Long weekend in the sun in Europe (May/June) - ideas please!
Mar 28, 2014, 4:20 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: West Sussex
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 898
NCE: Plenty of flights, plenty of good food, plenty of sunshine and beaches, and plenty of culture. Not chavvy and you have a broad choice of where to stay depending on how your final budget and mood feels like from secluded seaside hotels to more urban ones or small retreats on the hills overlooking the sea.
Other possibilities apart from those mentioned above could include AGP, CTA, or the new Greek island links
Other possibilities apart from those mentioned above could include AGP, CTA, or the new Greek island links
However, I would also say that Cannes is a great place to visit. It has far nicer beaches than Nice and is only a 30 mins train ride up the road.
Mar 28, 2014, 4:34 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Hampshire/Phoenix
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 346
Lisbon, we stayed at the Corinthia Hotel, near the metro which was very efficient as were the trams which took you up the little alleys to some wonderful sites and buildings. You will have culture, beaches and you can explore places like Sintra, a world heritage site with fairytale palaces, museums, retaurants and cafes, we went on the train and it was about 30 minutes. A great place for a short break.
Mar 28, 2014, 5:45 am
#20
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: M&M FTL; BAEC Bronze
Posts: 1,043
I would not be convinced about Malta.
It is a giant rock and beaches with nice sand are rare and packed full of people, and it can be a bit chavy in the wrong areas at night.
Also food prices are high (everything has to be imported) and I have found the quality that good.
But I would definatley go for Portugal. Porto and Lisbon are great, although obvisouly Porto is not so good for the beach.
It is a giant rock and beaches with nice sand are rare and packed full of people, and it can be a bit chavy in the wrong areas at night.
Also food prices are high (everything has to be imported) and I have found the quality that good.
But I would definatley go for Portugal. Porto and Lisbon are great, although obvisouly Porto is not so good for the beach.
Mar 28, 2014, 6:46 am
#21
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
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Posts: 8,489
Barcelona is worth a thought - warm, nice beach and harbour, good museums, wonderful architecture, reasonably cheap hotels, good food, cheap beer and wine in the right places and a excellent public transport network.
We stayed in the Holiday Inn Express in the City 22 district, on marathon weekend, for under 80 Euros a night - really very impressed, a step up from most HIX's and extremely helpful staff. IHG hotels in the centre were about 50% more - didn't consider it worth it considering the tube station was 3 minutes walk, the entertainment district about the same the other way, and the beach about 10 minutes.
Better than even chance of a reasonable POUG offer as well (£59 IIRC a couple of weeks ago).
We stayed in the Holiday Inn Express in the City 22 district, on marathon weekend, for under 80 Euros a night - really very impressed, a step up from most HIX's and extremely helpful staff. IHG hotels in the centre were about 50% more - didn't consider it worth it considering the tube station was 3 minutes walk, the entertainment district about the same the other way, and the beach about 10 minutes.
Better than even chance of a reasonable POUG offer as well (£59 IIRC a couple of weeks ago).
Mar 28, 2014, 6:54 am
#22
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Glossop
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 344
Destinations are quite limited if you live outside of London now that the LGW domestic routes have been stopped.
We're planning a long weekend to Jordan, a couple of days at one of the dead sea hotels a short drive from Amman then a day in Petra.
Might be a bit too warm in June though - we're looking at the beginning of May.
There's an overnight flight to Amman from LHR that arrives 05:00. Travelling in CW should be ok we're hoping.
We're planning a long weekend to Jordan, a couple of days at one of the dead sea hotels a short drive from Amman then a day in Petra.
Might be a bit too warm in June though - we're looking at the beginning of May.
There's an overnight flight to Amman from LHR that arrives 05:00. Travelling in CW should be ok we're hoping.
Mar 28, 2014, 6:55 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 533
+1 for Lisbon. Were off in June. We stayed central just off Av de Liberade last time but this time as its the start of a trip to the algarve we are staying at the Altis Belem here so we can be near to the delicious belem tarts!
Mar 28, 2014, 7:10 am
#24
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 33
Barcelona - you could do a night or two there and a night or two elsewhere. One September I did that, we did the cultural bit and then went to the coast and stayed at Le Meridien Ra near El Vendrell. Beautiful hotel in a stylish building, right on the beach, with a really nice thalasso pool. Totally chilled out, no chavs, mostly adults (French, German) and a small number of well behaved children. Really good staff. Not much local but the hotel was more than enough for a few days and I came back really relaxed. Also lots of potential Avios redemptions in that part of the world, either into BCN or MAD and take the Ave train or IB "air bridge" to BCN.
Mar 29, 2014, 5:36 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
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- not looking forward to BA153's new schedule starting tonight!That's not to say I was a very responsible drinker on that flight...
Mar 30, 2014, 3:26 am
#27
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,641
I would not be convinced about Malta.
It is a giant rock and beaches with nice sand are rare and packed full of people, and it can be a bit chavy in the wrong areas at night.
Also food prices are high (everything has to be imported) and I have found the quality that good.
But I would definatley go for Portugal. Porto and Lisbon are great, although obvisouly Porto is not so good for the beach.
It is a giant rock and beaches with nice sand are rare and packed full of people, and it can be a bit chavy in the wrong areas at night.
Also food prices are high (everything has to be imported) and I have found the quality that good.
But I would definatley go for Portugal. Porto and Lisbon are great, although obvisouly Porto is not so good for the beach.
The Hypogeum is particularly fascinating:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypogeu...%A6al-Saflieni
Mar 30, 2014, 7:50 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,611
I would not be convinced about Malta.
It is a giant rock and beaches with nice sand are rare and packed full of people, and it can be a bit chavy in the wrong areas at night.
Also food prices are high (everything has to be imported) and I have found the quality that good.
But I would definatley go for Portugal. Porto and Lisbon are great, although obvisouly Porto is not so good for the beach.
It is a giant rock and beaches with nice sand are rare and packed full of people, and it can be a bit chavy in the wrong areas at night.
Also food prices are high (everything has to be imported) and I have found the quality that good.
But I would definatley go for Portugal. Porto and Lisbon are great, although obvisouly Porto is not so good for the beach.
Mar 30, 2014, 8:49 am
#29
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London-etc
Posts: 3,893
Dec 21, 2017, 3:33 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Serbia
Posts: 11
+1 for Menorca ^^
Beautiful island with over 100 unspoilt beaches, mostly deserted in May / June. Some interesting hotel and dining options have opened up in the last year or so. These would be my top picks:
Ca Na Xini
Torralbenc
La Quinta Hotel and Spa (adults only)
Beautiful island with over 100 unspoilt beaches, mostly deserted in May / June. Some interesting hotel and dining options have opened up in the last year or so. These would be my top picks:
Ca Na Xini
Torralbenc
La Quinta Hotel and Spa (adults only)