Once again, Tourcrafters is bringing into the light some late spring and summer packages to Italy that are little miracles in their pricing, and, for an encore, is adding on packages to Greece. What's more, they've lopped off $300 or more per person for May.
A five-day package to Athens and the Saronic Islands starts from $988 for a land/air combo, or from just $428 for the land portion for those who want to make your own flight arrangements. For the full package, you'll fly from NYC on Alitalia with lodging in the modern, air-conditioned Hotel Dorian Inn, overlooking the Acropolis, with roof garden and swimming pool. Also included are your morning meals at the hotel, a guided tour of Athens, a full-day cruise to the Saronic Gulf islands (with transfers and lunch on board), escorted airport transfers, entrance fees to the Acropolis, baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges. Availability is limited for this offer, which runs through the end of May.
If you have more time, consider the nine-night trip that includes Athens, Mykonos & Santorini starting from $1,158 (normally $1,499). That gives you airfare, three nights in Athens, three in Mykonos and three in Santorini -- the last two are nearly perfect places to hang out in late spring. You'll stay in B-class hotels, and get daily breakfast, the tour of Athens, the airport transfers, hydrofoil transport between Piraeus Port and the islands, transport to and from the pier and on the islands, baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges. Without airfare between the US and Athens, the price is only $657.
Back in Italy, where Tourcrafters has focused their expertise for years, there is a nice deal called the "Rome Esclusiva" package, a five-night midweek venture. Through June 13, 2003, you'll pay as little as $1,118 for roundtrip air from New York, five nights in the centrally-located three-star Hotel Brasile, daily buffet breakfast, airport transfers, half day of sightseeing in Rome, and hotel service charges and taxes. If you go between now and the end of May, travel on select dates can save you even more, up to $150, in fact. Later, in July and August, the same package will cost from $1330. Add-on prices are available from other US cities and on weekends, and upgrades to four-star hotels are possible, too.
For reservations call Tourcrafters at 800/482-5995 or e-mail info@tourcrafters.com. The website is www.tourcrafters.com.
Something New for Independent Travelers
If you want to make your own way to Rome and forget about tour operators, you can stay in a newly-refurbished former dormitory hotel, where prices until July 10, 2003, are just €75 for singles (about $82), €115 for doubles or twins (about $125) and €145 for triples (about $158), continental breakfast included. The name of this establishment is Hotel Aphrodite and it's scheduled to open on May 16, 2003, close to the Termini station. There's a bathroom with each room, a fitness area and a rooftop terrace. Shedding it's hostelesque image, the remodeled accommodation is now reated three stars -- and like any hotel worth its star rating, they can make arrangements for any number of tours while you're in Rome, including visits to Vatican City, bike tours and a shuttle to Pompeii. Their e-mail is admin@dormbedsinrome.com, website www.accommodationinrome.com.