A new regular feature from Charitable Traveller Magazine, our team of experts answer your travel queries. In the hot seat this month is Melissa Tilling, founder of Charitable Travel
My parents are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary next year and I’d love to treat them to a long weekend away to celebrate. They love Italy, France, good food and interesting, family-run places to stay, and I’d like to go somewhere we can ideally reach by train. It’d need to be during the school holidays – not necessarily the summer – as also joining us would be my seven-year-old daughter and my sister’s five-year-old daughter. In total, we’d be six adults and two children. Our budget for the whole party is £4,000 for travel and accommodation. What do you suggest?
Melissa: Consider celebrating your parents’ anniversary in Provence, a picturesque region in south-eastern France. Here, you can explore historic towns like Avignon and Arles, indulge in Provençal cuisine, and enjoy family-friendly outdoor activities in the beautiful countryside. Accommodations in family-run guesthouses or countryside villas provide an authentic experience but equally charming hotels are an option.
Accessible by taking the Eurostar to Paris and then a high-speed TGV train to Avignon or Marseille, the journey could be broken with a stay in Paris too.
Alternatively, Tuscany, in Italy, would also be great. Explore cities like Florence, Siena, and Pisa, enjoy Italian cuisine, and visit local vineyards for wine tasting. Travel by train from the UK to Milan and then switch to regional trains taking you to various Tuscan cities. Family-run agriturismos or smaller friendly hotels in Tuscany offer charming and authentic stays. Train travel allows you to enjoy scenic views along the way, but Italy would most likely need an overnight en route to make the journey easier.
Speak to our travel experts today to plan your perfect holiday!
This is a feature from Issue 19 of Charitable Traveller.
Click to read more from this issue, or more from Ask the Expert
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