Recommend good place in Europe for holiday

JumpShivers

I'd like a place that has lots to see and do.

Maybe some nearby other cities for a day trip. Not too expensive (ie, like Venice)

Direct, non-stop flights from Dublin. Not too over-run with tourists with locals ripping people off.

We've already been to Budapest and Vienna, so that's out.

cactusgal

Porto in Portugal is really really lovely. Direct flights with Ryanair, lovely old town centre area, fantastic architecture, riverfront, beautiful beach nearby, tours to wine areas very easily accessible, cheap and delicious food and drink, really nice and helpful locals, most of whom spoke English. Not very touristy.
Had a fantastic week there last June and would love to go back.

veetwin

Dubrovnik? Outside of July and August plenty accommodation options, not overly touristy and day trips to Mostar, Sarajevo and Montenegro very possible. Reasonably cheap food and drink.

ncmc

How long are you talking about going for? Krakow is a great city to visit for a few days.

I'm going to throw an unusual one out there - Annecy in the French Alps - it's a small city/large town, but it's absolutely stunning. The scenery of the lake is just to die for and the town is picture perfect. There's loads of walking and outdoor persuits to do and it's withing easy travelling distance of Geneva, Lyon and Grenoble if you fancied a larger city. There's loads of smaller towns and villages that are worth a visit too like Chamonix, Yvoire, Montreux. We spent two weeks there in August and hope to return next Summer.

NIMAN

London?

BabySlam

great city, near resorts of Caiscais and Estoril, great transport, food, wine. All good.:)

irelandrover

I'd recommend Holland, you could stay in Utrecht which is only a 30 minute train journey from Amsterdam airport. You can fly direct to Amsterdam from dublin at 6 different times in the day with Aerlingus and Ryanair.

You could take day trips to Amsterdam and The Hague and also spend a day in Utrecht.

Nichard Dixon

NIMAN wrote: »

London?

Not great on the cost front.

OP when is this trip? Seasons can be important.

VG31

I recommend Munich if you're looking for a more active holiday. I visited there recently and it's very underrated in my opinion.

The beer gardens are great and the cakes there were much nicer than anything you get here and more reasonably priced. If you like cycling the cycle network is superb and most people don't even lock their bikes. The public transport is excellent also.

There's plenty to do namely:

• Marienplatz (town centre)
• Olympiapark
• Schoss Nymphenburg (palace)
• Residenz (palace)
• English Garden
• BMW Museum
• Deutsches Museum (science and technology museum)
• Tierpark Hellabrunn (zoo)
• Viktualienmarkt (large food market)
• Pinakothek (art museums)
• Allianz Arena
• Starnberger See (lake)
• Dachau concentration camp

Munich is ideally located for day trips to the surrounding countryside and other cities. Possible day trips include:

• Neuschwanstein Castle (one of the most visited places in Germany)
• Linderhof palace (can be combined with Neuschwanstein on tour)
• Herrenchiemsee Palace
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber (famous medieval town)
• Berchtesgaden (Hitler's Eagle's Nest is here)/Schönau am Königssee
• Salzburg
• Nuremberg
• Zugspitze/Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Innsbruck

Aer Lingus and Lufthansa have direct flights to Munich from Dublin.

JumpShivers

Hi everybody, thanks for your replies.

Trip booked to London next year, so that's out. We've also been to Amsterdam.

We're going at the end of June, if it helps.

Can anyone recommend anywhere in Italy?

ncmc

Lake Garda is fab. All the towns are beautiful but Malcesine is especially scenic as its in the northern more mountainous part of the lake. You could combine it with a couple of days in Venice and Verona is an easy day trip.

Tuscany is stunning too, Florence, Siena, San Gimingnano are all lovely.

dohouch

ncmc wrote: »

Annecy in the French Alps - it's a small city/large town, but it's absolutely stunning. The scenery of the lake is just to die for and the town is picture perfect.

Agreed , I've mentioned Annecy in 2 different threads on Boards. Probably at least have some form of transport. Was there for a month, had a bicycle, in 1989, working or looking for.

Citywise, Amsterdam best city if you like mooching around quiet streets
( streets without the roar of cars ) or because you might be given English lessons by the street sweeper you ask for directions, I was.:rolleyes: Everybody speaking good English makes it very accessible for Restaurants, menus, bars shops etc.

Don't like crowds myself and have the flexibility to avoid the high season in these places. The're both super popular.

syklops

Turkey or Morocco would be my choices.

Nichard Dixon

JumpShivers wrote: »

Hi everybody, thanks for your replies.

Trip booked to London next year, so that's out. We've also been to Amsterdam.

We're going at the end of June, if it helps.

Can anyone recommend anywhere in Italy?

Almost anywhere in Italy can be recommended, although it can be hot in summer.

How long a trip? Cities like Bologna that are on the flight network have multiple days trips possible, e.g. Ferrara, Modena, Revenna. Verona allows trips to Vincenza, Padua, Mantova, Trieste.

lcwill

JumpShivers wrote: »

Hi everybody, thanks for your replies.

Trip booked to London next year, so that's out. We've also been to Amsterdam.

We're going at the end of June, if it helps.

Can anyone recommend anywhere in Italy?

Fly to Rome, stay somewhere an hours drive outside the city - an hour inland if you like lakes and mountains, an hour south if you like the beach. Visit the city for a couple of days trips but otherwise explore, eat, drink, and practise your Italian. Very few tourists get out of the city so even half an hour away is much cheaper and you will find plenty of interesting things. Take a day trip to Naples maybe. It is only an hour on the fast train from Rome.

Otherwise just pick any city in eastern Europe, all cheap, all friendly, and anywhere has enough to see and do to keep you entertained for a week or so.