shortcake05479

My fiance and I are throwing around ideas for our honeymoon...It's pretty much narrowed down right now to Spain, Greece and Portugal.

Greece is #1 on my list but my FI thinks that it's "iffy" over there right now with that US Embassy bomb and other stuff (i think he's being paranoid). Spain would probably rank #2, followed by Portugal.

Neither of us have been to any of these countries. Ideally we'd pick one country and visit several cities, and we'd prob go for 2 weeks.

Weatherwise, would it be ridiculously hot and miserable to go to any of these places in July? We are also considering late Oct, but I am afraid it won't be warm enough to do the beach then. I'm not a huge beach person, but I'd like to go at least once on our honeymoon. Thx!

artlover

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage.

I like Greece, but think Spain is even more wonderful, but it depends on what your likes and dislikes are. I haven't been to Portugal, but from what I've read here, it sounds lovely too.

Go to a bookstore and check out guidebooks, google the places you're interested in, and read lots of trip reports and the destinations descriptions here and see whta feels best to you.

IMO October would be better because July will be really hot in any of those places, and it might be crowded as well, but if that's when you're getting married, well then that might just be when you want to go. I've been to Spain in November, and while I too am not a "beach person" it was sometimes warm enough to walk along the beach and enjoy it, though certainly not swimming weather.

mist

I have not been to Greece yet but out of Spain and Portugal I would choose Portugal for sure!

I found the Portugese are very welcoming and the Algarve have the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.

But you could do both Spain & Portugal. That's what we did.

Eleni

Just an observation: Greece is perfectly safe and is not "iffy" in the slightest. The recent episode at the US Embassy was unfortunate, but not a big deal, and has not been treated as such by the US authorities. For example, the US Govt has not issued a Travel Warning for Greece, even after the grenade (not bomb) was recently fired into the Ambassador's private bathroom in the US Embassy.

As you probably know, there have been much more serious terrorists incidents in Spain (and in London for that matter) than there have been in Greece. And in Greece, you are not dealing with international terrorists, but with local groups whose interests are domestic to Greece.

As for heat, July will be warm in all three countries (though not as bad as August), but unless you are particularly heat senstive I would not say any place will be "ridiculously hot and miserable." There will be many visitors in all three countries during July, if that matters to you.

Don't know about Spain and Portugal in October, but Greece at the end of October does not really have beach weather -- if fact, depending on where you are, it can be very windy that time of year, and may very well rain. But it will still be beautiful, and there will be far fewer other tourists.

You are in the happy position of making a decision where there is no wrong answer -- all three are wonderful, and you will have a good time wherever you go.

marginal_margiela

Sintra, Portugal is one of the most beautiful, romantic places I have ever seen. You can rent a car to visit Cabo da Roca and Peninha. You won't be sorry.

lobo_mau

If I had the choice, I'd do Greece, Spain and Portugal by this order.

shortcake05479

Thanks all...I'm still undecided, need to do some more research on all three places! A good friend of ours just returned from Portugal so I have lots of photos from her I can look at too.

I agree, I don't think it's unsafe traveling to Greece either, I think my fiance was being a little too cautious there.