Time for a change of scenery...

[stewart]

Well after having spent the last two years in the same Mallorcan marina its time to think about a change of venue (well later in the year but thought it's a good time to start planning). Key requirements are frequent cheap flights (ideally Easyjet from Luton), good climate, places to go and party and nice places to cruise with clear blue water and good beaches. Options include Barcelona, Naples, South of France, Sardinia and other parts of the Balearics but which one to choose?

And why is it that you never hear of much going on in Italy, MBY is full of adverts from Spanish brokers and some French but no Italian ones, not sure why?

Anyone experianced any of the above or got any thoughts, good or bad?

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[DavidJ]

Weve been in Sardinia for a year and are preparing to move on. Alghero is a beautiful walled Catalan (yes Catalan?) town with the marina just ten minutes walk away. Cheap Ryanair flights from Stansted and ten minutes drive from the airport. Temperature today 24 degrees. Great people who feel very independant from the Italians....fly the Sardinian courtesey flag. strongly recommended.
I also recommend Elbe.
Yes there is not much on Italy, I've had very little response on this and the Liveaboard forum when asking about Italy and Sicily.
David

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[tcm]

apart from a few isolated spots around portofino, italy is a bit shite. San remo is worse than any uk resort, genoa appears to have gone on a no-cleaning strike for the last 20 years and long long stretches of beach alert you to thieves, charge you to walk on to the beach, and have a BLAH train running right beside the coast. The place has gone downhill since the Romans. Also the food is pasta, or pizza. And then pasta. Also all the blokes and women look as though they auditioning for fashion ads or porn films, so a bit offputting for average brit. But they are v good at making boats.

The q is partly a temperature thing. Our lot don't like high temps, but southern spain has a longer season. Try wherever. If you got sick of maj, you'll get sick of other places praps.

BUT imho, nowhere in w med is quite as nice as south of france.

Has anyone tried malta? Dirt cheap moorings there.

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[DavidJ]

I think we have different taste in women I like mine a bit tarty. However Malta is an interesting one and may look at that for wintering at the end of this season in preference to Sicily where I am concerned over security.
David

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[stewart]

it's not so much fed up of maj, more that if I'd wantd to stay in one place I'd have bought an apartment and a day boat (just think, something that goes up in value instead of....well you get the picture!). I just think there's got to be loads of good places so why not try somewhere different. Anyone know what the cruising round Barcelona is like (that's kind of fave at the moment)?

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[petem]

Malta

The new marina is called Portomaso Marina (loads on google but couldn't find an official website). There's even a Sunseeker dealer there.

Maltese people are very friendly and crime shouldn't be a problem. I've been to Malta/Gozo many times in the past and always had a good time. Not many sandy beached but lots of swimming off the rocks into blue seas.

Hot in Summer and even Christmas can be warm (but chilly in the evenings). Scheduled flights (Air Malta) are reasonable (£130 - £200 return) and leave from most UK airports. Young Maltese women attractive enough (but very religious). Food OK, mixture of Italian and English, i.e. fresh pastas and fish with chips. Local fish called Lampuki. They also eat Rabbit and my favourite Bragioli (Beef Olives).

Malta is about 70 miles from Sicily.

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