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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:
Noshadelamp · 20/07/2025 16:05

The Balkans, amazing architecture, not too hot or busy in September, eg Ohrid, North Macedonia or Kotor, Montenegro.

Also Salzburg Austria, looks amazing with the architecture and galleries etc as well as amazing walks.

Or even Munich, could take a day trip to Salzburg.

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:06

FrodoBiggins · 20/07/2025 14:40

Bruges?

We have been to Bruges and loved it. Good suggestion. Just looking for somewhere new.

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 20/07/2025 16:07

Why on earth is he allowed to be the holiday dictator?

I’d suggest Estonia.

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:09

Noshadelamp · 20/07/2025 16:05

The Balkans, amazing architecture, not too hot or busy in September, eg Ohrid, North Macedonia or Kotor, Montenegro.

Also Salzburg Austria, looks amazing with the architecture and galleries etc as well as amazing walks.

Or even Munich, could take a day trip to Salzburg.

We looked at Montenegro - but most flights are from his vetoed airports Grin (To be fair - we live half way between Gatwick and Heathrow whereas the others are a schlep.)

Looking at Austria now and it is really promising. Lovely hikes from Salzburg and Vienna, pretty palaces, concerts, vineyards, galleries with art I actually want to see. This could work.

OP posts:
Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:11

BitOutOfPractice · 20/07/2025 16:07

Why on earth is he allowed to be the holiday dictator?

I’d suggest Estonia.

He's autistic. He just can't do certain things. Especially anything connected to water.

I do get frustrated. So many places are ruled out because half the best fun things to do involve boat trips or hikes with some dizzying moments. But when we find things we both love, we have an amazing time.

OP posts:
Hiptothisjive · 20/07/2025 16:12

FrodoBiggins · 20/07/2025 14:41

(But don't go up the tower)

Really? Not for a week. Though t was really overrated and much prefer so many other European cities.

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:12

Justmuddlingalong · 20/07/2025 14:38

Separate holidays.

So helpful. I do have holidays separate from him. I'm asking for suggestions of places I can go with him.

OP posts:
Hiptothisjive · 20/07/2025 16:14

Noshadelamp · 20/07/2025 16:05

The Balkans, amazing architecture, not too hot or busy in September, eg Ohrid, North Macedonia or Kotor, Montenegro.

Also Salzburg Austria, looks amazing with the architecture and galleries etc as well as amazing walks.

Or even Munich, could take a day trip to Salzburg.

Munich is a lovely city and close to mountains so could be a good base.

What about somewhere like Egypt? It’s not ridiculously hot that time of year and Luxor for example is amazing.

I honestly don’t know why people keep suggesting Bruges.

Utrecht is nice. The Swiss alps. Or Annecy in France and then the Alps.

AvidJadeShaker · 20/07/2025 16:15

FrodoBiggins · 20/07/2025 14:41

(But don't go up the tower)

Or on a boat trip.

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:16

Chazbots · 20/07/2025 14:42

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

It really isn't a big drama. There are loads of places I can go on my own. But I want to go abroad with him and he wants to go with me. The world is wide. There are places that work for us both if we hunt for them which is why I asked on here. Some posters have made brilliant suggestions. Right now we are both very happily looking at going to Austria - vineyards of sparkling green wine, hikes in the Alps, concerts in palaces, beautiful art, castles, cakes.

OP posts:
Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:17

Hiptothisjive · 20/07/2025 16:14

Munich is a lovely city and close to mountains so could be a good base.

What about somewhere like Egypt? It’s not ridiculously hot that time of year and Luxor for example is amazing.

I honestly don’t know why people keep suggesting Bruges.

Utrecht is nice. The Swiss alps. Or Annecy in France and then the Alps.

Egypt is on the list, definitely. Bit too hot for him at that time of year but we will be going at some point. It's a perfect suggestion. Thank you.

I'd love to go to Munich too. But right now, he's homed in on Vienna and Saltzburg and I've wanted to go to both of them for ages, so am very happy to look into them.

OP posts:
Summercocktailsgalore · 20/07/2025 16:17

Areas around Prague or Bratislava. Can hike in the Tatra mountains.

AvidJadeShaker · 20/07/2025 16:17

Tuscany.

KnickerlessParsons · 20/07/2025 16:18

Nice.

sonjadog · 20/07/2025 16:18

Oslo. Direct flight from Gatwick. In September it is often warm but not hot. You can walk or get the bus to museums and sights. Nothing watery or high. No need to take a boat if you don’t want to. If you want a day hiking, there are trails throughout the woods behind the city. If you want to see more of the country, you can do a day trip by train to the fjords.

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:19

Hiptothisjive · 20/07/2025 16:12

Really? Not for a week. Though t was really overrated and much prefer so many other European cities.

I loved it, but we went for the weekend and felt we'd seen and done everything by the time we left.

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gogomomo · 20/07/2025 16:24

I know he doesn’t like boat trips but I still would consider a cruise, they are so stable, just a floating hotel. Every day you are docked somewhere different to explore, so another museum and cathedral to explore, also lovely markets, interesting scenery etc. specifically if looking at either straight out of Southampton down to northern Spain and back or flying to Spain then cruising along the med for a week, ports I particularly enjoyed included Toulon, Palma, Sardinia (can’t remember port name) liverno for Pisa and some other Spanish ports too. I don’t do the cruise trips, public transport is good. Put in your dates and just see if anything appeals

PinkTonic · 20/07/2025 16:24

SiobahnRoy · 20/07/2025 15:29

Granada
Malaga
Cordoba
Or all 3

Was just going to say the same. We added Seville to our trip and I booked a hotel with a pool there as I did want a bit of a flop included.

3luckystars · 20/07/2025 16:26

Go back to the same place again if you had a good time.

AvidJadeShaker · 20/07/2025 16:28

gogomomo · 20/07/2025 16:24

I know he doesn’t like boat trips but I still would consider a cruise, they are so stable, just a floating hotel. Every day you are docked somewhere different to explore, so another museum and cathedral to explore, also lovely markets, interesting scenery etc. specifically if looking at either straight out of Southampton down to northern Spain and back or flying to Spain then cruising along the med for a week, ports I particularly enjoyed included Toulon, Palma, Sardinia (can’t remember port name) liverno for Pisa and some other Spanish ports too. I don’t do the cruise trips, public transport is good. Put in your dates and just see if anything appeals

I thought a river cruise would work if he wasn’t anti boats, then they could do a couple of separate excursions. My DH do a few together and a few on our own, he likes to cycle, I like going to the local market and doing a cookery class and so
on.

MrsTerryPratchett · 20/07/2025 16:29

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 20/07/2025 15:33

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

This, but you give him your massive list of things.

littleredridinghelmet · 20/07/2025 16:32

Bordeaux. Ticks all boxes. Gatwick.

ginasevern · 20/07/2025 16:33

He sounds incredibly boring. Most people like a mix of activities on holiday. I absolutely love art, history, culture etc but I also like swimming in the sea and drinking cocktails. I'd get a divorce.

Ihatewinding · 20/07/2025 16:41

I agree with Vienna.

We've been that time of year to Lisbon and it was lovely, plenty of churches and pastel de nata. There's Belem for a monastery and different pastel de nata. Cobbled streets. Can avoid the bridge.
There's also Sintra for a day trip and you can hike. You might want to avoid the tours that take you to the cliff side of Cabo da Roca though! Or he can stay in the tour bus/van as they tend to stop off by the most western point of Europe and you can look over the Atlantic.

Hols23 · 20/07/2025 16:45

Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. Hike part of the Camino while you're there.

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