Maybe planning a May long weekend today would make January seem to slip away!

[teafortwo]

But where should we go???

Basic infomation:

• 3 yr old
• Me
• DH
• The World...

Where have you been that made you go "Wow!" and made you feel more human, wiser, happier and more in love with life than before? Because that is the kind of place I need to go....

... with my two lovelies too (realised the op read as a bit me me me - and this wkd break is going to be definately about us us us!!!!)

Ideas so far... Budapest, Vienna, Istanbul, Serville or St Petersburg....

What do you think????

Any comments or ideas????

Bamburgh (the beech and castle - you could have a really nice we here - very 'different' from the cities that you've listed so far!)

Mmm... interesting! Goes away to google...

Thanks mt!

Would be lovely in May (although still cold) - Holy Island within easy reach. Take sun block and fleeces (will need both if the weather is good). Wonderful, almost deserted, wide, sandy, beautiful beach running towards the village and castle.

Alternatively, if you're thinking of flying anyway, how about Orkney. Similarly wonderful beaches, great skys, few people.

Barcelona
Florence (should be lovely in May if it doesn't rain!)

Geneva. Bilbao. Dublin.

Can thoroughly recommend Prague and Budapest (and Vienna too, but even before the pound collapsed against the euro it was horrendously expensive).

Anywhere in Italy - Siena and Lucca are both lovely. Rome too if you don't mind crowds.

I want to go to this exhibition.

I would too. I went to Prague soon after it was opened up (McD's were just opening their first restaurant) - it was amazing - although at that stage there had been very little investment in lots of the buildings - there were some wonderful Art Nouveau inspired buildings, I hope that they have survived.

The glass was fantastic value - I thought the prices seemed good for a glass, then found out they were for a set of 6...

Barcelona v busy and expensive, but loads to see. Depends how much you like LOADS of people including Friday-night hen parties.

The Racing household loved Tarragona, but have only ever done Easter and Christmas there, so don't know if it is very crowded in May. Markets, lots of Roman ruins, lots of bars and cafes with tables outside in little squares, lots of cats to run after at night (a high point for WS), beaches, a harbour ...

Hello T42

Another vote for Prague here - I love it ...

Or Paris is nice in May

Or how about coming to the UK ?? We've not long come back from a gorgeous place in Devon....floor to ceiling windows overlooking the sea. Bliss

Mistlethrush - We must have been in Prague at the same time. Are you my husband? Did you come on my honeymoon?

I'd forgotten about Tarragona. It's lovely too.

Antwerp

wow wow wow - thank you!!!!!

I have been at work all day and into the night and have come back to these wonderful ideas....

I will be busy googling all your ideas until the early hours.

Thank you tea room ladies

Tillyscoutmum - so lovely to see you - you must pop into the teashop you would love it there!

Wonders is bonsoiranna a relation of anna8888??? Or no? I get confused with all this namechanging stuff!

Hello Rindercella - I don't think we know one and other - thanks for your ideas - do keep them coming!!!

Don't remember much about Seville, although I've been through there a couple of times, but I have spent a few months in Cordoba. Lots to see again. Very Andalucian - white walls, little courtyards, old palaces/cathedrals, great food, wine ...

I think you need to be a bit more specific about what you want - sea, sun, playgrounds, architecture, nightlife, countryside?

Hey TeaforTwo, nice to meet you! I have been on here for about a year now, but name changed a few months ago. Obviously not as prolific a poster as I thought I was!! Florence is so beautiful, but it really depends on what sort of things you & your family want to do. There are also some lovely towns close by - such as Sienna & Lucca as suggested Bocca (but...judging by her name, she is far more familiar with Italy than I am!!). Have a great time wherever you decide.

So to give you an idea - we have had mini breaks to North Norfolk, Barcelona, two days in Prague followed by two in Cesky Raj www.perlea.cz/obr/cesky_raj_detail.jpgand recently Sidi Bou Said, Tunisblogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/rlewis/2004/10/19/05_sidi_bou_said.jpg. out of season (in season it is supposed to be messy!) We loved them all passionately.

We want somewhere that whacks you in the heart and head - the specifics aren't important. Somewhere really different from home, so maybe not Paris TSM , real - i.e very human or natural but somehow remarkable and special... does that help rc???

I LUUUURVE the idea of Florence - but am scared of the sea of people my friend said she was drowned by when she went- what time of yr did you visit Rindercella?

Rindercella - I'm quite shy - I tend to post in certain little coves of mn - if I have never spoken to you before it is my fault - I have however seen your name whilst lurking quite a lot!!!

I will try that link again... blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/rlewis/2004/10/19/05_sidi_bou_said.jpg

I lived in Florence for about a year, but that was many years ago! I would never ever go there August (all the Italians head out of the city, most shops are closed, it is far too hot, and the place is chocker with tourists). BUT... in May it should be lovely there. Busy, but not too busy. I also lived in a town called Cortona for about a year, about an hour & a half away from Florence. Very old, Etruscan hilltop town. Good for a day trip if you are in Tuscany.

Ohh, you could stay near Cortona & then do day trips from there. Fly to Pisa, hire car. Drive to Cortona (about 2 hours or so iirc). Then you can go to Florence for the day (by train, wouldn't advise driving there), San Gimignano, Sienna, Assisi, etc.! Plenty to see, all within an hour or so of Cortona.

z.about.com/d/goitaly/1/0/t/-/-/-/lucca_guinigi_tower_6.jpg

Lucca looks pretty too...

The kind of place to go with the flow...

What about Istanbul??? DH is asking!

Lucca is gorgeous and Siena lovely too.

If you fancy somewhere bit quieter, have you been to Bergamo? Is not far from milan and reckon you could do a daytrip to Florence from there if you wanted to? The Citta Alta is gorgeous - old part of town up on high hill, overlooking the new town (which is also nice but not as special iyswim). You can fly to the airport (Milan Bergamo) and just get a cab from there - 20 mins max as I remember) and there is also a bus.

Link to article about lovely Bergamo!

Italy looks lovely but looks like it needs more time - it would be wonderful to travel around a bit rather than flying in and then out in four days... starts planning quite a different holiday that lasts over a month!!! (Keeps a few places in mind though! )