3 Weeks in Europe

[Marcia3641]

Happy New Year!

My co-worker is going to Eurpore in May and wanted to get some input on her itineary.

• Athens - 1 1/2 days
• Peloponnese - 4 days
• Santorini/Thira - 3 days (Walk the "Footpath" and watch 1st Sunset!, Exploring Fira, Imerovigli, and Oia along the way, Visit Bouutari Windery, Visit Ancient Akrotiri, Visit Red Beach - Paralia Kokkini, Visit Ancient Thira, Visit Kamari & Perissa Beach)
• Iraklion, Crete - 4 days (Archaeological Museum, The Palace of Knossos, A stroll around Iraklion, Side Trip - as recommended by Frommer:Gortyna, Phaestos, Matala or Consider renting a car and drive around the island along its coast line to visit all the beaches, Rethymnon - The Monastery of Arkadhi & The Amari Valley - enroute to Chania?, Bike Trip & Stroll around Chania, Samaria Gorge)
  
• Venice - 4 days (Visit Morano 1/2 day, Explore Venice, Secret Palace Tour 1/2 half day tour, Explore Venice, Gondola Ride)
  
• Florence - 2 days (Pisa Tour)
• Rome - 6 days (Pompei Tour)

"Can you ask people how best I can tour the Peloponnese region in 4 days? I read that they had great Caves, beach, mountain, historical sites to visit. So, if I like to hit all 4 kinds, what would be the best route to go and what are the must see.

Also, I have lengthened our stay in Crete from 3 to 4 days also. I have listed out all the activities which I am interested in doing. So, the big questions are 1) are these good choices and 2) with all these activities, can we stay at Iraklion or should we split 1/2 and 1/2 to Chania? We prefer not to move hotel if possible."

I wish I could go with her!!!! Thanks in advance for your input and feedback.

Marcia3641

 

[Jimster]

trip

First, she is too short on Florence. Florence is a magnificent city- and if one of the two days is going to Pisa she is definitely too short. While Pisa only commands one day, it is a good train ride from Florence. Frankly I'd stop at Lucca too. Rome is too long- you can see what you need to see in Rome in 3 days- 4 tops. As for going to Pompei, you can make it one action filled day, but it might be more leisurely if you stop in Naples. Naples doesnt offer much but it is distinctly different. You can also add Herculeum if you stay in Naples. She should also consider Lake Como. Several interesting movies have offered that as a backdrop (Italian Job and the first Daniel Craig Bond movie) and it is beautiful.

 

[Laurie]

Can't speak to the Greece part, but for Italy I agree with Jimster - add at least a day to Florence, and subtract at least 1 from Rome. Actually IMO 3 full days in Rome is enough - maybe even 2.5. Near Florence, I'd work in some countryside drive thru gorgeous Chianti region of Tuscany, maybe en route to a couple hours' visit to Siena - we liked Lucca but liked Siena more. I loved seeing the leaning tower because it was such a childhood icon, but otherwise Pisa didn't have as much. Possibly each of those trips could be afternoons, traveling back to Florence after dark, leaving one full day + 2 mornings in Florence. (I don't know train times so not sure this is possible.) Near Pompei if time, I'd highly recommend Sorrento and the Amalfi coast, spending a night in/near Sorrento. So perhaps:

Florence, Siena/Chianti, Pisa: 3
Rome: 3
Pompei, Sorrento, Amalfi coast: 2

And for the Venice part, add Burano - 4 days is plenty.

 

[Conan]

She'd need a vacation to recover from this vacation!

I'd suggest deferring Venice for a future trip.

It makes more sense when planning long trips to count "nights" rather than "days" which makes it easier to see how much time is lost in transit.

Athens - 3 nights [if Athens is the start of the trip, the first day will be lost to jet lag no matter how early you arrive]
Peloponnese - 4 nights
Santorini/Thira - 3 nights
Crete - 4 nights
Florence/Pisa - 4 nights
Rome - 5 nights

Total: 23 nights

 

[Laurie]

Me, I'd keep Venice - it's my favorite Italian city and the most different from any other place - and defer one of the others if necessary, esp if overloaded on museums and tours. In Venice you can take a long cruise on the vaporetto to the other islands, napping now and then, and wander aimlessly for hours in town. I found Venice much more relaxing (I've now been 2x, once for a whole week, and would love to return) whereas Florence and Rome have more noise, traffic, and tailpipe exhaust - and I got overloaded in both bigger cities after a couple of days. But that's me. I do think Pompei is a must-see, in spite of the extra travel time.

Depends on ages and sight-seeing goals. I used to be happy to defer rest til I got home, there was so much to see and do, and I found it more fun and even energizing to cover lots of ground in a shorter time period - a decade later I prefer to not exhaust myself on as ambitious an itinerary.

 

[Linda74]

Unless Santorini is for relaxing, that could be cut to two nights as well. I thought Pompeii was spectacular but if time is a constraint, Ostia Antica outside of Rome might be a substitution. I think four days is ideal for Rome...so much to see. I would try to see some Tuscan or Umbrian towns on the way from Florence to Rome, such as Orvieto (right off the highway) or Siena or any of the other smaller ones such as Cortona. I spent a week in Crete and while it is a rugged, beautiful island, you might want to cut the time there as well. A visit to Rhodes might be a nice add on. At any rate....this is a wonderful part of Europe...and sure to be a memorable trip.

 

[pwrshift]

I would drop Pisa long before dropping Venice.

Here's a BBS you might read about Italy ... and ask questions. These people don't like 'hurried' visits but will help you with your decisions too.

http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a/frm/f/862600685

Brian

 

[BarCol]

I would keep Venice and frankly ditch Pompeii on this trip (I know that's heresy, but its a l o n g day from Rome and back)- instead do Ostia Antica the old roman sea port just 1/2 hour from downtown Rome, and much more intimate than Pompeii- for touring I would recommend Context Tours in Rome and in Florence - we should have used them in Florence (don't know where my brain was that day), but used them in Rome for the Arte de Vatican, Ostia Antica and Imperial Rome - usually max of 8 people on the tour and many times fewer than that and a scholar/expert to lead.
Absoltely agree with Orvieto - but tell her to rememebr that many places close down from about 12:30 to about 3:30 or 4 for the siesta.....highly civilized, but really cuts into available siteseeing time if museums and other spots close.

There is a Rome travel card that she can get as well that let's her on the busses and subway and the same is available in Venice.

 

[Marcia3641]

My co-worker (Yin-Ju) and I would like to thank you guys for all your feedback. My co-worker has another couple of questions.

Can you ask them:

1. On Crete, where is the best car rental place to go and what is considered a good or reasonable rate?
2. Is there another Ferry company that provides transportation from Santorini to Heraklion besides Hellenic?
3. Where should I stay on Peloponnese?

Thanks!

Marcia3641

 

[Mimi39]

I don't think 1 1/2 days is enough in Athens, there is a lot to see there and she made need a few of those hours to rest up after the long flight instead of hitting the ground running in order to get everything in. Also more time in Florence and skip Pisa.