To our beloved Mobal Members, we need your help!
There are many destinations in Europe that almost require you to visit at some point, but as you may have discovered it’s all down to timing. So, we’d love to know…
…where you went when you last went to Europe and when did you go? Why was it good, or bad?
Your experience and comments will help your Mobal Members get the best out of their next vacation to Europe.
All advice is welcome…
Please leave your comments in the box below…
Rhine and Mosel river area of Germany are fantastic in
early October… Harvest festivals – it is a party everywhere. I don’t think there is an off-season in the
Italian cities. Venice and Florence were still horribly crowded in November. But the countryside is relaxed, gorgeous and welcoming.
Germany in September and around the first week in October is great. It’s not so hot and humid anymore and all the flowers in the window boxes are still blooming. Just beautiful and sooo green….and very clean! Also the Octoberfest is going on in Munich 🙂 All the children are back in school..makes it nice for grown-ups to travel!
Prague in November was fabulous! No crowds and even though the weather was damp and a bit cool, it was a great trip. No lines anywhere and the concerts were just wonderful. Wear sturdy walking shoes and you will be fine. People are just so nice, too.
My wife and I have found the “shoulder season” is the best time because it combines lesser costs with decent weather. The summer months carry higher prices and you are competing with the Europeans for vacation space, especially in August. May and September are less crowded and the costs are down. The weather is usually pretty good then too.
Denmark: While there is really NO good time to travel in Denmark because it is SO expensive there, here are some of our observations as frequent visitors to Copenhagen. September is really the best month because of reasonably good weather and it is the end of the real tourist season. Prices are lower, weather better, and all the neat places to visit are still open. Sometimes renting an apartment is more economical than hotels but the success of this is their location and approximation to transportation and local stores. Use the internet for searches. Copenhagen is a cool town to visit with lots of diversity in things to see, do. Dont need a car anywhere as local transportation is so cheap and convenient. Buy the Copenhagen Card.tourist pass–it covers nearly everything.
If you wish to travel into the countryside, a car is much more convenient to use but look at the major cities to see if there are options for easier transport-i.e., busses, public transportation.
Often we go to Denmark the first /second week in December on package tours thru Expedia or Travelocity as the airfare plus hotel packages are really economical. It is not particularly cold there and in Copenhagen, only the Danes can decorate their city in such beauty and recreate the beauty of Tivoli with its many boutiques, entertainment venues. Still, it is an expensive adventure but if you like to travel to neat countries and avoid the heavy pressure of tourists, Scandinavia in December is a great experience.
Oct and November in Italy Tuscany region was awesome. I have never been their in summertime but the places we visited wern’t crowded. Be careful driving in Rome and Tuscany region the daily driving makes driving in the Bronx a walk in the park. They have more round abouts in one small town than we do in the whole County of Westchester don’t move without a GPS.
Italy in Nov is beautiful. Olive harvesting and the weather is till pleasant. The locals are tired from the summer but happy to see travelers. No crowds and a leisurely pace make for a fantastic trip!
Last July, I took my son and granddaughter to Italy. I NEVER to to Europe in the summer; but granddaughter is in college, so it is the only time she could travel. We rented an apartment in Venice for a week, in Dorsoduro – perfect location, close to everything. Actually it wasn’t too crowded, possibly because of the economy. Then drove to the Dolomites and climbed lots of mountains, rode mtn bikes, etc. Ended up in the Cinque Terre – beautiful. Great trip!
Europe is wonderful at any season. However, London in December was magical. The city was sparkling with Christmas decorations, there were concerts and visitors and locals alike were in festive moods. The “Santa Day” also known as “SantaCon” was amazing. The weather was chilly but bright. A lovely time to visit.
My wife and I took a two week trip to Italy and Spain during the first two weeks of October. We rented cars in both countries and drove extensively. Venice was extraordinarily crowded during the first week in October. We should have avoided it then. Although we have regularly rented cars in Europe in the on the past as well as on this trip, we will never do so again. The drivers in Italy are reckless and driving there is frightening. In Spain, parking was so expensive (50 Euros for one night in Malaga and 25 Euros per night elsewhere), the cost of our trip was much greater than expected. In the future, we will either take tours or travel by train or bus.