Hi all, looking to get away during the end of March, early April. I was thinking about Europe but would like it to be fairly warm and a location I could train a fair amount but with things to do for the wife and kids. Initial thoughts were southern Italy or Spain. Suggestions?
thanks
What about Greece or Turkey? Beaches, history, it’s warm, usually cheaper than the rest of the continent.
Mallorca is one place a lot of riders from Europe go in spring. Water will be iffy in terms of swimming, borderline.
Sicily or Solerno in Italy.
Here (Cote d’Azur) is good conditions, but crisp. Not beach weather, water is cold, but lots to see and do, airport right there (NCE-Nice), easy to get to and will save a day of travel. Track 5min jog from the pool in Antibes, next door to seriously cheap accommodations 5min walk from the train station, old town of Antibes 10min walk away, Picasso museum, could get by without a car.
Crete could be warm by then.
You can always try Portugal. Algarve is a good place!
And I believe it’s cheaper than Italy.
In this site (http://www.algarvenet.com/default.asp) you can find some comparisons between a lot of places in Europe, including Algarve, Majorca, Costa Del Sol (South of Spain)…etc.
And you can find extra information on Algarve here: http://www.algarve.org/
Whatever you place choose, have a nice holidays!
Sth Spain and Sth Portugal are both great. I would recommend either depending on what you want your family to see and do.
I am presently in Estapona which is around the corner from Gibraltar in the Med. Its a place where heaps of Germans and English people holiday and retire so its not like the real Spain.
I would seriously look at Sth Spain, you can be pretty sure of the weather being relatively stable and you have so much to see. Places like Seville, Gibralter, Cadiz for the history they are amazing. Theres Tariffa (you can go Kite Surfing there and the kids can play all day on 14 miles of beaches), Costa del Sol isnot far away and Malaga is also close.
Riding is amazing in Andalucia, so many places and routes to ride ride.
The food in Sth Spain is some of the best in Spain, plenty of tapas and great seafood.
I will put up some pictures later if you want.
Okay, seeing as I’m from the area (Gibraltar) I can help…
The South-East coast of Spain, from Malaga down to Sotogrande, near Gibraltar is very populated on the coastline. There are many many many villas and complexes where expats from England, Germany etc etc. live.
Now in-land of that there are beauties like Ronda…a killer climb to get to on bike…but the kids would be bored there if they’re young.
It is also a golfer’s dream…with the Valderrama course in Sotogrande is the elite one. There are courses littering the coast…ugh, don’t play golf…
San Pedro, Marbella, Estepona are popular tourist towns to stay in. A search on the internet will serve you well if interested.
If staying on the coast, on the 17th April there’s the San Pedro Duathlon (Sprint distance) to race in. If you were to be around I would organise you entering of course. It’s 5km run, 20km bike, 2.5km run. I like this race as the running is on the sea-front and the bike is 4 laps around a quite technical but fun course…
Then there’s Gibraltar…the kids (if young) will like the Upper Rock area to see the apes etc etc…kids love it…then there’s a lot of historical sites etc here…it’s my home!!!
Then we go up west to Tarifa…miles and miles of golden sand and sand-dunes…quite windy at times and a windsurfing paradise…they hold a world pro-cirsuit championship there…that’s fun for the kids if they like playing around on the beach etc…you can also do stuff like horse-riding, kite surfing et etc etc as my friend tri-españa says…
Further still up that coast, near Cadiz, there’s an area we go to called Playa de la Barrosa…great hotels like the Rui Chiclana, Hotel Barrosa…and again on the beach…you can go for really long runs and do some good biking here…plus you can swim in the sea etc
April time can be summer-like some years…others wet…
Let me know if you decide to come to this part of the world…I will recommend hotels depending on budget etc etc
One word: Ibiza.
Sun drench sex-soaked capitol of the universe. Aliens fly there from light years away for sex. Hot English babes looking for unattributable, wanton, debauchery.
Dance clubs to die for.
Sex on the beach.
Ibiza.
I know someone who had sex in a dumpster in Ibiza.
Hello,
I’m kinda thinking that sex with a stranger in a dumpster isn’t exactly what he meant by “activities for the wife and kids”. ;-).
Styrrell
Ahh, damn, ooops. Missed that part. Sorry. My bad.
Anyway, the sunsets are nice…
Thanks to all for the replies, the southern part of Spain sounds great. I do like to windsurf so that could be a bonus.
Tom, I needed that information 15 years ago before wife and kids…damn, the story of my life. Sex in a dumpster is quite impressive. Anyway I will do some research and narrow down my destination…