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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:
Hols23 · 20/07/2025 16:46

littleredridinghelmet · 20/07/2025 16:32

Bordeaux. Ticks all boxes. Gatwick.

Except one of the boxes is "not France" 😁

Skissors · 20/07/2025 17:11

Carcassonne and the Pyrenees
Macedonia
Tromso

reluctantbrit · 20/07/2025 17:30

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

If he is autistic then it’s not just about not liking boats or water, it will be impossible to even board one.

Hiptothisjive · 20/07/2025 18:05

What about Iceland? Amazing scenery, things to go, temp is good and easy to get around.

Or Azores. Surprisingly beautiful and lots of places to hike to and see.

Decorhate · 20/07/2025 18:21

How can he say he doesn't want a city break but wants a museum/gallery big enough to spend hours in?

BitOutOfPractice · 20/07/2025 18:29

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:11

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.

Yes but there’s plenty of stuff he can do that you would also enjoy

IMissSparkling · 20/07/2025 18:38

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 16:11

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.

Of course he could do them. He might not love every second of it but he could. He just won't which is a different thing.

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 18:45

BitOutOfPractice · 20/07/2025 18:29

Yes but there’s plenty of stuff he can do that you would also enjoy

Exactly.

OP posts:
Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 18:45

reluctantbrit · 20/07/2025 17:30

If he is autistic then it’s not just about not liking boats or water, it will be impossible to even board one.

Yes. not an option.

OP posts:
Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 18:46

Hiptothisjive · 20/07/2025 18:05

What about Iceland? Amazing scenery, things to go, temp is good and easy to get around.

Or Azores. Surprisingly beautiful and lots of places to hike to and see.

We've been to Iceland and loved it.

I'll look at the Azores, I know nothing about it at all. Thanks for the suggestion.

OP posts:
Sinkingfeeling952 · 20/07/2025 18:47

I was going to suggest Slovenia until I saw that you’d been - it’s the perfect place. Slightly off piste but Latvia also has a lovely national park around the town of Cesis which has castles and hikes etc. Riga is nice for a day or two and if you do a driving holiday, it’s easy to also see Vilnius in Lithuania which is an amazing city, the Trakai castle and Estonia for Tallin and some amazing national parks

Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 18:48

Hols23 · 20/07/2025 16:46

Except one of the boxes is "not France" 😁

Yeah, though that is my box - me being fussy. I love France. And Italy. But I have just been there so many times. Lived there (not in Bordeaux). I just want a bit of an adventure - somewhere I've never been. New culture, food etc.

OP posts:
Cinaferna · 20/07/2025 18:48

Sinkingfeeling952 · 20/07/2025 18:47

I was going to suggest Slovenia until I saw that you’d been - it’s the perfect place. Slightly off piste but Latvia also has a lovely national park around the town of Cesis which has castles and hikes etc. Riga is nice for a day or two and if you do a driving holiday, it’s easy to also see Vilnius in Lithuania which is an amazing city, the Trakai castle and Estonia for Tallin and some amazing national parks

Slovenia was literally the perfect place. One of the best holidays we ever had. I'll look at Latvia. Thank you. Though I forgot to add - another rule is that he doesn't want us to hire a car. This is a new one. We used to but suddenly this is something he refuses to do. We never had a bad experience with car hire so I am a bit baffled, but it's fine. There are lots of places that don't need a car.

OP posts:
Eyesopenwideawake · 20/07/2025 18:49

Coimbra – roughly between Porto and Lisbon; easy to reach by train from either airport. Small city housing one of the oldest universities in Europe. Lots to see in and around the city or hire a car and explore the area.

SwedishEdith · 20/07/2025 18:50

What suggestions has he come up with?

RampantIvy · 20/07/2025 18:50

Croatia - Split and/or Dubrovnik
Lisbon
Rome

Better still ask him to do some research as well.

pineisland · 20/07/2025 19:00

Why does he have to take a flight? I’d recommend interrailing round Austria. You can probably get there in a day from London or maybe stop for a night or two in Switzerland en route. Once in Austria you could visit Vienna and Salzburg and then some of the lakes and mountains.

tobee · 20/07/2025 19:03

Ds has been to the Azores and also the Dolomites for work this year and loved them both. There is water around (the Azores is an island of course and the Dolomites have lakes) but Ds didn't go on or in the water. Flights go from Heathrow or Gatwick. Not sure about art galleries but great hiking etc.

Jigglemytibia · 20/07/2025 19:09

Colmar in Alsace is lovely - walks in the vineyards, some art galleries, great food ( French with German influences), lovely architecture, castles to explore, charming villages. Easy to visit Freiburg and Strasbourg too.

tarheelbaby · 20/07/2025 19:11

Big vote for Vienna-Salzburg - We did this in October half-term in 2021 but without any hiking; you could easily add that, especially around Salzburg. The week we were there, especially in Salzburg it was beautiful blue skies and crisp autumn air plus changing leaves. We flew in and out of Vienna with a train trip to Salzburg - lots of scenery. Flights between the 2 cities take just as long as the train and are a pointless faff with no scenery. Our trip was about Lipizzaners and Sound of Music with bonus Mozart but we did plenty of other things too.

Barcelona? - not sure about temperature in Sept. or hiking options but otherwise good - small city centre, plenty of accomodation in centre, lots of museums/culture/churches - quick train rides to countryside; we visited Freixenet winery (a pilgrimage for me!) so maybe that's a way to hiking? Picasso museum and as many Gaudi sites as you like (sort of like museums...) plus La Sagrada Familia - spire trip not mandatory, plenty to admire on ground floor. All around it's a beautiful, comfortable city.

We did not hire a car for either of those.

Bordeaux - but appreciate that it's in France so ...

Yellowtrouser · 20/07/2025 19:14

Malta?

Radiatorvalves · 20/07/2025 19:15

Ravenna?

BitOutOfPractice · 20/07/2025 19:15

I suggested Estonia. Have you looked at that. History, landscape, coastline. We loved it and it’s so so quiet. We will be going back.

Titasaducksarse · 20/07/2025 19:19

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.

Agreed. We had a lovely week in March staying in a few different places...Pisa, Vinci, chianti area, Siena.

Titsywoo · 20/07/2025 19:21

Do the things he is saying no to make him very anxious? I have plenty of autistic members of my immediate family and we plan around dislikes to some extent but they are aware they need to compromise to some extent too as they aren't the only people on the holiday!

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