What's your favourite/least favourite holiday destination?

Have to agree with Divawithattitude - Bali is wonderful (providing you have an hotel/house with air-con!) but these days I really don't want to do long haul travel, so:

Spring: Paris .... I loathe city living, but Paris is the one exception. I fell in love with it in my 20's and the affair has never ended.
Summer: the Italian Lakes ....Limone
Autumn: New York ... for the shopping!
Winter: Austria, Saltzbug & St Wolfgang ..... hot chocolate,snowy mountains, and Christmas markets.

Well..... that's me sorted

Intended to mention the least favourite ..... Hawaii, by a long mile!
Had the worst holiday of my life there.
Honolulu is packed with shops whose prices are outrageous, and cater to the Japanese market.

The streets are crammed jammed full, & the beach was as bad.
An excursion to Chinatown which inadvertently ran on into early evening became a terrifying experience of trying to leave the area with two young children as the atmosphere became very threatening.

To be fair, we had a couple of good days on the other side of the island, and the Pearl Harbour Memorial was so moving that the memory has always stayed with me. Also to be fair, it is one of the few times my ex and I actually argued openly, so the first few days would have been totally blighted - wherever we had been.

Still ... would I go back? well, the airport was nice.

I think I've been to 40+ countries and enjoyed them all for varying reasons. My favourite by far was the very first one I visited, Majorca - just that first experience of getting off a plane and walking down the steps and the heat. Amazing. This was 1970 and I thought I'd gone to heaven. The colour, the sea, the people - the difference. Wonderful and all so exciting.

I've never been 'on holiday' in the UK - several trips of a few nights but I just can't imagine having an actual holiday here.

Off to Istria in Croatia in a couple of weeks - I've been to Croatia before back when it was Yugoslavia but not this part and that's key for me. I never go back anywhere, always look for somewhere new.

Sel Majorca was my first trip abroad, our honeymoon in 1968. It was such a long way away! I had to get a passport in my married name (couldn't cohabit in those days) and it was sent to the vicar to give me once we had done the deed! They even took a photo of me getting off the plane as it was such a big deal in those days.

Now we have been to so many amazing places and I have a long list of more to visit as soon as we can. It should have been Peru this year but my immobility put paid to that for now. We try to have one active/touristy holiday a year and one flyandflop. Never did go back to the same place but have found a great hotel in the back end of Egypt where they spoil us rotten and will probably go back for the third year this autumn. We lead very busy lives so go and do nothing for a month. Heaven.

Reading through Movedalot's account of her first trip abroad got me thinking.

As a child, I had quite limited experience of travelling or holidaying in the UK. We lived in north London and had no car. We only went by bus or coach to Surrey, Suffolk, Norfolk and relatives in Liverpool. I was 18 before I went to Cornwall, travelling through Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, etc, for the first time - it was so thrilling to see different types of landscape.

I didn't travel abroad until I was 36.

Though in some ways I regret not experiencing a foreign holiday when I was young, it has meant that I still find travelling abroad very exciting - and I very much appreciate the variety that the UK has to offer as well.

Many children these days are very well travelled and often seem totally unimpressed that they are visiting a foreign country. I wonder if in some ways they miss out on the excitement of foreign travel because it is such a commonplace experience.

I was 41, and married for 21 years before I/we ever went abroad. Up until then, we`d always holidayed in the UK, travelling with up to 5 children on an overnight coach, sometimes changing coaches in the middle of the night, I`d hate it now, but it was normal for us back then. We went mostly to Devon, Cornwall and the IOW, With the odd visit to N.Wales.

Best Places Montenegro, Whitby , Rome, New York for the "buzz"

worst places: Venice (hot, smelly, dirty& overpriced!)

Aya Napa in Cyprus (booked last minute and ended up in a Twentys Hotel!) we were lucky and escaped on a cruise to Egypt but felt so sorry for the teenagers who had paid a fortune to stay in a dirty dump. The pool that was a health hazard and the hotel was later featured on Holidays from hell!

The Lake District is wet but then the lakes would not be there if it did not rain and you can always visit the pencil museum in Keswick!

Blackpool gets a bad press on here but lots of improvements being made to the prom and attractions. If any Gransnetters take a chance and visit would be happy to show you the best bits

Anywhere between Cannes and Antibes or just about anywhere in France apart from Brittany. Paris in the rain? yes gorgeous although Lyon is just as pretty.
Paris on New Year's eve is magical from Montmartre

I agree with KittyLester about Aldeburgh. A weekend there blows the cobwebs away. It's my first choice. We spent Christmas there in a rented cottage last year. I wish I could afford to buy a cottage there but don't want to move there.
Further afield our favourite place is Crete. We have been there many times. We love the people, the food, the scenery and the historical sites. Just don't get talked into walking the Samarian Gorge.
Our best ever holiday was Mexico - we spent a week with Friends from America on the Baja California and then had 2 weeks on our own touring the country and visiting the ancient ruins.
Unfortunately my husband isn't well enough to travel very far anymore but I am planning a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia with a friend. It's the one place I really still want to see ( I've taken India off the list).

Humbertbear; I can only agree about Crete [in fact I clicked onto this thread to say that, not having read your post]. I was never one for hot places but there is a slight breeze there and the heat stopped all my aches and pains. Weren't keen on the eastern part of the island; we used to go to Chania. We went there for several years and sometimes took the children [who were in their teens/late teens at this point] and their friends/boyfriends. Sadly my marriage was falling apart at the time so there are sad memories of the place as well. I found it a very spiritual place, and other people I spoke to there said they felt the same. We did walk the Samaria Gorge and it was one of the highlights of my life, but my knees wouldn't cope with it now [did you notice the vultures at the end of the walk ?]. In fact, I very much want to go back there one day. I've heard wonderful reports of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Eloethan I hope you are wrong about youngsters thinking travel is 'commonplace' I can only speak for my own boys who still love it, UK or anywhere else. All of them have travelled quite a lot with their work and for pleasure and still get a real buzz out of it. One is off to New York for a week this summer before going on to other places and although he has been a few times before is doing different things this time and is very exc ited about it. Another took his wife to Cornwall last summer and it rained most of the time but they loved it and he took her to lots of places we had been when they were children.

One is in Buxton and has been to York and Durham in the last couple of weeks and, although very busy with work, has found them all interesting.

Perhaps if parents are blase about travel that will affect the children?

I was evacuated from London to Cornwall for five years during the war and hated every minute of it, it just seemed to rain a lot. I just wanted to get back to London. Ten years ago I went back there for a visit, and realised how beautiful it was and how lucky I was to have been evacuated there. So, Cornwall for me.

Movedalot You're right - I do tend to generalise, and I think you may well be right in ascribing this sort of indifference to the attitude of the parents. Perhaps if parents spend the whole holiday sitting by the hotel pool and don't get out to see the country they're in, the children don't get that sense of excitement in seeing new and different places and things. Now that a lot of the package holiday industry is turning to "all inclusive" deals, I think the this trend is likely to increase.

Not that I like to "rough it". I like a nice hotel too and generally we go on "package" holidays, but my husband and I do like to get out and about and see lots of different places.

Moved & Eloethan I think you're both right It does depend on how parents approach holidays and I do think some children now think travel is commonplace. For many children today, flying is commonplace whereas I would guess, for many of us, the first time we flew anywhere we would have been late teens or beyond. So it was hugely exciting.

It does amaze me how many people land up in a foreign country and never move from their hotel. They want English food and newspapers and tea Possibly, the sole reason they visit another country is because the weather is more predictable. If that's the example you're set as a child then possibly, it's what you'll follow.

I enjoy landing somewhere and picking up a car and going exploring. The ease of doing this varies by the country and the time of year but usually it is doable. If not driving, there are buses and trains and legs.

When my children were small, we did do the package holidays and they loved them. Always hired a car too though and explored. As adults, they too love travelling and exploring the world.

number; we spent most holidays going to Cornwall [I lived there in my youth and loved going back] and sitting in the car in the rain with the children and the dog until it dawned on us one day that a package holiday to Greece would cost less and we'd have sunshine. We were always a bit slow on the updtake as we rented a caravan for years and then realised we could rent a small cottage for the same amount [although I did enjoy staying in a caravan].

That's funny Tegan and so true. I love the UK but there is always a risk of rain, and, if you want to stay in a comfortable hotel, it's actually very expensive to do so here.

Now that we've retired, the "rain factor" isn't quite so important, but the fact remains that UK hotels can be considerably more expensive than their foreign counterparts. We have found the "budget hotels", like Premier Inn and Travel Lodge, very good value for money for an overnight stay, but they're often in quite unattractive locations.

One of the best 'thank you' gifts we ever had was a voucher for a chain of hotels [can't remember the name now; think it was Best Western or something] which we used when we went to Ireland [Ireland was cheap at the time]. I never stayed in hotels till I met the S.O. [my ex was a camping sort of guy] and must admit that I got to enjoy that sort of lifestyle [although I still remember with fondness the camping holidays round Europe that we used to do before we married and then split up]. He goes camping with his new girlfriend now.

Seychelles was magic oh took me for our silver wedding.

Not sure about worst tend enjoy most hols!

The outer Hebrides for me. Harris in particular.

Just come back from Port Gaverne in North Cornwall, next door to Port Isaac (Doc Martin fame). I am just drawn to the high cliffs overlooking the sea. All the thrift and other little rockery flowers were out, clinging on the side of the rocks. The seagulls and other seabirds were wheeling around and riding the thermals. I could stay there forever just watching the waves crashing far below. It may be macabre, but I thought then that when I "pop my cloggs" that's where I'd lie my ashes to be. Haven't mentioned it to anyone as it's rather a weird thought.

We also revisited Heligan after 15 years and it was glorious with all the rhodedendrons and bluebells in full flower.

I also love New Zealand, such a beautiful varied country and the people are very laid back and friendly. Would love to revisit.

Answer to original post. SW France. And lucky me it's where I live.

However, I've just been on a visit to the Fjords. Spectacular beauty. And while we were there in sunshine, it 'pissed' with rain all over France.

I suppose I am so in love with SW France because it's a very peaceful countryside. I walk on most days with a friend and/or dogs and we hardly ever encounter anyone else. BLISS!

We visited the Ardeche region one year Flower, very unspoilt and spectacular gorge. Didn't like the local drivers though!

Like flowerfriend, I live in my favourite holiday destination - the French Alps. I tried several different departments of France before I chose my current (and last) location. I would happily stay here for the rest of my life, but my daughter wants me to live close to her in an equally desirable place - the Nelson/Tasman area of South Island, New Zealand.
I dislike busy seaside resorts, like Blackpool or Margate. We lived in Higher Walton, Preston, for a year and never visited Blackpool!

Like flowerfriend, I live in my favourite holiday destination - the French Alps. I tried several different departments of France before I chose my current (and last) location. I would happily stay here for the rest of my life, but my daughter wants me to live close to her in an equally desirable place - the Nelson/Tasman area of South Island, New Zealand.
I dislike busy seaside resorts, like Blackpool or Margate. We lived in Higher Walton, Preston, for a year and never visited Blackpool!

I am off to Nuweiba, near Taba, next Tuesday. I go to Egypt for one reason only - to snorkel on the pristine coral reef. It is the only holiday where I rarely leave the hotel, as there is nothing to see outside but sand, it is roasting hot, the towns are dirty and I hate seeing the women swathed in black. I wouldn't want to visit Cairo as I hate large cities, even if the FO were not advising against it.
I worked in Monaco for six years so I got a bit blasé about the Riviera, but I liked Menton. Monaco is plasticky, full of posers and over priced.
My grandson worked in Dubai and my daughter had a holiday with him. She said it is just a building site in the desert and the attitude of the young Westerners towards the staff embarrassed her.
I hated Almeria - plastic sheeting as far as they eye could see, but it was a good base for visiting Granada and Ronda.
I am working my way through a list of 'must visits' before I emigrate to New Zealand. In July, my sister and I are having a cruise on the River Moselle, and next year I would like to cruise on the Danube.
I will be spending one week touring North Island in December, before I take the ferry to South Island to spend six weeks with my family.