maddie123

I am traveling to Europe over Thanksgiving during the last couple weeks of November. I am flying into London and would like to visit 2 other places while there. What places would you recommend visiting considering the time of year and it being the off season for tourists? My current thoughts or places I’m considering are Amsterdam, Switzerland, Germany, Positano, Canary Islands, Nice (or another place on the coast of France). Any recommendations are welcome! Thanks in advance!

MmePerdu

What are your criteria for making a decision? Without knowing your thoughts regarding one place rather than another all you'll get are others' preference which may or may not be relevant.

I'm not fond of cold so the one winter trip I've taken in Europe lately included Malta, the area near Naples & Rome, all in December. I found the weather surprisingly warm given the season. Of course one cannot count on it but it would be more of a possibility at least.

kerouac

Frankly, weather is extremely variable so there is no way to make a suggestion. You would not believe how often the weather is better in northern Europe than southern Europe, contrary to all logic. So a place like Amsterdam could be just as good as Nice.

maddie123

I’m interested in cities that will still be pretty lively despite it being the off season for tourists. I guess what I’m nervous about is I’ve read a few different things online regarding Ireland and Switzerland that stated many places are closed and not very populated during the off season (this could be completely wrong, just something I’ve read). I would spend some time viewing any major landmarks or typical tourist sight seeing, but also love finding less known local favorites for eating/drinking. I’m aware that most places in Europe are pretty cold during that time but I would prefer at least one other location with milder temperatures (upper 50’s to low 60’s if possible). If it helps, my top two places I’ve visited are Paris and Florence, so other places with a similar energy would be awesome!

Melnq8

Switzerland is definitely very quiet in November (which is why we go then!) and you'll find many, many closures in alpine towns, including hotels, restaurants, cable ways, gondolas, etc. But you'll always find an open grocery store, etc, as people live there too. And apartments are very inexpensive that time of year.

So you need to balance what you want to see and do with how much you appreciate quiet. Quiet wins for me every time.

Some Christmas Markets open in Germany in late November.

janisj

>>cities that will still be pretty lively despite it being the off season for tourists<<

There is no actual off season for tourists in any major European city. The off season/closed up places will be the beaches, islands, coastal resorts -- and some ski areas which won't have much going that early.

But London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona etc etc will be really busy -- as they are just about year round.

>>at least one other location with milder temperatures (upper 50’s to low 60’s if possible)<<

There are no guarantees anywhere -- north or south, but the likelihood of a bit warmer the farther south you go. Though I did have snow one late Nov. visit to Rome. Of the places you mention - the Canary Islands will have the warmest weather by far.

jtpj777

There are no guarantees with weather, of course.

You will have more chance of warmer weather in November in Nice than Amsterdam; however, November is one of the rainier months around the Mediterranean. It will be cold at night. What is guaranteed is more light during the day in the south than the north at that time of the year.

Nice , and all large cities in Europe, has no off season as it must provide for its own inhabitants as well as any tourists.

PalenQ

Amsterdam could be your lively city at any time of year. Regardless of weather.

Traveler_Nick

The sort of places that close are the seasonal ones. Beach towns around the med geared towards the summer season. Not major cities .like Nice.

If you want a beach the Canary islands are basically year round. Winter they aren't tropical but they're a lot nicer than mainland Europe. But I'm not sure how much sense it makes to fly from North America to go to the Canaries . There must be a beach closer to home.

November isn't a great time in the mountains. Still too early for winter but too late for summer hiking.

AlessandraZoe

If this helps...
We went to the Canary Islands right before Xmas, and we flew from North American to London first. Our weather was enjoyable--sort of like spring weather. The islands hit us as a big retirement community for most of Europe. Every town seemed to have a German sector, an English sector etc. There were very few Americans. But ironically, all the Xmas music that was playing everywhere was of the Bing Crosby era. What a hoot! Our sojourn was pleasant, but one thing we noticed was the our food in general, no matter where we went and how little or how much we paid, was rather dull. When my sister and her husband asked us if they should plan a trip there (we always compare notes post trip), we said, "It's a 'meh'. " Traveler_Nick had it right--if you want a beach, you certainly can find ones closer to home. It's just not that easy to get to.

But I am thinking about the two places you really liked--Florence and Paris. I'm going to assume you enjoy art, history and food. If so, like other posters, I heartily recommend Amsterdam. It has a unique character, some very interesting food, great art, fabulous history, and ease of access.

I also like Nice and its surrounding area for much the same reason, even though it's an entirely different experience. The weather would not be great, but as an art area, Nice is so underrated. Chagall and Matisse in town; Picasso, Renoir, Cocteau etc in outlying areas. The Maeght Foundation alone was worth our bus to St Paul de Vence. We spent a week in Nice, using the rail station almost every day to go as far east as Cannes and as far West as Menton (on the border with Italy) to do nothing but art, art, art. We always had great food breaks.

Both Amsterdam and Nice have the advantage of airports with lots of connections to London and elsewhere, both have good rail (and in the case of Nice, great bus) connections, and good walking areas.

But as another idea...
Many friends of mine have done Christmas Market cruises, which depart, depending on the company and the ship, from a variety of places. Two of the travelers I would call "active" travelers--you know, people who don't rely on travel agents, like to jump on trains and metro, etc. They all enjoyed their experiences, even though all went with different companies. My family toured a lot of the same ground on bikes, and I can see why it would be a great trip when the days get shorter and town lights become magical.

Wishing you the very best of planning,
AZ

StCirq

If you're contemplating the Canary Islands, why not just go a few nautical miles farther and visit Morocco. It's cheap, the cities are more than lively, the food is wonderful, it's warm, the beaches are beautiful, the people warm and welcoming. We spent 6 weeks there this winter and never were at a loss for something fascinating to do.

vinonobile987

KarenWoo

I agree with vinonobile987 about Malaga. We were there for 2 nights in September 2017 and loved it! For all the reasons that vinonobile987 states.

Another consideration would be Barcelona, Madrid, or Andalucia. I think Andalucia would be a great place to visit in November weather-wise. Much too hot during the summer months. We were in Seville in early October and temps were 90-95, so I assume late November would still be comfortable, not cold. You can always check weather data sites online.

If you are from North America, I agree there are better beach places if you are looking for beach time at that time of year, such as anywhere in the Caribbean.