So where can we go ?

[binley100]

Well after asking and looking up Maderia the OH doesn't seem impressed cos of the beach situation . So all answers on a postcard please .........

[VirginVegGrower]

What do you want to do? Do you sightsee? Do you like food/wine, strolling from cafe to cafe. Heat or not much heat. Beaches? Little towns?

[binley100]

OK here goes.........
Heat we are both pretty much ok with ...
Food/wine.........love
Local markets ........love
Like walking .......local flora and fauna
not so keen on museums and churches
Like beaches but would get bored if it was all the time
I don't do swimming but OH does and he likes snorkelling
Would like to feel safe especially if I went for a wander on my own

[VirginVegGrower]

Egypt or far east for snorkeling - sharks in far east. Not safe for wandering around by self.
France and Italy - good food/wine, relatively safe but churches by the tonne.
Sicily - not safe from Sicilian Romeos.
Corsica - idyllic. Great food, wine, safe not much snorkeling (none in fact).
Cyprus?

[VirginVegGrower]

Would you hire a car? Tuscany - no beaches close but the most glorious towns to explore, wine trail, rolling countryside, just heavenly really but you would need a fly/drive.

[binley100]

Think at my age I'm probably safe from romeos ...... We have never stayed in a hotel before always been self catering in tents, mobile homes, appts etc and cos it's a special year we both fancy being pampered a bit (ie all inclusive) but I don't want somewhere where you're pretty much confined to barracks . Years ago I would've been happy lying on a beach for two weeks but now I like to get out and about exploring .

[Noirin]

We went to l'Estartit in Northern Spain (Costa Brava) last July. The Isles Medes are just off the coast there and seem to attract loads of snorkellers. It is a nature reserve so is protected from fishing etc. There is a nice beach there but the town itself is very ordinary but there are nice places to visit locally if you have a car. There are medieval walled towns to see, rice growing in paddy fields and the temperature in September seems to be quite warm. It doesn't sound as exotic as some of the other places mentioned but we enjoyed our stay there.

[Helgalush]

Are you going soon Binley or for next year? I would thoroughly recommend Croatia but it can be cold at night with the breeze off the Adriatic, depending on where you are and the time of year. We went in September and it was roasting by day but quite cool at night. It was one of the best holidays I have ever had. We drove from around the Split area, down the riviera and ended up just south of Dubrovnik, near the border with Montenegro. Absolutely beautiful country. Islands to explore (not sure about snorkelling...also no sandy beaches, all stones and concretey bits), also the lakes up by Split and national parks. Food delicious, great local wine, friendly people....I loved Croatia.

[Munch]

Sardinia?

Never been, but one of those places I really want to and my ex-husband is Italian and his auntie lives there and even he (being Italian) said it was the most beautiful place to go in italy.

[HeyWayne]

Santorini's lovely. Oia is a beautiful place with some great seafood served in the restaurants at the bottom.

We stayed in Kamari which was busy enough to not feel isolated, but not too busy that you felt uncomfortable. We hired quad bikes one day and rode up to Oia, had a walk around and drinks in a bar at the very top looking down on the whole place. Then we hired a Smart car and started driving up the very steep/twisting roads that took you to the other side of the island. I chickened out and turned around after about 4 bends.

Lovely place, very relaxed and great food. Wine - not so much, but plenty of drinkable stuff imported in. There was a great little restaurant right at the end of the beach run by a little old greeak mama who looked about 300 yrs old - her boys go out on the fishing boat and they cooked us fresh lobster. They showed us it as they took it in off the boat. We stayed in The Anastacia Hotel I think - very friendly, and off the main drag enough. Here: kamari santorini - Google Maps

Tuscany is lovely, but you have to drive everywhere - which if you want to sample the delish Chianti that's in abundance, one of you has to be Des.

We felt least comfortable with Egypt. We stayed in Marsa Alam - which is great if you want to go diving, but there's very little else there.

[binley100]

I still fancy Madeira

[VirginVegGrower]

Think at my age I'm probably safe from romeos ...... We have never stayed in a hotel before always been self catering in tents, mobile homes, appts etc and cos it's a special year we both fancy being pampered a bit (ie all inclusive) but I don't want somewhere where you're pretty much confined to barracks . Years ago I would've been happy lying on a beach for two weeks but now I like to get out and about exploring .

You would be surprised. Mr VVG went into the toy shop with kids whilst I stayed out and took photos. In the fifteen minutes they were gone I had my ass touched up twice and four locals try to chat me up. I'm flattered but it gets wearing after a couple.

[VirginVegGrower]

Fomentera good snorkeling, good food, Spanish wine but hey you can't have everything, sandy beaches, safe as houses, ferry boats for exploring, lots of nudists...need I go on?!? That's the sight seeing over with

[The Large One]

Try Cyprus
Kato Phapos, older part of Phapos
So much to explore over the whole island and hire cars are cheap and the steering wheel is on the correct side of he car...LOL

[cardiffsteve]

Short haul;
Crete or Rhodes, lovely islands secluded beaches, good food and wine. little bit of history.

Long haul;
Some good deals to the Dominican Republic all inclusive;
Highly recommend Kauai Hawaii. great snorkelling and diving. Good food, beautiful scenery.

Or theres always Bognor