Sumer Vacation Ideas

January 17, 2005 3:04 PM

Where should me and my girlfriend go for our summer holiday? (Inside not being an option, as it is full of More)

We're both poor students so can't really spend too much - we're talking £200-£300 for flights, hotel, food, the lot. We want to go to a European city, and we're not too fussed which (as long as its not excessively hot). Between 4 days and a week would be ideal. Anytime in July, August or September is good. Basically, where and when can we get the best deal for our money?

posted by Orange Goblin to travel & transportation (13 comments total)

Amsterdam, of course.
posted by orange clock at 3:45 PM on January 17, 2005

This is a big secret, don't spread it around. . . cash only, but you can rent daily apartments for not too much here.

Shhhhh!
posted by orange clock at 3:47 PM on January 17, 2005

BA have a flight sale (seems fairly ongoing) that I've used recently a few times.

A lot of Euro cities from Gatwick for around £70 return.

How about somewhere in Spain? Barcelona, Bilbao, Seville (I think they're all GB70 with BA) - might be a bit hot in Jul-Sept though I suppose.... hmmm.. maybe somewhere further north might not be a bad idea.
posted by selton at 3:56 PM on January 17, 2005

I've had some super-cheap flights out of Luton on easyJet, and if you locate a particular city you want to go to there might be a cheap airline that services it alone (eg Air Berlin for Berlin).
posted by kenko at 4:01 PM on January 17, 2005

go east? somewhere in Eastern Europe (except for the Baltics) should be cheap and fun, and not horribly hot. Vilna? Krakow?
posted by amberglow at 5:02 PM on January 17, 2005

amberglow: Never having been to eastern Europe, do you mean that the Baltics are not cheap, not fun, or otherwise not recommended?
posted by Utilitaritron at 8:15 PM on January 17, 2005

I hear Prague is beautiful and a blast (a cheap blast at that).
posted by rooftop secrets at 9:32 PM on January 17, 2005

I agree with Orangeclock that Amsterdam is fab and his link to Fredric's should be taken seriously--wonderful people and great deals. My spouse and I went to Amsterdam last year for Queensday (April 30th, outside your range)--hands down the best urban street party I've ever attended or could imagine--and Fredrics set us up with a great houseboat (cheaper than a hotel) and bikes to explore this beautiful city. HOWEVER, in the summer you're likley to run into lots of stoned tourists which may (or may not) rule this out.

I would also recommend Spain, in particular Sevilla and St Sebastian.
posted by donovan at 10:27 PM on January 17, 2005

Is the "European" city thing just because it's near so it'll be cheap? If you don't mind going a little farther, Morrocco is amazing. And the little extra you spend getting there you'll save in hotel costs within a few days. A few years back I got cheap flights to Malaga, got the bus to Algeciras (about 20 euros) and the ferry to Tangiers (about another 20 euros). Costs have probably changed a bit but you should still be able to get to Africa for flights+not-much.

Once you are in Morrocco, things are very different. You can get a reasonable basic hotel room for a couple of pounds. And catching the boat to Africa was so cool. When we got there, we got the sleeper train to Marrakech then travelled round a bit. If I were to do it again i'd like to visit Fez and perhaps spend a little longer in Tangiers. Once you're there the options are pretty open as internal transport is cheap as chips.
posted by handee at 1:13 AM on January 18, 2005

Zagreb, Croatia and Ljubljana, Slovenia. Prices may have increased since last I was there, but these are two fascinating cities with few tourists and lots to do and see.
posted by Framer at 3:08 AM on January 18, 2005

Eastern or Central Europe will fit your bill and the weather will be good. Slovenia is supposed to be stunning in the summer.

Or handee's Maroc suggestion is a goer. There is a newish airline that specialises in cheap flights to Casablanca but I can't remember the name...sorry.
posted by i_cola at 4:09 AM on January 18, 2005

if you can get the flight to prague that's got lower price accomodation and food than most places in western europe. budapest may be similar, but i've not been there since the wall came down (ha! :o)
posted by andrew cooke at 5:48 AM on January 18, 2005

I heard Budapest was the new Prague. Not sure what that means but, you know. Just sayin'.
posted by willpie at 8:11 AM on January 18, 2005