Well every day I sat in my BBC office in White City in the 2000s the sky would START to darken at 3.15pm and I'd know I'd be traveling home in the dark when I left, just as I arrived in the dark in the early morning. So depressing. So yes, it is true even if it doesn't tally with your link. Sorry about that. |
| Have you considered Spain? I always here that some of the best parts of Spain are way too hot in the summer, so maybe November would be a good time to go! |
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My H and I have been to London twice during the week of Thanksgiving and had a great time. Yes it was a bit chilly, and it did get dark earlier, but the upside was none of the tourist attractions were crowded. We just went last week for spring break and there were people everywhere! For example, I remember in November being at the Tower and just walking in to see the Crown Jewels, last week we waited 20-30 minutes in line to get in, and it was almost as cold that day as November. The tourist crowd aspect is probably similar for many of the European cities at that time, so I'd probably choose based on your interests.
P.S. If you go to London, and your kids like soccer, sometimes you can get tickets to matches through the team site or a StubHub equivalent. My H and I have been to see Fulham and West Ham (at the old stadium) and it's been awesome. My one caveat is that unless you buy tix in the away section, you do NOT root for the away team in the rest of the stadium in any way...it's just not done. Football matches are amazing experiences, I just attended a home match for the team I've supported for decades and it was a dream.
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Venice is on the Adriatic. |
We don’t stay in hotels, nor do we eat out often. |
So why bother traveling? Half the fun is eating out and getting a feel for the local foods. |
| Rome is fantastic at Thanksgiving. |
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I once went to Sardinia just barely off season and most of the accommodations had just opened and were musty from being sealed for months in a damp climate. Would have never occurred to me since I’m always a shoulder season fan.
Paris will be wonderful. |
Right but if it’s somewhere where the restaurants are all closed, eating like a local means cooking at home anyway. |
| Not France. Lots of transportation strikes from October to Christmas. Or maybe I just have bad luck. |
We get locals to cook for us. |
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I like traveling in November because it feels like everyday life in Europe. Cozy can be fun and the heavier foods of northern Europe is easier to digest. Just embrace the shorter days and brisker weather.
I suppose you're just a bit too early for the Christmas markets? If sunlight is important, southern Italy to Sicily? |
| Sightseeing in Southern European cities would be ideal. I always feel bad for Americans who visit Rome or Madrid in July and don’t have a good time because it’s so hot. So I would go to Rome, Pompeii, Madrid/ Sevilla/Granada, Athena and the Peloponnesos or Lisbon. To me, those are the only places that would make sense. |
| We went to Rome/Florence between Christmas and New Years, and the weather was perfect (50's-low 60's) |
| Southern Italy. Rome/Naples/Sicily. |