Well that sounds superior to the one time my traditional rental car broke down.
It was a very shitty rental car from a very shitty rental company (but also in SF, though), so probably not a fair comparison.
I used Turo once in Vegas. I went with someone who had a lot of cars and good reviews.
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Iām curious how people would rate this itinerary, and also if there are any alterations and/or interesting day trips I should include.
A couple things to note are that Iām a bit restricted by flights from Georgia, so I chose the arrival and departure cities based on cheapest flight. Iām also meeting my younger brother in Italy (heās 35 and itās his first time out of USA/Canada), so Rome and Florence dates are set in stone, the other cities I can play around with a little.
SEP 17 - arrive in Wroclaw, Poland (2 nights there)
SEP 19 - bus to Prague (4 nights there)
SEP 23 - overnight sleeper train to Budapest (3 nights)
SEP 26 - flight to Rome (4 nights)
SEP 28? - probable day trip to Naples
SEP 30 - train to Florence (3 nights)
OCT 3 - train to Bologna (3 nights)
OCT 4 - day trip to Venice
OCT 6 - flight to Thessaloniki (2 nights)
OCT 8 - Back to Georgia
It seems like probably itās a big leak going through this part of Italy without seeing any smaller towns, particularly the Tuscan region, but myself and my group are way more into big cities than countryside, although I could be convinced otherwise.
Bologna seems random, but itās a way to get back to Thessaloniki (which has like a $50 flight to Georgia, which is nuts low), and also a decent base for a Venice day trip (can arrive there at 8:30 AM) and could also do another day trip from there (Verona or San Marino maybe).
Really though, Prague and Budapest were the main 2 I wanted to work in, so Iām happy to be able to see them both. Venice, Iād obviously love to spend more time there as it will be my first time, but cheapest AirBNB (for a shared place too) is $90/night and Iām trying to keep it to $60/night max (weāll probably just take a room in Rome, maybe Florence) and other cities weāll be able to find a centrally located studio.
I also wouldnāt mind having a bit more time in Budapest and Prague. Iām playing around with the flight arrival options and seeing if thereās anything decent (most arrivals are in Poland b/c Wizz Air is the low cost carrier from Georgia).
Finally, Iām curious if anyone knows Katowice and Wroclaw. I think I could arrive in Katowice, but from photos/vids online it looks kinda shitty, really industrial, lots of roads, not great architecture, subpar center, etc.
I would like to spend 3 months in Poland next year (focus on Warsaw and Krakow), but Iām worried my gf will get a bad impression of Poland if we only see Katowice (Wroclaw seems fine) this time and veto that idea.
If youāve only got 3 full days in Rome I wouldnāt spend one of them riding the train back and forth to Naples. So much more to see in Rome.
This one is kinda selfish on my part. Iāve already spent a week in Rome, but havenāt seen Naples yet. So I was showing the rest of the group videos and saying āwow it looks so unique and itās only a short train awayā, but yah, after you do the obligatory Vatican day, then weād have very little time in Rome if we also throw in a Naples side quest.
My girlfriend and I normally prefer slow travel (weāll book a month in certain cities, if possible), but my brother and his partner almost never travel and are more the type that would love to see 6 cities in a week. Iāll probably defer to my girlfriendās decision and respect whatever she decides.
You could make it about eating at that place which is supposed to have the best pizza in Italy. Conveniently itās pretty close to the train station. I forget the name. All the travel shows go there.
Daytripping to Cinque Terre is possible from Florence and you go through Pisa on the way as well, but idk if you want to cram even more stuff into the itinerary.
I assume a Greyhound from Seattle to Olympia isnāt going to be that sketchy? I know Greyhound in the US have a reputation for sketch in general. The other option would be to take the Amtrak, but the station is right out on the outskirts of Olympia, so it adds hassle.
Iāve taken Greyhound buses (among others) before and havenāt had any issues.
To be fair, it wasnāt that exact line. So canāt speak for it specifically.
Hmm, thatās a solid idea too.
Oh damn, didnāt know Cinque Terre was feasible, will have to see if itās at all possible this trip.
Why are you going to Olympia?
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greyhound is fine, but amtrak thrn lyft/uber isnāt a big deal either. iāve done that a few times
I took a greyhound from Atlanta to Savannah once. Never again.
Itās not Iām-in-mortal-danger sketchy, but the Atlanta greyhound station is such an epic nightmare that people go to extremes to avoid using the bathrooms there, and as soon as everyone got on the bus there was a line to use the bathroom, which was swiftly ruined. Our bus station is literally a bunch of double-wides stitched together as a temporary bus station for the 96 Olympics, in what has since become the sketchiest part of downtown. Itās almost comical, but also sad commentary on the USās disregard for public spaces, especially ones used by lower income people in red states.
This probably is not an issue in the blue states as much, which have money for luxuries like real bus stations.
Itās a relatively short ride. I wouldnāt be enthusiastic about taking Greyhound cross-country, but the people who are really sketched out about Greyhound are the people who are uncomfortable around poor and/or black people.
Iād suggest wearing a mask, more for the smells than for COVID
When I went in April we had to show our vaxx status but no one asked for our negative test (although we had them because we thought we needed them).
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Took a Greyhound bus from NY to CA 20 years ago or so, and certainly wouldnāt recommend that (although the memories rate to last a lifetime). But, for something short like that, Iām sure youāll be fine. At the end of the day youāre sitting in a chair for a couple few hours, how bad could it be?
The only image that pops into my head when I think of Greyhound bus is that guy who had a psychotic break and decapitated and starting eating his seatmate.
But Iām sure youāll be fine.
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https://pt.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
They require a negative test. However, it should be noted that normally test results that are submitted to the airline are then forwarded to border control of the destination. So even if not asked for at the border, they still have a copy of it in advance (which could explain why they didnāt ask for it for mosdef).
Translated to englishā¦ you need a neg test to fly. Portugal has the most lax entry requirements in the EU. If youāre good to fly, Portugal aināt checking shit. Outbound airport checks your passport, return flight status and covid test too. Simples.
There is always an obnoxious drunk on a bus, and the only way to avoid that person is to be that person.
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