Welcome to the Travelzine. There are many people on this list who have been to Greece and so you doubtless will gets lots of information and advice from others. I have been to Greece three times, the last of which was about six years ago, so some of my information is no doubt dated. I have spent several days in Nafplion; it is a beautiful town and provides a good base for visiting the sites of Mycenae, Epidaurus and Tiryns. Renting a car is very expensive in Greece and driving there can be quite an experience. I wouldn't recommend driving in Athens unless you have a death wish. Finding a place to park in Napflion may be difficult. I can't recommend any particular car rental company as I was associated with an archaeological dig at the time and rented a car through their office.

I am afraid I have not been to the southern part of the Peloponnese nor to the islands you mention. The islands I have visited are: Lesbos, Skiathos, Paros, Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos and Astipalea, and I would be happy to provide you with some information on these. By late September there will be fewer tourists than in July and August, but I would think that Santorini at least will still be quite crowded. The main ferry routes to the islands start from Pireaus, so it is sometimes difficult to get from one island to another without returning to the mainland. Also, we found that many inter-island ferries leave late at night and arrive very early in the morning. The Mediterranean can also be surprisingly rough and ferries are sometimes cancelled. You should therefore allow extra days when travelling among the islands.

Most Greek hotels provide towels, but we always carry an extra one just in case. If you have any further questions, I would be happy to try and answer them.

Ann Widdowson Victoria, BC