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Best city in Europe to visit during winter

Best city in Europe to visit during winter

Old Sep 4th, 2015, 04:39 PM
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Best city in Europe to visit during winter

My daughter will be studying in Florence. Trying to pick a place to spend a week before going to Florence. We have visited Barcelona, Paris and Rome previously. She will be traveling with her 30 year old cousin (she's 21) considering Portugal?.
Opinions and advice for a 10 day trip appreciated.
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Old Sep 4th, 2015, 04:43 PM
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Can you narrow down when in the winter you will be going? That can make a difference to the responses you will be getting.
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Old Sep 4th, 2015, 04:49 PM
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What does she want to see/do?

I would head to London and just accept that winter is not the time for outdoor activities - unless you head to Switz for the winter sports.

Southern Spain would be charming and the temps more moderate but still not really warm - but nor would Florence.
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Old Sep 4th, 2015, 05:55 PM
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we were once in Prague during mid march, the coldest I can remember any part of Euope...It was on our 6-week Central and Eastern Europe trip during the so called "cold War"..loved it. See pics below.
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Old Sep 4th, 2015, 05:58 PM
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https://picasaweb.google.com/homehtt...cenesOfPrague#

Late snow everywhere we went. No driving problems/
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Old Sep 4th, 2015, 06:04 PM
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tower...the link doesn't work!!!
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Old Sep 4th, 2015, 06:14 PM
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Vienna. If it snows, it's even more beautiful. The last thing I'd try to do was pick a place where it's warm. Chances are it won't be.
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Old Sep 4th, 2015, 08:05 PM
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Salzburg.



Thin
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 03:57 AM
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Lisbon is a great idea. If you have 10 days, consider 3 days in Porto as part of the trip. You can fly from Porto to Milan on Easy Jet, and from there the train to Florence is simple.

Napoli is also a marvelous destination in winter time, with an overload of art and history both in town and with day trips, and on a sunny day you can bop off to Sorrento or even the Amalfi coast for lunch (or even Capri if they sea is mirror-smooth calm).
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 04:02 AM
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Also, I had a very good experience renting an apartment in Lisbon through the agency Rent4Days. Apartments in Lisbon are large and spacious -- easy to find 3 bedrooms -- and very affordable. Train ride from Lisbon to Porto is under 3 hours as I recall.

Although you are unlikely to get bathing suit weather anywhere, I've walked around Naples and Rome on sunny winter afternoons wearing a jacket. I've even had mild days in Florence in winter.
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 09:32 AM
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https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...cenesOfPrague#

Sorry, Michele..this should work.
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 09:46 AM
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We were in Prague and Dresden in Feb. Both were fine. Prague was a bit was crowded. Can't imagine what it is like in the summer.
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 10:37 AM
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I love London at any time of the year. It's usually not terribly cold in winter, but it can be pretty rainy. There's plenty to do in any sort of weather.

I was in Lisbon just a short time, for a conference, so I can't really say I got to see much of the city, but the city itself didn't ring any bells for me.
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 01:25 PM
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Everybody is different (and most people answering your question are at least 3 times your daughters age by my estimate). I lived in London and return frequently and it has never rung many bells for me, although I enjoy several of its museums. I would put London fairly close to the top of European cities where I would never want to live again, and only now revisit when business makes in necessary, not for fun. I think the weather sucks most of the time in London. But I found lots to do and love in Lisbon and I really enjoyed being there. Would love to own a home there. Beautiful city with a fascinating history, lots of pleasant nightlife and a bargain for delicious food. I was there in late summer, but have heard the winters are generally mild, but Lisbon can get a day of snow here or there.

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2013/...in-winter.html
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 02:34 PM
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This may help. My daughter spend a fall semester in Vienna and then travelled for several weeks over the Christmas/New Year break. They chose to visit London, Barcelona, Berlin, and Rome before returning to Vienna. I don't remember hearing from her that in any of these places weather was the deal breaker. I do remember her telling me though that New Year's eve in Rome was absolutely horrendous as far as pricing for the typical student's lodging.
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Old Sep 5th, 2015, 11:33 PM
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London. Otherwise Lisbon. In general, the further north the shorter the days, the further north and east the colder.
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Old Sep 6th, 2015, 12:09 PM
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"In general, the further north the shorter the days"
True

"the further north...the colder."
Bollocks. London - and Dublin, and Glasgow - are far warmer in midwinter than almost any Continental city for a thousand miles to their south

"the further... east the colder."
True

"London. Otherwise Lisbon. "
Cobblers.
No-one with a brain chooses where to live or stay on the basis of weather. What would anyone except a complete airhead want to do in a city that's not possible in midwinter London or Paris in ?

If you can put up with the tedium of Lisbon for more than two nanoseconds, real cities are too demanding for you. If you like London at any time of year, you'll be on the plane back from Lisbon more or less the moment you get off it.

The answer to the question is London or Paris or - though it often is seriously cold there - Berlin. Which of them depends on the girl's taste.
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Old Sep 7th, 2015, 05:32 PM
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Thanks for all the replies ... We live in Southern California so we get plenty of sun at home. She/we realize winter is going to be cold but that is fun for us. Think she can spend a few days in London then head to Lisbon. In March at the end of her trip she is planning Amsterdam and Brussels. Now it's time to map out Portugal- what to do and see...
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Old Sep 7th, 2015, 10:28 PM
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Dear me, flanner going off into never-never land again. I just spent eight nights in London, and had a very busy and enjoyable time. I do not enjoy London as much in the depths of winter, and on a recent winter trip decamped to Lisbon, which I also very much enjoyed. It was at least my third visit.
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Old Sep 7th, 2015, 11:02 PM
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I don't understand what there is not to enjoy in London in the depths of winter. It rarely gets that cold. I would think a 21 year old and a 30 year old would choose London Paris or Berlin over Lisbon. I spent 3 weeks in Lisbon during November several years ago and liked it very much but I would still recommend London over it. Also any snowy city too, Prague, Krakow, Moscow, St Petersburg although the visa might be offputting. They are cities to be seen in the snow.
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