The Best Time to Visit Europe

I've already told you why you should visit a missionary and what you should keep in mind when visiting a missionary. Now, somewhat selfishly, I'd like to tell you the best time to visit us.....I mean, Europe. Actually visiting us opens up a myriad of traveling opportunities that my husband and Rick Steves would be more than happy to counsel you on. On a shelf in our living room our collection of RS books is waiting for your viewing pleasure. My husband has dedicated some of his Wednesday afternoons to researching the nearby capital and all it has to offer both tourists and locals. From museums to free walking tours, I think he's done just about everything there is to do.

So here are some tips about the best time to visit Europe. A lot of it depends on what you are looking for in a trip.

Good Weather:

Fall - September/October (first half)
Spring - March (second half)/April/May

If you don't want the extremes of winter (or the fog and rains) or summer (air conditioning is limited), the best time to visit is in the fall or spring. Now, if you're looking for picturesque scenes and picture perfect photos, then spring is the better of these two options. Falls tend to be more drab (think yellows and browns) than in the States, but the spring boasts beautiful fruit trees laden down with blooms of all colors, but most notably of white and pink. It is absolutely beautiful. The best time for this would probably be late April and early May, though of course it will depend on the weather.

The Best of Summer:

June/July/August

If you want the warmth and sun of summer, and full operating hours at tourist destinations, then June, July, and August are the months for you. BUT, if you would like to beat some of the crowds and possibly save some cash on lodging, I would suggest June. European schools are on break in July and August so these are popular months for traveling and vacations. Do keep in mind that air conditioning and/or fans are not always plentiful, so when booking your lodging be sure to look for this if it's important to you.

Good Airline Deals:

September (second half)/October/November/January (second half)/February/March/April

If you want the absolutely lowest airline rate possible, the above months are your best bet. As you can see there are quite a few months to pick from, but even among these there will be price variations. These are not peak traveling times for Americans or Europeans, so there tend to be more travel deals as airlines want to fill those seats. March deals are often the best as airlines roll out their after-Christmas deals and special promotions in January. They are hoping that any left-over Christmas money you have may be spent traveling. We actually flew to Europe through one of these deals and we saved a considerable amount of money by flying before March 25th. Of course you do have to remember that two of these months include time changes which can be an extra hurdle for a body just overcoming jet lag. Also keep in mind that the weather can be fairly unpredictable, though a coat is usually all that's needed to handle changes in temperature (Jan/Feb excluded - it's cold. See below for more about these months).

Christmas Festivities:

Late November/December

If you want to experience the Christmas festivities that Europe has to offer, I would highly suggest coming at this time of year. Yes, it will be cold and you will need to bring a heavy coat, boots, a scarf, those handy-dandy foot and hand warmers, and any other winter gear you may own. The return for this inconvenience is the beauty created with Christmas lights, trees, and decorations, good food, Christmas punch (the children's version is non-alcoholic), unique crafts, culture, and a general spirit of friendliness and well-being. The markets are typically open for one month before Christmas, so you can experience this European tradition while still celebrating the holiday with your family and loved ones. The only other downside to this time of the year is the early occurrence of darkness, which is typically between 4 and 4:30.

When Not to Visit:

January and February are the two months that are not very optimal for European travel unless you are an avid skier. Then of course you would need to go north where snow and cold temps are more constant. Although travel and hotel rates will be cheap and you won't be standing in line to see the sites, be prepared for locations to be closed on some days (usually Mondays), to have early closing hours, or to have limited tour times. You may also find it difficult to acquire a tour in English as they are expecting only nationals or nearby neighbors as visitors. Also, some historical locations are not well heated (they would go broke if they were), so they tend to be on the cool side.

As you can see, there really isn't a bad time to visit Europe! In my personal, yet humble, opinion, I think all Americans should experience Europe at least once in their lifetime. It is after all, from whence most of us came! The beautiful architecture, history, and appreciation for culture and tradition is well worth the trip.

In one of my next posts, I would like to offer some European survival tips.