Hello all,

I've just discovered this forum and have enjoyed reading many of your posts - very informative, thanks.

I am planning a 4 week trip around the Cyclades next July/August with my son and wondered if my plan so far looks ok?

Fly to Athens then:
Milos for 5 days
Thira for 5 days
Paros for 5 days
Naxos for 5 days
Sifnos for 5 days
Athens for 3 days

Also hoping to do day trips to smaller islands during the stays.

Am I trying to cram too many Islands in? Is 4 weeks too long? I have sourced accomodation for most islands but struggling on my budget for Sifnos - what are the chances of getting caught camping on the beach?

I realise July/August is not the best time to go but I work in schools so can only go during the summer holidays. We've done 6 islands over the past few years but only package holidays so thought it was about time we did Greece properly!

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks

Looks fine to me although you will need to adjust the order a bit for the ferry system. You can't get to Santorini directly from Milos but this will work:

Milos>Sifnos>Paros>Naxos>Santorini> Athens

Check with Aegean Airlines for a cheap flight back to Athens from Santorini. If you're lucky you'll catch one of their promo fares that pop up on the internet from time to time.

That's great, thanks. Hadn't thought of doing it that way round.

That looks like a great trip, I am so jealous.

I agree with Johnnie B -- a super trip, and such a refreshing change from the adjoining thread where someone wants to see the Best of Italy AND Greece in 14 days (sigh).

BrotherLee has got the sequence exactly right-- the tricky part to watch is the jump from the Western Cyclades (Sifnos) to Central (Paros); you may have to jigger your dates a day one way or another there, depending on when the ferry goes. But basically it should work fine. DO try to get your International flite set so you can fix the date for Aegean -- you have to hawkeye their site to snag those promotion-rate fares.

PS: You DO know about August 15 being the biggest hol. of year next to Easter? It's on Sat, so the 14th and 16th & 17th ferries will be jampacked too. Book hotels/ferries early for that stretch, try to arrive by early the 14th & not leave til 18th, to avoid the Greek crowds on transport.

AMOTOM:

When you post, you'll get more answers if you state more clearly what the topic is.

The topic of this thread should be:

"4 week trip to Greece - advice please".

Brotherleelove's itinerary looks fine, but there are a few points to consider:

You are traveling during school holidays - if that means UK schools, that will probably be the last week of July and the first three weeks of August, the most crowded time in the Greek Islands.

You say " I have sourced accomodation for most islands..." Not sure what that means, but most rooms are booked up well in advance for the August period. You won't know exactly when you can transfer from one island to another until ferry timetables are published late in the spring.

The most difficult link in BLL's itinerary is Sifnos>Paros. For the last several years there has been a ferry only twice per week doing that route. That ferry, Panagia Hozoviotissa, has now been retired from service. Another ferry will probably take its place by next summer, though.

Your plan to do five islands would be feasible in June or early July when accommodation is easy to find at the last minute. For late July and early August, though, it would be better to simplify it to perhaps three islands on the same ferry route, then spending longer on each. That way you could make your plans based on established ferry timetables, then book your accommodation well in advance.

Wild camping is discouraged on the Greek Islands. There are official campsites on most, but if you try sleeping on the beach you will probably be moved on by the police.