Going on holiday with your children can be great, but what if you and your partner want a break from everything, including your children? More and more parents are leaving their children behind and going on a holiday where they can relax with no responsibilities, routines or early morning wake ups. While it can be easy to feel guilty, spending quality time with your partner and properly resting can be beneficial to the whole family. If that seems like a dream to you maybe this post will help you start thinking through the practicalities and the possibilities to help it become a reality you can enjoy before your children have grown up?
The Logistics
Family members are the best option to look after your children while you are away because they will already have a good relationship with each other, but there may also be the option of a live-in nanny if you can afford it. When children are a bit older (from age 6 upwards) there are holiday camps they can stay at for a week or two. If your children are young and you don’t have family that will be able to look after them then one option is to find a holiday where there are people to look after the children. This won’t give you a total break, but it can mean you get quality time with your partner during the day or evenings.
If you do get the chance to leave the children behind then here are some holiday ideas which are strictly adult only. Providing a great chance to unwind while also learning a little bit about the world these holidays are great for anyone who has had travelling ambitions in the past, but has put them on hold for their family.
Sports Holidays
There are a lot of different types of sports in the world which aren’t designed for children and there are plenty of holidays that let you focus on spending the time doing activities you will love. If you are already very passionate about a particular activity, spending some time to explore the influence it has had on the world can be very satisfying. Golf for example, is loved throughout the world, making it possible to visit plenty of different destinations while playing the game you are familiar with.
If you don’t have a favourite sport your holiday could be the perfect chance to discover new experiences. There are lots of holiday options available for people who would like to try new activities. Extreme sports, like diving, white water rafting and downhill cycling, can often be found at the centre of holidays and many packages are aimed at those who are completely new to the sports. You can find this sort of holiday practically anywhere throughout the world so you can combine learning something new with going somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit.
Adult Drinking Holidays
Unlike the booze filled holidays you may have experienced when you were younger there are a growing number of holidays planned around exploring the culture and history of alcohol in a particular region. Many countries have a heritage including a particular alcoholic beverage and a touring holiday could be a great way to enjoy the drink and to discover the history.
Choosing the start of your alcohol exploration journey won’t always be easy. Using a company like winetastingrome.com/wine-club, you could find yourself exploring the Vineyards of Italy where wine has flowed for hundreds of years. If you prefer beer Germany or Belgium could be a great option to explore some of the earliest examples of beer or Champagne in France is an obvious place to head to if you love to drink bubbles. You should choose a type of alcohol you love to satisfy your drinking preferences, but also somewhere you want to explore.
Historical Adventures
While children are often interested in the history of the world many museums and landmarks aren’t tailored to children meaning that if you love history you may find that this sort of holiday is best kept for adults only. There are so many countries which have preserved and documented their history for centuries to millennia that a history buff can find stimulating holidays across the world.
Greece and Italy are perhaps obvious destinations due to the well known history of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, but for a more original adventure how about visiting Inca sites in Peru, pyramids or walled cities in Mexico or the temples in Cambodia and Burma?
Sea Bound Luxury
Taking a slightly different route cruises have seen a rise in popularity over the last few years. Seeing the world from aboard a ship is something which some people will love, even if they don’t care very much for the sea due to the accessible entertainment to be had on the ship itself. The route will include visits to various countries and cities, but as the ship will often be docked for a short time it will only be enough for a small taste of each destination.
There are cruises all over the world giving you the option to start from the UK or fly somewhere more exotic for your tour. There are many cruise lines which cater for children with wonderful kids clubs if you are unable to leave the children behind, but you are more likely to find cruises at very reasonable prices if you are looking at the options for just a couple of adults.
Art, Culture and Food
City breaks can be a great option if you are a lover of art and culture. Even in Europe we have have some of the best art galleries in the world so if you can only get away for a few days you can still indulge in some of your interests. Paris, Prague, Barcelona and Amsterdam all have world famous paintings exhibited in their art galleries.
Or if you prefer music you can have new experiences in opera houses and clubs in many cities. From classical Vienna where greats like Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms spent much of their time to Berlin which has a great reputation for the club scene as well as seven symphony orchestras. There are also a huge number of music festivals catering to different tastes in European cities throughout the year. It’s worth a bit of preplanning to see what is on and booking tickets where necessary before you travel.
A gastronomic tour is another option that will be much more relaxed without children present. San Sebastian in Spain has more Michelin stars for it’s size than anywhere else in the world, but even the lesser known restaurants and bars have a great reputation for food. Italy and France are also great options to find great quality restaurants.
Are you feeling ready to leave the kids at home and start exploring the world with a little more freedom yet?
***Disclosure: This is a collaborative post***
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