Richard

Eleni Gage: That's a perfect time to travel. I have taken an overnight Minoan lines ferry from Venice to Corfu, and to Igoumenitsa on the mainland, and a hydrofoil from Albania (Sarande) to Corfu, which are very close to each other. I've done a little web research on the subject and it seems to me that you'll have to go through Albania to get a boat to Greece, that there aren't ferries direct from Croatia to Greece, but you might find out otherwise once you get there. I have not traveled through Croatia, but in any case, I think your best bet is to see the Ionian islands. They are lovely, lush and green, with a lot of Venetian influence (they were never under Turkish dominion, but were ruled by the Venetians instead). The islands are also known as the Eptanissia, because there are seven of them: Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaka, Cephallonia, Zakynthos and Kythera. Your point of entry would most likely be Corfu, from there you can take hydrofoils to Paxos or a ferry to Igoumenitsa on the mainland, where you could take a bus to Lefkada (it's attached to the mainland by a causeway). From there you can ferry between the other islands (except Kythera, which is far removed from the rest) and take a ferry from Zakynthos to the mainland and a bus from Athens. Alternatively, you could spend your Greek time on Corfu and Paxos (Paxos is seldom visited by American tourists, good for hiking) and fly from Corfu to Athens. (Flights should not be very expensive in October)

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Tampa, Florida: My wife and I are flying to Athens for a 7 day cruise on the SeaDream Cruise Lines.

We arrive on Friday before our Saturday afternoon boarding time.

What do you suggest we see / do in the one day we have on the ground in Athens.

MKM

Eleni Gage: Wow! That is a short amount of time to do Athens' greatest hits! I'm not sure what time you get in to Athens, but if it's in the afternoon or evening, I'd suggest heading straight to the pedestrian walkway below the Acropolis (it is called Apostolou Pavlou). There are a lot of caf?'s and galleries at the top of the walkway (near the Thisseion metro stop) and if you follow it in one direction it will lead you to Monastiraki and Plaka, charming, but crowded, old sections of Athens, and in the other direction, under the Acropolis, you'll hit my favorite restaurant, Filoistron (filoistron.gr), where you can have dinner on the roof (book ahead) with a view of the Acropolis illuminated at night and also of Mt Lycabbettus. If you want nightlife, head to Psyrri, where there are lots of nightclubs, but since dinner is eaten late in Athens (like from 10 on), I'd suggest walking down Apostolou Pavlou under the illuminated Acropolis until you get to the main street where you can take a cab or subway to wherever you're staying. The walkway is very safe (as is most of Athens) and there will be performers and people strolling at all hours. If you finish dinner early, you could walk into the National Gardens and see a movie at Aegli, the outdoor cinema (it's lovely and you can get drinks and snacks while watching; most of the movies shown at Aegli are American with subtitles). The next day, I would do the Acropolis as soon as it opens, before the day gets too hot, then wander down from it, in the opposite direction from the walkway, into Plaka where you can eventually have lunch. Last of all, don't miss the subway station in Syntagma Square--it's amazing, like a museum, with walls showcasing all the ancient artifacts they found while digging the subway. Again, visit athensguide.gr for tips on how to navigate Athens.

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Cheverly, Maryland: I am taking an easyCruise of the Greek Isles May 31-June 7. Before going, I'd love to read a good book set in Greece or travel narratives about Greece. Can you recommend a few?

Eleni Gage: Of course! Corelli's Mandolin gives a feel of the islands and a lot of info on Greek history sandwiched in between a fascinating romance, so that's a good one. If you're going to Patmos, Summer of My Greek Taverna is fun because it's set there. And I wouldn't be a very good self-promoter if I didn't suggest the travel memoir I wrote, North of Ithaka! It's set in Northern Greece, where I lived for a year, so is not too islandy, but it's a lot about Greek culture. My father is also a writer, and has written a book called Hellas that's sort of an overview of Greece. Lawrence Durrell and Patrick Leigh Fermor wrote great classic travel books on Greece (and Gerald Durrell wrote a hilarious book about Corfu called My Family and Other Animals). And I haven't read this, but I know there's a book of essays by women writers called Greece: A Love Story.

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