Backpacking Itinerary

For those friends and family that have expressed the desire to meet us on our travels at some point or even to just know where we are going – here is our rough itinerary as well a list of some of the draws for our going to a particular place. Our travel time is from May 18th to July 23rd, and we will be keeping to the below schedule generally, but as we may want to shorten and extend our time at certain places are leaving many of the arrangements open. Even if you can’t make it be sure that no later than a few months after the trip I will upload many picture and include writings on the places as well, something I wish I’d done more diligently the last two times I’ve backpacked in Europe and drove around the USA.

 Genoa (2 days)

“Among the marvels of Italy, it will take some digging to find the beauties of Genova, but it is worth visiting.” – Paolo Coelho

* Palace
* Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini
* Porta Soprana
* Piazza de Ferrari
* The Palazzo Reale
* Via Garibaldi
* Cattedrale di San Lorenzo Campanile
* Palazzi dei Rolli

Train to Florence (with a short stop over in Pisa)

Florence (4 days)

“Everything about Florence seems to be colored with a mild violet, like diluted wine. – Henry James

* Uffizi Gallery
* Fountain of Neptune
* Church of San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel
* Santa Croce (burial site of Machiavelli, Galileo, Michaelangelo, etc.)
* Academia di Bella Arti (David and other classics)
* Palazzo Vecchio
* Boboli Gardens
* Museo Galileo
* Villa Demidoff
* Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo
* Loggia dei Lanz

Fly to Rome OR take High Speed Rail System

Rome (3-4 days)

“You cheer my heart, who build as if Rome would be Eternal.” – Augustus Caesar

* Vatican
* Sundry Piazzas
* Trevi Fountain
* Old City

Fly to Venice

Venice (4 days)

“A realist, in Venice, would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him.” –Arthur Symons

* Venice

Fly to Ljubljana

(2 weeks of travel)

Ljubljana (4 days)

“Where soldiers once slept, a cultural enclave rises” – New York Times

* Ljubljana Free Tour
* Ljubljana University
* Ljubljana Castle
* National Museum of Contemporary History
* Visiting the artists and musicians in the “Autonomous city” of Metelkova

(A short bus ride to Bled)

Bled (2 days)

* Hiking to waterfalls, caves and mountain views
* Swimming to an island
* Visit to Bled Castle
* Church of the Assumption
* Boat Tours/Emerald River Tour
* International Music Festival
* Horse/bike rentals
* Learn how to perform Sabrange!

Bled to Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia (~2 days each)

* Summer festivals
* Roland Column
* Placa Stradun
* Pile Gate
* Church of St. Ignatius and the Jesuit College
* Bukovac House

Bus or flight to Berat

Berat, Albania (3 days)

* Whitewater rafting on the Osumi River
* Numerous Byzantine Churches and Ottoman Mosques
* Hiking Tomorri Mountain

Bus to Tirana

Tirana, Albania (3 days)

* Petrela Castle
* General’s Beach
* National Art Gallery
* Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard
* Piramida (International Centre of Culture)

Fly to Athens

Athens (five days)

* Acropolis
* Temple of Zeus
* Anafiotika
* Plaka
* Monastiraki
* Thissio
* Agora
* New Acropolis Museum
* Walk through Exarchia
* Maybe a cruise to the surrounding islands of Hydra, Poros or Agina or a Corinthian daytrip?

[4 weeks total]

Delphi (daytrip)

* Visiting the site of the Delphic Oracle
* Ruins of the Temple of Apollo, theatre, etc.
* Delphic Museum

Thessalonikia (2-3 days)

* Panagia Chalkeon
* The White Tower
* Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika
* Museum of the Macedonian Struggle
* Archeological Museum
* Taking pictures of riots against the Government

Express Train to Istanbul

Istanbul/Büyükada (5 days)

* Hagia Sophia Museum
* Sultanahmet District (Where the Topkapı Palace and Blue Mosque are)
* Basilica Cistern
* Turkish Baths
* Theodosian Walls Walk
* Bosphorous Cruise (Just like Jason and the Argonauts!)
* Shopping in bazars and the counterfeit goods markets
* Rumeli Citadel
* Riding the Turk Balloon
* Dance of Colors (Sufi Dances)
* Gala Mevlevi’s- Sufi Museum/Order
* Beylerbeyi Palace

Büyükada (Day trip by ferry)

*Greek Monastery of St George
*Leon Trotsky’s first place of exile

(Fly to Gdynia)

Gdynia, Poland (4 days minimum)

* July 4th – 7th Open’er

(6 Weeks)

Talinn, Riga, and Vilnius (~3 days each)

Vilnius, Talinn and Riga as we see fit,  though this may turn into forays through Czech Republic.

Fly back to the United States July 23rd.