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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Any suggestions for a relaxing one week European break for very fussy DH?

111 replies

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 14:35

DH and I want to go away for the week in September. But he has a massive list of what he doesn't want and won't or can't do, many of which are things I can and love doing.

We're looking for a week somewhere warm but not too hot (he doesn't do hot.)
Has to fly from Heathrow or Gatwick. He won't fly from anywhere else.
Needs to have loads of cultural interest but not be a big city. He doesn;t want a city break.

He hates water so nowhere focused on boat trips to islands or kayaking. No swimming.

He gets vertigo easily so no cable cars or suspension bridges or tall towers to climb.

His idea of fun is to spend three days in an art gallery or looking at churches. I can do that for a couple of hours but then get backache and bored.

We both like hiking into the hills or canyons, exploring old castles, some art and architecture, markets.

We had an absolutely dream holiday in Slovenia. It was perfect - walking around the lakes, castles, gorges near Bled and Bohinj; markets in Ljubljana.

I have reached an age where I'm stubborn too now and won't pretend that hours and hours in painted churches is my idea of a break. I also really don;t want to go back to Italy and France - gorgeous as they are I have lived in both countries and really want to explore somewhere new.

OP posts:
Justmuddlingalong · 20/07/2025 14:38

Separate holidays.

FrodoBiggins · 20/07/2025 14:40

Bruges?

FrodoBiggins · 20/07/2025 14:41

FrodoBiggins · 20/07/2025 14:40

Bruges?

(But don't go up the tower)

JWR · 20/07/2025 14:41

Bosnia? Basque Country? Montenegro?

DPotter · 20/07/2025 14:42

As so usual the case - first post nails it.

Chazbots · 20/07/2025 14:42

Go on your own en, life is too short for that amount of drama.

Malvala · 20/07/2025 14:44

Switzerland

LindorDoubleChoc · 20/07/2025 14:51

Southern Germany - Black Forest country near the Austrian border. You could go to Munich for a couple of days and then spend the rest of the time in the stunning countryside of the Bavarian Alps. We went in 2016 and it really was one of our best holidays ever.

SummerCanDoOne · 20/07/2025 14:52

I've only been in winter but Vienna is absolutely beautiful.

Tryingnottobeamouse · 20/07/2025 14:54

What about Estonia? Had one of our best holidays there. Tallinn is absolutely fascinating culturally with beautiful buildings, history, art. Its a small city with easy access into nature and hiking areas. The country is quite flat so no cable cars etc needed for good hiking and exploring, gorgeous forests (we went in February and it was a winter wonderland!). Incredible food, very friendly people.

Switzerland? But staying in the foothills and lakes rather than up the cable cars and mountains.

Octavia64 · 20/07/2025 14:55

Not Europe but Morocco is good?

PhilippaGeorgiou · 20/07/2025 14:59

It's a city, but it so doesn't feel like it. Sofia in Bulgaria.

There are a whole selction of places for day trips - Rila, Plovdiv and the Rose Valley would all be on my list. More culture than you can shake a stick at and you can combine loads of it with hikes / walks etc. There's also a fantastic thermal spa near Rila for the backache!

Utahthecat · 20/07/2025 15:13

Geneva or Lausanne

musicmum75 · 20/07/2025 15:16

Madrid. Not much in the way of water and heights but endless art galleries!

BellissimoGecko · 20/07/2025 15:25

He’s being an idiot. If you go somewhere with a tall tower, that doesn’t mean he actually has to go up it.

Him being so fussy would really piss me off. Why can’t he look for holidays too?

otherwise, go on separate holidays.

12BottlesOfVintageChampagne · 20/07/2025 15:28

Vienna! Super easy to travel to (20 minutes on the train from the airport). Architecture - wonderful; museums and churches - many; food - terrific; access to surrounding countryside- easy.

SiobahnRoy · 20/07/2025 15:29

Granada
Malaga
Cordoba
Or all 3

BCBird · 20/07/2025 15:30

I stopped reading. He has a wish list or not wish list then get him.to organise. Simple

LegleEagle · 20/07/2025 15:32

Black Forest in Germany. Gorgeous.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 20/07/2025 15:33

(A) separate holidays
or
(B) he gets off his lazy arse and organises it

Twelftytwo · 20/07/2025 15:37

If he's so particular, what is he doing to research and suggest something? He sounds like a total fun sponge!

ThisCatCanHop · 20/07/2025 15:40

Romania. Head out into Transylvania. There’s some lovely, fascinating places to see. Churches (painted churches of Bucovina), mountains. You might need to hire a car for villages.

CoffeeBeansGalore · 20/07/2025 15:43

Tuscany in Italy. Siena is beautiful. Loads to see. You can also get a train to Florence for the day.

Davros · 20/07/2025 15:54

Salzburgerhof in Zell am See. Outstanding hotel, gorgeous food, lovely grounds and right in the town although very private. Trains easily available to Kitzbuhel, Salzburg and lots of outings up the mountains, swim in the lake, hang gliding etc etc

FlipFlopShopInHawaii · 20/07/2025 16:02

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 20/07/2025 15:33

(A) separate holidays
or
(B) he gets off his lazy arse and organises it

Exactly 💯

Recently went to Malaga, a lot fits your bill I think - if you don't go in summer. We went in February and loved it.

But also, what about YOUR wishlist and what YOU want to do.