wug

Hi Helpful Fodorites

I asked about ideas on this a couple of months ago and I've about decided on what to do.

As a recap, I'll be flying into Athens from Paris on September 3 and will arrive about 5:30 pm. Three friends will also be arriving from the US about that time. They will be jetlagged, I won't. We have three nights before we all have to be back in Athens to meet the rest of our group of friends who will be arriving after us.

I'm wanting to go somewhere I've never been for those three nights. Arriving so late makes most flights and ferries impossible, unless we wait until the next morning. BUT, I've found a great sale on flights to Rhodes and there is a flight leaving at 9:20 pm that night. So, it's either three nights in Rhodes (really just two full days though) OR, renting a car at the airport and driving to Napflio for those three nights.

I don't want to stay in Athens those three days as I've been to Athens many many times and we will be doing Athens for two nights once the rest of our group arrives. We will also be going to Santorini and Milos on the trip.

What do you think? Any thoughts about what makes the most sense? Obviously I'd be doing the driving since my friends will be massively jet lagged. (This will be the first trip overseas for two of them)

I'll be finishing up work in France and so I'm looking to just regroup and recharge before starting to "lead" the group of friends through Greece. I love seeing ancient sights but also just soaking up the culture, food, atmosphere of Greece. I also enjoy hiking, kayaking and visiting beautiful beaches. Basically being outside.

Pros and cons to each place? Ease of getting from the airport to Old Town Rhodes? Ease of driving to Napflio? Is one generally more budget friendly than the other?

Thanks for all the help!!

Ifnotnow_when

Naplio is a delightful town. Be sure to stay in the old part with the fort looming over you. When we were there we didn't have to do the driving from Athens, but it didn't seem difficult. We were in an apartment for 2 weeks and then did day trips to the ancient sights. The town itself though is good for a couple days. There is a beach and the old fort and you can take a ferry (from nearby Tolo) to Hydra and Spetses (Bouboulina Museum) for the afternoon. Naplio is loaded with restaurants, both on the waterfront and around the square and on side streets. Obviously cheaper on the side streets. I've not been to Rhodes, but if you are already going to a couple islands, why not pick Naplio. We absolutely loved it.

TexasAggie

We love Nafplio! There are ancient sights galore nearby... Epidaurus, Mycenae, Corinth, and Tiryns are the biggies, but we've also enjoyed the Argive Heraion, the "pyramid", Lerna, Orchemenos, Titani, and especially Nemea with its fabulous museum (partnership with UC Berkely). The Cadogan guidebook is great for this area of Greece

TexasAggie

The Heraion at Petrachora is a great stop on the way fom Athens to Nafplio, as are Corinth, AcroCorinth, and Isthmia

mariha2912

I think in your time frame you will not make justice either to Nafplion area either to Rhodes. Maybe, just maybe, you could head to Rhodes simply because I find it more likely that you can visit easier Nafplion on a future trip as a side trip from Athens... But on the other hand you have visited Athens many times and never made it there....
Nafplion on my opinion makes sense if you plan to focus in town itsself for those 2-3 nightd maybe adding one or two side trips, but definately there is not enough time to appreciate everything the areas has to offer. Yes, I know that many people will say that you can fit lots in with a car hire, but my point is that you need to take it slowly and soak in the ambiance rather than rush among places. Even more so if your friends are tired and jet lagged.
On Rhodes you can not see much outside Rhodes Town on same time frame, you can take it easy and relax walking around on arrival day and day one, next day when your friends recover you could visit a couple of museums/sites or something like that.

A third option by the way might be Delphi. There are tons of things to do and see in the area, but as people tend to focus on ancient sites and museum, this is definately more manageable in your time frame (?)

littlejane

I liked Nafplio, but Rhodes - WOW. That's a place that tugs at the heartstrings. IF you stay in the old town that is. If you like old walled medieval towns Rhodes is stunning. You will probably enjoy either but I would vote for Rhodes

neckervd

If you go to Santorini anyway, you can easily combine it with Rhodos. The ferry leaves Santorini at midnight every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday (arrival at Rhodos at 7am, cabins available) and goes back from Rhodos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4pm (arrival at Santorini shortly after midnight).

I love Rhodos, but only 3 nights are not much; you should have AT LEAST 3 FULL DAYS. There are frequent buses between the airport and the city wall. If you rent a car (not necessary, public transport is fine), and want to stay in the walled town (highly recommended) look for a hotel that you can easily reach by car (like Cavo d'Oro or St Michel).

jamikins

My vote is for Nafplio. We spent 4 nights there in 2011 and loved it. There are lots of great sites to see close by as stated above, the drive is very easy, and the town is just lovely.

Enjoy!

julies

It has been a gazillion years since I've been to Rhodes, so I am not going to comment on that. Nafplio was fine but, for us, didn't live up to all the rave reviews it gets here. I have another idea since you will be driving, and it is not any further than Nafplio. Go north, and take your friends to the Pelion peninsula. We enjoyed that more than Nafplio. Sorry the name of the town we so enjoyed is escaping me right now. Or, since your friends have never been overseas, perhaps they'd enjoy going to a place like the Delphi area.

wug

Thank you everyone for your advice and suggestions. I definitely understand with either place, we don't see all there is to see. The reason for such a short time is that the three days are in between work in France and the tour I'll be leading for my friends in Greece. Most of the people going on the tour needed to start the tour on Sept. 6. That gave me three days in between France and Greece so, I wanted to go somewhere I've never been, even if there isn't enough time to "do it all"

A few friends are coming early and joining me those three extra days because, as they said, we are flying all the way to Greece, we might as well have as much time as possible there. So, these three days are just days to relax and chill, see a part of Greece I've never seen but, make sure that the place I go is easy to get to from the airport and easy to get back to when the rest of the group arrives.

parosblue

Both Naufplion and Rhodes are great. Your choice depends upon what you think you will feel like doing. Will you feel more like hopping a plane to the destination, or driving? Will your friends want to sit in a car for 2 hours to Naufplion after the long haul flight, or walk around to stretch their legs and wait for the short Rhodes flight?
Another choice...I fly from the US, and I'd hate to wait around the airport nor get into a car upon arrival - have your friends been to Athens? I'd take them there right off to relax and see the Acropolis at night. Then rent a car and drive to Naufplion or Delphi for a night or two.