Tickets Tours and Time

[ddseeo]

Hi,

 

This board has been extremely helpful in my planning our cruise in May. We are a family of 5 and I am wondering if you may be able to answer a few questions.

 

Buying tickets- we would like to buy tickets to the popular sites (Vatican, Uffizi, Acropolis, Colliseum) please let me know if there are other places that we should buy ahead of time?

The benefit of buying ahead of time is to save time in line, correct?

Do any of these places provide tour guides (on site)?

Do they all have headsets that you can rent? Which sites are better to hire outside tour guides for, if any?

In Rome do you need to take a bus/ cab between sites or is it a good walk?

 

Has anyone rented a car to travel between Rome-Florence- Venice? Any words of advice?

 

What is the feedback about Naples and the Amalfi Coast is this a worthwhile trip (2.5-3 hours of driving) and worth the money?

 

Last, Athens- from the port it sounds like it might be a nice walk to the train and then a 30 minute train ride. It also sounds like everything is in the same area. Is this how most would visit Athens?

 

Thanks Dan

[tkere]

Vatican: I don't know if you can buy online in time. You can arrange a tour with the Vatican for a specific time though. Soon you will be able to buy online, but it has not started yet.

 

Colliseum: you can go up to Palantine hill (past the colliseum to the left towards the ruins and go up to the left). The line is 5 minutes long and then you can breeze past everyone in the colliseum.

 

Uffizi: Are you sure you want this museum? It has great art, etc, but the kids usually want to see the David statue at the Accademia Museum in Florence (and much smaller, so you have lots of time to see the rest of Florence). You can make a reservation for these at this site:

 

http://www.firenzemusei.it/00_english/home1.html

 

click the star on the top left to make a reservation or you can call. It only costs an extra 3 euros and you don't pay until you get there.

 

I have not been to athens.

[photographia]

As for renting a car: the trains between Rome and Florence are easy, and so that's what I would recommend. I have never taken the train to Venice but I presume (?) it's similarly easy. Driving inside these cities is definitely NOT something you want to tackle!

 

Rome is worth the walk, as you'll run into something interesting every couple of blocks. Athens is a very different sort of city, but I would say the same thing--I found the walk between the Parliament Building (and the changing of the guard) and the Acropolis to be fascinating, although they do have a good metro system too.

 

In general, you ought all to be prepared for LOTS of walking every day anyway. You're going to walk for miles every day!

 

You're right, the main purpose of buying tickets in advance is to save time waiting in line. What tkere says about Collosseum tickets is true; you can just go to the Palatine gate and you should avoid the lines. But (no offense!) I don't agree with tkere about the Uffizi; if you're going to Florence, it's a must!!! We saved at least an hour or two of line-waiting there by buying timed tickets in advance. If you can do both, go to the Accademia too--it's so much smaller than the Uffizi and the main attraction is the David, so you needn't budget so much time there as you'll need at the Uffizi (which we spent nearly the whole day inside--no kids with us, though!).

[Susan-M]

What is the feedback about Naples and the Amalfi Coast is this a worthwhile trip (2.5-3 hours of driving) and worth the money?

The Amalfi Coast is really spectacular. The drive there doesn't take too long (45 minutes) ... but the drive along the coast with stops in some of the small towns (Positano, Amalfi) and at scenic overlooks is really interesting. I would consider combining it with a visit to Pompeii to make for a really interesting day. It is expensive, but if you are going to do a private tour anywhere...this is the place to do it. (It's the only private tour that we took and no regrets.)

Last, Athens- from the port it sounds like it might be a nice walk to the train and then a 30 minute train ride. It also sounds like everything is in the same area. Is this how most would visit Athens?

 

The walk is doable ('nice' is a stretch:) ) ...as you walk to the station, you'll have the port to your left and commercial buildings to your right...with a major road in between, but the sidewalks are good. Many visit Athens this way, but probably not most, due to the amount of walking, both in getting to the station and once in Athens. If everyone enjoys walking, it's a great way to see the city as the historical sites within walking distance of each other.

For more info: http://www.europeportreviews.com/Athens3.htm

To get an idea of location of historical sites: http://www.chem.uoa.gr/Location/AthensMap/Athensmap.htm (most sites are within C 2-3 and D 2-3)

And for everything (and more) that you'll need to know to prepare for a day in Athens: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/greece/athens.htm

 

Enjoy your cruise!:)

[ddseeo]

Tkere, Photographia and Susan,

Thank you so much for the great insight. I am renting because the train was so expensive for a three day ticket (x five). This is our pre-cruise time and I have no intention of driving into the cities, I agree with your comments photo. I will park on the outskirts and walk.

 

Susan,

Did you ever use a cab to get into Athens? We do not mind the walk but perhaps at the end of the day we may take a cab back.

 

All the best,

Dan

[chipmaster]

Tkere, Photographia and Susan,

Thank you so much for the great insight. I am renting because the train was so expensive for a three day ticket (x five). This is our pre-cruise time and I have no intention of driving into the cities, I agree with your comments photo. I will park on the outskirts and walk.

 

Susan,

Did you ever use a cab to get into Athens? We do not mind the walk but perhaps at the end of the day we may take a cab back.

 

All the best,

Dan

 

Dan,

 

You might want to read this web site (http://www.europeportreviews.com/Athens.htm) and also search the threads here. I too was considering a cab in Athens but it sounds like you need to be more careful here then in some of the other ports.