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Since watching the Olympics, I have been dying to go to Greece. Cities tend to have a fresh scrubbed look after an olympics so I'm thinking Athens never looked better. But I'm also thinking that seeing the islands is more of a romantic holiday thing. Sadly, I'm going solo this trip. So, I'm thinking about Istanbul instead. A little more exotic, almost as historic, and maybe better for a solo trip for a mid-30s guy.

Am I stereotyping Greece as romantic?

And should I be concerned about anti-Americanism in Istanbul. I don't think there has been any violence since the bombings last year, but . . .

Hagan

I'd also like to hear from people who've traveled to Istanbul lately.

We've booked a cruise to the Greek Isles and Turkey (if ships are going there) next September. I understand Istanbul is awesome!

April

I went to Greece but think I would have preferred Turkey. A friend of mine loves Turkey and was there again just a few months ago. It sounds like the Turks are very friendly.

dw0201

I definitely preferred Turkey over Greece, even traveling as a single woman. Istanbul was a very vibrant and social place for a guy in his 30's but also very interesting with the muslim culture. You might also consider going down to the Cappadocia area which was the highlight of my trip.

bg_collier

You didn't say how long you had, but...

Why not both? Fly into Athens, spend a few days, hop down to Rhodes, Symi, or Samos and see what the allure of the Greek islands is all about, then take a ferry over to the Turkish coast. From there, you can wind your way up the coast, stopping at all the historical spots such as Ephesus, and end up in Istanbul. While that would be way too much for one week, it is doable in two.

Turkey is more exotic to most westerners, but Greece isn't far behind (as long as you make it a point to get out of the heavily promoted areas). Both are aces in my book, so you really can't lose.

Regards, Bruce
www.brucegcollier.com -- Fine-art Travel Photography