Dreaming of a summer holiday?

[Goingdooolally]

Anyone else?

Now that we’re hearing the end of this hellish year, I’m daring to think that we might get away somewhere warm next summer.

Anyone fancy a little fantasy holiday planning?

I’m thinking somewhere warm but not too hot. Near the sea. Some activities, sights and relaxation. A bit off the beaten track.

Any recommendations? I was thinking Scandinavia until I read the mosquitoes were a nightmare!

Children are teenage boys.

Slovenia fits your bill if you can substitute beaches with lakes.

Fly to Ljubljana and spend a couple of nights there to see the city. Then transfer out to Bled or Bohinj. Lots of water sports, beautiful walks with waterfalls, lake swimming etc. Stunning country.

I've already got my holidays booked up.

Maybe a weekend away for my 40th in Feb if possible. Amsterdam is my preference.

We transferred over a trip to Italy from May this year to next. That's a couple of nights on Ischia then Sorrento.

Summer holidays we're taking the younger ones to a high end all inclusive in Turkey because it's the most relaxing option!

September we take DS1 to New York for his 18th, again postponed from this year.

I cannot wait to get away again.

Lots of lovely ideas thank you!

Slovenia does sound great- I’ll look into it.

My poor DS had his 18th in lockdown so maybe we’ll ask him where he fancies going- although it may be Amsterdam with friends rather than with us 😁

I fancy Christmas away next year, with family.

I’m going swimming in Slovenia next July. It looks stunning.

My fantasy when DS is a bit older is staying right by the sea in Corfu, spending our time swimming and jumping off the rocks.

We've been to Scandinavia 4 times in the summer and not had an issue with mossies. End of July is good time for warm weather there, end of August seems to get more rainy though its often similar temps the UK for weather in summer. Easy to be off the beaten track.

Activities if your remote you need to research as they can be far apart but very workable with planning but you do get miles of nothing much inbetween. Norway has the most spectactular scenery but it was so expensive we found compared to Sweden and Finland, most expensive place we've ever been. We went to Alesund which is by the sea and beautiful - went on a wildlife boat tour, then fjords, kayaking, also did a moose safari further inland, then went down more towards Bergen and did a viking museum could trough axes. Quite a lot of activities close to there.

Finland we did Arola bears where you see brown bears in the wild and onto another place with white water rafting, summer toboggan. There loads of reindeer include white ones on the road there. There are places you can do moose safari there.

Sweden and Denmark was when kids where younger but Copenhagen is nice though not sure for whole summer holiday. We didn't go there but there's a place called Wild Sweden which do lots of wildlife tours like staying overnight with wolves not too far from Stockholm.

Another recommendation for Slovenia, particularly if your DC like outdoors activities. (hiking, cycling etc).It’s relatively cheap and unspoilt with beautiful lakes and mountains. Ljubljana is very attractive.

I’ve been to other Scandinavian countries in winter but only Norway for a short summer break. As @silkiecat says, super expensive but it rained for us every single day. Very pretty views from under my umbrella though!

Brittany and travelling around came into my head from your description. There’s a really pretty island off Roscoff called the Isle de Batz which you get a ferry (short journey), plenty of deserted sandy beaches and wild ponies roaming around. Nice place just to kick back away from the world for a day or two.

We’ve booked a three country trip (Croatia/Bosnia/Montenegro)- Dubrovnik, Mostar & Kotor as our bases in August. I’m not going to count any chickens but I’m hopeful that we can go on most if not all of it.

On another note, rebooked a short trip to Edinburgh for Easter yesterday and the hotel is now more than twice the price. I’m not surprised that the travel & leisure industry is trying to recoup some if it’s losses but i suspect a lot of people will see big price hikes for holidays in 2021!

We had good weather (22C-25C and sunny) 3 out of 4 trips to Scandinavia but the window for good weather is short (first two weeks of school holidays) and when we went last 2 weeks of August to Norway it was raining most days. It's a bit like an English summer, you need some luck as well but those weeks seem consistently better. When we went to Norway year before last they said in July it had been hot for 3 weeks and hit a max of 28C.

I'm not been but wondered about Azores though might not be enough for teenagers there. Another place we found good was Austria though we went in May but went to Hintertux were they have snow all year round and all year round ice palace. In summer there's lots of white water rafting and obviously hiking / mountain climbing all year. Though no sea.

The sea in Scandinavia would be nippy even in summer though lots of places to kayak in lakes and boat trips.

Wow thank you so much everyone. Lots of ideas there! I will look into Slovenia although I am more drawn to the sea. I was also thinking of a Neilson type thing for a week then travel independently after. Teenagers are sporty but quite lazy so any walking/cycling will be met with groans but if there are other teenagers around for that bit I think that will help!

We’re Scottish so would rather avoid the rain if possible, as plenty of that here!

Our fortnight's multi trip to Slovenia was cancelled this summer but I'm not rebooking anywhere involving a plane next year. I'm not optimistic that enough of us will be vaccinated to enable anywhere near normality by next summer let alone the increased prices, reduced flights, insurance issues & finally, Brexit obstacles which just about put a huge spanner into visa free travel into the EU. "We've" rejected freedom of movement remember? - which works both ways!

I've still got travel credit of £400 that I'm not sure that we can use in practice before it expires at the end of next year - assuming the company doesn't go bust before then.

@SandrasAnnoyingFriend

Please could you tell me wheee in turkey?

Thanks so much