Subject: Greece
Greetings to you all. This is my first posting. I'm a thirty-eight year old male living in Durham, North Carolina, and I'm planning a trip to Greece that would begin September 17 and end October 4. I'm trying to blend historical/archaeological sightseeing with beaches, scenery and relaxation. I want to spend about half of my time on the Peloponnese - three to four days in the Argolid (Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio) and three to four days in the western part of the Peloponnese (Methoni, Koroni, Nestor's palace, the west coast beaches, Andhritsena and Karitena). Except for a visit to the Acropolis while in Athens, the rest of my time would be spent on the islands and I'm considering the islands of Milos, Serifos, Folegandhros, and Santorini.

I'm open to suggestions about my itinerary. On the islands, for example, there appears to be a trade off - the islands that are the most beautiful are also the most heavily visited. I'm hoping that by visiting the islands in late September I can avoid the problem of tourist traffic. If so, perhaps it makes sense to spend more time on Santorini and less time on the less popular islands. Any thoughts or advice that you may have about this particular issue would be most appreciated. Also, I would appreciate information on good value car rentals (in Athens), places to stay, particularly good places to eat, and any other information that might be helpful for a first-time traveler to Greece.

One other question has to do with packing. I'm trying to pack very light. Do I need to pack a towel? I understand that some of the mid-range hotels may not provide them.

Thanks for any information you may be able to send my way.

Best regards, Evan