Summer Holidays 2023
- Thread starter Spraggons Den
- Start date
Spraggons Den
pfm Member
Thanks for all the suggestions so far. We mulled over a couple them with our bacon sandwich at lunch time.
Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
How about Denmark?
First time we went to Spetse (1984 I think) we flew into Athens then a five hour bus journey down through the Peloponnese and across the Corinth canal to Kosta a small fishing village, then a caique (fishing boat) across to the island, took about an hour and five hours to Kostas from Athens, a long journey but worth it.
There was no airport on Spetse then that may have changed now?
Best way to get there back then was a ferry from Piraeus (5 hours) but you could get a hydrofoil too (2 and a bit hours), we did take it one year but personally I prefer the ferry.
There was no potable water on Spetse when we were there, water tankers used to come into the island regularly and were an odd site as the were very low in the water when they were full of water.
That daft movie, Glass Onion with Daniel Craig, was filmed there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spetses
Nero
Re: Tired
You could easily do the Pelopponese, and then end up crossing to Spetses and ending up in Ydra for a very slow and relaxed finish, before a dolphin to Piraeus. Done Ydra many times (Lenny Cohen recommended it in his time) and will still go back.
Alternatively, Sicily is a regular for us. Different every time, always hot. You can do Etna/Taormina or the Montalbano trail starting at Syracusa, or the other end Marsala/Isola Grande, or the middle/south Valley of the Temples/Piazza Armerina. Take your pick.
Alternatively, Sicily is a regular for us. Different every time, always hot. You can do Etna/Taormina or the Montalbano trail starting at Syracusa, or the other end Marsala/Isola Grande, or the middle/south Valley of the Temples/Piazza Armerina. Take your pick.
Hydra and Poros are really nice so too is Aegina which is the largest of the islands and the closest to Athens.
Ponty
pfm Member
Yep, that’s exactly where we go when we sail from Athens! A stay at the Bratsera would be very nice indeed.
Darth Vader
From the Dark Side
We haven't been for a while but we have been to Novo Sancti Petri twice. Its convenient for a day out to places such as Cadiz, Jerez, Saville or even Gibraltar and a boat trip to see the dolphins. If you haven't done it book the Andalusia horse show its amazing and we have been twice. And of course Sherry tasting.
Its worth a look.
DV
Its worth a look.
DV
PsB
Citizen of Nowhere™
Still a good time for Greece. Fly to Athens and rent a car, the Peloponnese is a couple of hours away with motorways. Alternatively, fly to Kalamata, and look at the West coast of Mani, or the next peninsular to the West (Pylos, Methoni, Koroni etc.)
cj66
pfm Member
Definitely second this!
We lived in southern Spain for 15 years and loved it.
Now in Thailand we're planning to do some domestic summer holidays this (Western) summer. Being a tropical country the weather can be a bit of a lottery but usually ok. The past year's weather was atrocious so we're hoping the law of averages will play in our favour.
Interested to hit the extreme East, West and North of the country again after many years and also places we've not visited together in the past.
canonman
pfm Member
We were there 2 weeks ago. Lovely area. Car hire still cheap. Unlike Scotland where BA want to charge 4 times the Spanish price for the trip next month!
Spraggons Den
pfm Member
Thank you both for the southern Spain suggestion which does seem to meet our criteria of climate, beaches and culture.
Thanks too for those advocating Greece/Greek islands but will discount on this occasion as our last hols abroad was to Rhodes.
Brown Bottle
UTB
Having just been to Lisbon, I completely agree about Porto, a wonderful City.
I like the sound of your trip GT.
Seville is lovely but I wouldn’t go in the summer, we went in January, T-Shirt warm during the day, perfect for exploring. Would like to go back and visit there again but double up with Cadiz.
I love France too but it’s an easy trip for us as we’re an hour away from the Eurostar.
Cheers BB
snowflake
Former Albino Ape
+1 for Lanzarote, been loads of times, the timsfanny (spelling) national park is worth a look, along with Manriques houses and jameos del agua (more spelling). Traffic is fairly quiet so it's ok for driving a hire car around, bizarrely though all the hire cars I have ever had seem suspiciously de-tuned and flat.
However I have took the hump, as they have said they want less Brits, clarified as fewer but if higher quality. So if you feel you meet these criteria then it's for you.
S
PS - just fact checked my own facts....it appears they don't want less Brits, they want less reliance on Brits, as we account for half the footfall. So if we fall for daily mail headlines and don't go their tourist industry is shot. So fair enough really, I'm no longer in a huff and will be booking shortly.
However I have took the hump, as they have said they want less Brits, clarified as fewer but if higher quality. So if you feel you meet these criteria then it's for you.
S
PS - just fact checked my own facts....it appears they don't want less Brits, they want less reliance on Brits, as we account for half the footfall. So if we fall for daily mail headlines and don't go their tourist industry is shot. So fair enough really, I'm no longer in a huff and will be booking shortly.
lordsummit
Moderator
Went to Sicily last summer, absolutely loved it, going back again this summer to see some more. Wasn’t ridiculously hot and we were there in August. In the shadow of Mount Etna on the east coast.
Granada is the best place in Spain, ridiculously hot but dead easy to get there and get around, fly into Malaga and spend some time there it’s a great city then get the bus up to Granada and spend at least three days there then back to Malaga or Cordoba.
The bus station in Malaga is next door to the railway station so you could get off a flight, train from the airport to Malaga train station and then the bus to Granada, last time we were there a bus ticket from Malaga to Granada was 12 euros and that included ‘breakfast’ without breakfast the price was 10 euros I think, at Granada bus station just get a taxi to the hotel taxi prices are relatively cheap.
The bus station in Malaga is next door to the railway station so you could get off a flight, train from the airport to Malaga train station and then the bus to Granada, last time we were there a bus ticket from Malaga to Granada was 12 euros and that included ‘breakfast’ without breakfast the price was 10 euros I think, at Granada bus station just get a taxi to the hotel taxi prices are relatively cheap.
My daughter honeymooned there last year her and her husband loved it, the traveled from Florence by train think they spent a couple of nights in Rome en route then the boat train to Sicily.
I’m definitely going there before I shuffle off this mortal coil.
steveinspain
pfm Member
Where abouts did you live?
I lived in Mojacar in Almeria way back in the late '70's when it was a tiny dying pueblo with a few bohemian characters and then inland in Lubrin for ten years until we moved back to the UK 12 years ago.
cj66
pfm Member
@steveinspain
We lived up in the group of villages around Competa (Tejeda mountains in Andalucia) and had a biz on the coast. Been gone over 6 years now. Lovely area and the mountain back roads over to Granada, towards Malaga or going further inland were very worthwhile day trips.
We lived up in the group of villages around Competa (Tejeda mountains in Andalucia) and had a biz on the coast. Been gone over 6 years now. Lovely area and the mountain back roads over to Granada, towards Malaga or going further inland were very worthwhile day trips.