Should i backpack through europe during winter??? It is cheaper and less crowded, but......?

I was wondering if i should backpack through europe during winter, it is cheaper such as flight being $744, and eurorail is $575 for 10 days in 2 months (means 10 cities to travel to in 2 month period). I save about $400 in airfare for winter compared to summer. Only thing is I am not sure if i will have as much fun in the winter compared to summer. Anyone have experience doing this? I want to visit the folllowing countries/cities.......Spain (Madrid), France (Paris), United Kingdom (London), Netherlands (Amsterdam), and Italy for about 2-3 weeks! So will I have more fun doing these in the winter or summer......this is easily more affordable during winter.....what time do you think you think I should go? I am leaving December 29th, 2008. Thanks in advance.Should i backpack through europe during winter??? It is cheaper and less crowded, but......?
depends - i mean do you want to carrie the extra's to save a 400 bucks

or why not budget for it get a 2nd job for a month



I never been out of the states so I don't know what is best but by your answers it sounds beautiful!

either way it's going to be a great trip!
Ok well at that time of year it will be bordering on freezing in the northern parts of Europe. But i think its absolutely beautiful at that time of year..u may even get a chance to see some european snow lol Spain is mild at that time of year...like you say, you will save alot more money, and as someone else has stated, locals will be more pleasant as they havent had to deal with hundreds of tourists, already that day.



Overall, id say go for it.Should i backpack through europe during winter??? It is cheaper and less crowded, but......?
The winter is the BEST time to go. Very few tourists are around and the locals aren't fed up with tourists (like they are in crowded summer months) so they are MUCH nicer to travelers.



My personal opinion is to skip Amsterdam--it isn't worth the money or the bad winter weather. All the other places are great and you will have the time of your life!
Certainly. I would. You will also find that some places are actually better to visit in winter. Finland for example is more interesting in winter and many activities such as skiing, ice skating, attending soccer games etc are more availabkle in winter. Go for it!!!!
Keep as far south as you can from December to March cos it will be cold. Much quieter than at other times but costs will be lower. Fun will possibly be lower key
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr it's going to be cold, but pretty. Hit the slopes if you ski or snowboard, but should be fun and yes it will be less crowded.
absolutely... The most beautiful times there are Autunm and Winter!
Go for it but be prepared for it to be very wet and very cold. Have fun!
yeah
Europe in the winter is a lot different to the summer Europe. But it depends where you go. The less tourists, the less there is to do. A lot of places close up the good clubs and quirky little shops, but that's mainly in the more tourist-driven places. Museums may close earlier, etc. For the most part though, I think that if I were you I would go ahead for winter. I can tell you now that Madrid, Paris, London and Amsterdam are the same pace all year round so it'll be buzzing no matter when you go. But I will warn you that London and Paris will be absolutely FREEZING! I live in London and we take the channel about once a month to spend the day in Paris so if you want any tips on these places, PM me and let me know. To be honest, you'd probably meet more like-minded travellers in the summer but if you just want to see the places and not meet backpackers and whatnot, then I'd say go for it. If you do decide to travel during the winter, then I would also suggest a quick trip to Poland. You've never seen anything as beautiful as Poland in the winter-time.