travelerjan

I'm back .... with the suggestions I promised for your itinerary. Glad to hear there are 4, not more... simplifies car rental. Since you continue to mention Meteora, I won't stand in your way. I only suggest that at least 2 of you get the International Driving permit (it will take 20 mins, at AAA, cost $20 or so) ... that's so you can switch off on the loooong driving days you'll have. My advise now, is do NOT spend those 3 days in Athens -- you have to be BACK in the Athens area anyway before your Homebound flight ... and it's a waste of precious time to go Into Athens, check in check out, go to airport TWICE. You could use that saved time to add one day to Nafplio, which could transform that visit from a rush-rush to an unforgettable experience.

Very much depends on when the 4 of you ARRIVE on day 1 ... and you still have not shared that. Are all 4 of you arriving at roughly the same time? Are you coming from same area of US? East, Midwest? West? It will detrermine how tired u are. IF you are taking one of the 3 nonstops (Toronto, NY, Phila) that leat East coast 4-5 pm, and arrive ATH at 9 - 10 AM, you'll have a back-ache from plane-sitting but won't be exhausted. A good strong espresso, and you could start right off to Meteora (sharing the driving). IF you have a longer trip, and you arrive mid-afternoon or Later, there are several places to stay just a 10-15 minute drive from the airport. St. Thomas B & B (only 3 rooms) is in an olilve grove, WITH a pool, and a fine buffet breakfast. PERIS hotel is simllarly near, and close to cafes & restaurants. You could grab your rental car, go to one of these places, sleep off any jet lag and start for Meteora bright & early. You could switch your Athens time to the end. By the end of 10 days or more, you'll be very familiar with Greek Ways, and you'll also be energized and knowledgeable, to make the most of a busy and vibrant big city. If this appeals, I can help with the details of hotel bookings, transportation etc.

I could also be more radical, by suggesting that you flip the intinerary completely on end! That's because of Crete -- IF you want to be most time-efficient there, you should start at the WEST end (Chania), and LEAVE in the MIddle (HERaklion) for Santorini -- that's the only ferry link. What would this intinerary reversal look like? -- see below:

•Arrive ATH airport, perhaps have that overnight nearby, take the first (and BARGAIN price) available AM flight (7 am?0 to Chania Crete.
• 2 days in that area, then drive east, on final day See Knossos & Heraklion Museum, and next AM take 900 ferry to Santorini (large catamaran).
• After Santorini, take BLUE STAR for pleasant (sit on deck) 3-hr "mini-cruise" to Paros.
• After PAROS Stay, fly to ATH airport, timing it early so you can jump off plane, get in rental car, and drive to Meteora.
• After METEORA drive to DELPHIi (arrive in Afternoon, see museum before sunset, at 8 am, see the ruins, and at 10:30 or so, leave for Peloponnese. see this excellent map -
http://euro-map.com/karty-grecii/pel...eloponnesa.jpg
• You mentioned wistully, Olympia, waaay too far! But on this plan you could see a wonderful "games site" right off the main highway -- NEMEA (see map). It's the "runner-up" Sacred Games Site, and has all the elements ... ruins, temple columns, small excellent museum, and a superb stadium. Everything but tour bus crowds! -- and you can enjoy it in 1 hour, and then zip south (30 mins) to NAFPLIO
• After NAFPLIO area(2-3 nights?) , you can drive up to the top of mighty Palamidi for a stunning overview, then drive East across the "thumb" of the Peloponnese "hand" (see map) to visit EPIDAURUS. You drive up the coast road, and jump off at ISTHMUS to stand on the Old Bridge & advmire the Corinth Canal ... then onward to Athens, this avoids backtracking, minimizes travel, maximizes time for enjoyment
• ATHENS - for that final 2.5 - 3 days of sightseeing. I find, for newcomers, Athens can mean SO much more after they've been through the country & the islands, and grasp the wonders of ancient history.

In ANY case, you will enable the "helpers" on this site to give best advice, if you can be specfic about arrival/departure days AND time of day ... every hour counts, because it affects your options on day 1 & the end.

mila0229

Thank you so much! We will be leaving JfK on September 12, arriving to Athens around 9:30 a.m. We will be on the same flight. We already booked Peris Hotel. Night before our departure.
my husband thought tha we can go straight to Meteora.
like I mentioned before we went to big trip to Italy couple years ago. We arrived to Milan, took a car and went to Sirmione, Lake Garda. Let me know what you think. And thanks again for your big help!

mila0229

Thak you so much! Did not see 7:25 departure on their schedule yet. But I guess it too early.

kja

I'm sorry, but as noted above, trying to drive with jet lag -- and if you are flying from the US, you will have jet lag, whether you are bothered by it or not -- is not safe for any of you or anyone else on the road, and that's true no matter whether you've been lucky before or not. And unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to make it safer. Your bodies need time for your biological clocks to reset.

travelerjan

Yes yyou can go straight to Meteora. Have 1 other person also get International Driving Permit, so he/she will share the driving chore. Also ... ask your husband (since he seems to be the one with the final word) what he thinks of the prospect of turning your trip around -- fly first to West Crete, then Santorini then Paros, then Meteora - Delphi - Nafplio Athens. It is muc more efficient travel-wise ... and would get you extra time in each destination.

mila0229

How about this:
Septmebr 13 - arriving to Athens
renting a car in the airport and going to Meteora. Night in Meteora.
September 14 half day Meteora and going to Delphi.
September 15 half day Delphi going to Nemea.
heading to NaFplio
september 16, 17 and or 18(?) Nafplio area going to Athens and or Athens airport area.
if airport area - catching flight to Crete next morning September 19.
can we stay in Rethymno? Traveling around Crete. Renting a car 2 nights in Rethymno (9/19-9/21)?
and last night as you suggested in Neraklion.
9/22 a.m. ferry to Santoirini, 1 might in Santorini.
9/23 - ferry to Paros.
We can stay extra night in Paros, this way we will be able to visit other islands (?) Naxos, Mykonos..
if so 9/26 - flight to Ahtens.
9/26-9/29 Athens. Leaving Greece on 9/29.
What do you think about it?
Thank you so much for helping me out with this!

mila0229

yes, we were planning to get IDP regardless. it is too early now. But sometime in May-June we will do it. My husband feels that we will be losing 1st day if we will just stay in the airport area waiting for next morning flight...

kja

Then consider the suggestion travelerjan made to re-order your trip -- start in Crete, go on through other islands, and only then go to the mainland. You can easily spend a day or so in Rethymno or elsewhere on Crete without a car.

I'm sorry to say it, but the idea that rotating drivers will eliminate the risk of driving with jet lag is akin to saying, sure, get drunk and then drive -- just make sure that several drunks switch off on the driving. I'm sure that's not what anyone meant or wants.

HappyTrvlr

Yes can stay in Rethymno but Chania is a more beautiful city with lots to offer.

mila0229

i personally open to any suggestions.

mila0229

Thank you. it is good to know. i was under impression that we need to rent a car in Crete. Since it is such a big island.

kja

You might, indeed, want a car while on Crete -- just wait until at least a day has passed before renting. There's more than enough to keep you busy in Rethymno or Chania or Heraklion....

mila0229

Thank you! It is really valuable information.

artsnletters

Athens to Meteora is a very long, challenging drive. About half of the drive time is on winding two-lane roads, with frequent large tour buses and some slow traffic that will test your nerve in passing, or being passed - Greeks will pass on a blind curve. And that's after a long drive on the freeway, which will involve people blowing by you like you are standing still, even if you're over the speed limit. I am a very comfortable driver in nearly any conditions and on nearly any road, but I would not like to drive that route under any conditions less than fully rested and fully alert.

Have you thought of going to the islands first? That would eliminate the problem of being rested for the drive. On my last trip to Greece, that's the order I did things - islands, mainland, Athens.

mila0229

Thank you so much for details. What do you think about the following order - Athens, mainland, islands?

artsnletters

The reasons I suggest the islands first are (1) avoids driving while jet-lagged and (2) avoids splitting your stay in Athens, since you need to stay there on your last night regardless. It is the only efficient solution that addresses all the practicalities, so you will have to weigh that against your desire to save the islands for the end. It also puts you in the islands for the warmest weather, which would be my preference. YMMV, but doing the islands first turned out to work really well for me.

mila0229

Thank you!

mila0229

what can we do on our day of arrival to Athens? We will stay overnight on the hotel nearby since the flights to Crete in the evening way too expensive..

artsnletters

How are flights if you do the islands Paros, Santorini, Crete?

Incidentally, you should really have a second night on Paros just so you will have time for Paros. You will lose enough time on the ferry, and ferries may run midday rather than morning or afternoon, that a single night on Paros will give you just a half day for the island itself. Changing islands then means having only a half day for the other island as well. You might as well take a cruise if you're only going to spend a few hours on each of several islands.

mila0229

what can we do on our day of arrival to Athens? We will stay overnight on the hotel nearby since the flights to Crete in the evening way too expensive..