete - but thinking back we went in April and it was heaven. Bit too hot and crowded in July

How about Scandinavia then? Anyone familiar? Mum and dad went to Norway and loved it. Not so keen on Sweden.

We went to Sweden once in the summer - problem there is that their summer hols are so much earlier than ours that holiday places start packing up quite early in August. Quite expensive too.

You could do Denmark - Copenhagen is divine, & their Legoland is far nicer than the UK one (& their schools also go back very early so it's nice & quiet mid-August)

Not sure if you could eke out a whole week there though...

\link{http://www.suncamp.co.uk/gb/en/camp-sites/denmark/uc33-l2-n797-c3/#country=3\suncamp might be good?}

\link{http://www.visitdenmark.com/uk/en-gb/menu/turist/turistforside.htm\Denmark tourist inf}

If you do Denmark then we could have a mini mn meet :o

I like Copenhagen ( biased ) and there are lots of beaches. Roskilde has the Viking museum. You can get the train/bus across to Wallander country for a day trip if you fancy it. Agree that Legoland is worth visiting - although that is in Jutland (Copenhagen is on Sjælland). Tivoli in Copenhagen would take up a whole day I reckon.

There's a campsite/self-catering hostel on the outskirts of Copenhagen, but right next to the Metro (takes around 10 mins to get into the city) where you can rent a family room pretty cheaply. My sister, her dh and their 3 kids have stayed there and were pleased enough with it. There's a nature centre nearby with farm animals etc (although not sure how old your dc's are??!!)

Rhodes?

It was about 30 degrees when we went first 2 weeks of august.

Costa Brava:
Empuries
Besalu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girona

There are the beaches nearby and loads of culture to enjoy.