willm358

Greetings everyone,

I have began the process of planning my honeymoon for my soon to be wife and me. I have been reading these forums for a few months now and I have got a lot of valuable information from them. I admit I am not much of a planning type for vacations like this, so I am posting to get some help.

We are looking to visit from Aug 30th (travel day) through Sept 12th (also travel day). From everything I have read my current plan is to fly into Athens and then take a flight that day to Santorini. From there we would stay in Santorini for about 4 days (til the 5th). Then take a ferry to Naxos. Stay in Naxos for another 4 days (til the 9th) and then take a flight back to Athens to finish off the honeymoon.

What I am struggling with is filling in everything in between. I'm looking for hotels to stay at, things to do, and most importantly where are some places that are a must to eat at. Also, are these dates a good time to go, and am I staying in each place long enough? Should I add a third island in there?

A little info about us. We are both in our late 20s, enjoy camping, hiking, water sports, beaches, and exploring. I figure we would do most of this on Santorini. Also, while in Santorini I would like to take her out to a very romantic dinner with one of those views I have been reading all about. This will be the night where we order some nice bottles of wine and eat some delicious food. Then once we hit Naxos it is gonna be all about enjoying the beaches and having some cocktails. Once back in Athens I would like to explore the city and take in some of the culture.

I have not booked anything yet, but I do have my finger hovering over the keyboard on the plane tickets.

Appreciate any and all input! Thanks
Will

dulciusexasperis

Your division of time sounds fine to me. I would certainly NOT add another island. All in all it is one of the better thought out plans I've seen.

There is more than enough info available online on what there is to see and do in each location. Google is your friend. For example: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction..._Cyclades.html

For specific hotel and restuarant suggestions you need to say what your budget is. There is no use my suggesting a $500 hotel or $300 meal if your budget isn't up to it.

stanbr

Indeed you have chosen well. Santorini is a perfect honeymoon location and 4 days is enough. I would suggest you take a hotel with a caldera view. That is the view you have been reading about and you will never regret spending the money on that view on your honeymoon. Even if it is a budget breaker perhaps cut a night in Santoirni so you can afford it and add that extra day to Naxos. Naxos is going to be much easier on your wallet for both accommodation and dining.
I just wanted to refer back to your original post where you say
you " enjoy camping, hiking, water sports, beaches, and exploring. I figure we would do most of this on Santorini."

Santorini is not really the kind of place that immediately comes to mind for those activities. It is about the views. Granted there is a good hike from Oia to Fira along the caldera edge and nice villages to seek out but that description sounds much more like what you will find in Naxos.
Here are images of Santorini
Santorini http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632154800782/
And Naxos
Trip around Naxos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7634605629689/
For Naxos look at Boutique hotel Glaros. Affordable luxury righton the beach and just a 10 minute walk along the shore to Naxos town for the nightlife and shopping. Rent a car and drive up to the mountain villages and see what Greece used to be like. And of course for a great beach day hop the local bus and go to Plaka beach about 7km from town. You will wish you had more time in Naxos.
This album has pictures of several St George beach hotels including Glaros.
St George Beach Hotels Naxos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632162394787/
Have fun planning

willm358

As far as budget is concerned, obviously spending less is better...

With that being said, Santorini would be the place where I would want to spend the most money, then save more in Naxos.

For dining, at least one night in Santorini would have no limit on the budget. Nice bottles of a wine with a beautiful view and delicious food is worth the $$. For hotels, again having a caldera view is a must. So whatever it takes to get that, it would be worth it.

Once in Naxos I would like to save some money. Like I said we like camping and roughing it, if you will, so here it would be more about enjoying local places to eat that don't break the wallet and relaxing on the beaches. All I'm looking for in a hotel is a safe place to sleep and get ready for whatever we have planned for the day.

Thanks for the help so far!
Will

travelerjan

August is High Season, lots of people, so on Naxos I suggest you stay at a farther-out beach ... there will be plenty of places, cafes, tavernas for dinner, and for more nightlife busses to bring you in to the Port town. In August, there will be busses back to the far beaches until midnight.

Of these beaches I personally like Plaka beach, out beyond Ag. Anna and Ag. Prokopios. The last stop (there are 3) of the bus in Plaka, is right in front of Aronis Taverna & apartments ... a lovely large shaded terrace restaurant, with 3 nice white buildings behind ... and plenty of sand in front, never crowded. http://aronisnaxos.com/index%20en.html -- nice units, balconies with sea view. bath & kitchenette ... and VRY modest rentals. Their taverna (restaurant) serves meats & produce from their farm ... authentic greek cooking by mama & grandpa. a real gem

WWK

I'd highly recommend one of the wonderful seafood restaurants in Amoudi Bay, which you can access from the long staircase in the center of Oia ( Santorini). The restaurants are along a wharf, and you dine in candelight, inches from the water. It's a magical place to spend an evening! We really liked DIMITRI'S, but there are several other excellent restaurants, too.

brotherleelove2004

There is a road down to Amoudi Bay so if you prefer you can drive or take a taxi.

littlejane

The restaurants in Ammoudi bay are great - second the recommendation for Dimitri's. For the romantic dinner I would opt for one of the swanky restaurants in Fira with the Caldera view - the Selene perhaps (it's been a few years since I was there but it was consistently good for years, maybe check tripadvisor for up to date reports)

iris1745

www.canaves.com This is a great place to stay in Oia, with its own pool looking out at the caldera

clausar

Selene is still one Santorini's best restaurants, they do cooking lessons too as far as i can remember.

Best fish taverna in Ammoudi is Katina, the first one as you enter from the road side. Very popular among Greeks and famous all over Greece too.

diana_elise_5

Hello! I am planning a very similar honeymoon right now (fly into Athens, take ferry to Santorini the next morning where we will stay 4 nights, then Naxos for 2 nights, and back to Athens for 2 more nights) and was wondering if you had any tips/suggestions from your trip? Much like you, Santorini is where we are planning to splurge a bit. A friend highly recommended Artemis Villas in Imerovigli for a place to stay in Santorini but I would welcome your thoughts as well on any places you stayed and places you went on your honeymoon. Thanks!

Heimdall

Hi Diana,

I'll give you the standard advice and recommend a flight straight to Santorini upon arrival in Athens (no point in waiting until the next day, then spending 8 hrs on a ferry). That will gain you an extra night which you should probably add to Naxos.

iris1745

Check my comment a few comments up thread.

We had a wonderful stay in Oia.

mariha2912

2 nights=1 full day, I would not go into the hassle of adding one packing/unpacking, checking in/out, commuting to/from ports session just to spend one day on Naxos. It will not make Naxos any justice and anyway all this moving around on a small timeframe is pretty boring, let alone on a honeymoon.