What to do? Planning a trip to Italy and Greece

Liberation day will not be a factor -- mostly localized ceremonies in each town that take an hour or so.

May day, depending on the city, could be a congestion problem. Some tend to be quite large demonstrations that can last for several hours.

Neither will impact hotels, restaurants, etc. Attractions may be impacted by closure to a very limited extent, so if something is very important, check it out.

Math doesn't work for me: Rome 3, Tuscany 4, Crete 3 -- that's ten. "The rest" in Athens is only 2.

Skip one spot and you should be tight but okay, for me it would be Crete but you may have an over-riding consideration. Two days is not enough for Athens.

Hi Ed. Thanks for the information! It sounds like Liberation day is not much of a factor at all. Have you been to Crete before, or does it not look like some where you would like to visit? Just wondering why you would say to skip it.
From reading other info on this site, it sounds like taking a train from Rome to Florence/Tuscany is the best way to travel. (How long is that trip?) I also read that renting a call to drive around the hill towns is a great way to see the area. Are there car rentals in Florence? Do I need to book the car ahead of time?

I've been to Crete and really like it. Spent a tad over a week there once and a couple of weeks one other time. I think, however, that Athens would be of more interest on your trip based on the other spots you picked.

I am not an expert on trains, so advising you on trip length would only be something I googled and would have no idea if it were correct. I drive everywhere because I like to dwadle and wander. Being pretty much of a bum, I have no time constraints.

However, I can see no reason to take a train to Florence, then rent a car to backtrack into southern Tuscany. You can make little use of a car in either Rome or Florence. Why not rent a car as you leave Rome, spend one night enroute to Florence and ditch the car upon arrival? Driving time (along the track linking the hill towns, not using the freeway the whole way) is only about four hours. In a notional ten-hour touring day, that would leave you sixteen hours of stopped time in the towns. This is plenty in my mind, others will disagree. For perspctive, we were traveling with others last fall who had never seen the towns -- we hit four of the five big ones in one hard day loop from Florence and they seem satisfied. I'm sure, however, by the time they got home, all the towns had fuzzed together in their minds.

Regarding booking ahead of time: I tend to travel spur of the moment and book on my way out the door to the airport. I'm sure the rate is better on line than walking up to the counter. I have noticed no better rate for booking tomorrow than booking three months from now. I suspect that when I see such differences, it is due to a seasonal rather than a time factor. I have never had trouble getting a car, but being a bum, I always go for the cheapest one since there is usually only the two of us.

Ash,

Your itinerary sounds OK. The one change I might suggest is Santorini instead of Crete. I've been to Crete & really liked it, but it is a much larger island & can be a bit complicated to get around. Santorini is much more compact & local buses easily whisk you from place to place. The downside is that it's almost always crowded & it is pricier than Crete, but its natural setting is one of the most spectacular in the world and IMO a sight not to be missed.

Train ride from Rome to Florence is 2 1/2 hours. You should reserve your rental car from the U.S., before you leave.

Thanks guys! It sounds like both of you enjoyed Crete, I just may need to visit when I have more time to stay.
I was wanting to mix in “city” and “relaxation” in both places. That is one of the main reasons I chose Athens and Crete. So Santorini is just as beautiful if not more? Is April or May a better time to go? (For Italy and Greece)

Ed, I wish I were like you and had plenty of time to “bum” around. Maybe one day! ? Since I am not, I am guessing the train would be a faster way to get to Florence and then rent a car to drive around Tuscany for a few days. Isn’t a car pretty useful there? Does anyone have suggestions on favorite locations/areas or places to stay? I have Rick’s book for Greece and Italy…just wondering about any other personal favorites.

I apologize for all of the questions. I just want to make the best of it!