Ideas for quaint two week vacation

Posted by Mike G NJ (New Jersey) on 05/02/24 03:37 PM

Hi - I'm hoping to get some ideas for a trip my wife and I are looking to take in early June. We have some time off work and some airline miles to burn. We want this to be a relaxing trip where we rent an AirBNB/VRBO for the full 2 weeks where we can read/lounge around, go to a cafe every morning, eat local food, and go on walks/hikes nearby. Here are a few other things we're looking to achieve:
- minimal travel. Ideally our final location is less than a 3 hour or so train ride from our destination airport
- no rental cars. I'd like to be able to get around by public transport or taxis if we need them
- no major cities. we're open to smaller cities but I think the vision is to try to go somewhere where a house/villa/cottage is possible, as opposed to an apartment

Some ideas we've seen thrown around are the Cotswalds, Lyon, and Lucca. Let me know what you think, open to any and all ideas! And of course, thank you in advance!

Posted by Cyn

Colorado Mountains, USA

05/02/24 03:58 PM

7891 posts

Cotswalds were easy to reach by public transportation, but I was there in early Fall, and it was very muddy.

Lyon’s is a very big city - a very nice one, but big.

We stayed in Lucca 2 years ago. Train made it very easy, and it’s much smaller than Lucca. The old town, inside the walls, got very busy Friday night and over the weekend - this was September, so I don’t know what June would be like. We had a B&B recommended by Rick Steves, inside the walls. An Airbnb or Vrbo could be available either inside or outside the walls. Renting bikes and riding the pathway along the top of the Renaissance era walls was fun (watch for people coming the other way who aren’t paying attention), as well as the river parkway outside of town was great fun.

We’ve also stayed in a house in several more out-of-the-way places, including Saint-Remy, France and in Orkney, Scotland, but had a rental car for getting around.

Posted by HowlinMad

Germany

05/02/24 07:01 PM

620 posts

I'm going to suggest northern Germany--the town of Glückstadt has a train once an hour or so, busses, is right on the Elbe, has a quaint cobbled town square with radial streets, and is just 40 minutes from Hamburg. You can get a cottage on the river and walk along the dikes, attend the Matjeswoche festival, and head into Hamburg if you do want to sightsee.

Posted by Hank

City of Seattle

05/02/24 09:11 PM

1945 posts

https://janettravels.wordpress.com/category/burgundy/

Link to the blog of long time forum member Janettravels44. Scroll for a while. Burgundy would be a great choice. Fairytale villages and quite rural, region is one of the lowest population densities in France.

Posted by Hank

City of Seattle

05/02/24 09:16 PM

1945 posts

HowlinMad, is the area you are describing the place that's famous for pickles? That area looks really cute. All the little canals and such :)

Posted by gigua

Parma, Italy

05/02/24 09:17 PM

92 posts

St Ives, Cornwall is the first place that came to mind. It meets all the demands. :)

Posted by Hank

City of Seattle

05/02/24 09:19 PM

1945 posts

Also, Alsace. It's a nuclear canon of quaint pointed straight at your heart. Very good walking and hiking trails too.

Posted by Dick

Olympia, WA, USA

05/04/24 02:33 AM

6713 posts

Maybe Beaune, especially if you're willing to do some exploring by bike. Or Avignon, with good public transportation to lots of Provence sights. Or nearby Arles or Nimes, both of which I liked better than Avignon. But keep in mind, the smaller the city, the less public transportation. Cars that are a liability in big cities can be essential in small towns and rural areas.