Help...Where to go next in Europe with two teenagers
Apr 24th, 2006, 03:04 PM
#1
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Help...Where to go next in Europe with two teenagers
I'm HOLDING tickets using Miles on AA to Heathrow in March of 2007 and I need some suggestions on where to go from there in Europe before I finally buy them.
We are a family of 4, with 2 boys 16 and 13.
We travel to Hawaii and Lake Tahoe every summer and for the past 5 years we've traveled to Europe during Spring break in March. We have visited London, Paris, Florence and Rome.
I feel we have 2 more spring breaks before my oldest graduates high school and our opportunity to travel to Europe during the spring may vanish.
My kids are perfectly happy visiting museums and ancient sites and they do not mind a lot of walking. Their love is water, anything to do with water but Hawaii and Tahoe take care of that. As for their parents, we are very happy to go anywhere.
We like to travel in the off season, more for our money and less crowds and we believe there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.
As for budget. We will stay for 7 nights and usually stay in 3 - 4 star hotels.
I am thinking of Spain, Barcelona (could use Hilton points)
Or
Seville and Andalusia
Or
Provence
Or
Switzerland
Or
Italy again
Or
UK again
Thanks!
We are a family of 4, with 2 boys 16 and 13.
We travel to Hawaii and Lake Tahoe every summer and for the past 5 years we've traveled to Europe during Spring break in March. We have visited London, Paris, Florence and Rome.
I feel we have 2 more spring breaks before my oldest graduates high school and our opportunity to travel to Europe during the spring may vanish.
My kids are perfectly happy visiting museums and ancient sites and they do not mind a lot of walking. Their love is water, anything to do with water but Hawaii and Tahoe take care of that. As for their parents, we are very happy to go anywhere.
We like to travel in the off season, more for our money and less crowds and we believe there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.
As for budget. We will stay for 7 nights and usually stay in 3 - 4 star hotels.
I am thinking of Spain, Barcelona (could use Hilton points)
Or
Seville and Andalusia
Or
Provence
Or
Switzerland
Or
Italy again
Or
UK again
Thanks!
Apr 24th, 2006, 04:14 PM
#3
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Holland. You're probably too early for the Duinrell Water Park in Wassenaar. It is a winner. But there is Madurodam and loads of museums and if you are real lucky you'll get a nice day to bike around. Try Haarlem while you are there.
Apr 24th, 2006, 04:16 PM
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What about Ireland? Dublin is a very active, fun town - Trinity College, pub crawls, tour the Guinness Factory. Then, head towards the West of Ireland - lots of hiking, walking, biking and beautiful, beautiful scenery. You can stay in lovely B&Bs, manors and castles, hotels, eat well in the pubs.
Best Regards,
Julia
Best Regards,
Julia
Apr 24th, 2006, 05:14 PM
#6
Your past visits have concentrated on the large cities in G-8 countries. Perhaps an exposure to a less-developed country would be an educational opportunity for the boys. Perhaps a driving tour such as Budapest-Vienna-Bratislava-Krakow-Auschwitz-Prague could expose them to other languages, cultures, economic classes, as well as providing a chance to see WW2 battlegrounds and the lingering effects of Communist economic mismanagement
Apr 24th, 2006, 05:46 PM
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At 15 and 17 my kids European favorites:
1. Skiing Zermatt and Cervinia
2. Prague - warning - We weren't with him and at 17 . . .
3. Switzerland in the summer - both kids love hiking and really enjoyed the people
4. Austria - For outdoors and music (both are musicians)
5. The nightwatchman tour in .. the name of the town escapes me . . in Germany on the romantic road
1. Skiing Zermatt and Cervinia
2. Prague - warning - We weren't with him and at 17 . . .
3. Switzerland in the summer - both kids love hiking and really enjoyed the people
4. Austria - For outdoors and music (both are musicians)
5. The nightwatchman tour in .. the name of the town escapes me . . in Germany on the romantic road
Apr 24th, 2006, 07:22 PM
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My vote would go to Spain, especially Barcelona. My 21 yr. old daughter was just there on a break from her program in Siena and she LOVED it. We're going back again soon. Do a side trip to the Dali sights as well.
Apr 24th, 2006, 07:36 PM
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Another vote for Spain in March. I would rent a car and head south, and think about including horseback riding as well as Granada. They would probably like Barcelona and Sevilla as their city experiences.
Apr 24th, 2006, 08:03 PM
#14
Your choices are endless. Normally I would very VERY strongly recommend Scotland. And it is still a great choice but March is just a bit early for good weather (or even barely decent weather if you had gone this year). Same problem w/ Ireland.
Anyway, after Scotland w/ your family and interests in mind, my first choice would be Barcelona w/ a couple of days on Mallorca.
But you couldn't go wrong w/ either southern France or anywhere in Italy.
(By any chance do you live in Folsom - just a guess because of the Tahoe mention. If so I'm sort of a neighbor)
Anyway, after Scotland w/ your family and interests in mind, my first choice would be Barcelona w/ a couple of days on Mallorca.
But you couldn't go wrong w/ either southern France or anywhere in Italy.
(By any chance do you live in Folsom - just a guess because of the Tahoe mention. If so I'm sort of a neighbor)
Apr 24th, 2006, 08:44 PM
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If you're boys love water, consider the Greece! Switch Hawaii to spring break, and head for Greece in June.
Our kids are the same age, and they loved touring the Peloponessus, seeing Athens, and visiting Santorini and Mykonos. We were home by July 6th, and there were no crowds.
Just an idea!
Our kids are the same age, and they loved touring the Peloponessus, seeing Athens, and visiting Santorini and Mykonos. We were home by July 6th, and there were no crowds.
Just an idea!
Apr 25th, 2006, 02:50 AM
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Based on your list, I would say Barcelona because I think it is a wonderful city for a million reasons, and that your kids will enjoy it as much as you and hubby do. That said, I agree with the others who say that traveling off the beaten would be a pleasant experience. I don't know what your personal travel history is, but it took me a while to muster up the courage to visit Morocco, which was the best trip of my life. I actually found that most of my fears were unfounded and that it was a great place for solo and famlily travelers.
But you are saying Europe, in which case I would say that Turkey in the Spring is (to quote friends, as I have only dreamt of going there) "incomparable."
When I was in high school, my travels consisted of summers in Minnesota (visiting relatives in Edina, then a month at Camp Lake Hubert) and two trips to Disey World. I also spent a lot of time in Oklahoma. Not the most exciting thing. But I remember other kids who went abroad and was always most impressed with this one boy who visited Budapest "because no one ever goes there."
But you are saying Europe, in which case I would say that Turkey in the Spring is (to quote friends, as I have only dreamt of going there) "incomparable."
When I was in high school, my travels consisted of summers in Minnesota (visiting relatives in Edina, then a month at Camp Lake Hubert) and two trips to Disey World. I also spent a lot of time in Oklahoma. Not the most exciting thing. But I remember other kids who went abroad and was always most impressed with this one boy who visited Budapest "because no one ever goes there."
Apr 25th, 2006, 03:10 PM
#19
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Thank you all so much for your help!
I like the idea of Hawaii in March and Greece in June, but we travel to Hawaii with others, so we're comitted to going in the summer. Barcelona looks real good and I would like to visit places not on the "top 10" but now my family is saying Costa Rica!
I am printing all of this, and filing it away in my travel folder!
Again Thank you!
I like the idea of Hawaii in March and Greece in June, but we travel to Hawaii with others, so we're comitted to going in the summer. Barcelona looks real good and I would like to visit places not on the "top 10" but now my family is saying Costa Rica!
I am printing all of this, and filing it away in my travel folder!
Again Thank you!
