Planning guides
31 guides across 10 destinations, on the three questions that decide a week: which part of an area to base yourself in, what a private day on the water or in the vineyards actually costs there, and which weeks are gone before the spring.
Nothing here is a listing and nothing is bookable on this site. Read the place you are thinking about, then tell us the dates and the group and we will find out who is genuinely free.
Algarve Peak May-Oct
Everything in Algarve →-
What a Private Boat Day Costs in the Algarve
What a private boat day costs in the Algarve: the lagoon charter figures, the Vilamoura yacht range, shared tour prices per person and what moves each one.
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When to Book an Algarve Villa, and Which Weeks Go First
Peak in the Algarve runs May to October. Which weeks go first, how much give your dates need, and why the lagoon works on mornings the cliff coast cannot.
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Quinta do Lago or Lagos: Where to Base Your Algarve Week
Quinta do Lago, Lagos or Tavira: which Algarve base suits a villa week, what each costs you in drive time from Faro, and where the boat days really start.
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Douro Valley Peak May-Oct + Sept harvest
Everything in Douro Valley →-
Pinhão or Peso da Régua: Where to Base a Douro Valley Week
Pinhão puts you at the piers with two walkable estates. Peso da Régua is the shorter run from Porto. How to pick a base for a Douro Valley week.
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What a Private Douro Valley Wine Day With a Driver Costs
What a private Douro wine day with a driver costs: the private and shared day rates out of Porto, the tasting fees usually charged on top, and what moves it.
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When to Visit the Douro Valley, and When to Book
The best fortnight in the Douro Valley is the second half of September, when the harvest is in. What the other months give you, and which weeks go first.
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Madeira Peak Year-round
Everything in Madeira →-
Funchal or Calheta: Where to Base a Madeira Villa Week
Funchal puts the harbour, the restaurants and the boats below the house. Calheta and Ponta do Sol give you the pool, the light and more road from the airport.
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What a Private Boat Day Costs in Madeira
What a boat day off Funchal or Calheta costs: the per-seat bands for whales, catamarans and sunset, and why a crewed boat is quoted per date.
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When to Visit Madeira and Which Weeks Book Up First
Madeira has no closed season, so the month sets the character of the week. What each part of the year gives you, and which weeks get asked for first.
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São Miguel Peak May-Oct (whales Apr-Jun)
Everything in São Miguel →-
Ponta Delgada or Furnas: Where to Base Your São Miguel Week
Ponta Delgada puts you beside the boats. Furnas puts you in the thermal valley, about 45 minutes from town. How to choose a base for a São Miguel week.
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What a Private Boat Day Costs on São Miguel
What a boat day really costs on São Miguel: whole-boat charter rates, per-seat whale watching and snorkelling, sunset boats, and what moves each number.
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When to Visit São Miguel: Whale Season or High Summer
The best time to visit São Miguel depends on the trip: late April to early June for the migrating whales, July to September for warm water and the islet.
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Pico & Faial Peak May-Sep
Everything in Pico & Faial →-
What a Day on the Water Costs on Pico and Faial
What whale watching, a dolphin swim and a whole boat cost from Horta, Madalena and Lajes, and what the hull, the month and the port actually change.
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When to Go to Pico and Faial, and How Early to Book
The season on Pico and Faial is May to September. Which weeks go first, what the whales and the hydrangeas decide, and how early to ask about a house.
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Pico or Faial: Where to Base a Villa Week
Faial gives you the harbour town and the widest choice of boats. Pico gives you the lava vineyards and, from Lajes, the shortest run to the sperm whales.
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Dolomites Peak Dec-Apr + Jun-Sep
Everything in Dolomites →-
When to Go to the Dolomites, and When to Book
The Dolomites weeks under real pressure are 23 December to 6 January and 11 February to 9 March. Late January and late March ski the same mountain, quieter.
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What a Dolomites Chalet Week Costs Beyond the Chalet
What a Dolomites chalet week costs beyond the chalet: lift passes and instruction carry published prices, the chef and the cars are quoted, never listed.
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Val Gardena, Alta Badia or Cortina for a Chalet Week
Which Dolomites valley to base a chalet week in: Val Gardena for the circuit, Alta Badia for mixed abilities, Cortina for a town that happens to ski.
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Lake Garda Peak Apr-Oct
Everything in Lake Garda →-
Lake Garda: South, North or the Western Riviera
Which end of Lake Garda to base a villa week on: the calm southern basin, the grander Riviera shore at Salò and Gardone, or the windy north at Riva.
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What a Private Boat Day on Lake Garda Costs
What a private boat day on Lake Garda really costs: published rates from 100 EUR for a short run and from 1,300 EUR for a full day, and what moves them.
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When to Go to Lake Garda, and When to Book
Lake Garda trades April to October. June and September give you working boats and more choice of house than July and August, and October belongs to the mills.
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Puglia Peak May-Oct
Everything in Puglia →-
What a Private Boat Day Costs in Puglia
Private boat prices in Puglia: the Polignano cave figures, why a Monopoli yacht day is quoted per date, the Salento numbers and what the price leaves out.
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When to Go to Puglia, and When to Book
The best months for Puglia are late May, early June and September into October, plus what to ask for first when your dates fall inside the summer.
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Puglia: Where to Base a Villa Week
Where to base a villa week in Puglia: the Valle d'Itria for trulli, wine and oil, the coast at Polignano and Monopoli for swimming, or the Salento.
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Julian Alps Peak May-Oct + winter
Everything in Julian Alps →-
What Transfers and a Private Day Cost in the Julian Alps
What a Julian Alps transfer and a day at the two lakes cost: 110 EUR by car to Kranjska Gora, about 121 EUR a head on the shared day from Ljubljana.
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Bled or Bohinj: Where to Base Your Julian Alps Week
Bled, Bohinj, Kranjska Gora or the Soča valley: which base suits which week, how far each one is from the airport, and when two bases are worth it.
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Julian Alps: When to Go, and When the Good Houses Go
June and September walk best, July and August own the lakes and the river, and late December to late March is the realistic snow window at Kranjska Gora.
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Menorca Peak May-Oct
Everything in Menorca →-
What a Private Boat Day in Menorca Actually Costs
What a private boat day in Menorca costs: the published llaüt, catamaran and sunset figures, what a shared seat buys instead, and what moves the number.
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Where to Base a Villa Week in Menorca
Where to base a Menorca villa week: Maó for the harbour and the boats, Ciutadella for the southern calas, or a cala village where the boat leaves the beach.
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Menorca: When to Go and When to Book
Menorca's peak season runs May to October, with the high band late June to early September. When to come, what runs short first, and the order to book in.
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Wherever you are going
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Tell us where you are thinking of going, the dates and how many of you there are. We will come back with what is genuinely free and what it costs.