# Where to go in Europe Sept/Oct?



## liwarren (Apr 11, 2011)

Thinking about a 10-11 day trip in Europe. Something relaxing, great food, warm temperatures, easy to get there/ from an international airport.  Coming from the Midwest so will have to fly to New York or Charlotte.  I was thinking Spain or southern Italy but I am wide open for ideas!! I've never been to Europe and since I'll only be there 10-11 days I don't want to have everyday filled with travel as I do want to relax some.  If you have any great ideas I would appreciate them!


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## vacationhopeful (Apr 11, 2011)

Are you asking about TS resorts?

Cities/countries in general?

Going on the cheap or grand style? ie How much a day per person for room, travel, entertainment?

Major cities or backpacking at the beach?


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## liwarren (Apr 11, 2011)

Yes, timeshare resorts. I'm hoping to spend less than $150.00/day for 2people.  (obviously not including airfare). My biggest problem is figuring out where to go!  I would like to visit the canary islands sometime but it doesn't have to be this trip. I've heard how beautiful Spain is and how 'great' Italy is too.


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## vacationhopeful (Apr 11, 2011)

Cities or beach?


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## liwarren (Apr 11, 2011)

beach.  Thanks!


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## Passepartout (Apr 11, 2011)

With those criteria in mind, Greek Islands. Warm. Great food. A little history- or a lot, your call. relatively inexpensive. Easy to get to using public transport. Lots of timeshares.

2nd choice, Algarve coast (Southern) of Portugal. Great beaches. Culture if you hang in Lisbon for a while. Enough TS to choose from. Great wines and seafood. Comparatively cheap.

3rd choice, Costa del Sol Spain. Much more commercial- the place is lousy with brits on holiday. Fish 'n' chips joints everywhere.

4th. Italy. I love Italy, but Southern is in need of a good power washing. Naples and South, Mafia is still in evidence. I wouldn't want S. Italy to be my first trip to Europe. Maybe Florence or Venice, but those aren't beach places.

Actually, there isn't a bad choice. Sept/Oct are beautiful there. Crowds are down, it's still warm, the snowbirds haven't arrived yet. The American kids with their backpacks have gone home. Wherever you choose, you will have a great time and a lasting memory. I still remember my first (of many many) trips to Europe. It is special.

Just a note. Generally, TS in Europe are not the luxurious arrangements we have in say, Florida or Hawaii, so adjust your expectations accordingly.

Jim Ricks


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## Carol C (Apr 11, 2011)

One of my best trips to Europe was going to Cala Pi resort (timeshare) on the Balaeric island of Mallorca off the coast of Spain. I bookended the trip with a few days/nights in Barcelona and a few days/nights in Paris. You need to look at average temps of course...Mallorca is more to the north than, say, the Costa del Sol of Spain. I'd also like to go to Portugal, but somehow I've never made it there. I've been to Spain 4 times and love it.


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## Passepartout (Apr 11, 2011)

Carol C said:


> the Balaeric island of Mallorca



Yup. We stopped at Palma (Mallorca) during the TUG cruise last year after a week TSing outside Barcelona. Mallorca is beautiful, clean, and I can hardly wait to go back... Jim


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## vacationhopeful (Apr 11, 2011)

Passepartout said:


> With those criteria in mind, Greek Islands. Warm. Great food. A little history- or a lot, your call. relatively inexpensive. Easy to get to using public transport. Lots of timeshares.....
> Jim Ricks



I would totally agree with this in a heartbeat. Ever since I saw the movie "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" with Nickolas Cage - the scenery was outstanding! I look for all the travel to the Greek Islands shows on HGTV - I haven't seen an ugly beach in any of them. And the food is definitely not FISH & CHIPs.

You could add on a few days to Turkey or Athens, too.


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## Passepartout (Apr 11, 2011)

I don't often plug movies, but 'Shirley Valentine'- about a Liverpudlian housewife on holiday on Mykonos is just too good to pass up.  Jim


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## Loes (Apr 12, 2011)

If you can, go in September, not October. October isn't always nice weather in Mediterrenean countries. We were in Athens some years ago in October and had reasonable weather, not very warm, but dry and sunny, on our last night it suddenly became cold and windy and one day later it was winter with snowfall!


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## beejaybeeohio (Apr 12, 2011)

Won't see Greece til next year, so can't speak to that suggestion, but would echo those who suggested the Costa del Sol of Spain.  Many fabulous timeshares, lots of English speakers, driving on the motorways is fine, beaches abound....

But the biggest plus for a first-timer to Europe are some of the relatively close historically-rich cities such as Seville and Grenada, plus being able to spend a day in the very British Gibraltar and even take a day or overnite trip to Tangiers, Morocco!


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## Carolinian (Apr 14, 2011)

I concur that September is a much better month than October for the trip you have in mind.

I also agree with the Greek islands or Italy as good destinations, although I am not that fond of the Spanish coast.  One poster said that Venice was not a beach destination, and for many Americans that would be the prevailing opinion. However, the Lido of Venice (beach) is just a short vaporetto ride across the lagoon from the historic old city, giving an opportunity to combine beach with culture and history.  I beleive all of the RCI timeshares are in the old city, but if you would rather be on the beach, I have seen availiblity on the Lido of Venice at DAE a time or two.


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## Bwolf (Jul 1, 2011)

We spent a wonderful week in April 2010 at Marriott's Marbella Beach Resort right on the beach on the Costa del Sol.  Never ate fish 'n' chips.  Never encountered a fish 'n' chip restaurant.  

We did eat tapas and lots of other wonderful Spanish food.  We had a wonderful meal at a restaurant on the beach within walking distance of the resort.  

Lots of Brits and we enjoyed conversing with several different couples.  Nice People. 

There are many interesting side trips.


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## stmartinfan (Jul 1, 2011)

I can't provide a recommendation for Greece, since I've never traveled there, but I would echo the positive comments about going to Spain.  We really enjoyed our trip to Spain, and depending upon your trading power it should be available in the fall because of the many timeshares. We spent time in Madrid and Seville, then a week along the Costa del Sol  before flying to Barcelona for a few days and returning home from there.

We really enjoyed doing day trips from the timeshare.  One comment, though, I don't think of that area as having great beaches.  In late June/early July, the water was cold, and it's not the sort of beautiful blue water you find in the Caribbean (or see in pictures from Greece).  It was warm and pleasant to enjoy the pools, but compared to the beaches we like in the Caribbean, the ones in that area of Spain were not appealing to us.  We also were ahead of the really high season in August, so it wasn't really packed with tourists; I think your timing would give you that advantage, too.


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