shubha_r

Hello fodorites,
We are excited to travel to Greece this summer , mid August for 13 nights with 2 kids ages 13 and 9.

Little did I know, 13 nights is not even enough to scratch the surface

Here is my first draft itinerary : Would really appreciate your input. I really want to visit Peloponnese area.

Day 1: Arrive at Athens, drive to Napflion
Day 2: Napflion
Day3: Monemvasia
Day 4: Drive back to Athens
Day 5: Athens
Day 6: Day trip to Delphi
Day 7: Leave to Crete
Day8-10: Crete
Day 10: leave to Santorini
Day10-13: Santorini
Day 13: Fly home via Athens

I know this is a very busy schedule. Should I skip Crete and do Naxos ?

What are your comments? I know I haven't included Olympia and Meteora too.

Thanks in advance,
Kush

joannyc

Meteora was a highlight of my trip. Loved it!

Retsina

If you want to go to the Peloponnese then do so, you won't have time for any island hopping.

If you want to island hop then there is no time for the Peloponnese.

The choice is as simple as that, otherwise you spend all your time travelling, some do actually like doing a mad rush like that, but for most it is far too rushed.

For an island as large as Crete one day is verging on a complete waste of time. Even your whole 2 weeks is not sufficient just for Crete alone.

joannyc

I'd dump Crete and add more time to Athens. And do an overnight to Delphi and Meteora.

yipper

Forget Momevasia as it is too far and more importantly there is so much to see around Napflion. From Napflion drive to Delphi and save Athens for the last part of your trip before you return home.

Heimdall

You wrote: <i>" I really want to visit Peloponnese area."</i>

Yet you plan only one day in Nafplio, and one day in Monemvasia. The Argolis region around Nafplio is packed with major sights, so you need at least a few days there to do it justice.

I counted four times you plan to pass through Athens, but not a single full day to see all the wonderful sights in the city. Delphi can certainly be done as a day trip, but overnight would be better. I haven't been to Meteora, but my daughter was there, and commented on the beauty of that area.

Not much point in going to Crete unless you are prepared to spend more time on that huge island. Naxos is a good alternative, and popular with families who have children the age of yours.

You really need to rethink your entire itinerary. I would not plan to return from the islands to Athens the same day as your flight home. It usually works out, but occasionally weather or other circumstances cancels ferries and flights. Since you want to spend some time on the mainland anyway, it would be better to go to the islands first.

shubha_r

Thanks everyone.

I definitely have to rethink my itinerary !!

We are landing on Monday in Athens and I read most sights are closed in Athens on Mondays

Can someone suggest what would be the most logical route , if we want to spend a few nights in Naufplio? I am open to skipping Crete and just doing Santorini.

Thanks
Kush

travelerjan

Kush, I am trying not to scold you for trying to plan an itinerary without looking at ANY guidebook material, because otherwise you would realize how impossible your Wish List is. You must re-think everything and cut back by half; to do your list would take a minimum of 21 days. And you seem not to take the Kid Factor into consideration at all!! Remember the Golden Rule: If Kids Ain't Happy, Nobody Is Happy! They will whine and complain nonstop!!

First, they'll hate Santorini because kids don't care about Beautiful Views, or Shopping or Nightclubbing they care about swims, climbs & running around Santorini beaches are black grit and Burning HOt in Summer and Santorini streets are choked with cruise-ship and package tour mobs. Limit your stay in Santorini to 2 nights 1.5 days MAX.

Second, as others note, your itinerary is VERY inefficient; long drive much backtracking. To make it work you need a domestic flight. Face it: if you cannot spend more time, you must spend more €€. My suggestion:

• Immediately on arrival, take soonest available FLIGHT (allow 2 hours in between) to SANTORINI. (NOTE: book this ASAP, u are in High SEason!!!).

• Stay There night #1 & #2; because of boys, stay in Perissa or Kamari on E. side of island. Cheaper, & swims. (bring "water shoes" for hot beach rocks). Take bus or rent car to see sights on caldera side of island

• Day #3 afternoon: Take 1500 Blue Star Ferry to NAXOS. Because it's High Season I suggest stay at a farther-out Beach, like Plaka. "Aronis Apts" is right on beach, shady terrace, lovely restaurant serving organic foods from owner's farm. Right on bus route to Port Town. Rent car at least 1 day of stay to explore island. Stay Nights #4-5-6. & til 6 pm on day 7 -- then take Blue Star Ferry to Pireaus, (book "air seats" so u can nap en route), arrive Midnight, taxi to hotel in Central Athens (plaka or Monastiraki area).

• DAY #8 - Car rental delivered to Hotel after breakfast (Avanti rental agency will drive you direct to highway on-ramp, u avoid hectic in-city traffic!). Drive modern highway to Peloponnese toward Nafplio area. Get off road for 30 mins at Isthmia to see Corinth canal, back on, 20 miles later get off for 1 hour to see NEMEA (like Olympia! boys will love it!). By 2pm or so, arrive in Seaside town of TOLO, 10 mins outside Nafplio, for your stay.

• NIghts 8, 9, 10 -- Stay in Tolo, visit Nafplio +Mycenae or Tiryns ruins, Asine, etc. Sightsee AM, afternoon do beach. At least one eve, enjoy sunset at seafront of Nafplio & let children play in square by moonlight.

• Day #11 - by 9 pm, drive to Epidaurus, then up coast road to Corinth Canal, then take modern highway to Airport, drop car, get taxi (€35 flat fee) to ATHENS hotel near central Landmarks. Stay Athens nights of #11, 12, 13 for sightseeing. Fly out Day 14.

Do NOT Delay in making arrangements, you are late as it is, and please try to get some info from guides, you cannot make Forums your only source. If you have no access to guidebooks take suggestions to a travel agent. And remember -- if Kids aren't Happy, Nobody's Happy! Good luck!!

shubha_r

Travelerjan, thank you !!

You may find it funny, I actually read guide books & spoken to quote a few travel agents too. I am quite a researcher when it comes to trips ��. And my kids , specially my 13 yr old has done extensive research on Acient Greece, so I wasn't just focusing on beaches since we get plenty of that here in U.S. Just got caught up & could not make arrangements sooner

Thanks for your detailed response & itinerary ! Will definitely be useful.

Why do suggest staying in Tolo & not Napflio ?

Kush

travelerjan

I like staying in Old Town Nafplio in late may-early June but there are several reasons I would suggest Tolo for you:

(1) it will be HIGH season and HOT HOT HOT ... and very few hotels in Old Town have Pools; they are wonderful Venetian buildings renovated but not like resort hotels. There is a cute Town beach (arvanita) but it's a hike from many of the hotels (do you have a map of Nafplio? consult it). Also, it's a VERY pebbly/rocky beach, all of u would need water shoes, not flip-flops (do you have water shoes?). And it gets deep fast, so needs good swimmers. Tolo has both a sandy beach and many hotels with pools because it's a village set up for tourists.

(2) I assume you want a unit that will accommodate the 4 of you, in 2 adjoining rooms. This type of unit is scarce in Old Town and since you have left it so late and are not using an agency, I doubt u would be able to locate something suitable. Tolo has many such accommodations.