Winter in Europe
 

Hi, <BR> <BR>Me my wife and 2 friends are planing our vacation in February and were thinking about Europe. How is the weather in Switzerland or Holland in February? We love snow but hate rain. Any other suggestions? <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR>Lev

If you like snow, Switzerland will be a good option as February is the TOP skiing season in the Alps. <BR>Holland is a very beautiful country but not in February: average temperature about 30-40°F and often rainy.

Hi Lev <BR>Weather in Switzerland depends very much on the region. Up in the mountains beaufiful sunshine whereas often cloudy and foggy in other parts. Above 800m (altitude) normally sunny and often warmer than futher below. Feb is probably the best month for skiing, therefore often crowded. Bood in advance.

Most disturbing thing about the winter and early spring weather in Europe is smog. We passed Geneva in the auto and could barely make out where it was. Also, according to a friend who lives in Prague, they burn coal there, and the air is fetid. Our impression is that Europeans, espeically eastern, tolerate a great deal more of air polution than we do. The exception to this, in our experience, is Scandanavia, where clean is a byword.

Julie takes fog for smog I guess. In February you' won't find smog in Switzerland, because in winter the air is clear, and no one burns coal because we don't have thermic power plants. <BR>You cant compare a Swiss town like Geneva with a east-european town like Prag! <BR>Lev, an interesting homepage for your vacation could be www.myswitzerland.ch

I organize a ski trip every year to Europe and we always take 1 day to visit the nearest city. Inevitably, each year Salzburg, Venice, Geneva, Munich are normally colder, cloudier and FOGgier than the ski resorts which have been crystal clear the past few years. I assume this is due to the cities being on some body of water which makes the air colder and the fog rise. Go to the Swiss Alps (Zermatt, Saas Fee, Verbier (for skiing only) or Grindelwald), but Zurich and Geneva are beautiful. In Geneva, there is a great little creperie just behind the church in the Old Town that is a must.