I am trying to decide whether to spend my one week vacation in Rome and the Amalfi Coast or Greece, with a day or two in Athens and a cruise to the islands and Turkey. I would be going in June or September.

Italy!! Fabulous time of year, not too hot yet!

Robin, <BR> <BR>I'm in the very same situation. After factoring in everything, I'm currently tilting towards Turkey & Greece. Let me know what you decide & why; I'd be very interested!

Extremely tough choice as I love both Greece & Italy. <BR> <BR>Both Rome and Athens have fabulous artifacts. However, you can justly spend 2-3 days in Athens (see the Acropolis, go to the museum, check out the Plaka) whereas you would be shortchanging yourself in Rome (you could easily spend a week in Rome itself). <BR> <BR>The Amalfi Coast is lovely but I so enjoyed the Greek Islands I went to because they are quite diverse (Santorini - the views from the caldera and from Oia are the best; Samos; Patmos; Hydra; Poros). <BR> <BR>I would say in terms of history perhaps Greece would be preferable this time as the Greek culture predates the Roman one. <BR> <BR>Good luck on your decision.

Wow, what a wonderful decision to make. I adore both Italy and Greece. <BR> <BR>If you are planning a cruise in Greece, consider that you won't have too much control over your destinations, or how long you spend in each port. (I love cruising, and don't necessarily consider that to be a drawback, just a fact.) Cruising is a great way to sample the highlights of each place, but much of the fun of cruising is the actual boat. <BR> <BR>In Italy, you could plan daytrips and activities based on your interests, or be spontaneous and do something recommeneded by a local -- always fun. <BR> <BR>Ultimately, I think it depends on how you want your vacation to be. Do you want to veg out on gorgeous beaches, watch the most amazing sunsets and party all night on the boat? Or do you want to spend time getting to know Rome and the surrounding areas, twirling pasta around your fork and washing it all down with a fabulous glass of sangiovese? <BR> <BR>Something tells me you'll be happy with either choice! Have fun.

athens was grose reminded me of the bronx in places. skip athsn and go to the greek islands some of them are like paradise