Help me find a holiday?

Morning. Time for me and my other half to look into holidays.

Righty, im not normal, we don't do beach holidays. We don't like sitting around all day, but do want a couple of days to chill out. Last time we drove about 2300 miles in 2 weeks accross the west side of the US. I like to be in control of what I do. We like looking at historic places, forts, ruins, but also scenic stuff.

We wanted to go back to the US and go to Florida, but its a ?1500 holiday, and after moving in our first house, I simply don't have the funds.

I've been looking at trips to India, but they are all package holidays where you get moved around like cattle on a coach.

I've looked at holidays to Athens, but thats nearly as expensive as Florida.

I've looked into skiing holidays, but again, it really isn't cheap for 2 weeks.

We considered driving through france etc, down into Italy, which sounds great, but i don't look forward to the drive back home again when its finished.

Im really really REALLY fussy, and looked through so many brouchures, but its all hotels in the middle of no-where.

Can anyone recommend any things to look into? Just to open my eyes a bit. We'll know what we want to do when we see it, but its finding a decent place to go.

Ideally im after somewhere where we can relax a little, but also jump in a car/on a bike (my choice he he) and ride around and find lots of interesting places to visit and enjoy some time away. Hence why Athens was promising (Rome also is great, but i've been there and would rather just go back for a long weekend, so not really in this list). Athens was the best choice, but its just SO expensive.

Not too much help am I

Look at Tuonogrants webpage about boats around the Croatian coast. I did that on a small coaster (10 passengers) and it was fantastic. Around Dalmatian islands. Relaxing, loads of lovely towns we docked in etc, swimming in deserted coves. Soem sitting aound but while the boat puttered to the next nice place. Not a cruise though, dont panic. Fantastic.

Exodus and Explore have some interesting things as well (the boat was with one of them) and are small group trips rather than coach trips.

Other places I have particularly enjoyed have been Crete and Portugal. Both great for a fly drive tour. Ok, Crete is not big but you take your time.

The Turkish turquoise coast near Kas and Kalkan is fantastic, and lots to do as a bit of an adventure sports centre. Can hire bikes etc as well if you want to. Blue sea, castles, antiquities, great food, cheapish flights and accommodation, easy to do independent.

One of my very most favourite places is Tenerife. Fantastic scenary but you would want to like walking. Don't beleive anyone who has only stayed in the tourist bits. The rest of the island is beautiful and every landscape in a small space. I go for a week and its never enough and still havent seen all I want to see. But as I say you need to be creative, get off the beaten track and walk and stuff. In a similar vein Andalucia is lovely, but again you need to get into the hills and towards the plain. Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Antequera are all fantastic. Thats a nice fly dirve tour and cheap accommodation.

Slovenia? Walking, biking, all kinds of stuff. Again cheap flights and dirt cheap living.

USA again but hire a Harley and make out your own route over on the west coast side? You can take in places like Death Valley,Arizona quite easilly and I am sure make a great holiday.

Another fantastic option would be Northern Spain. Stunning green countryside and the glorious Picos De Europa mountains for you to ride or walk sections of. The beaches up there are the the whitest and best of Spain.HTH

Eastern Europe and the Ukraine is really awesome by train (and I don't mean the rubbish student Interrail trips). If you get yourself to Poland Warszawa/ Szczecin (Stettin)/ Krakow then you can hop onto a night sleeper once you have seen the city and bimble onto the next city or wherever you want to get off. Head towards the Ukraine (Lviv) and see Kyiv (Kiev), get on another train and head down to Odesa, which is beautiful, and make sure you also check out the peninsula at the bottom of the Ukraine - Simferopol, Yalta and Sevastopol are all pretty impressive.
You can then fly back to the UK from the Ukraine (Odesa or Kyiv).

Doing it by train is really good, no stress and they are actually really clean. The stewards make sure you are awake so that you don't miss your stop, too. Nice touch.

Generally, you just find hotels in the major cities or familty-run b&bs in the smaller places.

Not sure whether you are into that, but it's so good for getting away from English-speaking people for a bit. And contrary to popular belief, the Ukraine really isn't backward.

xx

Damio, the only tip I can give you, is to do what my brother does...

Have a basic idea of a few countries you want to go to, then turn up at the airport. "When's your next flight to....? And how much will it cost me?" Last minute flights get the best discount, as the airlines are just trying to cover any losses. There's also no payments made to line the travel agents pockets.

When you land, you sort out your accommodation and transport. Then you go where the hell you want.

I've done it a couple of times, and it's a fantastic way to have a holiday, and you really feel like you're exploring, and you're in complete control of everything. However, if there's more than you & the Mrs, it will probably be difficult to do everything last second anyway.

Originally Posted by Dr Rich

Slovenia? Walking, biking, all kinds of stuff. Again cheap flights and dirt cheap living.

I'll second that. Check out the area of the "three country triangle" - where the borders of Italy, Austria and Slovenia meet. There are awesome roads there (especailly for bikes) and the scenery is breathtaking. It's often really warm around Easter time. The area around Bovec and Zaga is lovely (small, quaint little town, a couple of phenomenal eateries). You can hire mountain bikes and there's quite a lot of sport-climbing and bouldering to be done too, in addition to great hiking trips

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

USA again but hire a Harley and make out your own route over on the west coast side? You can take in places like Death Valley,Arizona quite easilly and I am sure make a great holiday.

Another fantastic option would be Northern Spain. Stunning green countryside and the glorious Picos De Europa mountains for you to ride or walk sections of. The beaches up there are the the whitest and best of Spain.HTH

Done the west coast side, seen all that. Amazing place (just filled with idiots ).

Nahh, don't really do beaches. Im really looking for somewhere with interesting things to do. Maybe waterparks etc too, but being able to get a car or bike and head off to view things.

I.E, when I went to Corfu when i was younger, i only spent a couple of days in the location i was at, and every night to eat/sleep. Otherwise I spent the whole time on the scooter touring the island.

I found that Exodus site last night, gonna have another nose through it tonight.

I like the idea of some of the suggestions, but need to look into some of these a little more.

Keep them coming though.

Does it have to be abroad?

Yeah, need a break from this place.

[Luckypants]

Decide what you want to do and DIY. I always do. Have not 'bought' a holiday for years