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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Holiday ideas with 1 and 5 year old. Somewhere a bit different.

29 replies

Lamby80 · 18/06/2017 19:17

Hello.
We always go away in May school holiday, lower cost and not too hot. We went to the Balearic islands this year but next year fancy somewhere different. Was thinking Italy but just not sure where to start. We still want decent weather, a pool and preferably walking distance to a beach. We don't like all inclusive, tend to hire a car and do.out own thing. Other places people have recommended are Corsica, Sardinia.

Thanks!

OP posts:
KitKat1985 · 20/06/2017 18:43

Malta may suit you. It's a relatively small island so you're always fairly close to a beach and the temps in May are about low 20's so not mega hot. Very friendly people.

Misty9 · 20/06/2017 23:20

We enjoyed lake Garda with similar aged children. We stayed in peschiera so no beach to speak of, but there are lakeside places I think with pebble 'beaches'. Amazing scenery and lots to do with a hire car (which is what we did). We stayed in camping del Garda in a mobile home and had a great time.

Misty9 · 20/06/2017 23:21

Also, pre-kids, but Croatia was a beautiful country and definitely has beaches!

nornironrock · 21/06/2017 16:06

If a beach isn't absolutely essential, I can recommend the Austrian Alps. We went when the kids were 18 months and 4. They loved seeing snow in the summer, and because the ski season wasn't on, we got a luxury apartment for a song! We took them to Vienna when 6 and 8 and they loved that too!
There is so much of our beautiful world that is not by the beach....

Original poster
Lamby80 · 21/06/2017 22:21

Thank you for the suggestions. DH has always wanted to try Croatia though the Austrian alps sound lovely. Is there any town in particular you would recommend?

OP posts:
leccybill · 21/06/2017 22:25

Croatia is fab - just come back from there with 7yo DD. Very kid friendly and cheap. The Adriatic is crystal clear and the ice cream is amazing.

nornironrock · 22/06/2017 07:41

We stayed in a little village called Rauris (www.raurisertal.at/en/summer/) and found it delightful, with a ski lift open in summer to take in some sights from above the village. Up the valley to the south is a place for the kids to play around in the river and try some gold panning (www.raurisertal.at/en/summer/active-in-summer/panning-for-gold/) and a short drive out of the valley to the north takes you to the closest train station at Taxenbach from which Salzburg is just over an hour away on a scenic route (www.trainline.eu/train-times/taxenbach-rauris-to-salzburg-hbf). A slightly bigger town nearby is Zell-am-See with the beautiful lake. A cruise on one of the boats is good fun for the kids also. Not to be missed is a drive over the Hochalpenstrasse (www.grossglockner.at/gg/en/index). Make sure you do it on a good weather day. The views are stunning, and the snow at higher altitudes is great for the kids. A visitor area by a big glacier is also fun. Going down to the glacier itself was, we felt, a little to arduous for our children at the time. But the view was worth it.
A note of caution. As with Germany, most supermarkets/shops etc are closed on Sundays, which meant that having arrived on a Saturday we were rather stuck the next day!

juneau · 22/06/2017 07:41

I've been to Croatia in May and the weather was beautiful - warm, sunny and fresh - not hot and sticky. We were in Dubrovnik, which I wouldn't recommend with young DC, as its a historical city with nothing for them to do, apart from a small aquarium. The coast though is supposed to be gorgeous.

We're going to Valencia next May, which I'm hoping will be lovely. The Canaries are good with DC too, although the flight is at least 4 hours so you definitely find something closer.

Misty9 · 22/06/2017 11:22

juneau Valencia is fab with kids, you'll have a great time :) the science park is impressive and the city has a lovely feel to it. Lisbon is similar I found.

Original poster
Lamby80 · 22/06/2017 12:16

Ah I have been to Valencia though never got the train to the coast. That sounds like a good idea. My husband is not a beach person so we would get the best of both worlds!

OP posts:
Groovee · 22/06/2017 12:27

Lake Garda or Croatia.

Misty9 · 22/06/2017 14:46

We don't really do beaches either and this Easter we went to Lisbon. It was a brilliant holiday. We stayed in an airbnb apartment with a park at the bottom of the road, 20min train to the beach, great fun on the trams and gorgeous city. Food was so so but the rest made up for it. I think we might even go back there!

juneau · 22/06/2017 15:03

Oh good! DH and I have been meaning to go for ages, so it's finally at the top of the list. I haven't been to Lisbon, so thanks the recommendation. Somewhere we went last year that was a real surprise how lovely it was is Bilbao. I just wanted to go to the Guggenheim, but there is so much more to the city than that and the food is amazing. Highly recommended. Our kids loved it.

Misty9 · 22/06/2017 15:26

Ooh we like Food! Thank you :)

poisonedbypen · 22/06/2017 15:35

We went to Croatia in the May half term a few years ago. It was beautiful, but a lot of things didn't open (cafes on the beach, restaurants, that sort of thing) until June 1st. It was a few years ago so things may have changed. I would love to go back.

Original poster
Lamby80 · 22/06/2017 18:12

Juneau, can I ask what part of Valencia you are saying in? My husband has never been and would like to go. I went prekids and stayed in a little town just outside the centre and that wouldn't be ideal with kids!

OP posts:
Misty9 · 22/06/2017 18:28

lamby we stayed near the centre with our two kids - I'll look for a link to our accommodation after kids bedtime :)

Ifyouthinkiwillsleepyoudream · 22/06/2017 18:30

The Italian lakes would be great for this.

Alternatively Greece? It's very child friendly and it won't be too hot at that time of the year. I can recommend something more specific if you're interested.

Original poster
Lamby80 · 22/06/2017 19:04

I really do fancy the lakes too though have heard mixed reviews about the town's around Garda though we are considering this too.

A link would be fab Misty.

Oooh, Valencia or Italy. A nice dilemma!
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OP posts:
Misty9 · 22/06/2017 19:54

We stayed here and from what I can remember it was good, although only two bedrooms and it was bloody boiling! Air con was very noisy but the terrace was lovely.

Misty9 · 22/06/2017 20:13

Oops, it's no longer available by the looks of it. There was an amazing looking place on another site but I can't find a link...

Original poster
Lamby80 · 22/06/2017 20:32

Thanks misty. That looks like a great location.

OP posts:
Teds77 · 23/06/2017 20:39

Juneau sorry to hijack but can you tell me more about Bilbao? What age are your kids? Thanks!

Ugene · 23/06/2017 20:46

Our friends highly recommended Austrian children's farms. They went to several already and said they are all brilliant as they cater exactly what you need for young children.
We will definitely book a week next year!