where would you go for weekend away for 50th b'day?

[ggirl]

europe
nice hotel recommendations welcome as well

thanks

anyone been to Verona?

Venice

www.hotelcipriani.com/web/ocip/rooms_and_suites.jsp

Never been, but it's what I'd do.

Barcelona, went last year during my hols and for a couple of days it was good fun and the weather was perfect.

thanks
my fil has put me off venice..he was going on about how disappointed he was with it...so really don't want to go this yr anyway

barcelona...love it have been twice so need somewhere different

not paris either ..sorry should have mentioned in op

I went to Rome for my 40th and loved it.

I also went to Venice a couple of years ago and would love to go back in, say, February, rather than August.

I have got the same question to consider this year .

Am considering

Seville (already been but loved it especially much)
Berlin (prob my current favourite)
Munich
Budapest

Don't let your fil put you off Venice! Its small but know-able. What were his objections?

hmm think he just found it too touristy /overpriced and crowded

trouble is we have to go in the summer ..which makes everywhere more crowded

I loved Istanbul and would go back again anytime. Loads to see and do and the Turkish people are lovely. Istanbul is very easy to get around either on foot or by public transport. The hotel we stayed in was this place:

www.emzoe.com/

It's not the flashiest of places but it is extremely central in Sultanahment and the people were great (as were the breakfasts). We stayed in the family suite.

As well as the historical sights we also did a boat ride out to the Black Sea, which was interesting. We just got one of the cheap commuter boats.

Would also recommend Marrakech. Again, very easy to get around and people very friendly. Lots to see and do (although not as much as Istanbul).

We stayed at this place in the Medina. We had 2 rooms as they don't do family rooms - Dune and Petit Prince. Dune had the most fantastic deep stone bath I have ever seen.

www.riad-dar-one.com/index2.html

Again, the people there were lovely and breakfast was served at any time you wanted it. We tried to eat on the fantastic roof terrace most mornings. We also ate in the Riad one night and had a fantastic meal.

The Riad is in the old Jewish quarter and about a 10 min walk from the Jaama el fna and other sights.

As well as the sights, we also did a balloon ride with this company which was expensive but really good fun. You don't go as high as you would on a balloon in the UK but it was lovely doing it so early in the morning and with the Atlas mountains in the background.

www.marrakechbyair.com/en/

If I had to pick one over the other, I would plump for Istanbul.

Prague or Budapest.

Krakow or Bavaria - but probably Krakow!

Wroclaw in Poland is also very nice. We stayed here for 3 nights last year. Great market square with bars and restaurants. Very good value for money.

bingabear thanks for your suggestions and links..very kind of you. Would never have thought of Istanbul ! Will def google it and Marrakech and show dh.

portofino and smallships..another place I wouldn'thave thought of...Krakow looks wonderful.. will look up airports that fly to wroclow..it is a diff city to krakow isn't it.

thanks so much

We did one of the obvious trips for my 50th a few months ago - Rome.
I'd never been and can honestly say it was one of the best holidays of my life DH and I went alone as we managed to leave the DC behind with their grandad and did all the major sites in 3 days. Walked absolutely everywhere.

If I was doing it again (10 years time??) would consider Marrakesh and might be tempted by somewhere like this riad.

bibbitybobbitybunny having just returned from Berlin, I would put it top of the list out of the 4 places you mentioned.

Stayed in this hotel:

www.kempinski.com/en/berlin/hotel-adlon/welcome/

Oops! Pressed send too quickly. Meant to say that I've been to Berlin before but forgotten how great it is.

The hotel is expensive but absolutely fantastic and so central. It is right next to the Brandenburg Gate and the Bundestag and a 5/10 minute walk from the museums, checkpoint charlie, topograpy of terror museum, berlin wall remnants, the Sony centre.

Most museums/attractions are free in Berlin which makes it even better.

I managed to visit the dome of the Bundestag but you need to book in advance via this lin. You can also book guided tours at certain tmes:

visite.bundestag.de/BAPWeb/pages/createBookingRequest.jsf?lang=en

Definitely considering another trip again soon.

I second Berlin as the most fabulous place to go. I wouldn't go to Rome, Florence or Venice again because they are absolutely flippin heaving in the summer. But Berlin isn't, there is absolutely loads to do there, great history, lots of shopping and independent type stores, pavement cafes, parks, walking tours, amazing museums, jazz bars, really nice food, not rammed with rip-off tourist places. Everyone there is so uber cool and speaks perfect English. Hotels can be found quite cheaply. Took DH there for his 40th and we both fell in love with it.