hbhb

Hello. My wife and I are thinking about spending about a month in western Europe. Given our schedule, the best time for us to go is April (possibly into early May). I have read that touring (perhaps biking) in Keukenhof during that time should be lovely (tulips!). We would also like to visit the Alps (thinking Swiss or Italian but open to other regions). And then end up in Tuscany. Neither of us have been to the Alps and we both love mountains. I have read that visiting the Alps in April might not be the best time? Thoughts? Also, for our first time -- where are good places to spend a week or so? We enjoy trips that have time for moderate activity (moderate hiking and biking) and are comfortable for lazier days as well. We also enjoy walking around towns and small cities. We are not foodies. We like informal/affordable dining and are also happy to cook if we stay in an apartment, etc. We are comfortable with air, train, and car travel. We are a lesbian couple so look for places that will be welcoming or at least hassle-free. We are also looking for Tuscany recommendations (again for late April or early May). We spent a few days in Venice years ago and loved it -- this would be our first time in Tuscany. So, ideas for the Alps and Tuscany in April/early May (good home base for a week or so in each location)? Thanks.

PalenQ

Amsterdam is about as gay friendly a city as there is in Europe - a great base for Keukenhof (train to Leiden, shuttle bus to gardens from station) - sweet day trips to many regional cities - Amsterdam has a lot of gay nightlife - check out Regulierwarsstraat(sp?) - a street parallel to the famous flower market and the gay main street in town I think:

http://www.reguliers.net/english.php

How about Amsterdam and Holland - a week or so

Train to the Rhine/Mosel river area in Germany for a few days

Train to Switzerland and head for the Interlaken/Jungfrau Region - to me the absolute highlight of Switzerland for first-timers:

https://www.google.com/search?q=jung...w=1920&bih=955

Stay in a mountain village like Wengen or Grindelwald and be eyeball to eyeball with glacier=-girdled soaring peaks - a myriad of mountain trains and thrilling gondolas going off in all directions - hiking galore - for all types of energies and footwear like the classic Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Ridge Walk- a fairly flat walk but so so awesome:

https://www.google.com/search?q=m%C3...w=1920&bih=955

Say a week here including a few days in Lucerne perhaps - a gorgeous city on a gorgeous lake - lake boat trips are sweet.

Onto Italy - Venice is for lovers - about 6 hours from Interlaken by train. 3 days there

Onto Florence - 3 days

Rent a car or take buses or trains to Tuscan hill towns - like Siena or San Gimignano or a zillion others (buses are great and go everywhere - no need for a car)

End up in Rome for 4-5 days and fly back from there.

Trains are great - for lots of info on trains check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check their free online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of suggested rail itineraries in each country; www.seat61.com. You may want to look at a first-class Eurail Select Saver Pass valid in Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg as one country for pass purposes), Germany, Switzerland and Italy or go the discount ticket route which in 2nd class could be cheaper if you can get those limited in number cheaper tickets (book months early but in stone as usually cannot be changed nor refunded - passes let you chose which trains to hop once there - in Germany, Switzerland and Benelux hop virtually any train anytime - in Italy must get a seat reservation first - no problem IME ever but does add 10 euros to each train trip.

Whathello

PQ gives good advice.
I hardly take trains for holidays so I will trust him.
Pay attention to weather. April in northern Western Europe is still chilly.
We can often ski in The alps (not glaciers) in first half of April.
So maybe a good idea to start in Italy and finish in Amsterdam(ah keukenhof).

PQ is also right that Nl and Belgium are gay hassle free. In Italy less but nobody will bother you unless maybe in some remote rural areas.

PalenQ

Yes I was going to suggest an Italy start and Amsterdam finish but forgot to - but weather in Netherlands can always be funky anytime of spring so don't expect balmy short-wearing weather though in Italy you may well- especially farther south you go.

Henry

HBHB,
This may give you ideas http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

nytraveler

The problem is if you do the trip in reverse you will be in Amsterdam too late for the tulips. They really flourish in April (not really cold then due to the effects of the Gulf stream - more inland countries will be colder).

In the Alps you need to be aware that many of the hiking paths can still be snowy in April and you won't see the best of the meadows and wildflowers until late May or so. Still a lot to see or do - but be prepared to adjust yourselves to visiting some of the smaller towns instead: check out Thun, Brienz, Gruyere etc.

bvlenci

In most of rural Italy, there will be no problems for gay tourists. We have many openly gay politicians and other public figures. A small rural town where we spend a good part of our summers had an openly gay mayor for a long time. In fact, the only attacks on gays I've heard about happened in urban contexts, at the hands of far-right gangs or hoodlums.

Michael

April might not be a good hiking time in the Alps. Friends in Paris are going ski touring in the middle of April, which implies snow at least in the higher elevations, and snow melt in the lower elevations.

StCirq

You can sign up for a weekly update on when the tulips will be in bloom at tulipsinholland.com. Very generally speaking, the middle of April is the best
time, but of course it can vary dramatically year to year.

PalenQ

Tulips however a just a small part of the Keukenhof Gardens themselves where there are blooms blooming all during the show - many are in hot houses showcasing the Dutch flower industry's finest - next to the Keukenhof however are vast fields of tulips and hyacinths and other early bloomers that to me are as neat as the gardens themselves - and though to me the undulating fields are mesmerizing - there is a look-out platform from the gardens to see the fields.

But better to go out the entrance and to the north and tiptoe along roads next to the fields (but dare not go into the fields themselves! so yes st-Cirq's tulipmomenter link will help you get a fix on that.

sandralist

I think it is always good to check guides and forums that specifically deal with issues of LGBT travel. I would think there are many resources for Tuscany. Within recent memory there was an attack on a male gay couple in the Tuscan town of Viareggio (on the seaside). While it was rare enough to make the news, I also think there are Tuscan towns that go out of their way to be welcoming. It is shameful, but Italy is probably the most backward of all European countries in terms of recognizing the legal rights of same sex couples, and while that doesn't necessarily connect with how individual Italians or even the majority of Italians think and behave, I would still look at a guides to get the details.

sandralist

http://www.mapitout-tuscany.com/2013...resources.html

Huggy

Was at Keukenhof for opening day in Late March, 2015. Weather was cold but still enjoyed the beauty of the gardens. Later in April might be better but who knows? Better to be prepared. We stayed in Haarlem and enjoyed it very much.

hbhb

Hi All, These replies are very helpful. I think we are going to make the trip shorter than originally planned. Probably visit Keukenhof in mid/late April and then maybe still Alps. PalenQ or others -- do you know if the Interlaken/Jungfrau Region will be open and hikeable in late April or early May? We don't mind if it's chilly, but won't have the gear for snow or major mud hiking. We visited Yosemite in early spring -- Sequoia grove was closed but we hiked to and through the grove and loved it. If Alps are not really doable -- any other ideas for natural sites to visit in western Europe in late April or early May? Thanks again all for your help.

Michael

<i>any other ideas for natural sites to visit in western Europe in late April or early May?</i>

The Provence around the Gorges du Verdon might have better hiking conditions than the Alps themselves.

Another alternative is the Pyrénées orientale which tend to have a drier climate than the Alps of the rest of the Pyrénées.

The Michelin Green Guide for the Languedoc might be useful in finding out what there is to see and do in that region.

Michael

correction: Pyrénées orientale<b>s</b> which tend to have a drier climate that the Alps o<b>r</b> the rest of the Pyrénées.

PalenQ

any other ideas for natural sites to visit in western Europe in late April or early May?>

How about the Camargue - wild swampy area in southern France known for its wild horses and flamingos:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cama...w=1920&bih=955

spaarne

<i>Netherlands, Alps, Tuscany
Posted by: hbhb on Feb 14, 16 at 3:20pm
Hello. My wife and I are thinking about spending about a month in western Europe. Given our schedule, the best time for us to go is April (possibly into early May). I have read that touring (perhaps biking) in Keukenhof during that time should be lovely (tulips!).</i>

Keukenhof is one of the jewels of Mother Earth. Here is a photolog of one of my trips, http://www.enjoy-europe.com/travelog/Keukenhof2008.htm.

As for a laid back hiking and biking agenda, Haarlem was my base for 5 weeks last August. It is a traditional Dutch city just a short train hop to Amsterdam or a bike-out through the wild dunes to the North Sea. Best trip of my life.

hbhb

Thanks again to all who posted -- this is helpful, we are exploring options now.