Europe - Italy and Greece

Off the top of my head I’d fly into Venice, then train to Florence and maybe Pisa, train to Rome, fly to Santorini (likely w layover in Athens), then fly back to Athens, then home from there

Reason - I think you will get the best flights to Greece from Rome so you need to do Rome last in Italy. Geographically then Venice first makes sense.

END in Athens to avoid the issue of how to get back in time for a flight from Santorini.

Could reverse this (Santorini/Athens/Rome...)

1. Fly open jaw (multi city) into your first city and out of your last. 2l Pisa can be done as a day trip from Florence.
2. Start in Venice (add an extra day there if at all possible, since your first day will be a jet lagged blur.)
3. Take the train to Florence and then Rome.
4. Fly to Santorini
5. Fly or ferry to Athens

Having said that, you're going to lose a lot of time transiting between places, especially after Rome. You would do well to either eliminate at least one stop or add extra days for Venice and Athens.

Thanks Mira and CJean! Hope I'm not too late to book now...getting excited :)

Skip Pisa.Add that day to Venice.
Take a day crom Santorini and add it to Athens.

I strongly agree with Suki on your time allocation for Greece. Athens needs more than 2 days. It’s said here to think in terms of nights, not days. 2 nights = 1, maybe 1.5 days. Plenty to do in Athens in 3 full days. On the other hand, while 3 full days in Santorini would be nice, 2 isn’t bad.

If I were trying to hit your destinations, I would start in Greece, then fly ATH-VCE and then work my way to Rome and fly home from there. ( Assuming N America is home)

Yes I will be departing from California! Thanks for the feedback.