Wedding Blog
Mr. Apple and I are getting married in May 2007 but we will be postponing our honeymoon until the end of August. My friend will be getting married in Germany in August 2007, for which I will be her matron of honor. So instead of paying for two international vacations, we will take our honeymoon to Europe in August. We’re thinking of cities in the Southern Coast of Spain (Granada and other cities in Andalucia), Italy (a few days in Rome and on to Florence), coastal Turkey (Istanbul), and the Greek Isles (Santorini/Mykonos). The trip will be about 2 weeks long. We’ll be staying in Germany for at least 3 days then take the train or boat to Switzerland.
So the dilemma begins. We did some research and the worst time to vacation in Europe is August. In certain countries in Europe during August, stores/restaurants will be closed. Apparently, August is when Europeans do their traveling and it’s also the hottest time of the year for countries like Italy, Spain, and Greece. Don’t get me wrong - I love exploring cities, museums, admiring local architecture, and sampling the food but I don’t know about doing it in August, arguably the hottest month.
Our interests are architecture, museums, and good food. We are not adverse to going to an unconventional honeymoon destination like Scotland or Norway or even Turkey. If any of you have been to these countries in August, please give us a clue as to which ones would be most worthwhile to visit during this odd month. We just don’t want to be walking around trying to explore a city and feel like we are going to pass out from the heat. We have been to Costa Rica for 10 days so we don’t mind a little humidity on vacation, but just don’t want to deal with it for our honeymoon.
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Share this post: European Travel in May or August?
Ok, so the bad news is that yes, several stores are closed up for the month of August and it can be BLISTERING hot!
I would definitely head a little further north those coastlines.
Norway and Sweeden are supposed to be wonderful! I vote for a Scandanavian honeymoon!
I am with miss Rasberry. If you still want to combine your trip to German why not do scandanavia and Germany. I live near Stockholm and I am getting married in August when the weather is perfect here!
Totally with you, Miss Apple. My fiance and I are getting married in May 2007 and were hoping to take a long romantic honeymoon to Europe in August. Unfortunately, the consensus was that yes, most places are shut down and it’s hot and humid.
I’ve done some research, though - even though the above might be true for the continent, August might still be okay for Ireland or England — and of course, Norway, Sweden, or any other more northern countries!
We went to Europe in August and yes it was hot but it was also that summer where they had that horrible heat wave where some ppl died so I don’t know how “normal” or extreme it was. It was hot. I would compare it to our trip to mexico. The worst was rome. It was so hot humid and dusty with no shade anywhere! We went to Sicily and loved it. although I also read things were closed, I didn’t notice a difference. What you need will be open.
I’ve been to Scotland in August and was blown away with the beauty of the city. During that month, Edinburgh comes alive with its international Fringe Festival, in which there are literally thousands of performances going on for most of the month. Most of them are zany but there are always gems that you shouldn’t miss. The weather’s great and there are lots of historical sights to see. It’s not going to be peaceful or serene, but you’ll certainly have a ton of things to do and a lot of irreverent experiences. Google Edinburgh Festival Fringe and you’ll see what I mean!
Copenhagen is beautiful in August. I studied there years ago and now return every chance I get (often in the sumer). Lots to do, beautiful weather and easy access to Sweden, Germany, etc. The down side: Scandinavia will put a dent in your wallet (esp. for hotels) but I say it’s all worth it!
I loved Switzerland in August. I totally recommend going to Lucern. I just need to warn you that the whole thing about them taking holidays in August is true. Switzerland stores also close pretty early on certain days (like 4pm!) so make sure you plan accordainly.
stay away from Italy (sorry bummer i know) it is hot and full of americans as all the italians have closed up and fled on their vacations. Those Suggestioning England, Scotland, Ireland and Sweden, Norway etc. are right, you should head there.
suggesting, sorry crazy typo there.
I want to echo what has been said about staying away from Italy in August. The UK is lovely that time of year- usually sunny (as opposed to the other 10 dreary months) and not too hot. If you are outdoorsy, you could consider a few days walking in the Peak District. Also… Have you considered the Baltic region (Lithuania/Latvia/Estonia)? Could be gorgeous, much less touristy, and slightly better weather. Also, the north coast of Germany, along the Baltic sea, would be lovely that time of year.
My suggestion would be to look into a European Cruise. They have all kinds and they would take you to places that were open. I would also imagine that they would give you the creature comforts of home that some of the hotels I stayed in in Europe lacked. (Like AC)
I don’t know about how it is in August (I was there in May) but for unconventional countries, try Hungary and Romania. The Transylvanian region is absolutely GORGEOUS, and things are much cheaper because neither country is on the Euro.
I was in Europe for 2.5 months studying & I can tell you in August everything in Italy is closed. I mean you can hit up all the tourist museums, but everything else like the cute off the beaten path things aren’t open. Europeans do take their vacay in August. Have you tried the United Kingdom? Like Wales or Scotland? The Scandinavian countries would be absolutely beautiful as well! I’ve heard nothing but great things about it! So I would definitely stay away from Italy especially since you want to get the best food, like I mentioned all the tourist spots will be open but not the best off the beaten path cafes and restaurants. good luck!
I definitely recommend Central(ish) Europe, especially if you’re already going to be in Germany. Not only is it cheaper, but there are so many amazing things to see and do there. My fave cities:
Krakow, Poland
Gdansk, Poland
Prague, Czech Republic
Ljubljana, Slovenia
and I’ve heard great things about the Croatian beaches, though I haven’t been there yet. I’ve been in most of these locations in July and August, and did just fine with the heat. You may want to consider, say, Germany, then Prague, then Gdansk or Sopot, then a ferry to Sweden.
I know I’m not sharing anything new, but here are my city-by-city blows on August:
Rome: icky - didn’t notice anything too closed since it’s such a huge city
Florence: “the best gelato spot in the world” was closed for 6 weeks… but that was all we noticed
Munich: there are more naked people in the parks on the hot days
Lucerne: perfect! There were quite a few spots that were closed, but the weather was perfect at a higher altitude
Paris: a few spots were closed, but again, it’s a major city so nothing that you really noticed
London: not as rainy as it was in June & July
I just went to Italy end of August to mid-September and it was PERFECT. Hardly crowded and everything was open. Even more perfect was the gorgeous weather we had everyday we were there. I guess it depends on when the August wedding is. I would recommend Sorrento/Capri and Lake Como in your itinerary because they were amazing!! If you want any recommendations for restaurants and places to go, feel free to let me know.
I currently live in Stockholm and would say that the best time to visit Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark) is in August. The weather is really nice that time of the year. The downside is that it’s quite expensive. If you want a cheaper alternative go to the Baltics too. I would recommend that you don’t go to central Europe during August (its extremely hot!), the same things that are negative with Italy, France etc… Go north and stay near the coast! Hope you have a wonderful trip!
Thanks everyone for your comments. We definitely need to reconsider plans to italy and spain now. We will keep everyone’s suggestions in mind when we book our honeymoon. We might do an alpine honeymoon or just take two trips-one in may and one in august!
I stayed in a castle hotel in Ireland once, and it was lovely and very romantic! Probably a better bet than Italy in August.
I am from Europe and can tell you, Eastern and Southern Europe can get very, very hot in the summer. And full of tourists.
Scandinavia should be cooler, Iceland is expensive but amazing. Also the North of France (Bretagne) and the North of Portugal are considerably cooler in the summer than the Southern parts of the country.
Scotland is incredibly beautiful too. Edinburgh is a wonderful and romantic city.
Whatever you do if you do decide to go to the Southern part of Europe stay close to water - either the sea or big lakes like Lake Como or Portofino in Italy and stay away from the big cities, they are humid, dirty and unbearable in the summer.
Mykonos and Santorini are actually ok in the summer, yes it’s hot but due to the sea there’s always a nice breeze. I love Greece and can recommend it to anyone. The food is good, the people are nice and it’s beautiful. But be aware that Mykonos is THE gay party island, so if you book a hotel there, avoid the cities if you plan on getting some sleep.
if you are traveling in the summertime, check WAY ahead for festivals and conferences that might mean that accomodations will be filled up. Edinburgh has several summer festivals (like the Fringe) mentioned above.
the UK is wonderful in August, warm to slightly cool. the flowers are blooming beautifully (Kew Gardens in London is tops then). a downside to the UK is that cities tend to be rather expensive (same with much of Scandinavia).
if you go as far north as edinburgh or the scottish highlands, you will need at least a sweatshirt, even if you are sweltering in london. edinburgh is absolutely refreshing in the summertime, and i think staying at a B&B in the highlands sounds quite romantic as well! if you ever make it to the isle of skye, in the town of Portree, on the harbor walk there is the best fish and chip shop i’ve ever had.
If your honeymoon is at the very end of August and runs into September, and/or going to Europe is a once-in-a-lifetime thing for you, I would not let some of the drawbacks of August travel prevent you from seeing things you’ve got your heart set on, since Europe is so wonderful!
I also really liked Poland, but I went in April, so I am unsure what you could expect in August. The prices are great and Krakow is especially gorgeous and has a great Art Nouveau museum and several stunningly decorated Art Nouveau churches. Also, it can be touristy, but there are fewer obnoxious, drunken ones than in Prague.
check out the Thorn Tree forums on the Lonely Planet website for good advice on worldwide travel, but be sure to search the forums a bit for the answer to basic questions as people can be a bit snarky to those who ask what is answered in the FAQ. even though LP is budget travel oriented, you can get a lot of great logistical info there.
If you’re going to Rome, please go to the Borghese Gallery. Bernini’s beautiful sculptures would be something you and your husband would totally love to experience together.. Also, visit Capri! The Blue Grotto was such an awesome experience as well!! Have a great time!
I did Ireland in August and the weather was perfect, around 60s/70s. It wasn’t terribly crowded as I remember either. We took a bus tour, which stopped off at both hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. The B&B’s are totally the way to do it. I highly recommend it!
wowsers, thanks everyone for your continuous comments! I love them all! I’m a firm believer in doing research and getting personal reviews (both neg and pos) ! It’s always better to know more! I heart our hive. -)
great idea on wedding and honeymoon, i wonder what you’ll end up doing! i’d love to visit Germany one day.
Just to offer a slightly different perspective than general consensus:
I was in southern Spain (Gibraltar, Seville, Granada) in August/ September - and it was great! Where do you think everyone on vacation is going for their month off!? We camped a lot, and the campgrounds were a total riot - lots of happy people from all over Europe staying up late into the nights thoroughly enjoying themselves. And, when its hot, there is nothing like sitting at those little outdoor cafes in the late afternoon drinking beer mixed with lemonade (Clara) with the locals. And, everyone naps during the hot part of the day, which just makes the cool, gorgeous nights that much more energetic.
Like said above, Sweden in august is perfect!
Most couples in Sweden get married in august or september, because its warm and nice. But thats “Sweden-hot” and that is nothing like Italy/Greece-hot… Here its perfectly nice in august, and we most definitly does not close down during that month so you dont have to worry about that.
I suggest Stockholm (capital of Sweden) and Malmo (our third biggest city) that lies only 0,5h away from Copenhagen. And when you‚r done with Scandinavia, you have really close to Germany 
by the end of august, do you mean two weeks in august or overlapping into september? because september is one of the best times of the year to go to any of those places, almost–fall is beautiful. i did western europe this past august–switzerland is not to be missed.
Yeppers, August is the worst time to go to Europe. My husband studied there for 3 months and August is just not recommended, especially if it’s your first time in Europe. The places you listed are really nice and may get really crowded cause those may be vacation spots that Europeans go for vacation. May to July are the best months to go. We went in May and it was a little chilly, but you walk a lot so it’s not that bad.
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Mrs. Apple, Dallas
Age and Occupation in '07: 28, Entrepreneur
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 32, Police Officer
Engagement Date: Easter Day 2006
Wedding Date: May 27, 2007
Blogging Since: September 28, 2006
Venue: Marie Gabrielle Restaurant & Gardens
About Me: I'm in the midst of trying to plan a "perfectly beautiful" wedding and decorating my new home. It's been exhausting but totally worth every minute of it. Ironically, I was never the type of person to want to get married but now that I'm engaged, I get giddy over anything that is wedding related! I'll try my best to give you all unique and practical ideas.
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