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-   -   whats the weather like...should I go ahead or wait??? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/whats-the-weather-like-should-i-go-ahead-or-wait-814645/)

nightingale79 Nov 16th, 2009 10:08 PM

whats the weather like...should I go ahead or wait???
 
Hi everyone,Ive been planing i a trip around europe in June/July staring Belgium then going vai Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy,Spain and france.

But I have found out that my leave has been declined .......:(

There is a glimmer of hope that I might be aable to get time off in Aug and sept but I really dont know mush about this time of year. Any advice on the weather , if this is a ok time to travel would be wonderful,
thanks

WillTravel Nov 16th, 2009 10:20 PM

It would be great if you got to go in the fall. I wouldn't worry a bit. You might want to arrange your trip to do the colder places first, but even then it wouldn't matter too much.

quokka Nov 17th, 2009 12:07 AM

August and the first three quarters of September are summer, not fall. August is peak travel season, esp. around the Mediterranean despite the heat and humidity. September can still be hot but by the second week of the month the school holidays are over everywhere, so less families travelling. I#d start in the north to avoid the worst heat along the Mediterranean.
In the Alps, September is statistically the driest and clearest month and much better than July - however, believe in weather statistics or not. I don't. Every year is different and the weather is unpredictable.

alihutch Nov 17th, 2009 12:13 AM

Setpember would be a lovely time to go....August will be very busy and in some places will be very hot.

travelgourmet Nov 17th, 2009 01:42 AM

August and September won't be too cold. The only downsides to the weather would be that those are among the peak rainy months in much of Germany, Holland, and Switzerland and it can get rainy. Still, this isn't that much worse than June or July.

It can get hot in France, Italy, and Spain, though I think this can be overblown. While it is hot, it isn't much worse than most of the US, for example. The bigger issue is that many European buildings simply lack the AC to make it bearable. I would make sure that my hotel had AC and would consider booking into a nicer hotel to make sure this happened, at least for August. If you want to do any beach time, then obviously, this is a good time to go.

As to August being too busy, this cuts both ways. Things will be more expensive in some places, but the beach resorts will be in full swing, which can actually be a plus if you like things lively. I think it can actually be a bigger deal in the cities, where some shops and restaurants will close and some cities can seem deserted, at least of locals. Of course, the flipside is that you might be able to get some good deals, particularly at business hotels.

hetismij Nov 17th, 2009 02:42 AM

Not all schools have gone back by mid August. English schools don't go back until the beginning of September, ditto some Dutch schools. This means the whole of August is peak season, and often the first part of September too. That doesn't mean everywhere is crowded, just that it may be harder to find bargain accommodation.
August is definitely summer here in the Netherlands. It tends to be the warmest month, but with a slightly increased chance of rain and thunderstorms. September tends to still be warm and drier than August. There is of course no guarantee of this, but generally August has better weather here than June does.
The same applies to Belgium, and Northern Germany too, and I suspect to most of western Europe.


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