Planning a Trip to Greece

Old Feb 22nd, 2017, 03:30 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10,255
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 1 Post
Planning a Trip to Greece

Back in 2014 I asked for advice on a two-week trip to Greece which for some reason never came off. We're now planning a ten day (not including arrival and departure days) with a considerably simpler itinerary.

The trip is set for mid-May. We plan to arrive in Athens on a 10:35 Friday morning from NYC. We would like to begin by going to Mykonos. It appears that outgoing ferries and flights require fairly long stays at the airport or ferry terminals. We are the sort that are delirious with fatigue after a trans-Atlantic flight. Any ideas as to which would be the quickest way to the island?

We are going to Mykonos principally to visit Delos, which I would prefer to do on Saturday so we can depart Sunday. We would like to rent a car on the mainland and drive to Nafplio, intending to visit Nemea, Epidaurus, Mycenae, etc. I suppose it would be best to fly to Athens airport and rent there, intending to return the car after three days in Nafplio and a two day excursion to Delphi. We will spend the final three days in Athens. I hope I have counted correctly!

Does this appear practical? I still have my 2014 thread which contained much information on various sites and activities.

Appreciate any assistance.
Fra_Diavolo is offline  
Old Feb 22nd, 2017, 04:13 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It appears you will have to wait until 16:40 for the first flight to Mykonos, but that will still be the quickest way to get there, arriving at 17:20. The first ferries you would be able to catch leave the port of Rafina (30 min from the airport) between 15:30 and 16:00, and don't arrive on Mykonos until around 18:00.

If you are bored with hanging around the airport so long you could take a bus or taxi to Rafina for lunch, then either the ferry from there or return to the airport for the flight. Since there is only about a half-hour difference in arrival times, it would make sense to me to stay in Rafina for the ferry.

Were it me I would take the Golden Star Ferries catamaran that leaves Rafina at 15:30 and arrives on Mykonos at 18:00. See gtp.gr for the timetables, but buy the ferry tickets when you get to the port, maybe before you have lunch.
Heimdall is offline  
Old Feb 22nd, 2017, 04:21 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I find it hard to justify flying to Mykonos just to spend a day on Delos and then return to Athens. It's not that Delos isn't worth visiting, that depends on your interests obviously. But whether it is worth more or less using up 3 days to spend one day on Delos is questionable to me.

Instead of trying to get to Mykonos on the Friday, You could far less stressfully just arrange a car rental, spend the night in Athens recovering from the jet lag and be ready to head for Nafplio on Saturday morning.

Instead you are looking at a tiring/stressful Friday to get to Mykonos, then the boat to Delos and back Saturday (a fairly busy/stressful day), then back to Athens on Sunday, get to a hotel, check in, arrange a car rental, etc. (again a busy day) before finally on Monday driving to Nafplio.

To me, Delos is worth visiting as a day trip for sure but only if I were staying on Mykonos for at least 4 or more days. Greece is full of ancient sites and let's face it, none are more worthwhile than many others. Doing all this just to walk around Delos for half a day just doesn't strike me as worth it.
Dogeared is offline  
Old Feb 22nd, 2017, 04:36 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
While everone is pretty jetlagged by that transatlantic flight the 10:35 arrival time suggests you ore on a direct flight which means you will be less jet lagged than the people who stop in Europe for their connection.

We have done a direct flight and found that we are full of excitement and with the help of a couple of cups of coffee at the airport were able to rent a car and drive to Nafplio. We did need a pit stop for more coffee at Corinth but we had just enough energy to get to Nafplio and have a nap.

We used the first two days to relax and wander Nafplio with a short half day trip to Epidavros to get over jet lag.

Now after doing your 3 days Nafplio you can head to Delphi for 2 nights, return the car to the airport and fly to Mykonos then fly back and spend your last two nights in Athens.
This plan allows you to be in Nafplio relaxing rather than sitting in the airport waiting for a Mykonos flight.
Even if you don't want to rent a car you can hop a bus from the bus station and be in Nafplio within 3 hours of arrival in Athens.
stanbr is offline  
Old Feb 22nd, 2017, 04:43 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Some of my photos of wonderful Delos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/heimda...57627791957268
Heimdall is offline  
Old Feb 22nd, 2017, 10:43 AM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10,255
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 1 Post
Thanks all. I think the idea two of you floated to delay the Mykonos/Delos excursion until later in the trip would be best for us. My only concern is the drive. I have rented a car at CDG and driven to Les Andelys with no trouble. That trip is about 1 1/2 hours so I suppose the extra hour wouldn't be a real problem.

Heimdell thanks for the photos. Really whets the appetite!

I will have to do a little more thinking about time allocation.

FD
Fra_Diavolo is offline  
Old Feb 22nd, 2017, 04:32 PM
  #7  
kja
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Much as I hate to disagree with stanbr, the most recent research on jet lag really argues against driving at all if there is any chance of experiencing it. Although many people are not aware of it, there is mounting evidence that driving with jet lag is just as dangerous -- to yourself and others -- as driving after drinking, and nothing -- including caffeine consumption -- nothing you can do will prevent the microsleeps (which you might not even notice) that are the apparent culprit. I’m sure there are many people who have been very, very lucky to drive successfully after a transatlantic flight, but unfortunately, that doesn’t make it safe.
kja is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 06:56 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10,255
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 1 Post
I share your concern and wonder if I should go into Athens proper for the night and perhaps the next day. Get in some sightseeing and then return for another two days at the end of the trip. Would that be too troublesome?
Fra_Diavolo is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 07:19 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Kja no problem with your comment its good input. That is why I included a second suggestion that the OP take the bus to Naplio.

They will still be in Nafplio before that flight arrives in Mykonos.
stanbr is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 07:23 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Actually I see nothing wrong with your original plan of going straight to Mykonos, except I would stay there at least another night. I've been to Mykonos twice with the main purpose of seeing Delos, then left soon afterwards.

Like kja, I prefer not to drive the first day or two after an overnight flight. You may feel okay, but your reactions will be slower in an emergency.
Heimdall is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 07:30 AM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10,255
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 1 Post
Well I like the original plan as well, but the connections make that very difficult. I wasn't kidding when I said I get delirious by early afternoon. Our usual routine is to have lunch, check-in (hoping they allow it early), nap, shower, take a late afternoon walk or quick sightseeing, dinner and early to bed, so you can see why late afternoon arrivals just won't work for us.

The bus to Nafplio is also attractive, though I have heard that oneway car rentals -- I'd need to rent one there and would want to drop it at the airport after Delphi -- can be very expensive in Greece. True?
Fra_Diavolo is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 07:33 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Further to my last post, you can be on the seaside at Rafina 30 minutes after leaving the airport. It's much smaller and more attractive than Piraeus, and has seafood restaurants (fish tavernas) overlooking the port. Have a nice lunch and you will be set up for the 2½ ferry to Mykonos. You will get a glimpse of Tinos when the ferry stops there on the way.
Heimdall is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 07:35 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Meant "2½ hour ferry"
Heimdall is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 08:02 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We fly out of Boston and depending on the connecting flight we have gone to New York then Athens or London, Paris, Munich, Rome to Athens. The New York to Athens is the longer of the flight more than 9 hours. However, it's doable and landing at 10:30 in the morning will give you almost a full first day in Athens.

Whether you want to continue to another destination is up to you. We've done both. Stayed in Athens for a couple days then off to the island(s) or mainland then return to Athens at least one day before our flight.

There are a number of islands to consider, especially if you want to get to Delos. We stayed on Naxos just a four hour ferry or under an hour flight and did the day trip to Delos/Mykonos. We found Delos far more enjoyable and interesting and Mykonos, while visually stunning was over crowded with 3 huge cruise ships in the harbor spewing out hundreds of tourists at a time, multi-million dollar yachts in the harbor and so croweded you couldn't walk a straight line . . . and this was in October . . . off season.

Naxos would be far more enjoyable, family-oriented, traditional and one of the best of the Greek Islands.

So much depends on your health, age, physical condition on whether you want to continue to your destination after arriving in Athens.

I don't think there is nothing wrong with staying in Athens for a couple days after landing, catching your breath and exploring one of the oldest cities in the world!

You will have time to get over jet-lag, relax a bit (even though Athens can be wild & crazy) then take a ferry or flight to the islands.

I've done both and both worked out fine for me.
crazyh is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
althom1122
Europe
18
Jan 22nd, 2017 07:57 AM
millemar
Europe
31
Jan 30th, 2010 06:09 AM
Alice9
Europe
14
Mar 7th, 2009 06:15 AM
CherylNBob
Europe
9
Jan 14th, 2009 04:41 PM
Luke77
Europe
5
Jul 5th, 2005 07:55 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -