Which City and When for a Month?

You are going to get a lot of subjective opinions.

But....for myself....

I'd choose Paris. I've done 3 week stays there a couple of times and was not ready to come home at the end of that time. I still had stuff on my "to-do" list that I hadn't gotten done.

In spite of an awful allergy to blooming horse chestnut trees....I'd pick April in to Early May. Easter in 2027 is March 28. I'd work around the May 1 national holiday so you don't arrive or depart on that day but pick a low key walk around and see things day. May 8 is also a holiday but not as many things are closed. The Time change in Europe is also March 28 so you'd miss that.

I have learned to be cautious about late October travel as for 2 years I've managed to hit the European and American time changes in successive weeks. Yuck.

Have fun deciding!!

jkh,
What Pam said.

Oh, that's a tough question. I think I would choose Budapest. It's inexpensive enough that a month wouldn't really hurt you financially, and there's a lot of things that you could see and do. You can just enjoy the ambiance. And I'd go in either May or September.

It'd be a small town in France - probably one I already know very well like Amiens (where I spent a few months several years ago.). It is not TOO small - it has everything I need right there - but it is definitely not a big city, and is entirely walkable so I never needed a car. It is right on a main train line which is a little over an hour to Paris for day trips. It's also easily accessible to other cities in northern France and Belgium.

There is enough to see and do there that I wouldn't get bored, but there are scarcely any tourists (for whatever reason, I don't know!) so it isn't crowded with sightseers, and I can completely mingle with the locals.

That is just an example of the TYPE of city I'd choose, but similar cities could be found in any other country.

Not knowing where you have been before, what holds your interest, or your budget, at a minimum I'd pick a city that has good train or airline links so you can use it as a hub for exploration. Your profile and prior posts indicate an interest in beer, so maybe a German city (Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich).

I think I would choose Budapest. It's inexpensive enough that a month wouldn't hurt you as badly financially as a lot of Western Europe will.

There's a lot of things that you could see and do to fill a month i am working on 4 years. And some interesting day and overnight trips. Or if you wanted, WizzAir flies to some really interesting places in under 90 minutrs and 50€. The sort of places you otherwise would skip in your travels because of difficult connections. The Balkans for instance. Or you can just enjoy the ambiance.

Craft beer is popular (like in any major city these days), maybe a little cheaper and plenty Czech and a few Belgium places.

And I'd go as close to May 15th or October 1st as possible. Or look for events and activities (beer festivals) that interest you and plan around those. There is a list in the Hungary forum. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/updated-budapest-events-for-january-june-2026.

But I would choose a local neighborhood to stay in. Some are like small towns in their own right. Public transportation is so good, mostly above ground so you see your environment, and free if you are over 65. Heck, tge entire country public transportation and trains is free if you are over 65.

either a smaller town on a central Swiss lake or up in the mountains. The Engadin or somewhere on Vierwaldstättersee. Lots of easy transportation.

I think Krakow, Poland is one of the most underrated cities in Europe. It is very reasonably priced and many interesting sights to see.

I'd go with Naples in the shoulder seasons, either May or October. You get the perfect mix of history, food, and that chaotic, lived-in energy that feels so authentic. Plus, it's a great base for day trips to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri. A month there would fly by.

We lived in Augsburg, Germany for four years and loved it. It is 50 miles west of Munich. However, there are many other great cities in Europe.

1) I would never plan to spend an entire month in one place, but you can use the city as a base to visit other places.
2) Cost is a factor, picking a large city like Paris would be more costly than a smaller city. Places like London, Paris, Munich, Berlin, Rome or Madrid would be more expensive.
3) Where haven't you been? We have been to Paris 5 times, and other large cities more times as well.
4). Special places for us away from expensive large cities:
In France, Strassbourg, or Arles;
Germany, Augsburg or Nuremberg or Trier;
Luxembourg City;
Budapest;
York, England.

I've been mulling this question over since I saw it shortly after you posted it yesterday, and I don't have a clear answer. Maybe a medium sized town in north-ish Italy -- not a tourist Mecca like Florence, but not something completely off the radar either. Or maybe Vienna; it's a good central point to visit parts of Europe I haven't been to (like Prague and Krakow).

But my first thought was actually London. Not central at all, but I know the language, and I've spent enough time there to know there is lots more I'd like to see.

Thanks for your responses!

So far we have two Paris, two Budapest and then one each for London, Amiens, Krakow, Naples and Augsburg. Plus a number of suggestions for me rather than specifics on where you would go.

For some background, my wife and I have traveled extensively to Europe with our children, together as a couple, and separately with friends (boys and girls trips). This past weekend I was discussing plans for an upcoming Christmas Market trip that I am taking with one of my daughters and her husband. Following that chat, my wife dropped a huge travel bomb, "I would go with you if we went somewhere and stayed in one place. I don't like moving around like you do on your trips."

Riffing off Stella's suggestion I like the idea of northern France but I would go with Lille for much the same reasons as she has Amiens. From there you could pivot to champagne country (Reims / Epernay) or do all the WWI history in Belgium / northern France. A lot of the tours leave from Lille and it is a complex history so I would recommend a guide or a tour. Plus Lille is just a very pretty city in its own right.

Lavandula

Such a wide-open question. So much depends on your budget and your interests, whether you want something packed with stuff to do and see, or if you want somewhere quiet where you can relax. Do you want some easy day trips, or is one place enough?

But it's a great subject. My wife and I have always gone somewhere and stayed there. I think the most time in one place was about 3 weeks. We haven't done a solid month. And of all the places we've been, there's a lot of recency bias because we are getting better and better at doing it.

I think since this is your wife's idea, I would like to understand more about what she has in mind.

I would advise is that if you are going to rent an apartment for a month, there's a lot of risk in that, but it can be overcome with very diligent research.

I do love busy places, all the people and energy of it — but if I'm talking a full month somewhere, I think I'd actually want the quieter option, somewhere with a lot of nature nearby. Ljubljana keeps coming to mind for that.

It's a gorgeous little city in its own right, but the nice thing is you don't have to go far to get out into nature — it's basically right there. May feels like the right time for it too, just before the summer crowds properly show up.

I think if I had a month to travel that I wouldn't plan to stay in one place the whole time, but rather pick a small number of places to spend a week to ten days in each and preferably be placed closely together.

There are of course lots of places all over Europe that could fill that brief. I think my first thought is Northern Spain, with some combination of San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, Dijon, A Coruña or Vigo. Beautiful scenery, fabulous food and drink and weather a little less extreme than further south. I'd go in either May or September.

Riffing off Stella's suggestion I like the idea of northern France but
I would go with Lille for much the same reasons as she has Amiens

I've spent some time in Lille, too, but don't like it as much as Amiens. It is more bustling - a bigger city - and isn't as quiet and charming. However, the advantage is that is has an airport nearby for quick hops to other destinations (I once flew from Lille to Nice, for example.) It is also a primary rail hub so connects to lots of destinations by train.

And it is right on the border of Belgium - you can be in Bruges in less than an hour - so it is easier to explore beyond France.

PS....I guess the main difference would be whether you wanted to actually STAY in one city for a month, or BASE in one city while you travel to other places.

.

I would advise is that if you are going to rent an apartment for a
month, there's a lot of risk in that, but it can be overcome with very
diligent research.

Okay, if the world is like that, then another reason for Budapest. Cant imagine the risk here.

In my firt post I suggest the advantage of side trips if you just wanted to get away. In France you could stay in Paris and take a train to another French town, or in Spain you could take trains between Spanish towns endlessly. But in Budapest you can be in Budapest in the morning and on the beach in the Balkans in the afternoon with a 1.25 hour flight.

We spent two weeks in London in November last year and it was outstanding. I'd do London again for a month this time in a heartbeat and even though there are better times of the year for weather, it's the way the city decks itself out for Christmas that would make me pick that time of year again.

We've never been away for a month before and despite my love for London, Nice in France will likely be our destination for our first month-long stay. We spent a few days there after a Rick Steves tour in 2019 and fell in love with the region. It's been on the radar ever since. I am intrigued by the poster who suggested Naples though....

Ok. One Ljubljana and Lille, plus another vote for London and Amiens.

Thanks for these.

Also, for Mr. E. What are the apartment rental risks from your perspective?

Apartment rental risks? That was the concern of "The Other Marty" who probably has a lot more travel experience across Europe than I do. I can just talk about Budapest where i live and was once an owner of two AirBnbs. No exceptional or unusual risk here.

But look beyond the cheapest advertised. Look for the best price in a convenient tourism location.

Does it matter what month you go? Is there a month that’s better to be gone from where you live?
For example, we live near Seattle, Washington so we like to try to be gone the month of February as it tends to be wet, dark and foggy. For the third year we will spend February in an apartment that looks over the water in Villefranche-sur-mer (5 km from Nice). It’s off-season, we get a great rate, we stay in one place for the whole month but can takeoff by bus or train and go many different places. I’m sure many people don’t think it’s great weather, but for us just sunshine and blue skies make up for temperatures in the 50-60’s.

But look beyond the cheapest advertised. Look for the best price in a convenient tourism location.

I would say look for a great location but also look for a high rating, and read every review, because sometimes, even 5-star reviews give clues like the location was noisy at night or it didn't have AC, or it was up 5 flights of stairs, no elevator. Or there are no grocery stores nearby. Or the bedroom is upstairs and the bathroom is downstairs.

Also, it's amazing how the pictures can make these places look much bigger than they are. Figure out exactly where the apartment is and go on Google Maps and use street view to scout the neighborhood. I wouldn't base such a decision on price. I would base it on the location and the reviews.

The "risk" I was talking about was that you are stuck in dog of an apartment for a month. We often stay in apartments for 2 to 3 weeks, so I take extreme care in selecting the apartment.

A dog of an apartment shouldn't happen more often with an apartment, than with a hotel with a little care. The apartments in Budapest are all inspected and rated by the city these days. Not perfect, but it helps. I imagine other cities do it too.

For size, AC or which floor is ususlly in the marketing but never be afraid to ask about this or anything. Common sense if you care.

But I will get you started. In Budapest you only benefit from AC from mid May till mid September. A family home here is 750sf on avg vs 3 times larger in the US. Ground floor is zero, the next up is 1, then 2, etc. In old buildings the ground floor is twice as tall as most US home first floors. Then the other floors are about 1.33 times taller so check for an elevator.

Some travel forums, not this one of course, try and make taking a holiday sound like rocket science, its not. Don't expect perfection, roll with the punches a bit, pivot when necessary and go in with a positive attitude and maintain it. Then you will have a wonderful time wherever you end up.

For a month in the summer I would go to Cascais, Portugal. Access to beaches, a historic town, close to Lisbon and nature in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.

In the spring I would go to Lagos in the Algarve, Portugal. Wildflowers blooming, green landscape and based on my experiences/tolerance the ocean temperature is fine for swimming.

So, I haven’t been everywhere but those two places would be my picks.

As for staying in a “dog” apartment, I believe if you booked through a platform like VRBO they will help you out. Otherwise, I’ve stayed in some “not so great” places however they all seemed to have some other redeeming qualities, for example a good location, outdoor space or a view.

Mr E,

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't see TOM's last item regarding apartment risks, only yours. Regarding this aspect of the post, if we go, I will use a company that focuses on short-term corporate rentals. Usually a little more expensive than other options, but having used these types of firms for company travel in the past I have found that they have to provide quality housing and services to stay in business.

Oh, and Portugal has been added to the list. Frankly, I thought it would have arrived here somewhat sooner. We actually have free access to an apartment owned by a neighbor. So Portugal would be our lowest cost option.

Candidly, I just spent 6 weeks in a small village in France. I’ve stayed in many big cities mentioned here but nothing tops my own peaceful corner of the world. I’ve spent 13 continuous years in the past living in Germany so I’ve gotten over tourist wanderlust.

I will use a company that focuses on short-term corporate rentals.
Usually a little more expensive than other options, but having used
these types of firms for company travel in the past I have found that
they have to provide quality housing and services to stay in business.

I agree with the logic. I look for management companies for the same reason.

I would choose London in late November when the Christmas lights and concerts are beckoning.

In spring, I would choose Spain.

Okay, i have another sort of nontypical idea. Budva, Montenegro.

Its an interesting country with a great coastline and mountains, wineries, ancient villages, rivers, ancient churches, great food, great prices and few tourists. Nothing is more than a 3 hour drive.

This would be totally different than a city stay. It would be a local city base (i have an idea for that which really makrs this work) which you call home but its so inexpensive and flexible that you could leave the heavy luggage and go to the canyons for rafting, hiking, zip lines or just relaxing in a beautiful setting for a dew days; then return "home". About a 3 hour drive each way. Another day to an amazing lake or bay and then maybe across to see Albania or Dubrovnik for a night or two. Afterwards one to three hours back to home.

You will need a little planning, but maybe not much. I met an Italian couple this week that did the same thing, but 2 weeks. If you add all my time there together, its more than a month and each trip I find new stuff.

Best of all its the Europe people describe that existed 30 years ago before tourism exploded.

I'm biased, but another vote for London.

As to when, any time really. I find it's pretty dead for cultural events etc. in January and February and that's when the weather can be at its greyest. Once you get into March things start to wake up a bit and the chances of having nicer days improves. Certainly by end of March the days are getting longer.

For a month I wouldn't consider a hotel. Rent a flat somewhere. It's much easier to integrate into the community in England because you've got the language already. The beauty of London is that it's one of the few places where thriving high streets still exist. Many town centres in England have been hollowed out to husks by economic austerity, out of town retail and online shopping. There's a hundred vibrant, thriving high streets in London though. Every neighbourhood is a town in its own right, with its own history, character and quirks. As an example, my home borough of Hackney has a population size equivalent to Oxford. That's just one of thirty-two London boroughs. A month gives you time to appreciate that.

There was a good thread recently talking about some of London's neighbourhoods -

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/cute-and-cozy-where-in-london

Hampstead seemed to come out on top in that thread and you could do a lot worse than hunker down there for a month. Air BnB is a lot more guilt-free in London than it is in many European cities. There just isn't that same pronounced conflict between the needs of locals' housing and short-term rentals that there is in other places.

It's much easier to integrate into the community in England because
you've got the language already.

You would THINK! 😄

I remember going to London after spending a few months in France. I'd hear announcements on the train and I had no idea what they were saying. (I was doing better with announcement on the trains in France, even with my marginal French.) They could have been saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, the train is on fire run for your lives!" and I would have just sat there... 😲

And don't even get me started on Scotland - which of course isn't England, but is in the UK where they supposedly speak English. I was often completely baffled when people spoke to me there (cue SNL sketch with Scottish air traffic controllers...real thing!)

I would stay for a month, or more, in the Berner Oberland region of Switzerland, Murren or Wengen to be exact. I am heading there in a week for my third time in 3 years and would like to stay longer than 2 weeks. I am hoping it works out for next year and I am planning for mid-August through mid-September.

A bit of talk on the subject in general.

I guess my threshold for the same room each night followed by the same idyllic café each morning, followed by the same romantic cobblestone streets each day would be maybe 10 days. Toss in a few day trips and I might reach 2 weeks.

What if I get there and it’s not what I expected? Great, 28 more days of this. HELP!

I am not sitting on the porch and reading a book everyday sort of person and some familiarity with a place would be essential if I was going to stay busy or involved. Trying to learn it while there would mean 1 day of enjoyment for every 3 days trying to discover where the enjoyment was. Some local support would be almost essential.

Then there would be the frustration of knowing what I was missing. If I had only stayed 2 weeks instead of a month, I could have stopped in at ____________ and maybe it would have been great.

For me, this question depends heavily on the time of year you want to visit. London and Paris are two very good options (and you won't run out of things to do) but I would avoid November- February. Rome would be another one I would seriously consider (good any time of year, tho for people who don't like heat it gets very warm in the summer). If it were me, I'd probably spend a month an a Greek island.

Every one is different. A few months ago I spent 3 days in Valencia and the place just didn't speak to me; and its not about things to do, its about compatable people and vibe. By all accounts at the end of 3 days I should have been begging for more. Now what happens if I sign a 30 day lease and I have the same unexpected experience?

Trying to learn it while there would mean 1 day of enjoyment for every 3 days trying to discover where the enjoyment was. Some local support would be almost essential.

I don't think you need local support. I use Gemini or ChatGPT. I give it a paragraph about our interests, what we like to do and not like to do, how long we're going to be there, and anything else pertinent, and ask for a list of things we can see and do, including day trips and anything else. AI does a pretty good job of that.

"We're thinking about spending 19 days in Valencia. We are going to be living in [where we will probably be]. Our interests are [list of interests]. We don't want to [what we don't want to do]. We are [our age]. Give me a day-by-day itinerary, how to get to each place, and what is interesting about it. Also suggest a couple of easy day trips."

And that leads into a conversation with a chatbot about what we might do when we're there. I don't necessarily follow the day-by-day schedule it lays out, but it's a great starting point and avoids that "1 day of enjoyment for every 3 days trying to discover where the enjoyment was..."

But I agree with your point that a month is a long time for committing yourself to one place and if you don't like it, what then? And my only remedy for that is painstaking research, especially including the apartment one would be stuck in for a month.

What if I get there and it’s not what I expected? Great, 28 more days
of this. HELP!

For me, it's not necessarily the place, but the routine. I'm a creature of habit and while two weeks of travel does break me of my home habits I also have 2-week travel habits that I follow. My travel habits are to wake up early, find the sunrise, pace around until my wife is ready and then explore for 8 hours. Come back and eat and then wander the streets around our hotel for an hour or two more and then go to bed.

I'd have trouble replicating my home habits while travelling, but 30 days of my travel habits might be a bit much. The thing is I won't know until I try, and from there we'll figure out how long we want to be away from home, and how long in one place at a time.

My travel limit is 2 weeks and I prefer 10 days which is possible because of where I live ... with a few exceptions in lands i know well.

I am going to wrap this up. Please feel free to add to this thread if you want, I am going to stop responding to any additional posts. Again, a sincere thanks to everyone who posted where they would go for a month.

We are currently planning to go to Vienna in May. Vienna is my favorite city in Europe, having passed London as my top spot over the past few years. I have been to Vienna a number of times, including heading there in December for the Christmas Markets. My wife has never been. We have picked May as it seems to be late enough in spring that the gardens will be in full bloom, there are many events, concerts and festivals scheduled and we are not fully into summertime crowds and heat. There are also some day trips that should be interesting.

On the subject of being “stuck” in a place for 30 days that you don’t like — I think the idea is to return to a place that you’ve already been to, that you already know you would enjoy for that amount of time.

As for “what to do everyday”, if I were planning this type of trip I would go into it with idea that the daily activities in the trip location would be somewhat similar to what I would do at home if I had that time off. For example, not 30 straight days of museum visits.

Vienna is a good choice. Stop by and say hey.

And while you don't have Wizz, yiu do have Ryan. So if you want to do some three day adventures, like the locals do, you have that added option. I saw Croatia, BiH, Bulgaria and Albania on the list. All within 90 minutes I think.

I think I was the only one to suggest Vienna, what do I win?!

And — you said initially you had 2 top choices, what was the 2nd? If it was London (mentioned in your last post as your previous favorite), I suggested that too. Does that double my prize? ;-)

Yay for Vienna! The Kunsthistorisches Museum with all the Breugels is fantastic. I was there 52 years ago and still remember the thrill of seeing their collection of his (the Elder's) paintings. And the museum itself is beautiful! Have a wonderful stay in Vienna!

Fascinating question.

I did think of Paris and Budapest, but language challenges point me in a different direction. I also thought of Berlin, but not for a month.

My choice would be London. The month would be October or mid-November through mid-December. In the latter period, the weather can be an issue--rain more than cold temperatures--but there is the Christmas season and the West End is bursting with plays and stars. And nearby are Oxford. Cambridge, Bath and Canterbury, with York and Edinburgh great escapes.

A close runner-up is Salzburg as a base in late May through late June. Salzkammergut, other parts of Austria and southern Germany are simply spectacular. The caveats are that you should like the outdoors and hiking, must be willing to drive, and will be spending sometime outside Salzburg (and here I may be bending the rules). But a month there would be glorious. And of course Munich and Vienna are nearby.

RJ, yes, Paris is very tough. But in Budapest everyone you are likely to meet speaks English.