I'm in need of some LP inspiration!
I'll be visiting family in Crete during early October. Since I've already experienced much of the island and mainland Greece as well, I'm open to your imaginative suggestions about where else I should go. I'll spend about five days on Crete and then I plan to visit 1 or 2 other spots. The big problem: I only have two weeks for the whole trip! CRAZY!
I'm considering:
Lesvos
Evvia
Western Turkey
Northern Egypt
Jerusalem
I'd love some insight on these destinations, or perhaps some other places near Crete?
A bit more info about myself:
31-year-old woman traveling alone
I don't like to rush when I travel
Hoping to check out local music and art scenes
Fascinated by religion
Beach/scenic/nature lover
I live for good food and wine
Not a fan of cheesy tourism, but willing to put up with it if the sites are beautiful/inspirational
Thanks for your thoughts!
Turkey is a wonderful country full of interesting sights, and a subtle contrast to the more Western ways of Greece because of Islamic influences. From Crete you can take a ferry to Rhodes where you can catch a ferry to one of several southern Turkish ports-Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye. There are many small seaside villages. Near Bodrum is a fantastic one called Gumusluk. I spent a week there once and loved it. I hope you will go to Turkey, and if you do please don't omit Istanbul, even thought it's a huge city. It's really one of the most intruguing cities I've ever visited.
I like brotherlee's route direction... and if you haven't been to Rhodes before, it's a worthwhile stop on the itinerary. Yes, it's full of tourists in high season, but in October NOT, and as the southernmost island, it can even be a place for sunning and a dip (Lindos beach is well-known as a "suntrap"-- I swam/sunned there happily in early May '06). No need to rent a car; Busses go to Lindos.
Rhodes Old Town will still be "open", because cruise lines still stop in autumn, but the big crowds will be gone. There is also active art/music scene there.
You could stay anywhere in Old Town -- I found a really cute B & B, Pink Elephant, that's along one of those marvelous cobbled lanes just by the huge town wall. If your timing is right, on Wed & Sat afts, Rhodes tourism allows people up ON the wall (its 50 feet high, 10 metres wide at top, covered w. grass!). If you read about the 1522 siege of Rhodes, Knights of St John vs. Suleyman the Magnificent, you will be fascinated (appalled) by the excuse of religion for bloody warfare in the past... and how Europeans used Greeks as pawns in their power struggles with Islam.
with a 1-day car rental, you could tootle all over the island, visiting tiny untouristy villages, following hilly roads to the West Coast, checking out wonderful ruins & beaches. Enjoy 3 days on Rhodes and THEN ferry to Turkey.
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