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July Europe trip suggestions

Posted on 9/15/25 at 9:31 am
Posted by Buck Dancer
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2008
4828 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 9:31 am
Planning on doing a Europe trip with wife and 3 kids (18f, 16f and 15m) late July 2026. Have 9 full days to work with (11 total with 1 travel day on each end).

Definitely going to do Paris .

Trying to decide on one other city, was leaning Rome or London , but, up for suggestions.

Will knock out the main touristy stuff. Museums, gardens, eating, shopping and some tours etc. It would be my kids first time to Europe and me and my wife's 3rd and 2nd.
This post was edited on 9/15/25 at 9:26 pm
Posted by Tigre85
Louisiana
Member since Feb 2019
2083 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 9:50 am to
Rome over London . Other then museums , London is rather blah .
Posted by LemmyLives
Texas
Member since Mar 2019
13337 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 10:20 am to
You have 3 females, so you're for sure doing Paris. Rome is kind of a dump, and London is rather boring if you're not into the aforementioned museums or Soho. You can also get to Barcelona pretty easily from Paris. We did Paris-Marseilles-Barca with kids in that range, and it worked out well. They get some beach time, Gaudi architecture, tapas, etc. Taking the train, rather than an intra European flight gets you some decent scenery, and the opportunity to drink the bar car out of beer and delicious sandwiches.

You could also tack on places like Bruges, Amsterdam, etc., in Northern Europe, or hit Madrid (I haven't been).

Don't discount how smoked the kids are going to be after two days in Paris, even if you've managed their sleeping on the flight over.
Posted by Lakeboy7
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2011
28209 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 10:25 am to
quote:

Other then museums , London is rather blah .


Agreed.

But the museums are world class.
Posted by geauxpurple
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2014
16530 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 10:33 am to
The good thing about London is that it is very easy to get to from Paris on the Eurostar.

Barcelona is also an easy train ride away.

Posted by Suntiger
STG or BR or somewhere else
Member since Feb 2007
35559 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 3:29 pm to
Unless you are really into history, I’d skip Rome.

I’d suggest either Switzerland (Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen & Lucern) or Florence/Tuscany. You could also consider Venice or Milan.

It really depends on what you are into. Museums, restaurants, nature, shopping, cathedrals, lakes/beaches, etc.?
Posted by LemmyLives
Texas
Member since Mar 2019
13337 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 4:25 pm to
There are three females with him, including two teenagers. Take a few guesses
Posted by 2 Jugs
Saint Amant
Member since Feb 2018
2300 posts
Posted on 9/15/25 at 5:48 pm to
quote:

late July 2025



Hate to tell you but you missed that date.



Southern Europe is hot in July.
Posted by lowhound
Effie
Member since Aug 2014
9620 posts
Posted on 9/16/25 at 8:59 am to
I vote starting in Paris, then travel through the Alps to Milan/Lake Como then on to Venice before heading home. July is hot in Rome or further south. The Swiss Alps would be a beautiful train ride and definitely a few places you could stop off on the way to Italy. Spain and the south of France could be an option too.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
23337 posts
Posted on 9/16/25 at 7:19 pm to
July is HOT. I wouldn't do a big southern Europe city in July personally. Its very normal still for places to not have HVAC, but more importantly its just loads and loads of people in the cities. Mostly shitty American and Asian tourists.

I'd strongly consider doing something like renting a car and bouncing around the Alps, or do 2-3 smaller cities in the Alps maybe and train around.

I really am not a fan of only doing 2 BIG cities on a trip. There's a lot more to see. Outside of the big cities especially peak summer can also be A LOT cheaper.
Posted by Buck Dancer
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2008
4828 posts
Posted on 9/16/25 at 8:28 pm to
Starting to consider a few days in Paris then a few days in Avignon and then back to Paris to fly out.

Anybody been to Avignon and did you enjoy it?
Posted by Hou_Lawyer
Houston, TX
Member since Jun 2019
2168 posts
Posted on 9/17/25 at 5:08 am to
In Rome now and it’s hot as balls. Don’t do it until the winter.
Posted by MAROON
Houston
Member since Jul 2012
2323 posts
Posted on 9/22/25 at 11:45 am to
Avignon and Provence is really nice - was in in a little town outside Avignon for a week this past July. Lots of sites, village markets and great food and wine. It can be very hot though - and AC in Provence is more like a swamp cooler. And you will need a rental car for sure to see the area.


Consider Annecy and the French Alps instead...or Bordeaux/Burgundy. I highly recommend London - great city, museums, food, pubs, etc. You can take train trips to The Cotswolds, Bath, Cambridge, Oxford as well.
This post was edited on 9/22/25 at 11:48 am
Posted by S
RIP Wayde
Member since Jan 2007
168728 posts
Posted on 9/22/25 at 3:06 pm to
Scotland and Ireland.
Posted by Nole Man
Somewhere In Tennessee!
Member since May 2011
8649 posts
Posted on 9/22/25 at 3:28 pm to
quote:

wife and 3 kids (18f, 16f and 15m) late July 2026.


Thoughts and prayers.

Seriously, when you factor in travel time, jet lag, packing, unpacking, 9 full days to work with (11 total with 1 travel day on each end) really isn't all that much for a European Trip. You want "stress free" or willing to push it?

To me, best to pick one location and immerse. With 9 days starting in Paris, you could use the city as your anchor, add two or three classic day trips. From Paris, easy day trips include Versailles (45 minutes), Giverny for Monet’s gardens (about 1 hour 15 minutes), the Champagne region in Reims or Épernay (45–75 minutes), the Loire Valley for castles and wine (about 1 hour 30 minutes), Fontainebleau (40 minutes), or Chantilly (25 minutes).

Alternatively, with the time you have, it could be realistic to add another city by high-speed train: Brussels (1 hour 30 minutes), London via Eurostar (2 hours 20 minutes), or Amsterdam (just over 3 hours) are the most practical. A good flow could be four days in Paris, one day at Versailles or Giverny, one day in Champagne or the Loire, and then two nights in Amsterdam or London before flying home. This way you get the depth of Paris, the variety of the French countryside, and the contrast of a second European city without feeling rushed.

My vote: If you want a second city, go to Amsterdam. Kids that age would love it. Canal tours. The city feels young — bikes everywhere, canals buzzing, and a café culture that makes it easy to hang out.

Just take the train and leave from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).


This post was edited on 9/22/25 at 3:30 pm
Posted by Napoleon
Kenna
Member since Dec 2007
73165 posts
Posted on 9/23/25 at 4:50 am to
So many places won't turn on the AC either. In Madrid in september it was so hot but the hotel had the ac off. I had to buy plug in fans.
Posted by zippyputt
Member since Jul 2005
6821 posts
Posted on 9/23/25 at 7:28 am to
Don’t worry about the heat. If you are from NOLA, it will be nice in all of UK and France. If you want the most to do, London or Paris. Something to please everyone. Assuming you like history, museums, shopping and the arts. Plays, concerts and all of the above are abundant. I’d pick Paris or London as a first trip and stay the whole time. Do 2-3 day trips from whatever city you choose. London you can do Bath, Stone Henge, Salisbury, Oxford, Windsor, the coast etc…. Parish do Versailles, the coast, Small towns etc…. The train and subway systems are great in each city. I’d avoid using car with those cities also as you won’t need it. Enjoy!!
Posted by CoolHand
Member since Dec 2011
2108 posts
Posted on 9/23/25 at 7:46 am to
quote:

Don’t worry about the heat.


Has a resident of the Deep South, be worried about the heat. We went mid July to Paris this year. Many places don’t have (good) AC and can be quite uncomfortable. We preferred being outside because at least there was air flow. Be very careful about your accommodations. The AirBnB we had had excellent ratings and advertised AC. Technically there was AC, but it was cooler outside at night and we had to leave the balcony doors open (a lot of street noise!). I would recommend staying at a non-boutique hotel that has reviews that speak to the AC being good.

Also those mentioning the heat of Rome - listen to them! We spent a day in the Dolomites and that was awesome, so the Alps would be great in July.


Posted by zippyputt
Member since Jul 2005
6821 posts
Posted on 9/23/25 at 2:10 pm to
Was in UK this year during a heat wave. Wore pants and used jackets. Same with UK last year and year before in June and July. Wore windbreakers in August in France. Today was 63 high and upper 40’s low in London. From South La? You’ll love it.I would try to get AC in a hotel if you can but that’s usually only available in the bigger cities and more modern hotels. They will give you fans if you ask. I do prefer AC at night while sleeping but not a deal breaker. It can be a little warm here and there but not like Louisiana.
This post was edited on 9/23/25 at 7:10 pm
Posted by MAROON
Houston
Member since Jul 2012
2323 posts
Posted on 9/23/25 at 4:10 pm to
Was over 100 every day we were in Provence in July. It was brutally hot. Our only saving grace was that our house had upstairs A/C which when supplemented with fans made it almost cool at night (sleeping outside the sheets), and we had a pool we could get into every afternoon/evening.

we basically did all our touristy stuff before Noon, had a big lunch, came back and rested. Hit the pool around 4:00, then either food on our back porch or go to town for dinner.
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