annhig

IMHO going to europe (except southern Spain) for any length of time without an umbrella is simply foolish - since it WILL rain. How often and how much is about as reliable as any other wether report (not solid unti the day before).>>

lol, i can't how how many days in a year, even in winter that i go out without an umbrella - i must be very foolish indeed. i do however have a coat with a hood - which I find a better protection against the side-ways rain that we often get than an umbrella is.

annhig

Tangwah - if you have limited holiday time and are not locked into Rome, then going somewhere else, hopefully less wet, seems like a good idea. how about Greece, Sicily, or Malta?

tangwah

Husband and I rented a car in Malta for two days after a cruise, and honestly I didn't like Malta too much. Sicily I've been to twice, loved it. Just looking at the World map, I think I may have to head south to Latin America, unless Rome weather changes I am the eternal optimist altho I prepare my backup plans. Last August I was all ready for a snowboarding holiday in Queenstown NZ, but couldn't get on the Air NZ plane from LA and ended up renting a car at LAX and heading toi Yosemite with husband instead luckily I have forgiving friends who were disappointed. I didn't realise it was school holidays for the kiwis in August and altho the flight wasn't full, there was lots of Air NZ employees trying to get home too and they had priority.

annhig

well it looks as if you're used to having to be flexible, tangwah, though Yosemite is a bit different to QT!

I think that you may be under-rating Malta - we spent a fortnight there with our kids some years ago, but admittedly it was in September and we spent quite a lot of time in the pool, which of course you wouldn't be able to do this time of year.

did you ever go to Greece?

tangwah

First visited Greece 30 years ago. I was married in Oia, Santorini in 2000 and honeymooned on a sailboat with the best man and his GF and a Greek captain. Planning a revisit with some of my wedding guests soon. lots of Greece I haven't visited. Would like to spend a week or so hiking with girlfriends there sometime soon. We have no kids and like active holidays with beautiful scenery, good food and culture, not necessarily all on the same trip. Somehow neither of us are beach holiday types.

tangwah

Annhig, we drove around Cornwall last June and head a great time despite intermittent rain. I would return in a heartbeat.

isabel

tangwah and annhig - I'm seriously considering Malta for next summer and wondering what you both liked/disliked about it. And how long do you think would make for a good visit. I was thinking about 5 days.

tangwah

My husband and I spent three days there, 2 days with a car. We weren't impressed with much and we are not the chill by beach types. Best memory was finding a shack near a beach to have beers, and the local owner made a rabbit stew with prunes and fava beans for dinner after we spent a few hours having a nice chat with him. Maybe it rained was why I wasn't thrilled with the country. Kidding. We had no rain. I don't like Costa del Sol either. I recall huge ugly beach front hotels in both places. Don't think this help, sorry.

tangwah

Isabel, just came across this
Marsaxlokk, Malta
The vibrant trading port of Marsaxlokk was established in 900 BC when the Phoenicians first landed on Malta. Today, this picturesque town is the main supplier of fish to the island nation that sits in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s well known for its massive markets that are stocked with an extensive array of fish, including the local favorite, Lampuki. This is a rare Maltese seaside village in that it has no modern buildings to spoil its appeal. With such tranquil surroundings, including the traditional luzzu’s (fishing boats) that are built according to a design that dates back to the time of the Phoenicians, it’s a particularly charming place to visit.
http://www.tripstodiscover.com/27-of...t-in-europe/6/

tangwah

Isabel, I just looked at your photo gallery, very nice! I am still hoping to visit Puglia soon. My original plan was to fly to Rome with my husband working as co pilot, stay on in Rome while he returns to the U.S. and hang out in Rome until he flies back again Dec 2nd and we both head to Puglia. But if the weather sucks, we'll head somewhere else. Have you been to Slovenia? I loved it.

annhig

tangwah - I'm glad that you enjoyed Cornwall, and hope you get back here soon. I think that if you haven't been there, you might like Crete - i think that there are still some parts in the west that are quite unspoilt, but as we haven't been for 30+ years, i don't have up to date information.

isabel - we spent a fortnight on Malta with our kids then 4 & 1; they are 27 & 24 now so it was a while ago. it was very much a family holiday. We stayed in a hotel on the tiny island of Camino, which is between the main island and Gozo, and took day trips, but were you to stay in Valetta, I think that you could fill 5 days very easily.

tangwah

An hug: Crete's on my to do list. I'll like to return to Greece during the on season, transportation less reliable now, and our airline stops flying to Athens after October.

Sojourntraveller

"Does anyone know if it be raining all day or just showers here and there?"

Let me get out my crystal ball and check for you.

OK, here it is, you can take this to the bank.
27th, rain in the morning ending at 11.27am. Cloudy for the rest of the day.
28th, no rain till 1.17pm and then continuing all day until 8.46pm.
29th, no rain all day but cloudy.
30th, rain from 9.16am till 2.28pm. Cloudy the rest of the day.
1st, can't see, my crystal ball is 'cloudy' on what will happen that day.

My suggestion based on what I also see in my crystal ball. It will be a great time to visit Buffalo, NY.

annhig

helpful and sympathetic as ever, SJ.

slow day again in Eilat is it?

tangwah

Thanks SJ. Which weather website do you use? Don't need a crystal ball to protect snowstorms in Buffalo NY every year, but it is early this year.

Sojourntraveller

I'm not there anymore annhig. In N. America at present.

I don't use a weather website Wah Tang. No need when you own a crystal ball.

tangwah

SJ. I see tongue in cheek, I was not sure. I suspect there's a reason why I stopped going to Fodors forum for help for a while.

Sojourntraveller

Well lets be real here tangwah, you asked, "Does anyone know if it be raining all day or just showers here and there?"

Unless someone has a crystal ball, just how did you expect anyone to know the answer to that question? I will offer you this actaul help. When you write a question, read it again before posting it to see if it is a sensible question to ask.

kleeblatt

Canary Islands

jan47ete

Don't know if still deciding. 50% chance on Wed and 80% on Thurs. We left there last Sunday and just had a rainy day list. So go out and about doing outdoor sights and strolls and then do the churches, VC. Check out Le Domnus Romane at Palazzo Valentini, one of the most incredible sights we have ever seen; Casa Romane at San Giovanni e Paoli; and San Clemente where you enter a 12th c church, go down to a 4th century church and then go down even further to a early pagan temple. These were absolutely incredible and I recommend strongly you get to them if you can. These are part of Rome underground.