help on trip to Dolomites, Turkey, Athens, Croatia
 

My husband and I are taking a backpacking trip to Europe this year from the end of August to mid-October. We are now working on the specifics and could use some help. We have tickets to an Olympic event in Athens on 8/27/04, so we are planning our trip around that. As an overview, we would like to see Northern Italy (Dolomites), Athens, Turkey, and Croatia.

We are flying St. Louis to London, England. Taking a Ryan Air flight London to Venice (good price on this flight!). We would like to spend about a week hiking in the Dolomites in Italy. Is end of August very, very crowded in the Dolomites? Any recommended hikes for 2 people in their early 30?s who are in relatively good shape? Then we will fly Venice to Athens to catch our Olympic event (hockey). I?ve checked out these flight on Alitalia?very expensivo! Also, Croatian Air is just as pricey. Any other suggestions? We have no accommodations and will just have to find something once we are there. I know, I know, there?s no more places to stay. We will just have to be persistent! After Athens, we would like to go directly to Turkey. Should we take a ferry to Izmir or to Istanbul? Any thoughts? We would like to tour around Turkey for about 10 days and then return to Venice somehow. Then take a ferry to Croatia. Do ferries leave from Venice or do most go from Bari? I would like to avoid having to travel that far south to catch the ferry. Spend a week in Croatia, then back to Venice, back to London, back to St. Louis. Any help would be much appreciated?
Thanks in Advance!
Tara

I would consider the Val Gardena in the Dolomites and read about the Alpi di Suisi hiking area--one of the best in Europe.

Hi tarapitt2000

I have experience about Turkey trip so I will answer your Turkish side trip:

According your saying I understood that you have limited time in Turkey or just want to spend 10 days BUT 10 days is not enough, so I recommend you fly to Istanbul from Athens then to Cappadocia (Kayseri) and start your tour in Turkey you may rent a car in Kayseri then drive yourself to Cappadocia Area where Nevsehir Urgup Avanos and Goreme. There are many small towns but the towns above are important. You may spend 2 days to see some important places like Goreme Open Air museum, Uchisar (Please climb up on top of the castle) Derinkuyu Underground instead of Kaymakli (you may also go to Kaymakli but Derinkuyu is the best) Pasabaglari and Zelve Open Air Museum. There are many places to go but these are important.

After Cappadcia you may drive to Konya to see whirling dervishes museum and Karatay Medrese where you can see the Selcuk religious School. I recommend you stay overnight in Konya because if you continue to drive to PAMUKALE another important place in Turkey you may drive almost 12 hours a day (this is just for tourist) on the way to Konya you may drive via IHLARA VALEY which is beatiful place that every tourist MUST SEE. then you may stop in cerevanserai named SULTANHANI dated 13 Century. Really impressive building there is a cafe house across of Sultanhani you may rest little bit and drink TURKISH TEA or APPLE TEA which is tourists love this.

After Konya there is no place to see on the way to Pamukkale maybe you may stop AKKALE HANI close to Denizli (10 KM). Denizli is a city where you will see PAMUKKALE. 25 KM far from Denizli. You can stop overnight here and see the ruin of Hierapolis and COTTON CASTLE (Pamukkale).

Then you may drive to KUSADASI via APRODISIAS (Please do not forget to see the cith of APRODITE). When you get to Kusadasi or before Kusadasi SELCUK (The small town's name) if you are early in this area you may visit ST JEAN CHURCH and VIRGIN MARY'S HOUSE to leave full day ruin of EPHESUS and it museum. Also you may see the ARTEMISSION one of the 7 wanders of the world. Turkey has two 7 wanders of the world, the other is Mauseleum and it is in Bodrum.
You may stay in SIRINCE instead of KUSADASI or SELCUK according your budget so there are many options are waiting for you here.

After Ephesus area you may drive to Norht of Turkey and visit other ruins the city of PERGAMUM with the earliest hospital and TROIA close to CANAKKALE where you may stay overnight. Then you may drive to ISTANBUL for your rest of your trip in Turkey.

BUT I am sure that you will go back to Turkey because THERE ARE MANY MORE to see.

Have a nice trip in Turkey

Sinan Akdeniz

On that expensive Venice-Athens leg:

Check volareweb.com for a budget airline flying VCE-ATH for 50 to 60 euro (one way, plus tax). Flights are Tues, Wed and Friday.

Thank you very much for your generous help!
Tara