I would like to plan a trip to Europe in October/November. I will be traveling with friend who has never been there before. She expressed interest in Greece. I was wondering if anyone had a recommendation for 12 - 14 day itinerary for Greece, Italy, France and Spain - all along the Mediterranean coast. Any thoughts or ideas would be a tremendous help.

Are you looking for a cruise or organized tour or you want to plan this and go independently?

4 countries is quite a lot of territory to cover in under 2 weeks time.

Hi K,

For a first visit, in two weeks, I suggest (in this order)
Paris and Venice
Paris, Venice and Florence
Paris and Rome
Paris and 2 cities in Spain
Greece and any one other country.

Hi

I agree with Suze. If your friend is keen on Greece and you're happy with it too I would do the 12-14 days in Greece inclusive of the islands. Otherwise you're trip is far too whirlwind. As far as your itinerary, well it's what your into I guess. I did a 12 day Cosmos tour of Greece and really loved it. You saw a lot of antiquity - this may not be your thing though.

I have just returned from a sensational holiday in Spain so I can also recommend this country as well.

Just my 10 cents worth!

I saw an itinerary once in my surfing at www.earthboundexpeditions.com that is a tour the company offers called "Mediterranean Meander". (No affiliation ... just using this as an example.) The tour's itinerary is:

2 Nights Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2 Nights Collioure, Languedoc, France
3 Nights St. Remy/Arles, Provence, France
2 Nights Antibes, Côte d'Azur, France
2 Nights Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
2 Nights Lake Como

http://www.earthboundexpeditions.com/meander.htm

This is 13 nights and is way more moving around than I would do, but it might give you some ideas to begin planning. If you have your hearts set on traveling the Mediterranean coast, something along these lines might be nice ... adding Greece is too much. I would do one or the other.

Many thanks for the input. Sounds like there's too little time to enjoy any one place. Will revise expectations and may ask for some additional advice.

I just finished a Med cruise for 12 days with 10 stops. It was way too much and I have a short attention span. We saw some wonderful places, but if it were me I would split it up to Barcelona for atleast 2 or 3 days, then move on to the southern coast of France and see Cannes or Nice and some of the walled hilltop villages for 2 or 3 days and finish by hitting Rome and Naples and seeing the Amalfi coast and Pompeii. If that doesn't appeal to you do Greece and all those wonderful islands for 2 weeks. Just don't try to do it all. It really is too much and doesn't work. Trust me.

If Greece is at the top of both your travel wish lists, why not go there? Save the other countries for future trips? You could do 2 weeks on an organized tour or independently. That sounds like a great trip and an enjoyable pace. Still lots to see and do (but not the impossible which I believe your original itinerary is).