Where to go: Sun, Sea, History, Art?

[BigBoysDontCry]

It's been a tough couple of years. DH and I split up, I had some health issues, adult DSs (early 20s) been struggling with various mental health/neurodiverse stuff and we've not managed a holiday for the last few years.

Money is not plentiful but I'm determined to get us away for a break next year, probably later in the summer (Sept/Oct). And yes, they DO want to come away with me! 😁

DS1 likes swimming in the sea and just being involved in whatever anyone else is doing. He's autistic, very clever but quiet and struggles with social stuff. DS2 loves history, particularly the byzantine empire type stuff, likes to go places and walk on holiday. We may have his girlfriend along who likes art type stuff and is really easy going. I just like to see everyone happy, have some nice food, a bit of sun etc.

So essentially I'm looking for somewhere where there are things to see and do (by public transport), near the sea, places to eat etc

I'd like a week to 10 days and budget around £4k. I think Greece might fit the bill? Any recommendations? Only place I've been to in Greece is Faliraki which was a bargain last minute week away when DH and I were pre DC but all we did was sunbathe and swim and eat so no idea if there were interesting things to see.

There are direct flights Edinburgh to Palermo. I'm also in Scotland but just back from Bologna (Ryanair). Used the train to buzz around Italy - efficient trains and cheap compared to here.

If going to Malta be aware that the Hypogeum needs booked well in advance. As in weeks or months. It's worth the effort if you're into history though!

I came on to say Valletta too. We spent a few days there then crossed to Gozo to stay in St Lawrenz.

Malaga, Spain ticks all those boxes. Beautiful architecture, Picasso museum, amazing Port tk look at the super yachts and a beach

Istanbul?

Is the Byzantine era a deal breaker? If not, I have some suggestions. DH and I often travel Sep/Oct. It avoids the crowds and summer heat and its normally still warm enough for shorts/t-shirts.

-Malaga. Not the Brits aboard resorts along the coast, but the 'city' itself. Picasso museum, castle on the hill, fresh food market, great restaurants and a mix of locals and tourist, plus easy to walk around. There is a promenade along the seafront which is a nice walk right along to neighbouring towns. Some mornings we'd do the walk and have breakfast in a cafe in the next town. A day trip via train to Ronda, to see the ancient bridge is another option we thoroughly enjoyed.

-Sicily. Palermo has the catacombs, if that is of interest? We got a train to Agrigento. Most things were in the museum, but the actual outdoor site had what looked like the acropolis. We then caught buses to Catania then Syracuse and back to Palermo. From Palermo, we did get a local bus to Modello beach and wish we'd stayed there. People rave about Cefalu, but we never made it there.

-Crete. We stayed in Reythymon, but people rave about Chania too. The town was fairly flat, with a beach and a boardwalk along to the next town. Also a castle on a hill. We did a day trip via coach to Heraklion to see the museum and Knossos.

I haven't been but this show made Paestum in Italy sound amazing

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001sthk

Palma, Majorca
Tarragona, Spain
Cagliari, Sardinia

Oh lots more suggestions and comments, thank you.

Byzantine empire isn't a deal breaker but it's a long lasting interest and I think he'd particularly enjoy it without it not being uninteresting to the rest of us. I think when you are sitting with a blank sheet of paper it's sometimes easier to focus on one aspect in order to narrow down the options.

For a trip of a lifetime I think Japan would be it for everyone for different reasons but I think that's one that would need a lot of saving for and maybe more of an option once they are both working and contributing.

I'd also like to do the walking trail round Menorca at some point too but I'll save that for another time.

Morocco would tick all of those boxes

Another option we did in Sep/Oct. Not really beach though.
-Flew to Naples for 3 days. Went to the museum where most of the artifacts actually are. Got the circumvesuvian local train to Pompeii then Herculaneum 1 day. On day 3 got a fast train to Rome and spent the rest of the week there, seeing the Vatican museums and all the rest that Rome offers.

💯 Sicily, sea will be warm, food amazing and lots of culture, architecture and beautiful old towns. And a couple of vulcanoes.

Egypt. Best of everything.

Thanks again.

DS would love Morocco or Egypt. We've been to Turkey quite a few times but never to Istanbul or the more historical parts.

How about Thessaloniki? It was the second city of the Byzantine Empire, and has an amazing archaeology museum, with stunning gold treasures from the tombs of the period of Alexander the Great's father Philip (c330ish BC). There is a dedicated Byzantine Museum I think, but we didn't get around to that - you can still see excavated remains of Roman and Byzantine parts of the city streets though.

We've just recently been in September, Jet2 fly from Edinburgh to Thessaloniki, but the outward flight is very early. It's a big busy city but very interesting and there's lots more to see in the general area of central Macedonia and the smaller quieter towns, particularly the Royal Tombs at Vergina - more gold treasures. There are resorts nearby for swimming, and it was still very warm in late September.

We used a mix of public transport (good intercity bus routes) and taxis where the buses didn't go. Had a great time.

It is. We've visited it from Sorrento; the first time was on a tour bus but the second time we went by train (from the mainline station in Pompeii, which is a walk across town from the Scavi station ) . Then a pleasant walk at the other end, this was at Easter so there were lots of spring flowers - beautiful site.