Trying to narrow down summer holiday options.
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@jon @Ruth_Mottram
So we have done Slovenia with a car a few times and I don’t know how well bus/train options may serve but here’s an outline…
Ljubljana 3 days no car necessary
Transfer to Piran, tour Postojna caves (Slovenia’s underground railway!) en route
Piran - slat flats and pans, city walls, seafood, cold water sea
Transfer through Gorica/Gorizia to Goriška Brda - wine country and walking - or go across Vršič Pass
Then to Kransjka Gora
Skip Bled. -
@Ruth_Mottram OK, here's a curveball, how about the Central Alps (Austria, Northern Italy)? It gets hot in the valleys, if too hot, take a cable car up a couple of thousand metres. Lot of swimming lakes, cycling, hiking and climbing, all boxes ticked. Likewise, fresh air and nature

@kim_harding @Ruth_Mottram I was thinking of Italy too - I had the Dolomites in mind.
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@jon @Ruth_Mottram I’d imagine also easier to get around once there too.
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@jon @Ruth_Mottram
So we have done Slovenia with a car a few times and I don’t know how well bus/train options may serve but here’s an outline…
Ljubljana 3 days no car necessary
Transfer to Piran, tour Postojna caves (Slovenia’s underground railway!) en route
Piran - slat flats and pans, city walls, seafood, cold water sea
Transfer through Gorica/Gorizia to Goriška Brda - wine country and walking - or go across Vršič Pass
Then to Kransjka Gora
Skip Bled.@rmartinnielsen @jon @Ruth_Mottram Well, Lake Bled is beautiful, nice to see. (On the other hand, yes, it looks like the photos, so there is no element of surprise as such.)
No need to stay there overnight or longer, can easily be visited in a day, for instance while transferring from Austria to Ljubljana, if overnighting in Villach. For example as in the screenshot.
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Already the thought of spending "summer" in a southern country makes me sweat.
@knud @Ruth_Mottram Yes, much to warm in summer nowadays (for me).
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@Ruth_Mottram @Urban_Hermit Apparently it was! She didn't plan it. She was a little frustrated that he hadn't asked her yet (he was planning to do so later), and she had the thought that, gee, this would be a perfect place for a proposal, and then she realized, hey, I'm a feminist, I could ask him! and did it. And then later that day they went shopping for his ring.
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@Ruth_Mottram Hmm, the other places may on the other hand be too hot.
Our vacation plans this year: First Normandy, then Denmark.
And I say again: Bornholm is fantastic.
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@drgroftehauge I was pleasantly surprised how easy veganism was in France last year actually, Italy at Easter was a lot more challenging.
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Trying to narrow down summer holiday options. Family travel by train to a self catering holiday destination where swimming, cycling hiking and climbing is possible (as is sitting by the water with a pile of books) lots of fresh air and nature a must. Cities less important. What would you choose (feel free to comment why and be more specific on destination!):
@Ruth_Mottram I voted France but Trentino/Italian Alps is a good shout too. We went near Andalo a few years ago and had a great time.
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Trying to narrow down summer holiday options. Family travel by train to a self catering holiday destination where swimming, cycling hiking and climbing is possible (as is sitting by the water with a pile of books) lots of fresh air and nature a must. Cities less important. What would you choose (feel free to comment why and be more specific on destination!):
@Ruth_Mottram a very successful teenage holiday for us was on a hired boat as it gave the boys plenty to keep them busy.
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@Ruth_Mottram a very successful teenage holiday for us was on a hired boat as it gave the boys plenty to keep them busy.
@peterbrown ooh tell me more..
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@peterbrown ooh tell me more..
@Ruth_Mottram @peterbrown Fly in to Trieste in Italy and you can do Italy and Slovenia because they are right beside each other
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@Ruth_Mottram @peterbrown Fly in to Trieste in Italy and you can do Italy and Slovenia because they are right beside each other
@Ruth_Mottram @peterbrown there is a really nice train from Ljubljana to Budapest, its about 8 hours
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I'd pick France as it's a really nice country with a lot of variety, and very reachable by train.
Spain and Portugal: feels longer than needed as you travel through France, which has all you're looking for.
@Pepijn @Ruth_Mottram Agree. Normandy/Brittany should not be too hot. In Spain Asturias is an option. Has mountains and sea.
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@Ruth_Mottram perhaps you can do both, e.g. Slovenia and a Danish beach resort?
Cc @sorenhave
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@Pepijn @Ruth_Mottram Agree. Normandy/Brittany should not be too hot. In Spain Asturias is an option. Has mountains and sea.
@lisettedeboer Tup. Maybe Auray / Quiberon. Direct TGV from Paris. Beautiful area and nice history.
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Trying to narrow down summer holiday options. Family travel by train to a self catering holiday destination where swimming, cycling hiking and climbing is possible (as is sitting by the water with a pile of books) lots of fresh air and nature a must. Cities less important. What would you choose (feel free to comment why and be more specific on destination!):
@Ruth_Mottram
Travel by train to Spain and Portugal is difficult.
@hypebot -
@lisettedeboer Tup. Maybe Auray / Quiberon. Direct TGV from Paris. Beautiful area and nice history.
@Pepijn @lisettedeboer I was mostly thinking northern Spain, had a fantastic trip there many years ago and always wanted to go back
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Already the thought of spending "summer" in a southern country makes me sweat.
@knud @Ruth_Mottram french mountains are still ok in summer. Access by train, depends on places. Pyrenees not great in this respect. Alps better.
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@Ruth_Mottram perhaps you can do both, e.g. Slovenia and a Danish beach resort?
Cc @sorenhave
@Chris @sorenhave I think it's going to be a combination indeed! I never had more than 2 weeks holiday before O moved to Denmark. Now 3 feels just about adequate!