Help 111op plan another long weekend jaunt (possibly)?
 

For Labor Day weekend (9/2-9/5).

Now I can fly to London for about $500, but I'm not sure if that will last. Everywhere else seems expensive.

I've checked BMI (I'm flying into Heathrow) and there're no cheap flights that are jumping out at me.

What would you suggest? If I can't use these suggestions for Labor Day, I can probably use them for another long weekend.

I don't really have any great ideas, I must admit. Should I stay home and save money? :-)

Background:

1. London. I've been to London a few times, though I don't know that city that well. It's been many years since I did the standard attractions (like Tower of London). I'm planning to see Westminster Abbey during my next trip when I pass through London.

I've been to Oxford and Bath many years ago. My very first trip was a tour group for Britain.

2. Paris. I'm going to Paris again next week. Not sure if I really want to go again over Labor Day.

3. Benelux. I did this trip in February. I've been to Brussels and Amsterdam prior -- and also Antwerp.

4. I don't want to drive.

Thanks.

I've not been to Luxembourg. But to fly to London just to see Luxembourg?

(So I guess the Bene, no Lux....)

Have you had a look at ba.com? They have a section of Special Offers, flexible flights to Europe mainly out of LHR. Shouldn't be too expensive in Sept.

Thanks for the tip. Will look now.

Denmark? It calls to me for some inexplicable reason. Then of course, Ireland. Islands in the Channel?

I was just in Scandinavia a few weeks ago.

I've never been to Ireland, by the way. And was thinking of Dublin -- what how'd I get there? I'd need to fly (did check BMI, I think). But I'm going to check BA and see what can be done.

Don't know anything about the islands in the Channel -- but is this doable for a long weekend?

Maybe I should see if I can go to Italy. I do want to go again. But flights there are expensive (on Orbitz).

By the way, cost is always an issue -- so don't really want to spend too much for a long weekend (I'm trying to stick to a budget for $800 for hotel + airfare for my trip next week).

If cost is an issue, Ryaniar and Easyjet go to all sorts of fun European places. Both are easily bookable on the net, no paper tickets. Problem is they don't use LHR. How essential is it?
Have a quick look at ryanair.com and easyjet.com

Since we don't know a lot about your interests it is hard to advise (do those words sound at all familiar?).

But I gather it is the price of the flight as much as anything that may be driving this whole thing is that correct?

Are you interested more in cities than in countryside?

"Everywhere else [other than London] seems expensive..." do you mean innterms of airfare or just "expensive" in general. Somehow I find it hard to believe you can find many cities that are more expensive than London.

Help us help you out.

Quite essential for a long weekend, I think. Since I only have Sat., Sun and Mon -- and if I need to switch airports I'll have literally no time (and further, the flight times may not work). It's never worked for a long weekend whenever I've looked at it, so I don't bother anymore.

I do see that Dublin can be an option (via Aer Lingus -- regular flights and cost comparable to Eurostar for London).

What's in Dublin?

But I'm obviously open to suggestions. Even within the UK -- as long as I don't need to drive.

Edinburgh might work - either train or plane.

Dublin. Do it do it. James Joyce and Guinness. You can't go wrong. One of the most vibrant cities in Europe.

Intrepid, I meant the flights are expensive. I don't want to spend another $200-$300 to get to a final destination. So when I took a quick look at BMI, I don't see much that's reasonable -- but could have missed something.

Yes, cheap flight to London, so why not try to use it? (Or not.)

I prefer cities, but then I understand that unless I stay in London or go to Paris it may have to involve the countryside. I don't mind it as long as it's "interesting."

What's interesting, you ask? That's hard to pin down. But I hope it's something worth flying a few hours for. :-) I'm interested in arts, culture, that sort of thing. I'm not interested in sitting on a hotel terrace and sipping coffee all day, if that gives you an idea. :-)

WillTravel, I was in Edinburgh during that first trip. I don't remember anything though.

I hear Dublin is enjoying a new renaissance -- have an Irish friend and should ask her.

More ideas?

I really want to go to Poland. Or to Italy again. But I don't think that I can buy flights that are reasonable. So it'd be have to be something else.

Jeez-Loueeze... you DO get around!
How I envy you!

Well Suzie, not as much as some people on this board. And certainly not as much as that Chez Pim (taking a look at her food blog makes me <b> jealous </b>). :-)

But it helps being in NYC. I've been using the long weekends to my advantage since January of last year. I really like it.

So even if I stay put this September I'm sure I'll be able to put some of these suggestions to good use in the future.

Regardless of when it is, given your attitude and outlook I do hoe that some day you'll make it to Berlin as I suspect you would enjoy it.

I've been to Berlin, Intrepid.

Was there in Sept. 2003. I did like it. But I only had a day and a half because I missed my flight from Paris and took a later one.

I do want to go to Berlin again, actually.

I've also been to Barcelona and Madrid, in case that's suggested.

Sorry -- it was Aug. 2003. It was during that massive heat wave.

I had more than a long weekend -- I took a Thurs. and Fri. and Mon. off work, I think, so I was in Paris and Berlin.

Topping this thread for ideas....

Dublin looks doable. However, I asked an Irish friend and she e-mailed me this: &quot;be prepared for lousy weather, long walks in wind and rain, and
potentially zero E.S.P.&quot; Not exactly an endorsement. I forget to ask her what ESP is.

I see from the other thread that Edinburgh is doable.

Other ideas?

I did check flight connections out of Stansted and Luton via the low-cost carriers, but I don't see anything cheap.

Actually, I take it back. I can fly to Berlin fairly cheaply, but I'll be getting in very late on Saturday night. Not sure if I want to see Berlin again under such rushed conditions.

I'm sure you've probably been here too, but what about Lyon? I think it's a short hop from London. A great place to spend the weekend IMO. Wonderful food!! and the Hotel La Residence is inexpensive and a great location to walk to everything.

do you mind my asking . . . were all these trips for business, or strictly pleasure? both?

i vote for dublin. except for the weather.

How about Annecy?

Can you stretch it a day for Rome?

If you can find a flight out Friday night and back Tuesday morning, it would give you Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Rome. It wouldn't involve as much rushing around as most of your trips do, but I assure you that you would not find three days in Rome boring. And the weather would most likely be splendid.

Airfares to Italy are, in my experience, always higher than to most other European countries. Or you can try to connect in London to one of the discount airlines.

Fancy any of these? Just got this on the bmi mailing list
[email protected]

I will top this because I am enjoying the conversation :)
Good for you 111op, another fun trip! good for us, another fun report :)

Hi 111op:

Dublin is fun (MY home town), but unfortunately can be expensive for accomodation and good food. Weather, of course, is never predictable.

Have you considered Spain? You can get direct flights from LHR to Barcelona, Madrid and Seville (on season) from LHR and more from LGW. As an art lover, you will be delighted with both Barcelona and Madrid. If you are not interested in Rome, which is always a good suggestion, BMI flies to Naples and Venice. Naples has a great museum and easy access to Pompeii.

BTW, I would not be bothered with the low cost airlines if you only have a weekend. ITs a long journey from LHR to Standted or Luton. LGW is not so bad, but I tend to stay with LHR for weekend jaunts.

Regards Ger

I think 111op has been to Barcelona, Madrid and Seville.

How about Hamburg?

Hi, in case people are wondering, I don't have net access at home, so I don't really check the forum much over the weekend (I happen to be SoHo now, and there's free access at the SoHo store).

I'll look at everyone's suggestions tomorrow.

Thanks!

You mentioned Bath and Oxford, but not York. Have you already been to York, 111op?

If not it would be perfect for a short break/long weekend, and only 2 hours by train from London. IMO, York has just enough to see and do to fill a couple of leisurely days.

Yes, York is spectacular. Being a Brit I never think of UK as 'abroad' but......

Hi all. I don't know if the airfare has gone up in the meantime, but as I said, it'd be useful for me to have the discussion anyway for future trips even if I stay home for Labor Day. So here goes.... (Yes, it's all been for pleasure -- not business related at all.)

1. Regarding the UK, yes, I've been to York and Edinburgh. I can't remember if I've been to Canterbury. But I'm pretty sure I was in Warwick. Also Oxford, Lake District, Stonehenge (and maybe even Liverpool and/or Manchester). As I said, my very first trip was a tour of the UK, so we covered a lot of ground, not that I remember it very well. I was also in Bath. Maybe even Salisbury.

I'm not opposed to seeing any of these places again, as that trip was many years ago.

One question: How's Brighton? I'm not really a beach person, but it seems like this has more to offer than the beach, and it's an hour from London. I see it recommended in a lot of guide books as a day-trip possibility from London. But early September might be a little too late for a trip like that.

I've not been to Cambridge either.

Another attraction for me for London -- eating at a place like Fat Duck, for example, if I can get a table.

But hotel costs really are a turnoff.

2. I don't know France well. All my trips have been to Paris -- I've been trying to take a few day trips in the area. I've not been to the S. of France or Annecy or Lyon. Of course any of these would be fine, but I'm just not sure if I can get to these places cheaply and quickly for a long weekend (and flying into London and out). By the way, when I checked airfares from NYC last week, Geneva was a location I checked -- presumably a little closer to Lyon, for example, and the Alps. But airfare wasn't that cheap.

3. I agree with you, Ger, that I'd also prefer to fly out of Heathrow. So I did check BMI, but airfares to popular destinations are by no means cheap (even booking two months in advance) for the most convenient flights. For example, Venice is expensive to fly to.

4. Yes, Eloise, I definitely do want to go to Italy again. I don't know if I can take an extra day. Given the amount of time I spend on the net, I try not to take too much vacation, and I hate asking. :-) (And I want to a take week off later this year -- not sure where yet.) I think that a trip to Italy is constrained by the same issues in 2. and 3. -- no convenient, cheap flights. Maybe in the winter season it's more feasible, as I nearly did go this February (but did my art trip instead because flying to Brussels and out of Paris was only $400).

5. Yes, I've been to Madrid and Barcelona -- I'd like to go again, but again, same constraints above. I was in Seville last October. Don't know anything about Hamburg.

6. I met my Irish friend yesterday, and she seems to think that driving around the Irish countryside might be more interesting. I'm not getting an overwhelming endorsement re Dublin from her, I must admit. But I know nothing about Ireland. She also mentioned that it won't be cheaper than London, as Ger pointed out.

So anyway, I'm still thinking about it.

Hi 111op:

I kinda agree with your friend. Dublin is great for me, because I have family there, but I would not put it int the same category as Paris, Rome, Barcelona :) The countryside is stunning, but then you are pushing your costs up by renting a car. You could probably get a cheap flight from LHR to Shannon or Cork and either explore Connemara (one of my favorite spots in the world) or West Cork/Kerry. Costs of B&amp;Bs would be a lot cheaper than a Dublin hotel.

have you checked the BMI Naples flight for that weekend? Venice is always expensive from LHR. BA does a flight from LGW, but then you are losing valuable time traveling between airports.

BTW, what dates are Labour Day? If I come up with any more thoughts, I'll check the costs of fligths before posting.

Regards Ger

Hi Ger, I'm pretty sure I checked Naples (probably checked all the places I can think of going on BMI -- including Warsaw, etc.). :-)

Labor Day is on 9/5, so I'll leave on 9/2 and come back on 9/5 if I take this trip.

Thanks again!

Hi all, I booked JFK/Bologna for 9/1-9/5. I'm taking the Friday before Labor Day off.

I saw the deal on Travelzoo.

I'm flying Eurofly.

http://airfare.travelzoo.com/european-airfare/195210

Fare is $399 + taxes.

I'm really excited, as I've been wanting to visit Italy again.

I've not thought about the trip much yet, but I checked trenitalia this morning. It looks I can get to Padua, Venice, Florence and Ravenna fairly easily.

I assume that if I really want to go to Rome, I can.

I'll save the other suggestions for a future trip.

At one point I'll probably post for advice again on Italy.

My first trip to Italy was in 1999. I did the standard tourist thing -- Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan.

I was in Italy again in 2003 (Naples, Amalfi Coast -- but this bit was a joke because I had budgeted very little time -- though I did see Pompei and Amalfi (on the same day)). That was when I started posting on Fodors. On that same trip I went to Greece, by the way.

On my return I was in Rome for one night.

Thanks again!

By the way, taxes = $145.

So a total of $544.

Great deal 111op, and you save so much time flying directly!

I stayed in Bologne for a few days some years back and really enjoyed it. I used the trains to do day-trips to Venice and Verona, both recommended. I would have done more, and actually HAD a ticket to Revenna, but ran into the usual strike problems.

Its a good town to wander in, GREAT shopping :) and a fine museum. I stayed in the hotel just opposite the train station (Sofitel) and got a great price on an enormous old room looking out on the interior garden.

Have fun with your planning.

Regards Ger

Thanks Ger -- I was lucky (and glad that I didn't buy the ticket for London).

Eurofly seems new, so I hope that everything will go without a hitch. And the flight times are even decent (10pm and 3pm departures).

I'll think about what I want to see and post again for suggestions. I'll probably formulate a checklist of Renaissance art that I'll want to see.