Soooooo confused!!!! We have two weeks from Seattle (first two weeks of April). We are considering Greece, Italy, Croatia and/or Turkey. (in that order) However, we are completely open to other ideas! My fiance has never been to Europe. We love boats and would like to be near the water. Something peaceful but low-key. Easy to take day trips or lounge around and do nothing! ;) Any suggestions?!
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
April is early but with your preferences, I'd suggest trying to find an island in Greece. Prices are better, the weather will be warming and it's an easy place to visit for a first-timer.
Posted by
Charlotte, NC, USA
3428 posts
Consider London. Great place to base yourself. Lots to do AND a great place to relax. Shows... history... boat crusies on the Thames... gardens... clubs... music.. and LOTS more.
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
GREECE. On islands in the Cyclades islands group at the Aegean Sea, such as Naxos, Paros, Folegandroa, Sifnos. Fly from Athens to Naxos. Arriving at Naxos town is very pleasant (it has a street for pedestrians at the waterfront - marina). A very good small hotel at Naxos town (Hora) is Hotel Apollo, it is not expensive in April. I do not recommend going to Mykonos. Read about Naxos and other islands in the Cyclades islands in the Lonely Planet book on GREECE. (Sixth edition, or any edition of it in which the chapter on the Cyclades islands was written by DES HANNIGAN). And read about all the islands I recommended, in the Thomas Cook book on the GREEK ISLANDS.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
April and you love boats and would like to be near the water--Greek Islands. Read up on them and then take your pick. You will find discussions in the section of the helpline called "to the east", use the search box in the upper right corner of the webpage to retrieve those discussions.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
I loved Greece, and I loved Mykonos( and Paros) , but , in April it isn't quite swimsuit weather yet, so really there isn't alot to do there. Check out this hotel though, the site will make you drool to go there, Hotel Tagoo( Mykonos) ,google it.
Turkey has lots of sites, but I don't know if I would go there right now, some unrest , and quite frankly as an unmarried couple you will feel some disapproval there. Italy is your best bet maybe for overseas first timers. A little familar, a little foriegn. Consider Cinque Terra ( Ricks recommendation, I ve never been there).
Posted by
USR, NJ
277 posts
Two of the most beautiful places I believe for a honeymoon destination(s), is Paris and Venice. Fly into Venice, fly into Paris, and return to Seattle from Paris.
Posted by
Ithaca, NY, USA
47 posts
My husband and I took our honeymoon in April 2001. We spent three weeks in NE Spain/Andorra/SW France. The weather was very pleasant -- warm, not hot -- there was even a bit of snow in the mountains.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record b/c I am ALWAYS recommending Barcelona -- I'm going to recommend Barcelona! It's right on the Mediterranean, and has lots to see and do but lots to look at if you just want to lounge around. We took a catamaran ride one day, which was fabulous. It's also becoming known as a "young and hip" city, if that's of any interest to you.
I'm from Seattle too (originally) and I enjoy being near the water, and Barcelona felt really comfortable and fun to me, in many of the same ways that Seattle always has. Not that they look alike particularly, and Barcelona is much bigger -- but there was a certain indefinable feeling that (for me, YMMV) the cities have in common. We spent a week there and would dearly love to go back again.