Question
I’ll be spending four days in Boston at the end of May and would like to venture out around New England while I’m there. Can you recommend where to go, what to see, and where’s good to stay outside Boston for one night? I’ll have a car.
Simon Haggett, via email
Answer
May will be a great time to head out to the coast and enjoy the weather. Visit the stunning peninsula of Cape Cod and escape city life on one of its beaches. Start off at the picturesque Sandwich, one of the first towns you’ll reach on the Cape. The historic village, complete with swan pond and mill, has that quaint, rural feel that seems miles from the city. There’s a great beach here, although the water will probably be too chilly to swim in.
Continue east on the peninsula to Chatham, where there’s great seafood and art galleries. Finally, make sure to go right to the edge of the Cape until you hit Provincetown. This is one of Cape Cod’s most buzzing spots, and a great place to spend the evening.
There are plenty of quirky options for places to stay in Provincetown, too. If you’ve got a bit of extra cash, you can even stay in a lighthouse (racepointlighthouse.net).
Check out what’s on at Provincetown theatre (provincetowntheater.org) and local art at Provincetown Art Association and Museum (paam.org). Whilst you’re here, explore the ruggest coastline with great walks, and there’s also chance for a bit of whale-watching.
Question
My girlfriend and I are heading off to Greece in June for two weeks and we would love to visit the Ionian Islands, Athens and Santorini. What would be the easiest/ cheapest way to get to Santorini from Zante or Kefalonia? We’ll probably travel back to London from Santorini. Le Perr, via email
Answer
Because the mainland is slap-bang in the middle of these two groups of islands, the transport links inevitably go via the mainland.
I would recommend altering your itinerary to suit this by flying into Zante (you can fly from Gatwick direct with Thomas Cook or easyJet). Using Zante as your base, from here you can explore the Ionian Islands travelling on one of the two daily ferries to Kefalonia (1.5 hours) and then on to Lefkada (one hour). Then hop on a flight from Zante to Athens (one hour) or travel on the KTEL bus service for the six-hour ride to Athens (which goes via a boat to Kyllini on the mainland; budget an additional £7-£10 for this).
From Athens, there are numerous ferry services to Santorini from both ports at Rafina and Piraeus. The high-speed service will take around five hours, but if budget is the priority, opt for the slower nine-hour service, which is approximately half the price.
There is no question that this is a complicated sequence of journeys, so my advice would be to opt for a relaxing two-week break around one of these groups of islands, and save the other for a later trip.
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Just do it
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App happy
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