We are planning a trip to Greece in September (just bought our airline tickets!) and I'm nor refining our itinerary. We will be in mainland Greece for 3 weeks and Crete for a week, are interested in history, food and, yes, a vacation (i.e., hiking, swimming and enjoying being away). We would like to enjoy the country and the people and not simply focus on a pilgrimage to the archaeological sites. After arriving from the US, we will pause for a day or two at either Sounio or Rafina to get over jet lag (we're in our 70s and don't recover as quickly as we once did) and then head towards Delphi -
Thus far, I have -
Galaxidi. 4 nites -
Day 1. Drive from Athens area via Itea (3 plus hours), stopping at Hosios Loukas Monastery and Distomo en route.
Question - is the (backroad) Itea route reasonably easy to drive or are we better off using the larger highways?
Day 2. Delphi (archaeological sites. and museum) and Amfissa OR Vagonetto for the Fokis Mining Park. note -- we have been to FDelphi before so I am only plotting a morning there.
Question - thoughts on Amfissa vs Vagonetto for the Fokis Mining Park???
Day 3. Cooking class and visit Galaxidi (churches and Nautical and Historical Museum) OR hike Parnassus/walk on the coastal road of Galaxidi to the pine forest of Kentri, the coast of Oianthi and the picturesque port of Chirolakas. OR drive to Nafpaktos.
Day 4. Leivadia (springs, castle, ethnological museum, souvlaki lunch), Chaironea (battlefield and museum) and/or Orchomenos (Ancient Mycenaean Tholos tomb and Theatre) and/or go to the beach at Itea or Antikyra.
Question- are these three towns/sites worth visiting or which might be more interesting if you had to choose?
Good ideas? Bad ideas? Is this reasonable or should I add more time?
Thank you so much!!