paris85

We would like to take our 3 adult children on a European vacation in mid-December for about a week. We want everyone to be able to do something they like. My husband and I want something mostly relaxing with a little tourism thrown in, but we're sure the kids will want interesting things to see and fun stuff to get into. Is there a place that isn't really cold that offers all of that? We've been to Paris and London several times and want to do something new. My kids have all traveled abroad in school or on their own, but say they are open to whatever we decide. They're just excited we're all going together. Besides cold weather I am also concerned with the short days. We obviously would prefer somewhere that has enough daylight to enjoy the day. Also, because of a health issue one of us can't do hours of walking. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks for any tips.

janisj

If you want warm (or even warm-ish) weather and longer days . . . than Europe in mid-December doesn't fit.

One definitely can have a glorious holiday anywhere in in Europe in Dec, but not w/ long days. And decent weather isn't guaranteed even in places like Italy and Spain. Maybe a different part of the world . . .

denisea

I agree with Janis. How warm are you hoping for? No place win Europe will have guaranteed warm weather. Maybe Greece?

thursdaysd

Lisbon. Or maybe Morocco.

Jean

Good weather can't be guaranteed any time, anywhere. Just look at Paris and southern Germany this past week.

Obviously, in December you'll have more hours of sunlight in Italy, Spain and southern France than you would in the U.K.

"... we're sure the kids will want interesting things to see and fun stuff to get into."

I don't know exactly what that means.

MmePerdu

I was in Malta in mid-December, pleasant light-jacket weather and an interesting & unusual place. Unlike anywhere else I've been in Europe. Lots of holiday festivities in Valletta.

MmePerdu

Adding to the above (Malta), very few tourists at that time of year, holiday activity geared to locals (entertainers in the shopping area, decorations, concerts) and hotels have substantial off-season discounts if you ask.

nytraveler

Southern Spain has reasonably warm weather in Dec (not beach weather but warm enough for a light jacket unless you head to the mountains. But the day are still going to be short since it's December. (The only solution to that is the southern hemisphere.)

socialworker

I was thinking the same as nyt......after just watching "The Night Manager" on AMC, Mallorca looks heavenly!!!

PatrickLondon

I've known Barcelona to feel quite springlike (in British terms) over the New Year period - only a light jacket needed on that occasion. No idea what the weather's like earlier in December though,

Plenty of things to see and do, and the days aren't that short - and there's excellent public transport for getting about, and equally plenty of opportunities to just sit and watch the world go by.

Or (though I've never been there) Seville? That's further south.

sparkchaser

<i>... we're sure the kids will want interesting things to see and fun stuff to get into.</i>

Fun stuff like raves, drugs, drinking, and prostitutes?


<i> We obviously would prefer somewhere that has enough daylight to enjoy the day.</i>

Then stay out of the UK and Northern and Central Europe. Maybe Crete, Cyprus, or Sicily? Costa del Sol would be nice as they boast over 330 days of sun a year and the two times we have been there over Christmas, the weather has been better then back home.

Blueeyedcod

<Fun stuff like raves, drugs, drinking, and prostitutes? >

Was that meant to be funny? It's not.

N.B. 'raves' are what young people did in the '90s.

OP - Rome is not too cold in December and you're an hour away from Naples and Pompeii.


http://www.napoliunplugged.com/

sparkchaser

Germany, Belgium, the UK, and other countries must not have gotten the memo because believe it or not, raves are still a thing, maybe not as big as they used to be and perhaps not conforming to your definition but they are still around. they are not my thing and apparently not yours either but they still happen. Hell, a woman died from sketchy drugs at a rave in Crewe a few weeks ago.

If you expand "rave" to "EDM festival" then there are plenty to go see.

Gretchen

If it's warm you want go somewhere else. A beach in the Caribbean, Mexico, etc. don't forget about Zika, but maybe December will be okay.
You say you've been to Paris before (have your kids?). We took our 3 adult kids (and spouses) to Paris for a week in early November and had a WONDERFUL time for all--and for us, who had been maybe 8-10 times before, saw even more things we hadn't, enjoyed it with the family AND had 7 days of sunshine!! They had all been before on their own, but not on Mom and DAd's nickel, if you know what I mean!!
We did hire Michael Osman for two days (he was a friend from a prior trip) and the kids LOVED him, even our "don't tell me what to do" ex SIL!! One day was sightseeing with our input on what we wanted and the other was museums--again saying not too long at the Louvre but definitely the Orsay.
We also let them choose if they were all going to go with "the group" or go off on their own. A week gives that nice roominess.
We all had b'fast together and dinner--and the wine in the afternoon usually.

kimhe

You should have look at genuine Andalucian feel and 3000 year old Málaga city by the Med. Laid-back and relaxing, lots of sights right in the city center, serious museum city and excellent tapas bars, cafés, restaurants, cultural scene and nightlife.

"Málaga: Spain's best kept Secret": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...pt-secret.html
"City of museums. Málaga bets on culture to draw tourists and talent": http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...-culture-spain
"The emerging fine food scene in Málaga and around":
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...taurants-tapas

Weather statistics for mid Decemeber says temperatures in the mid 60s and on average some five hours sun pr. day. Have been here many times in both November, December and January, and over all this is about as good you get the winter climate in Europe, varied but lots of sunshine and fairly mild temperatures: http://www.wetteronline.de/klima-temperatur/malaga

Daylight in December from about 8am to 6pm. http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/spain/malaga

And plenty of quite spectacular day trip-options:
Granada with the Alhambra, 90 mins: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/gran...hamhistory.htm
Córdoba, once the most important city in Eurpe, 50 mins: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/mainsights.htm
Sevilla, the undisputed queen of the cities in the South, 110-120 mins: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/sevilla.htm
Antequera, the so called heart of Andalucía, 30-40 mins: http://wild-about-travel.com/2011/07...ing-antequera/
The Torcal nature reserve, close to Antequera, and just North of Málaga city: http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/torcal/home.htm
Beautiful Ronda with the gorge, the famous bullring etc. etc.: http://www.andalucia.com/ronda/home.htm
Coastal Nerja with the spectacular caves, lived people here more than 30 000 years ago, 50 mins:
http://www.cuevadenerja.es/index.php?lenguaje=en

MmePerdu

"...Rome is not too cold in December..."

Indeed, I found that to be true when we went on from Malta to Sorrento (also almost devoid of tourists and locals preparing for Christmas, very congenial) and then Rome over Christmas. A bit drizzly on occasion but neither were cold. While in Sorrento it was such a pleasure visiting the archeological sites without the crowds. We had Herculaneum almost to ourselves.

janisj

>>OP - Rome is not too cold in December . . .<<

Except when it snows . . .

http://anamericaninrome.com/wp/wp-co...n-rome-007.jpg

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/cms/bin...g?size=640x420

But that is unusual.

BigRuss

Re: daylight hours.

Rome is in "Southern" Europe. It is on the same latitude parallel as New York City, which is in the NORTHeast US. After the Autumnal equinox, days in the northern hemisphere are shorter the farther north you go.

Consider: Edinburgh is north of Edmonton, the northernmost Canadian major city, which is normally viewed as way-the-h^ll up north by Americans; London is north of Calgary; Paris is north of Montreal.

This means anything north of Rome is going to have short days compared to the northeast USA.

And you need to be more specific about what the spawn want: does "interesting" mean "party time without the oldies"?

Christina

This sounds like a lot of expense for only a week, in a suboptimal time of year (mid-December). But if one is set on that, I'd vote for Barcelona. Not being able to walk much would affect most any place, unfortunately, unless you just had a villa on a beach, and then you should go somewhere else like Mexico or Caribbean.

But at least Barcelona won't be as cold as northern Europe (temp range about 40F at night to 60F day) and there is lots to see and do there, something for everyone. Barcelona is a very cosmopolitan city, I think it would be perfect for a week, also, enough to do so you don't get bored.

I don't know about wanting something mostly relaxing though, or what that means. I don't think of that for a city. You could go to Malaga, Spain, actually, that's not a bad idea.

sparkchaser

You should throw caution to the wind and head to Germany and spend that week hitting the Christmas markets. If the weather is nice, bonus.