marazul

The sardana is danced every Sunday at 11 am in front of the Cathedral. 

12 minutes ago, AlaskaGoer said:

 

Can I book the car service through the hotel that I choose or better to do it way ahead of time? I heard Uber is available?

 

Looking to maybe 250 to 350 euro max a night. I found 'Crown Tours' that is about 3 hrs long of a tour. https://www.crowntours.com/colosseum-palatine-hill-and-roman-forum-tour?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0MexBhD3ARIsAEI3WHJ2BXKdO3l1Neb0yWB_yM3TthTBLDupbhyz6dOHr1PId3Hxs8vxmccaAkJfEALw_wcB

 

 

For a car service look at https://www.romecabs.com/ or https://sharedshuttle.it/.  Book directly with them.  They are both reliable, well-reviewed companies.  Book ahead of time.  Uber would not be as well used or less expensive.

For hotels look at the thread at the top of this forum for many suggestions.

@NCteacherlovescruising

If you use any European products, shop for them there.  Pharmacies usually stock high end beauty products.  Throughout Europe, pharmacies are identified by a green cross sign, usually in neon.  

Don't forget to post about your adventures.  

Bon voyage!

On 4/29/2024 at 7:15 PM, roupa said:

Looking for info/suggestions for Tapas and Flamenco show .  Familiar with Palau Dalmases in Gothic area, or other?

The show is one hour long.  You are better off going for tapas and/or dinner after the show.  As with any show, you will most likely get much better food elsewhere.  

If you must, pick Valencia.  The water is always cold in Malaga. Don't waste your time in Barcelona going to the beach.

If you are not in a rush, 9 am is perfectly safe. It allows you to have breakfast without rushing and also to wait for your friends luggage. You would also miss the rush hour traffic into Rome.

Unlikely, but bring very good binoculars in case the ship is not too far out. 

If you are on a private tour and have a long port day, you can ask to do a drive by of the Promenade before going to Eze. It is very close to the port even if it involves going in the opposite direction for a little while.

9 hours ago, rocker57 said:

You probably can’t get pricing until 9-10 months before you need them. We are planning on April 2025 and that is what I am finding. Hotels don’t show that they are not booking, but show that they are full or pricing is ridiculous. I have a list of hotels I’m looking at, now I just have to try to wait until June before booking

You can also email the hotel directly and ask.  Often they will reserve way ahead of that time frame and give you better prices. That's what we do.

1 minute ago, njkruzer said:

Yes but.... I was answering about hotel prices.  Was also wondering about extra crowds, etc. 

Most of the events will be held at St Peter's Basilica. 

Here is a calendar of events:

https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/pellegrinaggio/calendario-giubileo.html

And general info:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254346/rome-prepares-for-35-million-pilgrims-during-2025-jubilee-year

As for hotel prices, book as as early as possible.  They can only increase.

50 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

I wonder if it's because of the Jubilee Year celebrations.  Haven't done anything about this cruise yet (4 cruises to deal with first) but was wondering if it was the right time to go to Rome.

It's always the right time to go to Rome.

47 minutes ago, Sunflower Fan said:

I placed my order on the official site, but didn't get tickets.  Do they send them right away? 

Yes, by confirmation email. Check your spam folder. 

5 minutes ago, kohanfam said:

I’m confused.  I bought tickets for October from this site.  Is it official.

 

https://hhticket.gr/tap_b2c_new/english/tap.exe?PM=P1P&place=000000002

 

Yes, it is. 

52 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I made a list of hotels but like poster above waiting. I need late may 2025

You are a bit too early.  Reservatons open up 11-12 months ahead of time on the reservation websites. You can always email the hotel directly now and they will quote you a price and reserve if you like their offer. 

3 hours ago, alserrod said:

 

BTW, where exactly tenders leaves you?

Look at the google map link I posted above in post #5. It has a walking route to the station that starts at Embarcadère Île Sainte Marguerite.  The tenders drop off a few steps away.

2 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Wow, if Albergo Senato is #1 I’d hate to see the rest.  It’s very basic though the location is really great.

If you are looking for luxury, stay at the Villa Spalletti Trivelli near the Quirinale.

2 hours ago, JerryInIL said:

About how much time should we allow for a non-rushed self guided tour of the Acropolis from the South entrance and back.  Hopefully it will be less crowded by mid afternoon.

Two hours. No guarantee about lesser crowds at that time. 

1 hour ago, Motorman23 said:

Hello, I’m hoping someone has some helpful suggestions for a decent hotel with a bar/restaurant in Rome that is kind of mid range price (up to $200 usd per night) in Oct. I’ve looked at the nicer locations like Spanish steps and Trevi fountain areas but they are out of my price range, I see that hotels in the Termini area are less expensive. It also seems that transportation to the sites is easy via bus or metro. I’ve looked over many pages of reviews in CC for hotels but don’t see a lot of reviews for Termini. Is it a safe area? Does anyone have any experience with a mid priced hotel in the Termini area with a bar and breakfast and decent services that they have stayed in and would recommend?

Termini is not the best area to stay in, both in terms of nearby attractions or attractiveness.  Practically all hotels will serve breakfast. You will get a bar as you move up the price scale. More likely than not, all hotels will have many restaurants on the same block or nearby.

Also look in the Pantheon and Campo di Fiori areas.

3 hours ago, NBliving said:

This is great info, thank you for starting this topic @lisamlip.  We want to take the ferry to Amalfi, explore a bit then go to Ravello. It looks like we could take a taxi to Ravello then either come back to Amalfi to catch a return ferry or take a taxi or bus from Ravello to Salerno. We are in port from 8 to 5.   @euro cruiser do you have any thoughts on this?

It's a great plan. You have enough time to do both. You could take the taxi from Amalfi to Ravello first, go back to walk around Amalfi and take the ferry back. This avoids possible traffic delays with the bus.

9 hours ago, roddy good boy said:

Do you have recommendations on the best  source material on the history of the site?

http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2384

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/acropolis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis_of_Athens

https://www.ancient-greece.org/history/acropolis.html

@billyblaze

The walk to the station is 1.4 km (less than 1 mile).  It takes 15-20 minutes and it is all flat. 

The trains are very frequent, at least two or three per hour depending on the time of day. All the trains stop in Nice.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Gare+de+Cannes,+Place+Pierre+Semard,+Cannes,+France/Cruise+Terminal+•+Sainte-Marguerite+island,+Cannes+-+Île+Sainte-Marguerite,+06400+Cannes,+France/@43.5502186,7.0106867,1676m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x12ce8192598a6071:0xcec533c63c2ab8ab!2m2!1d7.019606!2d43.553758!1m5!1m1!1s0x12ce818585608013:0x604f21ba03a8f54f!2m2!1d7.0142395!2d43.5466383!3e2?hl=en&entry=ttu

16 hours ago, frantic36 said:

Off topic but a question for you please, we are thinking of a Western Med cruise in April Barcelona - Barcelona via the Canaries what might we expect weather and seas to be like?

And off topic for you.  I assume your Trapani cruise also stopped at La Goulette.  Did you go on the ship's excursion or on your own?  We are thinking that the ship's full-day excursion is the way to go there. 

Thanks.

1 hour ago, FloridaHockeyGuy said:

For those who have rented cars in some ports ssuch as Malaga and Palma...have you ever been asked for an International Drivers License? I know that you do not need one in Portugal, but wondering about Spain. It's not about the $20, just the hassle to get pictures done, go to AAA, etc.

 

Thanks.

AAA will take your picture.

It's best to have the IDL. 

3 hours ago, frantic36 said:

Enjoy and I hope you get clear skies to enjoy the view. As you enter Erice through the Town Gate to your left is a small shop selling various flavoured Arancini. There was a small queue but it moved fast and it was a nice snack after all the walking. No tables to sit at so I found a low wall to sit on while I ate 😁.

 

Off topic but a question for you please, we are thinking of a Western Med cruise in April Barcelona - Barcelona via the Canaries what might we expect weather and seas to be like?

Thanks. I love arancini.

The Canaries should have nice, warm weather. Barcelona will be cooler. I am more used to the weather in Nice at that time of the year and it could be a little rainy. But very nice over all. Enjoy it.

1 minute ago, alserrod said:

I have been in Dubrovnik, I have searched for Kotor but never been

Everyone says Kotor is pretier than Dubrovnik

There is no comparison. Dubrovnik is far more beautiful than Kotor. However, the sail in to Kotor is spectacular. 

13 hours ago, frantic36 said:

As we spent a long time in Erice we didn't see much of Trapani but what we saw near the port we liked and if we go back would definitely spend our time there. People we chatted to on the ship who spent time in Trapani really enjoyed it. We had to walk through a building at the port and the visitor information people in there were very helpful as we asked about getting a taxi or bus to the cable car. So I am sure could help with planning your visit.

 

The other place of interest near Trapani is the large salt pans which are still harvested and exported plus a sanctuary for both local and migratory birds. 

The Mysteries of the Chiesa del Purgatorio is on my list to visit as the mysteries are 20 wooden statues depicting Jesus Christ's Passion carved by local artisans and paraded through Trapani every Good Friday. I am not religious but fascinated by local artwork.

Thanks. Erice followed by a couple of hours in Trapani sound like the right combination.