4 weeks entailing 1 wk Greece and 3 wks in Italy
Sep 24th, 2017, 12:24 AM
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4 weeks entailing 1 wk Greece and 3 wks in Italy
My wife and I are celebrating our 25 year anniversary in June 2018 and are needing advice on our travels plans. We are thinking 1 week in Greece (haven't been before and just want to get a taste for it). Then 3 weeks in Italy. We were there 5 years ago and visited Rome, Sorrento, Florence, the Cinque Terre, Lake Como and Venice. We would like to revisit Cinque Terre as we loved the walk between the towns, possibly Venice, as it so unique,(but ok with leaving it out) but we would also like to spend a bit of time in Tuscany exploring. We are in our mid 40's, love the outdoors and good walks,don't mind an easy bike ride, and a bit of adventure, as well as great food and wine and of course beautiful scenery. We generally like to move around a bit, not staying in one place for more than 3 days and don't mind car, train and plane (whatever works best for the itinerary). Looking forward to any suggestions for an itinerary, where to stay and things to do.
Sep 24th, 2017, 12:40 AM
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Hi! We were in Athens just this july past
oh boy it was hot hot...40 degrees some days
it was dirty ...and we were dismayed by the economic crisis that has enveloped the country
it was expensive too
despite that...we still had a good time
stayed at Athens gate..lots of my aussie friends had recommended it
nothing much from the outside but its a block away from the plaka area and had a decent breakfast with views of the acropolis from the breakfast room
the rooms were comfortable
not too small and ours faced the ruins which was a bonus
on the way back from our two week sailing stint round the islands we stayed in the plaka again...this time at hotel plaka
slightly better area but no views from the rooms nor from the breakfast area
again a comfy hotel
nicer access to the plaka near the main street (andreou..something along those lines...something akin to Andrew anyway)
we did the acropolis but the heat was incredible...
lots of people were slipping over on the stone pathways
beware of the shiny black stones..theyre the worst
I liked the shopping...my daughter bought lots of jewellery especially the Babylonian brand bracelets and other silver bits and pieces
everything was overpriced but cheaper in comparison to the islands of course...especially Mykonos
id not go back any time soon
ive been before and I loved kalambaka and meteora up there further north but that's an overnighter...well worth it to see the monks and their incredible monasteries built on top of amazing rock formations
we really enjoyed the grilled haloumi cheese but it wasn't available everywhere..comes from crete they told us
oh boy it was hot hot...40 degrees some days
it was dirty ...and we were dismayed by the economic crisis that has enveloped the country
it was expensive too
despite that...we still had a good time
stayed at Athens gate..lots of my aussie friends had recommended it
nothing much from the outside but its a block away from the plaka area and had a decent breakfast with views of the acropolis from the breakfast room
the rooms were comfortable
not too small and ours faced the ruins which was a bonus
on the way back from our two week sailing stint round the islands we stayed in the plaka again...this time at hotel plaka
slightly better area but no views from the rooms nor from the breakfast area
again a comfy hotel
nicer access to the plaka near the main street (andreou..something along those lines...something akin to Andrew anyway)
we did the acropolis but the heat was incredible...
lots of people were slipping over on the stone pathways
beware of the shiny black stones..theyre the worst
I liked the shopping...my daughter bought lots of jewellery especially the Babylonian brand bracelets and other silver bits and pieces
everything was overpriced but cheaper in comparison to the islands of course...especially Mykonos
id not go back any time soon
ive been before and I loved kalambaka and meteora up there further north but that's an overnighter...well worth it to see the monks and their incredible monasteries built on top of amazing rock formations
we really enjoyed the grilled haloumi cheese but it wasn't available everywhere..comes from crete they told us
Sep 24th, 2017, 01:07 AM
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We loved Athens and found it to be lovely! We also stayed at the Athens Gate hotel and would highly recommend it!
You can see our pics here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...57627793538740
We did a walking tour with this company and really enjoyed it
http://www.athenswalkingtours.gr/city-walking-tours
You can see our pics here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...57627793538740
We did a walking tour with this company and really enjoyed it
http://www.athenswalkingtours.gr/city-walking-tours
Sep 24th, 2017, 07:53 AM
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Greece and Athens in particular is an extraordinary destination, and one almost has to go out of one's way to find it expensive, both in terms of lodging & food.
The interior of Italy can also be quite hot in late June/July, although that can be mitigated somewhat by an air condiioned car, air conditioned lodgings, and paying attention to the fact that it is better not to pick a "base" and do daytripping in the middle of the day -- sightseeing at the hottest hours -- but be flexible about moving around a bit and changing locations, so you can easily sightsee in place in the mornings & evenings (when things are open), and lunch & snooze in the middle of the day.
Avid bike riders might disagree, and I know biking can create its own cool breeze, but I would play it by ear when it comes to cycling in summer in Italy in the central hill areas.
Many of the trails beween villages in le Cinque Terre have suffered landslides or other damage and therefore might not be open to hikers. If they are, they will be quite crowded during tourist season. You can either stick with your happy memories, and leave them as memories, or give it a go. But if you are coming from other parts of Tuscany, you might find it charming to include some of the Tuscan coast before heading up to Italian Riviera. You should try google searches for "wild beaches Tuscan coast" or if you would like the lazy life of suntanning cocktail in hand, think about hanging around in the vicinity of Forte dei Marmi, Barlatti (and the wine own of Bolgheri). This is a flat area where you could also get in a little bicycling.
I will also say that if I had the luxury of 3 weeks in Italy in July, I might try to include the Dolomiti if you like jaw-dropping nature. It can also be a bit cooler up there, and it is no difficult to get there from Venice if you rent a car. I am less keen on the lakes in July, but if you like mountain biking & water sports, Lago di Garda might appeal to you. You can take a loop with a car that lands you back in Verona so you can easily train down to Tuscany and rent another car there when you need one, sparing yourself too-long a drive.
The interior of Italy can also be quite hot in late June/July, although that can be mitigated somewhat by an air condiioned car, air conditioned lodgings, and paying attention to the fact that it is better not to pick a "base" and do daytripping in the middle of the day -- sightseeing at the hottest hours -- but be flexible about moving around a bit and changing locations, so you can easily sightsee in place in the mornings & evenings (when things are open), and lunch & snooze in the middle of the day.
Avid bike riders might disagree, and I know biking can create its own cool breeze, but I would play it by ear when it comes to cycling in summer in Italy in the central hill areas.
Many of the trails beween villages in le Cinque Terre have suffered landslides or other damage and therefore might not be open to hikers. If they are, they will be quite crowded during tourist season. You can either stick with your happy memories, and leave them as memories, or give it a go. But if you are coming from other parts of Tuscany, you might find it charming to include some of the Tuscan coast before heading up to Italian Riviera. You should try google searches for "wild beaches Tuscan coast" or if you would like the lazy life of suntanning cocktail in hand, think about hanging around in the vicinity of Forte dei Marmi, Barlatti (and the wine own of Bolgheri). This is a flat area where you could also get in a little bicycling.
I will also say that if I had the luxury of 3 weeks in Italy in July, I might try to include the Dolomiti if you like jaw-dropping nature. It can also be a bit cooler up there, and it is no difficult to get there from Venice if you rent a car. I am less keen on the lakes in July, but if you like mountain biking & water sports, Lago di Garda might appeal to you. You can take a loop with a car that lands you back in Verona so you can easily train down to Tuscany and rent another car there when you need one, sparing yourself too-long a drive.
Sep 24th, 2017, 08:29 AM
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This past summer, the Mediterranean area was hit by an unusual heat wave, which probably wouldn't happen two years in a row. However, these heat waves are getting closer together, aren't they?
I agree that there's plenty to see in Tuscany, Umbria, and Le Marche. Three weeks wouldn't be enough! (Disclosure: I live in Le Marche.) You should rent a car for visiting these regions. Get it after leaving the Cinque Terre, because a car is just a nuisance there.
I agree that there's plenty to see in Tuscany, Umbria, and Le Marche. Three weeks wouldn't be enough! (Disclosure: I live in Le Marche.) You should rent a car for visiting these regions. Get it after leaving the Cinque Terre, because a car is just a nuisance there.
Sep 24th, 2017, 09:58 AM
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We generally like to move around a bit, not staying in one place for more than 3 days and don't mind car, train>
Cities = trains best as Italy has banned private vehicles from many city centres - maybe a mix -train to Florence then drive thru Tuscany towards Rome? Anyway booking train tickets far in advance can yield sweet discounts - www.trenitalia.com and www.italotreno.com two competing rail companies using same tracks - for general info Italian trains check www.seat61.com (especially great advice on discounted tickets); www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
Cities = trains best as Italy has banned private vehicles from many city centres - maybe a mix -train to Florence then drive thru Tuscany towards Rome? Anyway booking train tickets far in advance can yield sweet discounts - www.trenitalia.com and www.italotreno.com two competing rail companies using same tracks - for general info Italian trains check www.seat61.com (especially great advice on discounted tickets); www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
