Europe in January

You say, in your 2nd post, that you want "al fresco" dining in Europe in mid-January. Realistically, if you really want to sit outside for as long as it takes to dine al fresco, in January, that's going to limit your itinerary to a few areas in the southern edge of Europe. The rest of Europe (like 90% +) has weather that makes al fresco dining in January not feasible.

Hi Sharon. Italy sounds like a great choice - but then again, I'm biased! Because you have only a week at most (are you departing the U.S. on the 7th and arriving in Europe on the 8th, and departing Europe on the 15th?), I would suggest staying in one country. Italy is a good choice also because it's relatively "far away" from other countries in Europe, so it's best to spend a lot of time there and get the most out of it. .... Why are you thinking about Italy, and which places there would you like to visit? Since you have such a short travel time, I would recommend focusing on a region or a couple of different cities. .... Florence is beautiful (I lived there for 2 weeks and still didn't see everything!) and from there you can take day trips to Tuscan towns. (I know this is a Rick Steves site, but Rudy Maxa has done a very nice travel show about Tuscan hill towns.) .... There is a lot to see and do in Rome also, especially if you like ancient or Baroque architecture. There are the Vatican Museums and you can take tours of Imperial Rome and Early Christian Rome.

Hi Sarah. Thank you for replying, and I love that your' biased. My husband and I have traveled to Italy 3 times. We' ve visited Venice, Florence, Siena and San Gimigano. Also Rome ( twice since we love it) and Naples, Capri, Sorrento and Positano. I guess I didn't really make myself clear at first. Our main concern, I guess, was really whether or not Italy or Europe in general would be the right choice for that time of year and also weather wise. Or perhaps it shouldn't even be a factor. We know it will be cold, but we'd like it to be enjoyable ( out door sight- seeing, dining al fresco, etc.). We'd hate to have to give into the caribbean (that's been overdone for us). Maybe we shouldn't be concerned at all. Welcoming your comments.

Hi Sharon. Thanks for clarifying - I see where you're coming from now. I wouldn't let the weather dictate where to go. If you really want to go to a Scandinavian country, for example, then by all means go! But if you want milder weather in Europe, of course there's Italy, Spain, Greece, the south of France, maybe Croatia...

Our rule of thumb is towns/cities in winter/early spring and coast/countryside in late spring, summer and autumn. If you strike bad weather cities have more to keep you occupied. Will your daughter prefer somewhere with more buzz, not the case for coast/countryside in the winter months.

Sharon, I was in Rome for 2 weeks in Jan/Feb 2009 and enjoyed the trip more than previous visits, largely because it was so crowd-free (eg, NO line at the Vatican museums). You'll be able to do a lot more in Rome each day in winter than with the warm-weather crowds. Weather was nice (days in 50s to mid-60s); it was overcast many days, but there was only one day I really needed an umbrella. Regarding your comment on outdoor dining, I had a few capachinos at outside cafe tables, but for longer meals preferred the warmth inside. If you are doing day trips, you might find things closed in smaller towns; I did a day in Orvieto for the cathedral, which was amazing without the crowds, although a fair number of shops/restaurants were closed. It did get dark very early, so I'd stay in an area with cafes and transit very close by. Enjoy your time with your daughter!