TLV-??? 30th birthday trip

[AharonInIsrael]

Hi all!

My 30th birthday is coming up, and my DW has initiated a "group gift" from my family for a few days vacation together (I don't know about this, of course ), and it seems like they'll be paying for airfare and we'll try and use points for our hotel stay somewhere. We can take off only about 3-4 days from work, and can travel at some point in December, January or February.

Since we're only going for a short time, and are travelling with our soon to be three year old daughter, it seems to make sense to try and stay within a 6 hour travel radius or so, leaving most of the cheaper options (Asia) off the table.

Those months in general are quite cold and rainy/snowy in the northern hemisphere, so we'd like to go somewhere that has options for both indoor and outdoor things (especially ones that we can do together with our daughter), and has enough things to do over four days.

Also, a direct flight is definitely preferred, so based off of OpenFlights.org and a bunch of the TRs on this site, I’ve come up with following options:

Milan
Rome
Venice
Madrid
Barcelona
Amsterdam
Prague

The wife is a bit concerned about going to Paris now, otherwise that’d probably be my pick.

I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on the above options, or if there are other cities that we should be considering that I’ve left off the list. 

TIA!

[D93]

If you've never been to Italy, Rome - florence - Venice is perfect for 4 days, but I dunno what the weather is like during the winter. I went in April and was gorgeous

[Yaalili]

Southern Spain and Italy would probably have decent weather in the winter. Or you can go to the Greek isles.

[Emkay]

Hi all!

My 30th birthday is coming up, and my DW has initiated a "group gift" from my family for a few days vacation together (I don't know about this, of course ), and it seems like they'll be paying for airfare and we'll try and use points for our hotel stay somewhere. We can take off only about 3-4 days from work, and can travel at some point in December, January or February.

Since we're only going for a short time, and are travelling with our soon to be three year old daughter, it seems to make sense to try and stay within a 6 hour travel radius or so, leaving most of the cheaper options (Asia) off the table.

Those months in general are quite cold and rainy/snowy in the northern hemisphere, so we'd like to go somewhere that has options for both indoor and outdoor things (especially ones that we can do together with our daughter), and has enough things to do over four days.

Also, a direct flight is definitely preferred, so based off of OpenFlights.org and a bunch of the TRs on this site, I’ve come up with following options:

Milan
Rome
Venice
Madrid
Barcelona
Amsterdam
Prague

The wife is a bit concerned about going to Paris now, otherwise that’d probably be my pick.

I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on the above options, or if there are other cities that we should be considering that I’ve left off the list. 

TIA!

for starters I would take Milan and prob Madrid off your list especially when compared with other options on your list like Venice and prague. If you go with Venice a 4 day weekend there is perfect

[moish]

Vienna isnt an option?

[Drago]

Southern Spain and Italy would probably have decent weather in the winter. Or you can go to the Greek isles.

Many places on the islands close in the winter due to the weather.

Vienna isnt an option?

Loses a lot of its charm in the winter. But you can take a train to the Salzburg area, or closer to the Alps, and enjoy the snow and mountains.

Is Morocco an option? How about the Canary Islands (weather permitting?)

[AharonInIsrael]

Thanks to everyone for the help! I'm on tapatalk so hopefully I won't mess up the quotes.

for starters I would take Milan and prob Madrid off your list especially when compared with other options on your list like Venice and prague. If you go with Venice a 4 day weekend there is perfect

Is there enough to do for four days that we won't go stir crazy with a three year old?

If you've never been to Italy, Rome - florence - Venice is perfect for 4 days, but I dunno what the weather is like during the winter. I went in April and was gorgeous

Doing all those in four days or just one place? We don't have much experience traveling with our daughter but that seems like a lot of traveling.

Many places on the islands close in the winter due to the weather.
Loses a lot of its charm in the winter. But you can take a train to the Salzburg area, or closer to the Alps, and enjoy the snow and mountains.

Is Morocco an option? How about the Canary Islands (weather permitting?)

If Paris is off the list I feel like Morocco is going to be a hard sell. I don't know enough about the Canary islands to say - I'll look it up. Thanks for the idea!

[moish]

Loses a lot of its charm in the winter.

ive heard the complete opposite

[Drago]

Personally, the Azores islands look great, but you'd have to get lucky w/ flights not being too long, and I'm unsure of the weather.
Plus, no idea what to do once there.

[Drago]

ive heard the complete opposite

Were there in December and enjoyed ourselves, but the cold and lack of green were slight downers. Fall or spring would be best I think.

[AharonInIsrael]

ive heard the complete opposite

We also had a day-long stop there four years ago, so we'd probably prefer something we haven't done at all yet. Thanks!

[moish]

We also had a day-long stop there four years ago, so we'd probably prefer something we haven't done at all yet. Thanks!

the problem with the destinations youve mentioned though are that they are spring/summer destinations. not for winter. maybe go to dubai?

[Yaalili]

Is Morocco an option?

Was thinking that too, maybe Marrakech?

[AharonInIsrael]

the problem with the destinations youve mentioned though are that they are spring/summer destinations. not for winter. maybe go to dubai?

I don't doubt that all of the options are probably nicer in the spring and summer, but I have to deal with what I've got Even in the winter, some places can be nicer than other. I'd rather have a 30% chance of precipitation in Milan/Rome than an over 60% chance of precipitation in Budapest (half of which is a chance of snow). Weatherspark.com has been really helpful with that.

Was thinking that too, maybe Marrakech?

I checked with the DW, and Morocco is definitely off the list

Personally, the Azores islands look great, but you'd have to get lucky w/ flights not being too long, and I'm unsure of the weather.
Plus, no idea what to do once there.

Not sure how this is possible, but it seems like it rains there quite a bit: https://weatherspark.com/averages/32368/Terceira-Island-Azores-Portugal

[D93]

Is there enough to do for four days that we won't go stir crazy with a three year old? 

4 days is way too long in Venice. I did 1.5 days

Doing all those in four days or just one place?

all 3 places in four days. I did it last year, and I think it's the perfect amount of time

[AharonInIsrael]

. I did 1.5 daysall 3 places in four days. I did it last year, and I think it's the perfect amount of time

With a child?

[D93]

With a child?

no 

[SRM]

What about Greece?

[AharonInIsrael]

no 

Got it Travelling now is a lot different for me now than four years ago

What about Greece?

I'll add it to the list.

Thanks everyone for all the help! I have to do more research now, and hopefully over the next few days (or weeks) will ask a mod to replace the with something else

[Emkay]

4 days is way too long in Venice. I did 1.5 daysall 3 places in four days. I did it last year, and I think it's the perfect amount of time

1.5 days in venice with a young kid is NOT perfect.
And those 3 places in 4 days is unrealistic.
As I said before, if its over a weekend then 3/4 is not much of an overkill