marazul

Check it out. Wonders never cease. It's called "extra time at the museum. " It ends with happy hour. https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home/fromtag/2/1679544000000/Biglietti-Musei

You can go to the basilica first thing in the morning. Then you could book a late day tour at the museum. Look for the "extra time" tours which may even include a wine hour at the Vatican. You need to find something to do in between. You could go to Trastevere for lunch or go tour Castel Sant'Angelo.

Absolutely ok.

I believe the negotiations are limited to the Elgin marbles. And I agree with the value of museums. The collections can be built by negotiation and legitimate purchases, loans or donations. Plunder is a different matter.

If you want to see Luberon villages, skip the Aix excursion. It would take to much time away from the villages. Stick to one area. The first choice is better. In early June you can see lavender in the lower areas, such as Avignon or Hyeres. But the Luberon is lovely, flowers or not.

You don't have to tip. The guide gets his fee. If you want to, you can add 10 euros.

No such thing as a pass. You stand in line with everyone else. You get there at sea level. The only way to meet your guide is up.

Restaurants will be open. The sea will be frigid. It's worth going to the Alhambra.

Awesome. Yes, Mont Saint-Michel is 4 hours from Paris. That would be a really long day trip. But you have a week. It can be done. Are you planning to go to the Loire Valley? You can easily see a couple of chateaux in a day trip. Or this would be a good place to do an overnight to see more and come back to Paris by way of Chartres.

Here is an official definition. https://www.transportation.gov/policy/aviation-policy/licensing/code-sharing It is used by the airlines within an alliance. Do check now with your cruise line for a quote on flights. You might decide that the price is very reasonable and you will not have to stress over points. Grab it if they can get you the direct flights at a good price. If you can cancel the flights, better yet so you can keep checking. Last year the airlines often had the best prices. Keep checking with them before you actually buy elsewhere.

Yes, $10K for premium economy seems very high. Last summer we flew business class for $4,700 for both of us. Prices are higher now and the closer you get to the date they also go up. You will get the best prices with either points or $ the moment the tickets are listed around 330 days before flight date. Cash price may go lower, but point availability will not. Foreign airlines are fine. You will probably be flying code share with a US airline. Make sure the airline is in one of the alliances with AA, Delta or United so you can use/get points for your flight. To search for credit card deals compare the offers in: https://www.nerdwallet.com/the-best-credit-cards https://thepointsguy.com/ Check all flight possibilities in: https://www.google.com/travel/flights Most important, ask your cruise line for a quote on airfare for both premium economy and business. They can "see" the flights way ahead of time. If you book with them you will have a guaranteed price in the flight category even if the flight schedule changes closer to the date. Do tell them that you want to fly direct to/from Charlotte if possible. You could be pleasantly surprised.

????? You got me now. How and when are you going to Paris?

Yes, you can stay inside after the tower. You will be inside the basilica when you come down. You can stay as long as you want.

American Airlines flies direct from Charlotte to both Barcelona and Rome. The best card to get would be a Citi AAdvantage card. Check their website for special offers. Or check nerdwallet.com for special offers that give you extra mile bonuses for getting a card. There are no direct flights Charlotte-Venice. It may or may not cost you more. Flights come out about 11 months before flight date. To get an idea of routes do a search for the same month this year.

Do the Blue ticket. You don't need to buy them now. About 3-4 months ahead of time will be enough. PS - I just watched the youtube video. It's very good, but the narrator seriously need to work on his pronunciation! Don't try to say any of the names the way he does.

The easiest would be going to Pompeii and then to Amalfi and Ravello. You can take the ferry back from Amalfi.

Hank, You are right. People think of Provence as one small place and are unaware of the vast variety of landscapes, seascapes, cities and villages. For example, there are "mountain top" villages on the mountains near the shore - Le Castellet, Hyeres, Bormes-les Mimosas, and all the way into Italy. There are the "mountain top" villages further inland in the Luberon and again all the way into Italy. The area is notable for its rich history from pre-Roman times until now. The larger cities - Arles, Nimes, Avignon, Aix - all have significant and beautiful historic areas surrounded by a modern city. Wherever the OP decides to go, there will be something "different and picturesque." Not one thing is going to give them a whole view of the region. I always try to make a suggestion that will combine a couple of different aspects, such as a city and a village like Les Baux-Avignon or Aix-Le Castellet. Also, I encourage them to time visits, such as the Luberon during lavender peak. You can't have it all. All this talk is making me want to get back over there asap.

If you want to stay closer consider a tour to Aix in the morning, lunch by the harbor in Cassis, and a visit to the beautiful mountain top village of Le Castellet.

You are right about the distances. Have you looked up pictures from various places?

#2 You get to spend time at noth Ravello and Positano. The first one is a drive by.

From Salerno you can take a ferry to Positano and Amalfi. Real easy. Search this board. Or you can take an excursion to Pompeii. From Messina do take a transportation only tour to Taormina. If you want to do a little more, take a tour to Taormina and Castelmola. Messina is a large town and there are a couple of things to do, but it is not that interesting. Don't miss Ephesus.

I do agree completely with Hank. A visit to Les Baux should include a slow walk to savor the town and the views. Include a short visit to the Yves Brayer museum and to the church next door. (Yves Brayer was a renowned, contemporary of Picasso, Chagall, etc, who painted wonderful landscapes of the South of France. I do have three of them. https://www.yvesbrayer.com/en/yves-brayer/biographie/) A visit to Avignon should - must - include an inside visit to the Pope's Palace. And Avignon is a great place to enjoy a lunch in one of the many restaurants near the Palace. Saint Remy, as Hank says, is a nice little town distinguished by being the home of the Marquis de Sade and of Nostradamus. Right outside the town and across from each other, are the Roman ruins of Glanum and the insane asylum where Van Gogh spent his last year. The ruins are impressive to dedicated scholars, but I would not bother since you are going to Rome next. The insane asylum is truly interesting to VanGogh fans. Both, and the town, are best saved for a subsequent trip. So, skip Saint Remy and have a wonderful lunch in Avignon instead.

Well, Hank, I finally found a point where we disagree. For me, an afternoon nap kills me for the next day - mostly because I can't wake up after just 2 hours. 🙃😁 I find it easier to stay up and crash after an early dinner. Other than that, we are on the same beam. Happy new year and happy travels to you!

BTW, it is Navona, not Novena. It makes no difference. Both hotels are in the same neighborhood. It is a 3 minute walk from one to the other. Pick the one you like best. There are lots of restaurants and trattorias in the area. The best thing is to stroll around, look at the menus, decide what you want to eat, and enjoy. None of these places are 5-course menu types, including the very highly regarded Armando al Pantheon. Also, look at the recommendations in the restaurant thread pinned next to this one. 99% of the restaurants mentioned are also trattorias.

It sounds great, but for others it depends on how much time they have in port. Rely on your tour company to tell you what is possible on the time you have. The first town to drop would be Saint Remy. That is the minor stop in the group.