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Athens, Santorini, Mykonos - Sept. 6th -21st

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Athens, Santorini, Mykonos - Sept. 6th -21st

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Old Oct 13th, 2008, 05:57 PM
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Athens, Santorini, Mykonos - Sept. 6th -21st

Just Listen - Sirens of the Sea, Oceanlab
See the open ground
Nothing there to fear
Feel the ebb and flow
Of all the people here
 
From day to night and
Night to day
An endless sea of choice
If you should ever lose your way
Just listen to your voice
Just listen…
 
Your voice…

 
Went to Greece for 2 weeks in September - Athens 3 nights, Santorini 5 nights, Mykonos 5 nights, Athens 2 nights. 
 
Flew Delta from NYC direct to Athens - bought my ticket back in Feb  for $1000.  Took the train from the airport to Monstriaki - 6e - took about 45 minutes (???- I was jet lagged).  Stayed at Hotel Attalos both times - the first room was a bit worn but the AC worked well, it was quiet, bathroom was small (but it seems as if all bathrooms in Greece are small). Location is great - literally a five minute walk to the Plaka. Nice view from the terrace of the Acropolis.  I was expecting Athens to be like Cairo to the tenth power but found it to be fairly quiet and sedate (learned upon my return that many Athenians were on holiday). Meandered around the Plaka in a bit of a stupor due to jet-lag and finally stumbled upon The Old Tavern of Psara's that Matthew Barrett mentions on his website (which is a fabulous website).  By this point lugging around my camera, video camera and 2 1/4 camera I was dripping wet- for most of the trip it was comfortably warm, even hot - water has never tasted so elemental, reviving, delicious, quenching. I order some house wine and some olives, taramaslata.  I really enjoyed Psaru location - tuck up at the top of some staris under a canopy of trees. Popular with other tourists - but the food was solid and good.  There are so many places to choose from in Athens - I found myself coming back to Psara's for lunch the other 2 days in Athens for numerous reasons - it was on the way to and from the Acropolis, it was a quiet respite,  I really wasn’t in the mood (read effort) to try and find other places, the food was good - I usually order a few mezes, 1/2 liter to a liter of house wine, a couple ouzos, read and lolled away the afternoon - the bill usually came to around 30e.  Over the next 2 days did the Acropolis, Cycladic Museum, Benaki Museum, watched the changing of the guard, got wonderfully lost, decompressed. A ticket to the Acropolis is 12e but this also includes admission to other sites around the Acropolis and is good for 4 days.  I went to the Acropolis in late afternoon - the Parthenon glowed in the setting sun. I was one of the last to be hearded out at 7:30 - as I was leaving the evonzi were marching to the flag to lower it. The sargent at the tomb told me the Army holds onto the flag at night - caught some wonderful moments of them marching by.  At the tomb of the unknown soldier, I was perplexed by the lack of respect of other tourists for the solmenity of the site. People mugging next to the evonzes was met with a swift rebuke by the seargent - in fact, the sargent made one woman erase photos of her husband having fun next to a Evonszi.  Another moment. one tourist blithely walked right up to the tomb - the only other living things near the tomb were pigeons. The sargent stared at her for about 15 seconds the starting yelling at her - she looked perplexed (not to mention just plain stupid in her golden slippers and too tight strech pants), she slowly shuffled back to the crowd, almost intentionally ignoring the sargent yelling in her ear - she’s lucky he didn’t smack her. The Cycladic and Benaki Museum are wonderful if you enjoy sculpture, design, fabrics, etc. I found it easy to get from one site to another - no need for a taxi. And if you need a taxi just step to the curb and hail one (which is how all cities should operate).

(Will post more as the week progresses...)
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Old Oct 13th, 2008, 08:20 PM
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Hi

Looking forward to reading more of your adventures
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Old Oct 16th, 2008, 04:43 AM
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meals in Athens:

Dinners:
Alasi , Vrassida 13, 30-210-721-0501,located near the Hilton. Cretan cuisine. I had read a few reviews (NYT, internet) and decided to have my first dinner here. The starters and salads are terrific. One o my favorite dishes was staka served with fried eggs. A sour cheese melted over runny fried eggs - not cholesterol friendly but delicious. The kaltaouni pie - goat cheese and mint was light and delicate and the mint was so flavorful - I have never tasted mint so intense. The Alatsi salad was a traditional greek salad with goat's cheese - all the products from Crete. The herbs were so strong, the produce bursting with flavor. The mains were good but not extrordinary. The rabbit with grape leaves and lemon zest was my favorite. The setting is modern with a cool vibe. I enjoyed my first meal so much I had dinner here 2 more times. The staff by the second time was chatting with me about NYC which made for a nice evening.

Kitrino-Podilato, Iera Odos & Kerameikou 116 - Gazi,
30 1 3465830.
http://www.kitrino-podilato.gr/
The Yellow Bicycle. Unfortunately this place didn't reopen until October 1st. Really wanted to try this place - next time.

Mamacas, 40 Persephonis St, Gazi.
http://www.mamacas.gr/
Located in hip Gazi - this area was jumping even at midnight on Sunday. The food is competent - I especially liked the beetroot salad which was a puree of beets, garlic and yogurt. The white caviar and fave been puree were also very good. Lamb was tender and flavorful. Service was a bit indifferent - I tried to catch the waiters attention to order desert only to be ignored - finally after about 45 minutes I got up and left. The hotel had made the reservation so if restaurant wanted to contact me they knew who to call- which they did. I stopped by the next day and spoke with the manager about the poor service, and then paid my bill. The Gazi area has lots of bars and is a real scene if that's what you want.

Lunches:
Taverna tou Psara, Eretheos, 16. Plaka. Tucked away at the top of some steps, shaded by trees, on the way to the Acropolis - I kept coming back here for lunch. The food was competent - the taramaslata was thick - not like the NYC versions which are light and fluffy. The house white was more than adequate. There are many places in the Plaka to choose from.
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Old Oct 16th, 2008, 07:41 AM
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museums:
Museum of Cycladic Art
http://www.cycladic.gr
5E. Easily walkable from Syntagma Square. Lots of sculpture and pottery. I was amazed at how modern some of the sculpture is - the paring down of a face or body to its most elemntal features.

Benaki Museum
www.benaki.gr
6E. Near the Cycladic Museum. Lots of textiles, photography, sculpture, carvings - mind boggling collection. There is a cafe on the top floor.

National Archaeological Museum
7E. Visited during the end of my trip to Greece. If you're into sculpture - this collection is a must see. Some beautiful pieces. You can take your camera in but not your back pack, umbrella, etc - plan accordingly.

Acropolis.
12E. This included tickets for other sites - the Temples of Zeus, the Tower of the Winds, etc. Good for 4 days so you don't have to do them all in one day. I went to the Acropolis in the afternoon - the shadows were stretching, the cicadas were buzzing noisily, the the scent of pine was in the air. A co-worker had mentioned being at the aAcropils at sunset - the stones glowing in the rosy pink light. Wonderful shades of pink, lavender and blue with the city of Athens spreading out in all directions. The Acropolis Museum was not open yet. Seeing evonzi marching through the Acropolis to lower the flag for the evening was a wonderful moment.
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Old Oct 16th, 2008, 08:09 AM
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misc. Athens:
Went to Lykavittos for sunset my last night in Athens before heading to Santorini. It's a bit of a hike from Syntagma Square to the funicular - you may want to take a taxi. Can't remember what the round trip ticket price is. The views from here are wonderful. A constant breeze - the city bathed in peaches, pinks, lavenders and blues - the city lights slowly unfurling as night fell - the laughter of numerous people there to see sunset. There is a restaurant at the top- I only had a couple ouzos and a large bottle of water.

The subway is very easy to navigate. I found that hailing a taxi myself was much cheaper than having my hotel call for one.

Hotel Attalos
http://www.attaloshotel.com/
Great location and if you're on a budget - this is a good deal. Air condtioning worked well- rooms were quiet - free internet. I paid 76E a night.
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Old Oct 16th, 2008, 12:40 PM
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To save a few dollars I decided to catch the 5:30 am Aegean Airlines flight from Athens to Santorini for 37E. Hotel Attalos told me cab fare to the airport would be 35E - cab driver tried to charge me 45E but then backed down to 35E. (interestingly - at the end of my trip, I hailed a cab to the airport and was only charged 25E). I had looked into ferries but decided flying would be the best. The flight took 45 minutes at the most - cab fare to Firostefani was 15E (maybe 10E). I stayed at Hotel Gallini.

http://www.hotelgalini.gr/

The hotel office was closed (not opening until 9am) and from the looks of it - the rest of Firostefani. The morning sun was just beginning to brush the top of the caldera 's lip - 2 cruise ships were making their way to Fira - and blue skies. I contorted myself on the bench outside the office and dozed (telling myself that I would never take an early morning flight again just to save 35E)

(will write more later)
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Old Oct 17th, 2008, 02:08 PM
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My room wouldn’t be ready until noon so I left my suitcase with Ms. Rousseau and went into Fira for some breakfast and to wander around. I grab a table at a corner cafe near where the lift was, order some greek yogurt and espressos and reviewed my travel notes and guidebooks.

By this time there were already 3 cruise ships jostling for positions in the caldera. The ships looked like monopoly game pieces - the perspective was almost surreal. The wonderful aroma of donkey wafted through the air occasisonaly (do they ever hose down those stairs?).

As the cruise ships disgorged their cattle - Fira took on a rather unusual carnival like atmosphere. Fira is chock-a-blocked with tacky jewelry, t-shirt and resort wear stores. Packs of cruisers, elderly and young couples trundled along the narrow passageways - taking pictures of each other - taking in the view. But many of them seemed pressed for time.

After paying - I rambled around Fira - turning down this passegway, walking up these stairs - belvederes of the caldera popped up at the most unexpected times. The light had shifted from creamy yellows to brillant white - the scenery being thrown into high relief as the sun climbed. The cathedral in Fira is gorgeous --the placid stares of the saints, the gold, the wood carvings, the lit candels, the domed clerestory.

After a couple hours of exploring I headed back to Hotel Galini - Firostefani is just far enough away to keep the mass of cruisers at bay and yet close enough to Fira to make it an easy walk. The room was comfortably furnished - the AC worked well. A hot water heater needed to be turned on for use - and the water got extremely hot, very quickly.

After unpacking, showering and napping - I ordered a caraf of white wine, sat on my terrace and just took in the view. The golden sunlight glittering on the water - white cubes clinging to cliffs - the silohuettes of cruise ships headed towards the horizon.

Decided to catch sunset in Imerovigli - it’s about a 10-15 minute walk from Firostefani and is even more quiet. Just past the Blue Note cafe I found a small cafe playing Cafe del Mar type music, ordered an ouzo, and settled in to watch twilght appear. The colors at sunset are beautiful - lots of blues, lavendars and pinks bathed the houses. The cruise ships outlined in white lights looked suspended in inky blackness once the sun had set. The lights along the caldera edge look like stars in the night time sky. Santorini looks so different in the early morning, during the day, sunset and at night.

For the first couple days I spent a lot of time just wandering, decompressing, trying to slow down mentally, taking in the views while having a drink or lunch. Dinner for my first night was at Aktaion - which is catty corner to Hotel Gallini - it had been recommended for solid traditional Santorini food. I ordered santorini salad, mussels, moussaka and the house red - all comptently prepared - I remember very much liking the moussaka and amazed at the flavor of the Santorini tomatoes. The owners of Hotel Gallini are part of the same family as the owners of Aktaion.

After dinner I went back to the hotel for a few raki in the cafe - the twinkeling lights extended in both directions along the caldera edge, soft jazz played in the background. The views from Firostefani were perfect for me.

Having rested enough I decided to sample of little night life in Fira. Lots of bars - all sorts of different ambience. There were a lot of 20 somethings trying their best to have a good time. All sorts of music - euro dance, hip hop, house, ambient. The season was obviously winding down because numerous bars were open but empty - which added a certain seediness and desperation to the vibe. After a couple hours of bar hopping I called it a night - the solitude and quiet walk back to Firostefani along the caldera’s edge in the moonlight a delight.
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Old Oct 17th, 2008, 03:04 PM
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Thank you so much for your report, it's very helpful. Glad to hear you liked those two hotels, they are on my list. Keep the report coming.
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Old Oct 17th, 2008, 09:16 PM
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bookmark
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Old Oct 18th, 2008, 04:18 AM
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Even though we just returned and I've posted a trip report I loved reading yours! Several similar experiences and I'm bookmarking your hotels for future reference. Thank you!
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Old Oct 27th, 2008, 01:36 PM
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haven't forgotten - will try and post more this week -
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Old Oct 27th, 2008, 01:49 PM
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This is fantastic. You are my kind of traveller. Aren't cruise ships the pits?
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Old Oct 27th, 2008, 02:11 PM
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I'm also enjoying your report. Thanks for sharing.
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Old Oct 29th, 2008, 04:49 PM
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Thanks, bookmarking
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Old Oct 30th, 2008, 08:41 PM
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(work has been crazy and I just crossed that mid point to 90 this past saturday)

Slept in late and decided to have lunch at Hotel Galini - a sampling of mezes and santorini salad. All freshly made - jazz playing in the background - and the views over the caldera are wonderful. I talked with Ms. Rousseau about what beaches she would recommend, villages to visit, internet, etc. Had some more wine, read, was hypnotized by the shimmering water, an acquaintance from the night before stopped by to chat. It was a lazy day - not rushing anywhere - just slowing down.

Went back to Imerovigli for sunset

Second night for dinner I went to Saltsa.

http://www.saltsa.gr/

Contemporary riffs on Santorini and Greek cuisine. Located along one of the main roads between Firostefani and Fira - it looks out over the flatter side of the island. The food is delicious and beautifully presented. Some of my favorites: santorini white eggplant in sesame and spices crust; green salad with grapes, goat cheese and honey vinaigrette, grilled sardines with red and yellow tomatoes, Santorini salad, loukoumi ice cream served with caramelized rose petals. I usually had the local house red which was very robust - which was surprising because opinion seems to be that the whites are far superior. Service was wonderful - the place never got too crowded - I felt very relaxed here as a solo diner. My first meal was so good I came back the next night to try other dishes. Recommend this place highly.
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Old Oct 31st, 2008, 08:01 AM
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Lovely report. Thanks so much. Can't wait for more. We've only spent a day (on a cruise, I'm sorry to say) in Santorini, but we loved it and I want to go back to spend more time. The Hotel Galini looks great and very reasonably priced. Were you quite happy with it, or did you see others that you thought you'd try on a future visit?
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Old Oct 31st, 2008, 10:25 AM
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Sidebar of misc info:

Here's the list of restaurants I compiled while researching:

Selene, Fira
http://www.selene.gr

Kyprida, Oia
http://www.kyprida.gr/

Feredini, Oia
http://www.feredini.gr/

Classico, Kamari Beach
http://www.santorini-classico.gr/

Archipelagos, Fira
http://www.archipelagos-santorini.com

1800, Oia
http://www.oia-1800.com

Restaurant Ambrosia
http://www.restaurant-ambrosia.com/

Ambrosia & Nectar
http://www.ambrosia-nectar.com/

Taverna Pyrgos
http://www.pyrgos-santorini.com/

Nichteri, Kamari Beach
http://www.nichteri.gr/

Notos, Perivolos
http://www.notos-restaurant.gr

Directory of Santorini restaurants
http://directory.santorini.net/92.html


Hotels:

Selene, Fira
http://www.selene.gr

Kyprida, Oia
http://www.kyprida.gr/

Feredini, Oia
http://www.feredini.gr/

Classico, Kamari Beach
http://www.santorini-classico.gr/

Archipelagos, Fira
http://www.archipelagos-santorini.com

1800, Oia
http://www.oia-1800.com

Restaurant Ambrosia
http://www.restaurant-ambrosia.com/

Ambrosia & Nectar
http://www.ambrosia-nectar.com/

Taverna Pyrgos
http://www.pyrgos-santorini.com/

Nichteri, Kamari Beach
http://www.nichteri.gr/

Notos, Perivolos
http://www.notos-restaurant.gr

Directory of Santorini restaurants
http://directory.santorini.net/92.html

Julie -
I think I would do a smaller cruise ship - maybe a sailboat type cruise (hopefully in the South Pacific one day). I was overall satisfied with Hotel Galini - the touches are nice and simple - nothing gaudy, very understated, which I like.

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Old Oct 31st, 2008, 10:31 AM
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sorry about the mis-post
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