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Learned I have way more vacation time - which country first if I visit both?

Posted by on

So I recently accepted a job and will have 3 months of nothing to do before I start.

I was thinking I could travel for 1-2 months.

I already requested vacation for next week (for 2 weeks) and then after that vacation I will put in my 2 weeks notice and travel for 1-2 months in Spain, Portugal, Central Europe, and maybe Turkey.

Given temperatures, would it be smarter to do Spain first then do Italy? I heard Spain is also in a heatwave rn so I’m not sure but surely July in Spain would be worse?

Other thought is, Italy is a lot more crowded than Spain in July, so Italy might be less crowded in early June.

So I’m at a dilemma. I really didn’t receive the news of the job until now.

TLDR: Will be traveling for 2 weeks in early June. Then I’ll come back, work for 2 weeks, then quit my job and will have 1-2 months of traveling. Should I go to Spain first or Italy given temperatures and crowds?

Posted by
7995 posts

Start in Spain (actually, maybe Portugal), then work your way east. Unless you’re jetting about, zig zagging from airport to airport, travel in a geographical line.

It’s not like Spain we be remarkably hotter, so much that it’s unmanageable, right? Or that Italy will be completely elbow to elbow, as soon as July 1 arrives?

Congratulations on the new job, and having time for a travel sabbatical before you start it!

Posted by
8338 posts

The advent of budget European airlines has been great for European travel. You can travel through one region and cheaply fly to a completely different place. Or, visit one or two countries and catch an out of the way place on your way home--like Lisbon or Copenhagen.

Spain is a very large country, and there many distinct regions to visit. We've gone along the coast a couple of times, but found it to be very congested and a sea of condos. But we did very much enjoy Madrid, Granada and Barcelona. There are also a number of different coastlines to visit--especially in the north and northwest. That might do you.

We found the Spanish people to be very beautiful and very nice. And the country is far less expensive to travel in than other large European countries.

In the heat of the Summer, Scandanavia is another place to visit that's not so hot (as Italy.) The weather's pleasant there until about the first of September. We visited via cruise ship out of Copenhagen--the cheapest way to visit any ultra expensive region.

Posted by
37 posts

Start in Spain (actually, maybe Portugal), then work your way east. Unless you’re jetting about, zig zagging from airport to airport, travel in a geographical line.

Sorry I meant that I’m doing 2 separate trips. So first trip is 2 weeks (May 28th - June 12) and second trip will be 6-8 weeks starting sometime in early July.

But I get your point. It probably doesn’t matter.

Posted by
7995 posts

OK, so now my thought is where would you spend those first two weeks? Is two weeks enough to cover the part(s) of Italy you want to see? Or can you cover the Spain part(s) in two weeks, freeing you up for the remainder of your itinerary to experience during the 6-8 week second excursion?

Also, what’s more of a concern - heat or crowds? August will be hot, wherever you go in Europe. It’ll be relatively crowded, too, compared with the first couple weeks of June. Spain could be a few degrees cooler in June, but major sights in Italy will have crowds in June, July, and August.

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