Anyone recently traveled from Italy (Brindisi) to Athens (via Patros) by ferry? My sisters and I are considering for the beginning of Sept. We're going on a 3 week tour, ending in Athens...a couple of people have said the ferry is a "fun" way to travel...but, its been a while since they've ridden and I'm not convinced - is it worth it or should we spring the extra $$ to fly from Rome?
Posted by
Wilmington, DE, USA
712 posts
Our high school art club just did it with a group of teenagers. They started in Rome. Went down to Capri. Traveled over and took the ferry to Greece and toured in Greece and Athens. A friends daughter who is 18 loved the trip. They went in July. She reported that she did not like the big cities of Athens and Rome but loved the rest of the trip. Don't know if this will help you since it is an 18 year olds prepective who just graduated High School in June.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
83 posts
My girlfriend & I took the opposite direction from Patras-Bari overnight by ferry this year. Mixed feelings from both of us. We didn't spend a whole lot of time doing anything 'fun' - and it's overnight so not much to look at. oh, and the ferries completely inflate food & drink prices. BYOB
a couple of considerations I'll point out:
if you are starting from Rome, you'll spend 2 travel days - making your way Rome to Brindisi (7+ hours by train?) then ferry ride overnight to Patras & on to Athens (3+ hours by bus) . if you fly, you'll arrive the same day & have extra time to spend enjoying yourself not running around.
by ferry, unless you're prepared to literally camp out on the deck the least you should do is reserve the airplane type seats. compare that price.
But Mobissimo has plane tix in early Sept FCO-ATH for around $150. If that's for real, then totally worth it, I say.
In short, you go by ferry because it's cheap.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8050 posts
I have done the Patras-Bari ferry, as a previous poster mentioned, it is overnight so not much to see after the first few hours, few slot machines serve as a casino, expensive beer and drinks, food is so-so. Had the Airline seats, OK for sitting but not much for sleeping. As was said, maybe cheap transport, definitely an experience, but if flying was about the same price or slightly more expensive, I would fly.