Where??-2 night trip from London
 

Hi looking for a short weekend trip for my 18 year old daughter and her friend. Here is the criteria!
-2 nights
-return from London
-first time travelling on their own -so a city that has access to attractions that are walkable from wherever they will be staying (city centre I suppose)
- a city that is easily accessible/close to the major airport
-not Paris
-not Amsterdam
-interests are flexible-beautiful sights; shopping; tourist attractions that the easily accessible to find
Thank you so much !

Edinburgh?

Bruges - by Eurostar train?

Bath. Oxford. Cambridge. York.

Barcelona. Lisbon. Nice. Strasbourg.

>>- a city that is easily accessible/close to the major airport<<

Major airport to fly home from? OR an airport to fly TO from London?

Because, if the latter -- a train station would be as good or better than an airport. Train stations are in city centres, airports are usually more difficult logistically.

Edinburgh, York, Bath, Oxford, Cambridge, Liverpool.

Or, flying - Dublin. Or - anyplace easyJet flies . . .

I'm wondering if they'll go anywhere the grown-ups suggest. I probably wouldn't have.

Oops -- didn't mean to submit . . .

If instead its the former and you need an airport to fly home from - then Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, or lots of other cities on the Continent.

Antwerp from City Airport - fast and easy flight, and the airport in Antwerp is minutes from the centre of town.
But only if it's before the end of October, as they are stopping those flights, unfortunately. After that it's the Eurostar or fly to Brussel. With Eurostar she will have to connect through Brussel.

Brugge is pretty, but for 18-year olds I would recommend Antwerpen. Or Gent.

Brugge is pretty, but for 18-year olds I would recommend Antwerpen. Or Gent.>

Why?

More to do for young people. I know you're a big fan of Brugge, Pal, but I have kids that age and they think it's booooring. Antwerp and Gent are student towns.
And the OP mentions shopping; much better in Antwerpen.

I'm not sure why they are being shunted towards Belgium and Holland. The ideal weekend trip is clear-Manchester!

Excellent shopping, great nightlife (largest student campus in Europe)
Big range of hotels and prices
Lots of places to eat across the range
Excellent sightseeing
Very walkable centre
2 hours by train from London
In the top 3 weekend destinations in the UK-top 2 if you discount London

Depending on time of year, train to York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Oxford, Brighton.

Or check Easyjet etc routes, bearing in mind time of departure so they're not depending on public transport to get them to LGW at 0540.

Venice, maybe? Assuming they didn't want to stay in the U.K. There's a fun hostel there, the boats are fun, it's fun to just wander around so you don't even need to spend money on attractions. Not real shopping, I guess, but eighteen year olds probably don't have much money to shop anyway. My pick would be paris if it was all about shopping. Or just find a new scene in London. They're 18. At that age, I was dragged around by parents and grandparents, and didn't actually get to see much in the way of what interested me, or stay at any hotels with a young vibe.

Or maybe a neat historical hostel, like the castle stables in Nuremberg.

I agree with mmeperdu, I don't think I'd listen to adults either. But I like the idea of a university town or Barcelona as well.

Not sure why they have to/want to leave the UK, either. I'd go to Bath or Brighton. But if they want another country, Antwerp or Gent for sure.

I suppose they are Brits and parents wish for them to get out of Britain for the sake of that - just about any not huge city would work - anyway stay at a youth hostel or youth hotel and meet folks their ages from all over the world.

Bruges I suggest because it is so dreamy and small like OP wishes to walk everywhere - OP said no to Paris or Amsterdam so wants a smallish city it seems.

Yes Venice may fit the bill - that would be perfect - very walkable and few of the potential ills of a Paris or Amsterdam.

Since you're willing to fly, how about Vienna?

I took it to mean that the kids had already been to Paris and Amsterdam. Don't think they can find trouble in either city that they couldn't find elsewhere.

I don't know many teens who want to visit charming, quaint, or "dreamy' locales, but maybe, since OP didn't mention nightlife, odd. All it says is convenient lodging walkable to attractions, which describes pretty much any location with hostels.

Haven't been to Bath but Brighton didn't impress me much. Would have impressed me less at 18.

Eastern Europe for the cheapness? That's been showing up a lot on the backpacker sites I follow, although that might be too far away.

I took it to mean that the kids had already been to Paris and Amsterdam. Don't think they can find trouble in either city that they couldn't find elsewhere.>

Amsterdam - not find what parents may call troubling and kids fun - coffeeshops for example

OP -jdurham why not Amsterdam or Paris - why single or double out these two? Have they been there or you think too dicey?

18 year olds can find drugs and booze anywhere if they're so inclined, Palenq, especially among their peers at home, so I doubt that's a reason to nix Amsterdam. Pot wasn't legal in WA when I was growing up, and I was so not part of that crowd, but I knew who was and where they got it. Maybe the OP will return to enlighten us, though. I'm curious to know why the OP was so vague- the kids must have some kind of budget or specific interests.

I'm not sure we should hold our breaths for her to return. She didn't on a previous thread. We live to serve.

and to chat amongst ourselves