nudge in the right direction - seach terms/websites

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kurthy
kurthy

hi knowledgable folks

Myself and my girlfriend are expats based in London and this is our first summer in Europe. Pathetic as it sounds, we're a little overwhelmed by the prospect of picking a summer holiday spot.

Our formative years were spent in Queensland, Australia and Rio de Janeiro, so we have kinda high standards when it comes to beaches.

We are clear on what we don't want - large resort/hotel with rows of palm trees and dual carriage way between hotels and beach type thing - but aren't having much luck searching for the less-common alternative

Our Priorities:
Accommodation accessible with public transport and within walking distance to a swimming beach
Self-catered/kitchenette
July or early August
10 days max
Budget: 800 pounds all-in
Location: Portugal or Spain
Gay friendly

Responsible-tourism focus (the most luck i have had is with responsibletourism.com, but most of the properties our out of our budget)

I'm sure there are lots of towns/properties that tick all these boxes, but so far they have been elusive. If you could please nudge me in the right direction - some websites to focus our search, or specific recommendations.

thanks so much
Sare

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happycrusader
happycrusader

Massive caveats here - I've neither been there, am not gay and have no idea as to whether it ticks the eco-tourism box but as a nudge you might want to look into Sitges near Barcelona.

I do have some gay acquaintances who go every year and love it but whether their idea of a good holiday is the same as yours is anyones guess. So don't shout at me if it doesn't fit the bill...

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scaryant
scaryant

You will find it very difficult to find easily accessible, self-catered accommodation (ie apartment) close to a nice beach in the height of summer for £800 for a week or more in Spain or Portugal - especially this late in the piece.

If you really want to avoid the hoards and find cheap accommodation you need to consider hiring a car. I love to get away "from it all" and the only way to do that is to get somewhere which is not easily accessible by plane, train or public transport - then you will find the secluded beaches, locals only, no FEBs, etc.

I have also heard about Sitges outside Barcelona - I've heard it is very nice and gay friends (ie very popular with the gay community).

Aside from that, I'd recommend Lisbon... very good nightlife, gay friendly, grungy sort of city, good food, interesting sights throughout the city and close to some very nice beaches - see Cascais, Estoril and Sintra which are all easily accessible by train from Lisbon (20-45min depending which destination). I've been twice for a week in total and had a great time on both occasions - we've stayed in self-catered accommodation which was both very reasonably priced (if not cheap) with great locations and high standards you can view their properties and book online here.

Bear in mind that Portugal is on the Atlantic and the temperature of the water is much cooler than it is on the Med, but think of it as more refreshing!

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