Family Travels Europe Trip 2007 |
Things to Do -- Places to See |
Lessons Learned ***Packing for a cruise and then trying to travel "light" is very hard...had to take dresses, shoes, formals, bathing suits...etc. ***Bring a spare duffel bag in outside pocket of larger suitcase in case you are overweight with plane flights ***Everything in Naples is closed on Sunday...if on a cruise...do a shore excursions offered. ***We did not do shore excursions...except in Turkey for safety concerns. We "did our own thing" and used the ship as a floating hotel ***Prague and Vienna were chilly....bring sweaters and long pants. ***Czech Republic is a challenge...read travel advice and tips posted on separate pages about rip-offs and travel concerns |
July 31 Aug 1 Aug 2 Aug 3 Aug 4 Aug 5 Aug 6 Aug 7 Aug 8 Aug 9 Aug 10 Aug 11 Aug 12 Aug 13 Aug 14 Aug 15 Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 |
How We Traveled **By Cruise Ship the first 10 nights...In every port, we did out own thing....only planned shore excursion was Turkey **In Athens, we took the Metro **In Naples, we took a taxi **In Santorini, we used a private driver **In Turkey, we booked a bus tour thru the cruise line **Plan flight from Rome to Praque, CZ **Train from Praque to Chesky Krumlov **Private driver from Chesky to Vienna **Vienna--Metro and trams....private driver to airport |
This is the first time we have combined a cruise with a European Family Vacation. It was a great way to see Greece and all the islands...without wasting a lot of money on plane flights or time on ferries. We visited Athens, Turkey, Rhodes, Mykonos and Santorini--five wonderful destinations in five short days. It was a wonderful cruise...round trip from Rome. We then flew from Rome to Prague for a weeks stay in the Czech Republic...then finished in Vienna, Austria. We accomplished all this travel with NO rental cars....just creative transportation. |
Highlights *****Santorini *****Ephesus, Miletus, Didyma *****Vienna--Love Vienna....Stay at least three full days ****Prague--the buildings, food and sights (service, friendliness is * star) ****Rhodes--love this island ***Athens - Acropolis ***Rome (our third time) **Athens **Taormina, Scicily *Naples Don't Dos Don't go to Naples on a Sunday...EVERYTHING is closed. We lost a day of our trip...We did not plan a shore excursion and thought we could do it on our own....nothing to see but the Museum Don't bother with Chesky Krumlov....it really doesn't have much to offer....and it is not worth the time it take to travel to and from this location. Time better spent in Prague or Vienna. |
Try New Foods ***REAL Greek Food -Tatziki, Dolmados, Feta, Gyros, Mousaka, Calmari, Baklava ***Turkish food...humus, cous cous, and so much more ***Veprova s knedlikem a se zelim – pork with dumplings with cabbage--Prague ***Svickkova na smetane s knedlikem – beef in cream with dumplings--Chesky Krumlov Mad arksy gulas s knedlikem (CZ version of goulash) |
New Adventures to Try *****Donkey Ride up the Stairs at Santorini **Canoe the Vulta--unfortunately, we didn't get to go ****An Evening at the Rathaus in Vienna for good food, beer and a movie Opera. **Scuba Diving in the Aegean Sea |
Italy, Greece, Turkey Czech Republic Austria |
Arrive Rome--Campo dei Fiori walk to Piazza Narvonne...same as 2007 Train to Port of Citivecchia...Board Celebrity's Galaxy cruise ship...Brent's 17th Birthday Sicily--Shore Excursion through Celebrity to Taromina Day at Sea Athens--We got a early start...Visit Acropolis, the Plaka, the Roman Agora, Syntagma Sq Mykonos--Dad, Amanda and Brent - Scuba Diving Mom and Erica- shopping & eating Ephesus--Shore Excursions to Ephesus, Didyma, and Miletus Rhodes--explored the Palace on our own, shopped, ate and spent an afternoon at the beach Santorini--Hired a private driver for the day....We saw it all....Thira, Oia, and Day at Sea Naples on a Sunday.....everything is closed. We did see the National Museum with the mosaics from Pompeii (to tie in our last trip in 2007) Arrive Rome--private driver to the airport. Fly to Prague. Do a little sightseeing at the town sq Full Day of sightseeing...Town Square, Astronomical Clock, Pinkas Synagogue, Jewish Cemetery, Ceremonial Hall, Old New Synagogue Evening--attend Black Light Theater Show Full Day of Prague--Castle and grounds, St. Vitus Cathedral, Golden Lane, Little Quarter Leave Prague by train....to Chesky Krumlov Visit Castle and do Eggenberg Brewery Tour Evening--nice dinner on river and hung out with the local at a UNESCO fundraiser at a bar Was to go canoing...but rainy day. Explored town Snuggled in bed to watch Olympics Arranged shuttle bus by Pension Lobo...to Vienna Visit Market Evening: House of Music Start Early at Hofburg Palace --Five Museums The Imperial Apartments, Treasury and the New Palace Museums of Ephesus Statuary, Musical Instruments and Medieval Weaponary Rathaus for lunch, visit Gardens, Day 2 - Take Tram Tour, St. Stephan's Cathedral, Graben St., Kohlmarket Street, Kaisergruft, Rathaus for Movie Opera Day 3 Lunch at Rathaus Prater Park, Switzerland Fondue dinner, Music concert in church Fly home from Vienna |
10 night Mediterranean Cruise Rome, Naples Scicily Greece -Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes Turkey--Kusadasi, Ephesus 10 nights travel to Czech Republic to Prague, Chesky Krumlov Vienna, Austria |