And just like that, my time in Scotland is coming to a close and the next and final segment of my 2024 Europe trip is about to begin. When I asked A what she would want this year’s “other” focus area to be (after Scotland), she immediately said Greece. She has never been, and my experience is limited to a day in Athens as part of a cruise, and a long weekend on Rodos when I was living in Israel one summer in college. So it’s mainly a blank spot.
Well, not for long. After taking a surprising direct flight from Edinburgh into Athens, we will be spending nearly a month in the capital. And yes, most people have told us that we will hate a month in Athens, especially in summer. First off, from my early research, there is a good amount to see here, plus just experiencing life in a European capital is always fun, even in the heat. Second, we will be leaving twice on side trips, but more on those later.
After Athens, we will be spending a week and a half on Crete, based in Heraklion, with no real intention to leave the immediate surrounds. Then we have a few days in Istanbul before hopping a very long flight back to Los Angeles, since A is a bit jealous that I’ve now been to Istanbul twice (including last year) and she has yet to visit.
The basic itinerary is below. The normal disclaimer applies: things are vague right now since I’m writing this before leaving for Europe, plus when I have such a long period in a single place I prefer not to have too many specific plans that have to be made ahead of time. (The Acropolis is an exception, since that needs to be pre-booked.) Also remember that plans can change with weather or any number of other factors that seem to pop up while traveling.
Day One: Edinburgh to Athens
I’m still shocked that Aegean offers this as a direct flight, but grateful for it. I’ll arrive in Athens and check into my Airbnb, get some groceries, and get unpacked.
Days Two through Fourteen: Athens
This is my longest (by far) single stretch in the city, and it’s the time I’m going to see the top things. A €34 combined ticket will gain me a timed entry for the Acropolis and a subsequent five days to see the rest of the Ancient Greek sites in Athens. I want to experience them all. Add in the Acropolis Museum, Archaeology Museum, a history museum about Greek independence, maybe some art, and plenty of time wandering the streets and squares of modern Athens, and it will be a fun two weeks.
Day Fifteen: Athens to Meteora
My first excursion outside the city will be to visit two of the top sights in Greece. Today, it’s an early bus as part of a tour, visiting Delphi before heading to Meteora to spend the night. I wonder what to ask the oracle!
Day Sixteen: Meteora to Athens
Today the group gets to explore the monastery at Meteora. I’d barely heard of this before booking my Athens trip, and after seeing photos, I’m so excited to be somewhere so gorgeous. Then it’s back on the bus to Athens.
Days Seventeen through Nineteen: Athens
It’s a short work week in Athens, probably mostly spent writing about the prior side trip, before it’s time to leave the city – and country!
Day Twenty: Athens to Malta
A tiny EU country in the middle of the Mediterranean? Why yes, I think that sounds fun! I’ve never been to Malta, so a few nights will give me a bit of a chance to explore.
Days Twenty-One and Twenty-Two: Malta
In some order, these two days will be spent with one in the capital of Valletta to take in the historic city, and the other visiting a beautiful beach on the other side of the island. No, I won’t have the chance to island hop (Malta has a few), but it just might give me a reason to come back soon.
Day Twenty-Three: Malta to Athens
My flight isn’t until afternoon, so a morning of sightseeing before heading to the airport and back to Athens.
Days Twenty-Four through Twenty-Eight: Athens
I have one last week in Athens to see anything I missed earlier, and to eat all the gyros.
Day Twenty-Nine: Athens to Heraklion
It’s a short flight to Crete, the largest of the Greek islands.
Days Thirty through Thirty-Nine: Heraklion
Heraklion is the largest city on Crete, one with remnants of several civilizations that have either been based here or conquered the island. The Minoan ruins at Knossos are the obvious highlight, but add some Venetian buildings, Ottoman, and more. And hopefully more beach time!
Day Forty: Heraklion to Istanbul
A travel day with a connection back in Athens, before arriving in Istanbul.
Days Forty-One through Forty-Three: Istanbul
Three full days in Istanbul will allow A to see the highlights, most of which I already wrote about last year. But we will add a couple new things, like a cruise on the Bosporus, and of course more amazing food. Oh, and TRT writer Hedy is joining us!
Day Forty-Four: Istanbul to Los Angeles
The flight is ungodly long, but direct, ending more than three months of European adventures.
So that’s the basic plan. Below is a bit of a map. Athens is on the Greek mainland, with Heraklion being the flag on the island to the south (Crete). Istanbul sits in the upper right of the map in Turkey’s northwest. Malta is well off the screen to the west, south of Italy in the Mediterranean.
