I'd be tempted to go for a high-speed train (Eurostar to Paris, then change) down to Madrid or Barcelona. Treat the train journey as part of the holiday (rather than just something you have to go through to get 'there', wherever 'there' is).
From memory, you could leave London mid-afternoon, change trains in Paris late evening, wake up to breakfast on the train, and step out into the Barcelona or Madrid sunshine around 8:30 AM.
Usually I would suggest Amsterdam, Paris or a Belgian city, but then you said you have a £2000 budget! I'm not sure if you're looking for sun or a city break or adventure or what, but I'll try to suggest a few things..
Cruises is what first comes to mind. I can't recommend any particular websites, but you can do great cruises around Scandinavia, say Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
Iceland has amazing landscapes, lava spas (such as the Blue Lagoon, Google image it!), and an incredible nightlife. Go on a Friday to join in 'runtur', where every Friday the hardworking Icelanders of Reykjavik party like there's no tomorrow.
Copenhagen and Stockholm are highlights, and in Iceland, Norway Sweden and possibly Finland, you could spot the Northern Lights! So Scandinavian cruises are great, and a bit different. Shop around and you should find something to suit your budget.
There's also Baltic cruises, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Riga (Latvia) and Tallinn (Estonia) are all cities worth visitng, Tallinn especially, its more undiscovered. Be warned though, Riga's vibrant nightlife attracts a lot of stag dos. But if 'old town' architecture is your thing, a Baltic cruise would be perfect.
There's the Mediterranean cruises too of course, but they don't really need so much of an introduction! I doubt you'd get any sun though, at least not until April at the earliest, which is why I suggested more Northern cruises. You should find something to suit your budget, especially as its not peak season.
If your dates are flexible, try Travelzoo.co.uk. If you go on there now, on the homepage click on 'Cruise & Ferry specials'. The last minute deals there are incredibly discounted.
Use travelsupermarket.com to compare prices on pretty much anything travel/holiday related.
The Daily Telegraph Travel supplement (I think its the one on Saturday) has listings of everything travel-related, and lists some great deals.
That's all I can think of at the moment, I'll come back and edit if I think of/find anything else. Hope this helped and have a great time whatever you end up doing:)
EDIT- Ok, I just realised your name is 'sunshine me'!! So I might need to change my answer a bit! Nice in the South of France on the Cote d'Azur is hands down the best place I have ever been to. Mainly because I 'studied' there when I was 17 one summer and met other fun students and partied like there was no tomorrow (like they do in Iceland!) but there a many sights of interest (museums, art galleries, Russian cathedral) fabulous beaches (ok, they're pebble, but if you go to a private one (about 20 euros for a day, plus parasol and sunlounger and waitress) you can sip cocktails all day, tan and relax in the lovely warm waters. The beaches also become party heaven at night (try to avoid height of summer, its a bit too euro-studenty.) Nightlife is fantastic too. Excellent food. Cafe culture. Interesting people. Great shopping. Get the Eurostar to Paris, and then the train to Nice. If you want to know anymore on Nice, drop me an email on my profile page!!
Once you have crossed the channel either by boat or through the tunnel you can then reach all of Europe, Asia and Africa without flying - so there is a massive choice available to you - what sort of holidays do you like - beaches ? - adventure ? - skiing ? - exploration ? - Safari ? - mountain climbing ? - every thing is available to you
overdue fall. little ones are in college, climate is cooler, the fees for rooms are better (off season), much less crowds. yet that actual relies upon on which hemisphere of the international you're traveling in.
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I'd be tempted to go for a high-speed train (Eurostar to Paris, then change) down to Madrid or Barcelona. Treat the train journey as part of the holiday (rather than just something you have to go through to get 'there', wherever 'there' is).
From memory, you could leave London mid-afternoon, change trains in Paris late evening, wake up to breakfast on the train, and step out into the Barcelona or Madrid sunshine around 8:30 AM.
Check this web site - http://www.seat61.com/ - for much useful info
Usually I would suggest Amsterdam, Paris or a Belgian city, but then you said you have a £2000 budget! I'm not sure if you're looking for sun or a city break or adventure or what, but I'll try to suggest a few things..
Cruises is what first comes to mind. I can't recommend any particular websites, but you can do great cruises around Scandinavia, say Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
Iceland has amazing landscapes, lava spas (such as the Blue Lagoon, Google image it!), and an incredible nightlife. Go on a Friday to join in 'runtur', where every Friday the hardworking Icelanders of Reykjavik party like there's no tomorrow.
Copenhagen and Stockholm are highlights, and in Iceland, Norway Sweden and possibly Finland, you could spot the Northern Lights! So Scandinavian cruises are great, and a bit different. Shop around and you should find something to suit your budget.
There's also Baltic cruises, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Riga (Latvia) and Tallinn (Estonia) are all cities worth visitng, Tallinn especially, its more undiscovered. Be warned though, Riga's vibrant nightlife attracts a lot of stag dos. But if 'old town' architecture is your thing, a Baltic cruise would be perfect.
There's the Mediterranean cruises too of course, but they don't really need so much of an introduction! I doubt you'd get any sun though, at least not until April at the earliest, which is why I suggested more Northern cruises. You should find something to suit your budget, especially as its not peak season.
If your dates are flexible, try Travelzoo.co.uk. If you go on there now, on the homepage click on 'Cruise & Ferry specials'. The last minute deals there are incredibly discounted.
Use travelsupermarket.com to compare prices on pretty much anything travel/holiday related.
The Daily Telegraph Travel supplement (I think its the one on Saturday) has listings of everything travel-related, and lists some great deals.
That's all I can think of at the moment, I'll come back and edit if I think of/find anything else. Hope this helped and have a great time whatever you end up doing:)
EDIT- Ok, I just realised your name is 'sunshine me'!! So I might need to change my answer a bit! Nice in the South of France on the Cote d'Azur is hands down the best place I have ever been to. Mainly because I 'studied' there when I was 17 one summer and met other fun students and partied like there was no tomorrow (like they do in Iceland!) but there a many sights of interest (museums, art galleries, Russian cathedral) fabulous beaches (ok, they're pebble, but if you go to a private one (about 20 euros for a day, plus parasol and sunlounger and waitress) you can sip cocktails all day, tan and relax in the lovely warm waters. The beaches also become party heaven at night (try to avoid height of summer, its a bit too euro-studenty.) Nightlife is fantastic too. Excellent food. Cafe culture. Interesting people. Great shopping. Get the Eurostar to Paris, and then the train to Nice. If you want to know anymore on Nice, drop me an email on my profile page!!
Once you have crossed the channel either by boat or through the tunnel you can then reach all of Europe, Asia and Africa without flying - so there is a massive choice available to you - what sort of holidays do you like - beaches ? - adventure ? - skiing ? - exploration ? - Safari ? - mountain climbing ? - every thing is available to you
Weymouth Mate !
I Go To Weymouth And Spain Every Year
And Still Weymouth Beats It , Everytime !
Best Holiday Park,.
Paris? You can take the Eurostar. Or another European City accessable by train or sea.
overdue fall. little ones are in college, climate is cooler, the fees for rooms are better (off season), much less crowds. yet that actual relies upon on which hemisphere of the international you're traveling in.
Go to Jersey or one of the other channel islands
Get a boat to Ireland...or Amsterdam...always fun
You could get a boat to france?
Paris.
Get the euro star.
OR.
car to docks and then ferry, and then drive..?
cant think of anywhere else.
Hope i helped.