We're finally at a place in our lives when we can travel a bit. One of us, however, is still working and stuck to the school calendar, so it's got to happen in the summer.
We've visited Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. Also spent the past two vacations in Ireland. We're tempted to never go anywhere other than Ireland, but think we ought to broaden our horizons.
So, what's next? We'll have about 3 weeks next summer and a moderate budget. We love seeing wonderful sights, but our favorite part of traveling is the time spent talking to the people who live in the places we visit.
Italy? France? Spain? Greece? Where, oh where, to begin? We'd love to hear people's thoughts.

If I might inquire! Where are you starting from?

If you're having a hard time breaking away from Ireland but want another country, try the Dordogne - the scenery is reminiscent of the Emerald Isle, but the culture couldn't be more different. It's beautiful, there's tons to do, it's inexpensive, and the food's a helluva lot better.

istambul and sw turkey are wonderful...

se asia is fabulous but expensive to get to but cheap thereafter....thailand is lovely but not necessarily in summer..

bavaria

all of england

s. africa

Whistler: Sorry, should have mentioned our starting point. Pennsylvania.

MaryZ
How about New Zealand? Airfare is the real expense....once you're there the prices for food & lodging are very reasonable...and there is an extensive B&B network throughout the country.
Another bonus, New Zealanders are known for their warm welcome...so you'll have the Irish hospitality that you've grown accustomed to!!
We fell in Love!!!!!

Oh, Bailey, I'm intrigued, but the length of the flight time is daunting.

Provence is a colorful, friendly area.
Dordogne full of British but if you want to meet only the French, I suggest the Auvergne. Italy is another choice, but consider Sicily with it's fantastc food. Think of Corsica. The Greek Islands are another beautiful destination. There's a world of beauty out there. I'm off to India and Thailand.

what with the tie to Ireland? its a great, big world out there. its great you travel some, but do you realize the culture, history, world dominant empires, etc. in Itlay, Greece, France?
Learn a few French phrases and go to Paris, then go to Greece and italy.

While Spain and Portugal can be done relatively inexpensive, the summers are still high season in Europe, so planning way ahead of time is crucial. I strongly recommend an apartment in a centric home base; say Malaga in Spain (see vrbo.com for good choices on vacation rentals). Rental car prices are also very good for Spain.

MaryZ:

New Zealand. It's worth the flight time.
Your moderate budget will take you farther and you'll never think of Ireland in your terms again. Nothing wrong in expanding your horizons.

John

Summer travel, why not a northern European country(Norway, Sweden, Finland) or buy a pair of CanRailPass's and traverse Canada by rail or North American RailPass's and travel both Canada and the US by rail.

MARYZ
Where are you traveling from? We live on the east coast of US...so I know that the flight is looongg...5 hours from NY to LA and another 12 from Los Angeles to Auckland.
If you want additional info feel free to e-mail me [email protected]

Mary,

If you decide to take the plunge and go for one of the long haul destinations, think about looking into one of the packages that allow a free stopover. I think both Qantas and Air New Zealand were still offering free stops in places like Auckland enroute to Australia or Fiji enroute to either NZ or Aus. That might help break up a long flight and add a little diversity to the trip. Australia is an excellent choice as well, this from a fellow Ireland fan.