September 2014 - Mykonos, Santorini, Athens!
Aug 19th, 2014, 09:02 AM
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September 2014 - Mykonos, Santorini, Athens!
Hi, everyone! We are leaving for our trip very soon - thank you very much for everyone who has given travel tips on here. This forum has been a tremendous help in trip planning!
Below is our itinerary. Please add any suggestion/must-see's/must-do's/must-eat's from your travel experience.
Traveling with DH (we are in our 30s) and DD (2 years old, 10 months - calm and easy-going kid, experienced traveler, loves museums and beaches).
Thank you in advance!
MYKONOS
Day 1 - FREE morning (plan to chill out at Platys Yialos beach), afternoon refresher dive with GoDive Mykonos
Day 2 - morning boat dive, FREE afternoon
Day 3 - morning boat dive, FREE afternoon
Day 4 - day trip to Delos
Day 5 - FREE morning, ferry to Santorini in the afternoon
SANTORINI
Day 1 - Photo Tour with Santorini Photo Tours
Day 2 - FREE morning/afternoon, evening photo session with Santorini Photo tours --> maybe dive in the morning (any suggestions for a dive shop on Santorini?)
Day 3 - morning Sailing with Captain Ted, FREE afternoon
Day 4 - FREE morning/afternoon --> FIRA to OIA Hike? How doable (safe?) is this hike with a toddler? We are not early risers so our preference would be an afternoon walk - how many hours before sunset should we set out?
Day 5 - FREE morning/afternoon, evening flight to Athens
ATHENS
Day 1 - Athens Food Tour in the morning, FREE afternoon
Day 2 - FREE morning, 5PM Acropolis Seminar Tour with Context Travel, tour includes a visit to the Acropolis Musuem (tentative until minimum group number is reached) --> where would be the best place to spend this morning? Touring the Agora?
Day 3 - FREE morning/afternoon --> National Archeological Museum?
Day 4 - FREE morning, evening flight to London --> what time should we leave for the airport for a 7:30 PM flight?
***Is Delos a must-do (i.e. worth taking a day away from Athens)?
Below is our itinerary. Please add any suggestion/must-see's/must-do's/must-eat's from your travel experience.
Traveling with DH (we are in our 30s) and DD (2 years old, 10 months - calm and easy-going kid, experienced traveler, loves museums and beaches).
Thank you in advance!
MYKONOS
Day 1 - FREE morning (plan to chill out at Platys Yialos beach), afternoon refresher dive with GoDive Mykonos
Day 2 - morning boat dive, FREE afternoon
Day 3 - morning boat dive, FREE afternoon
Day 4 - day trip to Delos
Day 5 - FREE morning, ferry to Santorini in the afternoon
SANTORINI
Day 1 - Photo Tour with Santorini Photo Tours
Day 2 - FREE morning/afternoon, evening photo session with Santorini Photo tours --> maybe dive in the morning (any suggestions for a dive shop on Santorini?)
Day 3 - morning Sailing with Captain Ted, FREE afternoon
Day 4 - FREE morning/afternoon --> FIRA to OIA Hike? How doable (safe?) is this hike with a toddler? We are not early risers so our preference would be an afternoon walk - how many hours before sunset should we set out?
Day 5 - FREE morning/afternoon, evening flight to Athens
ATHENS
Day 1 - Athens Food Tour in the morning, FREE afternoon
Day 2 - FREE morning, 5PM Acropolis Seminar Tour with Context Travel, tour includes a visit to the Acropolis Musuem (tentative until minimum group number is reached) --> where would be the best place to spend this morning? Touring the Agora?
Day 3 - FREE morning/afternoon --> National Archeological Museum?
Day 4 - FREE morning, evening flight to London --> what time should we leave for the airport for a 7:30 PM flight?
***Is Delos a must-do (i.e. worth taking a day away from Athens)?
Aug 19th, 2014, 10:29 AM
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You seem to be into photography but being "We are not early risers" seems to be incompatible. Many of my memorable pictures from Greece were taking just before sunrises even more than at sunsets. Both Mykonos and Santorini main towns are full of cruise tourists during the "not early riser" hours. If you want to compose pictures at popular photo spots with favorable light conditions, but without tourists making funny gestures, you might weigh your options.
Fira to Oia hike is safe, but a ~3 yr old would unlike to make this hike on foot = you need to carry her. The path is not sufficiently well described in tour guides. The trip is about 6 miles starting from the Fira bus stop. There is no shade. It is very hot even in September involving going up/down several hills. The paths from Fira begins with paved paths with stairs with compacted gravel up to around Imerovigli. Then you see more loose small gravels. The killer sections, perhaps around 1/4 of mile total at hill sections, were tennis ball size loose volcanic rocks. You cannot get steady footing at these sections. If you want to do this, I would go with an extraction strategy around Imerovigli where you can intersect with the road to take bus or taxi back to Oia. There is small populated section about half way between Imerovigli and Finikia where the path and the road intersect for the last time, which is a point of no return. If you don't extract your self out there, you must finish climbing the last big hill to Oia. There is a church on the last hill looking down Oia with a spectacular view. You can get there easier from the Oia side, but the path is not even at all.
Regarding Delos vs. Athens. Delos is another island where you spend many hours without shades. It is best paired with Athens National Archeological Museum. Some of the best finds from Delos are housed in the Nat Arch Museum. Same for pairing Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. The original pediment and freize sculptures from Parthenon and other places in Acropolis are in the Acropolis Museum. If you are likely to return to Greece at all, visiting Athens again is practically given being the likely departure airport while Delos requires a dedicated trek to Mykonos.
Fira to Oia hike is safe, but a ~3 yr old would unlike to make this hike on foot = you need to carry her. The path is not sufficiently well described in tour guides. The trip is about 6 miles starting from the Fira bus stop. There is no shade. It is very hot even in September involving going up/down several hills. The paths from Fira begins with paved paths with stairs with compacted gravel up to around Imerovigli. Then you see more loose small gravels. The killer sections, perhaps around 1/4 of mile total at hill sections, were tennis ball size loose volcanic rocks. You cannot get steady footing at these sections. If you want to do this, I would go with an extraction strategy around Imerovigli where you can intersect with the road to take bus or taxi back to Oia. There is small populated section about half way between Imerovigli and Finikia where the path and the road intersect for the last time, which is a point of no return. If you don't extract your self out there, you must finish climbing the last big hill to Oia. There is a church on the last hill looking down Oia with a spectacular view. You can get there easier from the Oia side, but the path is not even at all.
Regarding Delos vs. Athens. Delos is another island where you spend many hours without shades. It is best paired with Athens National Archeological Museum. Some of the best finds from Delos are housed in the Nat Arch Museum. Same for pairing Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. The original pediment and freize sculptures from Parthenon and other places in Acropolis are in the Acropolis Museum. If you are likely to return to Greece at all, visiting Athens again is practically given being the likely departure airport while Delos requires a dedicated trek to Mykonos.
Aug 19th, 2014, 12:07 PM
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We took the Fira to Oia hike in two stages -- on morning we walked from Fira to Imerovigli and back (easy, mostly paved, on a villa-lined path, though not without ups and downs). Next morning we took the bus to Imerovigli and hiked to Oia, busing back from Oia to Fira after lunch. That was harder (steep hill and loose footing, as greg notes, wilder with few hotels and villas, about 7 km), but spectacular--we really enjoyed it. The second day took us about 3 hours to get to Oia. I have a granddaughter your daughter's age and would only bring her on this hike if we were carrying her in a backpack for much of the walk. If you are willing to do that, don't miss this hike!!
I highly recommend visiting beautiful Delos from Mykonos. We took a morning boat, arriving about 9 a.m., and returned on the 1 p.m. boat. The short boat trip was pretty and rerfeshing. We brought a picnic with us and found a lovely spot to perch up the hill, but there's also a little cafe if you want to buy something there (we didn't go in, so I'm not sure what kind of provisions it offers). Delos was much more interesting and beautiful than I had anticipated. Don't miss it! (There are pathways your daughter will be able to walk on, no problem.)
I highly recommend visiting beautiful Delos from Mykonos. We took a morning boat, arriving about 9 a.m., and returned on the 1 p.m. boat. The short boat trip was pretty and rerfeshing. We brought a picnic with us and found a lovely spot to perch up the hill, but there's also a little cafe if you want to buy something there (we didn't go in, so I'm not sure what kind of provisions it offers). Delos was much more interesting and beautiful than I had anticipated. Don't miss it! (There are pathways your daughter will be able to walk on, no problem.)
Aug 19th, 2014, 12:29 PM
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Thank you, Greg and Aprillilacs!
Sorry, typo on the original question - that should be "is DELPHI (not Delos) a must-do (i.e. worth taking a day away from Athens)?"
We are planning to go to Delos. Greg - that's good to know that Delos will work great with a visit to the National Archeological Museum (which is on our list). Aprillilacs - glad that there are pathways for our little one on Delos! Will take your advice on bringing a picnic with us!
Appreciate the info on the Fira to Oia, particularly on Imerovigli being a half-way point (to either exit or split the hike into 2 stages). We have a hiking backpack so we will be carrying our toddler on it (was not planning on having her walk, sorry for not making that clear).
Greg - thanks for the info on the sunrise photos. DH is the photography enthusiast so he can wake up early if he wants to, I will let him know. Our 5-hour photo tour in Santorini starts with a 9am pick-up. The photo session is to take family photos with the same professional photographer taking us on the photo tour.
Thanks again!
Sorry, typo on the original question - that should be "is DELPHI (not Delos) a must-do (i.e. worth taking a day away from Athens)?"
We are planning to go to Delos. Greg - that's good to know that Delos will work great with a visit to the National Archeological Museum (which is on our list). Aprillilacs - glad that there are pathways for our little one on Delos! Will take your advice on bringing a picnic with us!
Appreciate the info on the Fira to Oia, particularly on Imerovigli being a half-way point (to either exit or split the hike into 2 stages). We have a hiking backpack so we will be carrying our toddler on it (was not planning on having her walk, sorry for not making that clear).
Greg - thanks for the info on the sunrise photos. DH is the photography enthusiast so he can wake up early if he wants to
, I will let him know. Our 5-hour photo tour in Santorini starts with a 9am pick-up. The photo session is to take family photos with the same professional photographer taking us on the photo tour.Thanks again!
Aug 19th, 2014, 02:04 PM
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Imerovigli is NOT halfway between Fira and Oia. It's 1.5 miles from Fira and about 5.5 miles from Oia. At approximately the halfway point the trail intersects briefly with the main road. There's a small snack shack there for refreshments. You can also flag down a passing bus or taxi there.
Aug 19th, 2014, 02:10 PM
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brotherleelove2004 - thank you for the clarification on the distance of Imerovigli from Fira and from Oia. Will confer with DH on what we'll do (since he's going to be the one who will mostly be carrying DD in the hiking backpack! . But good to know that we can break the hike in 2 stages. Sounds like the most reasonable plan right now (especially for DH's back!).
. But good to know that we can break the hike in 2 stages. Sounds like the most reasonable plan right now (especially for DH's back!).
Aug 20th, 2014, 12:47 AM
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Is DELPHI a must-do (i.e. worth taking a day away from Athens)?
This kind of questions are very personal and hard to answer.
Many people go to Delphi for a few hours and are happy with their visit, personaly when visiting such places I like to take my time, learn as much as possible, enjoy the scenery and landscape and try to comprehend somehow what this is all about.
I am always surprised on how many people visit and come no wiser even after multiple visits, I meet people who have just visit the museum and think the Charioteer is a statue of Pythia or visit the sites and think chariot games were held on the stadium or the commonest thing, they believe Tholos was temple of Apollo or Temple of Athena Pronaea... Or people who's visit lasts no more than 1 hour in both sites and museum, I can not imagine how this can be possible, were they running through?
It is a 3 hours each way trip from Athens on a demanding site and I think it is better saved when someone could spend at least an overnight and explore the area in leisure.
Furthermore, I am a firm believer that Athens is way underrated by many, personaly I would spend at least a week there without see/do all the things I'd like to see/do. I would not want to take one day off Athens in a sort visit.
But this is just me and my traveling style. Maybe you are different.
This kind of questions are very personal and hard to answer.
Many people go to Delphi for a few hours and are happy with their visit, personaly when visiting such places I like to take my time, learn as much as possible, enjoy the scenery and landscape and try to comprehend somehow what this is all about.
I am always surprised on how many people visit and come no wiser even after multiple visits, I meet people who have just visit the museum and think the Charioteer is a statue of Pythia or visit the sites and think chariot games were held on the stadium or the commonest thing, they believe Tholos was temple of Apollo or Temple of Athena Pronaea... Or people who's visit lasts no more than 1 hour in both sites and museum, I can not imagine how this can be possible, were they running through?
It is a 3 hours each way trip from Athens on a demanding site and I think it is better saved when someone could spend at least an overnight and explore the area in leisure.
Furthermore, I am a firm believer that Athens is way underrated by many, personaly I would spend at least a week there without see/do all the things I'd like to see/do. I would not want to take one day off Athens in a sort visit.
But this is just me and my traveling style. Maybe you are different.
Aug 20th, 2014, 05:06 AM
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To really appreciate Delphi IMO you need to spend time there. We had 2 nights in Delphi.
Is the diving that great in Mykonos and Santorini? I only ask because when we went my husband had his diving gear with him (we had just spent a month in Egypt with a week at Sharm el Sheikh for him to dive) but he didn't do any diving in Greece.
Have a great trip!
Is the diving that great in Mykonos and Santorini? I only ask because when we went my husband had his diving gear with him (we had just spent a month in Egypt with a week at Sharm el Sheikh for him to dive) but he didn't do any diving in Greece.
Have a great trip!
Aug 20th, 2014, 07:28 AM
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mariha2912 - thank you for your input. I think you just helped me decide to save Delphi for another visit. Our traveling style is similar to yours - DH and I usually devote an entire day to a museum (or as much as our schedule allows).
chris45ny - thanks, glad to know that we are making the right decision on Delphi (as we don't want to rush through it either). We'd like to do some wreck diving in Mykonos (if weather allows). It's also the first time we will be driving post-kid, so we're just eager to return underwater. Not sure how it compares to Sharm el Sheikh (we did 3 days of diving there pre-kid). Here's a good article: http://www.neomagazine.com/2014/06/s...ue-experience/
chris45ny - thanks, glad to know that we are making the right decision on Delphi (as we don't want to rush through it either). We'd like to do some wreck diving in Mykonos (if weather allows). It's also the first time we will be driving post-kid, so we're just eager to return underwater
. Not sure how it compares to Sharm el Sheikh (we did 3 days of diving there pre-kid). Here's a good article: http://www.neomagazine.com/2014/06/s...ue-experience/
Aug 20th, 2014, 07:45 AM
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Wow - I was just saying to DH that September or October 2015 might be the perfect time for our "empty nest" trip to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos. Great timing for this thread! Thanks for the info!
