November holiday but not long haul - recommendations please

Madiera is also very hilly according to my friend

Friends of ours are in Crete at the moment, temperatures have been in the low twenties.

The Canary Islands weather is brilliant in our winter, we have stayed there a number of times always in our winter.
One time we spent two weeks on each of the islands it was a good trip.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions and helpful information. It is much appreciated.

In the end we booked for Catania, Sicily but will certainly consider Malta/Gozo in the future - and give Lanzarote another go.

Hope you have a wonderful time, and that the weather is good. Come back and tell us all about it, you might tempt us to explore.

Any ideas for a non-flyer?

I'm your Devon and Cornwall expert, from an energetic outdoors perspective. Scenery is beautiful. Having said that, we recently visited The Cotswolds, Winchcombe, which was sedate and interesting. Wales is not be discounted either. It depends what you're looking for.

Luckygirl3 you could sail to Santander, Northern Spain by Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth or Plymouth

Luckygirl3

Any ideas for a non-flyer?

Have you thought of coach trips or do you prefer to travel independently?

I see them advertised in the local papers and wonder what they'd be like, rather than driving long distances now as the roads are so busy.

Have been on a few coach trips to the Rhine etc and it’s quite a nice way to travel. Friendly too.

Silly me, I forgot non flyers go abroad too!!

Another 👍 up for Brittany Ferries, but winter schedules aren't as regular.
Also Eurostar.

My sister is coming to visit soon. Instead of flying she will come by train this time. St Pancras to Mannheim in about 6 hours with only one change in Paris. I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes.

Jacky Does your sister have to change stations in Paris? We always used to have to go to or from gare du nord when we travelled by train to Europe.
Always loved a train journey.

Luckygirl3

Any ideas for a non-flyer?

Chunnel.

The Rhein or the Mosel - beautiful country. Belgium and Netherlands make a nice trip as well. The food is fantastic.

Yes the Rhine and Moselle are stunning.

Mannheim is on the Rhine. That was why I mentioned it.

silverlining : yes, she has to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est.

Ah, yes, sounds familiar, it was a long time ago now but it was a pleasant experience. I used to wake up at dawn go into the corridor in time to watch the morning sun over the Swiss alps. Beautiful. Can’t see that on a plane.

The mountains often had snow on them and the sun made them sparkle.

We went to the Rhine for the Christmas markets a couple of years ago. They knock spots off any I have seen here.