we have 6 hours in Athens, is there time to see the Parthenon?

I'm getting a headache reading through your itinerary and that was before you added your kids to the mix! My advice? Slow down and consolidate your itinerary. Hopefully, you'll be back to Greece at some other point in your life. There's no need to pack it all in to such a short trip.

While I love Hydra, I don't think it's necessary to lug your kids there for two days from Piraeus. It's more of an adult destination anyway, unless you're renting a house and really able to get into the flavor and rhythm of the island.

I would choose one island plus Athens to maximize your time. Again, there's no need to haul your family to an island for 1.5 days. By the time you travel between islands and unpack, you've lost half a day anyway.

Since it's your first time to Greece, split the time between Athens and Santorini. Naxos is absolutely wonderful, but I think kids of that age will probably find Santorini with its caldera, towns, etc. more appealing.

As for Delfi, yes, worth the trip but maybe not with young kids. That's a very long day, and not quite sure what they'll get out of it.

Good luck!!

Wow! You have my head spinning! Whether or not you have time to see the Parthenon is the least of your problems. I honestly don't know how you will have time to see much on Naxos and Santorini in such a short time. Ferry travel, checking in/out of hotels, etc will eat up most of the time you have allocated. The 10 hour day trip to Delphi followed by a next morning ferry to Hydra sounds exhausting as well.

Suggest you examine your priorities and whittle down the itinerary by half. By eliminating the trip to Hydra you could give yourself more time for Naxos and Santorini. Likewise, cutting out the trip to Delphi would give you an extra day in Athens. Only you can decide what you want to see most, but you are trying to do too much.

Hi Weadles,

Simultaneous posting, much the same thoughts!

I would also ensure you are back in Athens the day before at least to catch your flight home - coulndt you see it then?

Wow - I agree with Weadles. Are you hoping to relax at all on your vacation? If so, I'd take it down a couple of notches. I'm trying to figure out how many days in total you have. If it's a week, I'd do something like - one or two full days in Athens (tour the acropolis and agora, go to the acropolis and archaeological museums, wander the Plaka and eat souvlaki), one day in Delphi (my 9 and 10 year olds actually loved it), then spend the rest of the time on Santorini (and/or Naxos).

Maybe you could also spend part of the day in Athens, then rent a car and drive to Delphi in time for the sunset. Spend the night, tour the archaeological site for a couple of hours in the morning, and drive back to Piraeus, drop the car off and hop on the afternoon ferry to Santorini/Naxos. Not sure what the ferry schedule is, but I found the drive to/from Delphi to be pretty easy.

Hi AZ,

You can see the Parthenon from almost anywhere in Athens. It's atop a high hill.

At the rate you are whizzing through Greece, I suggest that is about all you will have time for.


Slow down and pick the roses.

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto To ALL of the above advice . . .

Just adding two cents...if you want to get a nice feel for the islands close to Athens, take the one day cruise out of Pireus. It stops in Poros, Aegina and Hydra. Hydra is pretty but as already mentioned more suited to adults. I'd skip the two days in Hydra, take the cruise, and give yourself an extra day to explore Athens. You're doing an awful lot with two kids in tow. Lots of good good advice here for you...choose your priorities and pare it down a little....ask the kids what they want as well.

Skip Acropolis this time ... Skip Hydra, nothing there for kids, instead get the 7:25 Blue Star to Naxos & have 2 extra days there... Naxos 4 days, 1.5 days Santorini ... if you exchange ferry tickets w. same ferry company, not a big deal.

Thank you for all of the input... you guys have me thinking I am a crazy!.... my husband was laughing... there is just never enough time to do and see all there is to do and see... at least not for me!...

I met a lady who told me she went to Hydra with her kids when they were my kids age and that it was the most magical part of the trip... they went on a donkey rid around the island and she said they just adored being there.... this is why I chose Hydra. my kids love learning and sight seeing so I think Delphi will work out though I like your thought of spending the night there and not driving both ways in one day... they do not enjoy being in the car... but true we could take that day and stay in Athens, though with the riots perhaps it is best to get out of Athens?

the cruise to Hydra sounds nice.... do you get off the boat? is there time to hang in Hydra? sounds like you just view it from the boat?

As for relaxing... I can do that when I get home from vacation!... vacation to me is about seeing and exploring and getting to do those things is a form of relaxation.... isn't it?

thank you again.... anymore thoughts are welcome.... I will let you know how my whirlwind goes... best, oz

Hi oz,

The issue wasn't so much your wanting to see too much, as the amount of time you would lose in transit between destinations. For example, you were proposing 3½ days to see both Naxos and Santorini. The ferry rides alone would take 5 hours from Piraeus to Naxos, 2 hours from Naxos to Santorini, and 7 hours from Santorini back to Piraeus. Add to that the time it takes to check in/out, transit to the port, etc and you have lost most of the day. Some of the ferry departures are mid-day, which effectively kills any opportunity to sightsee either in the morning or the afternoon on days of transit.

You really needn't worry about problems in Athens. Most of the demonstrations are peaceful, and confined to the small area around Syntagma Square where the parliament is located.

You're still looking for advice and still have not shared a couple of crucial facts -- WHEN is this trip??? (If it wraps around Greece's hugest summer holiday, Aug. 15, you face even bigger challenges), and how many days total, NOT including arrival day (if after 10 am arrival) or departure day (and if departure flilght is before 10 am, you must plan carefully there as well).

If this involves August (SERIOUS summer heat) consider the fact that neither Delphi nor Hydra nor Athens provide swimming or beach opportunities, and Santorini beaches are Burning Hot (black grit that is like a Grill!!), and you have 2 youngish kids who may become cranky and Turn on You. Riding a donkey doesn't cut it, when the temp is 98€F. Beware! When my two were that age (back in the Stone Age), I found they were good for about 2-3 hours in car or on public transit, then needed to run around... and same for sight-seeing. Ice cream helps, but swimming helps more.

I meant 98°F. --37°C.

very cute reply.... i believe i have all worked out at this point, have hired a taxi private tour to take us to delphi and back and to do the 1/2 day in annapolis between the ferries... the hydra ferry gets to port at 920 and the one for naxos leaves at 455.... question, how much time does it take to get on the ferry? i mean if it is scheduled for 455, what time do we need to be there? 430?

and here is my big question at this point.... we need a hotel in Naxos .... anyone know of a nice one for 250 euros? it seems they either are kind of dumpy and reasonable.... but the really nice ones are crazy expensive.... we travel and stay in 4 & 5 star accommodations usually, but the hotels in Greece want 900-1200 usd a night vs. the 400-650 usd we are used to paying.... the exchange rate is really killing us... thank you for your input.... oh and dates are 16 july, a house in london for a week, 23 july paris hotel... 26th athens, 27th delphi, 28th 10 am ferry to hydra, 30th ferry back to athens, 1/2 day tour, then 455 ferry to naxos... (gets in at 9pm so got a room for 100 euros at Grotta... we are homeless the next 2 nights as I can't settle on any of the places I have found thus far)... 2nd ferry to Santorini... 4th morning fly out of Santorini... catch connection in Athens to LHR... then spend night at airport marriott and fly home next day.... whirlwind... i just sprained my ankle yesterday too... well it will all work out and yes, swimming is very important thanks

where is annapolis?

I'm still saying ... why Hydra? Because a friend of yours put her kids on donkeys? At 95°F, donkeys don't appeal, not worth the 3-4 hour round trip to Hydra and no beaches. I am still baffled by your fascination with this excursion in mid-summer.

Why not do your athens thing on the 28th, since you will already have returned to Athens night of 27th (get up early early to get to Acropolis by 8 AM or it will be way too crowded & hot)... then on the 29th catch the 7:25 am ferry to Naxos, arrive noon, have more days in an island with GOOD beaches & relief from the heat, before going on to hot and very populated Santorini.

NAXOS HOTELS --
Grotta is nice hotel but up on a hill directly above port, and distant from beaches... an uphill hike after dinner, in the dark (take flashlights). If you are getting a "quad" room for €100 tho, you are fortunate, and Grotta has the BEST buffet breakfast on Naxos.

Hard to sympathize with price complaints if you want "really nice" -- at the Height of High Season, trying to book only 2 weeks in advance. The "really Nice" ones on St. George Beach (Nissaki Beach, Naxos Royal Beach Hotel, Galaxy) are STILL about 50% less than similar lodgings on Santorini if you want a pool, as I assume you do. If you are "homeless" because "Can't settle on any of the places found thus far" -- we can hardly help if you do not list the choice you are dithering about. Sorry to sound abrupt, but if you are seeking advice (you may not be, just need to ventilate), you need to be a bit more specific. For example:

• Do you want a pool? Are you willing to rent a car for the duration of your stay? Do you want to be able to walk into Naxos town by night & walk back after dinner, or are you willing to drive and/or take a bus (they run until midnight to other beaches). Are you looking for a 2-bedroom unit? Or 2 separate rooms? Or a "quad" where parents & kids bunk in together? Do you need a beach view? Is your limit per night for lodging for 2 adults/2 children €464?? (= $650 USD). And of course, what is your definition of "really nice"??

Here's a "reallly nice" place back from Ag. Prokopios beach: bus stops right outside its gate: http://www.lagosmare.gr/naxos-greece.html very good Trip Advisor Reviews

Here's a place beyond the end of the bus line in Plaka Beach that is Really Nice:
http://www.medusaresort.gr/ -- also excellent TA reviews

... i doubt whether either of these will fit in your budget limit of €464 for 2 BRs in late july.

here is a less-luxury but very well situated place on Ag. Prokopios Beach: http://www.lianastudios.gr/introduction.html

--- for ANY hotel at this point, I think e-mailing is too late. If hotel is full for your dates, the staff will be too busy to respond to e-mails, so you won't get info you need. I believe you have to bite the bullet and stay up late to telephone. Best to call when management is at the front desk, 8 - 11 am Greek time (1-4 am Eastern US time).

Good luck!

Thank you so much for these hotel suggestions!... I really like the looks of Medusa and they have no negative reveiws on TA.... yeah!... I have spoken with them and am working on confirming a room... they had one available for one night and not the other... then they emailed me back that they could give me both nights if I don't mind switching rooms during the stay... so I wrote back and said that is fine.... waiting for the confirmation but feel certain it will come in the morning.... truly thank you I had looked a lot but that one slipped by me.... also, to the person who asked where Annapolis is, it is in MD 45 minutes from DC and 30 from Baltimore... the capitol of MD and home to the U S Naval Academy... on the lovely Chesapeake Bay....

Thanks again for your help... I will let you know how it goes.... my sprained ankle better not slow me down....

Oz, I'm glad you have a husband who is still laughing. But really, you are taking your children to Greece for the first time and you are actually considering NOT taking them up to the Parthenon? I taught ancient Greek history and mythology to 10-year-olds for years and I can't imagine skipping this important site. The trip to Delphi is magical also, but do not skip the Acropolis and its wonderful museum. With the limited time you have, I also recommend you slow down the pace. The ferry boats are fun, but playing on a beach with your kids will be better. Drop Hydra and stick with the islands of Santorini and Naxos. It is recommended that you arrive an hour prior to the ferry departure. You could cut that to 30 minutes if you know the drill, but you need to be there early enough to get on and settled. Also, it is best to visit the archeological sites early in the day before it gets too hot. Try to make time to savor Greece.

Hooray! Someone else who also believes the Parthenon will impress your kids more than sitting on a donkey in Hydra....someone who spent a career teaching and inspiring kids the age of yours with ancient Greek history and mythology. Please, if you do not regard my opinion, I hope you will take his into consideration.

hi jan, the opinion is not from a his but a her....)

Whoops! sorry m dear!

It sounded like they were doing the half day tour of the acropolis (is that what she meant by "annapolis"). I hope?

Also, for the acropolis museum, be sure to stop by the info desk and get a loaner backpack with activities for the kids.

As was said above, go to the Acropolis, but get there when it opens(or perhaps, just before it closes), otherwise, you may as well see it from the city. When the tour buses get there its a zoo.

ok!.. i get it! thank you! i am changing plans to go to hydra (yes i am compromising, not giving up on the 28th and come back late the 29th, another night in Athens.... then up early for a day tour of Greece... and the parthenon... yeah... and yes if i said annapolis instead of acroplolis it was an auto typo as i live in annapolis...... thank you all, i will report the news .... good or bad..... i am so very grateful for the info you have provided.... aslo, we are staying at the hotel Liana vs Medusa.... Medusa looks lovely but couldn't get a sea view for both nights and it is a little more isolated and yes, more expensive.... maybe next time... thank you again... now i am thinking about our 3 days in paris.... anyone have advise on versailles? i am going to post a new question as well so its a buzz word.... thanks again! oz

And on the seventh day, oztravelz rested.

love it... ok so another question if anyone is up for answering? we will be in athens on the 29th and don't need to leave until 455 in the afternoon.... do you think we should book a private tour of athens or just stay in a hotel near the acropolis and do it ourselves then grab our bags and taxi to the ferry??

thank you....

Take the hop on hop off bus and don't hop off. There is a stop at the Acropolis.

A private tour of Athens can be quite expensive for the four of you. Yes, take the hop on hop off bus if you're not close enough to walk. Please post when you get back. Will be curious to see how it goes! I need a cold glass of wine just thinking about your itinerary, but do wish you the best of luck!

From viewing your itineraries, I suggest you buy a couple of copies of the tourist guide for the Acropolis, which are available at any tourist shop, find a cafe with shade, order some cold drinks for everyone and take your tour that way.

Hey oztravelz, do you think you could change your writing style so that you use proper sentences and a paragraph every now and then. I don't know about anyone else, but I find your posts a bit difficult to follow. There's no word limit, so you don't need to abbreviate things.

I hope you are enjoying being a member of Fodor's. Is this your first trip to Europe? I've read some of your other posts and can't work out where you arrive. That will make a difference to you if there is jetlag to factor into your plans.

oztravelz - you said you had hired a private taxi to take you to/from Delphi. Will you post those arrangements. Thanks

oz - I am reading your posts again and it appears you are spending 24 hours taking the ferry out to Hydra and back due to the desire for your kids to ride a donkey. I can't imagine going to any of the islands for such a short visit. You can ride donkeys on most islands and it looks like a very touristic enterprise from my experience. Just sharing, because your children are not actually riding donkeys because that's your way of life, they're riding because they are tourists. I have found that my own children find their own ways to connect to the culture in different locales. Sorry if I sound preachy, but again, the Greek way is to take it slower. You don't need a private tour of the Acropolis, but a good guide book. I recommend prior reading and a little pre-teaching of what you and your kids will see.