1st abroad trip, 20 month DS, 🌞+culture under 2K?

[Peppapigsucks]

Desparately in need of a holiday! Thinking September as most things booked up now so probs this country too cold. £2K budget to include flights and accommodation for two adults and DS who will be 20 months old. Ideally also including food but probs a tall order! We loved before DS arrived Italy, France, Greece etc. Would like some culture with our sun and nice local food in an ideal world, not bothered about sunbathing and hate heavily built up areas with looming tower blocks (I get that at work 😏). A beach would be nice and sea views. We used to stay in villas but this may be too expensive now and too isolated/not much support plus self catering could be a chore! Just need to chillax a bit but still do some sightseeing seeing. Is this a pipe dream or within realms of possibility? I bow to your superior knowledge!

Hopefully this will tick most of your boxes: www.pierreetvacances.com/gb-en/fp_GKP_self-catering-residence-porto-platanias?season=SUMMER&hc=GKP13&duree=7&dated=2018-10-11&nba=2&nbc=0&nbb=0#page
Bright modern apartments. All of them have a balcony or veranda
2 swimming pools including one just for children.
The beach is 100m away
The facilities at the Porto Platanias Beach Resort, located 50 m from the residence, are available for you to use: 4 outdoor pools - a well-being centre offering hydrotherapy with a Jacuzzi, hammam, sauna etc... and a gym.
A restaurant, which serves breakfast (included in your accommodation price), offers a buffet of international dishes.
Loads of cultural excursions available

Malaga or Barcelona would tick all your boxes for culture, food, beach, sun and you could get an apartment and an easy short flight and easy public transport transfers.

Thanks @Ricekrispie22 thanks that looks very luxe, never been to Crete before, is it a longer flight time? Probably a tad on the expensive side for us though as over 2k in October not including any food. We've never done all inclusive before as was always into eating local food but now we have a little one I can see the appeal so this is also something we are looking at. A pool would be nice for DS to swim in (and us!) as he is a bit small for the sea other than paddling. @BarbaraofSevillle yes absolutely agree, Barcelona is wonderful and has it all, culture, architecture and beach! Only snag is we went there two years ago so would like to go somewhere different. We went to Dubrovnik before and loved that so many be something along those lines, loved the beautiful mediterranean harbour, clear seas, green islands and terracotta roofs! I've been looking at Corsica and Sardinia which look amazing but possibly out of budget as all seems expensive.

Verona is beautiful and you can do a day trip to Lake Garda. We got a great deal on an Airbnb. Lots of culture without being built up with tower blocks. And at 20 months old, your dad will be able to appreciate all the amazing gelato!

greece is great for kids they're spoilt rotten we took ours there yearly until the company we went with wet bust

We did crete last summer, end of July, so last couple of days of term going into summer holidays, £1670 for four of us, 7 nights half board. Hotel was lovely, not fancy, but very clean and the food was fab. I think prices have gone up a bit this year though, so a bargain might be a bit harder to find.

Also we have booked corsica for this year. It was actually a bargain, not expensive at all. We are staying on a campsite in a basic cabin, so nothing luxury about it. However the site has plenty for the kids to do and is right on the beach and corsica itself looks absolutely stunning, I can't wait. A week in august has come in at less than a grand for the flights and accommodation.

The prices go down massively once the school term starts, so I would think you should definitely be able to get a nice holiday for the three of you with £2k to spend - even for 2 weeks - although AI is probably out of your budget. SC with small DC is actually pretty good as you tend to get a washing machine (always handy with small DC), and you can eat out for lunch and dinner if you want to, just having breakfast to cater. If you want a short flight (and with a 20 m/o I can see why you would!), then what about Spain or the Balearics? Majorca and Menorca are really popular with families. Also Carvoeiro in Portugal. There is a MNer who lives there - she used to have a thread with loads of info about it.