When you plan your next European vacation: New, old, or a mix??
 

I am having the hardest time planning my vacation...

While there are an infinite number of places I'd LOVE to go in Europe, I am always drawn back to the places I've already visited because I love them so, and I would feel sad if I traveled all the way to Europe and didn't go.

So I'm just wondering how you all plan your return trips to Europe: Do you go to all new places on purpose? Do you return to the cities you love? Or do you try to do both?

We're trying to see some new places, but it's so tempting to think about going back to places we've been and loved, like Paris, London, Rome, and Venice. This year, we're going to plan a trip to Turkey, but I keep reading all the Paris, London and Italy threads, too! There's just not enough time to see everything I want to see.

Mix. I am in love with the Alps. So I go there. I will visit northern Wales for the first time in late June.
New territory, but I have been to south Wales. Wales will be sandwiched between visits to London, which is always new even if I have been there before. I see different areas that I have not yet visited.


Hope that it is a "mix".

The nice thing about London is it is a great jumping off point for the rest of Europe. The budget airlines make getting around Europe very easy. I can get my London fix and experience something new. I've been doing this for several years now. As Bob stated - every trip I take to London I'm discovering new things to see and do.

For me, it's the best of both worlds. I feel like I'm coming home when I return to London from a side trip. Can't wait to get back!

It's a hard one. I love to see new places, but there are places I've been that I want to return to as well. When planning new trips I find myself having to be disciplined lest the latter overshadow the former.

Mix it up. You get to visit your favorite haunts and make some new ones.

I guess your favourites are always there. But you can always find new ones,that is the best thing about travel. But if you miss them that much try to incorporate them.And to Bob..North Wales is beautiful,so different to the southern area.

I go to new places. There are so many places in this world to see that if I kept returning to the places I've already been, I'll never see everything I want to see.

Although, I have to caveat that with the fact that I have been to Bermuda twice. But in Europe - different places every time.

Karen

We have this problem everytime we plan a trip to Europe. My husband and I love Italy so we are always torn between visiting a new part of Italy, revisiting a favorite part of Italy (mainly Rome) or going someplace different. This year we decided to go someplace different for both of our overseas trips, but it doesn't mean that I don't long for Italy. We decided to try a few new places first and then plan another trip back to Italy in a year or two.

It's a mix, our next trip will be to Germany next year for the World Cup (had to take this year off as we have a baby due in two weeks). We hope to explore Hamburg & Sylt & hopefully revisit Amsterdam but it kind of depends on if we get tickets (a big if) & at what venue. We also find it is easier to fly in & out of the same cities that we are familiar with (Munich, Paris most times) just so you don't have to start your trip being half-way lost. The last thing you want to deal w/following an overnight flight.

I understand the problem very well. It also depends on whether our kids travel with us. I am less adventuresome when they are along. Last summer, we did a "mixed" trip: to well-known London and southern England, but then on to York, Northumberland and Scotland, where we had never been. Next year, I would like to visit Provence, where I attended school, but I also want to spend some time in northern Italy, which would be a new place for my husband and me. But, of course, there is always Greece, Costa Rica, the Alaskan cruise or Vietnam in the back of my mind. So many places, so little time and money!

Except for an occasional trip just to Paris, we do a mix. Last year Paris (old) and Andalucia (new), this year Tuscany (old) and Sicily (new). We find this is the best way to include new places. Otherwise, I would spend all of my time in Paris, London and Venice. I am so glad to have seen Seville and can't wait to return.

I try to mix it up a little, but I usually end up in Italy! I simply love Rome, and going there is like visiting a favorite friend I get to see less often than I would like. At the end of May I'll be in Rome for a few days, head up to the Lake District to take a class for about a few, and then come back to my beloved Rome for another week.***Sigh!*** One of these days I'll get to Paris and Vienna, and Berlin and Geneva, but....

BC

Heh! Seems a lot of you have the same "problem" as we do....we want to return to Rome and perhaps see more of Italy that we haven't already seen....but then there's Prague, Vienna, Madrid...oh too many places!

I think since this could be the last trip to Europe before kids enter the picture, we must go back to Rome, one of our favorite places on our honeymoon. But we'll mix in a few new places...

Happy Travels! :)