Where would you go??
 

We are going to Provence in early August for a relative's wedding. We will definitely spend several days in Provence, but we would like to visit another area - somewhere we haven't been - in Europe before arriving in Provence. Of the obvious nearby places, we have already visited Paris, Dijon, Monaco, Barcelona, Florence, Venice and Rome so those are out for this trip. We love picturesque scenery and charming, lovely old towns and villages. To give you an idea, our favorite cities in Europe include Brugge, Honfleur, Rothenburg, Prague, Paris, Venice and Amsterdam. A couple of ideas I have are (1) fly into Lisbon for a week then fly to Nice; (2) fly to Dubrovnik for a week then fly to Nice; or (3) fly to Seville and tour Andalucia for a week then train or fly to Nice.

What would you do? Does anyone have any other suggestions of can't miss places that are easy to get to Nice after visiting?

Thank you very much for any advice!

A

The Dordogne.

Alsace.

You seem to be only mentioning cities and "flying" everywhere.

In August or early July, I would head to the Alps - by car. No need to spend much time getting "elsewhere" - there is plenty to do & see in France and/or nearby Switzerland.

Stu Dudley

in August -- I'd want to go somewhere north. Just too hot and/or humid in Spain and along the Med.

You didn't mention anything like these -- but England, Scotland (though Edinburgh will be very crowded), Scandanavia, Brittany, -- places like those would have chances for nicer weather

Thanks for the great replies! Stu - I would love to rent a car and drive around, but we did that a couple of years ago (through Provence) and DH almost had a heart attack. He absolutely hates driving in foreign countries and was a nervous wreck the whole time. I would offer to drive, but I know he will still be a pain in the neck. Thus, we have agreed - for the sake of our marriage - to skip the rental cars in foreign countries. We are happy to train places though.

I love the ideas of The Dordogne or Alsace. Either one makes more sense than the places I proposed. I admit I am guilty of the "buckshot approach" to traveling. I know I want to see those areas, so I try to shoe-horn them into the trip because I don't know when I'll have the chance to get back to Europe. Thanks for gently encouraging me to get back on the right trip-planning track!

A

Since it's August, I think Lisbon or Dubrovnik. It will be nice to be by the water. I wouldn't do Seville and Andalucia - it's too hot, and you don't have the sea to cool down in.

Hi Janis,
Thanks for your reply. We actually visited England and Scotland a couple summers ago and had a wonderful trip. I think we were in Scotland during an unusually hot period - it was roasting! That was the summer that I learned what midges are. Despite the heat we had a fabulous time. Scandinavia is an interesting idea that I hadn't considered. That is an area I would like to visit someday.

I need to run all these ideas by DH and see what he thinks.

May I suggest Warsaw and Krakow for a part of your time? Warsaw gets a bad rap, partly just from its name, but it is lovely in summer. There are huge parks with lots of flowers and the weekends are wonderful simply for strolling. The Old Town is charming. The New Town is also very interesting. The history is not all doom and gloom, there are wonderful stories that date back long into the past, Italian and other Baroque architecture. And did I mention the lovely parks? You can stay in modern hotels (think anything else in Europe), eat delicious food, or stay in tourist apartments in the Old Town that are modernized yet hundreds of years old. You can shop in deluxe shopping malls, if you need a break or want proof that Warsaw is thoroughly part of the modern European world.

Warsaw has a rich history that is not only about World War II and Nazi's and the ghetto. I highly recommend seeing that part of Warsaw too but my point is to say that Warsaw is as diverse and rich as any city in Europe. And very very charming. The cafes on Nowy Swiat where one can sit and enjoy a coffee for breakfast, or a smoothie for midday, or a drink late into the evening are delightful. An Old World cultured atmosphere, especially at places like the Blikle Cafe. And all around in the Old Town Square. Weather is moderate. I'm not Polish but I've become a fan.

<We love picturesque scenery and charming, lovely old towns and villages.>

I like the Switzerland suggestion.

I also like the Switzerland suggestion, and that would mean flying from there to Provence wouldn't be necessary and there's a good chance the weather would be really sunny yet pleasant up in the mountains. I stayed in Luzern one August and had a great time, it's so beautiful! And it's totally different from Provence, so a nice contrast.

One of my days in Luzern I did a day trip up Mount Pilatus, which entailed taking a boat across the lake, catching the world's steepest cog railway up the side of the mountain, absolutely spectacular views from the top of the mountain, taking a luge (yes, a luge, on wheels that rides down a track!) part of the way down the mountain, a gondola the rest of the way, then a bus back into Luzern. Unforgettable day, for sure.

Yet that is only "my" little part of Switzerland, there is so much that I haven't seen, having been only to Luzern and Basel. (Although what I've seen I've been extremely impressed with!) But I'm sure there are many other good choices for you there as well. (In fact I'm remembering now that I took the train that summer to Luzern from Milano and it travelled through the Italian lakes district, which was also beautiful and might be an option for you as well.) Anyway having just come from Provence this last August (where it was swelteringly hot yet I loved it that way, with the cigognes chirping and I just wanted it to be hot on my first real trip to Provence, the way I've always dreamed of it), but I think the Alps might be a good choice for you weather-wise, and I don't remember the crowds being overwhelming at that time of year in Luzern either, it was very pleasant, sunny (yet not too hot) and relaxing.

Either way though good luck with your options! I should also say that most of the time I don't follow my own advice, there's just so much to see in Beautiful France that I have a hard time leaving it, once I get there! And as St. Cirq suggested, the Dordogne beckons from so close by. I've never been there myself but it's definitely on the short list!

You could fly into Geneva, bus to Lake Annecy for a few days, then train to Lyon before Provence. Fly out of Marseilles.