Where shall I go for my 50th birthday?

[AnonymousBleep]

It's over the Easter bank holiday next year, which is quite convenient as it's a four day weekend and seems silly not to go away and do something fun. But I don't know where to go! It'll probably be me, my daughter and my brother as I'm a single mum and my son has his GCSEs so needs to stay home and revise. I was thinking maybe New York but it's pretty expensive and then my son will either insist on coming or be annoyed at missing out! Budget is variable but I don't want to go too mad. It's my 50th though! Where would be an amazing place to go for a long weekend? We all enjoy a mix of things - culture, cocktails, sightseeing and lovely lovely food.

I went to Sicily for my 50th 18 months ago. It was fab.

We went for a week though so hired a villa, which might be harder with less than a week.

I really want to go back, stay in Palermo for a couple of nights and then over to catania to see etna, as we didn't manage it that time.

I think you mean day trip to Bilbao?

Jubilee in Rome next year - Easter would be a nightmare!

Valencia is lovely - city and beach, old and new architecture, plus beautiful food.

I didn't know about the Jubilee in Rome - scrap that idea (though you've been already).

In which case, id go for Copenhagen, Budapest or Florence.

I would go somewhere that your son is less bothered about visiting so he doesn’t feel like he is missing out. How about Verona? Easy short flight, lots of culture, my 13 year old son was completely bored by it 🤣

Otherwise, perhaps Florence? Or Sorrento? Dubrovnik? Trying to think of places that would bore a teen boy!

Either! I had a car and it was less than an hour from SS to Biarritz, but we did stop at lots of little places on the way like St. Jean de Luz and Hendaye etc. I think there's a train from SS to Bilbao and a bus, but we didn't go that direction as had been before.

Lovely part of the world. IMO!

Iceland.

www.visiticeland.com/article/easter-in-iceland

Don't feel sorry for him - he and I are doing a ski weekend, just the two of us.

I would LOVE to go, but isn't it mega expensive? I'm leaning towards somewhere cheap yet foodie, so Prague possibly - although someone also mentioned Copenhagen and that has got my attention (although not cheap, I know).

@Havalona I agree, we had 3 nights in Bilbao last month. Sadly had no time to venture further afield but we'll definitely be back.

There are ways to control the cost eg city pass for museums, swimming pools (with spa and slides) and public transport.

Eat out at lunchtime and self cater for some dinners. Coffee shop lunches were cheaper than the UK and far better quality than Costa, Starbucks etc.

Then just do one or two excursions etc. Not cheap cheap but can be affordable for a special occasion.

I was 50 this year and went to both Marrakesh, Seville and Naples. All were amazing.

Looking for somewhere warm abroad to celebrate my Wife's 50th Birthday for a week September/October? Must be coast, lively, but relaxing, charming & cultural, reasonable budget....
Been looking at Benidorm, Salou,....but consider ANYWHERE that suits....
(Turkey? Cyprus?....?)
TIA

Can’t you take your son if it’s only for a few days in the whole of the 2 weeks Easter holidays? This will be a big family memory. And he won’t be there. He is still young and if normally he would want to come with you it seems a bit mean to take one child and not the other especially if this could be one of the last family trips you have. In a year or 2 he’ll be going places with his own mates instead.

i haven’t read all the full thread yet but my first thought was Barcelona.

I think “charming and cultural” immediately counts out Benidorm and Salou….

Palma? Nice?

Depends what your teenage boy is into. If they like their history then Sorrento is amazing being so near to Pompeii and Herculaneum. You can walk up Vesuvius too. And which teenage boy doesn’t love gelato and pizza?!

Or Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon, Malaga, Cinque Terre

It's my 50th this summer and my dc1 is also doing GCSEs, so we have to go after the exams. We have booked a Greek island cruise, which we would have rather done in April (less heat and mosquitos), but dc1 wanted to have something to look forward to after the exams.