Doh! I missed that I hope it's repeated soon. Stuff like that sometimes gets shown on UKTV Documentary/History etc, so I'll keep a look out for it.
We often have series of The Way We Were on ITV Granada. They had one a while ago about holidays, and there was a promotional film about a young lady going on holiday with her grandfather to Tossa de Mar, I think it was late 50s/early 60s - the Costa Brava would have seemed a long way to go back in those days, but nowadays we think nothing of jetting off to the Caribbean, Indian Ocean or the Far East. Our first foreign holiday was to Majorca in 1976 when I was a little girl, and most of my friends had never been further than Wales or Cornwall, so I was considered 'dead posh'

Shame, I missed it - I would have enjoyed that.

My first holiday to Spain was in ( I think) 1962, it cost 29guineas(does anyone remember guineas?) for two weeks half board in Calella. The following year I went to Greece and it cost £50 for two weeks b&b. We flew to Beauvais, spent a day in Paris, then took the overnight train to Milan, then a train to Ancona were we spent the night, the next day we took a train to Brindisi from where we caught the overnight ferry to Patras. We were absolutely shattered when we finally got to Greece, but it was great fun and it gave me an appetite for travelling the world that I still have 45 years later.

I can beat that. My first holiday in Spain was in 1958 to Majorca through Lunn Poly. We travelled by train from London to Barcelona and then had the option of taking the ferry to the island or flying. We opted for the latter, with this being my first flight.

The hotel right in the centre of Palma. I remember we took a bus trip west-wards along the coast, and where there are now the mega resorts of Magaluf and Palma Nova there was just empty beaches and a couple of beach-side cafes.

On our return trip, because of connection times, we had a day and night in Barcelona as a bonus. Because my parents paid for the holiday I cannot remember how much it cost. What I can remember is the cost of our honeymoon in 1972. This was 10 days in Ibiza for £52 half board. That was with Clarksons and flying with Court Line. We stayed in the Hotel Carib in Es Cana.

I've just remembered another early trip, which was in either 1962 or 63. This was to the then Yugoslavian resort of Opatija with Co-Op travel. This was a very complicated trip. We picked up a coach in London, were driven to Southend Airport and flown to Ostend. We then boarded a coach for the onward trip. The first night was spent travelling on the coach, but the second night was spent in a hotel in Udine, northern Italy. Then another half day journey to Opatija.

The return journey was different, with the first night on the coach, and the second night in a hotel in Maastricht Holland. Then the coach to Ostend airport, the flight to Southend and coach to London. I cannot remember the cost, but I doubt if it was more than £30 for something like a 12 day holiday.

I think a lot of holiday firms in the 1960's used Southend Airport. My first trip to Switzerland entailed taking the Southend-Ostend flight then on a coach overnight arriving in Switzerland late the following day. 10 days in all, it cost £32. Not too many motorways and we travelled through Germany which I thought was grey and dismal with lots of large blocks of ugly flats. I never dreamt that I would end up living there 10years later (I'm still in Germany ) living about about a 75min drive from Switzerland.

The most spectacular part of that coach journey was crossing the Brenner Pass on narrow, twisty roads. That same journey today is made on a motorway consisting of a series of tunnels and a very long, high bridge.

Briar

That was a spooky moment when I read your post, my first package holiday was to Llorret de Mar in 1973 with my Mum and Dad as well.

When I next speak to my Dad I'm going to ask him if he can remember how much it cost.

Doe

Seems Lloret was the place that got many of us addicted to travel . My first holiday was with my parents to Lloret in 1971 to the Hotel Hawai which seems to be still there. They paid £50 each with me going free and my brother half price! Again it was a ten day trip - maybe two weeks seemed too long for travellers used to a week of rain in Brid or Scarborough. I think we travelled with Cosmos.

Meals were waiter service then (no buffets) and I tasted melon for the first time - so exotic!

A couple of years later we stayed in the Hotel San Marti, which had a rooftop pool. I think it is still there but under a different name.

The first time I went abroad was in 1965 with a friend and we stayed at a little whitewashed house in Salobrena on the Costa del Sol. It was owned by people who knew my friend's parents, and of course they (the owners) were there to supervise! I can't remember much about it apart from the heat and the dazzling whiteness of the buildings.

Then in 1966 I went with my parents and another family to S'Agaro on the Costa Brava. We took the car down on the sleeper train as far as .... oh dear, mind's gone blank ....... somewhere near Marseille and then drove into Spain. We stayed at the Hotel Roca which was lovely. We had enseimadas (spelling?) which were sweet pastries and peach conserve for breakfast, sitting outside, and I thought I was in heaven.

That started a love affair with the Costa Brava and we intended to buy an apartment there when we retired, but then we fell in love with the Algarve and the rest is history!

Briar, I think it was in Oct or Nov we may have passed each other by. we were fated to meet by internet. LOL.

I was 17 and had started work that summer, but think Mum & Dad probably paid.

I couldn't get over how beautiful the weather was as it was winter back home. Also did the trip to Tossa which I seem to remember they prefered to llorret and I think a place called Roses (is that right?)

Meals were all waiter and waitress service (the good old days) none of the buffets we get today.

I'm very impressed at you and Tippi for remembering the name of your hotel.

My Mum and Dad although in their 50ties fell in love with Spain but bought in a village called Salobrena on the Costa Alcazar as I think they had the forsight to see how tourism would go and they wanted Spain not England cos they had England at home.

Hi Briar and doepsmc - this is getting spooky! I can't remember what time of year I went on my first trip but clearly remember my second time in Lloret (at the San Marti) I celebrated my 10th birthday - the date? .........8th October, 1973. We could have all been there at the same time.

I remember mum and dad buying me a beautiful Spanish dress and red polka dot shoes with heals - looking back I looked lovely but hated it because I was a bit of a tomboy and my brother got the Barcelona football kit!

Here you are peeps...click on the webcams

http://www.rosesnet.com/guia/glowebcam.htm

click here

Sanji

Thanks Sanji

The view of the beach from that webcam is great. It still looks lovely there. Wish I got more hols (and had more cash) I would like to go back and see how things have changed.

What a coincidence Tippi, all of us being there at similar times. The Costa Brava is probably responsible for a lot of folks interest in travel abroad and Spain in particular.

I checked out your hotel link Briar, where it lists all the hotels and I am sure it was one of the hotels Rosamar. There seem to be 4 now but I'm sure there was only one in 1973, wish I knew which one it was.

I am sure it was one of the hotels Rosamar. There seem to be 4 now but I'm sure there was only one in 1973, wish I knew which one it was.

I can't find all the dates the hotels were constructed, but maybe the photo may jog your memory....click on "more photos "

click here
Here and here
http://www.en.hotels-in-lloret-de-mar-spain.venere.com/

Some more webcams here.....
HERE
and finally Lloret de Mar beach...Here

Enjoy. !
Sanjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

WOW thanks Sanji I will have a proper look later as Sunday Lunch is calling.

I hope my memory is in a joggable frame of mind as it was 33 years ago.

My first hoiday abroad was also to Lloret but June 1974. We flew with Clarksons and had my grandparents with us - my Gran having been several times before and talked my parents into it, I remember the restarant - 2 sittings and they put the supplies we had taken out for us each meal, ketchup, brown sauce, cornfakes, marmalade and teabags!
I had a fling with a buchers appentice from harrogate and later that year he drove down to South Wales on his moped to visit me - when he arrived my Dad said I was out so he had to drive all the way back!!
Lally

Just rang my mother it was the Rosamar !
Thanks for the links Sanji - nice to madge back!!
lally

I am sure it was one of the hotels Rosamar. There seem to be 4 now but I'm sure there was only one in 1973, wish I knew which one it was

.

Hotel Rosamar Marítim was built in 1967