My little sister is graduating from high school in a couple of years and I want to go on a big trip prior to college (when I'm likely to only see her on the holidays, sniff sniff). She's open to Europe but explicitly vetoes a church/site heavey list. She's suggested Italy; I think her ideal vacation would be on a beach somewhere tropical, but I'd love to come up with a European alternative.

Ideas?

Thanks - Raven

If she wants Italy, then go there.

European beaches don't rank in the same league as the Caribbean.

Why does she want Italy? She may have many good reasons.

Many beaches in Europe are not very pleasant - pebbles rather than sand, very narrow, in town centers, with boats, fishing nets etc. If she really wants primarily a beach vacation - then you need to pick carefully for a decent one - then see which have something else to see/do nearby.

Ask her why she wants to go to Italy~there might be something specific she wants to see/do.

She's suggested Italy because I have. Since there isn't the same kind of tropical vacation, I think I'm going to look into St. Lucia.

I had hoped to take my niece on her first European trip next year, but she got a boyfriend and doens't seem to remember who I am.... For European beaches, I'd recommend Greece or Spain - there are even beaches in Italy, but you could still work in a few churches "for her own good" Good luck!

My #2son graduated from high school and a year of chemo at about the same time. He also wanted to go to Italy and we celebrated both events starting in Aviano up north and working our way down to Naples via Venice, Pisa, San Marino, Amalfi Coast and points in between. It was a memorable trip for all of the right reasons. He made a list of things he wanted to see (he always does) and had them all checked off by the end. I kept in mind it was his trip and we followed his script.

Well the answer is simple. Italy isn;t a tropical country - it's temperte. Most of Italy has a climate similar to Wash DC or northern VA. It's nothing like FL (which is only semi-tropical).

You can get decent beaches in Spain and some in Greece - some with resorts - but you need to find out if they are self-contained resorts or actually in fairly large cities.

My daughter picked Germany and Austria for her high school graduation trip and my son picked Japan. Go where she would like to go!

The Greek islands like Naxos or Mykonos would be great alternatives!

Go to Mexico to the beach. if she isn't into "churches/sites", maybe she isn't ready for europe. We took our kids to Europe for 3 weeks when oldest graduated from high school. We told them we would go some places WE wanted to and we would go places THEY wanted to. After a few "intros", the kids were saying "Wait, there's a cathedral we haven't seen" and went running toward it. A little education CAN be a good thing.
She likes to shop. Go to Paris. Don't "assume" she wants a beach. But if she does, choose one that is a real beach. Others have said that European beaches are VERY different from what we expect here.

I think Gretchen is right. As much as I would love a Europe trip with her, I think SHE is not ready for it. When I ran St. Lucia by her, though, I got an immediate approval. She favors beaches, zip lines, and snorkeling over sightseeing. It's her trip, so I just get to be grateful about tagging along and paying! LOL.

Many beaches in Europe are not very pleasant - pebbles rather than sand, very narrow, in town centers, with boats, fishing nets etc.

As FlannerUk would say, "cobblers". There are so many nice beaches in Europe.

If she wants to join in with the whole beach scene then look at southern Italy, Venice, Majorca, southern Tenerife etc.

If she wants glamour, something to talk about at her college and style then it has to be the beach that is put in Paris each summer.

www.sardegna.com has the best beaches Costa Smeralda
Usually fly www.ryanair.com cheaply in to Alghero
from London best of both worlds.In season there is
also a fast ferry that can be taken from Fiumicino
Harbor town close to the airport in Rome to Golfo
Aranci. On the mainland Puglia has the best whitest
beaches but www.viareggio.it is THE beach town of
Rome.Rome Lido pretty ugly polluted avoid that one.
But Raddisson Aran Blu is a nice Lido Hotel close
to FCO and www.ostia-antica.org nearby is nice.
If she wants Italy give her Italy it is great and
there are GREAT beaches there IF you know where to
go. Happy Hunting!

www.costasmeraldaholidays.co.uk