TL;DR: Anyone else here keep getting pulled back to Greece rather than traveling elsewhere?
I've been to Greece 2x: In 2023, I went to Athens, Santorini, Folegandros, Milos. This past May/June, I went to Samos, Patmos, Athens. Each time I spent almost 3 weeks. I fell in love with.
I'm a 58 yo woman who didn't get to do much travel in her youth. I'm starting to travel more now, but can only afford a significant trip overseas (I'm from the U.S.) once a year. I've been considering places for next year, and Italy is a place I've always wanted to go. I've been researching it obsessively for a couple of weeks . . . and I can't get as enthused about it because Greece keeps calling me back. I'm torn between trying something new (Italy) and exploring another area of Greece (Peloponnese).
Greece just has it all---natural beauty, beaches with crystal clear water, great places to hike, charming towns whose streets you can get lost in, some bustling harbors and some quiet mountain towns. The food is great, the people are nice . . . I could go on. And the amazing thing is that many, many areas of Greece are cheaper than nearly any destination in Italy and seemingly less crowded. I'm researching some sites I want to see in Italy, and according to what I've read, I have to book tickets months in advance. In Greece, other than the Acropolis, almost any of the great historical sites don't need so much advance planning to see (e.g., I want to visit ancient Corinth, and it's my understanding that I can buy my ticket the day of).
I wish I could visit Italy AND Peloponnese next year, but sadly, my budget won't allow it.
Can anyone else understand where I'm coming from?