Greece itinerary advice needed
Mar 26th, 2016, 11:09 PM
#1
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Greece itinerary advice needed
Hi all,
My husband and I are planning a 17 nights trip to Greece in end June 16 till mid July. We are in mid 40s, young at heart, energetic and adventurous. Loves to travel, wine and dine, fun and sun.
We have in mind this ambitious itinerary and hope you can shed some light as how do-able or impossible it will be. Main concern will be accessibility to fly/ferry from one place to another and if the order is correct. Also do let me know if you think we are spending too many of few days in these places. Where we can and should easily rent a Vespa/scooter/bike or where need to rent a car. I am a bike kinda girl
Option A (most prefered if connection is ok)
1N - Athens, arriving evening (7.20pm). Stay near airport (or shall I fly direct to Corfu?)
2N - Corfu
2N - Kefalonia
3N - Santorini
3N - Mykonos
3N - Crete
3N - Athens
Option B
1N - Athens
3N - Santorini
3N - Mykonos
3N - Rhodes
3N - Crete
3N - Athens
Option C
1N - Athens
4N - Crete
3N - Santorini
4N - Mykonos
4N - Athens
Hope you guys can give some advice on the "frame" of our adventure to Greece. Thanks in advance
My husband and I are planning a 17 nights trip to Greece in end June 16 till mid July. We are in mid 40s, young at heart, energetic and adventurous. Loves to travel, wine and dine, fun and sun.
We have in mind this ambitious itinerary and hope you can shed some light as how do-able or impossible it will be. Main concern will be accessibility to fly/ferry from one place to another and if the order is correct. Also do let me know if you think we are spending too many of few days in these places. Where we can and should easily rent a Vespa/scooter/bike or where need to rent a car. I am a bike kinda girl
Option A (most prefered if connection is ok)
1N - Athens, arriving evening (7.20pm). Stay near airport (or shall I fly direct to Corfu?)
2N - Corfu
2N - Kefalonia
3N - Santorini
3N - Mykonos
3N - Crete
3N - Athens
Option B
1N - Athens
3N - Santorini
3N - Mykonos
3N - Rhodes
3N - Crete
3N - Athens
Option C
1N - Athens
4N - Crete
3N - Santorini
4N - Mykonos
4N - Athens
Hope you guys can give some advice on the "frame" of our adventure to Greece. Thanks in advance
Mar 26th, 2016, 11:53 PM
#2
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For my taste, too many islands and too much hassle with ferries or flights between islands. And limited opportunities on the islands.
Of course, option C looks best.
Crete is huge, with lots of archeological sites, and deserves at least 3 full days if not more.
Your itinerary is weak on the mainland and on the Peloponnese. If you have 4 nights in Athens, which means 3 days, you should rent a car for 1 day and drive to Delphi, the most stunning archeological site in Greece. It would be better to have another day in Athens for another daytrip to the Peloponnese including Nafplio, Epidauros, Mycenae and Acrocorinth.
And it would be even better to do a loop drive which includes the monasteries of Meteora.
In order to do this, I would even skip Mykonos, so the itinerary would be:
2N - Athens (getting a taste of Athens)
5N - Crete
3N - Santorini
1N - Athens, then driving to Meteora
1N - Meteora, then driving to Delphi
1N - Delphi, then driving via Patras to Nafplio, visiting Acrocorinth and Mycenae on the way
1N - Nafplio, then drviving via Epidaurus to Athens
2N - Athens
Of course, option C looks best.
Crete is huge, with lots of archeological sites, and deserves at least 3 full days if not more.
Your itinerary is weak on the mainland and on the Peloponnese. If you have 4 nights in Athens, which means 3 days, you should rent a car for 1 day and drive to Delphi, the most stunning archeological site in Greece. It would be better to have another day in Athens for another daytrip to the Peloponnese including Nafplio, Epidauros, Mycenae and Acrocorinth.
And it would be even better to do a loop drive which includes the monasteries of Meteora.
In order to do this, I would even skip Mykonos, so the itinerary would be:
2N - Athens (getting a taste of Athens)
5N - Crete
3N - Santorini
1N - Athens, then driving to Meteora
1N - Meteora, then driving to Delphi
1N - Delphi, then driving via Patras to Nafplio, visiting Acrocorinth and Mycenae on the way
1N - Nafplio, then drviving via Epidaurus to Athens
2N - Athens
Mar 27th, 2016, 10:15 AM
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Of travel, wine, dine, fun, sun -- you will only have time for Travel -- if u insist on itineraries like these.
The itinerary with least backtracking, most transit-efficient would be:
CRETE - SANTORINI - RHODES - ATHENS NO Ath at start & Skip Mykonos (unless u really want TWO over-touristed, jampacked Co$$$tly isles). A workable Scenario would be:
DAY ! (arr late, stay at B&B near airport)
DAY 2 - early (6 or 7 AM) flight to Chania Crete
Day 2 & 3 - Chania & area
Day 4 - 5 - 6 Explore west Crete, get to Heraklion/Knossos
Day 7: 9:45 daily ferry to Santorini arr noon.
Day 8 - 9 Santorini
Day 10: 12:30 am - O'nite Blue Star Ferry - Rhodes arr 8 am
Day 10 - 11 - 12 Rhodes (rent car go to W coast, escape crowds)
Day 13 - Fly ATH AM; rent car drive Delphi. See museum 6pm stay nite
Day 14 - See Ruins, drive back to ATH area
Day 15 - 16 - 17 Athens sightseeing.
--- In none of the places on this list are Vespas or bikes v. feasible: Crete too mountainous, Santorini crazy traffic & other drivers, Rhodes, combo of both. Time to do some research more in-depth than smartphone clicking.
The itinerary with least backtracking, most transit-efficient would be:
CRETE - SANTORINI - RHODES - ATHENS NO Ath at start & Skip Mykonos (unless u really want TWO over-touristed, jampacked Co$$$tly isles). A workable Scenario would be:
DAY ! (arr late, stay at B&B near airport)
DAY 2 - early (6 or 7 AM) flight to Chania Crete
Day 2 & 3 - Chania & area
Day 4 - 5 - 6 Explore west Crete, get to Heraklion/Knossos
Day 7: 9:45 daily ferry to Santorini arr noon.
Day 8 - 9 Santorini
Day 10: 12:30 am - O'nite Blue Star Ferry - Rhodes arr 8 am
Day 10 - 11 - 12 Rhodes (rent car go to W coast, escape crowds)
Day 13 - Fly ATH AM; rent car drive Delphi. See museum 6pm stay nite
Day 14 - See Ruins, drive back to ATH area
Day 15 - 16 - 17 Athens sightseeing.
--- In none of the places on this list are Vespas or bikes v. feasible: Crete too mountainous, Santorini crazy traffic & other drivers, Rhodes, combo of both. Time to do some research more in-depth than smartphone clicking.
Mar 27th, 2016, 12:38 PM
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Option C has the least amount of backtracking. I would skip Mykonos as travelerjan mentions above unless you're into a big summer party scene. I might substitute Rhodes instead.
BTW, planes to/from the islands fill up quickly. If you are interested in flying, you'd better check that out ASAP.
And for what it's worth, I totally agree again with Travelerjan about vespas and bikes. Too crazy in the summer on those islands1
BTW, planes to/from the islands fill up quickly. If you are interested in flying, you'd better check that out ASAP.
And for what it's worth, I totally agree again with Travelerjan about vespas and bikes. Too crazy in the summer on those islands1
Mar 27th, 2016, 01:42 PM
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The ferry from Santorini to Rhodes runs only 3 days/week, so you may not be able to do it on Day 10 as travelerjan suggests. According to gtp.gr it departs Santorini at 3:20 am on Mon, Wed & Fri this summer.
Personally I would skip Rhodes and go from Santorini to Naxos or Paros instead. Other than that, I like travelerjan's suggested itinerary.
Personally I would skip Rhodes and go from Santorini to Naxos or Paros instead. Other than that, I like travelerjan's suggested itinerary.
Mar 28th, 2016, 05:55 AM
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Thanks so much for all your feedback. Really appreciate it. I have decide to take it slowwww and easy. It looks like this :
1n Athens arr evening, sleep get over jet lag
1n take viator 2d/1n trip to Meteora an Delphi (sleep in bus to recover from jet lag)
1n Athens
3n Santorini (Day trip to Akrotiri)
3n Naxos (Day trip to Koufonisia and Porter)
2n Paros (Day trip to Antiparos)
3n Mykonos (Day trip to Delos)
2n Athens
I think this itinerary won’t be too taxing and enough time to see and enjoy the locals scenes. Now if you could help me in with where I should go for day trip or must see, must eat, must do stuffs that will be wonderful
1n Athens arr evening, sleep get over jet lag
1n take viator 2d/1n trip to Meteora an Delphi (sleep in bus to recover from jet lag)
1n Athens
3n Santorini (Day trip to Akrotiri)
3n Naxos (Day trip to Koufonisia and Porter)
2n Paros (Day trip to Antiparos)
3n Mykonos (Day trip to Delos)
2n Athens
I think this itinerary won’t be too taxing and enough time to see and enjoy the locals scenes. Now if you could help me in with where I should go for day trip or must see, must eat, must do stuffs that will be wonderful
Mar 28th, 2016, 06:38 AM
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That looks better to me. When on Paros you can take an island boat trip that includes a BBQ lunch with wine, and stops at sea caves and deserted beaches. One example is Captain Ben, which has a good reputation:
http://captainbenantiparos.com
I'm not a party type (too old for that), but still enjoy visiting Mykonos. The chora (main town) is one of the most beautiful in the Cyclades, and the island has many beautiful beaches. The main attraction for me is the ease of visiting Delos from there. I especially love all the mosaics, which you can see in some of these photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/heimda...57627791957268
http://captainbenantiparos.com
I'm not a party type (too old for that), but still enjoy visiting Mykonos. The chora (main town) is one of the most beautiful in the Cyclades, and the island has many beautiful beaches. The main attraction for me is the ease of visiting Delos from there. I especially love all the mosaics, which you can see in some of these photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/heimda...57627791957268
Mar 30th, 2016, 02:39 AM
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Viator is a third party which will book you with one of the local tour companies. Cut the middle man and book directly with one of the most established big three: G.O. ,Chat and Key Tours. While many people decide to take those tours, personaly I find them too rushed. Why not to chose either Delphi either Meteora and take it a bit easier? If you chose one rather than two it is very straightforward to do it on public transport too.
Do note that both Delphi and Meteora are somehow demanding sites physically, lots of climbing up and down. Athens is an amazing city with tons of things to see and do but might be a bit too overwhelming if you have a jet lag to cure, for this reason maybe you could consider swaping the itinerary around and save Athens/mainland for the tail-end of trip? One way or another, islands offer activities/sightseen, but it is easier to relax and recover from a jet lag there...
Do note that both Delphi and Meteora are somehow demanding sites physically, lots of climbing up and down. Athens is an amazing city with tons of things to see and do but might be a bit too overwhelming if you have a jet lag to cure, for this reason maybe you could consider swaping the itinerary around and save Athens/mainland for the tail-end of trip? One way or another, islands offer activities/sightseen, but it is easier to relax and recover from a jet lag there...
