Please help me find a holiday! Realised I am useless at this!

[Nospringflower]

Hi,

Last year we went to Croatia and didnt need a car and found it was great - no hassle of car hire, driving etc. Now I am looking at for a holiday and would like to do that again.

I know what I dont want but cant find what I do! I am looking for somewhere for 2 adults and 3 teenage boys. Although I love campsites for being so outdoors I dont like being in a poky wee tent or caravan and cant find anything else.

Would like somewhere with a pool or beach and things to do either like windsurfing, kayaking or the odd place to go. Looked at Italian lakes thinking could do a side trip to Venice and also Greece but there is a lot of Europe out there and I just dont know where to go! Am wasting all my weekends trawling online!

Any help would be gratefully received!

Everyone recommends Lake Garda for a car free Italian holiday. Or the coast near Venice. I have never been but lots of people have recommended them.

I think you can do most holidays car free if you are confident getting buses or can pay for taxis. I have travelled all over Europe and further afield and never hired a car. Why not decide where you want to go first, and then think about transport.

Cosy camp on the Loire.

Buses are cheap and regular on the Canary Islands, as well as Malta and Gozo. All have lots of self catering apartments which would probably suit your family. Or packages where the coach transfer is arranged for you?

You can get a service bus from the airport to the main resorts of Tenerife and Lanzarote and around the islands, or there are lots of excursion companies too. Your DSs may be amused by the name of the bus company on Tenerife, which is Titsa.

Tenerife has a free bus that goes around the main resorts (Adeje, Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas to the big water park nearby.

Cosy camp looks beautiful but I think my children might think it is too quiet. I have now thougtht that lake Garda wont be great since it doesnt have a beach and suspect children like the beach more than stones (croatia was stony and while I still loved it they werent so impressed with that part). Will look at some of the other suggestions - I did quite fancy Venice though.

Neilson's organize holidays (in places like Greece, Croatia, Sardinia) with lots of activities like sailing, windsurfing etc. - most of which are included in the cost...but it's definitely not a budget option.

can very much recommend Neilson if you have the budget for it. My 2 teenagers love it because of all the activities and so do we.

Just had a look at the Neilson's holidays and they look great except for the fact they dont seem to go from Scotland. It just makes it a fuss / expense to have to go from London or Manchester. Dont mind so much going out but on the way back you typically just want to get home.

Is it possible to stay in a Neilson's Hotel without using their package, ie the flight you don't want, so you can book your flight separately?

Chamonix in the summer. We flew easyjet to Geneva, caught the easybus across to Chamonix. Rented a three bed ground floor apartment right in the centre (with garden) This was Autumn half term the apartment was about £200 for five nights. Flights under £20 each way and bus was about 15 Euro each way.

Cable car to the top of Mont Blanc and another across to Italy. You can cable car up various routes and meander back down. Various swimming pools, luge ride, nice places to eat, bus along the valley, bike rental or more adventurous paragliding type activities, kayaking etc.

In the summer? Berlin - Air BnB by the river - you can SUP and sail. Loads to do. Fat bike tours, segway. Your kids will never get bored! Food is great, they like kids, super easy to get around. Out door cinemas, out door karaoke, great flea markets, beach bars pop up alongside the river, amazing restaurants, lovely parks.