Italy and Greece - 2 weeks - late June 2014
 

Hello!
I am brand new to Fodor's, so I hope I am doing this right!

I'm a 30 year old female from the United States and I am planning a 2 week trip to Italy and Greece in late June or early July 2014. This will be my first time traveling outside the U.S. and my first time traveling solo.

I know I want to visit Rome, Athens, and a few of the Greek Islands, including one with an amazing crystal blue and white sand beach! Other than visiting these places, I have no set plans so I welcome any and all comments, suggestions and advise you can provide about the following topics:
- Itinerary
- solo travel versus a travel group
- what to pack
- tips for solo traveler and first time traveler
- Flights
- Hotels and Hostels
- Whether to book ahead for tours, hostels, ferries, etc.
- Weather in Italy, Athens and the Greek Islands in June/July
- How to find other people who are going to same location at same time

I appreciate your help and Happy New Year!

I can only speak about Rome, as I haven't been to Greece yet.

Much of the fun of travel is the planning. Get a guidebook, and make a tentative plan of what you'd like to see and do and how much time you plan to spend in each place.

Solo vs/group- since it's your first time, how about a mix?
You may benefit from a local guide to give you a deeper understanding of the place.

Hotels? Depends on where you want to be located and how much you want to spend. Look online, read reviews so you can make
an informed decision. Since, you're going in high season, I'd make a reservation as soon as you've nailed down your flights.
(Having said that, we always end up doing things later than is recommended, and we have always ended up just fine)

You can find other travelers by searching online. There used to be a few groups for women that offer meet-ups.


What to pack? Easy...pack light! It will be warm in Rome, so a sweater or jacket should suffice for evenings. Comfy shoes are a must.

Tips for solo woman? Always be aware of your surroundings, as you would in any large city. Pickpockets thrive in tourist areas, so keep wallet, phone, etc. in a very safe place. Their favorite MO is distraction, so, again, be aware.

Enjoy the planning!

Real 'white sand' beaches are rare in Greece. Check the island of Zakynthos. http://tinyurl.com/ksno9nl

You have very little time for this trip. Rome can easily take a week just to do the major sites. I assume you will be doing a week in Rome and a week in Greece. You will use up most of a day in getting to Athens from Rome so that only leaves you 6 days to do the Greek Islands and Athens. Every island you do will also eat up at least half a day just for transfers. So here are my thoughts check flight schedules and find a flight that takes you from Rome to you chosen island. Don't stop in Athens at all. At the very least Aegean has connecting flights through Athens so use that transfer day wisely and get to your chosen island immediately.
Next thought is you need to recognize Greece does not have beaches like the Caribbean or Florida. At best you should expect Golden Sand beaches and in fact there are lots of beaches that are all pebbles.
I am going to suggest you head to Brotherlees favourite island Santorini simply because it is absolutely stunning. Get a hotel situated on the Caldera which is 900 feet above the sea. On our first day in Santorini we just sat on our balcony and took in the view for several hours. Santorini has the advantage of lots of direct flights from Europe and those Aegean connectors. Santorini has fairly poor beaches but does have that blue water. After Santorini you have the option of a companion island like Naxos or just fly back to Athens and spend your last few days there.
Three or 4 days should be enough for Santorini which will leave you 2 or three days for Athens. You really don't have enough time to do more.

Here are images of these places.
Rome http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7634677664021/
Santorini http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632154800782/
Athens http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632121475515/

Oh yes on what to pack make sure you pack light. Many people show up with huge suitcases and they have to be lugged all over the place. Be sure to have a suitcase that eith wheels or a backpack. You don't want to be carrying luggage. Mix and match clothes and try to get 3 different combinations that work with each other. You don't need a whole lot of clothes in Greece.
Have fun planning

Hi
I am visiting Greece in July second week. we can join if you like to.