Duration
Reviews
Transport
Take off on an amazing 3 week trip exploring 5 of Southern Europe’s biggest cities with our Greece & Italy interrailing route! This particular route is 22 days long, involving 20 nights in your accommodation, and one night spent on a night ferry. Journeys vary in length from a few hours to a full day or night’s travel.
Route
- Crete
- Athens
- Sorrento
- Catania
- Rome
Sustainability
This trip only creates 177.7 kg of carbon emissions! To fly the same route would cost 650.7 ♻️
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Trip Style
Fancy getting to see a mix of big cities and hidden gems all scattered across Europe’s beautiful South? Escape grey skies and see our pick of the top destinations of the region with our Greece and Italy interrailing route! With at least 2 nights in each destination, you’ll get a great idea of what each city is about, whilst having time to spare for a few day trips away. Feel free to choose this trip as it is, or get in touch with us to tweak your route!
Trip Description
Escape to the sizzling Southern Coast!
Make your way around sun-drenched Southern Europe with a route that ties two hot nations together – Greece and Italy! Taking this route, you’ll travel all the way from Crete to Rome. The only difficulty will be in deciding whether to explore the city, or sun yourself on the beach first!
Start your trip off in beach-beautiful Crete, Greece’s largest island! With everything it has to offer, you might never want to leave; with white sandy beaches to lounge on, the White Mountains to hike and eerie caves to explore, you’ll have more than enough to fill your 3 nights here! This is even without mentioning the oodles of mythology and rich history that there is to delve into…
Picking your way across Greece, you’ll reach the capital city of Athens. This stunning city is so full to the brim with historical and archaeological sites, that you probably won’t see everything during your stay, but it’ll show you just how much another trip would be worth it! Be sure to follow the locals to an authentic taverna to sink a silky wine or refreshing beer, all soaked up with a groaning mezze platter.
Carry on to Sorrento for rugged coastlines peppered with sandy beaches and the occasional ethereal cove to explore. Here, you’ll find plenty of Insta-worthy views, tasty traditional dishes, and mind-blowingly good limoncello to sip on…and that’s without even mentioning the lively nightlife! With 4 nights here, you’ll easily have time to take a quick trip to Pompeii or Mount Vesuvius, too!
Next up, is the beautiful ancient Sicilian port city of Catania, nestled at the foot of the imposing Mount Etna. Explore its stunning religious sites and fascinating museums for a welcome escape from the heat, or, if you can handle the heat, round off your days here lounging on its beautiful golden beaches and sampling the delicious seafood specialties on offer by the coast.
End your trip in Rome, the Eternal City, and marvel at the ancient monuments which still stand majestic amongst the centuries-old streets, fancifully furnished with sophisticated cafes and piazzas. Enjoy authentic Italian espresso, before tucking into some well-deserved cicchetti, before sampling what the city’s nightlife has to offer.
What's included?
- All overland transport tickets from the first to the last city, as shown in the key.
- Any Interrail or Eurail passes if required, based on the best value for you.
- Compulsory seat reservations on high-speed rail, night trains or ferries.
- Accommodation in top-rated, centrally located hostels or hotels, tested by us.
- Walking directions between the stations and your booked accommodation.
- Optional walking tours, pub crawls and other activities at our partner hostels.
- A personalised travel booklet with maps, language guides, top tips, and more.
- Exclusive discounts on attractions across Europe.
- Peace of mind with alternative travel included if there is a strike or similar disruption.
- Access to our 24hr emergency phone number while you’re away.
The Route
Itinerary
This 3 week Greece and Italy route allows a more relaxed pace, taking in 5 cities in 21 days. Most of your journeys will have some flexibility, and you’ll travel during the day except for one night ferry. You’ll have a mix of shorter and longer trains, but don’t worry – we’ll always book times that allow you to make the most of each city.
Crete (3 Nights)
With a wealth of natural beauty, Crete is so varied in things to see and do that you’ll never be stuck for what to do! Beaches, mountains, forests and ruins define its landmarks, whilst the locals’ laidback lifestyle reflect its relaxed atmosphere.
Highlights
- Explore the creepily beautiful Psychro Cave, the supposed birthplace of Zeus
- Hike the dramatic White Mountains and their protected forest
- Hit up Elafonisi beach for pink sands and awesome surf!
Athens (4 Nights)
Both historic and modern, edgy and traditional, Athens is famous as the capital of the Ancient world. Here you’ll find iconic structures like the Parthenon, the Acropolis and the Temple of Poseidon, but also a wealth of great coffee houses, delicious restaurants and buzzing bar scene. This is a truly young city, with a big student population – and the vibrant atmosphere that comes with it.
Highlights
- Head to the top of Fillopapou hill, overlooking the Acropolis for the best photo opportunities
- Explore famous Greek sites – the Parthenon, the Theatre of Dionysos and the Temple of Poseidon among many others
- Drink Greek wine and cocktails al-fresco at one of Athen’s many bars and enjoy the vibrant nightlife
Sorrento (4 Nights)
Famous for its golden sandy beaches and mouthwateringly good limoncello, Sorrento is the perfect place to unwind and get a taste of that dolce vita. With a couple of nights here, be sure to take a tour of the beautiful cloisters and cathedrals before popping to a liqueur tasting to cool off!
Highlights
- Go beach-hopping around the beautifully rugged coastline
- Get a taste of the city’s famously good limoncello
- Take a load off by getting lost in the city’s cloisters and gardens
Catania (3 Nights)
This ancient and quaint port city perched on the eastern coast of Sicily, lies beneath the imposing and breath-taking Mount Etna. With old-world architechture and charm, incredible locally sourced seafood, and breezy open-air bars by the sea, what more could you ask for?
Highlights
- Visit and even hike up Mount Etna if you’re brave!
- Head to Castello Ursino to get your fill of the city’s history
- Take a tour around any of the many art galleries dotted around the city
Rome (4 Nights)
Home to endless culture, stunning architecture and buzzing nightlife, Rome is one of the classic quintessentially European hubs to tick off your travel checklist. Take in the unreal food, fascinating culture, laidback lifestyle and experience it all!
Highlights
- Marvel at the ruins of the Roman Forum
- See the world-famous Colosseum
- Try real Italian coffee, ice-cream and pizza
How to get there
No stress! You can arrange a flight to Chania International Airport and a flight home from Rome , whilst we take care of the transport in between your cities! Alternatively, if you’d like to start or end your trip elsewhere, just let us know and we’ll work a doable route out for you.
Optional Extras
Reviews
4.89 Average
578 Reviews
Overall Rating
2 weeks ago
I had the most amazing time on the Iron Curtain Tour! We managed to fit so much into the week, with so many great recommendations by our awesome tour leader. Any difficulties as a cause of current travel situations were resolved without issue, and I always felt safe. Euroventure tours are to the best places, with the best people, and I cannot recommend them enough. Please do yourself a favour and book with them!
Overall Rating
2 weeks ago
I had an amazing time on the iron curtain tour which was well organised so I could see a lot in a short space of time. Our tour leader was great; very knowledgeable and made good recommendations in each city. I was also pleased with the quality and location of the hostels. I will definitely consider booking with euroventure again.
Overall Rating
2 weeks ago
The Iron Curtain Tour I went on was a great adventure! Euroventure was responsive with communication and on the tour the hostels were wonderful! My group was affected by the pandemic closures, but we made the most of it and Euroventure kept us updated throughout the week. No issues during travel!
Overall Rating
2 weeks ago
Can't Fault Euroventure team for everything and creating the trip of a lifetime! Even with the current coronavirus issues, they are flexible, understanding and dealt with any concerns of the virus to reroute the trip. Will definitely be using them again!
Overall Rating
3 weeks ago
Had a wonderful trip organised with Euroventure. All hotels fab and instructions on how to get to places spot on. No issues at all and I definitely recommend. Hil
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