First time trip to Europe
 

This will be mine and my husbands first time to Europe and we are trying to plan when to go and where to stay. Too many options. Im a little crazy. Can anyone offer suggestions on hotels and best time to go. We were shooting for July but it's apparently an expensive time to go. I just want decent weather.<BR>Thanks!

July is midsummer in the northern hemishpere...&quot;decent weather&quot; shouldn't be too difficult to find...perhaps mentioning a country, or at least a region, would yield some answers?<BR><BR>Assuming you hail from North America, imagine trying to answer your post if &quot;North America&quot; were substituted for &quot;Europe&quot;.<BR><BR>Toss us a bone here.

Hi, Susan.<BR><BR>Congratulations on your first trip to Europe. There is so much to see and do. In my opinion, northern Europe would be fantastic in July but I'd prefer spring or fall in southern Europe. It can be very hot in July!<BR><BR>Since it is your first trip, might I suggest buying a Eurail train pass and seeing a few places. That's how I first saw Europe and was very pleased with it. <BR><BR>I loved every country I've visited. I wouldn't rule out eastern Europe either. I enjoyed the countries I visited there as well.

WHEN to go isn't the question - WHERE to go is. Europe is a huge continent. If you want useful advice, tell us where you want to go. Europe is amazingly varied - people spend lifetimes traveling to the various countries and the various cities in them, as well as the beautiful countryside. What do you want to do/see? What kind of culture appeals to you? You really need to go to a library or bookstore and do some very basic research. Once you've made some decisions, people here can give you fabulous information. Until then, though, we can't pull out a crystal ball and divine where in Europe you want to go without knowing the slightest thing about you and what you're interested in. Sorry....

I'd take a wild guess and say if you have only a week, go to Paris. It is romantic, there are wonderful museums, beautiful parks, fascinating sights, terrific food and wine...and it is easy to get around, even if you don't speak French. If you have two weeks, I'd suggest Italy. The people are very friendly, there is lots of history, beautiful scenery, museums. You can spend time in both cities and countryside. Plan to visit two cities (out of the big three: Florence, Venice and Rome) and spend some time in the countryside in Tuscany or Umbria. Don't be intimidated by Rome -- but we saved it for last when we went and were very comfortable with Italy by the time we got there, so we could relax and enjoy bella Roma. September/October is a great time to go, but so is April/May. Plus you wouldn't be hit with the heavy heavy tourist traffic or the highest rates during those &quot;shoulder&quot; seasons. And the weather will be optimal!

For my first trip to Europe, I hit three major cities in three different countries. It was nice because I was able to get a taste of each country. <BR><BR>If this interests you, I recommend starting in London. You may feel more comfortable and relaxed if you start in a country where people can speak a language you understand. The next obvious choice is going to Paris. From there, you could head to Amsterdam, Rome, Munich, etc. <BR><BR>Once you have figured out your itinerary and budget, you can return here for suggestions on hotels. I think you might get more suggestions once you can provide the specifics of budget and destination.<BR><BR>