BritishCaicos

We (me, wife and 11 year old son) are looking for suggestions for a week long trip we are planning from Boxing Day 2017, the trip will include the day of my wife's 50th Birthday.

We have visit over 50 countries, have swam with sharks/whales/Dolphins, fought lions and ticked an awful lot of the usual 51 things to do before you die.... and are absolutely sure :

We don't like big cities, tour parties, cruises, world culture and rain!

We love Italy, Spain and France but feel that a week in somewhere like Pienza could be very quiet but very damp and drab. We feel that trying to head for somewhere which will have crisper, colder winter weather would work.

Or we would consider somewhere further South with more guaranteed good weather.

Essentially we don't want a flight of more than 4 hours.

We are based in the North of England and Southern Scotland and so Manchester/ Glasgow airports are local to us.

We are going to Iceland next week and have had winter trips to Tromso, The Lofotens, Stockholm, Copenhagen, we would have loved to "do" the Northern lights and dog sledding but previously have done this a number of times.

We are currently toying with Bratislava, The Dolomites or The Alps, we haven't been to any of these areas. As an alternative we are looking are Marrakesh as my son is interested by Arabic/ Islamic culture, the weather in December seems to be pretty good.

Budget not an issue.

Anyone suggest anything?

WoinParis

Morocco indeed. Rent a car do a trip to Oarzazate and the valley of dades (ore another one), one full day at least in Marrakesh.
I suspect boxing day is in winter ? Too lazy to search...
Or snow holiday. Alps. Mreibel like all UK citizens ;-)

BritishCaicos

Sorry yes woinparis, Boxing Day is the 26th of December in Britain.

Any suggestions for the Alpes.

We don't ski but would be keen to learn. Don't like the idea of mega resorts, we are also thinking of the small ski resorts in Sweden combined with Stockholm.

Just looked to the Alhambra which we have visited but there are rooms available : would be very special as we spent our honeymoon in Andalucia all those years ago.

WoinParis

Meribel is very small. I also like Serre-Chevaliers, more in the south. Smaller yet. Good food there too.

Andalucia is on my toplist to go back to.

Sicily also is gorgeous. Or Cyprus. We love islands.
Our idea of Cyprus was the friendliness and openness of the Med with some remains of British efficiency.

StCirq

I would choose Marrakech in a heartbeat. Or even farther south in Essouira or Agadir.

BritishCaicos

I'd love to go to Jerusalem and Petra but at the back of our minds there are the issues of security. I'm sure it's more dangerous driving on an average British motorway.

Can anyone suggest a small luxury hotel with a pool in the central area? Our friends stayed at a hotel they loved but it was large and on the edge of the city.

BritishCaicos

sorry I posted before I had intended. I was referring to a hotel in Marrakesh.

StCirq

The last time I went to Marrakech was a bit of a splurge for me, at La Maison Arabe. I went in part to take a course at their cooking school. They do have a lovely pool, but not on the premises - a shuttle van takes you to the pool and cooking school.

WoinParis

My last time was 20 kgms ago.
Not even married...

BritishCaicos

"My last time was 20 kgms ago."

After years of trolling out tired jokes about the French and soap, I've finally decided to go to the place.

We're driving to the Dordogne in July.

The above proves the French have a sense of humour.

Still not sure about levels of soap sales though.

StCirq

Goat milk and donkey milk soap are popular here in the Dordogne.

BritishCaicos

StCirq

I don't think we have looked forward to a trip with more anticipation than we have with the Dordogne.

Not because there's a Grand, Leaning or Great Anything or any one of the ancient wonders of the world.

Simply because we've rented a beautiful house with a short walk to the river and some spectacular looking restaurants and no cruise tour parties.

Still not sure about my wife's birthday trip.

Have narrowed it down this evening to either Marrakesh, Stockholm or Bratislava.

Unless anyone else can inspire!

StCirq

BritishCaicos,

I doubt the Dordogne will dissapoint you.

If you want tickets to Font-de-Gaume and/or Combarelles, let me know. They are terrifically hard to get and I can get them a lot more easily than others can. I do this for a number of Fodorites every year. I live 4 kms from the ticket office and the folks there know me and will accommodate me to the extent they can. They have to be bought for July in the next few weeks, so think about it and let me know. You can reach me here or at StCirq at aol dot com. I am in Les Eyzies every few days so it is no hardship at all.

BritishCaicos

That's very kind of you.

I haven't posted for months as I just became so tired of the usual anti-social behaviour on Fodors.

You've restored my faith.

If you don't mind I would very much appreciate a catch up in a month or so for advice on eating out in the Dordogne.

I need cheering up, I've just seen the weather forecast for Iceland, it's more rain and cloud than Scotland which is remarkable!

BritishCaicos

In fact, if it isn't too inconvenient for you, I'd really appreciate some help.

I had assumed that access by the public to the caves was prevented, I think I read this years ago.

I've started calling my son Herodotus, he's obsessed with the classics. It would be be great to widen his horizons by a few thousand years!

Will be in touch shortly.

Thanks again.

BritishCaicos

By the way this is the house we are renting.

It just hit us immediately as how we saw Framce in our dreams!

https://www.homeaway.co.uk/p1070194

StCirq

That's a really pretty house, BC! And Paunat is a cool place. Not too far from us, in fact.

I'll be happy to help you out with any planning for the Dordogne - nothing makes my day like helping people enjoy the Dordogne, the place of my dreams and now my permanent residence.

No problem with the Font-de-Gaume/Combarelles tickets. Just email me. I'll need to know names and whether adults or kids. We'll meet you at the Café de la Mairie in Les Eyzies to turn over the tickets or mail them to you, whatever suits you best.

And you can come by chez nous for an apéro after the visit if you like. Many Fodorites have done so and it's always a good time. You might even want to visit the Grotte du Sorcier which is next door to our house.

Your son will be blown away by the 25,000+ years of history that pervades this area.

sundriedtopepo

A few of us are headed to the Dordogne this year, British. If you don't mind, I for one would enjoy if you post your questions about restaurants etc.

If not, that's okay too.

BritishCaicos

Sundried

Yes, we need to do plenty of research.

We are mainly going to the Dordogne for three reasons :
1. Buying a new car and being able to take our one year old spaniel
2. The reputation of the food in the area, after become so bored with Italian food over 20 plus visits to Italy.
3. A firm indication to 51% of the British voting public of what we think of Brexit!

I'll post lots of questions about the Dordogne in a couple of weeks once we return from Iceland.

That's the point of life : one big, rolling travel planning excercise.

WoinParis

The Brits were called 'Godons' by the French some centuries ago.
Soldiers would swear all the time 'goddam' which became the nickname of the 'anglois'.