First time: Italy & Greece
 

Could anyone help us out with a realistic itinerary. If we can afford a 3 week journey, could we do WEEK 1: Greece/Islands , WEEK 2: Southern Italy, and WEEK 3: Northern Italy? We are going May 1.

We would like to get a good blend of city culture and landscape. We love islands and beaches, countryside and mountains. We are travelling on a small budget so we don't mind making lodging sacrifices. (ie. hostels, B&B's in smaller towns, etc.)

Make a long story short, Can anyone suggest where we MUST GO in this short time and a suggested route. We could also use some help with cheap places to stay or to homebase from.

Finally, I need a good map to plan this itinerary out on. Is there a certain European map that anyone recommends.

Again, thanks for all the great help and advice.

I think you may not have had much by way of answer, because it's such a broad question. I wouldn't do it, I think. I'm used to the fact that youse guys see things faster than I like to, but I would definitely want to spend at lease two weeks in any one of those one week places.

I find it difficult to see past Crete for a greek "must see", but you need at least 3 days to scrape the surface. You can take a boat from Greece to Italy and I guess I'd like to do that some day.

I don't know the south of Italy, so can't comment much. I would suggest you need at least three days in rome and at least three days to see some of the amazingness of renaissance Italy in the north west and Tuscany. I also rate the Cinque terre for breathtakingness, notwithstanding the hordes of tourists in high season; so another full day there.

Perhaps others can help fill in the gaps.

or even three! I've spent more time in Greece than Italy, and don't know S Italy at all except for a long day's drive south from Venice to catch the ferry. But if it's of any help - I would do the trip in reverse. And visit Venice (4 days at least). Then if you have to choose between Florence and (2-3 days). Then Rome (3-4 days) or if u have had enough of citiest Assuming u are from the US - the cheapest flig)hts to Europe tend to go to London. Check out the cheepie operators from there to Europe. V tesfly into London

Ok - try again!! Venice - Florence or Rome if u don't want to spend all yr time in big cities (I'd choose Rome) with time to meander a little in between. Then u wld be in the Greek Is when it is a little warmer. It's warm enough to swim 2nd week May - but I guess not every year is the same, so a little later is

Check out http://www.greekferries.gr/

I am a fan of combining the two countries. But, I think Greece and Southern Italy is enough. I would do 2 nights Athens, then get a rental car. I took the ferry from Corfu to Venice, and it was quite pleasant- it seems as if all the Greece-Italy ferries leave from western Greece. After Athens I would make a stop on the mainland, maybe Meteora for 2 nights. It does depend when you are going, if it's in the summer you may want an all-island itinerary. I would then ferry it from Patra to Keffalonia for 3 nights. Ferry it back to Patra, then ferry to Corfu for 4 nights. I would say Santorini and Mykonos are a must, but the logistics of ferry travel would be time consuming, or it would involve flights to add to your expenses. Then take the overnight ferry from Corfu to Bari with your car. Drive from Bari to Maratea, spend 2-3 nights here (I'll be going here this summer). From here you could do a daytrip to Paestum. I would then drive to the Naples area, either staying in Naples or Sorrento for 3-4 nights. I would finish up in Rome, and get rid of the car upon entrance to Rome or before.

I like the Michelin Maps. Fore Greece I think you need #737, and for Southern Italy #564.

Sheila, this question, asked by "soulseven" HAS gotten about thirty answers so far, as it has been asked, with little or no variation about five times on repetitive posts, including the ignominious "Am I screwed?"

There has been a certain debate in the past week or so about how to constructively critique/teach/chastise relative newcomers who do not (yet) understand some of the basic funtions of this forum. Although many of these basic, general ideas are laid out in the FAQ of the forum - - finding that remains far too obscure.

This website is not "MY" website, and I am not its guardian. But it is "our" website, and it feels like a home to many of "us". I believe that any new visitor to someone's home would want to be gently "coached" if he/she did not understand the basic function of such things as

"this is a doormat - - we use it to wipe our feet before coming into the house"

"this is how the toilet flushes"

and likewise for the coasters, the ashtray, the spittoon, whatever...

I don't know how best to convey to "soulseven" that re-posting the same question repeatedy is not generally done here. I would bet it goes hand in hand with not understanding that one's prior posts can be located by clicking on your own name.

Is it my concern? Well, I believe that is the concern of all of "us". Sometime later today, you will realize that you went to the trouble to help provide answers under the mistaken impression that he/she had received no help. Will you get frustrated when you realize this? Not enough to go away - - I realize that - - but is it so wrong to try to comment on repeated gaffes? when there are plenty of readers, especially new ones, who will think it is just normal good manners to instruct others on how this forum works?

I actually HAVE provided some (partial) answers/info on this question, but for better or worse, it will be THIS post that gets topped by my replying here.

I hope that "soulseven" finds this and/or all the other posts. And keeps coming back. I hope the forum is useful and enjoyable to him/her and to all for his/her participation.

Best wishes,

Rex

Well, pardon me!!

Rex, I am headed for Italy this summer. Will the toilet flush the same way in Rome as it does in Florence?

If it's yur first trip abroa, you're almost certainly going to encounter at least ONE toilet whose flush mechanism will cause you a moment or two of feeling perplexed. It's a good reason to think about it BEFORE you use it. I'm sure your host locally will be glad to explai it to you, but the question would feel a bit more awkward if you have to ask AFTER.

And yes, I realize that the question was (at least in part) tongue in cheek.