Holiday for Single Mum with 16yr old DD

[Lloki]

Hoping for some ideas and advice.
I am a single parent, I have only ever taken them on holiday's within the UK and the last time I went abroad myself was as a teenager with my parents.

My DD will be finishing early this year after her exams so want to use this opportunity to go on a 'proper' holiday abroad as it will be more affordable, but it is a very daunting thing when I am not used to travelling, let alone doing everything alone. It will just be us two.

I know I should probably go with a package holiday so most things are done for you, but I am also not even sure of a destination.

We don't really want a pool/beach holiday the whole time, maybe a day at a beach. A hotel with a nice pool to relax by for a day or so might be nice.

Its finding somewhere with things to do, that are easily accessible/bookable, suitable for both of us.
I want to avoid having to travel around once there too much, I would dread having to navigate transport in a foreign country. I need it to be as stress free as possible!

Lisbon.
So many things to see - art, castles, monastery etc.; easy to get around by walking (and Ubers are insanely cheap); amazing food. An easy day trip by train to the beach and Sintra. It’s also cheap compared to UK.
We visited last summer with extended family, ages ranging from 8 to 70 and everyone loved it. We will definitely return.

Barcelona: an easy bus from the airport and lots to see and do there.
Iceland: ditto. Don't be put off by the thought of bus trips for some of the sites from the city. Really well organised and easy plus I've never visited a more 'potter about able' city.

Worth looking at cruises?

Thanks all, hadn't thought of those places
I'm not sure about a cruise though neither of us really like boats! Plus I think that sort of thing would be out of our price bracket.
I'll look a bit further into them, going try and go into a tui in the next week or so to see if they can advise

What's your budget?

Barcelona. Get a hotel near the centre. Do the tourist bus on the first day and look out for places you want to go back to.

Where does dd want to go? Any interest eg studies history so maube rome or greece? or seen films set in xxxx city? or have you been watching "emily in paris" ?
Why dont you look thru travel guides like in sunday times for a few weeks? For ideas?
Do you want to fly? Go by train?

I think Barcelona might be a bit hectic for you if you'd like something really easy but Lisbon would be perfect, it's so lovely. Or you can't really go wrong with Italy.

Goodness: forgot the best city break when we had a gaggle of teens: Rome. Watch the black and white Audrey Hepburn movie 'Roman Holiday' and then plan your break around it. My DDs loved it, even down to gelato and champagne at a street cafe.

OP: look at Travelzoo: all our city trips over the years came about because we saw a deal on there, rather than us deciding and then going to book.

How about Majorca, staying in or near Palma? City and culture, beach, lovely mountain villages to visit on tours, the old wooden train out to Soller. Lots to do that's not just beach, but beach is there if you want it.

Yes good choice. I went on a girls hol (3 nights) last year to Mallorca stayed just near to the airport €15 in a taxi (can pastilla area). Near to a beach / bars / restaurants. The hotel was a bargain and included breakfast and evening meal. Which meant we could go out exploring all day and then come back, shower and relax. Buses nearby go straight to Palma which is great to explore and we caught the wooden train to Soller (lovely to look round and pretty shops) and then onto port de soller.

I always do city breaks with my teen. We went to Paris last august and it was easy and interesting

Barcelona Rome and Paris are a bit full on and ‘crimey’. You’re more likely to get pickpocketed there.
Lisbon
Malta
Florence. All navigable and lots to see.

You need a low crime choice to take away the additional stress of having to watch bags and pockets all the time. You may prefer to start with something where there isn't much of a language barrier just in case you need help for directions.
Stockholm would be ideal. The transport system is small and efficient. I think there are two tramlines The museums are all great. Tram stops outside the ABBA Museum and Viking Museum. It has a genteel lack of menace about it.

There is a great Radisson interconnected within the main central station where the airport train arrives (Arlanda Express) with familiar food options to fall back on if necessary.
Downside: It is only warm in high summer so not a beach-type holiday.

Iceland (Rekjavik) is also good. You could do a Golden Circle tour and the Blue Lagoon.
Helsinki is great too with boats out to Tallin and Copenhagen.

Northern Europe is great but as a single mum myself, it’s pretty hard to do on one income!

Amsterdam is a good easy destination

Cyprus! Mix of all sorts. I personally love the Paphos side. X

It's really late to be booking any decent resorts

I'm taking my family with older teens to Majorca but our resort booked up months ago

There'll be rooms avail I'm sure in lots of decent places but do your research properly

Ghent, Belgium- Hotel Harmony had a pool and great location. Lots to do and if you feel like it take a very short train ride to Bruges. Felt really safe, good teen shopping, bagels, waffles, chocolate, coffee etc. Castle, river boats, great walks too.

What weather would you like?

I can promise you (and the OP) there are plenty of rooms available in plenty of 'decent' resorts all over the place, and will be for months, especially outside of main school holidays. There's absolutely no need to panic.

Specific hotels or specific room types are advisable to book early (especially family rooms) but a room for 2 adults will not be a problem. Interested to hear which resort in Majorca was fully booked so far in advance, as it's not something I've ever come across.

Source : Worked for a Tour Operator selling European summer holidays for the last 15 years.

So pleased that someone else with better credentials than me has said that. I don’t think I’ve ever booked a holiday months in advance. Every continent, most of Europe, AI, half board and sc, camping and the nearest to a duff one was Mark Warner (who had a weird underage drinking g policy which meant they wouldn’t serve them on site and told them instead about the illegal bar over the rocks in the dark 😭)

Venice. You don’t need a package - Easyjet or similar to fly out. Bus or boat from airport to Venice, to hotel or Air BnB, then there is so much to see and do, including a beach on the Lido.