smithgardner

Hello! I am traveling with my family (8 total) for 2 weeks in Europe in May, and I am the de facto trip planner and tour guide given that I am the most Europe-traveled of the bunch. I am meeting friends in London for a couple of days and then meeting the rest who are flying in to Amsterdam though we are spending most of the time in Italy, concentrating on the 'big 3'. That bit is set in stone.
Everyone heads back to South Carolina on Monday, May 23rd, but I live in DC, and I am considering taking a few extra days to myself for some solo exploration, taking advantage of a flexible work schedule and better flight deals and options on the return. Given that the entire trip will by spent revisiting places (which I am very excited about, don't get me wrong!), I was thinking about going somewhere I've never been for 2-3 nights before flying back home. Based on flight schedules and prices, I am considering: Lisbon, Athens, Turin, Milan, or towns in the Veneto/Alto Adige. I won't have a car and I will only have 3 days tops. I cartoo

smithgardner

How can I edit or delete this post? It accidentally posted before I had finished writing? This is frustrating.

Christina

You can't, why don't you just continue? It would have been the next post if you'd done that.

smithgardner

OK, well that is incredibly frustrating, but anyways, in conclusion from the original post, I am wanting to go somewhere that is easy to navigate/explore on foot or by public transportation, and somewhere where 2-3 days will be a nice introduction to a place, with maybe a blockbuster museum or site and some time wandering around. I would probably indulge in a nice meal or a night out by myself as well. Open to ideas about the aforementioned places, all of which I have never been to. Thanks and sorry for the discombobulation.

isabel

I think flying to Athens for only 2-3 days would not be worth it to me anyway. I would save Athens for sometime when you can visit more of Greece.

Lisbon would be OK, assuming your flight back to DC would be from there (not having to backtrack any). Three days for Lisbon is "OK". If you could squeeze another couple days it would be even better, then you include a day trip to Sintra. The advantage to Lisbon would be it's a new country.

But as you will already be in Italy, going somewhere else there would save you the half/three quarters of the day you'd 'waste' going to Portugal.

Both Turin and Milan are nice enough cities but I'd choose the Veneto (I have been to all these places). Verona, Padua, Vicenza, Ferrara, Mantova, Lake Garda, Bolzano, Trento. I absolutely love all of them and they are right in the middle of where you'll be, yet very different from the 'big three'. You don't need a car for any of them.

I almost always do some solo travel, combined with traveling with my husband. I usually add two or three WEEKS to the two weeks we travel together. But 2-3 days is better than nothing.

I have photos of all those places if you need help deciding which you prefer.

http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/italy__the_veneto

smithgardner

@isabel Thank you so much for your thoughtful response! I agree that Athens was a stretch, but it was the cheapest flight option and I've never been so I thought it was worth considering. I would be flying out of Lisbon back to the States so that's why I am considering it. I wish I had 2 weeks to add to my trip, but sadly do not have that luxury! I love the idea of hitting some of the towns you mentioned in Italy, but with only a few days, I wonder where I should focus? I guess that was why I was leaning toward a bigger city that I could explore on foot, but I'm definitely open to doing 1 or 2 of those smaller cities, just need to figure out the logistics. Thanks again!

smithgardner

Also Isabel, I would spend at least 3-4 hours or so training up to the Veneto region from Rome, so I guess I didn't see much of a difference between Lisbon and Northern Italy. I guess I could also consider Sicily, but that seems crazy with only a 3 nights.

sandralist

I don't think you should base your entire trip on one response. You shouldn't base it on 2 either -- so take my response with a great of salt -- but my first thought when you said you wanted a destination with a "blockbuster museum" was:

Go to Athens.

The Acropolis museum and the Acropolis itself is one of the most stunning sights in the world. Most people do not spend more than 2 or 3 days in Athens.

As for many other of the cities you mention, I think it very much depends on your interests. I adore the movie museum in Torino (Turin) and it is a compact city, easy to see on foot. But if you are not interested in movies or the attractions of Torino (car museum, Egyptian museum), then no point in going.

Lisbon has the unique Gulbenkian museum, which I think is marvelos, and also the Belem monastery and the historic architecture of Lisbon.

May is too early for the Alto Adige. For astonishing museums in Italy not located in the "Big 3), some of the very best are the National Gallery in Perugia, both the Archeological Museum in Naples and the Capodimonte art museum (plus Pompeii is quite close). Although Ravenna is not a museum, it is one of the most spectacular sights in Europe. And from there it not hard to go back to Milan or try flying out of Bologna or Venice.

But whatever you do, I think it should be an adventure that really excites you. And don't be afraid to go to a big city and just see one fabulous thing if the plane flights work out. Go to Paris and just see the Louvre (you could spend 2 days inside it and never be bored). Go to Amsterdam and just see the Rijsksmuseum (ditto). Athens is unforgettable.

I'm still voting for Athens in May.

sandralist

Also, if you do go to Athens, If you sleep in the Kolonaki district, then you will have the added fun of seeing a separate district of Athens, away from the Acropolis/Plaka area, with an exceptional cafe night-life scene.

If you very much wanted to go to Sicily to see something in Sicily you should, but you really only have time for one destination.

WWK

We've often gone to Athens for just three days from Rome, or vice versa. It's really not that difficult, and seems to fit most of what you're looking for.

Since you're a first-time visitor, I'd recommend staying in The Plaka, because of its central location close to The Acropolis and many other tourist sites.

Three days is perfect, and May is a great time to visit. If you have a choice, take AEGEAN over ALITALIA from Rome.

smithgardner

Wow! Thank you @sandralist and @WWK so much for your thoughtful responses! I sort of thought 3 days would be perfect to do Athens and save the islands for another trip entirely, AND it's the cheapest flight option and best schedule back to DC! To be honest, I feel like the Acropolis is probably one of the only, if not the only, 'blockbuster' site in Europe that I haven't been to before, and that sort of thrills me. I think trying to do multiple towns would be a headache. So I guess I am now looking at Athens or Lisbon or staying in Italy, BUT I would have to get back to Rome to fly out in order to take advantage of the flight deal.

sandralist

The Kolonaki district of Athens is linked to the Acropolis area by metro, and taxis are dirt cheap in Athens. My suggestion for "splitting" your experiences like that is that you can spend all day in the touristic area of the Plaka and the Acropolis + the Acropolis museum (and do have lunch on the museum terrace), but at night -- when all the tourist attractions are closed anyway -- you can have this experience of another side of Athens, away from the tourists, with the Athenians. The outdoor nighttime cafe life of that part of town is quite remarkable. You might have to put out 5 euros here and there for a taxi, but might be worth it.

Or you could go someplace else in Europe.

sandralist

http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/touring...ilis_area_mets

DebitNM

We've done 3 days in Athens and 3 days in Milan. We really liked Milan despite many who find it less that worthwhile. But Athens was great!

sandralist

If you pick Athens, don't cut it too close catching that last flight in Rome to get back to the US. You probably need to spend your last night in Rome, even if it's just at the airport.

Or see if you can talk the airlines into flying you back from Athen or hooking you into a multi-city package that includes Athens.

smithgardner

@sandralist I will be flying back to the states out of whichever city I choose, and I think I've narrowed to Lisbon or Athens, but Athens is actually the cheapest. Leave at 1pm, with a quick layover in Toronto!

maxima

I am a little confused.. would you be flying out of Lisbon or Rome for the return trip to DC?

If Lisbon is your departure city 2-3 days would be fine. There is enough to see, and the Gulbenkian museum is really worth a visit.

If Rome is your departure city, its close enough to Athens, and you can certainly see the Acropolis, the Acropolis museum, perhaps the National museum in 2-3 days. Stay in the area that appeals to you the most.

I stayed at the Herodian hotel in Athens,,, great view of the Acropolis and Acropolis museum at night from the roof top bar/lounge, and the Acropolis museum is around the corner, and Acropolis is within walking distance.
metro is around the corner too.


or if you want to stay in Italy and you can perhaps leave from Milan. or will be close enough .. you can see the Cathedral (Duomo) walk on the rook, there are some museums that are enjoyable and book a ticket to see the last supper. tour the opera house.. or take the train to Varenna and ferry around Lake Como.

Don't make you air connections overly complicated though. it may be easier to decide where to spend those days depending on what makes the most sense in terms of cost and flight times.

travelerjan

Athens. Athens. Athens. 3 days is a wonderful start, and it will bring you back there. May in Athens is wonderful ... everything's buzzing, its not too hot, weather is wonderful, That's when I always like to be there.
Despite plug for Kolonaki, with just 3 days I do encourage you to stay on the South Side of the Acropolis -- mainly car-free lanes, quiet, a lovely wide promenade nearly a mile long on that side. The hotels near Syntagma are on v. busy streets: Here's a good online map: http://www.orangesmile.com/destinati...ns-map-big.jpg And here's a good printable map of main area ...
1st map shows the Makrigianni Area Very convenient, just steps from the s. entrance to acropolis ... the New Acrop. Museum is that shape right by the Acropolis Metro-station symbol. Handy moderate-price hotels just 100 metres away include Airotel Parthenon, Herodion & Phillipos.
On yr first afternoon, u can get up to Acropolis at 6 pm, NO crowds, setting sun turns it gold. Then next day, Acrop Museum, other sights, final day the Nat. Arch Museum is a wonderment. So much else!!!

travelerjan

Whoops! left off printable map http://www.planetware.com/map/athens-map-gr-gr107.htm -- All hotels in area have a great handout map too.

WWK

I forgot to mention the hotel we now call "home" in Athens: AVA HOTEL AND SUITES. It's a small boutique hotel in the heart of The Plaka, only a ten minute walk from The Acropolis Museum, maybe 15 minutes to The Acropolis.

Some of the rooms are suites with large terraces facing right into the Acropolis, which is lit up at night. It's quite a comfortable retreat after a day of sightseeing.

Check with whatever hotel you choose to see if they offer "The Athens Experience" which allows you to skip most of the heavy lines at most tourist sites. The tickets also include a meze lunch, but it can be mediocre depending on the restaurant chosen that year.

Have fun! May is an ideal time to visit.