Couple late 50’s - relaxing holiday pottering about MayJune or SeptOct

[ToothFairy2023]

Wondering about a couples holiday now the DC are at Independent. Either early to mid May before half term or Early to mid Sept or early to mid Oct. Done Algarve and Majorca to death when the kids were younger and we holidayed in Greece and Italy separately and together when younger.

We don’t want anywhere too hot, or very hilly/high intensity and don’t want to hire a car. Just want to chill and potter about gently wandering around relaxing and reading in the shade, exploring and going out for nice meals of an evening.

Can fly from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle or Leeds for 5 to 10 days flight under 4 hours (the shorter the better).

Wondering about Italy, Sicily (but don’t know much about Sicily and destinations but have enjoyed holidays in Italy and Malta in the past), Croatia maybe a two or three centre holiday but worried about ferries. A friend flew into Split and out of Dubrovnik and visited Hvar in between. Anyone have any other suggestions for places we may have missed and could advise when the best time to book leave is. We might even fit two holidays in one early and one late.

Thanks

PS we did a short Jet2 Luxe holiday to Spain last year with our daughter the hotel was absolutely lovely but the place it was in was less so.

Cyprus gets my vote. Me and DH similar age to you. We also go April or Sept/Oct time so weather is lovely and not too hot. 4 hour flight too.
It’s such a chilled place and it’s just easy! English is widely spoken but there are lots of beautiful Cypriot towns you can visit that are very traditional.
Paphos would be great for you or the other side of the island, Protaras or Pernera which is the quietest out of the three ;and our favourite.) Fabulous boardwalk that’s recently been completed so you can walk between Protaras and Pernera. Lovely traditional places to eat along with a good mix of the usual Mexican, Italian etc. Also fantastic bus routes so you can get about if you want to.

I second Cyprus.
Crystal Springs hotel was beautiful.

Cinque Terre but go out early, chill during the busy part of the day, then quieter in evenings.

We are the same as ye. We loved puerto mogan in gran canaria.
Gorgeous non party resort with some really good restaurants. Easy to chill there.
We had a super relaxed week there last year.

Thanks all so far keep the suggestions coming.

Anyone had any recent experience of Sicily, Croatia two destinations (either Hvar, Rovinj, Dubrovnik, Split etc) or elsewhere in Italy (not Rome, Venice, Verona, Pisa, Florence, Sienna, Lake Garda, Milan or Como) and if so where did you stay, what time of year did you visit what was the holiday like, temperature like etc.

We are going to Croatia near Dubrovnik in September - we will be hiring a car but it does look as if you stay just outside Dubrovnik or along the coast down to Cavtat that you would be fine without a car - reviews say that local ferries, buses and taxis are fine for local travel and to and from the airport .

We had a lovely week last year (end of September) just inland from Olbia on Sardinia - couldn't have done it without car though. That said - there were destinations along the coast that could be managed with public transport .

We were in Croatia last June, half Dubrovnik and half Cavtat. So chilled, easy to get about by Ferry/Bus/Uber. Loved it.

We also loved Antibes, beautiful and no need for a car. You can chill or we got trains to Nice, Cannes & Monaco for the day each. Trains are so easy.

I'd second south of France. Menton is lovely, really interesting town centre and shopping, lovely promenade, bus goes along the coast to Monaco and Nice or the other way into Italy for Ventimiglia, Imperia, Diano Marina. No end to the restaurant opportunities.
Taxi-able from Nice airport.

It’s a while since I’ve been but I loved Lake Como. You can do Milan as a day trip by train.

The ferry takes you to all the small ports on the Lake. Each one is different with nice restaurants and places to walk round.

Also recommend Cavtat in Croatia. Probably one of (if not the) most beautiful place I’ve visited. Not a beach holiday but the harbour is lovely. Great boat trips to Dubrovnik too which you just have to visit if you go. Take the cable car up to the restaurant for the most spectacular views. We went in October and it was beautiful; warm during day but cooler in evenings.

Chania Crete or Lake Bled Slovenia. No car needed in either place as excellent local bus services to explore local area. Have also been to Paphos Cyprus at that time of year but think you need more organised excursions there if no car

Malta

We flew into Malaga last year, lovely city, great food, great pottering, trained to Rhonda and Granada. You could do cordoba or Seville which are also fantastic.

we’ve also looked at Portugal by train which looks very relaxing.

Thanks have visited Malta previously and Dubrovnik and Cavtat fairly recently out if season (the only two places I have visited in Croatia). We wanted to try somewhere new this year so I was thinking maybe Sicily or in Croatia Rovinj, Hvar or some other islands in Croatia. San Sebastion and Seville sound lovely but flights harder to come across up north.

I really love Athens. You can really relax there or take in loads of sights, just as you wish. The food and pavement cafe scene is really vibrant and the Riviera is lovely. We spent a glorious week at the end of October, perfect weather. You can have a bit of everything, nature, seaside, culture, history, shopping, gardens (the national garden is lovely on a Sunday and full of Athenians relaxing with family) and OMG the food and wine....
we found the Athenians extremely friendly and welcoming

Slovenia - Lake Bled with a day trip to Lake Bohinj - both so beautiful with great restaurants, walks, sightseeing trips to the island, the painted church etc.

Ljubljana is also a lovely city for pottering around - gorgeous flea market and food markets, riverside walks and cafes, cocktail bars on boats, castle, funicular etc.

Parga is a wonderful little town on the Greek mainland. You fly into Preveza from most UK airports. Try Jet2. It's about 45 mins transfer. Gorgeous beaches. Lovely town with a Venetian castle. Plenty of restaurants and bars. Great boat trips to some of the stunning Ionian islands. It's popular mainly with Greeks so no fry up breakfasts or Irish pubs. Get a B and B package and use as a base. We stayed at the Parga beach resort. Low rise cottages on the beach with lovely gardens. Uphill into town but there's a great water taxi every thirty mins that takes you around the headland for three euros

Lots of quieter towns in the Canaries and direct flights form Edinburgh.
Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife is nice

i loved rovinj, we were cycling and also hired a car….not sure whether a whole week just there might be a bit much, but combined with somewhere else would be lovely.

@ToothFairy2023 Sicily is quite big! We are visiting on a smaller ship this year. 120 passengers. Not cheap! We are seeing lots of interesting places that I’m keen to see. I could not imagine going without a car! There’s a lot to see and pottering about would leave me very unfulfilled.

If you just visit resorts, anywhere will do. Do you actually want to see museums, little villages, towns, the countryside and art galleries? South of France is good as it has the railway in and out of Nice. It won’t get you into the hills though! Hiring a car is vital to see everything.

Lake Garda is great and lots of transport either around or on the lake. We flew into Venice but Verona is closer. Easy access to the lake, great walks on the board walk and the food was fabulous. It was warm in June but not hot. I would certainly go again. Get accommodation near a ferry stop and you will fill your days very quickly!

@TizerorFizz thanks, its horses for courses I guess.

Thanks yes have visited Garda and Coma when younger and loved them but fancied a change this time hence thinking maybe Croatia (other than Dubrovnik or Cavtat as I have been) or maybe Sicily as have visited a lot of places in Italy and also Greece.

@TizerorFizz This or these holidays are more about relaxing and spending time together and being away together. We can’t do (for reasons I don’t want to go into here) a hectic full on, fast paced, cram everything in, see everything do everything hectic holiday and in all honesty whilst I don’t mind admiring a pretty church or a museum building from outside in all honesty generally speaking I am not massively religious and don’t really want to be indoors trotting around a museum on holiday (although I did made an exception in Florence and Rome and a couple of other places).

Last September we did 10 days split between Ortigia (Siracusa) and Taormina in Sicily. Both place absolutely gorgeous with lovely food - we just pottered about, did a boat trip and the Godfather Tour, and visited the amphitheatres and went to the beach. I am keen to go back. Another fave - Cinque Terre as mentioned by PP, but stayed in Sestri Levante (Hotel Vis a Vis) and also visited Portofino, Ste Margherite etc. Ischia (Ischia Blu Resort) is fabulous. Not as busy as Capri or Amalfi coast but with spas, botanical gardens and some stunning scenery. Or Stresa, Lake Maggiore, for more scenery and trips to the Borromean Islands. (Hotel La Palma is my happy place with it's Sky Bar). All of these done without a car.

I’m not religious. I like architecture. Good food and seeing beautiful things in a museum makes me tick. Learning about arts and how other cultures work interests me. Loafing around is wasting my time. I don’t do full on and I’m 10 years older than you but I won’t leave somewhere without seeing fantastic things. I would be upset if I haven’t bothered. We are fortunate enough to be able to choose where we go and often do it at a leisurely pace. We liked exploring the Hebrides and are going to Nova Scotia next year. So places a bit different.