Have used TAP before. Liked them. Any airline suggestions?
I have 9 days to travel. Want to see southern Italy and some of Greece.
Fly into Salerno?
Where must I go in southern Italy?
Ferry recommendations: from where to where?
Must go to in Greece?
I'm a new traveler to Europe. This will be my second visit. Toured Rome north last October. Did Air BNB and loved it. My goal is to continue to concentrate on meeting and talking to lots of people. Didn't do waiting in line stuff. Talked a lot to people on the train system.
I am traveling with a friend; we are both older women.
I would appreciate any advise, thanks in advance.
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
A good overnight ferry service is probably Bari-Patras on superfast.com. The vessels are modern, service is good, prices are fair. Patras because from there you have easy access to Athens and will even see the Corinth canal en route. You will be traveling with lots of Italians and Greek travelers as well as with tourits from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France etc. bound for Greece.
There is so much to see and explore in Greece but given your time limitations I'd probably consider booking an open jaw into Naples or Catania or any place in Southern Italy your airline serves and return from Athens. You can focus on the Attica peninusla for a first visit, see Athens and all the historic sites there and day trip to Cape Sounio for the Posseidon temple and the view over the Aegean sea.
Posted by
Washington DC
27230 posts
If you're not into things like museums, I'm not sure it's a good use of your limited time to combine Italy and Greece on this very short trip. Moving around Greece is very slow. You won't see much unless you fly into Athens, and I suspect Athens will not be a favorite destination for you.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
I loved the rowdiness of Athens, but I haven't been back for quite a while, after five trips there.
With so little time I suggest you choose Italy or Greece but don't try to do both. You will lose two days traveling as it is.
Posted by
4473 posts
Look at the transit first--ferries eat time. I would do 9 days in southern Italy OR Greece, but not both.
No airport in Salerno, it would be Naples.
For Italy, you could do Naples and the Amalfi coast and venture a bit further south. See Greek temples south of Salerno.
Alternatively, you could fly into Bari or Brindisi and see "Magna Graecia."
Posted by
Ontario Canada
650 posts
We are doing southern Italy in May next year. Since suggestions are to fly into Naples you could get a train to Matera (2 days)Google this soon to be UNESCO site. The history is fascinating. From there train to Lecce for 2 days- there are some of the hotels that will book you a day tour around the heel of Italy. Train to Bari for a ferry to Athens. Figuring the 9 days does not included travel day to Naples and the day flight out of Athens and you use 4 of the 9 in Italy that will leave you 5 for Greece.
I would suggest you get an area map of Southern Italy and pick a few of the towns - google them and see if they interest you. Trains run almost everywhere, but calculate travel time between each town as that eats into your sightseeing time. There are sights that will tell these times.
Posted by
313 posts
Spend the nine days in Puglia. Save Greece for another time
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11247 posts
If the 9 days includes your travel to/from home, I would suggest you choose one destination, Greece or Italy.
If going to both is 'a must', then fly into one and out from the other is the best way to maximize your time there and minimize your interim travel time.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
The Sassi and chiese rupestri of Matera were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1993.
It is named as a City of Culture for 2019