Retirement Girls Holiday - My Treat

[HopelesslyOptimistic]

Dear wonderful network, I'm retiring very soon and rather than a farewell soiree I was thinking of inviting a small group of my girlfriends on a long weekend holiday abroad. Hit me with your recommendations and cool activities. No further than Europe. 🙏

What is your budget, are you all around the same age, what do you want to do (beach holiday, sightseeing, yoga retreat, spa, partying and sunbathing, cooking course etc) are you wanting self catering accommodation or a hotel, would people be sharing rooms or have own rooms etc and what time of year?

Porto - great wine, food, shopping and sightseeing. We did a Douro Valley tour and got to try lots of nice wine and port. The city is beautiful too, lots of nice hotels and eating out is quite reasonably priced.

Barcelona- so much to see or just chill if you like. Something for everyone.

Budapest. Fabulous in every way. Will suit all tastes. Loads to do and just a beautiful place.
Can be as cheap or indulgent as you choose.
If money no object, I would choose London- it's my absolute favourite, but you get so much more for your money in Europe.

Edinburgh or Oxford if in UK

Sicily

Budapest

Barcelona

When will you go? Seville is my favourite city break, but not in high summer. Barcelona, Budapest both have lots going on.

Italy all the way ! And retreat in one of those SPA's

www.qcterme.com/en

Lots of good suggestions, just to add Prague to the list, not been for ages but it was lovely when I went.

Thanks all. Seville, Barcelona, Prague I've done and great choices. Budapest sounds interesting....

We are an eclectic mix, and up for pretty much anything... love a glass of wine & pretty cultured with a sick sense of humour. Keep them coming! 🙌

What time of year?

Thinking September when the kids are I school. 😊

Budget pretty healthy. I'll pay for accommodation, pool, gym, cinema room..

Cadiz

Lisbon, Budapest, Tallinn, Gdańsk.

Jerez.

If you don't currently like sherry you'll come back liking it, and if you do like it, it's a clear winner. Delicious wines everywhere, weather still totally wonderful at that time of year, was great even when we went in early November.

Spend plenty of time sitting shady side streets eating tapas and drinking sherry. Visit some sherry houses.

Amazing Catholic cathedral, and quite a cool castle from when that part of Spain was part of part of Al-Andalus.

Fabulous hammam spa in the town centre.

Airport a short taxi ride from town or there's a 7 minute train.

Nice or Marseilles. Both brilliant cities, and on the coast - with great local wine. Bari in Italy - lots of flights but most people head across Puglia but the city is fab - and the food and wine are 👍👍👍 - and prices are great. There’s a nice beach club (and a city beach)

Which airport for Jerez please

@HopelesslyOptimistic sounds fab-I'm 62, can I invite myself!!im not fussy where -

Florence is my favourite

Honestly... its gotta be budapest. Loads of culture. Incredible wines. You will have a ball visiting the ancient baths and doing a river cruise.
Look into it and see if you think it will be a good fit for you!

Epernay and Reims. Amazing! Stay on the Avenue de Champagne. Visit the vineyards, the wine cellars, the chateaus, do tasting sessions, and chill in the sunshine. Absolutely heaven

Ladies fab suggestions, loads off the normy grid. Love the Spanish, French, Estonia & Polish option. Will definitely check them out even for future trips for the family.

Ah lovely Florence - little gem.

Ha ha you've made me chuckle on a grim grey train platform 🥰

@HopelesslyOptimistic I enjoyed Istanbul - great combination of culture and weather.

We loved Bilbao, in the Basque region, but if you want somewhere similar but a bit more glam, San Sebastián is apparently lovely. Bilbao is a bit more industrial with a Guggenheim museum and various other cool places to visit, but so many great places to eat pintxos and drink lovely wine. We absolutely loved it.