Susan-M

I know you're right which is one of the reasons I just have to return!!:D

Me too .. we were ready to move there we enjoyed it so much!:)

 

This is a lot less expensive than a car or cab unless you want to stop along the route.

The low cost of the bus is great, but there are quite a few other places that are very scenic on Santorini. It's really a wonderful (and easy) island to explore by rental car, so the cost of it (~40-50 euros) is money well spent for those who want to explore beyond Fira-Oia.

Perfect! Both of you have been WONDERFUL!

 

I really appreciate it!

Thanks jstducky!:) Have a great time in Athens ... it's a wonderful city!!

Yes ... we just kept walking towards it, but I think if I had known how long of a walk it would be, we would have gone via taxi or metro. (I think it was an hour from the museum to the top...and that was after 7 hours of already being on our feet). We slept well that night!

It is recognizable, but as you walk towards it, the buildings on the streets that you walk on block your view, so you have to reorient at the corners where you can see the hill. The only time we had to ask for directions was when we got to the base of it, when we were looking for the funicular. The person we asked (a policeman) told us that we might as well hike up since the funicular was on the other side of the hill. The path that we took up was a little rough, but coming down, we were on a wide paved path with stairs and a gradual descent as it zig-zagged. From there it was a downhill walk to the metro at Evangelismo.

I think that taking a taxi up to the parking area and either walking or taking the funicular down, and then walking to Evangelismo metro would be a good way to do it.

p.s. On our port day (when we did Lycabettus) we didn't have a very good map ... on the next visit (a pre-cruise stay) we had DK Eyewitness Top 10 which has a good map ... but the one we got from our hotel (and that you can probably get from a TI office) was even better.

 

Is the funicular ride long? Is it a good way to be able to look out on the city?

I think the funicular runs underground & Fafos will be able to verify this (we didn't see it when we walked down the path near the funicular route) ... here's a photo: http://www.etema.gr/english/funicular.htm

I've read that it goes about every 20 minutes...so probably a ride of a few minutes and then loading/unloading time at each end.

The views at the top are wonderful (with clear skies).

I don't know if the funicular starts right where the taxi drops you off or if there is a climb up to the funicular...Fafos, can you please comment on this?

I know that if the taxi drops you off in the parking lot near the top, there is still a fairly steep hike up to the top that will take 5 minutes or so.

Yes, they take you to the parking area... personal I pay 10 euros from my home (close to National museum and Victoria's square) but is much away than Syntagma square...

 

I'm a very lazy man... I don't like walk so much:p

A taxi sounds like a good option...easy and a reasonable price.:)

Fafos: if you take a taxi to Lycabettus, will it take you to the parking area close to the top of the hill for the prices that you mentioned, so that you don't have to pay for the funicular as well?

When we went, we walked up (had not intended to, but we walked over from the Archaeological Museum and arrived at the other side of the hill from the funicular, and instead of walking around the hill to the funicular, we walked up to the top.)

We walked back down (a lot easier than up!) and then a few blocks downhill to Evangelismo metro stop, transferred at Monastiraki and back to Piraeus.

Two days might seem a bit short as you'll only have the afternoon of the day you arrive, one full day and then a few hours on the morning that you depart for Civitavecchia.

We spent 3 days pre-Cruise in Rome in October (following a port day there a few years ago), but could have easily stayed longer. If you have the time and can afford a longer stay, I think you'll appreciate staying more than 2 days.

In Venice, again, if you can afford the time and cost, then an extra night would definitely be worthwhile. Otherwise, your time there will be quite limited if you arrive in the afternoon and head home the following morning.

This is a recent thread discussing affordable hotels in Rome: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=984330&highlight=hotel+rome

To find other threads on this topic, using "Search this Forum" (under the page numbers at the top of the Med Forum page), search "Hotels Rome" & quite a few threads will come up.

For those who have been on a med cruise and have done the same thing I have, are the tours arranged through the ship sort of like that?

I haven't been on a base tour, but this has been our experience on cruise ship tours, and will hopefully give you something to compare to:

- Everyone on your tour meets in a central location on the ship at a designated time, e.g. the theatre. You sign in and pick up your sticker for the bus number that you'll be on (the sticker goes on your shirt). Extra time is allowed for late arrivals, and approx. 15-20 minutes after the time that everyone was supposed to meet, you head to the buses. Getting settled on the bus and taking a head count ... another 15 minutes. Buses hold approx. 40-45 people.

- On the way to the destination, the guide will provide info about the surrounding area.

- Arrive at destination, where some people will want to head to the restrooms before getting started, another 15 minutes of waiting.

- The tour commences and usually proceeds at a slow enough pace to allow all in the group to keep up.

- After the tour (or during it, depending on how long the tour lasts) another group washroom break.

- If free time is included after the tour, a designated time is given to be back at the bus ... an extra 15-20 minutes is usually needed to allow for late arrivals and head count.

- Sometimes a 'shopping stop' is included on the return trip (it will usually indicate this in your tour description.)

I want to take the train from Civ to Rome and be able to get off and on public transport for three day before heading to the airport by train for return flight. Any thoughts on what type of ticket to buy or should I just get daily passes?

We did as Hank suggested ... bought a Roma Pass which covered buses and metro in Rome for 3 days, plus admission to two sites (we used it for the Colosseum/Forum & Borghese Gallery). We then paid the 4.5 euros each for the train from Rome to Civitavecchia. Although most of our transportation in Rome was on foot, the metro and buses came in handy a few times, and I think the Roma Pass pretty much pays for itself with the two 'free' admissions, plus discounts off of other sites.

As for the train between the Airport and Termini, I'm not sure that it's included with any of the passes ... hopefully GSPLover can confirm that.

There is just so much to see and do in and around this port that you are only going to get a brioef snippet on your own...of course, though, that may just be enough for you...

 

Steve, normally I agree with your advice, but not this part of your post.

Many of us have done Athens on our own and have seen more than a brief snippet in a day. It requires advance planning, a good guide book, a map and lots of energy.

On our first visit to Athens (a port day from 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.) we did the following:

• Walked to the metro in Piraeus and took it to the Acropolis
  
• Spent approximately 1.5 hours at the Acropolis
  
• Walked through the Ancient Agora, seeing some of the highlights there, including the Temple of Theseion
  
• Had lunch in the Plaka
  
• Walked to the Roman Forum & Tower of Winds
  
• Walked through the National Gardens to the Olympic Stadium
  
• Back through the gardens to Syntagma Square to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
  
• Took the metro to the National Archaeological Museum where we spent an hour seeing some of the highlights (per Rick Steves info).
  
• Walked to and up Lykabetus Hill (hadn't planned to walk up, but ended up on the other side of the hill from the funicular, so hiked up a trail).
  
• Back down Lykabetus to the metro, and returned to the ship by about 7:30.
  

It was an incredibly interesting day and we enjoyed Athens so much during that visit that we stayed for 3 days post cruise on our next trip there.

Is it easy to use the metro to get from our hotel to the cruise ship pier in Piraeus or do you recommend using a taxi? We'll have a couple of pieces of luggage each.

Thanks.

We've visited Athens twice and have done the Piraeus-Athens metro without luggage. It depends on which hotel you are staying at in Athens (how near it is to a metro stop) and whether you'll be walking or taking a taxi from the Piraeus metro to the pier. We often take our luggage on public transportation, but in Athens with a couple of pieces of luggage each, I would probably opt for a taxi due to the ~20 minutes walk (without luggage) from the metro to the pier in Piraeus. Our hotel in Athens posted taxi prices from their hotel to various locations...they seemed fairly reasonable (sorry can't remember exact amounts), but worth looking into once you are at the hotel.

MaryJoe - I can't tell you either from experience, but from the research that I did before booking, the aft cabins are a bonus for the reasons the above poster mentioned. We booked 7121 as there were a few posters who mentioned the noise of scraping chairs from deck 9 when you are on the balcony of aft deck 8. I don't think anyone said it was excessive, just noticeable. Are you able to get an aft on deck 7?

If you use the search tool and just enter 8066, you'll probably find some previous posts.

Hank .... great post & I agree that it's much more rewarding to do it on your own using local transportation and your own two feet:) We've done Europe by land a few times so I was quite comfortable doing excursions on our own when we did a Med cruise last Sept. We didn't do it to save money, but rather to be off 'exploring on our own'. As you say, "lots of homework" ahead of time....but well worth it!

However, I can see why organized tours are popular .... for those who haven't been to Europe it's the 'fear of the unknown', for those who aren't comfortable walking a lot, it would be very difficult (we logged miles on our legs every day!) and some people don't have the time needed for research.

Further to my post above, the Villefranche tourism office emailed me back to confirm that bus #83 is the shuttle bus between Eze train station and Eze Village. It only runs until Sept. 30th.

Also, the main bus stop in Villefranche that is near the tourist office (up the hill) is called "L'Octroi". When you look at schedules at http://www.lignedazur.com/horaires_ligne/index.asp?rub_code=6&thm_id=538&gpl_id=0 there are quite a number of stops listed in Villefranche for Route #100 & you can print the timetable for that particular stop.

After enjoying the town, we were then thinking of walking back to the train station/bus stop via the Friedrich-Nietzsche path. We were told it is an incredably beautiful walk, ALL DOWN HILL to the sea. Has anyone done this walk?

Itsanita...I can't speak from experience (not going until Sept.) but Rick Steves briefly mentions this walk as "a steep trail down to the beach marked Eze-bord-de-Mer"....and "if you walk 30 steps down the path there is a panoramic view and ideal picnic spot."

Also, it is mentioned in this Tripadvisor forum http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187246-i1832-k155499-What_to_do_for_1_day-Villefranche_sur_Mer_French_Riviera_Cote_d_Azur_Provence.html

(see London Bob's post about half way down, point #3 where he recommends this hike, but with good footwear.)

This whole thread on Tripadvisor is worth reading because there are some good tips on getting around the area.

Bon Voyage....The two Eze's are Eze-le-Village (the scenic one) and Eze bord de Mer. The train stops in Eze Bord de Mer. I have printed out train & bus schedules, and think we'll try for the 10:59 train from V.F. to Eze. If we can't get off the ship in time to make the train, then we'll head to the bus stop. According to the map in Rick Steves' book, the bus stop is about 300 yards from shore (perpendicular) and behind the Citadel (which I'm thinking will be large enough that we can't miss it.)

If you are going from Eze to Nize, bus #82 should take you directly there - see schedule at http://www.eze-riviera.com/emotions/deplacement/ang/bus.htm

Bus #83 seems to go from the train station in Eze to Eze Village, but I haven't heard anyone talk of this bus....so I've sent an email to the Villefranche tourist office to see if I can get more info.

I've also printed some bus schedules from: http://www.lignedazur.com/horaires_ligne/index.asp?rub_code=6&thm_id=538&gpl_id=0

and train times from: http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage?_DLG=SvHomePage&_CMD=cmdHomepageUK&WB=HP

Sounds like there will be a few of us heading to the bus/train stations that morning!

Sorry to come in this one, (while looking for something else) but its very easy to DIY Florence. Go to the Italian train operator Trenitalia at:

 

www.trenitalia.it

 

Thanks for the link - I know I've seen it before (and it's in Ron's report) but your post gave me the incentive to print out my train timetables for Florence and Rome. Is the scenery nice on the trip from Livorno to Florence - i.e. will we see some Tuscan hills?

Travelcouple: This is the info I have been looking for....thanks so much!!