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Trip vs. Vacation (and where to go?)

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Hello all! My husband and I had an epiphany last year that has totally changed how we travel: there are TRIPS and there are VACATIONS. A trip is what I grew up doing with my family: lots of stops and different cities, see all the sights, pack in the museums, etc. My husband comes from a family of vacationers that would go to Florida to hang on the beach for a straight week. This little bit of language revelation has made such a difference in our travel planning! Our best trip ever was to Nice, where we had a perfect blend of trip (day trips to other towns, going to Monaco, museum-hopping) and vacation (staying in one place the whole time, drinking wine on the beach, napping on the beach, eating on the beach).

So my question for all of you is: where do you recommend in Europe for a good blend of trip/vacation, ideally with one home base? Doesn't have to be a beach town (although that's always a plus)!

Posted by
4855 posts

They don't called it la dolce vita for nothin'--Italy is perfect for this, whether you choose any of the "big three" (Rome, Florence, Venice) or not. Anywhere on the Mediterranean can work this way--maybe read up on Croatia to see if it captures the imagination, but it can be tougher to get there with just a week. Ditto for Greece.
Caveat: summer can be downright awful in a lot of coastal places. What month do you think your next trip will occur? Late May is wonderful, as the season is just getting underway and coastal places are not as crowded.

Posted by
291 posts

An interesting question. Outside the Mediterranean, I would say Portugal (Lisbon and one of the many beach towns). Madrid and San Sebastián in Spain (although they are not close). In Spain also, some would recommend Barcelona and surrounding area, but while many love that city, I do not. You just asked about Europe, but of all the places I’ve been, I think the best combo of great beaches and urban culture I’ve ever been to is Sydney, Australia. And here at home we have it too: Southern California, Boston/Cape Cod, Chicago (yes, there are good beaches there).

Posted by
8882 posts

The first thing that comes to mind is a cruise. You get to visit new places but also do nothing if you wish.

Posted by
981 posts

What you are describing is a hub and spoke model for wherever you want to go. A base from which you do excursions, or not. As you wish. Seems like you might want a beach as a base. Many people do this as exclusive to their travels, and also people move the hub along at times within the same vacation/trip/travel.

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