Suggestions for 2 weeks in Europe in Nov.

Try this to see if it sparks your imagination. Go to Skyscanner.com, type in your dates, type in Paris and choose ANY, type and choose Everywhere as your From destination. You'll see that there are some very inexpensive flights to some locations you've mentioned as well as some other interesting possibilities. Considerations for these types of flights are (1) location of airport (2) luggage restrictions for budget airlines (3) times of cheapest flights etc.

If you do choose 2 destinations other than France, just search for one-way flights to get you where you want to go to connect the dots if long distances are involved. If you end up not going that far from your original airport, consider advance purchased train travel.

Mona,

Thanks so much - this site is great! I really appreciate your suggestion. Looks like some great options.

Susan

Rather than going to Prague, have you considered going to Budapest? We were there last year, and much preferred it over Prague. The weather ought to be a little better, too. Flights are very inexpensive on EasyJet.com from Paris.
If you wanted to take in another city, Vienna is a 3 hour train ride away. And Vienna has a good airport to fly out of.

I think that it's great that you can take such a trip with your father. That's good genes to have. Unfortunately, all travel has a certain amount of walking. I've been telling my wife we're going to get her a wheelchair when she gets a little older--and keep on traveling later in life.

I wonder why you aren't including Paris in your considerations? It's an amazingly varied city, generally flat for easy walking, with great public transportation. It also offers easy transportation to a wide variety of day trips, depending on your interests.

If you want to do an Italian hill town, Orvieto is lovely, flat, and about an hour from Rome by train. I've been there in January, and really enjoyed my visit. However at that time of the year, some shops and restaurants were closed or kept shorter hours.

You mentioned Venice, which is one of my favorite cities. When I've been there in mid/late October, it's been chilly and fairly rainy. My concern with an 80+ yo parent would be the amount of walking on stepped bridges. It's lots of steps to climb up and down. So if you go, do pay attention to how many bridges there are between the nearest vaparetto stop and your hotel. Also, I would suggest getting a hotel with an elevator, and inquire carefully about whether you have to climb stairs to get to the elevator or after the end of the elevator – that's very common.

I assume you wish to spend time in Paris.
For ease of mobility I would discount most of Italy, and suggest Barcelona and Madrid.
Paris (4 nts)
Fly to Barcelona (5 nts)
AVE train to Madrid (4 nts)

Hello Susan F. My first thoughts about your trip to Europe :
* If you would not like the cold weather at Prague in November, I guess you would not like the weather at many places in Europe in November.

* You said you prefer train travel and bus travel at Europe. You said your parents traveled in cars in Europe. I guess they did that a long time ago. This year, your father might not enjoy travelling in cars long distances in Europe. In Europe, rental cars are small cars, if the vehicle is not a Volkswagon mini bus or equivalent. Travelling in a rental car, the travelers have the freedom to turn off from the main road when they wish to, and get out of the car when they wish to, and be spontaneous. And, having a rental car, the travelers are likely to be able to go to more places in one day, than would be possible if they go in trains or buses for transportation. But, your father at age 87, will he desire to go to many places in one day ? Sightseeing in Europe can be physically tiring and physically and emotionally exhausting (walking up steps, and walking to and through a mansion or palace). It can be exhausting if a person is travelling in a car, or in a train, or in a bus. I think your idea of being at two base locations is a good idea for you and your father. I suggest : choose a base location at which you will have good public transportation to places that you wish to go to from the base. That could include riding in a Taxi car, some days. In my experience, driving a rental car in Europe is more emotionally stressful and dangerous than riding in trains. And, I did not like being in a bus for more than 45 minutes in one direction.
** QUESTION : From what city in Europe will you fly from the day you return to Atlanta ?

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I think we didn't consider Paris because my dad went there several times for business and we'd like to go somewhere 'new' for both of us. Plus, he prefers smaller towns and villages. We've talked about Orvieto so that's definitely on the list. We had not thought about Budapest but can certainly consider it as well as Barcelona. Sherry - thanks for the tips on Venice. Might be best to save it for another trip. I realize I'm going to have to make some compromises! Hopefully there will be other trips with him but I want to make the most of this one.

Hello Susan F. If you will go to Orvietto from Rome, you could also go to another town from Rome. You could go from Rome to Taormina on the island Sicily. At Taormina, some of the hotels are at very scenic locations -- at the top of a cliff, 1500 feet above the blue Mediterranean Sea. One of the best hotels there has a big patio with swimming pool, many green plants near the building, lunch buffet at the patio. That hotel is near a cable gondola for riding down to the beach. Taormina has an ancient theatre built by the ancient Greeks and rebuilt by the ancient Romans. And churches that have artistic interiors. And a botanical garden on a hill. And a produce (fruit and vegetables) market outside. The airport is to the south of Taormina. A shuttle bus goes from that airport to Taormina.

Ron - I think the spontaneity you mentioned is what appealed to my parents when they were traveling. I would prefer not to spend so much time in a car, hence my comment about compromise! This trip was very last minute, based on a deal Delta was offering on tickets using Sky Miles: we got them for half the number of miles usually required. We chose DeGaulle for arrival and departure because it's still a direct flight from Atlanta (so many have been eliminated) and I figured you can get just about anywhere from there.

My dad just doesn't handle the cold as well as he used to but highs in the 50s are fine, so maybe we need to stick to Italy and maybe Spain!

Thanks for taking time to offer your suggestions.

Budapest => Vienna => Prague
Not warm options, but at least these cities are geared for colder weather, and it's usually too early for snow - just take a coat. Trains are easy and quick connections.

Andalusia is the warmest, driest area of Europe. Spain also has more daylight because it's in the south and later sunsets because it's on Central European time, but west of the prime meridian. The Spanish train network is definitely comparable to Italy - trains are fast, clean, comfortable and frequent. Most of the towns you'll visit are flat. Cordoba and Seville have lots to see and do, so does Jerez.

I'd plan to spend at least my first night in Paris. Then fly to your next destination. If you book a train or flight to connect with your CDG arrival and there's any delay, you'll have problems and expenses. I'd also want to spend my last night somewhere within a couple hours transportation back to CDG.

I really do appreciate all of you taking time to offer suggestions for our trip. We're still working on our itinerary but your input has been extremely helpful. We're looking forward to a great adventure, regardless of where we go!

Its all preferences, but for me places like Spain that are so wonderful in warm weather just feel like they cheat me off enjoyment in cold weather. Rather i prefer places that exploit the cold weather. Prague, Vienna and Budapest fit that role pretty nice. Vienna and Pest are relatively flat so that helps too. They might also get a kick out of going behind the Iron Curtain. Other ideas might be Montenegro, Ukraine, Bulgaria where your money will stretch a lot further and you can provide more creature comforts for your parents. In places like this i can get a nice MB Van with a driver for half the cost of a stuffy cab in Paris. Of course nothing is worth the trip unless it contains something you will enjoy and the depends on your particular interests.

James E, the Iron Curtain ceased to be after 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down and the Cold War ended.