Verona/Madrid/Sicily/Somewhere else?

[happypoobum]

Planning holiday for Easter or possibly May half term.

It will be just me plus DD19 and DS16 and we are all culture vultures, not really bothered about a beach/clubs/nightlife. Probably just a mini break, so three or four nights.

Places we have already been to: Paris, Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Rome, Brussels, Barcelona, Florence, Venice, Lyon, Genoa, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Amsterdam, Rhodes Town, Balearics, Canaries, Seville, Alicante, Lisbon.

I quite like the look of Verona and have also considered Sicily although it seems quite pricey? Madrid is much cheaper but I do love Italy the best!

Any advice from mumsnetters who have been to any of these places or have other recommendations? I need heat by the way - nowhere that will be below 18 degrees in April/20 degrees in May. Thanks!

I would say Madrid, just because I like Spain. Nothing against Italy and I certainly would like to go to Naples after seeing it on the TV the other day and a few other places, but I haven't seen everything in Spain I want to see yet, by a long way.

What did you think of Seville? If you liked it, can I also suggest Granada?

The Alhambra, Albacin, lovely squares, tapas. Maybe combine with Malaga if you don't think you can fill 3/4 days as you would fly into there anyway.

Thanks Barbara - are you an expert on Seville?

I loved Seville, but two nights there was enough. I couldn't get over how cheap everything was, and the Alcazar was amazing, as was the cathedral.

Madrid does seem cheaper than Verona, but I do love Italy. Would there be enough to do in Madrid for two or three full days?

Verona is great. We're off to Sicily next summer doing a train trip - the prices really vary city to city but Syracuse isn't that expensive and looks fab (fly into Catania). Sorry, didn't like Madrid much but haven't been for many years. The Prado was interesting. I liked Segovia which is a shortish train ride from Madrid from memory. I'd go to Italy if it was me but I'd take it over Spain most days and am biased!

Bilbao was lovely. The Guggenheim is worth the trip on its own but the town was fascinating too.

Thanks for these - SJane is there enough to do in Verona for 2/3 days? I was looking at Palermo in Sicily, maybe Catania is cheaper, I will have a look, thanks.

Yes there would be - you could always take a train to Venice one day if you don't mind a 2+ hour trip each way ( or Padua or Vincenza which are on the same line I think from memory but check!). I looked at Palermo too - looked interesting but maybe a bit too rough and ready for my DH! We're staying in Catania & then taking a train to Syracuse which looks great. Apartments in both places are cheap!

Oops - Vicenza not Vincenza!

Salamanca! Or rather, do Madrid and Salamanca. Easily doable.

Verona is nice, a bit of a gem IMO, but you only need a day or possibly two. And it's ferociously expensive.

Thanks Vintage DD has just discounted Madrid, so it will probably be Italy. I am edging towards Sicily now, because, as you rightly point out, Verona is pricey. I might get my new DP to take me there when he's more firmly lured in

By the way, do you know where I can get some Eau de Givenchy that actually smells like it used to in the 80s?

I love enabling people with perfume, almost as much as persuading them to visit my beloved Salamanca!

here

or here

Quite a lot on ebay......

Thanks!! I got some a while back but the top notes had gone It was always my favourite, I imagine one of the ingredients has been banned....

And I will look at Salamanca. I fancy going to that place at the top of a mountain......Ronda, but think DC will be bored after one night!

I love Sicily, it wasn't cheap to get there as we rented a seafront townhouse in Ortigia but really cheap to eat out etc and we were shocked at the prices when we went to Taormina and it made us realise why a lot of the tourist direction signs had been vandalised when we were trying to find hilltop towns - the locals can't afford those prices. Just one thing the driving's not for the fainthearted but one DH got to grips with it he loved it!

Verona's ok but not much to do - we did it as a day trip when we were staying in Lake Garda and had planned 2 days but felt we'd seen enough.

Loved Madrid, probably the most relaxed capital we've ever visited.