School Summer holidays. Do you have a trip planned?

[finfitrulesok]

I would love to share in your excitement. Have you got something planned this year? I thought it would give people ideas for the following year too.
So where are you taking the kids? Why? And if you like, how much is it costing (to help others)?

We are taking the train to Switzerland via Germany, and back via Italy and France, because I love train travel. It has been on the bucket list for years.

We’re getting the train too. We’re staying in Austria (basically free as it’s a relative’s holiday home), then spending a few days in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. The youth hostel is €322 for 3 nights including breakfast and tourist tax.

Where are you staying in Germany and Switzerland?

We are flying this year to Italy for the first time ever and doing a multi stop trip around the Italian lakes. I am excited as we normally get a ferry to either France or the Netherlands but slightly scared I won’t be able to pack as used to throwing everything in the car!

Both of those sound wonderful. We are so lucky to have all the amazing countries of Europe nearby.

In Germany we are staying in Munich, and in Switzerland, a tiny random town in the mountains along the train route.

That youth hostel in Lake Contance was a find! I looked at staying at Lake Constance, but couldn't find affordable accommodation.

Ooh this is interesting. I really want to do a European train trip this summer but I haven’t got my act together yet! Did you book all the travel yourself or use an agent?

We’re off to Singapore and Malaysia for 2 weeks. Can’t wait!

I've got an interrail pass, so I have booked eurostar and one fast train in France, but the rest doesn't need booking. I have reserved all the accommodation though.

I love Munich. Have you been before OP? I tend to plan holidays way in advance so I can nab the reasonably priced accommodation.

@redgingerbread www.seat61.com is great for advising on train routes. I then book with Eurostar and the national train company for the country I’m going through (e.g. SNCF for France). DH books everything after the Eurostar on the Trainline

I have been to Munich before. It rained the whole time, but we still loved it, so we are taking the kids back there. I've really enjoyed researching the route.

Croatia as normal :) we go every year and absolutely love it :)

We have a big end of GCSE holiday planned for next year so this year we are staying in the UK and going to the Isle of Wight. We have never been before. Luckily with inset days we have the whole first week of September off so we are going then. We have a lodge on a holiday park for £350 and I think the ferry was about £40 each way also coinciding with going to see my DB, SIL and new baby who lives on the route down the country.

Such lovely plans. I am excited for you all. It's also so great to hear of plans that aren't ridiculously expensive, for a change.

Although I am happy to hear of the pricey ones too, for something to dream about!

Do you have a hotel recommendation?

One week Loire valley and then flying from there to Portugal for some relaxation after all the castles.

We do this kind of trip now for the 3rd year and it really works for us.

We're Interrailing too! Cologne- Berlin- Romania- Bulgaria- Vienna- Nuremberg- Strasbourg-Paris. I have just booked our night sleeper reservations from Vienna to Brasov in Transylvania, and from Bucharest to Budapest. They came as old style paper tickets. I hope it'll be fun! I'm looking forward to Berlin a lot, and am hoping to book a wolf or bear watching expedition in Transylvania.

We're doing a train trip as well! Amsterdam, night train to Munich, Salzburg, Zillertal and then Lake Garda for a week of relaxation. It was cheaper for us to buy all the tickets separately rather than use interrail. Going in 5 weeks (Irish school holidays) so can't wait!

We’re going to Turkey for a week on 26th July. There’s 7 of us going - ms, dh, ds, his partner and our 3 DD’s.

its the last holiday with us all together, ds23 (turns 24 the day before we go) moved out a few years ago, dd20 moved 2 hours away with friends in March and dd17 is off to uni miles away in September so we’ll just have our youngest living at home later this year. She’ll be 11 by then and starting secondary school and it’ll be so weird to just have one dc in the house!

We just wanted one more holiday with all of us so me and dh have paid for it and it will 100% be worth it and we all can’t wait! Luckily all the dc get on very well so it’ll be such a good week and I am so looking forward to it.

We are also getting the train! NW England to London to Lille. Then car hire and an apartment by the beach down a little alley next to a bakery (already teaching the DCs to ask for quatre pains au chocolat).
Then 3 days at Disney and train home!

We never do packages/AI. I can't believe the prices some people pay for holidays!

Week on the coast in July

2 nights camping trip beginning august

1 week in France euro camp end of August

Day trips to York, Cambridge and Gloucester.

All you creative, inspiring people! What fantastic adventures you will all have! Loving all the train journeys.

So far we've only booked a holiday in Devon which is our regular summer thing, but I'd like some holiday inspo so will be reading for ideas.

We’re doing our “big holiday” now ie on Saturday. Going to Cape Town as DC have two weeks this half term (one week at Easter) so we aren’t away at all over the summer.

The only thing we’ve definitely got planned is to see the Titanic exhibition in Manchester as my boys are obsessed with the Titanic (a very distant relative was a fairly well known person who went down with the ship).

Hi we stay on Hvar every year and always stay in the same place. We also go do Dubrovnik and stay in a fab Airbnb apartment. Do you know where you are planning to go?

We are off on an expedition ship to the Arctic. 10 days around Svalbard. Hoping to see polar bears and lots of wildlife and bergs! Really excited.

In June DH and I are going on the train to France - southern French alps - for a few days. Eurostar and overnight couchettes both ways for just over £300.

Later on we are going to Turkey with the kids.