Spain/EU trip in february "History,Nature is our main goal"
Dec 22nd, 2014, 11:09 PM
#1
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Spain/EU trip in february "History,Nature is our main goal"
Greetings,
We "me and my wife" are planning to visit Spain/france/italy or any place in EU from 4th of feb to 24th of feb. Could you please recommend places we should visit in our trip ?
Its a 21-23day trip and the budget is not limited. We can rent a car where ever its needed.
My wife likes to see nature, visit museums and enjoy arts. Hopefully you could give us some tips and recommendations on locations/hotels/resorts etc..
Thanks alot !
We "me and my wife" are planning to visit Spain/france/italy or any place in EU from 4th of feb to 24th of feb. Could you please recommend places we should visit in our trip ?
Its a 21-23day trip and the budget is not limited. We can rent a car where ever its needed.
My wife likes to see nature, visit museums and enjoy arts. Hopefully you could give us some tips and recommendations on locations/hotels/resorts etc..
Thanks alot !
Dec 23rd, 2014, 12:04 AM
#2
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Sorry but you are going to have to narrow down your ideas. for any of us to give you any decent ideas. All 3 countries (and plus the EU) are full of what you are looking for.
So what is it going to be?
So what is it going to be?
Dec 23rd, 2014, 08:46 AM
#3
>> . . . or any place in EU from 4th of feb to 24th of feb. Could you please recommend places we should visit in our trip ? <<
>>My wife likes to see nature, visit museums and enjoy arts. Hopefully you could give us some tips and recommendations on locations/hotels/resorts etc..<<
Wow, that narrows things down . . . not.
You need to do at least some of the legwork first before anyone can give you any useful advice (except a suggestion to get a few guidebooks)
>>My wife likes to see nature, visit museums and enjoy arts. Hopefully you could give us some tips and recommendations on locations/hotels/resorts etc..<<
Wow, that narrows things down . . . not.
You need to do at least some of the legwork first before anyone can give you any useful advice (except a suggestion to get a few guidebooks)
Dec 23rd, 2014, 09:23 AM
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What aobut weather.
In FEb most of the EU has a real winter and except for the most southern part trees are bare of leaves, grass is brown, no flowers and a ot of places have snow.
If you want only more moderate areas you probably need to stick to southern Spain, Sicily.souther Italy and perhaps Cyprus - but you need to check average temps and precip.
There can be a lot of natural beauty in the winter - esp in areas tht are snow covered - but it doesn;t sound like that's what you're looking at.
and agree that you need to provide more info on weather preferences, types of sights you are most interested in (ancient world, renaissance art, castles and palaces, impressionist or modern art etc)
In FEb most of the EU has a real winter and except for the most southern part trees are bare of leaves, grass is brown, no flowers and a ot of places have snow.
If you want only more moderate areas you probably need to stick to southern Spain, Sicily.souther Italy and perhaps Cyprus - but you need to check average temps and precip.
There can be a lot of natural beauty in the winter - esp in areas tht are snow covered - but it doesn;t sound like that's what you're looking at.
and agree that you need to provide more info on weather preferences, types of sights you are most interested in (ancient world, renaissance art, castles and palaces, impressionist or modern art etc)
Dec 23rd, 2014, 09:53 AM
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Wonderful that you have time and money for such a European jaunt. Yes, Italy and Spain and other places all have charm...and of course plenty of history, museums, etc. So maybe you could focus on one area to avoid too much travel? As for southern Europe we've enjoyed Italy in the past and more recently Iberia (see travel report Spain and Portugal in Depth). I'll defer to others on hotel tips.
Dec 23rd, 2014, 10:25 AM
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Traveling in Europe in the winter it's best to visit cities, leave the countryside for another time. The days are shorter in the winter, but there's lots to do in cities. Whereas the countryside relatively barren. (Though having seen on this forum recently some beautiful photos of green Tuscany in the winter, it would make a nice stop.) Likewise beach resorts and beach towns are closed for the season.
Trains travel city center to city center, but for some trips, a plane trip makes more sense. Or do you plan to drive?
Best to read some guidebooks and/or do research on the Internet to narrow down and flesh out your wish-list. You can start on Fodors' Destinations; click on the orange button on the top left of this page.
Trains travel city center to city center, but for some trips, a plane trip makes more sense. Or do you plan to drive?
Best to read some guidebooks and/or do research on the Internet to narrow down and flesh out your wish-list. You can start on Fodors' Destinations; click on the orange button on the top left of this page.
Dec 24th, 2014, 12:50 AM
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Thanks every one.
Sorry about not being clear enough but i did not mean to.
We mainly want to see beautiful nature -Green areas with cold but not freezing weather-. "though History/art wouldnt hurt if it was in the way". and
we do not care for nightlife/clubs or beaches since we come from dubai a hot city full of beaches and has alot of nightlife going on.
So which of the mentioned areas would be the most beautiful in february? ill read some guide books after having my eyes set on a place.
Iam not so fluent in English can i simplify it like this:"Beautiful nature and decent food" ?
This is my first time to travel out of dubai and its my honeymoon. I would like to drive and dont mind traveling by plane/train when needed.
from the replies above what is these options the best?
Southern spain[stay 10-12 days] --> Southern italy"Sciliy" [another 10-12 days]
or
Sicily [10-12days] --> Cyprus [10-12 days]
Thanks again for all of your replies!
Sorry about not being clear enough but i did not mean to.
We mainly want to see beautiful nature -Green areas with cold but not freezing weather-. "though History/art wouldnt hurt if it was in the way". and
we do not care for nightlife/clubs or beaches since we come from dubai a hot city full of beaches and has alot of nightlife going on.
So which of the mentioned areas would be the most beautiful in february? ill read some guide books after having my eyes set on a place.
Iam not so fluent in English can i simplify it like this:"Beautiful nature and decent food" ?
This is my first time to travel out of dubai and its my honeymoon. I would like to drive and dont mind traveling by plane/train when needed.
from the replies above what is these options the best?
Southern spain[stay 10-12 days] --> Southern italy"Sciliy" [another 10-12 days]
or
Sicily [10-12days] --> Cyprus [10-12 days]
Thanks again for all of your replies!
Dec 24th, 2014, 05:36 AM
#8
>>We mainly want to see beautiful nature -Green areas with cold but not freezing weather-.<<
You are traveling in winter so even in the 'warm' areas of souther Europe, it can get very cold.
Either of your two latest ideas would be OK and about as warm as you will find anywhere in Europe. If it was me, I'd probably pick Spain and Sicily. But that is just me personally.
You are traveling in winter so even in the 'warm' areas of souther Europe, it can get very cold.
Either of your two latest ideas would be OK and about as warm as you will find anywhere in Europe. If it was me, I'd probably pick Spain and Sicily. But that is just me personally.
Dec 25th, 2014, 02:29 AM
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"to see nature, visit museums and enjoy arts" means all and nothing.
There are so many different types of museums, for example:
open air village museums, lake dwelling museums, modern paintings, 18th-19th century paintings, ancient Roman, Greek, Babylonian and Egyptian paintings, technical museums (from Galileo, Leonardo, Volta, etc. up to modern technics and nuclear science (CERN)), museums of the History of Counties and towns, Naval Museums, Glacier Museums, Umbrella museums, watchmaking museums....... (a somewhat complete list would get endless).
Similar problems with "nature" and "art".
May be you can be a bit more precise and we try to help you.
There are so many different types of museums, for example:
open air village museums, lake dwelling museums, modern paintings, 18th-19th century paintings, ancient Roman, Greek, Babylonian and Egyptian paintings, technical museums (from Galileo, Leonardo, Volta, etc. up to modern technics and nuclear science (CERN)), museums of the History of Counties and towns, Naval Museums, Glacier Museums, Umbrella museums, watchmaking museums....... (a somewhat complete list would get endless).
Similar problems with "nature" and "art".
May be you can be a bit more precise and we try to help you.
Dec 25th, 2014, 09:10 AM
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Winter is not green in most temperate areas. Tree have o leaves. Grass is brown (turns green again in the spring). It;s too cold for flowers. Anyplace north of the Alps you are likely to get freezing temps with possible ice/sleet/snow.
South of the Alps will be more moderate - but not warm - and you can easily get snow in Madrid and as far south as rome in Italy.
By deciding to go in the depths of winter you will need to stay in the most southern areas of europe.
Southern Spain is never very green - its quite dry and while there are trees and grass it's not verdant like more northern areas with more rain and the countryside is more dramatic than pretty. Have not been to Sicily so can't comment on that. I would google images of these areas in winters to see what they are like - and if it's what you are looking for.
We love Andalusia, have been twice, since it has such a unique culture - but I would not go there for "natural beauty", since it tends to be more tough and dramatic than pretty. But then we're from NY - which is a gorgeous state - in season beautiful rolling hills, pretty lakes and tons of greenery (or fantastic flowering orchards in the spring)- or dramatic tree colors in the fall.
South of the Alps will be more moderate - but not warm - and you can easily get snow in Madrid and as far south as rome in Italy.
By deciding to go in the depths of winter you will need to stay in the most southern areas of europe.
Southern Spain is never very green - its quite dry and while there are trees and grass it's not verdant like more northern areas with more rain and the countryside is more dramatic than pretty. Have not been to Sicily so can't comment on that. I would google images of these areas in winters to see what they are like - and if it's what you are looking for.
We love Andalusia, have been twice, since it has such a unique culture - but I would not go there for "natural beauty", since it tends to be more tough and dramatic than pretty. But then we're from NY - which is a gorgeous state - in season beautiful rolling hills, pretty lakes and tons of greenery (or fantastic flowering orchards in the spring)- or dramatic tree colors in the fall.
Dec 25th, 2014, 10:01 AM
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Oh ho, so it's your honeymoon! Hmmm, wonder if that can aaffect plans...like adding a little romance to sightseeing?
Yes, Andalucia might be nice...though there is the Sierra Nevada range in the south as mentioned in my travel report. The coastal area and towns in Spain such as Torremolinos have many European vacationers seeking warmer climates and thus frequenting the coast. But then you said you didn't want a beach. So it's hard to say where you won't have rain or cold in winter. I guess I might suggest Greece and Crete or Rhodes as possibilities. Also South Africa might be a good choice for February. Or why not sunny Florida in the U.S?
Yes, Andalucia might be nice...though there is the Sierra Nevada range in the south as mentioned in my travel report. The coastal area and towns in Spain such as Torremolinos have many European vacationers seeking warmer climates and thus frequenting the coast. But then you said you didn't want a beach. So it's hard to say where you won't have rain or cold in winter. I guess I might suggest Greece and Crete or Rhodes as possibilities. Also South Africa might be a good choice for February. Or why not sunny Florida in the U.S?
Dec 25th, 2014, 11:31 AM
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Andalucia could be a good starting point, three thousand years of Phoenician, Roman, Christian, Jewish, Moslem and Gitano history and culture all around and hand in hand with modern life. Adventure for a lifetime! http://www.andalucia.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKlH_RKot7g
And lots of beautiful, green and dramatic landscapes as well. February perhaps not the best time of year to take in the beautiful scenery, but you could for example take a closer look at
Axarquia, just east of Malaga city: http://www.rusticblue.com/andalucia_...a_axarquia.php
The Serrania de Ronda: http://www.andalucia.com/province/ma...a-de-ronda.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKlH_RKot7g
And lots of beautiful, green and dramatic landscapes as well. February perhaps not the best time of year to take in the beautiful scenery, but you could for example take a closer look at
Axarquia, just east of Malaga city: http://www.rusticblue.com/andalucia_...a_axarquia.php
The Serrania de Ronda: http://www.andalucia.com/province/ma...a-de-ronda.htm
