My fiance and I are planning a 2 week honeymoon beginning August 8, 2004--the only time that would fit into his crazy law student schedule. He wants to go to the Greek Islands, but I am worried that the crowds will be insane during the Olympics.

What do you recommend? ALternate locations are also welcomed.

Thank you

If you can find airline and hotel bookings that fit your budget and take you where you want to to, I say have a great honeymoon. But be prepared for the biggest hassle of your life. It's going to be so crowded everywhere you want to go in the islands during that time frame because of the Olympics. Unless you are lucky enough to find a same-day connection at the airport that will take you right to the island, you won't be able to find any affordable hotels in Athens for however long you'll have to wait to catch a plane out to the islands. And if you plan to utilize the ferry system out to the islands be prepared to scramble for your tickets. It's gonna be a nightmare!

How about the Canary Islands, or Majorca, or Corsica or Sicily or the Aeolian Islands just north of Sicily? These would all be great honeymoon destinations without such a crush of people.

I agree with Brotherleelove that the Olympics will add extra pressure to the Greek islands, but with careful planning you should be okay. The popular islands, those with good beaches and international airports, are packed every August, Olympics or not. So are Majorca and the Canaries for that matter.

Recommend: 1) Book in advance with a travel company. 2) Avoid going through Athens/Piraeus. 3) Pick an island group that is distant from Athens, but has access by direct flight.

You can then decide which island within the group you would like to visit. For instance, if your priority is good beaches, you could go somewhere like Skiathos in the Sporades, which has its own airport. If you want somewhere quieter, you could fly in to Skiathos, then go on by ferry to Skopelos or Alonissos.

Other options would be the Dodecanese, with Rhodes or Kos for beaches, and Patmos for something quieter. Or you could go to Crete, which is big enough to get away from the crowds when you want.

Hi Christine,

You might want to consider a week, or so, in Rome and a week on the Amalfi Coast and Capri and save Greece for another time.

Take a look at the predicted temperatures for mid-August in Greece. I cannot believe the IOC scheduled the games for those weeks. Add to that the unpredictability of conditions before and during the competition - the Greek transportation system of Greece, uhhhh, is not known for running like clockwork. It would be enough to make me reconsider. August is a great time for a visit to the north!

Patg, I hope the Olympic Committee schedules the more strenuous events for early morning when the temperatures are still bearable. Athenians head for the islands in droves during August, as do many other Europeans, who like Christine, can only take their holiday that month.

I have been to the Greek islands twice during late July/August, and only find the heat unpleasant when trying to sleep at night in a non-airconditioned room. The last five or six years I have gone in May/June or September, when things are better.

Christine and her fiancee can only go in August, though, hence my advice. I should add 4) to my last post, and suggest you look for a hotel with airconditioning.