I’m afraid my expertise on this question ends at the Italian border, but I’ll refer you to a sister site, WhyGo Greece, for all your Greece travel needs!

http://www.greecelogue.com/

]]> http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html/comment-page-1#comment-70744 Diana Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:41:59 +0000 http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html#comment-70744 Hello Jessica, thank you for your articles, they have been a great help. I do have a question.... I'm trying to find a flight from Rome to Santorini, Greece but it seems that there are no direct flights. I found one that get is into Athens at 6:30pm. where do I go form there? is there a ferry to santorini that will be able to tak us the same night? Any help will be appreciated. Thank you, Diana

Hello Jessica,

thank you for your articles, they have been a great help. I do have a question…. I’m trying to find a flight from Rome to Santorini, Greece but it seems that there are no direct flights. I found one that get is into Athens at 6:30pm. where do I go form there? is there a ferry to santorini that will be able to tak us the same night? Any help will be appreciated.
Thank you,
Diana

]]> http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html/comment-page-1#comment-59525 Jessica Fri, 28 Oct 2011 02:02:51 +0000 http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html#comment-59525 For the Italy portion of your trip, it seems like you're making pretty big jumps location-wise - and the Bari-Sicily one in particular is giving me pause. Southern Italy isn't as well-connected by trains as the north, so although Bari's a big city it might be kind of convoluted to get all the way across to Sicily from there in a reasonable day. Not only that, you're closer to Greece in Bari than you are in Sicily, so that seems like some unnecessary backtracking. Here's my article about planning an itinerary, which may help you - the main things that I think would be good would be to study a map to lay out all your destinations on it, and look up transportation times between each one to see how much time you'd be "losing" to transit: http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-create-the-perfect-italy-itinerary.html You can look up train schedules using the box at the top of this page: http://www.italylogue.com/train For the Greece part of your trip, I'll refer you to WhyGo Greece! :) http://www.greecelogue.com/

For the Italy portion of your trip, it seems like you’re making pretty big jumps location-wise – and the Bari-Sicily one in particular is giving me pause. Southern Italy isn’t as well-connected by trains as the north, so although Bari’s a big city it might be kind of convoluted to get all the way across to Sicily from there in a reasonable day. Not only that, you’re closer to Greece in Bari than you are in Sicily, so that seems like some unnecessary backtracking.

Here’s my article about planning an itinerary, which may help you – the main things that I think would be good would be to study a map to lay out all your destinations on it, and look up transportation times between each one to see how much time you’d be “losing” to transit:
http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-create-the-perfect-italy-itinerary.html

You can look up train schedules using the box at the top of this page:
http://www.italylogue.com/train

For the Greece part of your trip, I’ll refer you to WhyGo Greece!
http://www.greecelogue.com/

]]> http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html/comment-page-1#comment-59110 Gina Macchitelli Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:37:10 +0000 http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html#comment-59110 Hi - need some advice about overall itinenary and transportation options for an Italy to Greece Trip for Sept/2012 for 8 adults for 2 1/2 - 3 weeks:. Here is what are initial thoughts are and let me know what isn't possible/feasible or other recommendations ( but these are cities/regions we want to see): THANKS! - Fly non stop to Rome from Chicago - 3 nights - Train to Bari - 3-4 nights - Fly or Train/Ferry from Bari to Sicily - 4 nights - Ferry or Fly from Sicily to Athens - 2 nights - Fly or Ferry to Mykonos - 2 nights - Ferry to Naxos - 2 nights - Ferry from Naxos to another island TBD - 2 -3 nights - Fly/Ferry back to Athens - Fly back to Chicago

Hi – need some advice about overall itinenary and transportation options for an Italy to Greece Trip for Sept/2012 for 8 adults for 2 1/2 – 3 weeks:.
Here is what are initial thoughts are and let me know what isn’t possible/feasible or other recommendations ( but these are cities/regions we want to see): THANKS!

– Fly non stop to Rome from Chicago – 3 nights
– Train to Bari – 3-4 nights
– Fly or Train/Ferry from Bari to Sicily – 4 nights
– Ferry or Fly from Sicily to Athens – 2 nights
– Fly or Ferry to Mykonos – 2 nights
– Ferry to Naxos – 2 nights
– Ferry from Naxos to another island TBD – 2 -3 nights
– Fly/Ferry back to Athens – Fly back to Chicago

]]> http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html/comment-page-1#comment-29373 Jessica Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:57:13 +0000 http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html#comment-29373 Hi, Donna: My husband has a great method for choosing between things you think you can't possibly choose between. Put all options in a hat. Draw one. If you don't immediately feel excited about the choice, you know it wasn't the one you really wanted. Keep drawing until you DO feel excited. :) It sounds silly, but it works. I'm not sure which other article you're referencing, but here are the articles I've written about travel packages in Italy: http://www.italylogue.com/italy-travel-packages http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/why-you-might-want-to-consider-an-italy-travel-package.html Whether you book a package tour or not, you can look at some itineraries to get an idea of what they think are the "must-see" places on an Italy trip, which may give you a starting point for a one-week visit. There are also travel consultants who'll plan your trip for you, start to finish - for a fee. If that's what you're interested in, let me know (I have never used one, but I have some friends who do that and specialize in Italy). Really, there are lots of options for package trips that aren't big bus tours - that's the stereotype that everyone (well, everyone I know) wants to avoid, and thankfully these days it's pretty easily done. With so many former backpackers growing up and starting their own families, they want to still go a bit rustic but don't have the time to plan everything themselves, so there are tour companies that have taken that to heart. Those are the kinds of tours we typically sell at BootsnAll - you can see a listing of the kinds of tours available now: http://adventures.bootsnall.com/destinations/europe/italy/ You can narrow down the choices by choosing from the drop-down menus at the top right - select Italy and then either 4-7 days or 8-11 days (or both, just to see the differences) and you'll see what's on offer. In fact, you might find one that includes both Italy and Greece. And another thought, although I'm not a huge fan of cruises, there are Mediterranean cruises that take in ports in both Italy and Greece - for your time constraints, that may be something to consider. There are also shorter tours you can take once you're in Italy that don't cover the whole trip, but are good for excursions and things like that. You can learn more about Italy tours (and see some examples available now) on this page: http://www.italylogue.com/italy-tour Hope that helps! Jessica

Hi, Donna:

My husband has a great method for choosing between things you think you can’t possibly choose between. Put all options in a hat. Draw one. If you don’t immediately feel excited about the choice, you know it wasn’t the one you really wanted. Keep drawing until you DO feel excited. It sounds silly, but it works.

I’m not sure which other article you’re referencing, but here are the articles I’ve written about travel packages in Italy:
http://www.italylogue.com/italy-travel-packages
http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/why-you-might-want-to-consider-an-italy-travel-package.html

Whether you book a package tour or not, you can look at some itineraries to get an idea of what they think are the “must-see” places on an Italy trip, which may give you a starting point for a one-week visit. There are also travel consultants who’ll plan your trip for you, start to finish – for a fee. If that’s what you’re interested in, let me know (I have never used one, but I have some friends who do that and specialize in Italy).

Really, there are lots of options for package trips that aren’t big bus tours – that’s the stereotype that everyone (well, everyone I know) wants to avoid, and thankfully these days it’s pretty easily done. With so many former backpackers growing up and starting their own families, they want to still go a bit rustic but don’t have the time to plan everything themselves, so there are tour companies that have taken that to heart. Those are the kinds of tours we typically sell at BootsnAll – you can see a listing of the kinds of tours available now:

http://adventures.bootsnall.com/destinations/europe/italy/

You can narrow down the choices by choosing from the drop-down menus at the top right – select Italy and then either 4-7 days or 8-11 days (or both, just to see the differences) and you’ll see what’s on offer.

In fact, you might find one that includes both Italy and Greece. And another thought, although I’m not a huge fan of cruises, there are Mediterranean cruises that take in ports in both Italy and Greece – for your time constraints, that may be something to consider.

There are also shorter tours you can take once you’re in Italy that don’t cover the whole trip, but are good for excursions and things like that. You can learn more about Italy tours (and see some examples available now) on this page:

http://www.italylogue.com/italy-tour

Hope that helps!
Jessica

]]> http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html/comment-page-1#comment-29372 Donna Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:26:41 +0000 http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html#comment-29372 Hi Jessica! Thanks so much for your wise words - I have forwarded to my son. I agree with you on all counts, but how to choose from so many great places? In a different article, you mentioned not organized in a big bus kind of tours, but an alternative that plots everything out - can't remember what you called them. Anyway, I didn't see a link to that kind of scheduling and if you could point me in the right direction so I might check that out, I'd appreciate it! Thanks again, Donna

Hi Jessica!
Thanks so much for your wise words – I have forwarded to my son.
I agree with you on all counts, but how to choose from so many great places?
In a different article, you mentioned not organized in a big bus kind of tours, but an alternative that plots everything out – can’t remember what you called them. Anyway, I didn’t see a link to that kind of scheduling and if you could point me in the right direction so I might check that out, I’d appreciate it!
Thanks again,
Donna

]]> http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html/comment-page-1#comment-29371 Jessica Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:26:12 +0000 http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html#comment-29371 Hi, Donna: Wow, two weeks for both Italy AND Greece? If you can't talk him into one or the other country alone, then here's what I'd suggest. Start with the assumption that you'll have one week in each country (and please, whatever else you do, fly into one airport and out of another to keep from having to backtrack!). If the trip is mainly for your son, then have him tell you what his absolutely top priorities are in each country. Have a map of Mediterranean Europe handy. This is going to be an interactive thing with him. :) For instance, if he says he just HAS to see Rome, Florence, and Venice - and he also wants to hit Athens and the Greek Islands, then you point out that those things aren't 15 minutes apart from one another. What you'll have to do together is figure out what you're comfortable cutting from the vacation wish list. Maybe you'll see all the antiquities in Athens so you'll skip Rome (just an example, not to say the two are the same at all). It may become clear that he wants to see one of the countries more than the other, in which case you can do 10 days in that country & 6 days in the other (or something like that). I think the biggest thing to keep in mind - and to impress upon your son - is that travel time between each of the places you'll go eats into your "on the ground" time. I love Italian trains, but hours spent on the train isn't like hours spent walking around Rome. When you start factoring in travel time from place to place, you'll see just how little actual vacation time you have left - and your son might just concede that it's better to see fewer places but see them more completely. At least I hope he does. :) I hope that helps you start out - feel free to let me know if you have more questions; I just think that to begin with you've got to get your son involved and thinking realistically about how much time European travel can take. Ciao, Jessica

Hi, Donna:

Wow, two weeks for both Italy AND Greece? If you can’t talk him into one or the other country alone, then here’s what I’d suggest.

Start with the assumption that you’ll have one week in each country (and please, whatever else you do, fly into one airport and out of another to keep from having to backtrack!). If the trip is mainly for your son, then have him tell you what his absolutely top priorities are in each country. Have a map of Mediterranean Europe handy. This is going to be an interactive thing with him.

For instance, if he says he just HAS to see Rome, Florence, and Venice – and he also wants to hit Athens and the Greek Islands, then you point out that those things aren’t 15 minutes apart from one another. What you’ll have to do together is figure out what you’re comfortable cutting from the vacation wish list. Maybe you’ll see all the antiquities in Athens so you’ll skip Rome (just an example, not to say the two are the same at all). It may become clear that he wants to see one of the countries more than the other, in which case you can do 10 days in that country & 6 days in the other (or something like that).

I think the biggest thing to keep in mind – and to impress upon your son – is that travel time between each of the places you’ll go eats into your “on the ground” time. I love Italian trains, but hours spent on the train isn’t like hours spent walking around Rome. When you start factoring in travel time from place to place, you’ll see just how little actual vacation time you have left – and your son might just concede that it’s better to see fewer places but see them more completely.

At least I hope he does.

I hope that helps you start out – feel free to let me know if you have more questions; I just think that to begin with you’ve got to get your son involved and thinking realistically about how much time European travel can take.

Ciao,
Jessica

]]> http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html/comment-page-1#comment-29313 Donna Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:54:52 +0000 http://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/how-to-get-from-italy-to-greece-and-vice-versa.html#comment-29313 Hi Jessica! I have JUST started trying to plan a family trip in celebration of our son’s graduation - he wants to go to Italy AND Greece and we realistically only have 14-16 days … ALL of your articles are just great, but this is hugely overwhelming! Any suggestions for an itinerary that will be good for a Mom and Dad and 23 year year old? Don’t think we really are organized tour kinds of people … We will have to travel in May as he only has a 30 day window between graduation and OCS in Newport, RI. Thanks for any assistance you might provide Donna

Hi Jessica!
I have JUST started trying to plan a family trip in celebration of our son’s graduation – he wants to go to Italy AND Greece and we realistically only have 14-16 days … ALL of your articles are just great, but this is hugely overwhelming!
Any suggestions for an itinerary that will be good for a Mom and Dad and 23 year year old? Don’t think we really are organized tour kinds of people …
We will have to travel in May as he only has a 30 day window between graduation and OCS in Newport, RI.
Thanks for any assistance you might provide
Donna

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