Christmas in Rome followed by???
Jan 2nd, 2013, 12:56 PM
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Christmas in Rome followed by???
Hello - its just January and already the family is looking ahead to Christmas 2013. The current concensus is to spend a week in Rome and then head 'somewhere' else, maybe warmer or not, maybe urban or not for the second week. Since this will likely be the last 'family' vacation/holiday for a few years, (the 'children' will be 24 and 26), I want to make it special and budget is generous. I am hoping to rent an apartment in Rome for the Christmas week but am wondering about availability of restaurants for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day....will cooking in be the best idea? One idea tossed out was to spend the second week in Tunisia...then someone said Morocco followed by Dubrovnik (a favorite of the grandparents). We've been fortunate to travel a few times to Italy, France, Spain and Germany so far. Does anyone have insights into the Christmas holiday in Rome and ideas on where to go for that second week? We are willing to hop on a plane for the second destination. Thanks!
Jan 2nd, 2013, 01:03 PM
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I love the idea of Morocco, one of my favorite places on earth. Tunisia, on the other hand, is my all-time least favorite travel destination (though I went years ago - perhaps it has changed). If you do consider Morocco, I'd concentrate on Fes, Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, Agadir, and Essouira. Here is where I stayed on my last trip: www.lamaisonarabe.com. Absolutely wonderful accommodations and restaurant, and the cooking school is a real treat.
Jan 2nd, 2013, 01:23 PM
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If you can arrive in Rome later rather than sooner you will save a lot of money on hotel accommodations and find fewer things closed. Last year, I planned a trip to Rome with the idea of going just after Christmas. When I saw how much cheaper it would be to go after Jan 6, I changed my plans. It also turned out that most of the sights were blissfully empty, whereas 2 weeks before they would have been painfully crowded.
If you must go during Christmastime, you can find enough good restaurants open you won't notice that others have closed. If you intend to cook, make sure you understand what shops will be open Christmas and which won't. When things generally shut down the tightest is Christmas afternoon and the day after Christmas.
If you must go during Christmastime, you can find enough good restaurants open you won't notice that others have closed. If you intend to cook, make sure you understand what shops will be open Christmas and which won't. When things generally shut down the tightest is Christmas afternoon and the day after Christmas.
Jan 2nd, 2013, 01:50 PM
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PS: If you want to go to Rome first because you want to be in a Christian place for the Christmas holidays, you just need to plan that many sights will be closed or off-limited to tourists due to religious ceremonies Dec 25 and 26. If you do some meticulous research, you can fill the gaps with outdoor activities and concerts, or touring parts of the Jewish ghetto, or go out of town and take a stroll around Orvieto or go to Florence for lunch. Pompei might be open Dec 26, and it if it is sunny, it is a nice to walk around there even though it is winter.
I would think Dubrovnik would be terribly cold.
I would think Dubrovnik would be terribly cold.
