End of summer trip to Europe, where to go?

[TomW]

Hej Loon,

You got 2 weeks- gonna visit family and see Berlin & Prag ? And kite ?
and go to Portugal ? wheew.

Do yourself a favor and dont try to do so much. Forget the cities- full of tourists. August is main holiday for most of Europe.

End of summer (end of august) kiting is poor in N.europe- if the weather sucks, rainy and stormy- then there is wind- but often gusty, turbulent and frequently full of lightning.

My recommendation would be to go to rent a car and head towards NW coast of germany towards sylt and drive north along coast up to Klittmöller. - bring wave board if you have one, but there are good flat water spots too. Stop at some small towns on the way and soak up the rural/ small town scene. You may get lucky with wind.

Portugal is nice- you could go all in - Ive been to Esposende- if you do that, thats all you should do for a week+- rent a car- go into Porto for a visit if not windy and drive north to the spanish border to Viana do Castelo- good kiting there too. I went there for a week in august and had only one day of wind.

You want wind in august - go to Naxos or Paros in greece

BTW- i am american living in south sweden on Baltic since 1984 and been around europe a bit in those years.

[Loon]

Wow, thanks for all of the advice guys. I think my trip is gonna be 3-4 weeks now and probably closer to September but I'm just gonna concentrate on northern Germany and Denmark for kiting. I've already done the tourist thing and not really into it but I do need a week in Poland & Chek Republic. Just wanna party there and get a taste of some real Absinth! Hope I come back with both my kidneys!

Anymore advice is always appreciated. Cheers!

[polarstorm]

Wow, thanks for all of the advice guys. I think my trip is gonna be 3-4 weeks now and probably closer to September but I'm just gonna concentrate on northern Germany and Denmark for kiting. I've already done the tourist thing and not really into it but I do need a week in Poland & Chek Republic. Just wanna party there and get a taste of some real Absinth! Hope I come back with both my kidneys!

Anymore advice is always appreciated. Cheers!

August/Sept/Oct is a good time to go to Portugal because of the nortadas (northerlies), especially in Sept with the lifeguard zoning restriction is lifted (varies by county) - here is the untranslated reference, from north to south, you can make out the months, the first word is the location, you can google map that:

Datas das Épocas Balneares nos Concelhos de Portugal
Caminha - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Espinho - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Esposende - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Matosinhos - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Porto - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Póvoa de Varzim - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Viana do Castelo - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Vila do Conde - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Vila Nova de Gaia - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Figueira da Foz - 15 de Junho a 16 de Setembro
Ovar - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Vagos - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Almada - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Cascais - 1 de Maio a 30 de Setembro
Mafra - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Marinha Grande - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Oeiras - 12 de Maio a 16 de Setembro
Peniche - 1 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Sintra - 1 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Torres Vedras - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Odemira - 15 de Junho a 15 de Setembro
Setúbal - 1 de Junho a 17 de Setembro
Albufeira - 19 de Maio a 21 de Outubro
Aljezur - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Lagoa - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Loulé - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Olhão - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Portimão - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Silves - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Tavira - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Vila do Bispo - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro
Vila Real de Santo António - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro

hope this helps.
leo

[skyhooked]

Hey Loon I would agree with the others and don't try to pack too much in; however, if you want the quintessential old world Celtic experience of a part of Europe that the Roman Empire never got to, then try Cornwall Late September / October is the best time of year to be there - crowds have gone, and the Atlantic is still warm..



I also have a spot guide to any spots you might wish to check out there -

http://www.skyhooked.co.uk/category/cor ... pot-guide/

Maybe if you can't make it this time something to consider for another; we've probably got more beaches than kiters down here right now!

[Dirk]

August/Sept/Oct is a good time to go to Portugal because of the nortadas (northerlies), especially in Sept with the lifeguard zoning restriction is lifted (varies by county) Portimão - 1 de Junho a 30 de Setembro

Nortada in Sept./Oct. are you sure? From my experience the peak season for the Nortada is May to August (like the tradewinds on the Canaries). Sept./Oct. ususally was nice and calm for surfing.

[BillyGoatGruff]

Scotland is perfect at that time of year...

[Eli90]

Prague is a great city to go out in., and I'd love to hit Budapest, heard good things about the Ruin Bars.

[Hasse]

Wow, thanks for all of the advice guys. I think my trip is gonna be 3-4 weeks now and probably closer to September but I'm just gonna concentrate on northern Germany and Denmark for kiting. I've already done the tourist thing and not really into it but I do need a week in Poland & Chek Republic. Just wanna party there and get a taste of some real Absinth! Hope I come back with both my kidneys!

Anymore advice is always appreciated. Cheers!

I living in Denmark and close to few off the best wave spots in Denmark and Sweden. It can be awesome here in the right condition. Good waves, good wind and lot of nice people

Send me a PM if you want know something.

//Hasse