So...You've Decided to Try a Little Taste of Greece!
If you plan to travel in Greece after our Turkey tour, keep in mind that your two weeks in Turkey will be fairly fast-paced. So plan at least one leisurely day after your tour to rest up for more sightseeing in Greece. From Kusadasi, where our Turkey tour ends, the Greek island of Samos is a quick ferry ride away.
Greece is generally "tamer" and more touristy than Turkey, so adjust your expectations accordingly. Treat yourself to some relaxation. Don't pressure yourself to see everything that sounds historic. A lot of the ruins in Greece may seem a little ho-hum after what you've seen in Turkey.
Assuming you'll have only a few days to spend in Greece before your flight home, I recommend you choose from this short list of Greek destinations: Samos, Lipsi, Paros, Santorini, and Athens. For details on what to see and do in Greece, select a good guidebook, like the Rough Guide to Greece, Let's Go: Greece, Lonely Planet: Greece or the Thomas Cook Guide to Greek Island Hopping. My former video series, Travels in Europe with Rick Steves, filmed two episodes in Greece: one highlighting Athens and the Peloponnesian Peninsula, and another covering the islands of Santorini, Samos, and Lipsi. These have been rereleased on DVD as part of my "16 Classic Shows" series. You can also read the scripts (links to each of the Greece episodes are at the bottom of the menu).
Enjoy your little taste of Greece! And if you bump into anything surprising, drop me a line at rick@ricksteves.com. I'd love to hear from you.
Happy travels,
Rick Steves
For lots more information, join us on one of our free-spirited tours of Athens and the Heart of Greece.