Rethinking Rome/Paris December Trip - HELP!

I think it would be a wonderful time to go. Would you be able to spend Christmas Day over there? I have wanted to go Christmas break but it has never worked for us - flights too expensive and my husband is always out of vacation time by December. We went to Paris during Feb break last year and it was great. No other tourists and the weather was fine - many cafes have heaters outside and we ate outside many meals. I am a New Yorker (well now a New Jersian who works in New York City) and I would rather be sightseeing off season rather than during the heat of summer. If you are worried about the cold and have an April school break THAT would be a beautiful time (I think).

Stacey what are you talking about? Weather is rarely predictable but since it is Winter in the N. Hemisphere most likely it will be cold. I travel mostly over Christmas. Spent it in Florence this last year with the RS 7 day tour. It was cold but no snow or rain or hail. I also spent time in Venice and Milan. Again cold but some blue skies and sun in both. Have done both Paris and London at Christmas. Cold.
Blue skies some days, grey skies other days. Wear layers. No picnic lunches in flower fields or parks BUT you'll find the cities less crowded and some cheaper rates. Plus you get to experience Christmas traditions such as Panto or Nativity creches. BTW on each trip I traveled with one carryon, the durable RS Convertible carryon. All depends on how you like to travel.

It is a question that is hard to answer. Not sure how "new luggage restrictions" would impact it nor know what negative advice you have received. It is winter -- if it is Lafayette, IN you will understand and if it is Lafayetee, LA, then I understand. You prepare for it. Christmas season in most of Europe is very special and nearly a unique experience. It is not the same as visiting Rome in summer, nor should it be. We were in Spain last year in the Christmas/New Years time period. It was cool, bit rainy but thoroughly enjoyable. Been in Paris over New Years several years old -- again cool and rainy. Weather is weather but we never worry about it other to plan for a wider range of temperatures and modify activities to match the weather. You will not have blooming BUT you not have the heat and humidity that Rome is famous for either. GO !!! it will be more than worth it.

But,, if it is Lafayette Florida,, then winter may well be a shock,,, LOL

Stacey, if you do not have/own winter clothes( because most of us do) then yes, it does make a difference. And I get what you mean with packing, but remember you will not need to pack any summery clothes so you could still keep luggage requirements down, just wear your winter coat( don't pack) on the plane.

Also, are you travelling with a small child( I thought you were) that does also make a difference, kids need time to play in parks and run around after two hours in a museum or having to be dragged through yet another church.. people not travelling with small children forget those details.

I would skip winter and at least push it to spring, April WOULD be lovely.

We arrived in Amsterdam the day after this last Christmas and it was very cold. Then we went to Bruges. Still very cold. Then 10 days in Paris. I think you can guess the weather. I tried to prepare, took layers, etc. Even when I was warm enough on the top part of my body, my feet were freezing. And I wore Uggs with warm socks. If you live in Lafayette, CA we come from the same climate. If I was to return in the winter again (which I doubt I will) I would take a warm down coat with a hood. I still don't know how to have warm feet. Maybe other types of warm boots or shoes are available in other parts of the country?

We are fortunate to have a school year that runs from Early August - May 22, so we can take off on the day school gets out. We find the weather at end of May/early June is very nice, of course, but the crowds and airfares are not that high yet.

I've spent the last two Christmas breaks in Europe (week between Christmas and New Year's--I'm a school teacher) and may go again this coming Christmas. Last Christmas (2008) was Avignon, Nice, and Monaco (wonderful, sunny, but a bit chilly [especially in Provence, but lots warmer than Michigan!]). Two Christmases ago (2007) was Portugal (Lisbon and the Algarve [again warm and sunny, just needed a light jacket]). I went to Madrid just this past February and took my winter coat but didn't really need it. Great things about winter travel: cheaper airfare [sometimes less than half a July ticket price], more hotels available, not as crowded. Negatives: need to take a jacket (and I take light thermal underwear--CuddlDuds), not as much daylight (important for a solo traveler like myself), sights close earlier, public transportation options are less (fewer trains, fewer buses), and plane de-icing (not for the faint-hearted!). I've stuck with warmer locales during winter, but with a coat and the right clothes, I would think almost any European destination would be fun (well, maybe not Norway). I only do a carry-on bag anyway, so you just need to plan your wardrobe very strategicly to travel in winter.

stacey...go, go, go!!!

We were in London and Paris this past Xmas break and loved it. God created cozy pubs and cafes for a reason!

Larsen, the problem is this post of Staceys does not explain that they are travelling with a small child( she has mentioned it in other posts). Most small children do not think spending hours in a "cozy pub" is that fun,, they are more like , "ok we've eaten, when can we go?" .

I would agree that without a child winter would be great( less crowds, cheaper prices), I love spending hours inside musuems, and hours sitting in pubs ,, LOL , my kids at 6 or 7 yrs old, well it would be torture for them. We have always interspersed museums and galleries with parks and walks,, good on a dry winter day,, but , weather is so unpredictable,, a wet winter day is another ball of wax.

Yes, I failed to mention that our trip would include our 6 year old child. Our Louisiana winters are cold in the morning and by noon; we are warm, or at least sunny! I would love to go to Europe for Christmas for many reasons, but I think it would be horrible trip knowing that our child could not run around in the sun or take the bike tours. He could take the museums for a few hours at a time, but not staying inside all day. We may wait and go May of next year. His school lets out in mid May.
I want to thank everyone for all the positive reasons for going in December, but he needs to run! No PUBS for him, not till he is 21, ha-ha.

Yes, from Louisiana I think traveling in December might be too cold for you. Take your son into the pubs - in fact, we'd often stop at a pub and have a few beers and get our son (then 8) a croque monsiuer (toasted ham and cheese) and then we'd go out to dinner and not have to worry about finding a restaurant with something on the menu for him. While we ate dinner he'd get dessert and play his DS or read or chit chat and it worked out well. Another picky eater solution was to order him a cheese plate which is often on the dessert menu. We loved Paris and Normandy - great people. Staying in the 7th was nice - our kid loved the Eiffel Tower and each night we walked over there and watched it sparke and rode the carousel behind it. We also loved being there off season but we are much more used to cold weather. One other thing - I wasn't comfortable having him on a bike tour - we skipped that.