Dates for Europe Trip
 

Going on a business trip and will have time to vacation for 2 weeks around Europe after and then need to visit family.

I can choose either June 15th to July 1st for my dates or June 22nd to July 9th.

How much of a difference would these dates make in terms of crowds? Looking at Spain, Budapest, and Greece, but sometimes I change my plans on a whim so just trying to get a feel for the continent.

The benefit of the 2nd option is that it’s over 4th of July so I’d get an extra day off/day in Europe over 1st option. But not sure if the extra day is worth the extra crowds/experience

Is the family in Europe? Or somewhere else? Or a separate trip?

You have two weeks and listed two large countries (Greece and Spain) and one city (Budapest) none of which are "close" to each other. Where is your business trip? That may sway your plans.

This less about when you go vs. more about whay you can actually see in those two weeks. And two entire countries and one city would be far too much.

Your June dates night make it less crowded - but assuming it is this year? But you only have less than 2 weeks to plan. Your later dates give you more time to plan, but may be more crowds and more heat.

Your first task is to eliminate. A lot. And, keep it simple. I'd choose only one region for your time. Either Spain OR Greece OR Budapest (you could conceivably add this to other areas/cities such as Vienna, Prague, for instance). You cannot do all three regions you listed.

It is this year. Not looking for an itinerary critique or “is this doable”, looking at a sense if crowds will be much worse in the 2nd option or if it’s slight.

I don’t plan on hitting all 3 places. I also don’t need a lot of time to plan.

Where my business trip or family doesn’t matter, I actually enjoy flying and will go where it’s the most fun, not convenient. Honestly anywhere in Europe is cheap and a relatively short flight compared to the distances I’m used to flying anyway.

I would chose the first option as it may be a bit cooler and places should be less crowded.

Merely trying to help. Have fun.

All things being equal, sooner rather than later. Don't put off until tomorrow....

Spain and Greece will both be pretty hot in July, I would prefer your first option. I would combine Budapest with either Prague or Vienna, which is a short train ride away. Or even Krakow, is another beautiful city. Crowds should definitely be less in June than July.

Ww were in Budapest and Krakow end April/ early May and loved both places, could easily have spent another couple of days there.

Welcome to Fodors. When folks ask for more details and clarification it isn't because they are being nosy, it is so they can . . . help you and provide correct info. Biting their hand isn't going to get you useful feedback.

Would a week make that much of a difference?

Would a week really make that huge of a difference for the crowds? Second option is still in June, although the end.

I’ve already been to Prague, Vienna, and Krakow. Budapest is the only city I’d wanna visit.

My apologies. I tend to be a private person. They are in Budapest and my business trip is also in Hungary

I don't get how a week is going to make any difference in crowds. At least not anything noticeable. It might make a slight difference in hotel room rates or availability, however, if that's a consideration.

It's likely just a slight difference as far as weather but I think European school holidays start July 5 this year. Some prices tend to go up July 1.

Does that mean a very noticeable difference in crowds? Don’t mind higher prices if it means more vacation time

But if it’s very noticeable then it may sour experience

Here in Sweden kids get out of school next week, which is mid-June.

Peak season May to September
 

OP, unfortunately, the whole of Europe is filled with tourists at this very moment as peak season started last month. I was in Rome the first week of April, which wasn't even peak season, and it was already crazy crowded. Tour groups everywhere. Koreans, Americans, Germans, you name it. The lines outside the Vatican Museums were extremely long and inside it was claustrophobic. Fiumicino Airport was insane.
I don't want to be Debbie Downer but there's no way to avoid heavy tourist crowds in the most popular parts of Europe at this time of year.
The only way to really avoid crowds in Europe is to travel in November or February perhaps.

blaire951, honestly it is hard to know. It's likely not a big difference. I think most of us suggested the earlier week might be better but you really seem to want to travel during the second week so I think you should make whichever choice makes you happiest. An extra day of vacation is always nice!

There will be absolutely no difference in crowds - your date options overlap more than a full week so are essentially the exact same time frame . . .

It sounds like you would prefer second option so that's what I'd do. Really, it is one week. No predictable weather effect possible, I think there have been times in the last 5 years when it is torrid hot last week in June, then got better.

AS far as crowds, it seems to me the places people go, Europeans tend to vacation a lot in August, but I can't imagine that many Europeans are going to rush out to book their major vacation the first week in July. In Madrid, for example, school holidays begin June 20th, except preschool isn't until August. That is to give parents childcare basically until they want to vacation. August is the traditional month for Spaniards to vacation. This is true in France, also, but you aren't going there. I'm no expert, but I think summer holidays for Hungarian schoolchildren begins 6/22/24. Kindergartens don't close but some shut and kids can go to another one, if any, that is open. But if a small area and only one, it will close in AUgust, not June, if it closes. Your relatives can apprise you have that if they live there, Probably.

For Spain only,
This year, 2024, school holidays in Spain for most begin this year on Friday June 21, before the San Juan festivities.

The traditional month for holidays in Spain is changing. While it used to be the entire month of August, workers are now taking their holidays at other times, staggering.

But yes, if you're still considering Spain, and completely depending on the region, the June 15 to July 1 could be less crowded and less expensive, but not necessary less hot, but again, in Spain it depends entirely on the region.

And this year, many Spain vacationers, like me, a resident, will be looking very, very seriously at (somewhat) cooler Northern Spain--Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Basque Country, the Aragón and Catalan Pyrenees to seek respite from our extreme summer heat (34 degrees C in my neighborhood in the Madrid suburbs today, June 5, and expected to get hotter this week).

For late June to mid July we've already booked in the Rioja (which will be hot!), then the Basque Country (Pamplona, who knows?, San Sebastián, again who knows? and the French Pays Basque, which tends to be warmer, and we must have a/c).

My actual preference in Spain in July and August for cooler temps would be high in the Pyrenees: example: Val d'Aran or Val de Boí in Catalunya or the Aragon Pyrenees, where I've actually needed to purchase a sweater.
Somewhat milder temps you may find in western Galicia on the coast or in the Asturian or Cantabrian Picos de Europe, but again, who knows?
I've needed sweater atop the cable car in Fuente Dé in the Cantabrian Picos in July, but again, all bets are off these day.

Southern Spain is hot as Hades in summer. I now have to avoid it between mid April and late September or even very early October...seriously.

For others reading this, looking for the very coolest summer spots, July-August in Spain, but not for the OP:

• Ezcaray (La Rioja)….Sierra de la Demanda
• Alp (Girona) ...Cerdanya
• Isaba (Navarra) …Roncal Valley
• Torla (Huesca) …Ordesa
• Potes (Cantabria) …Picos de Europa
• Taüll (Lleida) …Val d´Boi
• Puebla de Sanabria… (Zamora)
• Trevélez (Granada)…..Alpujarras
• Bellver….. Cerdanya
• Cangas del Narcea (Asturias)