We are starting a project, which goal is to create new frontend interface to our product. Old version was created in PHP, very poorly written. We are choosing the language and frameworks that we want to use in new version.

Requirements:

1. New interface will be communicating with API. Application will not have it's own database.
2. We don't have a big team, 3 max programmers for entire project.
3. The main programmers are PHP veterans and knows some other technologies (Rails, C, C++, some Java) but not in professional level. But overall they are good and experienced programmers.

So:

1. We want to find a good alternative to PHP. I like Rails very much, but whole ActiveRecord model will be useless, when using application API.
2. Java needs a lot of configuration and someone who is expert in Java to properly run this project. Also, in Java there are a lot of big and complicated enterprise frameworks - not very good for 2-3 programmers team.
3. Python - I don't know Python and don't know good and experienced programmers who knows PY - but it's not so complicated and big as Java and maybe in long period it's good alternative for PHP.

What are your thoughts?