Ian Sutton
1000+ Posts
It can be difficult - and potentially harder by having longer.
One technique that has worked for us in the past has been setting a theme e.g. Mountain and city, or Tuscany taster, or by setting out in conceptual terms what appeals e.g. I want some history, some countryside, somewhere familiar and somewhere brand new.
For shorter stays it's easier to choose a key location that's a cornerstone of the trip, then radiate outwards on the map to find additional variants / areas of interest.
Looking at the above, one 'theme' option might be Southampton to Cornwall by coast and then back to London (?) inland. Maybe mixing up the stays by having 1-7 nights in each location on the way to Cornwall, then having 2-4 weeks there, before 1-7 night stays on the return eastwards. If happy to stay in B&B accommodation, there is often good value & availability.
Alternatively, with such a long period you could easily just say: "You write down your top 3 places that you absolutely want to visit, and I'll write down mine" compare the lists, and if they are all different, then that's your 6 x 2 weeks sorted. If there is agreement on any, or if any only really warrant a week, then you've got an additional location or two to fit in, but rather than resorting the 4th or 5th choices, see how the selected places fit together logistically and maybe there is an obvious stopping point (e.g. if you have Lincoln and Edinburgh, then York, Harrogate, North Yorks coast or Durham would be an obvious place to add). This might be a great way of doing it if you have too many possibilities, as it helps focus on what appeals the most.
One technique that has worked for us in the past has been setting a theme e.g. Mountain and city, or Tuscany taster, or by setting out in conceptual terms what appeals e.g. I want some history, some countryside, somewhere familiar and somewhere brand new.
For shorter stays it's easier to choose a key location that's a cornerstone of the trip, then radiate outwards on the map to find additional variants / areas of interest.
Looking at the above, one 'theme' option might be Southampton to Cornwall by coast and then back to London (?) inland. Maybe mixing up the stays by having 1-7 nights in each location on the way to Cornwall, then having 2-4 weeks there, before 1-7 night stays on the return eastwards. If happy to stay in B&B accommodation, there is often good value & availability.
Alternatively, with such a long period you could easily just say: "You write down your top 3 places that you absolutely want to visit, and I'll write down mine" compare the lists, and if they are all different, then that's your 6 x 2 weeks sorted. If there is agreement on any, or if any only really warrant a week, then you've got an additional location or two to fit in, but rather than resorting the 4th or 5th choices, see how the selected places fit together logistically and maybe there is an obvious stopping point (e.g. if you have Lincoln and Edinburgh, then York, Harrogate, North Yorks coast or Durham would be an obvious place to add). This might be a great way of doing it if you have too many possibilities, as it helps focus on what appeals the most.
