yubika

Hi all,

me and my husband are planning a trip to Italy( Rome and Venice) and the Santorinis end of march into the 1st week of april. We are thinking of doing 6-7 days for Italy and 3 days for santorini. But I also dont want it too be hectic(i know it will be but not too- does that make sense?lol) This is my second time to Italy but my husband's first. I am kind of a little anxious about the whole trip.I have lived in Europe for a year and I absolutelyyyyy loveee it. So I am hoping the same for him.And I dont want to disappoint him with all the travel on his first trip to the continent. Having said that, my concern- Do you guys think the schedule is too hectic or should i leave out one place? i def want to do Santorini though. and is it best to fly into Greece first and then continue into Italy or the other way round? while living in Europe, I really didnt have to worry about flight fares cause you have so many cheap flight options but now that I am in US, fares is also one thing I have to consider when planning. I'd really appreciate all your suggestions and advise. Thankyou so much.

kja

It depends on what you want to see and do! For me, this trip would be unpleasantly rushed -- too much time in transit for too little time to actually see the places in which your would spend time. But it's your call. My recommendation is to spend some time with guidebooks, develop a SPECIFIC list of priorities, and plot things -- including your transportation and time for relocating -- on a calendar.

Good luck!

artsnletters

If you're going to make it work in that short a time frame, you need to fly into Venice and home from Athens, or vice versa - called multi-city on airline sites, don't look for two one-way fares. You should be able to find a direct flight from Rome to Santorini, unless they aren't going that time of year - I don't know. Check whichbudget.com. But you wouldn't have time to backtrack. It would be too rushed for me, but you are the best judge of what will fit your style.

Traveler_Nick

I think you'll find it hard to get a direct flight to Italy from Santorini. Most likely you'll have to connect in Athens.

But you're bouncing around too much for ten days.

Kathie

With a mere 10-11 days, chose one country. Otherwise, you'll be spending too much of your vacation in transit. Do you have a full 10-11 days - meaning 11 or 12 nights? If you only have 10-11 days from the time you leave home until you arrive home, that is actually fewer days. And do take the time change into consideration.

Wekiva

Kathie's question about exact number of days in country are important with the amount of time you have. But I think it's doable, if all three of those are must-sees for you:
1 arrive in Venice / light touring in Venice
2 Venice
3 Venice
4 train to Rome / half day touring in Rome
5 Rome
6 Rome
7 Rome (could fly to San. late if your interests dictate)
8 plane to Santorini
9 Santorini
10 Santorini
11 plane home

I'd take that trip.

Heimdall

If you really want to go to Santorini then something else may have to give, but it can be done. I doubt there will be any direct lights in April, but connecting flights via Athens are possible. Check with Aegean Airlines, which has flights to Athens from several Italian cities. If you book both flights on the same ticket your luggage will be transferred to the Santorini flight, and there will be no customs or passport control at Athens.

Greek Orthodox Easter is a week later in 2018 than in Italy, so in the first week of April you will be arriving during Holy Week, when you can observe some of the rituals of that most important holiday.

neckervd

Book a direct vueling flight from Rome to Santorini or vice versa(3times weekly) or may be a direct easyjet flight from Milan Malpensa to Santorini or vice versa:
That means:
1. Fly to ATH - Santorini, then with Vueling to Rome, by train to Venice and fly home from VCE, or vice versa,
or
2. Fly to Rome, RT to Venice by train, RT to Santorini by vueling, fly home from Rome
or
3. Fly to Rome, RT to Venice by train, OW flight to Santorini with vueling, fly home via Athens
or
4. Fly to ATH - Santorini, then with easyjet to Milan, by train to Venice, by train to Rome and fly home from Rome, or vice versa,
5. Fly to Rome, OW flight to Santorini with vueling, fly from Santorini to Milan with easyjet, go by train from Milan to Venice and fly home from VCE.

Venice - Santorini via Milan:
Venice dp (every Monday and Friday) at 16.20 by direct train to Gallarate (10 min by car/taxi from the airport) ar 19.55, sleep there or at a airport hotel and reach the airport by taxi or shuttle the following morning. The plane starts at 7am and arrives at Santorini at 10.40.

Santorini - Venice via Milan:
Santorini dp every Tuesday and Saturday at 11.20 - MXP ar 13.05; trains from MXP to Venice every 30-60 minutes, change at Milano Centrale. 4 hrs journey,(that means that the full day is lost).

yubika

Thankyou all for your responses. truly overwhelmed
Kathie, this will be a total of 11 days trip leaving the travel time in and out of the States. I know thats still a short of a time with so many to do lists in Rome itself so, like Kja suggested, i will work on planning this trip detail to the T.I am the kind who doesnt mind the exhaustion during a trip and would love to see everything possible while my husband isnt. I def have to plan the specifics like you suggested. The outline by Wekiva looks tempting. I might travel along the same lines.haha! Thanks much.

Thankyou for the info on the sites and the airlines. I will check them out.
Greek Orthodox sounds exciting. I cannot wait to visit the continent again after four years.