need holiday this summer - but must be cheap and warm/hot

[suzieiswaitingforsnow]

Hello - need help as sometimes end up trawling for too long and not getting sorted in time. I am determined to book something by end of this month then I can budget for cost and spending money.

Criteria
Want to fly - not driving to France this year (various reasons- health mainly)
Want s/c - happy to eurocamp style or apartment (not all inclusive)
Like bit of culture/bit of beach
Really want to do it on the cheap
Oh- not spain

2 adults - 2 children (both over 8)
thanks - any experts on budget hols advice really appreciated

forgot to say - happy to go independent - apartment via owner etc

Must be warm - did i say that

Marking place as we are looking for exactly the same as you - we considered driving to France but are in central Scotland and reckoned it would be too long a drive - will get looking and report back anything promising. We did wonder about Minorca but not looked into it yet.

menorca seems to get mentioned a lot - never been . I dont know anything about Menorca although know of a family at school who go every year - i dont know the mother well enough to talk to - she is a bit standoffish - i think they may have their own place there.

Only worry i have is whether much to do? i have always thought of menorca as being quiet - we like quiet as in we dont like discos/all entertainment - but we like towns we can have a walk around and maybe bit of history/culture.

Check out Croatia. We stayed on an island a 30 minute ferry ride from Dubrovnik and found it very good value. Start with a place where the flights are not to expensive and go from there. I've found Ibiza, Copenhagen, Barcelona and Faro flights have been quite 'cheap' in the past.

If you are going in the Summer hols from London, currently Easyjet flights to Rome, Naples, Geneva, Marseille, La Rochelle are cheap! We are researching at the moment but not got much further than this!!

Can highly recommend Ile de Re in France. Fly to La Rochelle, taxi over the bridge on to the Island and then self catering in a mobile home on a campsite - brilliant one called Comoran in Ars en Re. Hire bikes and discover the Island using their network of cycle paths. Amazing little seafood places by the cycle tracks, the most gorgeous villages to look around, light houses, beaches and loads more. Brilliant holiday and not too expensive. So much character at times is almost feels like you are on a movie set!!

We were also thinking of looking at Croatia, Fluffy. OUr DS' are 11 and 13 - would there be plenty to keep them amused while I sit and sip cocktails by the pool?

LaGlotte, did you manage your holiday in France without hiring a car? I am a bit nervouse about driving abroad. Sounds very appealing!

Hi Mum47,

Absolutely - there really is no need for a car on holiday on Ile de Re, in fact it would get in the way. We lived in Scotland when we went to Ile de Re and we flew from Edinburgh to La Rochelle with Jet 2.

Once you get to La Rochelle airport just take a taxi over the bridge on to the Island. On the Island, everyone cycles and the cycle tracks go everywhere so you never need to cycle on the road. There are loads of places to hire bikes.

If you want a break from cycling but want to get about, then there is a good bus service on the Island or you could take the bus to see La Rochelle.

I think it's the most beautiful place I have ever been. St Martin, the main town is just stunning.

Let me know if you want more info about certain villages on the island as we have stayed in a few and cycled through them all. It's all very flat by the way so cycling is easy!!

Thank you so much La Flotte, I will definitely look into it, sounds like a perfect holiday for us!
Sorry forf hijacking your thread op - have you had any other ideas?

thanks for all ideas.

I have looked at Ile de Re in past and it looks lovely - only worry was that i seem to remember somebody saying that a lot of Parisians head there in the summer and so it can be quite expensive ? Is that correct?

I really just want cheap and warm and easy to get to - and cheap when we get there - I will keep looking. I did look at flights for Croatia but they seemed really expensive - maybe it depends where flying from. We generally fly from Manchester although have done leeds/bradford in past. will keep looking

Hi Suzieiswaiting,

We have always self catered in Ile de Re and therefore have had some meals out and some in...or picnics at the beach etc. We've not found it too expensive at all. Loads of nice restaurants that are cheap too. There are expensive restaurants there if you want them but often our budget hasn't stretched that far!!

Supermarkets are not expensive and there are lovely markets you can go to as well and the prices are just like here really.

I think it's one of those holidays where it can be as expensive or cheap as you want it to be. If you self cater and mix it up a bit you'd be fine.

There are loads of oyster/mussel shacks at the edges of the cycle tracks too so easy to get amazing food on the go and these places are super cheap but so fresh and delicious.

It does have a reputation for people from Paris going there on holiday and I am sure they do, but there are plenty of regular people there too just having a fun time.

Hope this helps!

Portofelice or Union Lido in Italy? Fly into Venice and get the bus/transfer.