Hello,

I am seeking suggestions for my next trip and I couldn't find better forum than this, for my questions.

I am in Los Angeles and planning a 7-10 days trip in end of October (or may be mid of October). In past, I have seen (outside US) Switzerland, Paris and Banff/Jasper. I really like all 3 places. Switzerland and Banff/Jasper gave stunning sceneries and Paris was full of beautiful/different architectures, though I am more into natural beauty.

For October, I have option to fly from Los Angeles to Austria, Norway or Iceland. People who visited all these places might be able to compare and help me, to narrow down choices.

I also have Alaska and Japan as options, but not sure, if those can be as comparable with above places. Opinions please...

Regards

Just because you can fly to a particular country doesn't mean you have to spend all your time there since trains and budget airlines can get you anywhere in Europe from just about anywhere in Europe.

Do you want a city trip or possibly skiing (though Nov is early

Alaska is not an October destination really -- already starting to get wintry.

Of your choices I guess I'd pick Austria or Japan.

oh -- I just noticed you also tagged your thread for Italy . . . if it was my trip I'd decide between Italy and Japan . . .

janisj, thanks for reply on my post. We are not into skiing or long tracking, as we will travelling with our son (1 year old).

As you said that you will choose from Italy and Japan (instead of Austria and Japan), may I know reason for this ? Will Japan or Italy give me complete different sceneries in comparison to places I visited in past (Switzerland and Paris) ? Is this the reason for suggestion ?

>>may I know reason for this ?<<

Mainly weather. October is a terrific time in almost all parts of Italy.

>>Will Japan or Italy give me complete different sceneries in comparison to places I visited in past (Switzerland and Paris) ? <<

Well they are two very diverse countries with just about every sort of scenery and cites large and small, so you can get just about anything you want in either place.


Maybe get some guide books and study up a bit . . .

Japan will absolutely give you great scenery, in addition to culture, history, and great cuisine. October is an excellent time to travel: for your scenic interests that month in a 7-10 day period, I might recommend sticking to Tokyo + areas nearest Tokyo (Kamakura/Nikko/etc) + maybe Japanese Alps (Takayama/Shirakawa-go/etc) or Hakone area. These will be at or near peak autumn colors most likely, great for scenic and photographic interests. You'll get lakes, mountains, villages in valleys, forests, and have access to all of the myriad offerings of Japan, traditional and modern. If you delay towards November, perhaps look at 7-10 days in Kyoto + surrounding areas. The Asia forum can help more with Japan, and a great resource is japan-guide.com

Of your European options, Iceland is one of the most spectacularly scenic places I've been (in March), and the scenery is gorgeous no matter the weather conditions. October is likely to be a changeable month, but indeed most months are in Iceland. In 7-10 days you could do a very fast loop round the country, or pick your spots based on highest interests - waterfalls? South Coast, from Golden Circle to Vik and the black sand beach, many of Iceland's most famous waterfalls are found. Glaciers and glacial lagoons - South Coast beyond Vik, Skaftafell to Hofn. A little bit of everything? Try the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, with gorgeous coastline walks to add to Iceland's standard scenic delights.

Italy could also be a good option, and you could hedge a bit against unknown weather since many cities and their surrounding more rural areas are well connected by bus and train, so you could base in the urban centers and day trip to the scenic areas as the weather allows? If you have an idea of what you're most interested in visually in Italy, it can help you narrow down where to base (probably 2-3 bases max in your time frame). For example, if the water and surroundings of Lake Como interest you, make Milan a base, or if the rolling autumn hills of the Val d'Orcia attract you consider Siena as a base.

Can't help with idea gathering for Austria or Norway as I've not been. But Japan, Iceland, and Italy would all be wonderful options in October. Maybe with more on what your expectations are, budget, other interests, we could help you narrow. But you can't go wrong picking any of these, and just save the next for the next time traveling!

Thanks much. It was great help and gave some idea about, what should I expect. I will check/read more about Japan, Italy and possibly Iceland too.
Another decision factor can be, we do not want to go in wet season or extreme weather, as we will be going with our son (an year old). If Iceland is going to be wet and below zero all the time, we may skip it for this time.

Iceland would probably be rather fascinating for your son, but when he is a few years older. October is the rainiest month there...although it is always rather damp even in summer.

I have been reading since past few hours, so I am striking out Iceland for this time. It can be chilly, rainy as you said.
I will look for others options, i.e. Austria, Italy, Japan. I am going through different posts and pictures on internet, which may give me some idea.

Hi bsparks,

I'm planning an October trip to Italy, hitting the Amalfi Coast, Naples and Rome. From my research, the weather will be in the high 60's and low 70's in the afternoon. If warmer weather is important to you, I'd consider south of Rome.

I am looking forward to the views on the Amalfi Coast and plan to get some hiking in, as well as explore the towns of Positano and Ravello. Also, the more I research Naples, the more it seems to offer, such as a street dedicated to crafting nativity scenes year round, beautiful churches and a cloister. I am also planning a trip to the Archaeological Museum in Naples and to Pompeii.

If you do end up choosing Italy, the only warning I would give is it might be hard to find deals on available accommodations. I booked everything in the Spring.

I think Japan would also be fun--but have never researched it or visited.

I have visited Central Europe, including Austria. Vienna was beautiful. I also spent a few days in Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic and the Tatra Mountains. I particularly recommend Cesky Krumlov, a World Heritage site. I visited in the summer, however, and smaller sites like Cesky Krumlov might shut down for the season. Also, the weather looks to be at least 10-15 degrees cooler than Southern Italy in Vienna and Cesky Krumlov.