Winter? Is it worth the Trip?

I was in London this past February and while the locals were saying it was an abnormally cold winter, I thought it was great! However the temperatures back home were -25 celsius and I thought that the +6 celsius was tropical! I had a great time walking around and not battling any huge crowds. Plus when I got cold, it was a great excuse to duck into a pub for a pint!

There's no reason not to travel in winter, but go with different expectations. Temperatures in most of NW Europe are usually surprisingly mild (the last two winters being big exceptions). However, weather can be quite wet and foggy. That, coupled with much shorter daylight periods, makes touring the countryside difficult in winter. But, the cities beckon for you to visit, particularly during the holidays.

We used to go to Europe every winter in late Nov/early Dec. We visited London, Scotland and Austira. I loved it!!! Days are shorter, but you adapt- just plan on any outside sightseeing for mid-day hours. Do museums, churches, etc. in early morning or late afternoons.

London is not sleepy whatever the time of year, though you'll find some things unavailable during the Christmas-New Year period. But since you've been there, why not someplace different, like Paris. The City of Light has more dark hours to display its lighting and there are fewer tourists to block your view of the Mona Lisa.

It will be dark until about 9 a.m. and soon after 5 p.m. Not prime time for country drives, but no problem for the cities. Temps can be in the 30's in the day and in the 20's at night, but can vary widely. When I lived there, I kept my car outside and seldom had to scrape frost of the windows.

I say go and have a great time. Don't pack a parka, 'cause you can always buy one if you need it. Pack sweaters, hats, and leather coats.

Air fare and hotels should definitely be cheaper.

The Celtic music festival is every January in Glasgow. I've been dying to go for years. I had a friend who regularly went to London in the winter just to see the theater.

Pam

In country areas a lot of attractions can be closed in winter, such as those owned by the National Trust. Those areas are not asleep though. You will find plenty of people in the pubs. But as mentioned above cities like London and Edinburgh are never sleepy, and all the city attractions will be open.