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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

Do you know a nice city where there isn't very much to do?

95 replies

Yumulack · 06/03/2023 20:23

Bit of an odd request I know! I want to go on a mini break next month, and I want to sit on my hotel balcony/in a cafe and read and chill. I would also like to walk down some pretty streets once in a while.
That's it!
The issue is that I wouldn't be able to relax enough to do this if I knew there were nice sites/sights/excursions/museums etc to explore, as I would definitely feel like I needed to see them.
So I need somewhere pleasant/pretty/friendly BUT boring!
Any ideas for destinations that would fit the bill?

OP posts:
manictuesday · 06/03/2023 21:07

manictuesday · 06/03/2023 21:04

Bratislava comes to mind. Very compact and not a lot to do beyond wandering through the streets, up to the castle and back.

See also Ljubljana.

countrygirl99 · 06/03/2023 21:10

manictuesday · 06/03/2023 21:04

Bratislava comes to mind. Very compact and not a lot to do beyond wandering through the streets, up to the castle and back.

But stay in the centre because a lot of it is like the more run down parts of Luton. Though the old bit is nice.

Tapenade · 06/03/2023 21:10

Dubrovnik, unless you’re very into Game of Thrones.

Howmanysleepsnow · 06/03/2023 21:13

La Rochelle in France.

Sammz21 · 06/03/2023 21:15

Rome @ Easter time, nothing was open!!
Pisa was quiet too, just the tower & not a lot else.
Or what about the Canary Islands, off season?
You can walk along the promenades & there'll be a few bars/cafes open, but not the summer tourist activities to tempt you. lol

MissAmbrosia · 06/03/2023 21:20

Stresa, Lake Maggiore. Could do a boat trip but otherwise not much happening. Gorgeous though. Sestri Levante in Liguria.

AlecTrevelyan006 · 06/03/2023 21:22

UK or abroad? Tbh there are parts of London that would fit the bill.

MissAmbrosia · 06/03/2023 21:23

Aigues Mortes - not sure if it's Languedoc or Provence, but pretty small walled town. Or Antibes or Villefranche Sur Mer.

MissAmbrosia · 06/03/2023 21:26

Loano in Liguria. We spent a happy week once at Residence Kriss in Deiva Marina.

Mother87 · 06/03/2023 21:29

Ile de Ré... small perfectly formed/cafes/cycling if you fancy...

OneCup · 06/03/2023 21:46

I was going to suggest Lincoln but everyone is going for foreign places!
I think Lisbon is a lovely city to walk around and sit on balcony otherwise.

Sd352 · 06/03/2023 22:01

Dubrovnik fits the bill, especially if you don’t go in high season. There are little museums and there are excursions to nearby islands, but you wouldn’t feel like you were missing out if you didn’t do them. Lokrum is a lovely spot to while away a day.

Agree with Taormina too — there is the Greek theatre and that’s basically it (ignore the siren call of day trips to vineyards, Etna etc.).

Faro in algarve was pretty quiet too — don’t recall going to any museums, just beach, cafes, a couple of churches, some sailing trips.

Oh also almost everywhere in Switzerland! Fits the bill of boring (if you don’t ski) but pretty — Lucerne, Zermatt etc.

Radiatorvalves · 07/03/2023 06:43

Taormina is lovely. Fab views of Mt Etna and the theatre. Also I’d suggest any number of small French towns. However will depend on how you’re going as to which id recommend. If you want sun and train travel, look at Embrun. Direct overnight (cheap) train from Paris.

Marmighty · 07/03/2023 06:46

I think Venice is good for this. The city is the attraction and there's no need to actually go to any of the top sights, just wander.

Mintakan · 07/03/2023 06:55

Geneva! Peaceful, calm, clean and really tiny.

You can walk around the old town in about an hour and that’s it.

WhoHidTheCoffee · 07/03/2023 06:58

Lisbon would be good for this - as would Helsinki, Ljubljana, San Sebastián and Biarritz.

VanCleefArpels · 07/03/2023 07:07

A curveball suggestion: Baku

Lovely seaside location, interesting Old Town to wander, great hotels.

Howtohideasausage · 07/03/2023 07:10

Ljubljana Or Dubrovnik.

Whatineed · 07/03/2023 07:10

Riga
Basel
Salzburg
Palma

helpfulperson · 07/03/2023 07:18

There is a lovely fishing village called Volendam near Amsterdam. Perfect for strolling round and sitting in a cafe at the harbour watching the world go by.

bookmarket · 07/03/2023 07:30

Porto - if you wouldn't be interested in a port tour, or Split. They are compact and you wouldn't miss much by not paying to go inside anywhere. Even if you did, the sites are small and done in an hour.

Not Lisbon. There's so much to see and do there. I felt 3 days wasn't long enough.

Are you going alone? I'm very envious. 🙂

TenoringBehind · 07/03/2023 07:33

Strasbourg

a beautiful small city, lovely to walk around, lots of nice cafes for people watching, not too busy.

anon2022anon · 07/03/2023 07:33

Ciutadella in Menorca was a simple but pretty town.

MrsMSM · 07/03/2023 07:36

Leon in France

Mostly cathedrals just can just wander around looking at them

Nice squares for sitting chilling with a wine and a book

Whichwhatnow · 07/03/2023 07:48

Valletta (capital of Malta) was very picturesque (lovely winding streets, beautiful architecture, plus good restaurants and little independent shops etc) but not an awful lot else to do unless you're REALLY into churches.