Need help planning a 3 week trip to Italy & Greece–Oct 2009?

I will be traveling w/ my 22 yr old daughter who is a student. I prefer using small “pensiones” or bed & breakfast style lodging & not using a tour company. Also prefer to be budget conscious & do a lot of public transportation, walking so that we can really get to know the culture, people, etc. Would like suggestions on must see places, small hotels, b & b’s, restaurants, out of the way churches, museums, any sites that take your breath away! If you have any suggestions for locals (preferably students) who are willing to give us tours, websites for the hotels, etc. Anything that would help from someone who has lived or traveled in either country.

Hi
The weather is unpredictable in October – which makes planning in advance rather difficult -I suggest you spend the earliest part of your tour doing a few islands and Athens (therefore beginning your tour from Greece) before heading up to Igoumenitsa to take the ferry to Italy.
Besides the usual ‘must see places’ Acropolis, islands etc there are still places and things that I am really happy to see again and again – the Rio/Andirrio bridge – the road from Andirrio heading towards Agrinio (it’s a ravine or gorge … someone will be able to be more specific – I always love passing through) – obviously what and where you go depends on your form of transport.

If you take the national road towards Lamia and turn off at Livadia – I assure you, you will really enjoy the mountain road and it’s magnificent views going past Arachovo – Delphi – Amfissa and down to Itea – then make your way up to Igoumenitsa – taking time to stop at Preveza, Lefkada, Parga (if you need to find accommodation around this area email me).

Another place worth visiting and is usually lively with Greek tourists at weekends is Nafplion about 1hr 15mins from Athens.

As the tourist season will be coming to an end – you won’t have a problem finding accommodation – the cheapest and most basic is ‘rooms for rent’ you’ll see signs everywhere near tourist areas.

As I said all your plans will depend on whether you hire a car or go by local transport and weather. If you are planning to use the local bus and ferry to Italy from either Patra or Igoumenitsa (I suggest the latter as you’ll see Epirus, in my opinion the most beautiful area in Greece and mostly over looked by tourists as they head to islands – contact me and I’ll be more specific.

Keep in mind – students are all back in school/college/universities to finding a cheap guide may prove difficult – try getting the ‘lonely planet’ book on Greece.

Athens: EF Tours