where to go?

[Clairey_G]

me and my mum want to go on holiday i am 17 and she is in her 50's and we have no idea where to go. our limit is �500 each and we want to go in august for 2 weeks! can anyone give me some suggestions?? thanx

[ojread2]

2 weeks holiday for �500? (Is this each week or for the 2 weeks)

You'll be lucky unless you drive yourself and borrow a tent, in which case you could probably get nearer a month for your money.

Do you want UK or sand, sea and sun ?
Self drive or fly?

[puzzled54]

Give us some clues, where have you been before, do you like lots of sun, theme parks, culture?

[Buenchico]

(2-part post):

Remind me not to engage Ojread2's services as a travel agent if he/she thinks that you can't get a fortnight abroad, in August, for �500 ;-) I'd find it hard to pay anything more than that!

Barcelona is a superb city. It's a great place for all ages, with good beaches, both quiet and lively bars, plenty of nightlife, superb restaurants, outstanding shopping, loads of history & culture, and plenty to do:
http://www.bcn.es/turisme/english/turisme/welc ome.htm

You can nearly always get cheap flights to Barcelona because there's plenty of competition on the route(s):

easyJet fly direct to Barcelona from Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted:
http://www.easyjet.com/en/book/index.asp

Ryanair fly to Girona (from Birmingham, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bristol, Doncaster, Tees Valley, East Midlands, Prestwick, Liverpool, Luton, Stansted, Manchester, Newcastle and Newquay) and Reus (from Birmingham, Prestwick, Liverpool, Luton & Stansted). There are direct coach services (both taking 'an hour and a bit') from both Girona and Reus into Barcelona:
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/

[Buenchico]

You can easily find cheap accommodation in Barcelona on this site:
http://www.hostelworld.com
(Don't be put off by the word 'hostel' in that name. Simply use the 'Additional search options' to confine your search to 'Budget hotels' and 'Guesthouses').

As a guide, you could fly out from Stansted to Reus on Wed 13/08/08 and return on 27/08/08. Ryanair are currently charging a total of �68.74 per person (including taxes and charges) for these flights. A return ticket on the coach to Barcelona costs �21 (about �16).

A twin-bedded room, for 14 nights, at the Rambla Cat Inn (which has good reviews) would cost �392 per person. That makes the total �477 per person. (The spare �23 would pay for a taxi to and from the hotel from the bus station, and still leave change for a few drinks!).

I've not spent hours finding obscure dates where there are flight bargains or trawled through thousands of hotels. Finding those prices took just a few minutes. There may be cheaper flights and hotels available.

Chris

[MrLee-Gend]

To be fair buenchic august is an expensive time and 500 quid is a bit on the low side .

but well done i wonder if barcelonas a good place for 2 weeks?more a wekend or a week

not many stay in a city for a fortnight.

[ojread2]

Chris

you can organise my holiday ANY time ;-)

Fabulous advice, as always and some of which I shall be using myself to get a holiday for �500 in August !

Where do/did you come by all your knowledge? It knows no bounds and thank you for sharing it all :) It is much appreciated by this AB'er

[Buenchico]

Just a minor correction:
In my example, I said that those cheap flights with Ryanair were into Reus. That should have read Girona (although there are probably cheap flights into Reus as well). Everything else holds true.

While I agree with MrLee-Gend that not many people stay in a city for a fortnight, they do stay in beach resorts for that long. The great thing about Barcelona is that it's a beach resort as well as a city. It's also a good base for touring. You can take a bus or a train to the main resorts of the Costa Brava or Costa Dorada, or visit the historic towns and cities of Catalunya.

Thank you, Ojread2, for taking my slight jibe in the friendly spirit in which it was intended. A lot of my knowledge about bargain flights (especially from Stansted) comes about because I'm always on the look-out for cheap day-trips. (I can never afford a 'proper' holiday but, over the years, I've visited most of Europe "just for the day"!).

Chris

[rebecca24]

I would like to recommend Malta, if you like history lots to see, Nice beach in Melliah Bay, Clubbing In St Julians, Or Buggiba is nice but no beach, but has nice bars and restaurants , buts buses are really cheap and easy to get around on.

[Jenga]

You can get two weeks half board in a lot of places for �500 each. Greek Islands are nice but go for self catering as Greek restaurants are great fun with Greek dancing etc. As already suggested Malta is really nice. I can recommend Madeira, Baleric Islands. Spain, Portugal. Just check what the area is like when you pick your destination. You don't want it too rowdy or too dead. Read up on internet guides. You just take a chance and enjoy yourself. Make the best of any holiday.

[Clairey_G]

thnx for ur answers weve actually decided to go to mata and managed 2 get 2 weeks 4 around 600 each on self catering, cnt remember how much exactly thts mums department lol

[go-faster]

just read your posting-a little bit late( by a couple of months). For future reference look at milk way apart.(google this). Book the room and get the flight seperat. Good look. It is in turkey overchick.(if i have spelt this right)