April in Europe - where would you go (choices inside)

I'm for a little further South in April. Italy should be beautiful. Good Friday to Easter Sunday will be busy with religious celebrations everywhere but most crowded in Rome. I'd start outside of Rome and work back to it. I'm not Catholic but as far as I know the week before is Easter Week (beginning with Palm Sunday one week prior).

Thanks. I know nothing about Italy. We could get direct flights into/out of Rome and Milan.

Milan doesn't sound that interesting (but, again, I know nothing) so I figure when we go to Italy we'll spend one night in Milan, see the Duomo, and fly out in the AM. But I suppose we could start in Milan, see Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence and end up in Rome for a few days. If we flew in and out of Rome is there somewhere we could go for a few days and then go to Rome. How difficult is it to travel to the Amalfi Coast?

Trust me - I am going to spend the next 6 months planning 25 different trips before I decide. I also have to mooch the required AmEx miles from my boss - details, details!

I was going to say Rome,, lots of places to travel to .. etc.. good weather and smaller crowds,,but then ,, you just picked like the worst time ever to be in Rome,, Good Friday to Easter Monday will be a mad house,, and I am sure even the week after will be busy as many pilgrams will stay after to tour around also.

UK,, well in April the weather would not attract me personally. .

Switzerland, well I like the Alps, but am not wild about city visits,, so unless you ski,, there is not much you could do in the smaller towns at that time of year.. hiking trails still snow covered.

I guess Spain is the winner,, LOL

Holy Week in Spain is huge (it is called Semana Santa), and in 2010 the dates are March 26 to April 4. It is just something to be aware of, even if your Spain itinerary option only includes Barcelona.

Bronwen, a few year ago we spent 10 days in Spain, Barcelona 4 days, Costa Brava 3 days, and 1 day trip to Andorra (not worth it) and a day trip to the Penedes valley. The weather was nice, lots to see and do, and also relax time if you need it! If you decide to go there, try not to miss Monserrat, easily done as a day trip from Barcelona. You could also go to the south of Spain, the weather would be great, and from what i read here on this helpline it seems wonderful!

I have to argue for the UK- yes I know the weather can be iffy - but it usually is not awful in April. In fact, the gardens and ruins, might be just beginning to peak. I'd suggest fly into London- maybe even base yourself ther and do lots of day trips. Or do something like this- London 3 days, then either Cardiff Wales, York, Stratford-Upon-Avon, or Edinburgh for 3 days, and back to London for the last night. Here is a link to an article I wrote about basing yourself in London and doing day trips:
(if it asks for a zipcode, use 28208)
http://www.aaacarolinas.com/Magazine/2008/Jan-Feb/britain.htm?zip=28201&stateprov=nc&city=charlotte
We have been to London more than 40 times, and still have lots we want to do and see there, feel free to private message me.

I am with the last poster -- London is perfect in April. I was there last April for 3 nights and then took the Eurostar to Paris for 3 nights and came back to London for 2 nights. My 9 year old son can't get enough of London as it is so kid friendly. Next time I am doing to follow the same route but take the Thalys to Belgium with only a night or two in Paris. You can take the Eurostar back to London from Belguim. I am not sure about north England /Scotland in April - might be too rainy? I guess it also depends on your child -- if they are a boy, maybe they would enjoy staying in the UK and then doing a driving tour of all the castles and ruins. That is another thing my son liked a lot.

My boy would probably like London but I'm not a fan. I just wasn't wowed by the UK ... maybe I should try again! UK-Paris-Belgium is an idea though ...

I have been looking more at Portugal as well. We really like a bit of adventure and being somewhere REALLY foreign, maybe that is why I never consider vacationing in the UK.

Your son might enjoy Easter Sunday in Florence. They shoot off a cart full of fire works in front of the Duomo after the morning mass.

Hmm...southern European climate, but no Catholicism....

Greece and/or Turkey?

This past April and last year April, I went to Edinburgh. This year I had 15 minutes of rain the whole week. Last year was light showers a couple of mornings, but sunny the rest of the time. The flowers are gorgeous, the weather was warm (warning, I came from New England, so upper 40F and 50F are "warm" at that time of year).

I will stress, each time was the 3rd week of April and each time people complained about weather just finished, so if you're going the 3rd week, try it.

Of course, past weather is no guarantee of future :-)

Greece or Turkey - I THINK are too far. I have to see about direct flights. Dealing with school vacation we never have a huge amount of flexibility. How about this one .... into Geneva and out of Milan. These are both easy cities for me to fly in/out of but neither i have a huge interest in - but maybe a day in each and a few days in smaller cities in between?