Please help with route from Rome to Athens
 

My husband and I are planning a trip to Rome and Athens in June 2005. We have children who will be 11 and 9 1/2 at the time. My husband lived in Greece for six months (as a student 32 years ago!) He said that we could spend 3-4 days in Rome, take the train to Venice, spend 2 days there, and take the train to Athens. Then spend the rest of our time in Athens, take a boat back to Rome. We were thinking about two weeks in total. Is this doable? I assume the train is covered by the Eurorail pass. How about this boat? Does anyone know about this way of taking in both cities. I don't want a whirlwind trip, but I think it would be okay. How do I find out about the trains system in Europe and where it goes and how long it takes. I would be fine with two days on the train from Venice to Athens (if this exists), but more than that wouldn't work. Our children love the trains and have been on multi-day trips. Also, does anyone know how I would find out about this boat he talks about from Athens to Rome. If you aren't too tired yet from all of my questions, any suggestions on the "must sees" in these areas (we like museums, great food, great scenery, castles, architecture, and getting to know the people). We do not have to go in June, but I thought we would avoid the tourist season of July and August. Oh, by the way, this will be my children's first time anywhere other than North America. Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

Hi mosey,

I don't think you want to take the train from Venice to Athens. It's a 36 hr ride with at least two changes.

See http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Last May we flew from Rome ot Athens and back. The price was $ 200 US. Any other mode of transport took too much time out of our vacation. That said, the ferries from Athens go to Corfu then another to Bari then overland to Rome. Very time consuming. Maybe others know of a better way.
As far as places to see and go, I suggest the library first. Get as much info as you can on Italy and Greece and choose what you like. Also early June is a great time to go. Not too hot, not too many tourists.

I don't know about the train or boat connections, but why do you have to start and finish in Rome? It seems inconvenient, as Venice is north of Rome and Athens is south of Rome.

Wouldn't it make more sense to start in Venice and work south (train to Rome, then fly to Athens) or start in Athens and go north?

If you have not yet purchased Eurailpasses, how about "stop right there" (surely not, 15 months away). I haven't heard a single reason in your itinerary to spend hundreds (thousands?) of dollars on Eurailpasses.

I think that low cost flights from Italy to Athens operate from both Rome or Venice. See www.europebyair.com though I think there are lower cost options from one of its member airlines? Alpi Eagles?

If you are asking about ferry travel, then I think you can find all the info you want at www.youra.com

Best wishes,

Rex

You can take a ferry from Venice to Greece but I think they dock in Patras and a few other places but not Athens. These are overnight ferries and you can book a 4 berth cabin for the night. We used the Superfast line a few years ago from Bari to Patras. The ships start boarding around 6 or 7 pm and depart around 10 pm. I don't think we docked in Patras until 10 or 11 am the next day. The ferry had a casino, movie theater, disco etc.
www.greekferries.gr