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Europe - December 2027

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Starting to plan a trip in December 2027. This is a college graduation gift for my son. He will make the final decision on destination, but I want to provide him with some options. He works 50+ hours per week and attends school full time, so I would like to help with "decision fatigue". Length of the trip would be 7-10 days. Mid-December is really non-negotiable, as it's right after his graduation, we would like to be back home on Christmas, and he will hopefully start a full-time job after the first of the year.

He has some parameters . . . he would like to go to Europe, he is not interested in Germany (he's already been there in December), he wouldn't mind warmer weather (we live in the Midwest). He likes history, especially military history, eating and drinking well, doesn't mind old churches, not an art person.

Option #1 - Paris: we've already been, but there is so much we didn't see, and there are good day trips (Versailles, Chartres, Giverny) that we didn't experience.

Option #2 - London: We've never been here, but the military history would be great.

Option #3 - French Riveria: Probably the nicest weather option, but not sure there is enough to do in December . . .

Option #4 - Spain: Madrid and Barcelona

I know the weather is unpredictable, but we would prefer not to freeze our faces off during this trip.

Looking for opinions on these options, or any other ideas from my fellow RS afficianados.

Posted by
10406 posts

The underlying message in your post is that you want warmer weather. I would definitely aim for something around the Mediterranean.

Can I add an option #5 and #6?

Option #5 Istanbul/Turkey. He likes warmer weather, history, eating and drinking well. Istanbul ticks all the boxes.

Option#6 Croatia/Slovenia Lots of interesting sights to see.

Posted by
1208 posts

History/Military history in particular can encompass campaigns over the last 2000 years. Two ideas: 1) The Dolomites region of Italy was the front between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy in WW I and the front lines there wandered along amazing topography. Italy took the "South Tyrol" from Austria in the peace treaty because they were tired of the Austrians dropping artillery shells onto Cortina d'Ampezzo. Good food too. The Socha River Valley in Slovenia (called the Isonzo Front in Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms was the eastern end of this boundary and has amazing mountains, topography, history, etc. Both easily accessible through Venice. 2) I took three Paris based tours to WW I battlefields in France during 2018, the centennial of the end of WWi of course. There are many tours out of Paris or Brussels to the trench areas. The days will be short (7 hours between sunrise and sunset) in Europe in December. Weather will be a mix of wet and whatever so going somewhere with both indoors and outdoors activities would be best.

Posted by
1983 posts

I can't imagine he wants to go to Versailles. I'm not sure Giverny is even open in December. I wouldn't want to visit there then regardless. Anything that far north is going to have short days in mid-December, so I would rule out Paris and London.
For such a short trip, I would look for a direct flight to/from your home airport as a starting point.
Portugal?

Posted by
10223 posts

Forget about Northern Europe.
At a minimum, consider the Mediterranean. The French Riveria is not so wonderful in Winter. Yes, it is warmer than Northern Europe, but it is not really warm.
Suggest a place with history. There is lots of history in the Med.

For Spain, I would recommend the south, Seville, Cordoba, Granada.
A relatively inexpensive place to go loaded with history, REALLY LOADED is Egypt. Tours there are inexpensive and the Pyramids of Giza, wonderful new National Museum in Giza and a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan would be wonderful.
Check Gate 1 Travel for options. You would need 10 days there.

Greece is another option.

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