Balancing needs - cities & countryside

[Roseyposeypie]

We want to go away somewhere in late August next year with DS16 and DD13. Problem is DS loves adventure, big cities and travel. DD likes being based in one place with a pool/sea and keeping adventures small and low key. DH and I like a bit of a balance but probably lean more towards DS’s style of holiday. None of us like temperatures over 30 degrees, we don’t want to spend crazy money (saving for Japan) and we’re as happy travelling in the UK as we are in Europe. Any ideas?

Perhaps San Sebastián in Spain. It’s got some good beaches and lots of great day trips to Bilbao, smaller coastal towns (Hondarribia, Getaria, and Zumaia), and places in France like Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz. You could actually spend a few nights in Bilbao for the Aste Nagusia festival which happens mid-late August and has free concerts, street theatre, fireworks, parades etc… From Bilbao you could also go to the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

Slovenia. Base yourselves at Lake Bled. Your daughter can chill by the lake. DS can cycle around the lake, do watersports on the lake, visit the castle and Tito's summer palaces (now a hotel and tea shop).

You can do a day trip hike around Lake Bohinj which is the colour of jewels - turquoise and jade, where there is paragliding for the really adventurous and an incredible restaurant just a short walk from the lake. You could go off for a hike in the mountains too.

There's a castle, funicular, markets and great fleamarkets, great cafes and restaurants, museums etc in Ljubljana too if you go via the city.

Copenhagen and southern Sweden split ? We lived there for 20 months - has blue sea, lots to do, gorgeous coastal run with white sand beaches, pizza shacks etc , trips over to Malmo and Lund via ‘the bridge ‘ ( car ir train) lots of canooing and lidos by the water as well as Westfield plus Tivoli and Bakken ( my favourite old school theme park set in woods) and stay at a nice hotel in Copenhagen with a pool or you can get truly amazing apartments

@Roseyposeypie 30 degrees has to be Northern Europe! Iceland might tick a few boxes. Agree with Denmark and Sweden. South Sweden is quite like East Anglia. Wild card - Families Worldwide - try Peru or South Africa. Japan won’t be staying in one place!

North Holland and Amsterdam!

Jersey.

The Alps in France/Italy/Austria/Slovenia? Lakeside beaches. Reasonable temperatures. Hiking, zip wires and rope parks, rafting, mountain biking for a bit of adventure. Can be combined with a few days in a city such as Lyon, Salzburg, Ljubljana, Bolzano.