A bar worth travelling to (short haul from UK)

[Cloo]

It's my other half's 50th in October, and he had an idea to just invite a few mates somewhere over the top for a drink as part of a weekend away. Initial idea was Marrakech, but a friend reminded him that being gay is illegal there, so not a place we want to give our bucks or could invite all friends concerned.

A few mates are up for travel somewhere, so if we can't have exotic, I'm wondering if there are some spectacularly situated/beautiful drinkeries within about 4 hours flight from London people might recommend for the occasion?

 

[A380]

Go to Lille on the train ( less Carbon) proper Flanders style main square with loads of good bars around.

 

[krtek a houby]

Dublin has some classic old school bars. Ok, not exotic but full of character.

Would recommend Kehoes, McDaids, The Stag's Head, Mulligan's, The Cobblestone and O'Donoghues ... the last two are great for trad sessions, although O'Ds is a bit touristy at weekends.

 

[Cloo]

Ooh, that's a point. We've never been and want to go some time and when it comes to places for a drink, there's no shortage there!

 

[ska invita]

Dublin has some classic old school bars. Ok, not exotic but full of character.

Would recommend Kehoes, McDaids, The Stag's Head, Mulligan's, The Cobblestone and O'Donoghues ... the last two are great for trad sessions, although O'Ds is a bit touristy at weekends.

I've never been but I expect Cork is great too? Always wanted to go, maybe less touristy

 

[ouirdeaux]

Brussels is very easy from the south-east, and quite good for both drink and food. There's lots of other things worth seeing while you're there. Fairly compact, so it's all walkable. Why they have so many train stations is a mystery.

 

[mx wcfc]

Brussels is very easy from the south-east, and quite good for both drink and food. There's lots of other things worth seeing while you're there. Fairly compact, so it's all walkable. Why they have so many train stations is a mystery.

Similarly Bruges, though it’s been a while since we went.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Brussels is very easy from the south-east, and quite good for both drink and food. There's lots of other things worth seeing while you're there. Fairly compact, so it's all walkable. Why they have so many train stations is a mystery.

Beer's amazing, but I think I'd rather pick a different town in Belgium!

 

[krtek a houby]

I've never been but I expect Cork is great too? Always wanted to go, maybe less touristy

Have not been in Cork city bars, but heading westwards and over to Kerry, there's plenty. Of course, the further out, the more likely it would be to get a car hire but the prices are very high these days...

 

[spitfire]

I've not been to Galway for a long time but that was a great town for a night out.

 

[spitfire]

Beer's amazing, but I think I'd rather pick a different town in Belgium!

I've always found Brussels to be a bit of a dump, sure there are some nice spots there but I have magically avoided them.

Bruges is lovely but will be mega busy.

Lisbon, San Sebastian? Not been but heard great things.

 

[krtek a houby]

Ooh, that's a point. We've never been and want to go some time and when it comes to places for a drink, there's no shortage there!

Absolutely. There's lots of new trendy bars but ime, the atmosphere is best found in the aforementioned old school ones.

Would advise to avoid Temple Bar area, it's very touristy and you can find the real deal close by. Have said this to so many people over the years and when they go to Dublin, they still end up in Temple Bar!!!

Over priced, overrated and yet the pubs there do roaring trade.

Dublin is small enough to get around (mostly on foot) but you can hop on the DART and head out to Howth or Dalkey, you're on the coast and there's some lovely pubs there and great scenery.

 

[spitfire]

Absolutely. There's lots of new trendy bars but ime, the atmosphere is best found in the aforementioned old school ones.

Would advise to avoid Temple Bar area, it's very touristy and you can find the real deal close by. Have said this to so many people over the years and when they go to Dublin, they still end up in Temple Bar!!!

Over priced, overrated and yet the pubs there do roaring trade.

Dublin is small enough to get around (mostly on foot) but you can hop on the DART and head out to Howth or Dalkey, you're on the coast and there's some lovely pubs there and great scenery.

100% this.

Best seafood chowder and calamari I have ever had was in Howth.

I used to live in Howth and never realised. Totally wasted on me!

 

[krtek a houby]

I've not been to Galway for a long time but that was a great town for a night out.

Yeah, not been there in maybe 30 years but used to be the best in the West. It's a lot more commercial and the bars have been opened up and enlarged like so many other places, apparently.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I've always found Brussels to be a bit of a dump, sure there are some nice spots there but I have magically avoided them.

Bruges is lovely but will be mega busy.

Lisbon, San Sebastian? Not been but heard great things.

Quite like Ghent but it was almost 20 years ago.

 

[krtek a houby]

I've always found Brussels to be a bit of a dump, sure there are some nice spots there but I have magically avoided them.

Bruges is lovely but will be mega busy.

Lisbon, San Sebastian? Not been but heard great things.

Oooh, Lisbon is packed with great bars. Good call!

Would add Amsterdam to the list, Café de Dokter is a small, cool old school pub off The Dam. Highly recommended.

 

[editor]

Go to Lille on the train ( less Carbon) proper Flanders style main square with loads of good bars around.

I had a good time in Lille - and found a great, non touristy bar

A great music bar in Lille: Amul Solo on 9 Rue des Arts, Lille, France - urban75: art, photos, walks

On Saturday night, I was playing a show with the Monochrome Set at L'Aéronef in Lille, and afterwards the band repaired to a wonderful little bar a short walk away in the town centre. Called Amul Solo, the bar is located at 9 Rue des Arts, 59800 Lille, and comprises of a ground floor and bar - where

www.urban75.org

Photos of Lille, France: architecture, street scenes, empty chairs and graffiti - urban75: art, photos, walks

Last weekend, I travelled with the Monochrome Set to play a show in the northern French city of Lille. In between soundchecking, playing and drinking, I managed to hotfoot it onto the streets to grab these seventy-odd photos. Getting to Lille couldn't be any easier, with the Eurostar train...

www.urban75.org

I'd also throw Utrecht into the mix too...

 

[krtek a houby]

So, it looks like The Blue Bar in Formentera is still going. Should still be relatively warm and exotic come October and it's a bit of a journey but what a place. Chilling out on the beach with your sangria/beer etc, and iirc, equally chilled beats.

Downside is getting there. Fly to the airport in Ibiza town, get taxi to the port (20 mins, depends on traffic), get ferry over to Formentera (30-40 mins, iirc) and head to Playa Migjorn.

It's a very relaxing island and small enough to get around.

 

[cesare]

Quite like Ghent but it was almost 20 years ago.

I have friends in Ghent and they still seem happy with it

 

[pbsmooth]

Lisbon x Cascais for a city and beach weekend

Blue Bar

Hotel Baía Cascais has 2 bars. One on the ground floor on the seafront where you can unwind and soak up the sea air, and the Blue Bar on the Rooftop Terrace, perfect for glamorous summer sunsets, in a trendy setting overlooking the sea.

www.hotelbaia.com

 

[what]

Bilbao is great. The pintxos are out of this world (san sebastian probably better but accomodation in san sebastian is way more than Bilbao)

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Bilbao is great. The pintxos are out of this world (san sebastian probably better but accomodation in san sebastian is way more than Bilbao)

Yes! A friend got married and had his stag do there. It was a brilliant long weekend.

 

[Cloo]

editor - we're going to Utrecht in July!

Formentera is interesting krtek a houby - one option gsv talked about was going to Ibiza for clubbing if season extended that far, but I think decided that would rule out some friends. But a nice island setting... makes me wonder about Greek islands as well.

Will mention Lisbon pbsmooth as it's somewhere we've wanted to go (have been to and loved Porto) and also presumably still quite warm. And I'd imagine it has some lovely historic bars in it. Yup, looks like I'm not wrong Best Bars in Lisbon — Best Bars Europe

 

[spitfire]

We went to Kefalonia 1 week before the season started and it was dead. Had a nice time but you could tell.

 

[editor]

I'd definitely try and make the destination reachable by train as the experience for everyone will be a whole lot more fun than hanging about airports/taxis etc.

 

[Cloo]

I'd definitely try and make the destination reachable by train as the experience for everyone will be a whole lot more fun than hanging about airports/taxis etc.

We're considering, especially as one couple has said they're trying to avoid air travel these days, but at the same time everywhere we can go to by train is somewhere we've done relatively recently or are doing this year

 

[krtek a houby]

editor - we're going to Utrecht in July!

Formentera is interesting krtek a houby - one option gsv talked about was going to Ibiza for clubbing if season extended that far, but I think decided that would rule out some friends. But a nice island setting... makes me wonder about Greek islands as well.

Yeah, Formentera is not for clubbing (or at least it wasn't back in the day), more for those who wanted to come down, and avoid all that. You do get the day tripping crowd over from Ibiza, but they tend to congregate at the nearest beaches to the ferry.

We hired bicycles and just went round the island, two years in a row and fell in love with it. Simple food, blissful vibes and really friendly people.

 

[krtek a houby]

We're considering, especially as one couple has said they're trying to avoid air travel these days, but at the same time everywhere we can go to by train is somewhere we've done relatively recently or are doing this year

Ahem!

Ferry to Dun Laoghaire takes all of 90 minutes. And the nearest bar to the ferry is around 5 to 10 mins walk. Also, DART station is very close, and it would take around 10-15 minutes to get to Dalkey, lots of nice pubs there and historic sites. Killiney next stop down, very beautiful but only one pub, more for walks and swimming.

 

[Cloo]

Ahem!

Ferry to Dun Laoghaire takes all of 90 minutes. And the nearest bar to the ferry is around 5 to 10 mins walk. Also, DART station is very close, and it would take around 10-15 minutes to get to Dalkey, lots of nice pubs there and historic sites. Killiney next stop down, very beautiful but only one pub, more for walks and swimming.

The trouble is the time it takes to get TO the ferry when you're talking about Friday-Sunday.

Re Lisbon I have also been reminded that getting to town from airport is very quick, which would be a bonus.

 

[krtek a houby]

The trouble is the time it takes to get TO the ferry when you're talking about Friday-Sunday.

Re Lisbon I have also been reminded that getting to town from airport is very quick, which would be a bonus.

Lisbon is excellent, must admit.

Am obviously biased in favour of Ireland, so forgive the enthusiasm. It's always amazed me how many people over the years say that they really should visit and never do, despite it being so close.

Anyway, hope wherever ye do go, it's a memorable and fun time!