Greek Islands

I would recommend one day on Samos and then island-hopping to Fourni and/or Ikaria. If the ferry stops in Fourni (and if the ferry schedule allows), you might get off there and spend a night, then continue on to Ikaria the next day. We wished we had done that; Fourni is tiny and beautiful and looks like a great place to explore. In Ikaria, our ferry went to the port of Evdilos. We took a taxi to Atsachas Rooms in Armenistis. This is a very inexpensive (35 euros in 2007) spotlessly clean hotel at the end of the beach, with amazing views from the balcony, and a nice restaurant. There's a sandy beach between the hotel and the little town, where you'll find a couple of other good places to eat. There's a tiny town called Nas nearby, where you can see the most amazing sunsets. We rented a car one day, which was delivered right to us at the hotel. The island is very sparsely populated and very green; in places, the road hugs cliffs that drop to the sea, reminding us of the Amalfi Coast. Amazing. We were there in September, and had the place almost to ourselves. It was wonderful!

On Samos please visit the "Tunnel of Eupalinos". It is an incredible feat on engineering and this retired math teacher found it absolutely incredible. The tunnel is on the hill just behind the town of Pythagoria and a short walk from town.