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Original poster

Which non UK city for a mini break?

54 replies

DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy · 19/04/2024 09:25

Hey lovely MN and seasoned travellers. I would like to take my lovely daughter (22) away for a mini break this summer but I don't know where. We both love:
Drinking coffee and watching the world go by..
Flea markets and vintage stores..
Some sun but not oppressive heat..
History, churches, wandering around nooks and crannies and old cobbled streets
Eating out!
My first thought is Paris ( I have been but many years ago). Seville sounds gorgeous and the place Ive heard/read the most rave reviews about.
Any suggestions would be very gratefully received...Blush

OP posts:
TammyJones · 20/04/2024 05:23

GR8GAL · 19/04/2024 10:12

When I read the things you were interested in doing, Amsterdam immediately came to mind.

Reason being:

  • coffee shops along the canals make for great people watching
  • they have the biggest flea market in Europe (just check your dates, I think its last Saturday of every month).
  • comfortable weather all year round, lovely in the summer
  • lots of history (the Oudekerk, Neuwekerk, Ann Frank house, Heineken tour, Rembrandt museum, Rijkmuseum...) there are also a lot of smaller quirky museums practically everywhere like the Torture museum and Ripley's Believe It Or Not experience.
  • GREAT food! Bitterballen, cheese shops on ever corner, all the cakes, pancakes, funnel cakes you can eat!
  • Definitely lots of old cobbled streets, and easy transport with the metro.

Amsterdam is so much more than what people associate it with (cannabis and the RLD).

Totally

Icequeen01 · 20/04/2024 08:30

QueenofTheBorg · 19/04/2024 14:17

Venice is amazing but the canals don't smell the nicest in the summer!

Amsterdam is lovely and you can get there on Eurostar from London. The journey back isn't direct, you have to change somewhere I think, although that might have changed. The people are really friendly, the canals are amazing as is the architecture and the art. We stayed at The Pulitzer, which was incredible, brilliant friendly service, very comfortable and central. They have an old barge which you can book for a canal tour. Recommended, https://www.pulitzeramsterdam.com/en/

Book early for the Anne Frank house, it sells out quickly and there are limited tickets.

We also did a tour of a museum with an art historian who told us a lot about Van Gogh's history and family and took us around the paintings.

Have a lovely time! My daughter is the same age and would love this. I'm sorry your daughter has had a difficult time, it's a tough age I know.

We have just returned from 4 days in Amsterdam travelling on Eurostar. The train does go direct to Amsterdam both ways but on the way back I think we had an extra stop.

Definitely need to book for Anne Frank's House. They release tickets six weeks (or it may have been 4) before your chosen date and they go fast! Also worth visiting the Van Gogh museum but again you need to book your tickets.

We found Amsterdam so easy to get around. We walked miles but if we were tired going back we just hoped on a tram. We also did day trips to Haarlem and Utrecht whilst we were there. Very easy from Amsterdam Centraal Station and the trains run very frequently and on time!

The weather wasn't great but then it wasn't at home either but we had such a lovely time and look forward to going back.

Fathomless · 20/04/2024 10:36

following!

Fluffywithteeth · 27/04/2024 21:02

Following!

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