# Travel Question



## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

My husband and I are hitting an age milestone this year and are celebrating with our first cruise. I want to hit a yarn store in every port! (Not one of my husband's priorities, but I can leave him at a café with a merlot to wait it out.)

Does anyone have suggestions for knit shops in:
Rome
Athens
Sorrento
Sicily
Santorini
Rhodes 
Istanbul

I'm googling each city, but would like a personal endorsement if possible.


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## Bre (Jan 6, 2015)

Wow! Sounds like bliss. 
I wish I had suggestions for you!
Enjoy your trip.


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

Bre said:


> Wow! Sounds like bliss.
> I wish I had suggestions for you!
> Enjoy your trip.


We're very excited! It's not for a bit, but I'm trying to plan out things in advance. I love going to knit shops in the States when I travel - I can't imagine the treasures I could find abroad!


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## foxden (Oct 17, 2013)

There are knitting and crochet cruises, so lists might be out there. There are a lot of knitting groups on facebook, and if you search for yarn store travel, you might find groups with suggestions.
Sounds wonderful


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

foxden said:


> There are knitting and crochet cruises, so lists might be out there. There are a lot of knitting groups on facebook, and if you search for yarn store travel, you might find groups with suggestions.
> Sounds wonderful


Yikes. Didn't know that. I think I'd have to give my husband more than a half hour with a glass of merlot to persuade him to go on a knitting cruise, but your suggestion sounds good. Thanks.


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## DorothyofOz (Jun 21, 2011)

When I went to Istanbul, I was told the yarn factories were about 20 miles away from the city. I had no time and no way to get there. I did not see any retail yarn stores, but you might have better luck.
We stayed at the hotel (the name escapes me) on the square where all the demonstrations took place (after we left, of course).


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

DorothyofOz said:


> When I went to Istanbul, I was told the yarn factories were about 20 miles away from the city. I had no time and no way to get there. I did not see any retail yarn stores, but you might have better luck.
> We stayed at the hotel (the name escapes me) on the square where all the demonstrations took place (after we left, of course).


Yarn factories. Wow. That would be awesome, but the time might be a factor for us, too. I'm looking at Knitmap right now, but it doesn't seem to like the cities I'm going to, but the suggestions on KP so far have been helpful.


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## imalulu (May 19, 2013)

Sorry, I can't help, but it sounds like a wonderful trip. Enjoy and best of luck finding LYS...I do the same thing.


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## katzeh (Sep 7, 2012)

Lucky you! Enjoy your trip. I know of a little yarn shop off one of the streets off the Spanish Steps. I know that's not much to go on but you can check at one of the other shops near the Steps and sure they will know of it if you don't get anywhere googling. I remember it being tucked in between shops with very famous names! There is another little shop near the Hotel Oxford, in the vicinity of the train station. I know that doesn't help a lot but I'm sure you will find many. On my trips to Europe with my daughter or husband that was always one of our "to do" days. We found shops where ever we were just by asking! One very rainy day in Praque my husband was determined to find this little shop on a side street near the Bridge. We did finally find it, purchased yarn and then stopped in a little Tavern for hot soup and a Praque beer! You have brought back many wonderful memories! Sorry this got long!!


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

katzeh said:


> Lucky you! Enjoy your trip. I know of a little yarn shop off one of the streets off the Spanish Steps. I know that's not much to go on but you can check at one of the other shops near the Steps and sure they will know of it if you don't get anywhere googling. I remember it being tucked in between shops with very famous names! There is another little shop near the Hotel Oxford, in the vicinity of the train station. I know that doesn't help a lot but I'm sure you will find many. On my trips to Europe with my daughter or husband that was always one of our "to do" days. We found shops where ever we were just by asking! One very rainy day in Praque my husband was determined to find this little shop on a side street near the Bridge. We did finally find it, purchased yarn and then stopped in a little Tavern for hot soup and a Praque beer! You have brought back many wonderful memories! Sorry this got long!!


Wow. Just what I want to do! Thanks.


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## Peggy Beryl (Jun 4, 2012)

In our travels outside the U.S., we discovered that retail shops are often not well marked and sometimes not even known outside their immediate area. In many cities, taxi drivers become the best information sources for local businesses. Have a list of the words you would need to be able to ask a few pertinent questions in the language of each country you visit and ask for shops from anyone who is in the business of serving visitors.

Many people will speak some English, of course; but we often found the locals more helpful if we had taken the trouble to prepare a few remarks in their native tongue.

When cruising, ask at the service desk on shipboard which handles the land tours for information as well. You may get lucky and find someone who also visits LYS sites in some destinations.


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## Montana Gramma (Dec 19, 2012)

katzeh said:


> Lucky you! Enjoy your trip. I know of a little yarn shop off one of the streets off the Spanish Steps. I know that's not much to go on but you can check at one of the other shops near the Steps and sure they will know of it if you don't get anywhere googling. I remember it being tucked in between shops with very famous names! There is another little shop near the Hotel Oxford, in the vicinity of the train station. I know that doesn't help a lot but I'm sure you will find many. On my trips to Europe with my daughter or husband that was always one of our "to do" days. We found shops where ever we were just by asking! One very rainy day in Praque my husband was determined to find this little shop on a side street near the Bridge. We did finally find it, purchased yarn and then stopped in a little Tavern for hot soup and a Praque beer! You have brought back many wonderful memories! Sorry this got long!!


Oh Prague, how I miss that city! Our apartment was a mile walk from Old Town Square and I did a 5 mile walk there and around everyday. They were restoring a lot of the buildings that the river runs under by the Bridge when DH worked there. It was fun to watch the progress without using any heavy equipment. We would like to go back and do it all over again!


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

Peggy Beryl said:


> In our travels outside the U.S., we discovered that retail shops are often not well marked and sometimes not even known outside their immediate area. In many cities, taxi drivers become the best information sources for local businesses. Have a list of the words you would need to be able to ask a few pertinent questions in the language of each country you visit and ask for shops from anyone who is in the business of serving visitors.
> 
> Many people will speak some English, of course; but we often found the locals more helpful if we had taken the trouble to prepare a few remarks in their native tongue.
> 
> When cruising, ask at the service desk on shipboard which handles the land tours for information as well. You may get lucky and find someone who also visits LYS sites in some destinations.


Great ideas! Thanks.


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## katzeh (Sep 7, 2012)

We always wanted to return to Praque. Just loved it. The first time we went the borders had just been lifted and our tour guide was not at all familiar with the east side of Praque. The 2nd time my husband and I stayed at a hotel just across the river from the Castle. We walked all over. It's a truly majestic city! Not that there aren't many in Europe!


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## no1girl (Sep 4, 2012)

a Bottle of Merlot , more than likely!


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## lobsterlice (Oct 13, 2012)

I was told the same about the yarn factories in Istanbul as DorothyofOz and we didn't have the time either. But one thing is you could ask at the Grand Bazaar. We went there but didn't have alot of time to spend there either.


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## Don Ashton (Sep 16, 2011)

Turkey would be great because there are huge herds of Alpaca there.


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

lobsterlice said:


> I was told the same about the yarn factories in Istanbul as DorothyofOz and we didn't have the time either. But one thing is you could ask at the Grand Bazaar. We went there but didn't have alot of time to spend there either.


Yes! I was thinking the bazaar would probably be a good venue for yarn, and I've made sure we have at least some time there.


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## higgybella (Feb 20, 2013)

Oh! Oh! Oh! I am sure there are yarn shops in Italy but you will likely need to go off the beaten tourist path.... But ISTANBUL! Go to the bazaar - ask, ask and ask someone to take you (I would start with cruise staff) to the bazaar and help you find yarn. My mother and I went about ten years ago- sooooo beautiful, sooooo cheap...we shipped tons back. The bazaar is crazy and this was not in a touristy part of it but it was worth finding- for the experience as much as the yarn.


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

higgybella said:


> Oh! Oh! Oh! I am sure there are yarn shops in Italy but you will likely need to go off the beaten tourist path.... But ISTANBUL! Go to the bazaar - ask, ask and ask someone to take you (I would start with cruise staff) to the bazaar and help you find yarn. My mother and I went about ten years ago- sooooo beautiful, sooooo cheap...we shipped tons back. The bazaar is crazy and this was not in a touristy part of it but it was worth finding- for the experience as much as the yarn.


Oh, boy! That sounds great. Thanks!


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## morningdew (Oct 2, 2012)

Lisadw said:


> My husband and I are hitting an age milestone this year and are celebrating with our first cruise. I want to hit a yarn store in every port! (Not one of my husband's priorities, but I can leave him at a café with a merlot to wait it out.)
> 
> Does anyone have suggestions for knit shops in:
> Rome
> ...


I get nearly all my yarn from Yarn paradise/Ice Yarns they are in Istanbul,might be worth your while to register with them and e-mail them,hope you find lots


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## Lisadw (Aug 10, 2012)

morningdew said:


> I get nearly all my yarn from Yarn paradise/Ice Yarns they are in Istanbul,might be worth your while to register with them and e-mail them,hope you find lots


Great! Thanks!


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## Mollie (Feb 23, 2011)

I hope you have better luck than I did in Mexico. Ran out of yarn on a cruise, so I hit WalMart at the next stop (PV). I took my yarn wrapper with me and had one of the employees write down the words for crochet and yarn. Ended up buying craft supplies from one of the shopkeepers who was using them to crochet purses for sale! Apparently yarn is only sold in open markets.


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## Jedmo (Jan 21, 2013)

Istanbul has yarn shops by the covered market. It is huge, enjoy!


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