Greece or Turkey??

I suggest sticking with Greece and throwing Ephesus in Turkey into the mix for a visit to one of the most important archaeological sites in the Med. Upon arriving in Greece, fly immediately to the Greek island of Samos. From there you can take an excursion ferry/bus to Ephesus. When you return to Samos you can use the Greek ferry system to explore some of the islands on the way back to Athens, and saving a couple of days for Athens at the end of your trip builds in some flexibility in case of a breakdown or last-minute cancellation due to high winds or mechanical problems.

Regardless of which country you choose, explore it on your own. You'll have a great time at your own pace, and both countries are easy for first-timers thanks to the internet and websites like this one and www.tripadvisor.com.

Another thought would be to start your trip with 4-5 days in Istanbul and then spend the rest of the time in Greece. Istanbul is a fabulous city - IMO it would be a shame to visit that part of the world and not see it.

I've not been to Turkey, but I think the Rick Steves comment that you referred to would be more accurate if it said "Turkey has everything Greece has to offer except incredibly beautiful islands floating out there in the Mediterranean!" And those islands are what make Greece truly special, in my opinion.

Still, I would like to visit Turkey some day. I doubt you could go wrong with either place or a mix of the two.

As for tour group or on you own, that's really a personal decision. I've never done group travel of any size and don't have any plans to, but many travellers find that to their liking. Pros and cons to both ways, I'm sure.

Have a great trip. I know you will, whatever you decide.

Having traveled quite a bit in both countries, I would recommend that you focus on Turkey, but hop over to the Greek islands and get a sampling of them also. Turkey is much cheaper and has so much to see and do. The public transportation is fantastic---with buses, trains, and cheap flights to get you around. I would fly into Istanbul and spend some time in that amazing city, and then head down to the western Mediterranean coast (there are cheap flights to Izmir to maximize your time). Stay in Selcuk and visit Ephesus. Maybe then take the boat from Kusdasi to Samos for a day trip or spend a night there. From Samos you can take the high speed hydrofoils down the islands--I would recommend going to Rhodes. From Rhodes you can fly to Athens or cross back to Turkey (Marmaris, Bodrum or Fethiye) and fly back to Istanbul from Bodrum or Dalaman airports. There are lots of options, and if you want to send me a personal message I would be glad to share my recommendations. www.turkeytravelplanner.com is a good resource. In my experience, the end of September/early October sees the Greek islands starting to lose their liveliness, while Turkey is still going strong. 16 days is not a lot if that includes your travel days from Canada. If so, maybe stay in Turkey until you get to Marmaris and cross over to Rhodes to sample a large Greek island with the biggest medieval inhabited walled city in Europe. There is a lot to explore on the island in a couple of days and it has a lot of life left during the time you are traveling. See if you can't squeeze out a little more vacation time from the boss... Travel independently, it is easy in this part of the world.

I've been to both countries for weeks at a time, and I would agree with the basic suggestion here -- concentrate on one country but visit the other for a couple of nights. The ruins at Ephesus on the Turkish coast are amazing, and there is a boat from near Ephesus to the Greek island of Samos that does not take very long. Samos is one of the most beautiful prettiest Greek islands.

We did both countries and I would recommend Turkey. It does have everything and its so interesting and gorgeous. We traveled 17 days in Turkey and were able to go all over. If your interested in what we did you can email me. I loved Greece also, but theres something about Turkey that can't be explained

Ryan,

I can't comment on Turkey, but I'm in Greece at the moment and would highly recommend it! Over the last few weeks, I've been in Athens and completely around the Pelopponese (RS tour). I'm currently in Naxos but will be heading for Santorini in about an hour. The people have been wonderful and very hospitable!

I've found the costs here are better than many places in western Europe. For example, a Gyro Pita and a Beer (Mythos or Alpha) typically cost about Eu$6 (slight variation in cost between different restaurants).

While both countries have an incredible history, I've found that Greece provides an interesting diversity in cultures between the different areas, and I've found that very interesting.

Travelling in either country will be a bit more "challenging" than in Europe, as it's not simply a matter of boarding a train from city-to-city. With only 16 days, you'll need to plan your transportation carefully, regardless of which location you choose.

I used one of the Greek Travel Agencies to arrange my post-tour travels to Naxos and Santorini. So far, that method has worked really well (I felt the cost was reasonable). If you want more details, send me a PM.

Happy travels!

I just got back from visiting Athens, Rhodes, and Kusadasi, Turkey. Turkey was one of the biggest surprises of my vacation. My family loved it. Athens was nice but a bit of a concrete jungle, and aside from the Acropolis and Agora not much to see for me. I'd say 16 days should be plenty of time to see both places though.