My wife is flying out of Manchester on the 4th of August for a holiday with friends - so I decided I am going to go somewhere myself but… where and why?
I am thinking of three or four days.
https://www.skyscanner.net/transport...senabled=false
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My wife is flying out of Manchester on the 4th of August for a holiday with friends - so I decided I am going to go somewhere myself but… where and why?
I am thinking of three or four days.
https://www.skyscanner.net/transport...senabled=false
Belfast, its fantastic
Rome !
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What do you like? Motor racing, Le Mans, Monaco or Nürburgring. Like fishing go to the Scottish Rivers. Like Guinness, Dublin....
I've no idea what you're into, so can't really help you out but if I had 4 days of freedom in summer I'd go to the Alps and do some mountain biking or road cycling.
Bilbao , with maybe a day trip to San Sebastián
Short flights , a really cool city break . Good hotels at reasonable prices , ditto for high quality restaurants and a great night out for all ages .
You won’t get bored in Bilbao in three days but San Sebastián is a great foodie side trip .
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Got to agree , Titanic museum, pubs / bars, really good for a short break and a really warm reception from folk.Quote:
Originally Posted by MCFastybloke
Alicante.
Northern Spain, get a car, start in Bilbao then spend a night in Santander, Gijon, La Corruna, Santiago de Compostella and Vigo or Pontevedra. Great part of the world, food and drink are excellent and it’ll only be a three or four hour drive back to Bilbao for your flight home.
Split Croatia because its just amazing
Any of the major Polish cities, or any of the Baltic State capitals.
Munich- 90 mins by car to Eagles Nest, 90 mins to Dachau and 90 mins to a huge alpine coaster, doing this trip my self this year by train
I did a long weekend to Rio with my son back in November. Overnight each way on a non stop flight, plus 3 nights in a hotel. Four full days in total.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alansmithee
It totally worked and I’d do it again for the same length of time in a heartbeat.
Istanbul
Apart from Szczecin (3rd largest city) - slightly grimQuote:
Originally Posted by seabiscuit
Iceland
Google image search if you really need to know why
My vote too. Been twice and can’t wait to go back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Curta
Wife gone? Red light district Amsterdam ;)
I did something similar about 4 years ago when i had a few days off.
I went to Valencia(I had been before) and enjoyed it but you really want somewhere that has got activities you enjoy.
Took in a champions league game(Valencia v Ajax) and got in tow with some Dutch guys for a couple of days.
4 days is quite a long time to kill yourself and even if the place is a foodie heaven I found sitting in a restaurant eating a meal alone does take away an awful lot of the enjoyment.
Lisbon, Portugal. Good value flights outside school holidays, airport close to the city, great metro system, excellent food and culture.
August is crazy hot in southern Europe so that may be a factor.
If you can get cheap flights over to New York that's what I'd do, then book a pizza tour (not as cheesy (forgive the pun) as it sounds as it's a great way to see many districts you might otherwise not see, plus, well, pizza). Then a couple of days taking in the sights.
Closer to home, maybe a trip to Brussels and Bruges? Switzerland (this is a watch forum after all) to see the watch museums.
Someone said Bilbao earlier. That's a great shout for a really amazing foodie experience.
I'd avoid Italy as it will be a billion degrees and everywhere will be packed, ditto South of France but Paris will be emptier.
I've never been to Iceland but it's on the list for sure, what I don't know (and someone can clarify) is whether in August it would be too warm to see some of the sights in their full glory?
Or a short 3 day cruise, eating and drinking all day, nobody to nag you and a great way to meet new people.
As an alternative, if it's your sort of thing, how about a short craft course such as leatherworking or dry stone walling? Random Google result
Maybe avoid Gaza for awhile...
https://static.scientificamerican.co...urce.jpg?w=600
Rio is a fantastic suggestion, one of the most amazing places I've ever been.
Istanbul also is incredible, definitely recommend doing a guided food tour. Ours was from 9.30 to 5, with Istanbul historically being the centre of an empire and where east meets West, the food was really varied and fantastic. Definitely want to do more food tours!
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Never a bad time. Iceland is worth visiting during every season.Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanb741
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/article...-visit-iceland
Or forging/ blacksmithing...Quote:
Originally Posted by hogthrob
I'd avoid southern Europe in August.
OP didn't actually say it had to coincide with wife away!Quote:
Originally Posted by Passenger
Go away in Spring and have a peaceful week at home in August...
Sorrento, boat trip down the Amalfi coast with a stop at Positano, day out to walk up Mt Vesuvius and a wander round Pompeii. An evening of pizza making in the hills, and book yourself a sunbed on one of the piers for a chill👍
Ah missed that...thus your suggestion sounds perfect.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingstepper
Berlin and Budapest are great for short visits. Book a walking history tour.
I would go to Vilnius, Lithuania.
When I am in better health I hope to go myself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42RiDquE4M
It's not what it once was unfortunately, so I'm told......Quote:
Originally Posted by Daddelvirks
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Amsterdam sure isn’t what it was. Still fun though. But than again, what city is.Quote:
Originally Posted by subseastu
Great ideas so far... I will book and then post pictures nearer the time so we can see who's advice I took...
This, Bilbao is very nice city, great and affordable for dining.Quote:
Originally Posted by thegoat
Krakow? Cheap flights, inexpensive and excellent food and lots to do. The salt mines tour is a must see.
Good call regarding the hot Southern European cities during August. Locals have left the towns, making way for tons and tons of tourists. I remember that I was walking in Venice in August and I realized that I, with my 6", was able to look over people's heads... The streets were filled with Asian tourists from wall to wall.
Learning something new might be interesting as well. Like a welding course or a few RYA sailing days. Or beer brewing. Iceland must be fun (I haven't been there, my wife and youngest visited Iceland): whale watching, going up the slopes of a volcano. Once-in-a-lifetime experiences. They were there for 3 or 4 days as a long stop-over from Amsterdam to New York. Big advantage: Iceland isn't scorching hot.
Very true, never liked the place anyway, Leiden rules ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Time Cat
Hmm about 3 worth visiting from my experience. Even Warszawa is crap.Quote:
Originally Posted by seabiscuit
Kraków is the obvious choice. Avoid Katowice at all costs.
My recommendation would be Berlin.
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Warsaw is fine. Gdansk, Poznan and Wroclaw are great destinations in addition to the charms of Krakow.Quote:
Originally Posted by vRSG60
Id second this suggestion…. One or two days in Bilbao and do the Guggenheim and then 2 or 3 days in San Sebastián…. Enjoy the Pinchos and stunning architectureQuote:
Originally Posted by thegoat
Thirded. A fantastic part of the world.
Themed trips can be nice. 4 days or so would be long enough to drive one of the Grand Tour trips like the one in former easter Europe. I've heard about a couple that's determined to have dinner in all the world's revolving restaurants... They have done most of Europe and have found out that the majority of these restaurants is located in China...
So many suggestions, I’ll throw in another. Porto.
Quite a stylish, relaxing city, bridge across the Douro by Eiffel, boat up the Douro, Port tasting, out to an area, can’t remember the name, chocker with no palaver fish and seafood restaurants. East going, mind you I was there in May. Enjoyed it.
I liked the northern Spain suggestion. Thinking of that myself. Have been before with the intention of getting to Coruna, but didn’t make it past Aviles and the Picos.
Another I was tempted to mention was Ljubljana. I went there many years ago and thought it brilliant. Was there again this summer and it has become an identikit tourist city, lost its charm and full of beer swilling Dutch and Germans. Disappointed. Still, the rest of Slovenia was terrific.
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