HOLIDAYS

[maddog]

Has any of you well travelled folks ever been to Biarritz or San Sebastian? Ryanair doing flights for next to nothing

Yup i was in San Sebastian or Donostia as the locals call it.
I was at a wedding there about 3 years ago..Its a quite enough place to be honest but very pretty.
The beach and surrouding bay is relly something else.
Not sure it be a place for a boys weekend but the woman will love it,some grand shops and stuff for the ladies.
If you plan it right you could get to see Real Sociedad play as their stadium is in San Sebastian..

Aye just a weekend break for me and herself. Quiet suits these days. £6 return from Birmingham with no taxes is some job

[Mhic Easmuint]

Just got a skiing holiday booked for Selva Gardena in Italy on the 17th January   

Anyone ever been there?

[maddog]

Changed mind and heading for Bologna instead, will get a train down to Florence for a day out as well. Anyone been?

[lynchbhoy]

Changed mind and heading for Bologna instead, will get a train down to Florence for a day out as well. Anyone been?

bologna is lovely
great food , loads of cafes , bars wine bars, restaurants etc
best place is that square around the old medieval medici building/town hall - you will find all the streets leading away from it full of the bars , cafes restaurants etc
get the train down to florence - did the reverse, bette than driving imo.
nice city - same in both locations - find where the locals go and dont eat/drink besire the tourist attractions, go a couple of hundred yards off the beaten track.

if you have a woman in tow, you can get a bus trip to the outlets outside of florence (one either side)

[maddog]

Changed mind and heading for Bologna instead, will get a train down to Florence for a day out as well. Anyone been?

bologna is lovely
great food , loads of cafes , bars wine bars, restaurants etc
best place is that square around the old medieval medici building/town hall - you will find all the streets leading away from it full of the bars , cafes restaurants etc
get the train down to florence - did the reverse, bette than driving imo.
nice city - same in both locations - find where the locals go and dont eat/drink besire the tourist attractions, go a couple of hundred yards off the beaten track.

if you have a woman in tow, you can get a bus trip to the outlets outside of florence (one either side)

Cheers Lynchboy, i was looking at a guide of places to eat and drink and got a sample menu, noticed wild boar on the list and thought i'll give that a whirl, but below it they had donkey meat. Maybe skip that.

[gerrykeegan]

Having vowed i would not speak to you after the stich up in the Spreads comp, I will offer some assistance, watch your bags on the trains, we had ours lifted (its very common) , bring them right on to the train and put them behind your seat, everyone else does, i think this was the place we had food in http://www.ristorantelagiostra.com/inglese/frameset.html, really busy full of locals, great food, i could be wrong with the name though, it looks familiar, the bridge, (ponte vecchio) is famous, its just one jewlllers shop after another,the miisses will love it, queues for the Domo are long and we didnt bother, Its a beautiful city to wander around.

[maggie]

Please let it be halloween soon.

[Abble]

headin to buenos aires in 5 weeks....
currently researching stuff to do during my stay but also noticed boca juniors play racing on the 30th nov......would anyone know how you'd get tickets for that game ?

plus if anyone can contribute anything useful of things to do that would be appreciated....currently thinking about:
4 day excursion north or south or maybe uruguay or soemwhere
a stay on an estancia
giving the tango a go
city tour

[dodo]

headin to buenos aires in 5 weeks....
currently researching stuff to do during my stay but also noticed boca juniors play racing on the 30th nov......would anyone know how you'd get tickets for that game ?

plus if anyone can contribute anything useful of things to do that would be appreciated....currently thinking about:
4 day excursion north or south or maybe uruguay or soemwhere
a stay on an estancia
giving the tango a go
city tour

You're in for a real treat of a holiday.
Must dos.....
* Be sure to see Boca Juniors play at the Bombonera......tickets can be got at the day of the match, we went into a local bar and they got us the tickets. What we paid extra was not worth worrying about. Be careful though, Argentinian fans are absolute lunatics. If you can hack it watch from behind the goal at the home support enclosure.....absolute best atmosphere I've ever experienced at a match. You should be grand as long as you don't get cought up in rival fans or flashing money etc

* Go to La Boca at daytime, bit touristy but brightly painted houses and craft shops......not safe as it gets dark !

* Stroll about opulent Recoleta, call in to se Evita's grave at the cemetry there, loads of cafes and eateries abound. Have a look at newly built Puerto Madero and a walk down Avenida Florida for shopping and people watching. Tango dancers on the streets and at performances all over.

* At nightime Palermo Soho is hard to beat, we found a small square where all the surrounding buildings were either cafes, restaurants or bars. Real relaxed and hip, most people eating outside under the mature trees on a balmy night. great mix of couples, families with kids and tourists.

* Day trips along the Rio de la Plata, a river but more like a sea to us, are of varying quality and is worth checking out with fellow travellers. Trips to Uruguay and other more quaint spots can be great value.

* Heading to the beach is a must, Mar de la Plata is the city folks platground. A massive resort with all the trappings. Along this coast south of BA are many smaller and more intimate beaches.......the women are only gorgeous, absolute eye poppers !!

* A must see in Argentine is the Iguazu falls on the border with Brazil, really shouldn't be missed. See the movie 'The Mission' for a taste.

* Head to Mendoza for some wine tasting. Lots of outdoor activities here also, white water rafting, paragliding, horse trekking, trips/ walking in the Andes etc

* The so called Lake District around Bariloche is beautiful. Snow melted clear water lakes, fantastic cycling routes with stunning views of the glaciers, the best Irish bar to pickup chicas, maybe not for you but a definite highlight !!!

* Other places to try and see if time permits include, Patagonia drive, El Calafate and the mightily impressive Perito Moreno glacier, Tierra del Fuego and the Estancias, Ushuaia and the trip to the Ice caps, call in to some towns/villages off the tourist trail to get some unforgettable memories and a true taste. If you like meat (pardon me lady  ) you'll love their asuados (BBQs), really top notch stuff.

I could go onand on, you are going to love it. All this is making me want to return ASAP. Enjoy and take loads of photos and be sure to post them up here.

[dodo]

Just saw that you are going i 5 weeks and not FOR 5 weeks. 

[Abble]

thanks v much dodo....that should be enough to get me started  my stay is for 3 weeks.

i'll definitely take in an excursion to one of those spots you mentioned (anywhere i've looked the excursions/tours look v reasonably priced).

I enjoy the outdoor activities so mendoza sounds like its a goer anyway.

[SidelineKick]

Does no one go to Bundoran anymore? 

[Goats Do Shave]

Does no one go to Bundoran anymore? 

Us plebs still go to Bundoran & alike... I missed Rosnowlagh this year though!!

For society's elite 3 weeks in Argentina & alike during the biggest Credit Crunch this country has known in over 15 years... sure it's no problem! - Especially when they haven't spent a £1 of their confirmation money!