So I thought I would try to use ChatGPT to help me plan my itinerary for visiting Europe to meet co-operative practitioners and academics.

Months to avoid

First I asked it:

I want to have meetings with people in business and academia in various cities. I want to make sure people are likely to be available when I visit each city. Can you tell me which months I should avoid? Give me your reasons. Format answers in a table with columns ‘city’, ‘months to avoid’, ‘reasons’. Here are the cities: Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Berlin, Paris, Ghent, Vienna, Barcelona, Florence. And the capital cities of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Czechia.

This was its answer:

CityMonths to AvoidReasons
CopenhagenNovember - FebruaryCold, dark and rainy, fewer events and travel
StockholmDecember - FebruaryExtremely cold, snowy, and fewer events
HelsinkiDecember - FebruaryDark, cold, and snowy with fewer events
BerlinDecember - FebruaryCold, dark, and rainy with fewer events
ParisJuly - AugustMany people go on vacation, fewer events
GhentJuly - AugustMany people go on vacation, fewer events
ViennaJuly - AugustMany people go on vacation, fewer events
BarcelonaAugustCrowded with tourists and high temperatures
FlorenceJuly - AugustCrowded with tourists and high temperatures
WarsawDecember - FebruaryCold, dark, and snowy with fewer events
RigaDecember - FebruaryCold, dark, and snowy with fewer events
VilniusDecember - FebruaryCold, dark, and snowy with fewer events
BratislavaDecember - FebruaryCold, dark, and snowy with fewer events
PragueDecember - FebruaryCold, dark, and snowy with fewer events

Best months to visit

Next I asked it:

Now give me a list of the best months to visit each city for the same purpose.

And this is what I got back:

CityBest Months to VisitReasons
CopenhagenMay - SeptemberPleasant weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
StockholmMay - SeptemberMild weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
HelsinkiMay - SeptemberMild weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
BerlinMarch - May, September - OctoberMild weather, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
ParisMarch - June, September - NovemberMild weather with fewer tourists, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
GhentMarch - June, September - NovemberMild weather with fewer tourists, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
ViennaApril - June, September - OctoberPleasant weather with many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
BarcelonaMay - June, September - OctoberPleasant weather with fewer tourists, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
FlorenceMarch - May, September - NovemberMild weather with fewer tourists, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
WarsawMay - SeptemberPleasant weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
RigaMay - SeptemberPleasant weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
VilniusMay - SeptemberPleasant weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
BratislavaMay - SeptemberPleasant weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.
PragueMay - SeptemberPleasant weather with longer days, many cultural and business events, and academic activities.

Planning an itinerary

If these lists are trust worthy then I guess I can start planning a couple of trips!! Perhaps one for late August to early September:

  • Copenhagen
  • Stockholm
  • Helsinki
  • Prague
  • Berlin
  • Vienna

And another one for October.

  • Zagreb
  • Florence
  • Barcelona
  • Paris
  • Ghent
  • Amsterdam

I’ll keep you posted!