Extra-special destination for wife's birthday
August 31, 2011 6:04 AM   Subscribe

Where's a fantastic destination for an extra-special short break?

Hi - It's my wife's 40th birthday next April and I want to take her somewhere extra-special for a three or four-day break.

We live in Scotland, I want to take her somewhere she hasn't been before and she's already travelled quite extensively - so Paris, Prague, Krakow, Amsterdam, Brugges, Naples and Rome aren't options.

I'd like to find somewhere that's beautiful and interesting, with great places to eat. If it can be reached on a budget flight from Scotland, that would be even better.

We don't need to do this on a shoestring budget, but we're not made of money either.

Any suggestions very gratefully accepted.
posted by Blackwatch to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)
 
iceland?
posted by rmd1023 at 6:17 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]


Barcelona meets all the specs.
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:20 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]


Balfour Castle, in the Orkneys. The Orkney Islands are magical, absolutely amazing, and well off the beaten path. Balfour's chef is incredible, and the castle's management will bend over backwards for you. Bring your wellies though!
posted by Capri at 7:37 AM on August 31, 2011


Isn't this what Venice is for?
posted by nicwolff at 7:55 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]


The Aeolian Islands off Sicily, truly magical. You can get to Naples, Catania or Palermo, and then take a hydrofoil from one of several places along the coast. Climbing Stromboli and looking into its lava fields is amazing (book the climb well in advance). We stayed at the Signum Hotel on Salina (gorgeous views acoss the islands). It's pricy, but gave us discount when we rang directly.
posted by tavegyl at 9:03 AM on August 31, 2011 [3 favorites]


Barcelona! Or the Normandy coast. I'd go back there in a heartbeat.
posted by tully_monster at 12:46 PM on August 31, 2011


Also: has she been to the Canaries? I've never been, but it's on my list of places to go. Beautiful wild parks and beaches and the weather is always wonderful, and there are lots of amazing critters.
posted by tully_monster at 12:55 PM on August 31, 2011


Madiera. Lush, romantic, dramatic.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:34 PM on August 31, 2011


Response by poster: Fantastic response as usual - thank you all so much!
posted by Blackwatch at 8:15 AM on September 1, 2011


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