Drive from Athens to Igoumenitsa 6 nights

It strikes me that if you wish to restrict your daily driving time, most of the Peleponnese (and the interesting bits) is in the wrong direction for your destination. You could do the Corinth canal and drive across the top to Patras

Ok. So what would you suggest? We are open to your opinion.

Interesting puzzle. I am sure what your friends have suggested would be fine, although I haven’t driven those roads. I’ll throw out another possibility (assuming you do want to go to Nafplio): Nafplio (3), Delphi (1), Meteora (2). Or cut 1 night somewhere and stop one night in Ioannina between Meteora and Igoumenitsa.

You could also just spend 5 of your nights in the Peloponnese, making only 1 stop overnight on the way to Igoumenitsa. There are some good trip reports here on trips through the Peleponnese, in case you need more inspiration.

I’m assuming you have looked at car rental options and have seen that the price of a one way rental probably doubles the cost, if you can find a place that allows it. (Or you may be taking the car with you to Corfu and plan to return to Athens - if so, ignore that point.)

And while you don’t want to waste time, 6 nights lets you take some detours that aren’t in a straight line. So just choose the detours that sound the most interesting.

There is no bad itinerary as long as you go to the places that interest you and it is feasible from a timing point of view depending on the number of days you have. But what interests you personally in the places you mention?

For example, I’m curious about the detour all the way up northwest to Igoumenitsa, is there a special reason you want to head that high?

Since you’d prefer to keep driving under 2.5 hours a day, just remember that about 70% of mainland Greece is mountainous. That means lots of winding roads, so travel times will always take longer than what online maps predict. And those estimations don’t even count lunch, rest breaks, or pulling over because of a stunning views (which you’ll definitely want to do).

Staying 2 nights somewhere only gives you one full day. Be sure to know how much time you actually want to spend in each location. (So, still the same question: what interests you?) Don't forget to factor in arrival travel time, plus departure day logistics. Remember that most places require you to check out by 10:00 AM before you hit the road for your next stop.

Once that's done, you start again using the same principle with your next destination.

Don't forget, always check closing times for the sites you want to see. Since you're traveling in October, many places might close as early as 4:00 PM.

Thank you so much for your valuable feedback. We are catching the ferry from Igoumenitsa to Brindisi. I am taking your feedback into consideration and may consider bus transfers. We would like to catch historical sites and stay Meteora.