Subject: Welcome Jerry - Greece
Dear Jerry,

I can't help you with Italy as we haven't been there in a long time, but we go to Greece every year (in fact, we're leaving this Friday for 2 weeks) and I'd be glad to add my 2 cents if you're interested.

First of all, we love the Dodecanese chain of islands (those that run north/south along the coast of Turkey) and we've visited many!!!

Our favorites have been Samos, Patmos, Tilos, Nissyros, Symi and Karpathos. Rhodes, Chios and Lesvos are lovely islands, but they are huge islands and they, in our opinion, are charming in the smaller villages but very commercial in the larger towns. On the small islands, one can roam freely and the life-style of the visitor in June is wonderful, with warmth in welcome and climate and you will find everything a Greek island is supposed to have - color, personality, fabulous food and wine and wonderful people with great generosity of spirit!!!

We don't stay in hotels, but prefer to rent rooms (domatia) - when we reach our destination. This is always possible in May through mid-June. After that the real season starts and you might have trouble securing accommodation. I'd be glad to help you in detail if you wish. Let me know what I can do. Just remember, we leave on Friday and will return on May 30th, so I can pick up from there.

Incidentally, we always get a hotel room at the airport at the Sofitel for our return flight home. (Flights usually leave around 6 - 7 am to Boston where we live) and it's very, very convenient. A trip from Athens takes almost an hour! It takes 5 minutes to go from the hotel to your gate!

Good luck and I'd be glad to help if I know more of what you're looking for!

Regards, Susie Newton, MA