Where would YOU go?

[ChanceEauFraiche]

If you had a few days over October half term child free and wanted to go somewhere / do something just for yourself, where would you go/what would you do?

I’m thinking UK or nearest bits of Europe. Needs to be hassle free, relaxing, uplifting. I’m open to anything, but it’s been so long since I’ve had a break away on my own I’m overwhelmed at the options!

(Budget to be agreed, but I’m not a millionaire! 😆)

@goldfinchonthelawn
Berlin has great museums, the wall, the German Parliament building, art galleries and lots more. Charlottenburg and Sanssiuci palaces are an easy trip too. Getting around Berlin is easy and it has lots to keep anyone amused who likes history and culture.

I'd fly somewhere like Barcelona/ Valencia or Alicante all great. You have the city / beach /
Good food and great weather at that time if the year. Also short flight times

DH and I went to Riga, Latvia in April for three nights for his birthday. It was amazing! Absolutely beautiful, fairly inexpensive, and the people are welcoming.

Latvia isn't one that people think to go to, so it's a real hidden gem. Lithuania and Estonia are now top of the list for us so we can 'complete' the Baltic States.

We flew AirBaltic and their fleet is the newest in Europe. Very smooth, comfortable and apparently the greenest (as green as air travel can be anyway). We stayed in a stunning AirBnB right in the Old Town. I'd be happy to pass on the details to you.

Can't rate it highly enough.

I’m another Berlin lover. I have been a few times. We went last October and had lovely weather. Did lots of museums boat trips, beer tour walking tour, great food and lots of quirky bars

I love the history and first time I went was many years ago just after the wall fell!
I will be back as soon as I can!

I love history and museums so there was loads for me, couldn’t see everything I wanted to in the time we were there. The Reichstag building was fantastic, we took a tour at sunset and the views over the city were amazing. The Topography of Terror museum was really engaging, and the holocaust memorial was very moving.

It’s a really easy city to get around, the trains and buses are straightforward. Loads of good bars and restaurants. Lots of public art. Just a really interesting place.

I'd go to Reykjavik. I"d stay in the centre and go to the new sky lagoon spa. I'd then have a day in the city looking at the shops, drinking coffee and eating fish and chips. I then might go whale watching or catch a coach out to one the National Parks for a walk or to go horse riding, followed off with more hot thermal spa time.

Absolutely loved Florence, beautiful city

We LOVED Reykjavik. But I'm mindful of your budget. Reasonable to get there and for accommodation but food and drink is nuts. £10 a pint to give you an idea. I bought a fajita wrap thing from their equivalent of a Spar. Cost me £8. I bought a near identical one from a Tesco petrol station the next day on the way back from the airport and it cost £2.50.

If you do go, the Harpa is amazing for a bimble and the view from Hallgrimskirkja Church is fantastic.

In October, you might be able to get a Northern Lights Tour in. We used Time Tours and they were excellent.

Yep, Iceland is not the place to go drinking! You'll be able to have a coffee for £4 though and fish and chips (which are amazing) are £10. Accommodation is cheap too. Spa is usually around £30 for the day.

Marrakech or - even better - Essaouira. Beautiful.

I didn’t think there was quite enough to do in Reykjavik. A few things are excellent but if OP is on her own (she says “I” in her post) I cannot see drinking alone is much fun. Yes, there is wandering round but by October it might be very wet. I think the key to going alone is finding like minded travellers and therefore doing a course is more likely to provide this.

@TizerorFizz you do like to make assumptions that what you want is what everyone else wants. It all comes across a bit 'right-minded people do x'. I would not want to spend a holiday doing a course with strangers just on the off-chance that, if we have Italian cookery in common, we'll all get on. It sounds a bit dreary to me, and cowed, timid. But each to their own.

I think I could happily spend a long weekend in Rekjavik on my own. I'd go to the wonderful outdoor municipal pools every day, walk on the beach, climb Hallgrimskirk tower, go to a concert at the beautiful concert hall, go on a whale watching boat trip, take a day trip around the Golden Circle to see the geysers and swim in the secret lagoon, wander around the wonderful coffee, book and music shops or buy a massive Icelandic jumper. It is one of the friendliest places I've ever been. And the (astonishing handsome) men are really friendly to women without ever seeming threatening. I loved it there.

I agree I wouldn't drink there - and I would go self catering as many of the restaurants are fairly expensive, though some of them were brilliant value in comparison with UK.

@midsomermurderess
The OP was asking “where would you go snd what would you do? That question, I think, allowed me to say exactly where I would go and what I would do. What sounds dreary to you might excite other people. No one on the thread had suggested getting together with like minded people. It just shows we don’t all think the same. As a single woman I think drinking alone in any city or resort would be utterly miserable but each to their own. But that’s the point, isn’t it? We don’t all think the same or make the same suggestions. However the OP asked directly what posters would do, so I replied. I’m neither cowed or timid but you cannot assume everyone is like you either when they travel alone.

Quite the contrary. It's far from miserable. Enjoying a cold drink on your own in front of a nice view is utterly liberating and quite wonderful

Not for me! Don’t like boozing on my own. View or not!

Having a single beer or wine is not boozing. And anyway, alcohol is not mandatory. Just sitting in blissful silence with your own thoughts in a beautiful setting is amazing. I find it sad that you consider that miserable. Its maybe not for you. Fair enough. But miserable it certainly isn't. Its quite the opposite

Depends what your thoughts are!? Surely? I don’t think you can spend a whole holiday gazing wistfully at a view either. Although as I’ve just got back from Alaska I do like views! Just not on my own.

If you want peace and beautiful scenery rather than hot and lounging, what about the sleeper train to Inverness. Stay somewhere like Nairn and have walks along the beaches and go into the Cairngorms.

Antwerp/Ghent for a mosey on the train

Nice if you fancy sthg warmer

Alaska. Now that would be fabulous! Always wanted to go there. I think eating and having a drink is when some solo travellers feel awkward which is where the nice view, own thoughts and also a kindle come in. The rest of the time you are exploring, relaxing on a sun lounger if its a beach holiday and just busier in general so not being or feeling so obviously alone if it's something you are not used to

Never disappointed in the ability of posters to take the most benign of threads and start a disagreement.

Most amusing.