Nidwaldner_Chris

I am planning a 3+ week trip to Turkey and Greece. The more I learn about Turkey, the more I realize how much there is to see! Would it be unthinkable to give up the Greek Isles (originally I had thought of going to Santorini, Naxos, and one other island) to devote time to a Blue Gulet Voyage along the Turkish Coast instead? This will also be in early October so time of year (ease in getting ferries, weather etc.) is a factor. Our main interests are ancient sites, culture, and beautiful scenery. We are not beach people.

Gulet Cruise Demre-Fethiye 3 nights
Aphrodiasis/Pamukkale 1 night
Ephesus 2 nights
Fly to Athens
Delphi 1 night
Meterora 1 night
Peloponnese 3 nights
Athens 2 nights

To those who have been to both Turkey and Greece, comments would be most appreciated.

Nidwaldner_Chris

oops, half the itinerary was missing in my previous post.

Istanbul 3 days
fly to Cappadocia 3 nights
Konya (or other enroute?) 1 night
Antalya/Termessos 2 nights

brotherleelove2004

You're attempting to cover a lot of territory for only 22 nights total. Flying does make this a bit easier but still, I'd rethink the idea and cut back on your itinerary enough so you can relax a bit along the way and not have to always be so concerned with sticking to your timetable. Otherwise you might miss how great it is wherever you happen to be along the way. Turkey is definitely a fantastic country, so perhaps you should plan a trip there for another time. If you absolutely HAVE to go there this time, go to Istanbul and Ephesus (fly into Izmir), and the rest is optional. Stick to Santorini (especially the village of Oia!!) and Naxos, these two will give you enough of the Greek Island experience to satisfy you. These 4 stops plus Athens will give you a well-rounded vacation and not kill you in the process. Add Meteora to this if you feel like you need to, but keep yourself flexible because of the weather. You shouldn't have any problem with ferries to the Greek Islands, just remember that the schedule will be cut back in October and the winds might be a factor, so flying to Santorini from Athens is also a good backup option.

Lanny

I like your itinerary. When I planned my first trip to Greece I threw in a couple of diversions into Turkey as an afterthought. And while I adored Greece, I found I fell in love with Turkey, and my greatest regret was I spent only three days there, in Istanbul and Ephesus on a 7 day cruise concentrating on the Greek islands. I have done much the same tour through mainland Greece as you propose and your plans for the area from Athens through to Meteorea through the Pelopennese is excellent. I am captivated by archaeology and found the 7 days making that trip was well worth the time spent. I hope you have the good fortune to arrive in Olympia when the cherry trees are in flower amidst the ruins, and I wish you the good fortune I had to stand on that first Olympic field, close my eyes, and drink in the history of the place. If ancient sites are your preference I would forego Santorini, which held my fascination for about half a day and where so little is still excavated, in favour of Cappadocia etc. in Turkey.

Lanny

Patrick

While at first glance it seems unthinkable to go to Greece and not at least see Santorini, I think with your time, your current itinerary is absolutely flawless!! I don't agree that it's too much. Most of those places are worth just the amount of time you're spending (or course it's still never enough).

With your limited time and taking into account what you have said you want to do and see, I actually think you'd get a little stir crazy sitting on a Greek Island for a few days trying to relax when there are too many other things to do (at least, I know I would). Save the islands for the nest trip! Stick with the exact schedule you have -- especially the whole Turkey part is just flawless (yes Konya is the right stop -- we did two, Konya and Egridir (the latter of which was a total waste)!

April

From what I saw of Greece and heard about Turkey, I so wish we had gone to Turkey! I would drop Greek islands without hesitation.

CharlieB

Chris- How I envy you! I wish I had this tough decision to make! I have been to Greece several times and just returned from my first trip to Turkey. Given your preferences toward classical sites, culture, and beautiful scenery, both Greece & Turkey can't be beat. I was a History major in college and knew what to expect in Turkey, but my wife was absolutely flabbergasted by the wealth of classical and early Christian antiquities (as well as Seljuk, Ottoman and earlier)in Turkey. As I agree with you that island hopping in the off season is difficult - my only suggestion would be to focus more on Turkey this time -i.e. Pergammon, Didyma, Miletus, the Lycian coast, but promise yourself to return someday to Greece.

jjashworth

We are planning our first trip to normandie and brittany in the fall of 2006. We would like advice on first class B&Bs or hotels, not necessarily tremendous, but with character, reasonably decent-sized accomodations and excellent food. We will also welcome any advice on the best places to visit and stay. We will probably have 10 days or perhaps 8 or 9 with 2 in Paris.
Thanks for your help
jeanne