Replace Paris with ?
 

I was planning a 2 week trip to Europe which was going to be Barcelona then Paris. It will 4 of us on the trip - my wife and I, her sister & husband. But the in-laws want to spend the second week somewhere other than Paris, as they were in Paris a couple of years ago. (We were there recently as well, but could go back every year.)

So if we decided to spend the entire 2 weeks together, what suggestions does everyone have for our second week ?

Depending on where your leaving from, you could do a sweep through the Netherlands...starting in Maastricht (a charming and historic town in the southern tip - 15 minutes from both Germany and Belgium).

Replace the travel companions.

Fifi has the right idea but if they insist on coming consider Sicily or Prague.

Could be a great chance to discover that France is more than just Paris.

If Barcelona stays, rent a car and drive to Montpelier, Marseille, Nice, Menton, to Portofino. Stop anywhere along the way.

or fly Barcelona to Nice ( on Vueling) and rent a car in Nice.

Take the TGV from Paris to Alsace.

How about San Sebastian? Best for foodies, and you really should use a car to do that trip.

If you won't have a car, I would suggest Sevilla.

If you'd rather go to the Italian Riviera, take the overnight boat from Barcelona to Genova, and proceed from there.

Barcelona airport is a good jumping off point for a lot of places, including London. Call up the airport website on the internet, and take a look at all the possible destinations.

I would go to Berlin in a flash. Amsterdam too.

Hope you all find a destination that doesn't leave anybody sulking or muttering "I told you so."

Have fun!

I certainly could endorse any of the recommendations you've received, but also consider Vienna. It's a great contrast from Barcelona--modern: traditional--but also somewhat compact and very walkable and with good transit systems. You could do some day trips from there into the surrounding countryside.

When is the trip? The weather would affect my recommendations.
Also are there other places that you or the in-laws would say fall into the been-there-done-that category?

Any reason why you wouldn't stay in Spain and see more than Barcelona? Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Toledo or some of the smaller towns.

Many thanks to everyone, as always. That 's why I love fodors -- everyone is so helpful to neophytes such as me. MlleFifi had me ROFL even if she was being serious.

A pertinent point I was negligent to mention was what Vttraveler suggested... We will be arriving in Barcelona for the 2 week trip on December 27. BTW, we _will_ split up after the 2 weeks so that my wife and I can spend a couple of days in Oyonnax, FR with some friends, so we might be able to still do Paris even if it's only for a day or so before flying home from CDG.

That time of year, I like the suggestion to stay south--see more of Spain and/or Portugal. Or the drive along the coast north from Barcelona into France is a good suggestion.

Hi Y,

If changing travel companions is not an option, I suggest driving through the South of France to Nice or even Genova.

You can then go up to Oyonnax from there.

((I))

Is it critical that you spend the whole time with the in-laws, especially since you're splitting up at the end anyway? Maybe you could start together in Barcelona and encourage them to determine for themselves where else they'd like to go while you head off for Paris. We've enjoyed traveling with friends but often find that trips where we then spend some time without the friends are best of all. It might also encourage your in-laws to adopt their own travel style so they'll feel comfortable planning independent trips as well as other trips with you.

The advice you're getting about coordinating your second choice with the Oyonnax visit is good. Besides areas on the French Riviera, you might consider Lyon, a lovely city with lots of good eating. If, OTOH, you don't mind in intra europe flight in your plans and can handle packing both a "fall and winter" wardrobe, I renew my suggestion about Vienna. There may be no more beautiful place in the world than Vienna lit up for the holidays with snow coming down.

Thank you everyone. We are 99% sure that we will drive around and visit the southern coast of France, or other areas of Spain. But in January would it be likely that there would be ice on the roads and snow (or sneaux, as we spell it in south Louisiana) ? Thanks again all.

I think if you stay out of the pyrenees you'll be OK. Just use common sense if the weather turns bad and the locals advise against driving. Stay put.

We've traveled to Vienna three times at that time of year, and it really is a lovely and fun city. Prague will be more crowded with tourists but is also pretty in the winter.

Why not spend the first week together and the second week separately?

I would never change where I wanted to go (skip Paris) because of a travel companion.