Europe for Two weeks at Christmas – What would you do?
 

For the two weeks just before and just after Christmas 2005, my wife and I want to take our two boys (ages 16 and 14 by then) to Europe. We have always loved France and Italy, but the boys have never been to Europe. So for these first time teens, any suggestions for an itinerary? I want to keep it to two countries max, and I’ve been toying with a France/Italy combo and a UK/France combo. I would like to combine cities and something more rural - for example, Paris and Normandy; Rome and Tuscany, London and Stratford, etc., but these are just shots in the dark for now.

Obviously winter weather is a consideration, but we’re not a sit-on-the-beach-and-bake family, so a little rain is no problem. Nonetheless, if certain areas will resemble ghost towns, we’ll probably want to avoid. As an additional note, food is an important consideration and we’ll probably get a car.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

We have done London, Paris and Rome all at Christmas time. London and Paris were both cold but we live in Seattle and are used to it. So were the trips we took to the outlying areas although we went to Strasbourg/ Alsace and that was a bit warmer. Rome was very mild in comparison 50-55 deg.f during with a mix of rain sun etc. We took a day trip to Ostia Antica and it was about 65 deg. I think that two countries may be too much if you also want to take a trip to the country unless you fly open jaw. We always try to do a city and surrounding area. Next year Barcelona and So. France.

I think this is overall a good idea, and you seem prepared for the weather. Just a few things to keep in mind:

Days are very short in December, esp. in the UK. It won’t be light until 8:30 am or so and will be dark by 4 pm. Plan your day accordingly.

Virtually all shops and restaurants will be closed on December 25, 26, and January 1 and 2. Many will close early on the 24th and 31st of December. Smaller restaurants and shops may be closed for the entire week between the holidays. Museums will be closed on those days as well. On the days museums are open, you are likely to find them jammed as it is school holidays in Europe as well, so plan to be there early or buy advance tickets where possible (i.e. London Eye, Uffizi). Most likely you will have to eat Christmas and New Years’ Day meals in hotel restaurants, unless you have a kitchen and can cook yourself. (Chinatown in London may have restaurants which are open on Christmas.) Not necessarily a bad thing, but kids should be advised that there will be very little to do in cities on Christmas day and some of the other days. If you can arrange your itinerary to be in the countryside for Christmas, then there would be outdoor activities which probably would be a better choice with teenage boys. Florence might a good choice, as you can easily get to the countryside for walking/biking on days when museums, etc are closed. It would be harder to get to outlying areas for the day from say Rome, Paris or London.

Bear in mind that some hotels and restaurants in places the Tuscany and Normandy areas may be closed entirely during December, as that is not really their high season.

I live in Switzerland and think December is a great time to see the cities and the spectacular countryside. Rome at Christmas, esp if you are Christian, is a great experience. I think London is a great choice for children who have never been to Europe, as there is no language barrier (menus, museums, etc), and there is a lot to see and do. I would vote for Italy over France generally for teenage children, but that is probably a personal thing.

Without more info, I'd vote for France/Italy, since you want to include two countries, though UK/France is also very good. But if the boys are studying a foreign language other than French or Italian, my answer would probably be skewed in favor of some other country. In general, for a two-week trip, my own preference is generally to stick to selected areas of a single country, but I know that you can plan a good trip to selected areas of adjoining countries. I think there are many reasonable options, all of them good.

I would second the vote for France and Italy, especially if you want to combine cities with rural areas. London is great in December but the English countryside is bound to be a bit dark and gloomy as the days are so short. From experience traveling in Europe in winter, I would suggest planning most of your time in the cities. There is lots to do if it rains.