Rome possibly Athens? I have 7 days in early May

Is this your first trip to Europe?

For many/most of us the arrival day (after an overnight transatlantic flight) is of limited value from a sightseeing perspective because we are severely sleep-deprived and jetlagged. And the day we fly back to the US/Canada is usually devoted mostly to breakfast, checking out of the hotel, and getting to the airport early for security procedures, so not much sightseeing happens then, either. Therefore, we count six nights on the ground in Europe as five full sightseeing days, plus perhaps a few hours of wandering around on the arrival day (preferably outdoors), trying to stay awake.

Five days is not too long for Rome. If you want a change of scenery, you can go to Ostia Antica or the pretty hill town of Orvieto for the day.

To get to Athens from Rome would require a flight (over half a day lost), which I wouldn't be willing to put up with in the middle of such a short trip. And if you're flying back home from Rome, you'd first have to fly from Athens back to Rome, messing up another day of your trip. Definitely not a good idea.

I am going to Rome for 7 days 6 nights.... I was wondering if that's too much time in Rome?

NO

would it be to little time to see both Rome and Athens

YES

Yes, it will be our First time In Europe. We leave May 9th and return May 15th from Louisville, Kentucky. To be quite honest I'm a bit intimidated I'm just a small town hick from Brandenburg Ky. I have always wanted to go and I'm finally in position to.

Dustin.pike,

We leave May 9th and return May 15th.

If the above dates are correct, you only have 5 nights (assuming you’ll arrive in Rome on May 10th) which translates to 4 full days to visit Rome.

Is it possible to add a few more days so you can at least take one day trip from Rome?

I am leaving the 9th on a Thursday I could return that next Saturday but that would be the very latest due to work obligations. So that could be a 10 day trip at the very latest

May 9th - 18th .....being 9th leaving and 18th returning...

I've been to Rome countless times and still continue to find new things to enjoy as well as returning to some of my favourite sights. Rome can easily fill the short time you have even if you do extend the trip to 10 days (really only 7/8 days touring) or include some visits to nearby areas. Going to Athens is a bad use of your limited time. Europe may look relatively small on a map but travelling within is not as straightforward or as fast as travelling within the US.

Don't forget that you leave on day 1 but don't arrive (jetlagged, overnight) until day 2. When you fly back you arrive on the same day you leave, but that last day is totally devoted to getting packed up and getting to the airport and coming home.

Because you are so jetlagged (almost certainly but some people don't feel it as much - you won't know until you try to function on day 2 and 3) day 2 and part of day 3 will have you moving slowly and for less day than you want it to be.

If you try to add in Athens you will be a tired teddy bear at the end.

You already have your answer many times over, but I will add another.
Don't try to do both, especially adding another country!

If you had said Rome and Florence, that might have made sense. Still, better to stick to Rome and if you like a day trip. Check out Viator and TripAdvisor for Things to Do from Rome.

Hi Dustin, Just remember, everyone here was pretty intimidated by our first trip and a lot of us felt like a hick from smalltown USA. On the other hand, you are bravely taking the first step in what I hope will be years of happy travelling.

It's probably smart to keep your countries to one on your first trip...only one new language, culture, diet to adapt to. And Rome is a great place to start. Lots of neat stuff to see and people who are pretty laid back and generally glad you have come. People here do go on about jet lag and it is a thing. And yet, some days at home you are probably short on sleep and not at you best, so don't let it unnerve you. I would just suggest no glass blowing classes on day 1.
You and your mom picked Rome as the destination for your first trip. What is it that you have been hoping to see and do that made you chose Rome? How can we help you plan the best trip ever?
KP

I've done over 30 trips to Europe (from the US) and none as short as 6 days and I would never consider that. Just too much time, energy and expense for that short a trip. So number one suggestion is to increase the time as much as possible - whatever it takes. Can't you squeeze another day or two from work (beg, borrow, steal it)? Even if you have 8 days on the ground (leave Thursday, return the following Saturday) that's just enough for a quick trip to Italy. I did do a trip that length a couple years ago with a friend who had never been and we did the 'whirlwind' 8 days tour of Venice, Florence and Rome. I usually advise against such fast travel but we had a great time and my friend loved it. So you could do that, or more reasonable just do Rome and Florence with a day trip from each if you get bored (probably won't).

Here's my trip report from that trip - https://andiamo.zenfolio.com/blog/2017/5/italy-through-fresh-eyes---chashing-the-sun-in-italy-in-march

But even if you extend it to 8 days, and even though I (and others) are giving you advice to include another town such as Florence, in no way would going all the way to Athens be a good idea.

Florence is an easy train ride from Rome and the tourist area is much more compact. If you have any interest in Florence and are comfortable taking a train when you first get off the plane, you might even want to go there first.

Hey dustin,

With the amount of time dedicated to your holiday, even with an extra day or two, I would concentrate making your base in Rome. There is so much to see, but with the time you have, you'll visit most of the (tourist) highlights.

If you want to venture out for a day, the medieval, quaint city of Orvieto is a nice choice. It's in the Umbria region. It's a little over an hour's train ride from Rome (Termini.) It would be a relaxing, slower paced visit. You could see a lot in one whole day.

Here's a link for you to browse and spark your interest: http://www.orvietoonline.com/

Arrive very early. Trains run late into the evening for return. I found Termini to be safe late at night. As a suggestion, exit toward the bus depots. It has more people, better lighting (than the other entrances/exits). Just keep aware and keep a big, city attitude. There are police and military all around the entrances and bus depots; which is out front of Termini.

I suggest wearing a small to medium size cross body (with a strong material and strong strap) for your out and about activities. It's easier to manage. Don't hang it on the back of any chair whether inside or outside.

But, if your preference is a backpack, use a manageable size and don't keep any valuables in easy to get to pockets. (Use a twist tie to secure the zipper that you may have your valuables - phone, camera, tickets, stuff like that. Maybe invest in a money belt or similar to keep extra euro, card, tickets.)

I love Rome. I've been twice so far and haven't even touched a smidgen, lol.

Have fun!

Also, if you go to Orvieto, try their Classico vino. Orvieto is well known for its wine.

You can possibly have 8 nights on the ground if you return on the 18th.
I would devote no more than 4 to Rome and the other 4 to either Florence to the north (with Tuscany day trip from Florence) or to the Gulf of Naples area (Sorrento) to the south. Both are about 2 hours from Rome (north or south of Rome).
In either case I would leave the last 4 nights to Rome and do the other first.

Don’t bother with Athens. Leave Greece for another trip when you have more time to visit the Greek islands also.

Thank you all I really appreciate it. I will not be going to Athens I might try a day in Florence but still debating. You all have pointed out things I'd of never thought of such as the jet lag. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Dustin, congratulations on your first trip to Europe. May it just be the first of many trips to Europe and far beyond. I agree with all the others, with a quite short trip, stick to Italy. If you can extend your original plan by a few days, you can consider including beautiful Florence. Do some reading. Rick Steves guide books are great for details, I also like DK Eyewitness Travel books that also have a lot of color photos. Of course, there are many, many web sites that cover various aspects of both cities.
I am a big fan of Orvieto, just over one hour from Rome by frequent trains. Not only is it a beautiful and ancient hill town, with many things to see for a small town, a trip there gives you the experience of small town Italy, and even some rural scenery from the train. Rome and Florence are both wonderful, but are bustling urban centers, congested, lots of tourists, etc. More relaxing small towns are certainly an important aspect of Italian life and culture.
Most of all, I encourage you not to spend all your time rushing from one world-class site to another, even though there are many. Seek out some “experiences”. Visit one or two outdoor (or indoor) markets in a leisurely way, maybe buy some foods for a picnic lunch in a park. Maybe take a food tour. Stroll a less touristy neighborhood, stopping into local shops and cafes or wine shops. Seek out sunset view points and things like that. Often it is the experiences and personal interactions that can become some of your best memories, even more than the famous sites and museums, as fine as those can be too.

I would definitely try to do the 8 nights. It will make a big difference to have a couple more days. You will enjoy Italy more because it takes a few days to get used to it. We did a 8 night trip to Spain a few years ago because our daughter was studying abroad and that was all the time we could manage because we had to depend on a relative to stay with our younger sons. We had a marvelous time and so will you.

I have been to Athens and it is a much harder city to combine with Rome for logistical reasons. But also it is a big city too so I personally would think if you have 8 nights of spending 3 of them in Florence. It is very different than Rome. I would go there immediately upon arrival so you end up in Rome where you will fly out. I also think because Florence is smaller it would be easier to maneuver for a first time visitor. We went to Rome first many years ago and then Florence and I think it would have been better the other way around.

I only get 10 nights per trip, so you can indeed make this work. But the key to making it work is to be ruthless about making sure the trip is confined to only a few places, and accept - going in - that you will have to return to see anything that couldn't fit on this trip. I like Roberto's suggestions (no surprise, as he's originally from Florence, so he knows what he's talking about). Even on a short trip like yours, you can certainly see more than just Rome if you wish - as long as it's something like Naples or Florence, places close to Rome with frequent and fast train connections. On the other hand, you won't run out of things to see and do in Rome - including just strolling and relaxing (one of my favorite activities there).

Since this is your first trip to Europe, start with basics. Get a copy of Rick Steves Europe Through The Back Door. This need not be the most recent edition - a used copy or one from the library is sufficient. Read the first half, which will tell you all about how things work in Europe - hotels, money, transportation, etc. You'll even see that he has a whole discussion about why adding Greece to a European trip is harder than it seems (you're not the first to have this issue).

Then get a copy of Rick Steves Italy or Rick Steves Rome (depending on whether you're just spending time in the Rome area, or are also going to Florence or Naples). For these, you do want the latest 2019 edition (he updates these titles every year). These will have lots of specifics, including answering questions you didn't even think to ask. One of Rick's specialties is very specific directions that make things easy for first-timers. For instance, he won't just say that "you can take the train" between Rome and Ostia Antica, but he will give step-by-step directions on which trains you need, what kind of ticket, etc.

Another great place to start is watching his videos. Here is the link; scroll down and open Italy, then watch the ones on Rome, then on other places if you wish. https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show

I also agree with a point made above: You've booked tickets to Rome, but what made you choose it over other places? The answer to this question will help you focus your trip, as well as point the way to further questions to ask here. A guidebook is the best resource for general questions like "what are the typical highlights of Rome for most visitors?" or "what are some good hotels?". But a board like this can be great for more specific questions like "Where can I find stores selling used CD's in Rome?" or "I'm particularly interested in sculpture. Besides the Borghese Gallery, what other places should I make sure to visit?"

And yes, coming from a big city does make Rome easier, but even coming from New York, I had to make all kinds of adjustments. For instance, lunch at sit down restaurants is served from about 12:30 to 3 PM (Romans start at 1), and dinner at sit down restaurants is served from about 7 to 11 PM (Romans start at 8). And there is usually only one seating per night, so if you don't get to lunch by about 1:30 or dinner by about 9, it can be hard to get a table. There are places to get food between those hours, but few restaurants have the continuous service we're used to in the US; most close between lunch and dinner. Not a problem, as long as you know what to expect, but a good example of a potential issue if you don't do some research first.