My question is: where to go spend a week away from Athens in August?

I will meet my family (wife, kids 9, 7 and 4) in Athens in a couple weeks, and hope to go somewhere different. I've done Greece and the Greek Islands a number of times, Italy (Rome, Sorrento, Florence, Siena) last year. Since we live on an island, I like to take my kids to mountains or cities on vacation. Plenty of seaside at home.

Some ideas I have been exploring:

I was dying to go to Istanbul, and some posts here made me want to go even more; however, hearing about bombs exploding here and there, I can't take the chance right now with my kids.

A ferry to Venice, then over to Dubrovnik seemed viable, but in looking at GreekFerries.com, it seems they only go to Trieste and take a day and a half. Is this correct?

Flights from Athens to Ljubljana or Dubrovnik are complicated, exorbitant, and out of the question, I fear.

what about Sicily?

What about train/car from Athens to Croatia or Venice?

I'd appreciate your observations/ideas?

Istanbul would be safe, since it's 99% Muslim and has some of the most impressive security measures I've ever seen (for example, getting into the airport takes 4 or 5 luggage checks just to get to your gate). The only places that face an attack now and then are Christian and Jewish sites, which are hard to find even if you wanted to.

A week in Istanbul would show your kids something truly unique.

Jules

Going to Croatia by train is almost impossible. It would take like 30 hrs to get to Zagreb, and then you'd have to take a bus to Dubrovnik from there.
I wouldn't risk driving either, as you'd have to pass some quite unstable Balcan regions on the way.

The shortest trip would be to
take the train to Patras from Athens (about 4 hrs) , take a ferry to Bari in Italy and then cross the Adriatic again with a ferry to Dubrovnik. As far as I know there are no straight ferries between Patras and Dubrovnik.

You can take a ferry from Patras to Venice as well.

Bermuda - Ferry to Venice would be very time-consuming. Have you thought of flying? Alpi Eagles fly this route.

www.alpieagles.com

You could combine Venice with a few days in the beautiful Dolomite mountains ...

Hope this helps ...

Steve

I appreciate all your suggestions. I'll have to chew on the options.

Jules - I am very tempted, and percentages say you are right, but I think we've ruled out Istanbul this trip (hopefully we can go next year).

Stardust - Your advice is very helpful. I guess we can rule out trains. A Patras to Venice ferry might work, if we can find an overnight. But, since I wrote my message I've been looking into it, and it seems to be about 32 hours one way. Hmmm. Maybe by air....

Steve - Alpi Eagles, I'll check'em out. Thanks for the suggestion.

Thank you all for the input. If others have ideas, chime in.

Hi,
How about flying out of Athens to Switzerland or Germany or somewhere where there are wonderful mountains and a change from the sea? Have fun.

Yipper, Good idea. I'm looking into that. But my wife is kicking me, because we could have routed our flights to Greece through one of those places and added a week there at nominal cost. Now we'd have to pay for an extra rdtrip. But, I'm assessing costs. Since we went to Switzerland winter before last, I am checking on Germany. thanks for your input.

Hi,
Just a suggestion, look into the discount airlines and see what their rate are. I am not sure of the names of there companies, but others on this site could help you. I think one is easyjet and another ryan air. Also check aegean air.

Well, folks, it looks as though my wife is fixating on Sicily. Seems like there are pretty regular flights from Athens to Palermo.

Thanks for all your ideas and information.

Bermuda - I don't think there are any direct flights from Athens to Palermo. You will probably have to fly via Rome (- or Venice or Milan ...)

Steve

Steve, Interesting. Well, my wife is supposed to be checking into it today. If that's the case, I'd just as soon go to Venice and see the Dolomites. Thanks for the tip.

Steve, it appears you were right, or if there are any, they are all sold out, as all flights to Venice from Athens. Soooo, we're going to Malta, then ferrying back to Sicily.

Thanks again for the tips.