3 weeks in Greece or Italy?

You need to tell us your interests. I would choose Italy because I love Renaissance art and I prefer Italian food. However, we have done a trip to both in 2 weeks, so you could definitely do both in 3. On our trip, we did Athens, Naufplio and Santorini in Greece and Rome(day trip to Pompeii) and Florence in Italy. I loved Santorini, but it is expensive and crowded so you might want to skip it on your trip.

That is a very open ended question. You can spend a lifetime exploring either or both of those. I've been to Italy nine times, Greece twice, and there is much more I still would like to see. But here is what I would suggest based on this limited information: Fly to Italy and spend at least 10 days seeing at least two of the "big 3" that are typically on the itinerary of a first time visitor: Venice, Florence, Rome. For one week or up to 10 days of your three weeks, take a cruise leaving from an Italian port (Venice or Rome area) that visits some of the Greek islands and perhaps some other ports in that region such as Croatia. Depending on line and itinerary, your cruise will either bring you back to Italy, or could end in Athens, so you could see that and then fly home. Cruises aren't for everyone, but they can be quite an economical and efficient way to at least get a good taste of a variety of different places, and with this suggestion you wouldn't be cruising for your whole trip, just part of it. Take a look at Rick's TV episodes (available on this website) about cruising the Med. None of this advice will get you "off the beaten track" in either Italy or Greece, but there's good reason this track has been beaten by travelers for at least the past 2000 years.

Ditto, it’s a flip a coin kind of situation. Explore flights and some sample itineraries and see what looks most appealing. Don’t get wedded to any ideas about must sees or what you have to do, as both countries are full of wonder and it does not have to be the typical to be a great trip.
Both May and September are fantastic times to visit, green and lush in May but cool nights, seas. September hotter but great for swimming.

You’re about the same ages as my husband & I were on our first trip to Europe 26 years ago, and we’re still traveling, so look at this first trip as a chance to learn travel skills and whet your appetite.

Start by looking at videos of Greece and Italy on this website, and on You Tube. Find a couple of places that really appeal to you, and build your trip around those.

You could do both countries in one trip but I wouldn’t recommend that for a beginning traveler. I think 4 or 5 places in one country would be maximum for 3 weeks. Remember there are no rules — you don’t have to see Rome, Venice and Florence on your first trip to Italy, or Santorini and Meteora on your first trip to Greece. Smaller towns (or islands) are generally less expensive than large ones.

Come back to this forum with your wish list and we’ll be happy to help.

Thank you all for your input. I appreciate the ideas of not feeling that you have to go to all the "usual" places. I LOVE the idea of thinking of this as our first of many trips and hope to be traveling like this 26 years from now!
I feel sure that I do not want to try and do both Greece and Italy on this 1 trip. I want to experience the places in more depth. About 8 years ago I did take my 12 year old daughter and her friend on a 3 week trip to France and planned it based on all the amazing feedback I got from this site.... We did do some of the big usual but had many wonderful experiences when we were just on the road. This is what I hope for this trip with my husband.

Given how I grew up (only 2 family vacations in 18 years) traveling to Europe and having the attitude “we will come back” was a little foreign / almost luxurious to me. We are now finishing up our plans (flights booked, accommodations reserved and attraction tickets actively being purchased) for our fifth European vacation since 2022. We have obviously embraced the “we will come back philosophy” and I would suggest this approach to most people.

I recommend watching some YouTube videos - there are some really great YouTubers out there, this website’s namesake included, that put out really good content to get your travel juices flowing. Don’t even get me started on Stanley Tucci….

Next, at least in the planning/homework phase, do not limit yourself to only Italy, or only Greece. We had a 3 week trip last fall and hopped a flight from Athens to Rome which was cheap”ish” and quick; but it was also our 3rd trip to Italy…

After reading / watching videos, etc. I suggest that you and your husband each, independently, write down 3-5 places that are your “must sees;” then begin planning your trip accordingly; there may be some overlap (hopefully) or you may need to scale back. You may want to see the “biggies” Rome, Venice, Florence; or you may want to skip them all together. While we have been to Florence twice, and will be in Rome for our fourth time this fall, these places are not a must see for everyone and that is completely fine - it is YOUR TRIP. Plan the trip that interests you and your husband. You can plan another trip in the future to see the things you were unable to see on this trip.

Happy travel planning!

You need to start by telling us length of your stay and your interests. Also your budget for accommodation in Euro not US dollars.
Everyone has a different idea of mid price, basic etc. So actual Euro cost is helpful.

Despite the crowds, I love Florence because it's so walkable.

I agree with you about staying in one country for all 3 weeks. I also agree with the posters who suggest watching some YouTube videos, and some Rick Steves shows and reading some guidebooks to discover which country would be right for you in 2027. I have visited both Greece and Italy twice, and I love both of them the same. What are your interests? What kind of food do you prefer?

I do like to visit the usual suspects, so for Italy I would recommend, for starters, Rome, Venice and Florence. We visited Venice for the first time last May, and I love, love Venice. It really is like no other! No exaggeration! But the key is to not stay near St. Mark's Basilica. We stayed in the Dorsoduro neighborhood of Venice, and it was awesome. Less crowded and so enjoyable. Our hotel was a one-minute walk from the Accademia Bridge, 5-minute walk from Zattere on the Giudecca Canal, and about 20 minutes from St. Mark's.

You could visit Rome first, then Florence, then Venice, and from there, depending on how much time you have, visit Verona, or the Dolomites, and/or the Italian lakes. You could also add the Tuscan countryside in addition to Rome, Florence, and Venice, and omit the other places I mentioned, like Verona, the Dolomites or Italian Lakes. It really all depends on your interests. Are you willing to drive? Having a car in Tuscany would be easier than depending on public transportation.

For Greece, I think Athens is a wonderful city with so much history, ruins, and wonderful museums. The Peloponnese Peninsula has a lot to offer. I think an island or two would be nice. We loved Santorini; it's very unique. We did find a nice hotel in the quieter Firostefani area that was under $300 a night, including a balcony overlooking the caldera. If you are concerned that Santorini is too expensive or too crowded, Naxos would be a wonderful choice. Less crowded than Santorini and less expensive.

This is a hard question and one with no right answer. I am presently in the Istanbul airport with a four hour layover after almost a month in Greece. It is my fourth time in Greece. But I have been to Italy even more times.

A few practical things to consider. I think that it is hard to explore Greece without renting a car for at least part of the time. I have been to Italy 8 times (I think) and only in Sicily did we rent a car. The train system is much better in Italy generally than in Greece. This time we went with our son and his wife to the Peloponnese for over two weeks and he did a lot of the driving. I think ones enjoyment of driving in a new place does change with age. My husband used to not mind but has liked doing so less and less (we are 67). We went to Greece the first time about your age and both of us drove (we took our young adult children so could not fit in one car.) So from this perspective, you might consider doing Greece first.

Second, the terrain in Greece is more uneven and that becomes more difficult as you get older. I have a weak ankle and wore hiking shoes a lot of the time which made a big difference.

That said, I don't think either of these matter much if you think you can return to Europe in five years. 10 years you might feel effects of age. We both do.

On the other hand, Italy is more crowded than Greece and that might be easier to cope with when you are younger.

Still, you never know what the future holds and I would join the chorus suggesting you watch some you tube shows on both Italy and Greece and see what speaks to you. Rick Steves' shows would be a start. In the end, I would go where you WANT to go most.

I loved Venice as well. I was on a tour to Rome, Florence, and Assisi years ago and I have to admit I wasn't enamored with Florence. It was just "more of the same" to me--more churches, more art, more shopping. Rome and Assisi were unique in certain ways. I finally visited Venice this year and WOW, I loved it. It's very unique. I spent 5 nights in Venice alone.

I'm the same kind of traveler as you, abowen. I don't like to cover an entire country in one trip. I try to pick one or two places and spend 4-5 nights there. I don't do all of the usual touristy things. In Paris, for example, I skipped Versailles but I got to the Dior museum which I loved and which people don't know about (I even met a Parisian man who didn't know about it). I skipped the Doge palace in Venice, but I got to the Fortuny museum which was unbelievable, highly recommended.

The key issue is, how do you plan to get from place to place? That will dictate your itinerary. If you're taking 5 hour train rides from one city to the next, you aren't going to see too much on your travel days.

I've been planning a trip to Greece myself for next year or so and I quickly learned that it's not a place to get around easily without a car. I plan to do one island and Athens and a day tour to Delphi which is doable without a car, but getting to Meteora without a car is a hassle. It can be done but it's time consuming. I decided to skip that for now.