Europe
Every V-TIMES guide across Europe.
Portugal · region
Algarve
Split the week: the western cliff coast first (Ponta da Piedade, the Seven Hanging Valleys trail, Benagil by licensed boat), then the quiet east (Tavira, the Ria Formosa ferries, octopus in Santa Luzia). Use the toll-free A22 or the newly electrified train to cross, give one day to Sagres and the wild west coast, one to the islands, and in August book boat trips a day or two ahead and arrive early for the island ferries, which are turn-up-and-go.
Italy · road trip
Amalfi Coast
Split your stay between Positano or Praiano for the cliffside view and Amalfi town or Ravello for easier logistics, use Travelmar ferries between towns whenever the sea allows, and give a full day to Capri or Pompeii.
Spain · road trip
Andalusia Road Trip
Land in Malaga, drive two hours to Granada and give the Alhambra a morning you booked weeks ago. Two hours west to Cordoba for the Mezquita at its free hour and the synagogue on Calle Judios. On to Seville for three nights: the Alcazar, the cathedral, the Alfalfa bars and, this autumn, the Bienal de Flamenco. South through Jerez for a sherry bodega, Cadiz for the Atlantic and a fish lunch, then inland to Ronda for the bridge and the white villages, and back to Malaga through the Caminito del Rey. Book the Alhambra first, then the hotels, then the flights.
Greece · city
Athens
Stay in Koukaki or Plaka to walk to the Acropolis, spend a day around Monastiraki, the Ancient Agora and Psiri, and add a day trip to Cape Sounion for sunset or inland to Delphi.
Spain · city
Barcelona
Split your stay between the Eixample (Gaudí’s greatest hits, wide boulevards) and the Gothic Quarter or Gràcia (medieval lanes or a village feel). Add a beach afternoon in Barceloneta and a day trip to Montserrat or Girona.
Hungary · city
Budapest
Come in May, June or September, sleep in District V or the Jewish Quarter, soak at Szechenyi before 9am and Rudas after dark, book the Parliament tour days ahead, walk Castle Hill early and the reopened Citadella at sunset, eat goulash and langos without apology, and finish in a ruin bar or on a night cruise under the floodlit Parliament.
Turkey · region
Cappadocia
Stay in or near Göreme or Uçhisar, fly a hot air balloon at sunrise on a calm-weather morning, spend a day on the Göreme Open Air Museum and Uçhisar Castle, and give a half or full day to the underground cities and Ihlara Valley.
Greece · island
Corfu
Base in or near Corfu Town for the culture and the restaurants, add a northwest coast stay (Paleokastritsa or the Sidari to Cape Drastis area) for the coves and the sunsets, and give a day to the boat trip to Paxos or the crossing to Albania.
Greece · island
Crete
Base a few nights in or near Chania Old Town for the Venetian harbour and access to Samaria Gorge, move to Rethymno or Heraklion for Knossos and the Archaeological Museum, then finish in the Agios Nikolaos or Elounda area for Spinalonga and a slower pace.
Greece · multi city
Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route
Three nights on Paros for the ferry connections and Naoussa, three on Naxos for the mountain villages and the best beaches in the group, three on Milos for Sarakiniko and the Kleftiko boat, with Sifnos or Folegandros as the fourth stop if you have the days.
Croatia · city
Dubrovnik
Sleep within walking distance if you can take stairs and outside the zone if you cannot. Walk the walls first thing or in the last two hours, never in the middle of a two-ship day, and check the port’s own schedule before you pick which morning. Give the cable car an evening: from the top at 400 metres the sun goes down into open water almost every day of the year, which the seaward walls cannot do between mid-April and late August. Buy Lokrum for a half day and watch the 19:00 last boat. Book one of the nine Michelin-listed tables and eat one meal at the Bib Gourmand, which is Bosnian and costs a third as much. Then take a boat somewhere: the Elafiti islands for a swim, or Cavtat for a lunch on a waterfront that is not full.
France · region
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur)
Spend two or three nights in Nice for the Old Town, the museums and the Promenade des Anglais, a night or two around Antibes or Cannes for the coast and the Croisette, and at least a day inland for Eze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Add Monaco or the Gorges du Verdon as day trips.
Greece · multi city
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini
Two nights in Athens for the Acropolis and the old town, four nights on Mykonos for Little Venice, the beaches and a Delos day trip, and three nights on Santorini for Oia’s sunset, the volcano boat and Ancient Akrotiri.
Greece · region
Halkidiki
Land at Thessaloniki, pick up a car, and give Kassandra half the trip: Sani or the Possidi side for the sunsets, Afytos for a village you can walk in the evening, the Kallithea strip if the holiday needs noise. Then cross to Sithonia for the beaches that appear in everyone’s photographs, Kavourotrypes and Karydi and the Vourvourou islets, and set at least one alarm, because from late March to mid-September the sun comes up over Mount Athos at Sarti and along the Kavourotrypes coves. Run the Athos cruise out of Ouranoupoli if the monasteries matter. Book the ancient sites for mornings, note that Petralona is the only site here that shortens its hours through the autumn, while the rest keep 08:30 to 15:30 all year, and do not build a day around Ancient Olynthos, which the Ephorate’s own page says is temporarily closed.
Spain · island
Ibiza
Start with Dalt Vila and the old port, then split your days between coasts: the west for Cala Comte, Cala d’Hort and the Es Vedrà sunset, the north for Benirràs, Portinatx and the villages, the south for Ses Salines and the beach scene. Take the fast ferry to Formentera once, and decide honestly in advance whether clubs are part of your trip or not.
Turkey · city
Istanbul
Spend two to three days in Sultanahmet for Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern, then cross the Golden Horn to Beyoğlu and Karaköy for food and views, and take a ferry across the Bosphorus at least once.
Portugal · city
Lisbon
Stay in Chiado or Principe Real for a central, walkable base, spend a morning in Alfama and the castle and a separate day in Belem, pick the right miradouro for the evening, and give a full day to Sintra with a timed Pena Palace ticket.
Spain · city
Madrid
Stay in Sol, the Barrio de las Letras, Malasana or Salamanca for a central, walkable base, give a full day to the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen, on a Wednesday to Saturday if you can, watch the sunset from the Templo de Debod or the Circulo de Bellas Artes rooftop, and add Toledo or Segovia as a day trip.
Spain · island
Mallorca
Split the trip in two: Palma for the cathedral, the old town and the food scene, then the Serra de Tramuntana and the north for Sóller, Deià, Valldemossa, Pollença and the Cap de Formentor. Add a day for the southeast calas (Caló des Moro, Cala Mondragó) if the season allows an early start.
Malta · island
Malta
Book the Hypogeum first, as early as you can, because only ten people go down at a time. Spend two days in Valletta: St John’s Co-Cathedral for the Caravaggios, the Grand Master’s Palace, the Upper Barrakka Gardens for the noon gun and the harbour view, and the ferry across to Birgu and the Three Cities. Give a day to Mdina and Rabat, with the catacombs where Jewish tombs carry menorahs, and end it on the high edge of the Dingli Cliffs, where the sun sets into open sea from March to early October. Give a day to the south: the Marsaxlokk fishing harbour, the temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, and a swim at St Peter’s Pool. Then take the ferry to Gozo for the Citadel, the Ggantija temples and the sunset at Dwejra. Book the free Blue Lagoon pass before any Comino boat.
Greece · island
Mykonos
Stay in or near Mykonos Town (Chora) for the windmills, Little Venice and the widest choice of restaurants, use Ornos or Platis Gialos as a calmer beach base with easy access to the club beaches, and set aside a morning for the boat to Delos before the crowds build.
Greece · island
Naxos
Stay on the west coast, where the beaches from Agios Georgios down to Plaka face Paros, whose hills stand 9 to 19 kilometres off across the strait. Hire a car and spend the middle of the trip inland: the Tragaea valley and Halki for the kitron distillery, Filoti and the path up Mount Zas, Apiranthos for its marble lanes and small museums, and the kouroi at Flerio and Apollonas. Watch one sunset from the Portara, knowing it now stands behind a fence you look through, and one from the top of Zas. Eat graviera, arseniko and Naxos potatoes where they are made. Note that the Archaeological Museum is closed for works and its collection is shown free in a temporary exhibition at Agia Ursula in the Kastro, 09:00 to 14:00, closed Tuesdays.
Cyprus · island
Paphos, Cyprus
Two or three days for the town: the archaeological park at opening, the Tombs of the Kings, the harbour fort, Ktima’s market lanes and Geroskipou for loukoumi. Then a car: the Akamas by boat from Latchi, Aphrodite’s Rock and the sanctuary at Kouklia to the east, and a slow afternoon in the Laona wine villages above Coral Bay.
France · city
Paris
Split your stay between the Right Bank (Le Marais for food and history, Montmartre for hills and light) and the Left Bank (Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter for bookshops, cafes and the Sorbonne). Book the Louvre, Versailles and the Notre-Dame towers ahead.
Greece · region
Peloponnese
Land in Athens, cross the canal, and give Nafplio three nights for Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nemea wine and the town itself. Drive south past Sparta to Mystras, sleep under the rock at Monemvasia, then round the Laconian Gulf to the Mani for tower villages, the Diros caves and the walk to the lighthouse at Cape Tenaro. Base at Kardamyli or Limeni for the end, with Ancient Messene and the beaches of the Navarino coast as the last day out, and leave from Kalamata or drive back to Athens. Buy site tickets on the Ministry’s e-ticket portal, watch the half-monthly closing times from September, and do not plan anything around the Kalavryta train.
Czechia · city
Prague
Come in May, June or September, sleep in Vinohrady, Karlin or the quiet end of Mala Strana rather than the party blocks, cross Charles Bridge before 8am, take the first hour after opening at the Old Town Hall for the half-price early-bird ticket, ride the rebuilt Petrin funicular on a 24-hour pass if it has resumed carrying passengers, eat where the tank beer is, and give one full day to Kutna Hora.
France · region
Provence
Fly to Marseille, on El Al direct from Tel Aviv, or take the train from Paris to Avignon in about three hours. Pick up a car. Stay in the Luberon for three or four nights and plan the days around the markets: Gordes on Tuesday mornings, Roussillon and Ménerbes on Thursday, Lourmarin and Bonnieux on Friday, Apt on Saturday, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and the Coustellet farmers’ market on Sunday. See Sénanque in a morning, walk the ochre trail at Roussillon, and give an afternoon to the Popes’ Jews: the synagogue of Carpentras, which the Vaucluse tourism board calls the oldest still in use in France, and the tiny synagogue museum of Cavaillon. Then move to Saint-Rémy or Arles for Les Baux, Glanum, the arena and Van Gogh. In late June and early July drive out to the Valensole plateau for the lavender and a sunset behind Mont Ventoux. Check the forest-fire map every evening in summer before you plan a walk.
Greece · island
Rhodes
Split the trip: two or three days for Rhodes Town (the walled city, Mandraki harbor, Kallithea and a Symi day trip), then the rest around Lindos and the south: the acropolis at opening time, St Paul’s Bay, Tsambika, and a road day through Embonas wine country to Monolithos and the windsurfing cape at Prasonisi.
Italy · city
Rome
Stay in or near the Centro Storico or Monti for walkability, book the Colosseum and Vatican Museums well ahead of time, eat in Trastevere and Testaccio rather than right off the big piazzas, and give one day to Tivoli or Ostia Antica.
Greece · island
Santorini
Stay in or near Oia or Imerovigli for the caldera view and sunset, use Fira for the wider choice of restaurants and the cable car down to the old port, and give a half day each to the volcano boat trip and the Ancient Akrotiri and Red Beach combination.
Italy · island
Sardinia
The north-east (Costa Smeralda, La Maddalena, Gallura) for the famous granite coves and the glamour; the north-west (Alghero, Stintino, Capo Caccia) for a walkable Catalan-flavoured town and La Pelosa; the east (Gulf of Orosei, Baunei) for cliff-backed beaches reached by boat or on foot; the south (Cagliari, Chia, Villasimius) for the capital, dunes and the mildest autumn. The Barbagia interior around Nuoro and Oliena is the counterweight to all of it.
Italy · island
Sicily
Split the island into a loop: Palermo for Arab-Norman culture and street food, Taormina and Etna for the coast and the volcano, Syracuse and Ortigia for Greek history, and the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto (Noto, Modica, Ragusa) for architecture and food. Add the Aeolian Islands by ferry from Milazzo if time allows.
Croatia · road trip
Split to Dubrovnik Road Trip
Two nights in Split for the palace, the cellars and Marjan hill. Collect the car, climb to Klis fortress, and take the coast road through Omis to the Makarska Riviera. Up to the Biokovo skywalk on a timed slot, down through the Neretva delta, over the Peljesac bridge to Ston for the walls and the oysters. West along the peninsula through Dingac wine country to the Orebic ferry and a night in Korcula. Then two hours to Dubrovnik, the car handed back, and the city on foot: the walls at opening, Lokrum by boat, Mount Srd at sunset.
Turkey · region
Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya)
Spend two or three nights on the Bodrum peninsula for the castle, the villages and the beach clubs, two or three nights around Fethiye and Kaş for the lagoon at Ölüdeniz, Patara and the Kekova boat day, and finish with two nights in Antalya for Kaleiçi, Hadrian’s Gate and Aspendos. All-inclusive travelers can anchor the whole trip at Kemer, Belek or Side instead.
Italy · region
Tuscany
Start in Florence for the Uffizi, the Duomo and the Accademia, add a night or two in the Chianti countryside for wine and slower afternoons, then move south to Siena, San Gimignano and the Val d’Orcia for hill towns, cypress roads and Pienza’s pecorino.
Italy · city
Venice
Stay in Dorsoduro, Cannaregio or Castello rather than on Piazza San Marco. Book St Mark Basilica and the Doge Palace online in advance, eat standing at bacari for lunch and sit down away from the main corridor at night, and give a full day to Torcello and Burano rather than a rushed three-island tour.