Travel ideas

Would definitely go to Paris but it is not cheap but wow is it worth it. My sister and I did that last year and found we had enough time. Look into renting an apartment, will save money that way. Some won't rent for four days but some will. If you do decide on Paris or any other city, when you decide what you want to see such as attractions, be sure to get advance tickets to save you tons of time. With a short trip, you don't want to spend hours waiting on line.

With 4 days you're limited to one city, one that you can fly into easily and not spend a ton of time on layovers, trips from the airport to a smaller town, etc. From NY, direct flights should be available to the major cities, though. My suggestions are: -London. In many ways, the easiest (no language barrier, cultural differences are smaller). Cheapest flights, in my experience, but more expensive hotels. Museums, theatre, restaurants, basically everything you'd expect from one of the world's biggest cities. -Paris. This would be my choice. Fantastic arts, food, culture, and shopping. -I've heard excellent things about Barcelona for everything you discuss. I have not been there, but it looks to be cheaper than the other three cities and quite interesting. Possibly Madrid, instead. Not drinking shouldn't be an issue. Wine is quite common and if "not drinking" means you don't like to go to bars and get drunk, but will have a glass of wine, then it will enhance your dining. If not drinking means no alcohol whatsoever, that shouldn't be an issue, just be prepared for water (sometimes the ion of sodas/juices/other non-alcoholic drinks can be slim, especially in smaller, fancier restaurants). Not everywhere, of course.

Oh yeah, as far as safety, all the cities I listed are safe. You want to stay in the major tourist areas, for convenience and because some outlying areas in the city can be less safe, but certainly not all areas. Post here when you pick a city and someone can give more specifics. Generally, Rick Steves guidebooks list hotels in popular, safe areas.

My initial reaction is also Paris given what you've outlined. Affordable is always "tricky" and Paris (like New York, etc.) will require some very good planning on your part to stay within some budgets (affordable varies by person), but it can be done. If you are really looking for affordable, I would recommend looking into Budapest. It's is definitely affordable, safe and easy to get around. (Not familiar with Barcelona, but have heard good things.)

For all of the interests your group has, I think Paris would be the best fit. Pick up a Rick Steves' tour book for Paris and start checking out the hotels he recommends. Paris has everything you are looking for in addition to great bakery and outdoor cafes where you can just relax and take it all in. Once you have decided on a destination, and if you need additional help, come back for more info. What a wonderful trip you are planning.

I this were my trip, I'd go with London! I LOVE that city. Easy to get around, many (if not most) museums are free, excellent theatre, walkable, good food, good shopping, plenty to do.... the list could go on! If you plan well, it is not as expensive as many think.

My first choice would be Paris, then London. Barcelona would be a good 3rd choice. As for what you spend, to a point it's up to you. There are many restaurants, from less expensive to more expensive. I find in Paritoo like to get a street crepe or baguette sandwich for lunch to help the budget. Wherever you choose to stay, I recommend an apartment. The benefit to an apartment is that you will have more room. Don't expect hotels to be like you find in the U.S. Also, having a kitchen for coffee, tea, etc. is nice to have. In October you may be more likely to find someone to rent for 4 nights. I use vrbo.com and homeaway.com to find apartments. You rent directly from the owner, so there can be some flexibility. I would choose ASAP, as October is still a popular time to travel. If you decide on Barcelona I can give you information about a 3 bedroom apartment that I was supposed to rent last September for 125€ per night. I ended up downsizing to their 2 bedroom apartment for 95€ per night. A pretty sweet deal!

London gets my vote. Yes, it's not cheap but the mureums are free, you can buy lunch at a quickie mart type store, Pret A Porter. Stay at a hotel that includes breakfast. The museums are free. There is so much to do and see there. The saying is "If one is bored with London, one is bored with life." So true. I have been multiple times, haven't begun to see it all and would go again tomorrow in a heartbeat. And I have been to most of the great cities of Europe and it still is my favorite city. Have fun wherever you decide to go.

I would also mention that if you are only going to one city that you should look into airline package deals that bundle your flight and hotel. Sometimes that saves money. Check out the deals on Kayak.com as well as the major airlines (BA, Virgin, United, etc.)

Thank you for all the recommendations. I have been to London twice and I love this city too. I think we will consider either Paris or Barcelona since none of us have ever visited these cities. Just 2 questions: 1) Which district/arrondissements in Paris & Barcelona would you recommend to stay in that's relatively close to all of the sights, more affordable yet safe and away from the bars & clubs? 2) Has anyone been to Prague and what are your opinions of Prague?

I would definitely vote for something a little different than Paris... although wonderful, it is kind of the predictable choice. If the flight is easy enough look into something like Istanbul, Budapest or Prague. I think Delta has a direct flight to Istanbul from JFK... plenty of unique shopping, culture, exotic food and a really beautiful city. Don't recall seeing too many bars or clubbing especially if you stay near the main area where the tourist sights are. It was extremely reasonable and I felt very safe there.

Patty, I would choose Paris,, I just got back from Barcelona,, and er, its definately showing some signs of the economic distress Spain is undergoing.. more then a few boarded up shops and grotty graffiti even in the very central touristy parts( all large cities can have grotty bits though, but in Barcelona you don't seem to have to go as far to find it outside of tourist area). I loved our visit to a smaller town in Spain, loved the people etc, but Barcelona just was not my cuppa, and 'I have been to London and Paris more then a few times).
Paris is also very compact if you stay in the 5th or 6th you will have cafes, shops and museums for more then 4 days of discovering right within easy walking distance) . My second choice would be London, but pound is stronger then euro, so prices will run a bit higher( but may be offset by free musuems( some not all ). Frankly I would look at travel time and cost of airline tickets too,, four days is just such a short hop , you should make the most of it. Ps, Not drinking is a complete non issue in Paris, many people drink water with meals,, it is not required to booze it up at all!

I've got to agree with pat about Paris. Yes, it's predictable, but for good reason. All the things you are looking for you will find there. I like the 4th, 5th and 6th arrondissements, closer to the river, as central places to stay. You can walk to many places from there. If you do choose Paris, they have a program you might consider. It's called Paris Greeters. It is a free program (donations welcome) in which volunteers show visitors their city. I did this last October, and although it was not my first visit, I was with a friend last year who had never been to Paris. A wonderful man took us around the Marais, where he had grown up. I had been in that area on a couple of other trips, but ended up learning so much from him. I highly recommend it.

I'm glad you asked about Prague. When I first read your question, I was struck by "affordable" and thought of Eastern rather than Western. Prague or Budapest would fit the bill admirably. I would even lean more toward Budapest.

For 4 days, stick to where it would be easiest and cheapest to fly, ideally with a direct flight. In October, also pick a city where the weather may not yet turn too cold when drizzly. Good city choices have been mentioned, so I'll just add Rome, Dublin and Vienna to the list of other good options for a quickie trip. Austrian Airlines "bundles" some pretty attractive packages for Vienna. Despite its pubs, Dublin has a lot to offer and is very cost-efficient these days ;-) For the first-timers in your group, though, hands-down I'd pick Paris (since you already have been to London, my other "first-timers" choice). In October, you should be able to get a decently-priced apartment. Search anywhere from the 1st to the 11th arrondissements, focusing on locations with metro stops very close by and with the number of beds you will need. I've rented reasonably-priced apts in the 3rd (Marais), 4th (Quartier Latin) and 11th (République) - and been happy each time. The lower the number of the arrondissement, the closer to the Seine you will be...

I would choose Prague or Budapest. Prague is beautiful and VERY easy to walk around in but it is becoming very touristy - even in November hard to walk across the Charles Bridge without contending with a lot of people. I loved Budapest. If you want to get a feeling of being in the 19th Century you will love it. Yes, some crumbling buildings - but lots revitalization going on. - we loved it. The people are very friendly and happy for you to be there. The only time we took public transportation was to go from one "side" to the other, otherwise, we just strolled around. I loved the Art Nouveau Museum and even did some shopping while there. The 19th Century feeling won't be around long.....catch it while you can.

All of the cities mentioned so far are good choices - Paris, Barcelona, Istanbul, Prague, Rome, Budapest, Vienna. There's also Madrid, Amsterdam, Berlin...From New York, we are lucky in having non-stop flights to so many places. Of course, I have my individual likes and dislikes, as we all do, but mine may not be yours. So, while I can tell you that I didn't care for Vienna, London, or Barcelona, many adore them. And while almost everyone, including me, loves Paris, some do not. And I loved both Prague and Budapest, but many seem to like only one or the other, or neither. You get the idea - you'll just have to go for yourself and form your own opinion. The only places that I'd avoid because of the month would be Scandinavian cities. I really enjoyed Copenhagen and Stockholm, but in October they'd already be getting shorter days and start to get colder. It's not a deal-breaker, but with so many other choices, I'd go somewhere else, and save these for another trip. All of Europe offers "food, shopping, arts, architecture and culture". Do you (or someone in your group) favor a specific style of one of these? For instance, Barcelona's architectural speciality is Modernista (the local version of Art Nouveau). If you were looking for another style, you may not be thrilled, despite everyone telling you about its "great architecture." So, what I'd do in your situation is start looking at travel books and videos (you can see Rick Steves' videos on Hulu or YouTube). I'd also look at airfares; I'd never go to a place just because it's cheap, but it can certainly be a good tie-breaker. And, while I loved Istanbul, it's a VERY long flight from New York, even as a nonstop. I'm not sure I'd choose it for a 4 day trip. If you do go, try to go on Turkish Air - much nicer than Delta, and often cheaper to boot.

Thank you everyone. Paris it is then. We will start researching into hotels & apartments there. I was just watching rick steve's episode on Paris last night and it looked beautiful there....lots wonderful places to see & do. The hard part will be deciding on what to see & do with only 4 days available. Thanks again.