plwoo

My wife and I are planning a X-mas vacation (8 days) in Europe. The first place that comes to mind is Greece because it is the southern most part of Europe. Can anyone provide me with their experiences in Greece during X-mas (weather, places to go, islands, etc)? We tend to to enjoy smaller towns and probably would not want to spend the whole time in Athens. Are the islands available for visiting/staying? Will there be much to see/do during this time?

Thanks.

tom22

Are you aware, that the mountains in Greece are well known for lot's of snow and skiing activties. I have never been there during the winter, but I know, it can be very cold in the mountains, as I get information about snow & temperatures measurements in Greece during the winter season.

P_M

The idea for skiing is a good one, but it appears you are looking for warmer weather. I was in Greece once between Christmas and New Years and I will never go there again at that time of year. Everything was still open in Athens, but most places on the islands were closed for the season. You are correct that 8 days in Athens would be too much.

Instead of Greece, have you considered southern Spain or Portugal? I was there just after New Years and the weather was quite pleasant. I especially liked Seville.

janis

plwoo: You posted this twice one right after the other (this happens sometimes when folks think their first one doesn't "take". It can take a minute or two for new posts to show up.)

Anyway - you have answers on both threads so be sure to check both threads . . . .

m_kingdom2

A couple of years ago I was in Athens for Christmas/New Year period. It's much warmer than London, but certainly not summery. It's more late autumn/early spring London weather. It's sunnier, and tends to be drier.

But forget the weather, as weather is boring after a certain point. The city had a fabulous atmosphere with all the festivities, and there were more locals on the street as they weren't having to go to work due to the holiday. Try Athens, stay at Hotel Grande Bretagne and enjoy exploring a city steeped in history and culture.