Indulge me. Show me wonderful places I can take my family next summer (2010)

[FigmentOfYourImagination]

We are not having a holiday this year. We are having one next year. I want it to be fabulous.

There will be 6 of us...

Me & DH
DS1 (then 18 and his gf then 18)
DS2 (then 16)
DD (then 7/8)

We want.....

a house/villa rental.

Own private pool.

In an area with plenty to do and essentially excellent food.

I'm thinking Europe (just from a flight duration point of view).

Must be hot

Not bothered about beaches (DH hates them)

We will hire a car so doesn't have to be mega central but it would be nice if DH (I hate driving abroad) didn't have to drive every night so he could have a drink (so ideally a not too expensive taxi ride into the heart of things).

Ideally no further than an hour from airport.

Budget around £3.5 - £4k (£4k including 5x flights please! DS1's gf will pay for her own flight)

We've just come back from a week in New York, was amazing. Flights were approx £280/adult slightly less for children. We hired this house in Broad channel which was a 20 taxi from JFK airport and a 45 min metro ride into manhattan. No need for car hire.

Worked out cheaper for the 7 of us to do New York than Europe esp with the strength of the Euro.

should say 20 min taxi ride which cost between $35-50, not quite sure why the difference but hey only made the journey twice!

New York has no much to do.

We didn't get to the beach but the house is about 15 mins away from Rockaway beach, the famous surfing beach.

I'd love to do NY, but it doesn't strike me as a summer holiday type place. More of a city break with DH type place.

House looks great but waterfront looks a bit bleak. Is it just a dodgy/cloudy day picture ?

Simpson Travel www.simpsontravel.com has some lovely villas

www.coastline.co.uk/villas_1.aspx?id=1:31334&doc=1:28831

This is nice.

That is stonking !

airport is 2.5hrs away though

Just noticed that! Lots of other lovely ones though.

What are the areas around Rome like ?

Although DH was muttering about the Amalfi Coast

I have been to Positano but years ago as a child on a family holiday so can't remember much about it.

The Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast

Go there - it is the most wonderful place on earth. I love it - can't recommend it highly enough.Here

Positano is a bit touristy and overpriced - try Amalfi itself or Atrani, just next door. Ravello is gorgeous, but not right on the coast.

Sorrento et al look dreamy

Iffy decor but the views are breathtaking

similar to Amalfi coast - what about Sicily? Taormina is just stunning and food fabulous!! Or Corsica? Food great (but not as great as italy...) and areas around Bonifacio lovely.....Calvi big sandy beaches...Or area around the two lakes just North of Rome (think it's Lago Bracciano and Lago di Bolsena)....or how about Liguria/N. italian coast? Santa Margherita and Portofino are just stunning.....

my sister and i holidayed in Italy about 15 years ago, we stayed in a wee village called Massa Lubrense, which is 10K from Sorrento.
the Amalfi coastline is fabulous, great restuarants particularly in Sorrento, fabulous ridiculously friendly people and lots to see and do, Naples, Capri, Pompeii

I am deffo warming to amalfi coast but the prices for villas are rather terrifying !

And the price of a cup of coffee!

we also stayed in Tuscany which is very nice too, James Villas have quite a few there at reasonable prices