jhtsang

This will be our first trip to Greece and we would really appreciate any feedback, recommendations, and any other information anyone thinks would be useful. We will go in September sometime, whether beginning or middle of the month; as long as we're home (San Francisco) the first week of October. Our tentative itinerary is:

Athens: 3 nights
Delphi: 2 nights (rental car)
Olympia: 1 night
Napflio: 3 nights
return to Athens and catch flight to Crete
Crete: 5 nights, broken up between Heraklion and Chania
ferry to
Santorini: 3 nights
ferry to
Mykonos: 2 nights
then home from Mykonos

Our main interests are the archaeological sites, museums, scenery and food and culture. We don't care about beach time at all. We're also hoping to avoid the crowds by going in September. The questions are; have we allocated enough/too much time for each of the places we plan to go to? Maybe more time on Crete?

thank you very much.

Heimdall

Looks like you've done some homework already! I like your itinerary, but will make one suggestion that may help. Save Athens for the end of the trip, and fly on a connecting flight straight to Chania when you arrive in Greece. That will allow you to de-lag on an island rather than busy Athens, and insure no delays of return to the mainland (weather, strikes) cause you to miss your flight home.

I assume you are going to Mykonos to see the wonderful archaeological site of Delos. First time I was there, boats to Delos were cancelled for one day due to high winds, and the next day the site was closed, so I had to wait two days to get to Delos. Two nights on Mykonos will give you only one full day, which is enough to see Delos if you don't have the same problems as me. Here are some photos from my second visit to Delos (I love the mosaics): https://www.flickr.com/photos/heimda...57627791957268

Suggest you fly from Mykonos to Athens, then collect your rental car at the airport for the mainland segment of the trip. Some of the Athens museums (e.g. NAM) have artefacts collected from the islands and sites you are visiting. You will appreciate them all the more having already been to the sites.

traveller1959

Your itinerary looks very good to me.

Just a few additional comments:

Driving time from Athens to Delphi is about 2 1/2 hours. On the way, stop to see Hosios Loukas, a beautiful Byzantine monastery in a beautiful scenic setting. The visit does not requires less than an hour. The museum stores is probably the best opportunity to buy icons (do not buy original ones but modern ones made in traditional technique).

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/537/gallery/

Half a day will be enough to see the archeological site of Delphi and the museum. Do not miss to walk to the Tholos of Athena Pronaia on the other side of the road.

I recommend staying in a hotel in Arachova, a picturesque mountain village. Use the time to drive up to Mount Parnassos - it is scenic and you will love the coolness. You may drive or hike the forest road to the Corycian Cave - not spectacular, but quite scenic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corycian_Cave

We even stayed in a mountain hotel and loved it:
http://www.skamnos.com/eng/
(Do not wonder that it has no A/C - it does not need one, it is cool enough up there.)

Driving time from Delphi to Olympia is 3 hours. Take the route via Patras over the spectacular bridge. The coastal road from Delphi to Patras Bridge is extremely scenic.

For Olympia archeological site and museum 3 or 4 hours are sufficient, again. You may start from Delphi in the morning and visit Olympia in the afternoon.

For the next day, I have a special suggestion for you. Drive southwards along the coast to Pylos. Shortly before Pylos, visit Voidokilia Beach and Glossa Beach - breathtakingly scenic, even if you do not want to swim. Drive up to Pylos for a view of Navarino Bay.

Then continue to ancient Messene, one of the best archeological sites in Greece and stay overnight in the area, e.g. Kalamata. From Kalamata, drive to Mystras and visit the Byzantine monasteries before you drive to your next base in Nafplio.

(So, it may be wise not stay overnight IN Olympia, but a little further southwards.)

travelerjan

I believe these 2 "Greece vets" have given you stellar advice on your agenda! The sequence now makes perfect sense. Some added tweaks:

•Crete - flying in to Chania gives you a full day or more to explore/enjoy the Old city before car rental (many options to drive ... South on several routes, then end up in Heraklion area on last day: if you get to Knossos by about 1 pm, the Cruise-ship crowd will just be leaving (yay!). Then u can get in to the city to see the Museum in late afternoon before the AM ferry
• Delphi - arrival time - I suggest arrivng in afternoon, museum SHOULD be open until 7 or 8 (check ahead via internet or phone)... see museum late aft & Tholos of Athena (open 24/7) and then see ruins 8 Am -10:30 or so,before tour throngs arrive. BTW, Delphi also has nice hotels w. great views down the mt; at hotel Pan, from my balcony at the back, Hawks circled BELOW me! I also agree w. drive down west coast after Olympia.

mes2525

Don't miss Arachova. The restaurants, shops and hotels are better than Delphi. I just went and I regret not spending another day there.

jhtsang

Thank you all!! I love every single suggestion. I knew I could count on the Fodorite experts.

I'll switch the order and head straight to Chania and do the Peloponnese and Athens at the end. Add a stay in Kalamata and a night to Mykonos, just in case, as we really want to see Delos. I will also look into staying in Arachova instead of Delphi.

Heimdall; Wonderful pictures, thanks for sharing.

The links and added stops Traveler1959 provided sound great. We'll have to work them in.

Travelerjan; thanks for the tips on time for Crete & Delphi. Will definitely heed your advice.

joannyc

Highly recommend a night in Meteora to see the monastaries!

travelerjan

joannyc, he has a VERY packed schedule as it is ... at some point it becomes trying to pour a quart into a pint bottle. He has mentioned interests in the ancient arch. sites, but not so much the religious sites. Everyone has his/her own preferences.

annw

You've gotten such excellent advice I have little to add, but we just stayed in Athens, Delphi, and Nafplio, so I'll pitch in what little I can add.

We drove through Arachova and it did look charming; sorry we didn't linger.

We stayed one night in Delphi -- our hotel (Pithos Rooms) was on one of the two main roads in town but parking is pretty tight (was, even in mid-March) so have that in mind when you get into town and want to drop bags. Couple of one-way streets and busses use them too.

Could not agree more about an early entrance to Delphi to beat the big busses full. As mentioned, Athena's temple after that.

I don't know if you have lodging lined up but will mention it just in case.

In Nafplio, we stayed at Pension Mariana, a lovely place up hill with gorgeous views and home made breakfast delights from their farm. We had a hard time finding it so get good directions, maybe call them when you get into town. One of them was so nice as to ride a motorbike into town and escort us. Very reasonable as well. Parking available above the pension.

The town was delightful to wander, as were the walks near the water.

For Athens, we stayed at New Hotel, a block or less off Syntagma Square where the Grand Britannia and a couple of other biggies are; excellent cafe at the top with gorgeous views, including of the Acropolis.

Our interests were also mainly archeological, but unfortunately my husband developed bronchitis then pneumonia so we had to cut back. I imagine you will enjoy the sites near Nafplio, as well as crossing over from Corinth.

Have a wonderful trip!

Heimdall

<i>We stayed one night in Delphi -- our hotel (Pithos Rooms) was on one of the two main roads in town but parking is pretty tight (was, even in mid-March)...</i>

I'm not surprised! Delphi is sited at the foot of Mount Parnassos, which is one of the major ski resorts in Greece. Did you notice the ski shops in Delphi? ;-)

traveller1959

Actually, Boutique Hotel Skamnos is a ski hotel. Summer is low season for them and they offer great rates in summer.

The hotel is decorated with vintage ski equipment. You can drive up Mount Parnossos up to the base stations of the ski slopes where the lifts are. It is a very scenic drive.

mariha2912

Personaly I would a) Try to follow TJ's advice to see part of Delphi site and museum on the evening, part of it next morning. b)Try to contact local municipality of Delphi to see if they could arrange a tour of Angelos and Eva Sikelianos museum. Not just opening it up for you, but see if they could arrange someone to explain the story of Delphic Festivals. It could be a root for something large as the Olympic Games or the Epidavros Festival but it was bad timing... It is a fascinating story that your averrage visitor is unaware of. Setting of the House/Museum is nice too, it is not a coincidence the School Of Fine arts is located exactly below. Not many people leave the two main streets of Delphi and then complain it is a dull tourist town, but not many think to walk a bit further up (or down). c) According to interests, hike or drive up to Corycean Cave. If driving, continue to the villages on the other side of mountain. Check Agoriani and if you wish continue to Souvala to Argyriou Winery (contact them in advance for a tour and wine tasting.) d) Have an early start to Olympia and make sure you stop at least for a quick coffee break at Galaxidi. Ditto on Nafpaktos.

annw

Yes, both Delphi and Arachova had some ski town ambiance and lots of fit looking people.