Travelling From Seattle to Italy, Mid May
May 25th, 2015, 09:52 PM
#81
cmstraf: United is busy reducing flights making Seattle less important on their system, Delta is busy adding many flights making it into a major hub.
*If* one wants to fly to the east coast and change planes there, one can fly via Air Canada, United, and the whole normal gamut of airlines. (There are many more airlines and flights from Seattle to Asia nowadays than to Europe.)
*If* one want to fly nonstop from Seattle to Europe, the few choices are:
1. Delta to Paris, and Amsterdam, and London
2. Lufthansa and Condor to Frankfurt
3. British Air to London
4. Icelandic Air to Iceland, changing there to many locations in Europe.
Lots of other airlines have code-shares, but they are on one of the above 5 airlines.
*If* one wants to drive or fly a hundred or so miles north to Vancouver Canada there are many more airlines flying non-stop to many more locations in Europe.
*If* one wants to fly to the east coast and change planes there, one can fly via Air Canada, United, and the whole normal gamut of airlines. (There are many more airlines and flights from Seattle to Asia nowadays than to Europe.)
*If* one want to fly nonstop from Seattle to Europe, the few choices are:
1. Delta to Paris, and Amsterdam, and London
2. Lufthansa and Condor to Frankfurt
3. British Air to London
4. Icelandic Air to Iceland, changing there to many locations in Europe.
Lots of other airlines have code-shares, but they are on one of the above 5 airlines.
*If* one wants to drive or fly a hundred or so miles north to Vancouver Canada there are many more airlines flying non-stop to many more locations in Europe.
May 26th, 2015, 12:21 AM
#82
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cmstraf
i did the tour you recommeded. her name was Marlita. she was very knowledgable.
i need to thank you again for you kind advice. it would not be the same without it.
so for my next trip
, i diffinitely want to do florence and possibly another city in italy within 7-8 days. any recommendations? I have been to paris once for a few days but doing paris again and flying to florence is another option.
thanks much
S
i did the tour you recommeded. her name was Marlita. she was very knowledgable.
i need to thank you again for you kind advice. it would not be the same without it.
so for my next trip
, i diffinitely want to do florence and possibly another city in italy within 7-8 days. any recommendations? I have been to paris once for a few days but doing paris again and flying to florence is another option.thanks much
S
May 27th, 2015, 05:57 PM
#85
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First of all, go to Florence in winter season November through March. Florence holds crowds less gracefully than Venice or Rome. It is not an outside city the way Venice and Rome are. We love Florence in November (think Thanksgiving) or January post Christmas, but other months are good too if you don't get too close to Easter.
Florence is amazing for both art and food. You definitely want a hotel in the centro to avoid walking through lots of traffic and Vespas. With 7-8 days, I would spend the whole time in Florence and make day trips to Siena and other Tuscan towns. I also like the Paris option. From San Francisco, you can fly nonstop to Paris, stay there a few days, then take Air France on to Genoa (and therefore I think Florence as well. Alitalia may also go nonstop Paris-Forence).
We loved Japan...I might be repeating myself but any way you could be talked into Kyoto instead of Tokyo?? If not, make sure you spend at least one night (better two) in Hakone, beautiful with views of Mt Fuji, cool ryokans and an outdoor sculpture museum to die for.
Florence is amazing for both art and food. You definitely want a hotel in the centro to avoid walking through lots of traffic and Vespas. With 7-8 days, I would spend the whole time in Florence and make day trips to Siena and other Tuscan towns. I also like the Paris option. From San Francisco, you can fly nonstop to Paris, stay there a few days, then take Air France on to Genoa (and therefore I think Florence as well. Alitalia may also go nonstop Paris-Forence).
We loved Japan...I might be repeating myself but any way you could be talked into Kyoto instead of Tokyo?? If not, make sure you spend at least one night (better two) in Hakone, beautiful with views of Mt Fuji, cool ryokans and an outdoor sculpture museum to die for.
May 27th, 2015, 10:36 PM
#87
August77
You may find it easier to transfer in Amsterdam by taking the Delta non-stop Seattle to Amsterdam thence KLM to Florence. But yes, the Delta nonstop to Paris, transferring to Florida is also possible. Amsterdam is an easier transfer airport than Paris IMHO.
You can also fly nonstop Seattle to Frankfurt via Lufthansa and to London via British Air, transferring to Italy
If you want to fly from Vancouver, Canada (140 miles north) instead of Seattle there are more choices:
nonstops Vancouver to Munich via Lufthansa, to Frankfurt via Lufthansa, to Zurich via Austrian Airlines, to Paris via Air France, and to Amsterdam via KLM, transferring, and to London via Air Transat, Air Canada, and British Air transferring in each to Italy
From Seattle to Tokyo you can fly nonstop via ANA or Delta.
From Vancouver to Tokyo you can fly nonstop via Air Canada or Japan Airlines
From Vancouver to Osaka you can fly nonstop via Air Canada
All the above are the airlines who actually operate the flights, but they are all listed by a variety of airlines via code share.
You may find it easier to transfer in Amsterdam by taking the Delta non-stop Seattle to Amsterdam thence KLM to Florence. But yes, the Delta nonstop to Paris, transferring to Florida is also possible. Amsterdam is an easier transfer airport than Paris IMHO.
You can also fly nonstop Seattle to Frankfurt via Lufthansa and to London via British Air, transferring to Italy
If you want to fly from Vancouver, Canada (140 miles north) instead of Seattle there are more choices:
nonstops Vancouver to Munich via Lufthansa, to Frankfurt via Lufthansa, to Zurich via Austrian Airlines, to Paris via Air France, and to Amsterdam via KLM, transferring, and to London via Air Transat, Air Canada, and British Air transferring in each to Italy
From Seattle to Tokyo you can fly nonstop via ANA or Delta.
From Vancouver to Tokyo you can fly nonstop via Air Canada or Japan Airlines
From Vancouver to Osaka you can fly nonstop via Air Canada
All the above are the airlines who actually operate the flights, but they are all listed by a variety of airlines via code share.
May 29th, 2015, 11:13 AM
#91
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I recently flew on Delta from Portland to Venice via Amsterdam (and then Amsterdam home). I always prefer the non-stop direct to Europe, if possible (Seattle has a few direct options but we in Portland really only have our Delta flight to AMS - or the new Condor service in the summer only.) Connecting in the US on the way to/from Europe can be risky; a weather delay in one of the big US airports can delay your whole trip. If you fly direct to Europe, you generally get there in the morning, and you have all day to make up any lost time due to missed connections, etc.
My Delta flights to/from AMS were amazing - mostly because they were not full and I had empty seats next to me both ways in coach + AC power. On the flight into AMS, the plane was maybe half full and I had four seats to myself (could not sleep but I did lay down for a while). Of course, a flight can feel very different if it is full and you are cramped in a lousy seat. But I've taken this same Delta flight several times when it was full and always aim for it if I can.
I also like connecting in Amsterdam: Schiphol airport is huge but also very efficient. There is a recent thread here about security changes there, though, that occurred just after I passed through two weeks ago.
My Delta flights to/from AMS were amazing - mostly because they were not full and I had empty seats next to me both ways in coach + AC power. On the flight into AMS, the plane was maybe half full and I had four seats to myself (could not sleep but I did lay down for a while). Of course, a flight can feel very different if it is full and you are cramped in a lousy seat. But I've taken this same Delta flight several times when it was full and always aim for it if I can.
I also like connecting in Amsterdam: Schiphol airport is huge but also very efficient. There is a recent thread here about security changes there, though, that occurred just after I passed through two weeks ago.
May 30th, 2015, 05:41 AM
#92
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I have made up my mind. Although i look forward to a trip back to Italy to visit Florence and the Naples my next trip will be Japan most likely in April. I guess I have to create a new post for that about how to spread the days between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Thanks all
May 30th, 2015, 08:38 AM
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Hi August,
Congrats on the decision and see you on the Asia forum! I highly recommend an open jaw flight, flying into Osaka airport and out of Tokyo or vice versa. To get your thinking started, you can find a l-o-n-g four part trip report for 2008 if you click my name.
If you are thinking of sakura (cherry blossoms), the end of March might be a better guess than April. Check others' posts. Although he doesn't post much these days, Hawaiian traveler is great with weather.
Congrats on the decision and see you on the Asia forum! I highly recommend an open jaw flight, flying into Osaka airport and out of Tokyo or vice versa. To get your thinking started, you can find a l-o-n-g four part trip report for 2008 if you click my name.
If you are thinking of sakura (cherry blossoms), the end of March might be a better guess than April. Check others' posts. Although he doesn't post much these days, Hawaiian traveler is great with weather.
