Help - all out of ideas for a holiday without the kids

[HarrietBond]

My in-laws are having the children for three nights in mid-April so we can get away. And I just can't work out where to go - I'm out of ideas. Please bombard me.

Things I need/want:

1. Travel from north of England - unless we have to I'd love to avoid having to go somewhere via London
2. Not very expensive travel - ideally under £500 and I'd love to avoid Ryanair but will take it if it seems the best or only option (and travel does not have to be flying, and we don't even have to leave the UK)
3. Not a long journey in total if possible
4. Nice food
5. Reasonably priced accommodation available but massive bonus if we can get somewhere that feels like a treat
6. Either pleasantly warm for lying around with books OR a city with lots to do
7. Somewhere I won't feel guilty going without my children as I'll be thinking how much they'd enjoy it

Hoping MN travel wisdom descends to help me

Seville (but if it’s their festival time it may be very busy/pricey so check dates)

San Sebastien

Agriturismo in Tuscany & day trips to cities/towns

Wine tasting trip to Champagne/Burgundy/other wine regions

Istanbul

Madeira

Barcelona

Lisbon

Palma, Majorca

Barcelona
Beach, culture, sun and great food

Malaga - beautiful city and beach 🏖️

Istanbul! It's amazing.

I’ve been to Istanbul more than once already - agree it’s amazing but not for this time.

Lots of suggestions, thank you. My main issue is probably getting to quite a few of them! We’re limited to an extent if we don’t want to spend time going to and from London. Some of them I fear are just not viable.

Malaga did come up as an option from Manchester so I’ll look at accommodation there, thank you.

Have you considered a city break in Italy? It’s warm but not too hot to explore. Venice was lovely at the end of March last year, not too busy and warm enough in just a shirt during the day. The food is incredible there too! I’m heading back to do Rome next month

I have. We’ve done Sorrento (Pompeii etc) before. I did Venice with an ex (and I think we’d have all the Treviso nonsense with our flight options) but Rome might be a runner.

Rome for a city break
Albufeira in Portugal for relaxing
Zadar in Croatia for exploring/hiking

Alternatively use sky scanner to select your dates and airport preference and see what is available. Easy to book accommodation instantly worldwide using booking.com.

So Rome is too expensive. Back to the drawing board. Zara is also too much.

Not Portugal I’m afraid. It’ll be too chilly to comfortably lie around and not enough else to do in the Algarve. I’m not feeling it for Lisbon I don’t think.

Fly to Malaga and go and stay in Granada (about 1hr by bus from airport).

Just gorgeous in April.

I have done this and nothing I can think to look for is quite right or anywhere I really know much about. That’s why I’ve turned to MN!

Malaga and area is definitely looking like an option. Granada would be awesome actually.

I think you can fly to Valencia from Manchester? It’s really lovely. Loads of gorgeous food and walking around pretty city.

You can but even Ryanair is pricey to Valencia!

Geneva? It's not super cheap but we just did a weekend for 4 for about £600 from Liverpool.

We went to Granada in Feb. It was amazing. 2 days is enough there though. Pre-book the Alhambra of you decide to go there.

Florence is also fantastic. We went there in a February too. Both cities were warm enough then for t-shirts.

Also have you tried the everywhere option on Skyscanner to see what comes up for your dates?

Malaga itself is lovely and has lots to do for a short break.

We stayed in the Molina Lario, it has a rooftop pool/sun-longer/bar are overlooking the cathedral. Lovely restaurants, food market, museums, Roman amphitheater ruins, Moorish castle etc plus nice shops and easy transfer by train from the airport.

Berlin for a busy city with lots to do. Had a great break with DH there recently.

I got Tui flights from East Mids to Faro in April really cheap and it was about 20 degrees and sunny every day, beautiful for walking on beaches but not yet crazy busy. Carveiro is a lovely village/town. Could you travel the night before late so you get longer when there?

South of France, Nice maybe? Nice short flight and reasonably priced. It'll be pleasantly warm from May onwards and it's such a lovely place to mooch around.

Prague has an unfair bad reputation but there's so much to do and it's cheap off season.

Malaga or Palma de Mallorca. Both quite small but great food,museums, stuff to see...but not so huge you get outfaced. Lots of flight options, short and cheap transfers.

Fez is great if you can get a flight.

Malaga is lively and lovely - lie on a subbed by a roof top pool, old town with lots to see and fab places to eat / drink later on

Plus easy trains to Granada - Nerja etc

Lots of flights

Brilliant tbh