blake302•26d agoOG Member

I used to think off-season travel was a scam, now I'm a believer

For years I figured the cheaper prices in places like Lisbon in January meant everything was closed or the weather would ruin it. Last winter I finally took a chance on a 4-day trip there because flights were $280 round trip. Every museum I wanted to see was open, the crowds were thin, and locals actually had time to chat. The only downside was one rainy afternoon, but I just found a tiny cafe and read for two hours. Has anyone else had a surprisingly good off-season experience they want to recommend?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisat6026d ago

Have you actually tried it yourself, or are you just going off stories? I get why off-season sounds good on paper, but I've been burned too many times. Last March I did a "cheap" trip to a beach town in Greece, and half the restaurants were closed for renovations, plus the ferry schedule was cut way down. Spent two days stuck in one spot because I couldn't get where I wanted. @riverhill your friend might've gotten lucky with Iceland, but that wind and darkness isn't for everyone. One rainy afternoon sounds fine, but a whole week of gray skies and shuttered spots gets old fast. I'd rather pay more and have things actually running.

riverhill26d ago

My buddy swears by traveling to Iceland in February. He went last year expecting pure misery, and instead got this crazy quiet version of the place. The Blue Lagoon was practically empty at 8am, and he said the northern lights put on a show like three nights in a row. He rented a car and drove the golden circle with zero traffic, just snow and silence. The only rough part was one day when the wind was brutal, but he found a cozy food hall and ate lamb soup for two hours. Now he keeps trying to get me to go with him next winter, and honestly the stories are starting to convince me.