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Traveling to Europe mid November - suggestions

Traveling to Europe mid November - suggestions

Old Oct 18th, 2016, 06:10 PM
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Traveling to Europe mid November - suggestions

My husband, 2 boys (12 and 9), and I are going to Europe Nov 16-28. We took the kids to London, Paris, Barcelona, and San Sebastisn in Summer 2015 and had the best experience. We fly to and out of Paris. We want to stay in Paris 3 days and add another city (cities) or country to our trip.

We like great food (the 4 of us do), charming cities, walking, enjoying the culture, architecture, sharing experiences together. What place (s) do you suggest for a 6 day trip from Paris? I looked at staying close but it might be too cold, then looked at Portugal or South of Spain, my heart is always in Italy... I appreciate suggestions.
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Old Oct 18th, 2016, 10:28 PM
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If your heart is always in Italy then go to Italy.
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Old Oct 18th, 2016, 10:43 PM
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Mid November is usually a season with nasty weather, lots of rain, fog, cold, short daylight hours, leaves fallen from the trees..., so it might be a good idea to go south.

Andalucia will be nice in mid November and has lots of history, arts and architecture as well as scenery. Also, the Côte d'Azur will be warm and mild in November exept from occasional rainstorms. The sea is still warm enough for swimming. Food will be better there than in Andalucia.

The best weather in Europe will be in Greece, especially Southern Peloponnese, Rhodes and Crete. Last year, we had been swimming in the sea on 11 November in Rhodes!

If you love Italy, you have to go to Sicily to catch some decent climate this time of year. But why not? Sicily is one of the most beautiful parts of Italy.
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Old Oct 18th, 2016, 10:59 PM
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Your heart is in Italy.
Italy has all the things you are looking for.
You want to go to somewhere not as cold as Paris.
You have already been to Paris.
Yet, you are flying to and out of Paris.
Am I missing something?
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Old Oct 18th, 2016, 11:38 PM
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Greg, maybe they loved Paris so much that they want to return?

Anyway, an open-jaw flight would make more sense, but I know these flights have become expensive. Flights from Paris to the south are fairly inexpensive if you book early. A severe problem might occur if you have a return flight from, say, Andalusia or Sicily, and this flight is delayed so that they do not catch their transatlantic flight from Paris.

Therefore, the Côte d'Azur might be a good option to catch some better weather because flights from Nice to Paris are more frequent and you can also take the TGV to Paris (about 7 hours).
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 02:38 AM
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Although weather in Sicily will be better than that in Paris during the period of your visit, November is rain month along the Mediterranean. November in Sicily is chilly and wet. In general, November is not a good month for travel in Europe. I suggest picking destinations where there's lots of indoor activity
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 03:33 AM
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Could you do French cities like Strabourg (as a base to explore Alsace), Dijon, Lyon, etc.

Or maybe add Brugges and/or Amsterdam to Paris?

The weather in Paris several years ago when we were there over Thanksgiving was actually quite warm and there was not much rain. You can still have a great trip even if November is not the ideal month to travel in Europe.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 04:44 AM
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I'd stick to the south; yes, you can get hot days up north but you will be at risk of also having wet cold days.

I'd look at the Algarve/Alentejo which has great walking and cycling.

The Seville/Cordoba/Grenada/Malaga combo which is often mentioned here

or

Sicilia, but not the eastern side of Italy which tends to get a bit wetter in November
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 04:48 AM
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We have friends that moved from the US to Paris over the summer and we want to go see them, that's why we booked through Paris and also we are traveling with Delta Skymiles, and found good tickets to/from Paris. I could potentially switch the return city to a major airport like Madrid, Rome, or Frankfurt. We do love Paris, my kids really enjoyed it too, but I want us to explore a new place and culture. Thanks for all your suggestions. Sicily caught my attention, do you think weather would be ok at the end of November? South of France is beautiful, I have been there and love it.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 04:52 AM
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Since "the cold" of Paris apparently isn't a deal breaker for you AND you want all these other things which most everybody wants anyway (the food, the "culture" the architecture, etc., etc.) AND you already KNOW that where you really WANT to go is Italy, then GO there. Get a cheap flight perhaps in and out of Orly to Rome or somewhere like that. It isn't going to be any COLDER than what you are already going to have in Paris.

Sorry, love Greece too bit it isn't Italy.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 05:16 AM
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Rome has it all. Warmer, sunnier, more hours of daylight, lots of indoor places to get out of the rain. Except for Palermo and Catania, Sicily is pretty much an outdoor destination best done in spring or fall.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 08:37 AM
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I love Italy, but we can always go to Italy in our next trip, which I plan to go during summer months(Amalfi Coast is in my list as I have already seen the north and Tuscany). Since we are traveling during a cold month, I wasn't sure what would be our best option (city or country). We are easy going, looking for an enjoyable time.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 08:55 AM
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>>> Italy in our next trip, which I plan to go during summer months(Amalfi Coast...

Be sure you have actually looked into the implication of doing this in summer. The weather and the traffic in AC in summer require more consideration than in Northern Italy.
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Old Oct 19th, 2016, 12:04 PM
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consider taking the kids on the overnight train Paris to Venice- could be a real adventure - when my son was their ages he loved night trains we took.

Spend 2-3 days in Venice and end in Rome for 3-4 days- kids will love the boat rides in Venice and seeing the Colosseum and catacombs in Rome and perhaps the Vatican.

For lots on trains and night trains - great between Venice and Rome in less than 4 hours now I think - check www.trenitalia.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Weather may be a tad chilly in Venice but nothing like northern Europe could be and just nice in Rome.

Fly into Paris and out of Rome.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 02:20 AM
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If your heart belongs to Italy then go to Italy
Besides in Italy is warmer than in Paris. Fly from Paris to Milan, then move to Florence and end up in Rome
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 02:35 AM
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Málaga by the Med could be what you're looking for.

Just back from the fifteenth visit here in about as many years. Also a couple of fabulous days in Sevilla, but Málaga only gets better and better. What a city! World class museums, amazing restaurants and tapas bars, the genuine and laid-back Andalucian atmosphere in the different barrios/districts, ahhh.

Lonely Planet now describes Málaga as Andalucía's "city of culture with its so-called 'mile of art' being compared to Madrid, and its dynamism and fine dining to Barcelona". https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/andalucia/malaga

Pretty much to the point. You can read up on the many great museums, the many historic sights right in the city center (the Roman theater, the Moorish Alcazaba palace/fortress, the huge 16th century cathedral etc. etc.) and the faulous food scene in newspapers and travel magazines, but here are some tips from our latest trip:

Affordable cuttting edge dining in Óleo at the Contemporary Arts Center by the river. Excellent terrace, atmosphere and the most friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating waiters. Best food experience in more than a year, and that includes several days in food mecca San Sebastián: http://azahar-spain.com/azahartapas/oleo/

Genuine flamenco song and guitar down in the basement in Peña Juan Breva, one of the oldest exsting flamenco clubs in Spain, every Friday night at 10:30 pm. Free entrance and also an atmospheric bar/restaurant on the ground floor. Also a flamenco museum here: http://www.malagaturismo.com/en/tour...breva-group/79

The freshest typical Málaga style fish and seafood in very popular Chiringuito Cachalote right on the Malagueta beach. Also several other excellent chiringuitos (beachfront restaurants) along the long and wide Malagueta beach, for example more upscale Chiringuito Tropicana and more laid-back Chiringuito La Jabega where you eat the freshest grilled fish and seafood with your feet in the sand. http://chiringuitoelcachalote.com/

Two Michelin star chef Dani Garcias 4€ bull-tail burger at Wendy Gambas is the best burger I've ever had, and I've had my fair share of fabulous burgers, especially in San Francisco and the Bay Area: http://azahar-spain.com/azahartapas/wendy-gamba
Dani García's recipe: http://www.madridfusion.net/recetaDe...eta=0000000469

The new Gastro-market, next door to the Picasso birth-house. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...odie-traveller

And in a short time Gran Hotel Miramar from 1926 reopens right on the Malagueta beach: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...miramar+malaga

The great food scene is much thanks to the fabulous Atarazanas food market right in the city center. My favourite food market in Spain after thirty years of travel around the country. Also a couple of fabulous tapas bars in here: https://eastofmalaga.net/2014/07/25/...ry-perception/
Café Bar Mercado Atarazanas: http://azahar-spain.com/azahartapas/...do-atarazanas/

And Málaga is now one of three Spanish cities recommended by New York Times. The other two are Barcelona and San Sebastián. "Beauty, but now a cultural capital, too": http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...isit.html?_r=2

3000 year old Málaga has got the best climate in Europe and a large international airport, frequent low cost flights in 2 hours 20 minutes from Paris. Weather statistics for mid November says average highs at 70F, six hours sun pr. day and rainfall one in five days: http://www.wetteronline.de/klima-temperatur/malaga

Good info about the city: http://www.malagaturismo.com/en
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 06:04 AM
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Food and culture in Sicily

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfajWXlnlBw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMbhrc6eJr4

There is also episode 3 but I can't seem to find it
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 11:49 AM
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The night train from Paris to Venice might be a bit too much adventure (in the sense of an overnight Boy Scout camp) for Mom and Dad. I've done that trip, and for me, not expecting much, it was fine.

Man in Seat 61 has some insights, towards the bottom, "...OPinion on Thello".
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 02:28 PM
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I think the night train could be an adventure for parents too - bring food and drink you want aboard- have a family picnic - only if you are a light sleeper will you have problems sleeping - sheet, blankets, pillow andbunk beds provided in a 4-person private compartment.

www.thello.com for info and booking.
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Old Oct 20th, 2016, 08:41 PM
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Lisbon - mild temps, few tourists when compared to other times and places, a fun city with great day trip options - see
http://onelittleworld.zenfolio.com/f415062165
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