Europe 12/26 -1/04 help
 

My husband and I are looking for a recommendation on where to go in Europe over New Years. We are from the upper midwest and want to avoid extreme cold and snow. Where would you recommend? We are in dire need of some culture, great food and new experiences.

We spent 12/25 to 1/08 in Paris this past holiday. Okay, we happen to LOVE Paris and don't care about the weather, but it happened to be lovely! We took silk undies in anticipation of walking in cold weather, but never needed them.

Hi Dizz,

We have a home in France (in the Aveyron)and have lived in quite a few European countries. Right now we are in our home in South Dakota and I can understand your wanting to escape to somewhere warm for the New Year. Paris is a beautiful and wonderful city, but it will be cold, damp and dark that time of year. My recommendation would be Sicily at that time of year. Taoromina is on the southern coast of the Island, has great restaurants and views of Mount Etna. The weather will be a lot warmer than anywhere else in Europe and the light will be better that time of year. Taoromina has many interesting small walking streets and interesting shops as well. Parking is non existent though if you don't live there, but you can park down at the sea and take the funicular up to the village. At the top of the funicular is an excellent family hotel "La Fiorita".

Sicily can be very cold and damp at that time of the year according to my daughter who spent her study abroad there at that time of the year so don't expect super warm but definitely better than Upper Midwest(I live in Chicago so feel your pain!).

Personally, Taormina would be hard for a week as it is really really touristy. I would recommend Siracusa(Ortigia) further south if you are going to spend a week in Sicily as it would be great for day trips,etc.

However, I do think that Roma is beautiful and exciting during the holiday season and you will be assured of central heating which sometimes isn't always available in Sicily for that time of the year.Paris would be my other choice with all of the holiday decorations and excitement-still warmer than the midwest?

Hi D,

In this order

Paris
Paris
Paris

((I))

You'r unlikely to get <i>extreme</i> cold and snow in most parts of coastal and southern Europe. The further south you go, the chances are less likely; but I've known snow in Athens and Istanbul when it was sunny and relatively warm in London, so you can't totally guarantee what you'te looking for either. Bear in mind that the days will also be shorter the further north you go.

What about Barcelona? I was there over New Year once, and it was sunny with temperature in the 60sF - photos here: http://tinyurl.com/65p9yk.

Plenty of culture and good food too (but be aware bars and restaurants seem to close early on New Year's Eve).

Bangkok!

Great time to take a trip. We've done several family &quot;Sylvesters&quot; (actually New Years' but for us the time between 12/26 and 1/3 or so):

Paris (1999, the storm of the century when hundreds of trees blew down in Versailles and the metros closed)

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Salzburg

Rome and Florence

Istanbul

We liked them all including the the two in the snow which were really the prettiest--and we too are from the upper Midwest and get pretty tired of snow. This snow was perfect and just at or slightly below freezing so not really cold.

Rome and Florence and Istanbul were of approximately equal temps--40s and 50s, maybe reaching 60s every now and then.

But my recent experience in Barcelona leads me to suggest that city above all others given your outlined requirements. We've been there two years in a row in February which apparently is about the same as December there and it was terrific. Temps in the 50s and 60s and sometimes even higher with opportunity to eat outside for lunch. Great food. Fabulous design everywhere and wonderful sights. Easily navigable and infinitely walkable. Good possibilities for day trips if you want to, but you certainly don't need to. Just all around great. It's become our new Paris--since you can't just go to Paris over and over and over. See my report entitled --- If this is February it must be Barcelona. You're gonna love this place.

We had an enjoyable time in Florence and Rome right after Christmas - much more comfortable temps than in summer, for sure, a good bit of sunshine.

You can still catch a Christmas Market if you go to Germany and to the city of Speyer, specifically - the market runs through the first week of January:

http://www.speyer.de/de/tourist/fest...ch_language=en

Speyer is a pleasant city not far from Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, or Stuttgart.

For that time of year, I think Rome and Florence or Spain (Andalucia) might be your best bet. We have been to Rome in December and the weather was relatively pleasant - in the 60s. We have friends who go frequently to Andalucia in the winter and have had nice weather. If you haven't been, I would recommend Rome with a couple of days in Florence.

There can be snow in Florence in January.

There is no place in Europe that is immune from a cold chill in Europe. However, Rome is where I would go in that time frame. I can also understand the recommendation for Barcelona, given Dizz's desires, even though it is not a favorite city of mine.

Barcelona is temperate that time of year. The upper 50s is downright balmy compared to upper-midwest temps.

Barcelona has good food, &quot;culture,&quot; and hopefully it will be a new experience.

Paris is fine, though it can be cloudy or drizzly, but is warmer than your home climate.

Thank you everyone for the awesome advice. We were kicking around the idea of Spain: Barcelona, Seville, Granada and Valencia. Sounds like we may have a winner. What do you think about Greece mainland and save the isles for next time?

Personally, I think 4 places in 10 days is too much. I'd stick to 2 and move from Barcelona to Seville (or wherever) on the 1st of Jan when most places are closed for holiday, you aren't really losing a day then.

There is plenty to do in Barcelona in 10 days though and just do a day trip or two.

i was going to suggest Greece, but since most people seem to be most interested in the islands, I didn't think that would be the best time to go. I'd stick with the Spain as you seem interested enough in going there and it really is a great time to go. I did the exact trip 2 years ago and it was great, especially the weather.

People seldom realize that Greece -- including Athens -- can have positively miserable winters, including snow.

I do love Andalucia. Stay in the Parador in Granada if you can. Be sure to see the mosque in Cordoba.

For warmish weather go to Analusia. Rent a car, have great sighseeing weather for Seville, Granda, Cordoba - and warm enough for golf and tennis at a seasie resort in Marbella - although not warm wnough for swimming.

we went to Portugal last year at this time of year. Weather was very mild and we had a nice time. I have posted a trip report on here so just search for my name and it will come up.

This is not meant to be a frivolous answer and I know it's not Europe, but you might want to consider Muscat. I've spent 2 Christmases there when I was working in Oman and the weather is delightful in December. 25 degC/77degF on December 25. And &quot;plenty of culture, great food and new experiences&quot;. The people are delightful.

Most of Europe can be chilly, wet and grey at that time of year.

We went through the same criteria when deciding where our party of 11 (3 families with 4 teenagers)will go for Xmas and NYE this year. We ruled out summer destinations like the south of France, Costa del Sol and Greece as we find the buildings aren't really winterised. Those big open tiled rooms with large windows which are so airy and cool in the summer are difficult to heat.

Instead some are going to Barcelona and others to Madrid before we meet up in Paris on the 19th. The fact it gets dark quite early isn't a deterrent. It will be unlikely that there will be a lot of snow and ultra cold.

We are looking forward to eating is some great and fun restaurants as well as hitting the markets for produce for cooking at home. There are enough people that I'm doing my own thing in terms of visiting museums, churches, shopping and just wandering the streets - which I never get tired of.

We are then spending a week in Samoens which is in the French Alps so hopefully we will get some snow but aren't counting on it as it is quite low. While the adults are enjoying the market, eating and walking in the medieval town, the kids are going up the mountain to ski.