Help me think of a holiday destination?!

[BayLeaves]

DH and I are terrible at booking holidays, we always leave it really last minute so the flights are too expensive and then we can't decide on a place to go. We can't even decide which country to visit!

It's me, DH, and two kids - a 3 year old and a young baby. Travelling last week of August. Anywhere in Europe, DH would prefer beach destination but we are kind of open.

Budget about £1500 for 7 nights, so no luxury hotels - we will probably do Air bnb or a holiday rental.

We've mainly been looking at Italy and Sardinia but we could literally go anywhere really. Even considered Amsterdam although it's probably too busy with stag parties at this time of year...

Any suggestions oh wise MN holidaymakers?

North Cyprus is a wonderful place for family holidays. I have been several times. You can fly to Larnaca in the south and the transfer takes approximately one hour.
It is not commercialised has some great hotels and the pound to the Turkish lira exchange is brilliant.
Airbnb have some marvellous apartments in Kyrenia (Turkish name Girne)
Car hire is reasonable and they drive on the same side as the UK and use 3 pin plugs so no adapters needed.
Lots to see and do and eating out very reasonable.Booze is cheap.
The bus or dolmus takes you anywhere for about 25p no bus stops just flag down the bus.
Some great things to see and do nice beaches, Bellapais abbey, Kyrenia castle and the old harbour, turtle beach, the wild donkeys of the Karpas, shopping in the colourful wednesday bazaar, Salamis and Famagusta and lots of other interesting stuff.
I can give you more info if your interested.

I've always fancied north Cyprus. I also had a lovely holiday in cascais. Nice beaches, gorgeous park and 45 minutes into Lisbon with loads to see and do. Good food and cheaper than most other places I've been in Europe
We flew with monarch

I would go now on skyscanner and look at flights just put in the anywhere option. How cheap you can get flights will determine where you go

Malta, Lake Garda or Cyprus?

Majorca. Beautiful beaches for that age.

yes mallorca or if your happy to go to holland then Duniell and Efteling are lovely places to go with small dc.

although beware the heatwave in europe right now

Sicily. I am in Sicily now and am loving it. The heat is manageable with aircon, the pool and the sea.

Flights will be your main sticking point with that budget, I assume there's a reason why you need to travel in school holidays. A lot of places will be unbearably hot for young kids in August so bear that in mind. How about Barcelona? We've just come back (me, DH and 18 month old) and it was fab. Good mix of city and beach, flights from our loca airport were £80 each and accommodation isn't unreasonable. It was a hugely family friendly city, the metro is completely accessible with a pushchair and you see loads of kids out in restaurants in the evening. Plenty of kid friendly parks, zoo, aquarium etc.

Croatia. Beautiful place. Italy without the price tag.

Corfu? North east of the island is beautiful, peaceful and unspoilt.

I agree with welshweasel's comments re the heat. If possible I would holiday in 2nd or 3rd week of September if you can? The temperature will be a little cooler but still warm enough.
I would try Minorca, Croatia, Algarve, Majorca, Barcelona, Cyprus, Sorrento, Lake Garda etc.

Cyprus will be boiling the last week of August, which would be a nightmare with a 3-year-old and a baby. I'd probably look at Portugal or Brittany, which both have a nice breeze off the Atlantic and lovely sandy beaches for the toddler. Flights are quite short too, which you definitely want with two such young DC.

And I second the idea to wait until the schools go back (first week of Sept). The prices will drop massively after that.

Have a look at packages - we've had some great deals from jet2holidays and it means you aren't effected by high prices for short notice flights. For a week in the med, it can be cheaper to book this way. Last week in August can be OK pricewise too - we've been to Mallorca at that time and it wouldn't have been expensive - we are usually fairly flexible with dates, do not pay school holiday prices as a child free couple and just go when it's cheapest.

Try Costa Brava, Costa Dorada, northern Spain - somewhere like Tossa de Mar. Will be warm but not stupidly hot and probably cheaper than Italy, which I think is quite expensive for eating out etc.

I agree with BarbaraofSeville. Tour operators have upped their game these days, and as far as I'm concerned a package holiday consists of a one stop shop for flights, transfers and accommodation. Baggage is also included.

They aren't always more expensive than booking everything individually. You also have the knowledge that there is someone at the resort you can contact if things go pear shaped and the safety net of ATOL and ABTA. If flights go wrong it is still the tour operator's responsibility to get you to your destination, unlike the cheaper budget airlines who don't seem to give a fig about their customers.

We have just returned from a fabulous Thomsons holiday to Sicily. The resort was very Italian with few Britsh holiday makers, not an all day breakfast or karaoke bar in sight, and no traditional English bars or food. The holiday makers were families or couples wanting a quiet break. It was heaven.

I have also enjoyed a couple of really good holidays with Jet2.

Terschelling! It's an island at the north of the Netherlands, it's got huge beaches that are too massive to ever get busy, friendly locals, loads of child friendly stuff to do (if you do go don't miss the wreck museum, it has a fab playground out the back). Transport there is good, fly to Amsterdam then get a train and then ferry. It gets good weather but not so horribly hot as the Mediterranean areas.