Starting to think about the 2023 tours

Stay tuned. Our very own CWSocial is doing that tour in May.

We've taken a number of tours in May, and it's a wonderful time to travel in Europe. It's warming up in the north, and not too hot in the south.

Any specific tours you're interested in?

I went on the RS Turkey tour in October, also a perfect time for travel as the weather is milder and the tourists are fewer. April, May, September and October are my favorite times for traveling in Europe.

I hope so!

If I don't report back on this thread, feel free to send me a message mid June as a reminder.

I will tell you that I'm packing layers to dress for warm afternoons and cool evenings.

Before I start packing I always check prior weather data here. I believe the best indicator of what to expect is what it's been like for the past several years. You can choose a month and see daily conditions about 10 years back.

BTW, think about combining Turkey with Israel. There are several Turkish Air flights from Istanbul to Tel Aviv every day so it's easy to connect, and will save you the $$$ and misery of two trans-Atlantic flights. If you do that, better to nail down the dates for Israel first - there are factors that don't generally come into play for other countries.

I was in Turkey in May 2021 and we had lovely weather. One day was really cold and rainy and the rest that followed were sunny, warm, breezy and bright. We had taken clothes for a colder stay but barely used our fleece jackets. The flowers were all in bloom (hopefully you'll be there before the end of the tulip season), and the trees were that lovely green with new leaves. We were there for 2 weeks and had a fantastic time. Of course the weather is unpredictable but I've been to Istanbul in April and had warm weather so I think May would be perfect. I always try to travel in April/May just because the weather is cooler and more tolerable for walking and sitting outdoors.

Thanks for the weather link, Chani. I’ve been to Israel twice so I’ll skip that this time, but it’s a good idea. CWSocial, looking forward to your trip report!

I am signing up for Spain the instant 2023 products go on sale.

Was not with Rick Steves but I did Turkey in October and I found it was a perfect time. Weather was great. Only cool one night and we were in the mountains.

I was in Turkey in mid-May about 15 years ago and I think the weather was about as perfect as I've ever had while traveling. Warm sunny days with and masses of wildflowers in the countryside. The farther south you get, the better it is - I was in Fethiye and the weather was just gorgeous. Lots of beautiful flowers in window boxes, too.

I took a lot of photos on my trip and posted them in an online journal - here's a couple of pages of it with some photos of the greenery and flowers.

https://mardeeinturkey.wordpress.com/2007/05/10/the-land-of-fairy-chimneys-day-6-in-cappadocia
https://mardeeinturkey.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/boating-on-the-mediterranean-sea-day-10-in-fethiye

Mardee, thanks so much for your post and the pictures! Appreciate it,

I just returned yesterday from the RS Best of Turkey tour that began at the end of May. In Istanbul it was pleasant, in the 70's. Inland, and as we moved into June, the temperatures were regularly in the 80s and a few days into the 90s. We got about 3 drops of rain one evening in Istanbul. The humidity was mostly low, though a few days felt more humid, but not unbearably so.

The hills were still green throughout the tour. I understand the tulips were earlier, but the fields along our drive were full of spring flowers in bright colors. And the produce in the markets we visited was amazing!