Just do one general reply.

Dear JanisJ:

thank you for all your information. We arrive at 11:30 am at Heathrow on 12/24 if all goes well and flights are not delayed.. what do you think about being able to see just a little of London with a car and grab lunch?

Yes I understand no comparison bw river cruise and flying to different cities and explained this to Mom (sigh).

We would be staying in London and flying out wherever on the 25th (what we thought anyway).

I was told Malaga is way too windy during winter ?

You just reply here. If you want to address a specific member(s), just use those screen names at the beginning of your sentence . . . sort of like:

janisj: blah blah blah

kimhe: yadda yadda yadda

StCirq: yabba dabba doo

Or - if you want a little more work you start a new post for each response -- but there is no need really.

HistoryTraveler :

I was wondering what you meant by going through passport control and security 2x ? since my husband and son are going to another destination - wouldn’t their luggage just go straight to final destination? they would have the carry ons …
Ps thank you for suggesting Winsor too.

Update:

I finally had a chance to speak to mom and explained all your responses… told her that based on the amazing information you have provided, our Best option would be to either Stay in London Or do London and Paris.
Told her I would’ve loved the London and Paris option (as It’s the most convenient and easy to travel - due to the fast train in bw the two) and the other things you all said to keep in mind with travel time.

In addition these two destination would be sooo enjoyable for me child free as this is my ONLY opportunity to go away child Free.

BUT she says she has NO interest to see London and she has been to France (granted 50 years ago), and Wants to go to Barcelona and Madrid …

I told her - we can NOT do both, she picked Barcelona. Told her it will be cold and that most of you suggested that we go back to Spain another future time when it’s warmer. She said she doesn’t think that would ever happen.

If you leave the airport, you have to go through passport control on the way out and passport control and security on the way in. (Customs is different, and in Europe is generally a walk through.) Whether or not luggage goes through depends on whether the flights are on the same ticket, and whether the airlines have an interline agreement (usually it will).

Thursdaysd:
Thank you so much for checking flights too for me, so thoughtful of you. we were thinking of flying out Dec. 25th the next day after arrival in london.
When you say London is great christmas time… I have a question about that..
From what i found online all the decorations and markets stop exactly on Dec 25th .. Thus, will we even see any of it realistically?

Ps thank you so much also to be checking weather for me too. It was sooo helpful.

I did find flights that were direct from london to barcelona on google flights, But i don’t think they are out of Heathrow.. would that be a problem? we would be leaving on the 25th not the day we arrive on the 24th .. unless we leave on the 24th .. and arrive in second city late at night. not to lose a day at both ends like you said..

Sorry about the 2X not sure what I was thinking. Of course you do know that if you exit airport you will have to go through security and passport control on reentry.

I think you are overthinking this. A quick check on sky scanner ( there may be other possibilities but they usually show all flights ) and I did find flights to Barcelona,Malaga and Seville on the 25th but no non- stop flights and most were of 8-14 hour durations. Not something I think mom would handle well.

You can have a wonderful trip to London, and I'm sure all here will be able to offer excellent suggestions on places to visit and things to do that would appeal to both you and your mother and make for a relaxing trip.

I just did a quick check with Britush Airways since they don't usually show up on sky scanner. No flights to Malaga on the 25th, no flights to Seville on the 25th and a couple of flights from Gatwick but prices are about £ 600 per ticket, one way.

BTW, didn't clarify but those flights on BA from Gatwick are to Barcelona but at nearly £600 a ticket one way not very practical.

No, the lights will not turn off on the 25th.

See: http://www.timeout.com/london/things...ghts-in-london

See also:

http://www.timeout.com/london/search...rom=2016-12-25

If you fly out of LHR on the 25th, you will presumably spend the night in an airport hotel, which will, hopefully have shuttle service to the airport. (Check before booking - and you need to book NOW.)

If you fly out of Gatwick, you will need to get to Gatwick on the 24th. This will be by coach (National Express) on the M25, which will probably be jammed and therefore slow, but you will eventually get there. Ditto re: airport hotels. (The B&B I stay at is not available.)

I would point out that you will have half a jet lagged day the day you arrive in Spain, assuming you take a morning flight. You will then have five days. You MUST fly back on the 31st, as your connection is not protected. You will also add to your costs. If you stay in London you will have a whole jet lagged day on the 25th, and six more days.

Your best, and cheapest, option is a 9:35 am flight from Gatwick to Barcelona. According to skyscanner there are no non-stop flights to Seville on the 25th. Or at least none with space.

Kimhe thank you for telling me barcelona has flamenco dancers to and providing the detailed info.

Sassafrass
TY so much for the info - mom is not listening.. :(

MJs - TY for the info on the airport - had no idea.

KTtravel - i know i booked it to london bc people and travel agent told me that its so easy to get to other parts of europe with the fast train.. :(

MJs TY for the detailed airport info, had No idea.. our airport in Buffalo is tiny in comparison i guess (With only 15 gates total and one terminal) lol

StCirq - as far as i can see the direct flights from London to spain - Barcelona are about 2 hours direct ? i think that would be ok for the next day? what do you think?

historytraveler
omg no i can't afford that price at all...


and

Thursdayssd -- OMG thank you so much for the info, i have copied it all. I will not see what flight i found, to c if it's still available.

If this is okay with you and your mom, you can choose the entire country of Spain on Skyscanner and see what comes up leaving London the 25th and returning from...wherever...in Spain on the 31st. I clicked direct flights only and see Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Lanzarote, Granada and more.

Don't know if my search link will work once pasted here but:

https://www.skyscanner.net/transport...e&ref=day-view

My father, who died several years ago, was also fascinated with Spain and Spanish culture. We lived in Span for nearly a year before I started kindergarten, so in some ways I get where your mom is coming from. But this will be a very tiring trip.

ok and the flight i had found was

Vueling airlines? about 250 round trip from London to Barcalona
Leaves from LGW airport? is that far from central London Area? should i have just looked at Heathrow?

god i wish mom would have been ok with Paris and London :(

now would you do


Leave London Dec 25 in Am to Barcelona
than Leave back on Dec. 30 to London
Stay there until Jan 1 when we leave back from Heathrow to Toronto?

Please LMK thank you again

Leely - just saw your post.. Thank you so much, will check the link now.
My mom is so lost without my dad. :(
I struggle with making her happy so much now that she is alone and my husband is not supportive of her (so I feel even more guilty)

vs struggling with when i know deep in my heart she is making wrong decisions and if it is worth arguing with her...

It's so difficult. My father was the logic in their relationship.

FYI, the prices I got for flight to Barcelona were from the BA website. Double-checked and thursdaysd's information about flight leaving Gatwick at 9:35 is, arguably, your best option.If I remember correctly it's on Vueling. I guess mom is adamant about visiting Spain and that undoubtly leaves you with no options. I would argue that mom has little idea as to how tiring this trip will likely be for her, but she has left you with little choice. As it's getting late in the planning process, I'd book tickets and quickly make arrangements for spending the night of the 24th at Gatwick.

BTW, I have not given any consideration to return flights but once again thursdaysd seems to have that in hand as well.

Good luck!

If the travel agent directed you to take a flight to London when Spain is where you want to go, I would go back to the travel agent and let them know you want to switch your flight to Spain and see what they can do for you. Did you book your flight through this agent? If somehow you are able to link your flights with the flight to London you are much more protected when trying to make connecting flights.

I wouldn't worry so much. You both might be exhausted but if your mom is really excited about Spain, you'll have a wonderful time.

You will get off the plane at Heathrow and go through immigration, then collect you luggage and go to the central bus station where you will get a coach to Gatwick. You may need to pre-book this bus because there will be a lot of travelers on Xmas Eve and you don't want to get stuck at Heathrow. The drive could take as much as 2 hours -- could even be more if the traffic is really bad. You will need to book a hotel AT Gatwick ASAP - there are several including several Premier Inns which are usually moderately priced. Then the next morning you will catch an early flight to Spain.

But I would definitely book one of the Gatwick hotels that are right AT the airport so you can walk to the terminal, and not just a 'nearby' hotel because it may be difficult to get a taxi on Christmas morning.

This wil be a very hectic 2 full days of travel . . .