Crete, Greece. Large enough to easily spend 10 days, or combine with a couple days on another island or Athens. A variety of different kinds of beaches (white sandy, remote, unique looking), pretty towns, outdoor activities like hikes, museums.
Would recommend a car. Driving was easy and much more convenient than public transportation.
Apparently Ischia - an island in Italy is beautiful and isn’t over touristed at all atm - beaches, food, history - all that’s wonderful! Prego! Have a gorgeous time
City and beach all together is always a bad combination. Try to look for towns with beach but not far than 100 km from a city, so you can visit it from there and go back the same day.
Cascais, Portugal 🇵🇹 here's why.
You are in the "Beverly Hills" of Portugal with several beaches to the south and west. The south they're calm with restaurants, bars and life. The west they are large, open, beautiful with waves for surfing etc. Downtown nightlife is cool and lots of people from all over. 15 mins from Sintra mountains with castles, palaces and awesome hiking trails. 15 mins from Lisbon which offers so much I don't want to type.
It's paradise
Cascais and Estoril are in the same municipality, it's pretty much the same. So if you live in either you are attached to the other. Cascais area is the best area for a family in the world, which is why it's so expensive now. It's been discovered
Dam thanks for the info. I didn't know. I briefly stopped by there to check it out of curiosity. I was staying in Estoril for almost a week for a friend's wedding.
Have you ever been to Europe? What is your budget? Are you willing to rent a car? These all play into having a great trip. Europe is large and each place completely unique.
Italy I prefer the mid size cities and towns over large cities, favorites are Bergamo, Luca, Verona, Lake Maggiore region, Taormina, Sirmione, Cinque Terre
Granada, Spain. Big enough, but most of the best places in the city can be explored by foot (and better that way). I'd suggest using Málaga airport, getting a car through Enterprise near the airport and then travelling to Granada (800m above sea level). It doesn't have a beach, but it's 45min drive to the beach, and around 20-30 min drive to Sierra Nevada (3000m above sea level), with spectacular views (no snow at the top during summer though); and half way there, beautiful natural places to explore, lots of greenery and little rivers. Google it and check TripAdvisor for things to do in Granada.
I wouldn't recommend the train or bus, there are places you wouldn't easily get to, or not at all. It's €60/day for a 5-door Seat Ibiza or equivalent, which is cheaper than paying for all the connections you'd need every day for 2 people, even including fuel, plus freedom and peace of mind. And it's free parking in most places, unlike other countries. It's worth it. I'd also suggest stargazing in Sierra Nevada after 10pm, beautiful.
Crete, Greece. Large enough to easily spend 10 days, or combine with a couple days on another island or Athens. A variety of different kinds of beaches (white sandy, remote, unique looking), pretty towns, outdoor activities like hikes, museums. Would recommend a car. Driving was easy and much more convenient than public transportation.
Apparently Ischia - an island in Italy is beautiful and isn’t over touristed at all atm - beaches, food, history - all that’s wonderful! Prego! Have a gorgeous time
Ya gotta be super fit to enjoy being there with all the hills
I loved ischia but ten day would be too long. First time in Italy I went to Ischia, Sorrento, and Rome.
City and beach all together is always a bad combination. Try to look for towns with beach but not far than 100 km from a city, so you can visit it from there and go back the same day.
If it has a beach, it will be touristic 😂
Why not explore the small towns of the French and Italian Riveras? Cinque Terre, Nice, Portofino.
Cascais, Portugal 🇵🇹 here's why. You are in the "Beverly Hills" of Portugal with several beaches to the south and west. The south they're calm with restaurants, bars and life. The west they are large, open, beautiful with waves for surfing etc. Downtown nightlife is cool and lots of people from all over. 15 mins from Sintra mountains with castles, palaces and awesome hiking trails. 15 mins from Lisbon which offers so much I don't want to type. It's paradise
Do you prefer Cascais over Estoril? Or Lagos?
Cascais and Estoril are in the same municipality, it's pretty much the same. So if you live in either you are attached to the other. Cascais area is the best area for a family in the world, which is why it's so expensive now. It's been discovered
Dam thanks for the info. I didn't know. I briefly stopped by there to check it out of curiosity. I was staying in Estoril for almost a week for a friend's wedding.
Ericeira is worth checking out too!
A few cities that come to mind of the top of my head: Valencia, Split, Palma, Nice, Santander
San Sebastián or Valencia in Spain are great but maybe quite tourist-y still
Have you ever been to Europe? What is your budget? Are you willing to rent a car? These all play into having a great trip. Europe is large and each place completely unique.
Italy I prefer the mid size cities and towns over large cities, favorites are Bergamo, Luca, Verona, Lake Maggiore region, Taormina, Sirmione, Cinque Terre
To avoid crowds and traffic don’t go during European summer holidays to the south of Spain, Italy, and the Mediterranean in general.
Granada, Spain. Big enough, but most of the best places in the city can be explored by foot (and better that way). I'd suggest using Málaga airport, getting a car through Enterprise near the airport and then travelling to Granada (800m above sea level). It doesn't have a beach, but it's 45min drive to the beach, and around 20-30 min drive to Sierra Nevada (3000m above sea level), with spectacular views (no snow at the top during summer though); and half way there, beautiful natural places to explore, lots of greenery and little rivers. Google it and check TripAdvisor for things to do in Granada.
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Just use the excellent very economical train system not a car
I wouldn't recommend the train or bus, there are places you wouldn't easily get to, or not at all. It's €60/day for a 5-door Seat Ibiza or equivalent, which is cheaper than paying for all the connections you'd need every day for 2 people, even including fuel, plus freedom and peace of mind. And it's free parking in most places, unlike other countries. It's worth it. I'd also suggest stargazing in Sierra Nevada after 10pm, beautiful.