We are scheduled for a late April, early May trip to Italy and Greece for 17 days. Originally, the schedule we decided on was the following:<BR>Venice - 2 days<BR>Florence - 2 days<BR>Siena - 3 days<BR>Ravello- 2 days<BR>Rome - 3 days<BR>Leave Rome for Athens, leave Athens to Santorini via hydrofoil on the same day<BR>Santorini - 4 days<BR>Return to JFK from Athens<BR><BR>My husband is now worried about the Greece portion of the trip due to it's proximity to the Middle East conflict.<BR><BR>I am not sure what to do, and at this point, there is no additional cost incurred by changing our return flight out of Rome instead of Athens.<BR><BR>Any suggestions on whether to skip Greece or not? And if so, where should I add a day or two in Italy? I'm all ears, so please advise. Please also know that our hotel reservations are pretty much booked and I will have to move a lot of stuff around if we decide to stay in Italy (ie tours, car rentals, trains sked's etc.) Thanks!<BR>

Nobody can really predict what will happen with respect to the war. Most likely, it will be OK to travel to Greece; so if you aren't particularly worried, go for it. But if going would worry you, I would drop Greece and change the rest of the itinerary as follows:<BR>-Venice 4 days<BR>-Florence and Siena 5 days total (but I'd stay in one or the other and take day trips, rather than move from one city to the other and repack/unpack.)<BR>-Ravello 2 days<BR>-Rome 6 days<BR><BR>This is also a somewhat more relaxed schedule than the one that includes Greece. Most of all, it gives you more time in Venice, which you will love (I think). Good luck.

Baghdad is about 1250 miles from Athens. I don't recall hearing anybody say that Sadam has weapons that will reach so far and even if he did, why shouldn't they reach another 800 miles to Rome? Or is your husband worried that the US might drop something more destructive than the bombs they've been using so far on Iraq? <BR><BR>Exercising caution is one thing, but sometimes you have to use a bit of common sense and weigh up the odds.<BR><BR>

Your husband is absolutely correct - Santorini would be Sadam's number one choice for deploying a WMD - far more significant than Rome. In all seriousness why spend all the money and time going to &quot;Greece&quot; for four days limited to Santorini. Spend this vacation in Italy - save Greece for another day and enjoy it to its fullest. Enjoy your trip!

Slightly different slant. I'm pretty certain this war is not going to be a problem for Greece any more than for any other part of the EU; but if you feel concerned, why spoil your holiday worrying?

Charlie, I like the comment about Santorini being Sadam's #1 choice! However, I not sure I agree with your second comment about spending all that time and money just to go there for 4 days. I hope to make my 4th trip to Hong Kong next year and can't imagine travelling that far to go anywhere in the Far East without allowing the time and money to spend at least a few days in HK - maybe travelindiva feels the same way about Santorini. <BR><BR>OTOH, if it's her first visit to that area, then maybe a few days in Santorini might just be a taster before she decides on whether to spend more time in Greece. <BR><BR>It will also provide a few days' R &amp; R at the end of a busy holiday, in a very different location from all the cities she has visited. OK, I realise that Ravello isn't a city, but if it was chosen for its famous musical recitals, then it's still another culture stop on a fairly hectic schedule.

Pretty much agree with Wayne except I would give Ravello 3 days and Rome 5 days. Four days In Venice is good as your first day may very well be a blurr after a long trip. Remember that you will lose at least a half day every time you transfer locations.

To my jaundiced eye, Greece is full of large areas of scrub and hot stone, which are what is left of a great early civilisation. It is hard to connect them with Sophocles or Aristotle. So I say drop Greece, and have more time for your other visits.<BR><BR>[email protected]<BR>

Ben, you may be this board's resident expert on London, but it doesn't sound to me like you've travelled very extensively in mainland Greece or the western isles. Even some of the eastern islands (Samos and Skiathos spring to mind) are very verdant and not at all like the picture of &quot;large areas of scrub and hot stone&quot; that you paint.<BR><BR>Maybe you need to get away from the city for a while and try appreciating a few more natural landscapes.

<BR>On the day that you leave Rome for Athens, you could just fly on to Santorini. After all, when you get off the plan from Rome, there you will be at the Athens airport ready to board a plane to Santorini. Then, I think I'd return (using the r.t. air ticket, or by hydrofoil) to Athens the day before the return to JFK and visit the Acropolis.<BR><BR>

Hi diva,<BR> Is there a particular reason for visiting Santorini? If not, I second Wayne's suggestion.<BR> Save Greece for another trip.

Thanks everyone for your honest feedback! In answer to Ira's question, the reason for the stop in Santorini was purely for R&amp;R after a busy trek in Italy. Neither of us have ever been to Greece (I've been to Italy but a first for my husband). After some soul searching on this one, I think I am going to stick with the Santorini plan. Now, just have to figure out what is the most direct way from Rome to Santorini. Wish there was a direct flight. Ok, thanks again for the help and hope to have made the right choice.

have you considered Sicily or Sardenia for R&amp;R? less time spent in the air, possibly more time relaxing?

I agree with Xenos. I think Greece is fabulous, and if there is anyone on this board who knows fabulousness (and the best shops and liquor establishments) it is me. Where else can you just walk out your front door and have the locals offer you grilled octopus and Uzo at 4 in the morning???? Go just to find cute sandals and handmade jewelry. My god, when I think of my time spent on Hydra, floating on a raft in the Aegean, being fanned by the local children while a former sailor in a loincloth, named Dinos, pourd wine from a sheepskin bag in my mouth.....oh, the memories. Go!

ThinGorjus,<BR> The sailor named his loincloth Dinos?<BR><BR> (I'm sorry. I just couldn't resist.)

You say you want to go to Santorini for R&amp;R after a busy trek in Italy? Well, there aren't any fast boats (you mean catamaran, not hydrofoil) between Pireaus and Santorini, so that will mean a long journey each way by conventional ferry, after a 1 1/2 hour trip from the airport, and a wait for the ferry to depart. Hardly R&amp;R in my opinion.<BR><BR>Why not fly from Athens Airport to Santorini instead? There are several flights each day with Olympic and Aegean Airlines, and the trip takes less than an hour.You can find their schedules at http://www.aegeanair.com/aegeanen/home/index.asp and http://www.olympic-airways.gr/.