Hello! I am in the very preliminary stages of planning a trip for July 2024 and could use some advice on where to start. Some background….we’ll be a group of 6, myself, my 2 teenagers, my husband and his parents who will be 75 and 82 by next summer. We all went to Italy in 2018 and visited Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast. We went again last summer and visited Venice, Lake Como, then up to Switzerland to see Wengen and Lucerne. My in-laws are saying they’d like to take a trip again next summer, however, they want to do much less moving around from place to place, long train rides, packing and unpacking, checking in and out of hotels, etc. My mother in law was thinking a European cruise may fit that bill, however, I’m not a fan of cruising and don’t like itineraries that require you to be back on a ship by 5:00 in the afternoon. So my thought is, can we find a spot to rent a house or apartment someplace as a home base for 10-12 days where this is lots to see and do in the area, but allows for easy transportation for day trips? Or maybe an itinerary with only one change of home bases but easy train transportation from one spot to another?
As you can see from the places we’ve been before, we love exploring old cities, eating good food (in-laws are from Italy…excellent food is a must! Lol) shopping, taking in beautiful scenery, but also enjoy a portion of trip relaxing on a beach or lake.
Countries have been mentioned are Greece, Spain, or France…maybe Portugal but we are certainly open to suggestions! Basically hoping to find a family trip that everyone can enjoy and see new places together without too much physical stress for the older people in the family! Thank you in advance!
Posted by
San Diego, California
4831 posts
The countries you just mentioned are extremely hot in July. How does everyone tolerate heat. Good luck and kudos for being the planner. Safe travels!
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14025 posts
Pat’s thought was mine too. Look at the heat warnings for Greece right now. You don’t know next summer would be the same but I’d strike Greece in July.
Posted by
OP
NJ
26 posts
Honestly I was just thinking the same thing after seeing weather reports for Rome for the next 10 days. Our first trip to Italy in July 2018 was beautiful summer weather. Last summer Venice was blazing hot the entire time we were there and really made it tough to enjoy. Unfortunately with school schedules we are tied to a summer vacation. Maybe we’ll think of a country further north.
Posted by
Indianapolis, IN
354 posts
Hubby and I have been pondering something similar, using one city as a home base for day trips. We have been looking at Lille, France because of its easy connections to a variety of places. Paris, Brussels, or the coast as a day trip? I'm in!
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15845 posts
You might noodle with a base in Belgium or the Netherlands or one base in each? A further-north country is bound to be cooler in mid-summer than a southern one. Both countries have very good public transport.
We liked Belgium very much: look at maybe basing in Ghent and day-tripping to Bruges, Antwerp, Brussels, Mechelen, De Haan (coast), etc. Food? We ate VERY well in Belgium, and then there's all that great beer!! 🍺
Netherlands: there is Amsterdam, of course, which offers day trips to Leiden, Edam, Haarlem, the coast, etc. Some folks like to base in Leiden and day-trip into Amsterdam.
In either case, both countries offer "old" larger cities + mid-to smaller ones with attractive architecture, scenic spots (e,g. canals), museums, churches, bike rides for the younger set (recommended only in the parks in Amsterdam due to very heavy bike traffic), history....
Posted by
FL USA
1530 posts
London offers a diverse menu of exploration, ease of transportation and array of destinations to rent for a home base. We chose Brentford for our first trip and our next stay was Richmond (prefer Richmond). We are exploring staying on the south bank of the Thames for next trip and also around Primrose area.
Consider Nantes France for a slower pace still offering a huge menu of easy to reach opportunities. Truly so any opportunities to explore!
Posted by
Washington DC
27204 posts
Normandy/Brittany in France and the northern coast of Spain are usually much cooler than the rest of those countries in the summer. If a heat wave materializes, it's unlikely to stick around long.
Scandinavia, Finland and the Baltic countries are also excellent possibilities for a mid-summer trip. I've been traveling since June 15 in Stockholm, several Finnish cities and Tallinn. I think I've had 2 or 3 days when the high temperature managed to reach 82 or 83 F.
One thing to keep in mind when contemplating a trip with very few bases and a number of day trips is that if you get pooped in the middle of a day trip, you are not a 10-minure taxi ride from your hotel. That could be an issue for a multi-generation family trip, so I'd favor major-city bases that provide robust lists of local sightseeing options with less need for side trips.
Posted by
Sweden
6450 posts
Scandinavia is not a bad option if you're looking for a place further north. Plenty of see and a good chance of reasonable temperatures. For 10-12 days I'd suggest that you split them and spend 5-6 days in Copenhagen and 5-6 days in Stockholm. Assuming NJ means New Jersey there are direct flights from Newark to both cities so you can book an open jaw ticket with two direct flights.
And it's easy to get between the cities, there are plenty of direct trains that take you from central Copenhagen to central Stockholm or v.v. in 5 hours. But if you are willing to add a 3rd place to stay I'd recommend a couple of days on Gotland. If that detour is a bit more complicated than you're looking for, you can consider a stop in Kalmar or Eksjö instead.
Posted by
Paradise
6663 posts
So my thought is, can we find a spot to rent a house or apartment someplace as a home base for 10-12 days where this is lots to see and do in the area, but allows for easy transportation for day trips?
Yes. I'd favor a minor town located on/near what's called the "Bavarian Ocean" in southern Germany. Lake Chiemsee is dotted with beaches, bike trails, sailboats and water sports options. On an island in the middle of the lake, with ferry service from the town of Prien, is Herrenchiemsee Palace. Day trips into MUNICH or SALZBURG from Prien take just one hour each way by direct train. A train ride to Aschau - even closer - puts you at the feet of the Alps (see links below.) Take the gondola lift there to the top for a hike and for great views of the Chiemsee region and the Alps to the south. Berchtesgaden, another alpine destination, makes for a popular outing as well.
https://www.bergpixel.de/wp-content/uploads/Aschau-Kampenwand-1-1024x594-1.jpg
https://huettentouren.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/46048-kampenwand-gross.jpg
https://t-ec.bstatic.com/images/hotel/max1024x768/439/43953086.jpg
FOOD: 15 Michelin listings in the immediate Prien area, and of course all kinds of options in Munich and Salzburg as well: