I am looking for travel suggestions. I am planning a trip to Greece this summer for approximately 10-12 days. This will be my first time in Greece as well as my two friends that I am traveling with.

What I am looking for:
1. Athens- This is a must-visit for me although my friends want to hit the islands. (I was planning on 3 days here) Do you think that is enough to get a feel for the city and see major sites?

2. I don't like to rush and would rather stay put in one area for a few nights at a time. Therefore, I am looking to spend the next week or so on TWO islands (3-4 days in each spot) Or is that too much for one island? Which two would you recommend? What is the best transport from Athens?

Any ideas or suggestions are much appreciated.

3 days in Athens is fine if you visit the some 5 most important museums too.
There are also some interesting places not far from Athens, like
Cape Sounion (Greek temple and beach)
Daphni monastery
Hymettos caves
Aegina Island

As to the some 50 Islands of easy reach from Athens, we should know a bit what you are looking for: Greek temples, medieval castles, monasteries, discos, hiking trails, popular beaches, isolated beaches, stunning villages, gorge trails.....

I agree - 3 days in Athens is more than enough. As far as the islands go, there is ferry service out of Piraeus. Some islands even have air service. Seeing that this is February you will want to nail down reservations ASAP on any of the islands you choose. Many of the more popular book up quickly. Considering that travel between islands will eat up at least a half day you may want to just base out of a single spot. Let your interests guide you regarding which islands you decide to stay on or visit.

IMO 3-4 days on an island is the bare minimum. There are over 200 inhabited islands in Greece in several different island groups, e.g. Saronic Gulf, Cyclades, Ionian, Sporades, and Dodecanese, plus Crete which is a destination on its own that needs a whole week.

What I would suggest is to do some research, decide on the island you would most like to visit, and then come back to Fodor's for suggestions on another that would make a good combination. I will resist the temptation of suggesting my favourite island, but others won't.

Heidall - I resisted! Mainly because it gets overwhelmed already by tourists from Germany!

It really depends on what you want to see and experience. I could not have seen everything I wanted to see in Athens in 3 days, though you can certainly see some wonderful things in that time.

If you haven't already seen it, you might find some useful information in my trip report. The section on Athens starts with post # 181:
With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece

You could be a bit different and explore The Peloponnese on the mainland- it is absolutely stunning and easy to get to from Athens.

Matt Barrett's Greece can be your friend.

IMO planning your first trip to Greece can be bit daunting - it took me years and several cruise stops before I jumped in. As others suggest, you might want to post what you are looking for. Nightlife? great beaches? busy popular island? off the beaten track?

If you want more than one island, look at the ferry map and pick two or three in the same group - for example the Cycladies (sp.) - Santorini and Naxos? Or maybe one of the big islands (Crete) where you could change locations with out a ferry ride.