aliced

In October we have four non-travel days while based in Athens (plus evening of arrival and half-day before embarking on island cruise); we intend to spend 2 of the 4 days exploring Athens, plus a full-day tour to Mycenae/Epidaurus/Napfilo. We were going to do another day tour to Delphi but have heard Greece-resident tell my friend who was staying with her, that it's "disappointing," and a colleague of husband telling him it's a 3-hour ride to/fro. We do not wish to go to Hydra nor stay elsewhere overnight. That said, where would you recommend as another daytrip tour out of Athens. There is a destination east of Athens which name escapes me that sounded interesting when I was first researching. Your thoughts please.....

dwdvagamundo

I was going to suggest Delphi. Don't know why someone would think it was disappointing; if you're a fan of classical Greece, I wouldn't miss it.

greg

It would be better to find out beyond one word description, "disappointing," unless you believe everyone in the world share the same value and taste.

I have been to all these sites mentioned. If you see them as just ancient sites, they seem to be interchangeable. Mycenae was a powerful city, Epidaurus was an enormous healing center complex, while Delphi was a religious site.

travelerjan

Have you considered an island much easier/faster to reach than Hydra, that has more to offer than its picturesque port (tho it does have that). Check out AEGINA -- Hydra is a 2+ hour trip from Piraeus, But Aegina is the closest island... people even commute to work in Athens (the hydrofoil takes only 40 minutes). On weekends Athenians flock there, but on weekdays its uncrowded, and a great outing!

Aegina has an attractive port, with a small ruin right by the ferry dock, a tall column, and a tiny museum. In the center of the island, on a high hill is Temple of Aphaia, the Best-preserved ancient temple on any Greek isle. You can rent a car, (and visit a beautiful monastery en route), or do as I did, an take a bus to the Temple. From the hill you get amazing 360° view of whole saronic bay. Then going on road, look for sign on tree "Shortcut," scramble downhill on a trail a few hundred yards and presto! you are entering little beach town (Ag Marina?). Stop at a cafe, use restroom to chang into swimwear, and enjoy a cool dip, then lunch. U can bus back to port, or taxi inexpensively. W. a rental car u can go to a farther beach & beach club, v. nice -- http://www.aeginagreece.com/aegina/p...estaurant.html Back at port, enjoy a sundown drink, perhaps dinner, then take a late ferry back to Piraeus.

TO/FROM: Take Green line Metro from Monastiraki to Piraeus (30 mins); just take your daybag (and nothing in pockets... Athens is lo-crime, but there is a pickpocket ring working the Metro). tickets at any port agency. Do NOT take hydrofoil, no decks, windows salt-frosted, no view. The "regular" or conventional ferries go every hour or 2, they take about 55 minutes, large open deck to sit & enjoy the seascape -- amazing variety of vessels, from high liners to ferries, yachts & sailboats. Here is a splendid photo album of A Day In Aegina: http://www.flickr.com/photos/3626470...646139/detail/

Unless your "island cruise" is a lengthy one, on a small vessel vs. those big ships, you will NOT get this kind of experience. The big ships are limited to only 3-4 islands that have deep-enough harbors, the process of getting off and re-boarding (for 2,000-3,000 passengers) is tedious & lengthy, you will be mostly in a port, surrounded by thousands of fellow-cruisers intent on shopping ... and all too often, your time on shore is too limited to get away from the crowd and see any authentic island life or landscapes. This getaway to Aegina would allow you a looong day, plenty of time for beach and cafe-sitting & wandering village lanes, not in a "cruise bubble".

aliced

Thanks, but as I said, we want a day trip from Athens and not via ferry to any port or island; we will be spending seven days aboard a small ship. Just interested in options other than Delphi (which is still on the table) within an hour or two from Athens. Will do via Tours by Locals not the Metro.

stanbr

The only disappointing thing about Delphi is that by teh time th bus gets you there you don't have a whole lot of time before you have to return. H0owever if you rent a car you can be off in the early morning and get therehr before the tour buses arrive. And you can stay after they leave.
Delphi is worth the effort.
Olympia Delphi Meteora https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7645469717811/

crazyh

If you are not interested in a island I would highly recommend the lovely port town of Nafplio in the Peloponesse, just about 2+ hours away via bus/car.

Pretty waterfront and jut a beautiful Old Town with historic sites right in town. If you are really ambitious you can check out Epidavrous or Mycenean or just spend the day wandering around the town. Lots of shops, markets and tavernas.

aliced

stanbr, thank you; good point -- time to get the guidebooks again, there was another spot to the east that sounded interesting; regardless, we will go via private driver in large sedan with flexible time. Loved your photos -- can you roughly identify the order of where you were -- Delphi, Olympia, Metora, especially the stunning cliff shots toward end. Also do these include pictures at the Delphi Museum which am told is a do-not-miss.

crazyh, thanks, but yes, as I said we are doing a day to Napfilo/Mycenae/Epidaurus, and wanted suggestions for another day outing, not to an island

kja

I enjoyed Delphi and was very glad I visited it.
Perhaps you could visit Cape Sounion, but I’m not sure it makes sense for a day trip….
FWIW, I felt hard-pressed to see everything I wanted to see in Athens itself in just 4 full days. YMMV.

tonib

I'm not sure either if Cape Sounion makes sense for a whole day trip, but try to enjoy Athens and not hurry to see all the sights. October is also a great month to visit Athens.
I don't understand why someone was disappointed by the Delphi site, but you can combine Delphi with the coastal town of Galaxidi, it is beautiful.

crazyh

aliced: Sorry . . . I should read the entire post before replying. Anyway, Nafplio will be a great choice.

You may want to consider:
The Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia and the Brauron Museum. There is also a lovely winemaking farm to explore in the area.

Other than that I can't think of anything else that hasn't already been mentioned that can easily be done in one day.

You say you'll have two days to explore Athens which is good but there is a lot more to see and experience in the city other than the usual tourist sites:

Consider Anafiotika, Kerimikos Cemetery, Central Markets on Athinas St., Changing of the Guards at Syntagma Square, wondering around the non-touristy areas to get a better feel of the what Athens is all about.

Mimar

What do you have against Hydra?

stanbr

aliced. Sorry I was in a rush and didn't even proof read my post too many typos.

The album starts in Olympia. When you get to the part with the village and the views down the mountainside that's Delphi. Images of the museum are in the album.
The last section is Meteora. Those images are of the monasteries that were built in the 1400's. They are spectacular aren't they

If you let your curser hover on the images look at the bottom left hand corner. Each image is labeled where it was taken.

You might be tempted to do Meteora except it is a 5 hour drive from Athens and you really do need an overnight to make that worthwhile. Delphi is much more manageable as a day trip.

lauramsgarden

perhaps your Greek friend is just so used to all their amazing antiquities...I found Delphi one of the highlights of our trip - it was spiritual, powerful and beautiful (we did stay overnight though to have more time and booked a tour with a wonderful young lady named Penny/Penelope who was extremely knowledgable) so I would say don't write off Delphi - and Meteora is astounding

travelerjan

I'm still thinking about that full-day tour you mentioned to Nafplio - Mycenae- Epidaurus. That is a VERY rushed tour thru 3 fascinating places... especially when the Tour companies offer a MUCH better one that allows free time to enjoy the beauties of Nafplio

CHAT TOUR #6 http://www.chatours.gr/tours.php?exc=8&exccat=1 is a TWO-Day trip, that in the AM goes to Corinth Canal & Mycenae, then arrives in Nafplio, for a FREE afternoon and then the glorious sunset on nafplio's seafront, dinner, and moonlight on its magical (marble-paved) town square. A relaxed AM for more town-wandering, then off to Epidaurus, and back to Athens. I've recommended this to many people over the years, and they've reported unanimously that it was a delightful experience. NOTE: there are 2 hotel choices - "Tourist" and "First Class" -- the latter is way outside town, the "tourist" place is well situated in old town much better location.

NOTE: You seem fixated on DAY tours only -- is this because you feel "locked in" to your Athens hotel?? From my 12 trips to greece (including at least 18 stays in Athens), I know that hotels are All accustomed to guests who stay for a couple of nights, leave overnight for a short trip like that above, then return for a final night or two... so Hotels are flexible about this; they have to be, it's a fact of Athens tourism. Once you get a booking, you will find you can "tweak" it a bit, don't be timid about it. A hotel will even stash your Big Bags in their luggage room so you can just tote a shoulder bag for the overnight. And I guarantee you, it will convert your excursion to the Peloponnese from a bus-bus-bus tour-athon to an enjoyable brief getaway.

aliced

We do not wish to check out of our hotel and repack for a night on Hydra nor in E/M/N, it's that simple. We have travelled alot and on this trip, we and our friends do not want to split up our time, it's that simple. Travelling with friends we've known for 40 years but rarely see, we want to relax and enjoy each other. Yes, I am quite familiar with hotels keeping luggage, and no we're not taking any set bus tours, as I've said, we are going with a private driver who will take us where we want when we want. We will have two full days in Athens and want to break it up with day tours out of the city, we'll also have evening upon arrival and another half day before going back to Piraeus. Hydra sounds lovely, but we'll be on a small ship for the next seven days after Athens. The more I read about Delphi, believe we'll definitely go there. Olympia and Meteora just too far.

Jan, no I'm not fixated, but after months of reading & research (my former profession) it's what we have decided we wish to do. Reviewed dozens of tours offered by Amazara and several others, am well aware of the options of overnights.

Stanbr, thanks for your clarification about your fabulous pictures.

travelerjan

The fuller explanation is most helpful, if we had previously had these insights we would not have worked up various scenarios.

Gretchen

Another one that sees nothing "wrong" with Delphi. And another that thinks the one day tour of those others is rushed. BUT, they are all wonderful and you will love Greece.
I think Cap Sounion would be a far reach but beautiful.

panecott

Add me to the Delphi list. It was one of my favorite sites in Greece.

nanabee

I would go to the beautiful and captivating island of Hydros. It is a o e hour or so ferry tide from the port of Athens.

By the time we got to Delphi we had spent a week seeing archeological sites so we enjoyed the change of scenery that Hydros offered.