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We're planning a special trip to celebrate our 20th anniversary and would like to spend two weeks in Europe in the fall......problem is, we're having a hard time narrowing down the choices. Would like to spend a few days in a city and most of the time in the country or small towns. Have been to Paris numerous times, some time spent in the Loire Valley, Provence and near Lyon. Have been to Rome and Umbria together (I've been to Florence and the Tuscan Coast), and we've spent some time in Barcelona and in San Sebastian.
Here are the criteria: we'd like to go someplace we haven't been before, or to combine old with new (e.g. Barcelona with the Costa Brava and Perpignan area, or Florence and then Apulia). We like to stay in nice but affordable places, excellent food and wine is critical. Will detour for destination dining, but that's not going to be the main focus of our trip. We're interested in seeing some cultural sites like interesting museums or visiting the Normandy beaches and Bayeux tapestries, but would be just as happy poking around some smaller towns with interesting architecture or seeing cave paintings.
Would love to hear any and all ideas for places to focus on. We're hoping this won't be a once-in-a-lifetime trip so we don't feel compelled to cram in the "major must sees". Driving is probably how we'll do most of the place-to-place travel, except for in larger cities.
Thanks!!!
Need ideas for 2-week Trip in Fall (Oct/Nov) 2012
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We went to Sicily last spring and had a great time. Sicily has more Greek ruins than Greece does--and gelato besides. Our favorite town was Syracuse. We flew into Rome and then went to Palermo on Easy Jet.
We were thinking of Sicily, so thanks for the input. I just want to be sure we'll have time to see another part of Italy also. Maybe I'll check into which other airports have flights via EasyJet.
Sicily would be on my list of suggestions too. And Fall/Autumn is a good time to go for weather and food (olive harvest, season dishes change). and even though you've already been to Florence, I would suggest Tuscany too. There is an amazing truffle festival in San Miniato (halfway between Pisa and Florence, sometimes referred to as San Miniato al Tedesco, so it's not confused with al Monte just above Florence) called La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco (Festival of White Truffles, but there are black/summer ones too) which starts in the second week of November (not sure when you're planning to go on your trip exactly). There are other truffle festivals in the region of course, but this one is lovely as it's fairly big for a small town and there is also the fortress, cathedral, town hall and plenty of Trattorie to sample the truffles as well as the Rosso Nuovo and porcchini (what a great season!).
You could pick a base (Florence, Lucca, Greve, etc) and make day trips around or pick two bases, one for each week to get more of the countryside and smaller towns in.
Your idea of Normandy beaches and Bayeux tapestries is also good, especially if you enjoy the crisper Autumn weather. You could include Rouen for a few days as a base (beautiful old town, cathedral and places to wander), then move on to Nantes or Limoges and explore parts you haven't been to. There is also a historical and somewhat saddening town near Limoges called Oradour-sur-Glane which may interest you. Towards the end of WWII, even though the town had not been part of the Resistence or seen fighting, Nazi troops massacred over 600 residents and burnt or destroyed much of the town. The site is now a memorial to the residents and there is a museum nearby to explain how the region was affected. You could even consider a trip/overnight on Jersey for something different (check ferries from Granville) or pop on down to Bordeaux and the area for Vendanges, depending on the month you're there.
Or you could go somewhere neither of you has been and spend time in Bavaria and the Tirol - do these places interest you or do you prefer France/Italy/Spain regions?
Sicily is a wonderful suggestion. We absolutely loved it and it is one of our most memorable trips. We flew from Florence and returned to Rome, Both were easy flights. Consider 10 days in Sicily and 3 or 4 in Rome.
I was going to say Sicily before I read any on the replies.
Here are some reasons why---but we took 15 days to see it.
You can see my trip report by clicking on my name above:
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/showgallery.php?cat=3828
If you want different, what about Portugal? You could do a few days in Lisbon and Sintra, then do a driving trip staying at the historical pousadas, the converted castles and monasteries throughout the country. Not really drinkers, but I remember the wine was good, the bread fantstic. Take a look at pousadas of portugal.com.
Thanks everyone, for the suggestions -- keep 'em coming! One of the reasons we're thinking of Sicily in the fall is because it can be so hot other times of the year. I will definitely start looking more seriously into routes and possible accommodations. It would be great to combine with a few days in the Florence/Tuscany and/or Bologna/Emilio-Romagna areas. We may even have to add on a couple of days to our trip.
Portugal is also a strong contender because we have many friends who are Portuguese (large Portugueses community here in the Springfield, MA area) and go back to visit family frequently and have shared their photographs.
Spain is also still on the list, Granada, Corodoba, Toledo and Seville perhaps with a few days on the coast.
Bavaria and other parts of Germany really aren't on our radar, nor is Austria, though we've heard wonderful things about those areas.