Let's apply some Yogi Berra logic to travel.  In today's blog post, The Traveling Professor shows you when to avoid some areas, some alternative places to visit at "peak" times, and some other places to go in order to avoid crowds.

Rome, Venice, Florence:  Stay away from these areas in the summer.  The crowds can be absolutely, positively brutal and on top of it, travelers pay premium prices for airfare and hotels.  Unless you like to spend your vacation waiting in long lines in sweltering heat, avoid these cities.  The Traveling Professor would never think of running a small group tours to Italy in these areas at this time of year.  The best times for visiting Rome, Florence and Venice are in the late fall or early spring.   The weather is good, airfares are low, hotels compete for business and the big crowds are gone.  Also, I have also found Holy Week as a good time to visit Rome - it seems all the residents have gotten out of town.

Padua, Bassano del Grappa, Treviso, and Vicenza:  These cities are 100% Italian and completely enjoyable.  Even during the peak summer months, these are the only places I would consider visiting in Italy.

Norway, Denmark, and Iceland:  Although crowds can be large in June and July, they are not as nearly oppressive in other months.  Surprisingly, Norway is wonderful in September and October.

Scotland and Ireland:  Don't even think about going in the summer.  Wall-to-wall people in Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Isle of Skye.

Paris:  Forget Paris in May, June, July.  But August can be less crowded as residents flee the city for vacation.

Peru:  Airfares are ridiculously high over the Christmas season.  Don't go in the rainy season of January and February unless you like to be very, very wet.

Spain:  If you like to bake with millions of others, pushing and shoving your way around the big cities, go in the summer.  Spain can be delightful in March.

Germany:  I suggest staying away from big cities like Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin during the Christmas Markets.  The crowds and prices can be out of hand.  Try smaller cities like Innsbruck and Salzburg (avoid weekends) in Austria instead.  The Traveling Professor takes a small group tour to these smaller cities for the Christmas markets each year.