Luna22

Hello everyone,

My fiancé and I would like to spend sometime in Europe for our honeymoon.

Here's what we're thinking.

Time: End of March beginning of April 2006
7-10 days total

Weather: Preferably 75-85 F

Budget: Med to High (willing to spend some money for the right place)

Atmosphere: romantic, secluded, private, culture, fantastic restaurants, we're big foodies,no resorty honeymoon packages

Activities: No trekking or hikes (I'm pregnant)
Mellow walks in town, swimming, snorkeling

I've been looking at Seville and Sicily, but somehow not too convinced. We were all over Italy last September and thought it would be nice to make our way to the coast but never did. The Amalfi coast, but its so pricey.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

TexasAggie

Hmmmm... late March and early April definitely have "iffy" weather. Have you considered some of the southernmost Greek islands? There are cruises running that time of year (my mother went in mid-March last year and it was in the 60s - 70s), but there are not the crowds that come with mid-summer travel. I don't know if you'd want to swim yet though... I imagine the water would be quite cool!

We visited Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast in mid- to late May last year and the water was really cold for swimming then, despite daytime temps in the 80s.

TexasAggie

P.S.
Western Turkey isn't that much further than Greece and the weather might be a bit warmer. There is certainly plenty to enjoy and explore there!

brotherleelove2004

Here's another vote for the Greek Islands or SW Turkey, both wonderful destinations. The further south and west you go the warmer it will be. Consider Crete and Rhodes.

Pausanias

This one has me stumped. Are you set on Europe, or would you consider say, Mexico? You could split your time between beautiful colonial cities and the beach.

Cicerone

Luna, in late March and April you will be very hard pressed to find temps in the 75 F area in Europe, and will not find them in the 85 F range unless there is a very unusual heat wave. Europe is quite far north, Naples for instance is on the same latitude as New York City.

Even if you get warm days, you will not be able to swim or snorkel in the Med in late March or April, IMO, unless you bring a wetsuit or a a member of the polar bear club

Go to weatherbase.com, and click on "Vacation Finder". Enter March and April and your minimum acceptable temperature. It will show you where you can go. (Europe does not show up at all for March or April, by the way.) Bear in mind that even if temps are in your acceptable range, in places like the Amalfi coast, that is the low season and many of the better restaurants and hotels will be closed. Also, the Vacation Finder won't show how often it may rain in that month, for that you need to go to the city listings on the weatherbase.com site.

Of course these are averages and of course you could luck out and go to Sicily in early April and have sunny weather in the high 70s F and that would be fabulous and I would be thrilled for you. People will undoubtedly write on this thread that that is exactly what they encountered in Positano when they were there in April 2002 or whatever. What I am saying is the odds are against you of it being that warm, and that if you are spending all that time, money and effort you should put it into a place where you know you will get those temps that you want, so you can do the activities you want.

Luna22

Thanks for the the input you guys. The greek islands could be nice, but ashame to go if its not going to be very warm.

Any thoughts on the Caribbean maybe. I've never been.

Thoughts....
Luna