Family vacation to europe
 

Going for my mom's 65th.

Brother and his two kids (5 and 3) and his wife

Sister and her bf

Brother and his pregnant gf

Myself

Mom

Everyone is into hiking, biking, kayaking, mountains, lakes, etc.

We X'd off tuscany for being too flat and not grandeous enough a landscape. Crossed out Norway and Iceland for being too cold. Crossed off Switzerland because my brother thinks the food is bad and people are too bland.

So we are thinking of doing Lake como for 3-4 days and then 4 days in the Alps somewhere. Or Salzburg and the Austrian Alps.

What are some good Alpine towns near Como?

Anyone with any ideas for those regions, or a suggestion that would satisfy mountains, lakes, beautiful european villages and cities? I'd love to do Greece but too much ocean activity= crossed out for the kids. Thought about doing 4 days french riviera and 4 days somewhere nearby in the mountains.

I don't know Europe well enough to think this through, and there's just so damn much to do in every region, that doing internet research, just makes me want to go everywhere.

Help needed thinking this through.

P.S. half the crew will be staying on another 1-2 weeks.

How are you all going to travel - a bus or separate cars or trains?

For train info check www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com - check the latter's online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of rail itineraries and destinations.

From Como you could of course go east to the Dolomites and many nice Alpine resorts or west to Aosta for Europe's highest Alps - traveling in such a mega group seems daunting!

So, 10 of you are traveling together in Italy? How do you plan to manage that? You are facing myriad obstacles in terms of every kind of logistic.

Forget about going everywhere, how are you going to go ANYWHERE with such a group? Transportation? Hotels? Just walking down the street together? Sounds like my worst nightmare (and I've been a tourguide for small groups - even 8 of us was unpleasant).

I don't know what to say except good luck and maybe re-think this idea.

When is this going to happen?

How fit is everybody when it comes to mountain activities?

Your brother is dead wrong about Switzerland, don't listen to him.

Lake Como is not typically a departure point for mountain activities, it is a pretty place for lazy lakeside vacations.

You write "Everyone is into hiking, biking, kayaking, mountains, lakes, etc." That just about screams "Berner Oberland" - google that.

The Swiss "Wanderwege" (hiking paths) system is as good as it gets, read more at http://wanderland.myswitzerland.com/en/wanderland.html

Then read in detail what the region around Salzburg has to offer for those same activities, it's definitely a candidate also.

France has a lot to offer in those activities - see for example http://www.activeazur.com/rafting-ka...rn-french-alps

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Go to your local library and get a few good guidebooks if the internet is too bewildering.

Hiking biking kayaking with the gf pregnant.
Why not. Bro doesn't want to come back with the kid ?

Food not good in Switzerland ? And you think it is going to be better in Austria ?

X'd off Tuscany not grandiose enough ?
Lake Como is flat. Never seen a lake which wasn't.

French Riviera is along water as much if not more than Greece. Cross it off for ocean activity (never mind it is a sea, not an ocean).

Guy, I can't help you. Your criteria are killers.

LOl all this stress for a one week holiday.. I sounds really stressful.

One week.. find one place as a homebase.. rent a villa sort of thing with a crew like this .. enjoy the week together.

French riveria affords lots of choices for activities..

Austrian food is similar to Switzerlands.

Switzerland is expensive.. more so than all the surrounding countries.

Time of year.. if going in shoulder season the trails in some areas of Swiss alps are still snow covered til mid june .

Depends on the time of year

Tuscany not grand enough! Ok, I think you need to backtrack a bit on this decision. Tuscany is very pretty, no big peaks but jaw-droppingly pretty.

Dolomites might do well, the food is good, the hiking splendid and you are not in Switzerland (which can be bland but not the landscape).

If you must have mountains I'd also look at The Jura (in France) with some epic walking, lush green meadows etc etc and Slovenia especially the Julian Alps

Greece nowhere near an Ocean.

Consider Lake Garda over Como just because it is just as nice IMO and better positioned to get to the nearby Dolomites by public transportation.

Well, we plan to travel by train, and taxi. If we need to rent cars, two will do. It ain't that hard!

I agree on berner oberland, but my brother is stubborn.

On the sea, whatever. A massive body of water that reaches the Ocean.

Tuscany is pretty, but we would prefer something epic.

Of course the Lake is flat, but the mountains surrounding it aren't.

I agree on berner oberland, but my brother is stubborn.>

In that area you will be interacting mainly with foreign tourists and they say the Swiss wrote the book on hospitality!

If we need to rent cars, two will do>

ah maybe three cars with luggage!

Your wish list sounds like Slovenia to me: hiking in Triglav National park, kayaking on the Sava and Soca rivers based somewhere near beautiful Lake Bled. For those staying on for extra time you could easily head up to Austria and the Salzkammergut, down to Croatia or over to Italy.

If it's for your mom's birthday, where does she want to go?

If you want to spend time in the mountains, then car rentals would work the best.

I've been to a bunch of places in Europe, including Lake Como, and my spouse and I found it boring. And I would agree that its more of a place for less - active people.

You say your brother is stubborn, but he has never been to the BO so he really cannot comment on this area. We spent 8 days in Lauterbrunnen on our first visit. We hiked nearly daily. Some of the most gorgeous scenery you will ever see in your life. You are a quick 20 minute train ride from Interlaken where you can access the lakes. No need to deal with rental cars at all in this area. I would really rethink this. With this large of a group you can have a wonderful week in the BO and cross off everything from your list.

I may have missed the time of year you plan to travel but I would look at the Val Gardena area of the Dolomites. Great food, friendly people, lots of hiking, beautiful scenery.

Here are our photos, we were there for the first week of Oct 2013.
https://flickr.com/photos/[email protected]

With 1 week and a group that big I would definitely limit yourself to one location.

With luggage you will also likely need three cars.

Here is more information on the area:
http://www.valgardena.it/en/hiking-b...king-trekking/

Just watch for when the lifts open/close because the seasons are quite short (start in late May/June and finish in Sept/early Oct)

Good luck!

With this large of a group you can have a wonderful week in the BO and cross off everything from your list.>

Certainly IME is the easiest Alpine area to get around in and has more of a variety of things to do - boat rides on lakes book-ending Interlaken - day trips to say lovely Bern if foul weather sets in- always possible- and as awesome or more than most similar Alpine resorts.

Is the weather in switzerland in the summer just a bit too cold? It looks like Interlaken will be about 70 fahrenheit during the day. Same with lake como.

If you consider 70F to be cold, then I suppose you'll find it cold. For me, that's just about perfect summer weather - even 80F.

Somettimes in summer lake Como is frozen.

Is the weather in switzerland in the summer just a bit too cold? It looks like Interlaken will be about 70 fahrenheit during the day>

Yes but Interlaken is at a low altitude compared to the sweet mountain villages many prefer to perch out in - average high at Jungfraujoch (11,300 ft) is 32 F -but you only take a train up there for a few hours - to see glaciers and perpetual snow.

Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are much lower but higher than Interlaken so could be a bit chilly at night or when rain sets in.

Wengen and Murren are much higher so a bit cooler.

Lake Como I would think may be warmer than Interlaken.

Seriously , this sounds a little princesses like I mean , for hiking why would anyone want it warm!! Temps between 60-70 are perfect for real hikers ! Working up a sweat in temps over 70 isn't that fun .

Exactly Justine.
Op is throwing more and more constraints.
Based on hearsay.
Very difficult.

This thread is becoming more and more amusing.

afj123, the weather in Switzerland is perfect in summer. I come from a tropical country and I don't find Interlaken cold in May. Of course if you go to the peaks it will be colder, but with your brother's pregnant girlfriend and your 65 years old mum, and that big group, I think you don't need to go to the very peaks.

Oh, believe me, you don't want to hike during the day with the sun shining 80°F at your back.

I lost it when we started talking about temperatures in Fss. :-)

I don't talk in months anymore but in moons.

Wo, I thought you talked in kg?

"Thought about doing 4 days french riviera and 4 days somewhere nearby in the mountains."

Flying into Nice for four days in that area then four days in the Mercantour Alps for hiking etc would work. Mountains up to just over 10000 feet. Not as spectacular as northern French alps as no glaciers but attractive enough and more amenable for mere mortals. St martin vesubie a good little mountain village as is St Etienne de Tinee: both accessible by bus from Nice in around two hours. Bus tickets only cost 1.50 euros per person each way.

Alternative area from French riviera is the Val de Durance -the valley leading up to the medieval town of Briancon- particularly good for kayaking but around four hour drive from Nice, so not so convenient to access.

http://en.marittimemercantour.eu/

The area is much less crowded than the northern French Alps or Switzerland, even in summer, if that is important to you.

Seriously , this sounds a little princesses like I mean , for hiking why would anyone want it warm!! Temps between 60-70 are perfect for real hikers ! Working up a sweat in temps over 70 isn't that fun .

I'm with a 65 year old woman, two children and a pregnant woman. I guess we're not "real hikers."

You're so pompous you must either be French or from Boulder Colorado

<<You're so pompous you must either be French or from Boulder Colorado>>

I would not head off to Europe with an attitude like that. You won't find a warm welcome.

No, I haven't felt a warm welcome here. Someone calls me a "little princess" and they are getting dealt with.

Ha.. you cant deal with me.. I call it as I see it.. thinking 70 degrees is too cold for hiking.. makes you a princess.. Wear it.
No wonder people like you have to travel in large groups..

Same for me. You are the kind of hair splitter tourist every French hates.
Can I have the menu but not the peas but instead onions.
Oh and not too warm. Oh and how do you cook the meat ? Because at home we do it this way ...
Since the beginning you are being fussy and every time someone tries to help you throw in other constraints.
Now you are insulting everybody ?
Btw I feel like a French ... Call me pompous, little princess.

I was wondering what was wrong with the people of Boulder Colorado :-)

Chill guys, sounds like a mixmash of different needs and a bunch of point of views.

afj, have me managed to offer you any different ideas? Do you have any further plans?

I chilled. So in these kind of circumstances I usually lose my English and errr euh me no speak Englishe verry well annie more...

Mais c'est pas grave je peux continuer en Français pour tout ce qui concerne la France, cela donnera à l'OP l'occasion de se confronter à notre superbe langue.

Manon troppo in Italiano perche cosi mi spiache no parlare Italiano.

Fur Osterreich, gleich ! Ich spreche kein Deitch so kann Ich hier nicht hilfen. Tut mihr Leite.

woin, gioca gentilemente, la ragazza e' giovane

Si la mamma a sessantacinque anni, la "ragazza" non e troppo giovane.

An amusing thread, I do find I am wondering if the OP is a troll.

A group of 8 adults and 2 children pre-trip, trying to satisfy everyone's differing needs. That's simply not possible.

I agree with the comment about what is it that Mother wants to do since this is supposedly a trip for her birthday. But if she has no choice that everyone can agree to live with, I guess her idea just gets kicked to the curb as well.

I also find the implication that at 65, Mother is not able to hike just as well as anyone else somewhat insulting to Mother. Maybe it is deserved and maybe it isn't. I know plenty of 65 year old people that can out hike plenty of 30 year old people. Simply a question of which has a better level of fitness, nothing to do with age.

Assuming this is not a troll, it seems clear that no one in this group of 10 has any experience in arranging group travel. A case of the blind trying to lead the blind.

I would suggest that you go back to the drawing board and start over. You have 8 adults and 2 children. I think we can say the children are below voting age.

Now here is what you do. First, send this message by e-mail to all 7(other) adults.

"Dear family,
As you know, we are trying to decide on a destination for us all to visit for Mother's 65th birthday. All of us have our own preferences and obviously, it just isn't possible to try and find one place that will meet all those preferences. So we all have to agree that there will have to be some compromise by everyone. If we can't agree on that, we are wasting our time.

We have talked among ourselves about various places and each and every place suggested has been shot down by someone. We are getting nowhere with this process. Doing more of the same, will only result in more of the same. We must change the process.

So, I am going to ask each of you to e-mail me the name of one place you would like to have considered for us to go to. When everyone has sent me their choice, I will e-mail everyone with the list of 8 places we have chosen.

Then I would like each of you to e-mail me back with one place you would like to have removed from the list. Just one each.

That should leave us with a list of perhaps 3-4 places that no one chose as their 'absolute must remove if I'm only allowed to remove one', choice.

I will then e-mail everyone that list of remaining places and each of us will choose which one from that list is our first choice of where to go to. Just one choice each and only from that list. Whichever one gets the most votes, will be our destination.

Please send me your first choice for inclusion in our initial list of 8, ASAP."

The solution to your problem afj123, is not to try and find the perfect place. The solution is to find a process that will get you to a decision that everyone can live with PROVIDED they understand that a group has to compromise.

Ma, la lingua della ragazza e' molto giovane.

la vita e bella con due birre e seppia.