If you had a summer week to kill in Europe, where would it be?
All - just realized I have a free week this summer, a BA 2-for-1 mileage award cert, and a healthy SPG balance. But my wife and I are drawing complete blanks as to how to spend our time. Love Venice, and may just default to Venice + one other city...though Morocco also popped into our heads just now. Paris + Helsinki? No kiddies on this trip, looking to maximize SPG value and see some cool sights. Input welcome. Damn, loved Istanbul too, we are basically hunched over a map as if planning for D-Day. Please help!
We've been lucky to have visited those Italian cities before, but Côte d'Azur is worth looking into. Thanks! Let me also stress cuisine will be a deciding factor.
I agree with Barcelona with the beach. I feel you can get all the touristy things done in 4-5 days and then have a few days to be lazy at the beach. The metro system is very easy to understand and cheap to get around. There is also a Four Points hotel for a really cheap redemption. W is on the beach. LM is on ramblas if you want to be in the middle of everything.
I'd advise against Rome for a summer visit. Far too hot. Florence would be unpleasant too, hot weather wise. What about a resort? You could go where some Romans like to go in the summertime, Sardinia. The SPG Costa Smeralda properties always looked so gorgeous to me (I've never been, only dreamed!):
Programs: Starwoods-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, and HP
Posts: 574
Sardinia
Quote:
Originally Posted by sk3
I'd advise against Rome for a summer visit. Far too hot. Florence would be unpleasant too, hot weather wise. What about a resort? You could go where some Romans like to go in the summertime, Sardinia. The SPG Costa Smeralda properties always looked so gorgeous to me (I've never been, only dreamed!):
We are also having a week off kids this year in Europe. We will hit Park Hyatt Paris for 2 nights, 2 nights at the Fairmont in Monaco and 4 nights at the Waldorf in Rome.
We booked flights with TYP. Breakfast comes through status so only cabs and dinner
Programs: Various Programs of Interest & LT Collector.
Posts: 1,358
If you've been to Italy then I'd agree with Barcelona with a weekend to the cities around Madrid such as Toledo, El Escorial, and Segovie.
Barcelona has a very interesting culture with a Mediterranean atmosphere and a beach to enjoy and relax at. The other cities are rich in culture. While not to the extent of Paris or Florence or Rome they are smaller and offer a more intimate atmosphere.
My trip doing this was quite enjoyable and one I look back very fondly on.
Just guard your belongings - IMHO.... I had my car broken into in front of an outdoor daycare with many people around and nobody saw anything I would imagine this is worse now with the financial crisis and unemployment rate there is today. This was on one of my many other trips to Barcelona where I was planning on driving farther South but instead had to head back to my apartment in Toulouse for a change of cloths and other items. That long weekend trip was cut short....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Astrophsx
I agree with Barcelona with the beach. I feel you can get all the touristy things done in 4-5 days and then have a few days to be lazy at the beach. The metro system is very easy to understand and cheap to get around. There is also a Four Points hotel for a really cheap redemption. W is on the beach. LM is on ramblas if you want to be in the middle of everything.
Programs: Various Programs of Interest & LT Collector.
Posts: 1,358
Enjoy the Fairmont - its a wonderful place to visit and the pool area is quite nice. A lunch buffet at Horizon Deck overlooking the Med is quite nice. A little pricey, but if you make the most of the buffet and desserts its an enjoyable couple hours relaxing that wasn't too bad compared to overall prices in the area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by highman123
We are also having a week off kids this year in Europe. We will hit Park Hyatt Paris for 2 nights, 2 nights at the Fairmont in Monaco and 4 nights at the Waldorf in Rome.
We booked flights with TYP. Breakfast comes through status so only cabs and dinner
SPG Lifetime™ Gold 
I would imagine this is worse now with the financial crisis and unemployment rate there is today. This was on one of my many other trips to Barcelona where I was planning on driving farther South but instead had to head back to my apartment in Toulouse for a change of cloths and other items. That long weekend trip was cut short....
