marazul

Their reservation portal opens up reservations one year in advance. I am not sure if it is by exact date or by month. Email them and they can bypass the web portal for reservations.

True because many Greek island cruises make a stop there. Because of cabotage laws all round-trip Athens cruises have to make a stop in another country. That means Turkey, Italy or Cyprus. Cyprus started being used at the end of the pandemic when Turkey was still closed to cruises. However, posting on the other forum might get you some local expertise.

The Troodos mountains are in Cyprus, not Greece. Post in the "Other Mediterranean Ports" forum.

Most hotels offer a discounted, pay in advance, non-refundable rate. Don't do it unless you are booking just a few days out. Get the pay at the hotel, cancelable rate.

Look at the thread pinned at the top of this forum:

@BDEM If you are looking for a romantic place, the Alhambra is it. Here is a suggestion using Taxi Motril to go to the Alambra. Pay extra to wait 4 hours instead of 3. Tour at least the palace Nazaries (see post #11). Then go for lunch in the Hotel America right on the grounds of the Alhambra. https://www.hotelamericagranada.com/en/restaurant/ Another option for lunch (and more upscale) is the Parador de Granada, right next to it and located in an old, beautiful convent. https://paradores.es/en/parador-de-granada https://paradores.es/en/restaurant-el-almori-del-generalife-parador-de-granada And here is a view of the Alhambra grounds including both hotels: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hotel+América+(Granada)/@37.1757303,-3.5884437,265m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m9!3m8!1s0xd71fcb6f864f08b:0xf59baf78994893a2!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d37.1760334!4d-3.5883878!16s%2Fg%2F1tdglm3b?hl=en&entry=ttu And, yes, you must buy admission tickets ASAP.

Search for how much money to bring and where to get it on this Forum and on the Italy forum. Tons written there. Clues: credit cards and ATMs. No, you do not tip in Europe. Employees are paid fair wages, it is not a two tier system like in the US. Rounding up the bill is ok, like 9.50 to 10. Or leaving the change on the table after a coffee. Also, lots written on that on the Italy forum.

You can ask. Just take a taxi there and they will call one for your return.

Email the hotel and ask about making a lunch reservation and renting lounge chairs by the pool. It isn't really called "day pass."

@Mimiya11 I second cruisemom and would add that there are eleven of you. You need to make reservations if you want to go to specific places. And when you reserve say 11 people, not 6 adults and 5 children!

Here is a little secret about the Costa del Sol beaches: the water is really cold even in August! That is because the Northern Atlantic waters come in through the Straight of Gibraltar and don't really warm up until farther into the Mediterranean. Here is the water temperature in June according to seatemperature.org for Almuñecar Beach which is right next to Motril: between 67.4ºF and 72.2ºF. That is cold! https://www.seatemperature.org/europe/spain/almunecar.htm In all likelihood, you will be disappointed by the beach experience and end up spending the day by the pool. By the way, "day passes" are not really a thing in Spain since all beaches are free. Don't miss this chance to visit the Alhambra. It is extraordinary.

I think Etna is very interesting. How many active volcanos do you get to walk on? Being in Taormina in the afternoon is just fine. All the restaurants and gelaterie will be open. Many of the tourist shops will stay open. Frankly, you will find lots of overpriced stuff, so why even bother.

I looked it up (so can you). It is in Alimos, about 15 minutes by taxi from the port. There is also a tram that runs along the shore and would take you there in about 30 minutes. Google the stops. There is one not far from the port. Have you been to Athens before? If not, there are better things to do there than go to the beach. And there are better beaches on the islands than around Athens. A beach bar is a beach bar. You might also want to check the seawater temperature for when you are going on this website: https://www.seatemperature.org/europe/greece/athens-may.htm

You are overthinking this. You already figured out how to get to the train station in Livorno. That is the hardest part. Reserve a hotel in Florence near the train station. Take the train over. Check in the hotel and enjoy the city. Look at the food thread pinned at the top of this forum for restaurant recommendations. Enjoy the city at night. If you want to book tickets to the Uffizi or Academia, do it for the earliest time next morning for no crowds. When you are ready, take one of the many frequent trains back to Livorno. Have a great trip.

😵‍💫🤪 Go figure!

Nice combination of cruises! Take a taxi to Gare St. Charles, the main train station in Marseille. Look for trains on the official website: https://www.sncf.com/en They run frequently.

You can only book here: www.scavi.va/content/scavi/en/prenotazione.html

Scavi means excavations. It refers to the archaeological finds underneath St. Peter's. scavi.va

Their tours are excellent. The website is just fine. Try booking your tour. Use your own email. Don't use amex. If you have any questions, come back.

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our April cruise. All refunds were made within 24 hours.

The Hera is within easy walking distance of the Acropolis, Acropolis museum and the Plaka. You can visit all on your own. Get your own tickets to the Acropolis. You cannot walk inside the Parthenon, but you can walk all around it.

romecabs.com for a private transfer.

That plan works fine. All trains will accommodate your bags. Search for train advice on this forum. Book on the Trenitalia official website. Bring a cable lock to secure your bags in case you don't get seats near them. Check recommendations for Rome hotels in the 'pinned' thread on top. No need to stay near the train station. There are much better choices and more pleasant areas in central Rome.

Don't stay near the Vatican unless that is your only interest in Rome. It is out of the way for all other sightseeing. You will have a much better choice of hotels and restaurants in the central Rome areas, such as Colosseum, Pantheon/Navona or Trevi.

And I am sure we all appreciate your note. Don't forget to pick up some wine at the Casino supermarket for your picnic. Their pastries are also very good. If you like to visit nice houses, go visit the Prince's Palace for a view of a really "old money" house. The Grimaldis have been the rulers since 1297 and have occupied the palace (with lots of renovations) for 700 years. https://visitepalaisdemonaco.com/en/ Also fun to see are the mega-yachts at the harbor. If you want "rich and famous" you are at the right place.