Fall 2020 Greece Trip- (14 days, includes travel) My husband and I are looking for travel suggestions, we have done some international traveling and love to visit and see new places. We are planning a trip to Greece this fall for 14 days ( Aug. 29-Sept.11) . This will be our first time in Greece, we are in our (youthful) sixties and love to travel. We enjoy learning about the culture, eating good food,flora, historic sites, also, hiking, biking and walking beautiful beaches. We like to get off the beaten path and I enjoy geocaching. We are trying to avoid high season and are flexible with dates...I have been reading the forum for ideas and trip reports and have already gained some ideas but need feedback, please and thank you.

What we am looking for:
1. Athens- This is a must-visit,we will be taking the 3 day Viator tour, 3 Day Classical Greece, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Nafplion, Olympia and Delphi
and hit the islands. Yes, we realize the Viator tour is a very, very brief overview but wanted to see some of the mainland compactly.
2. We don't like to rush and would rather stay put in one area for a few nights at a time.
3. Would rent a car on Crete to get around,(after jetlag), perhaps on Antiparos as well.

Below are some thoughts for an itinerary:
Fly Boston-Athens, take flight to Crete(Chania area) 4 nights
Antiparos 3 nights
Flight back to Athens for Viator connection 2 nights
Remainder of time Athens: 3 nights
Athens-Boston
Suggestions for restaurants, out of the way sites, lodging, transportation or ??? would be heartily welcomed.

Greece is absolutely delightful!

If you don't want to rush, I'm not sure this itinerary will suit you well. 4 nights is exceedingly little for Crete. That Viator tour appears to be packing a LOT into a very few days. 3 nights is not much for Athens. Maybe these times will suit you, but FWIW, I wanted FAR more time in each of these places.

If you haven't already seen it, you might find some useful information in my trip report, which includes notes on restaurants and lodging:
With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece

Hello kja,
Thank you for your reply. I have thoroughly enjoyed your trip report and printed out the thank you's as they have lots of tips. We do intend to hike Imbros Gorge and stay in Heraklion and Chania. We will take a SeaJet to Santorini, as I love, love sunsets and would really miss that( just perhaps in September it won't be quite so crowded....then to Naxos to see, hike and some swimming (not sunbathing) and access to Folegandros. My husband really wants to visit the historic sites, hence the Viator tour on the mainland. Then Athens, where friends recommended a half day bike tour and taxi tour on two different days. We have lots of decisions to make and realize that only a brief snip is seen, but with your knowledge it will help make some choices. I did not notice the name of the place you stayed on Santorini, would you mind telling me? Like you we like to hike, eat good food and soak in the atmosphere, we do not let moss grow under our shoes but really enjoy a good cold beer on those hot days! Thank you for any input...
3Gnhgirl

While on Santorini, I stayed at the Smaro Studies -- post # 89.

We loved Anastasis Apartments in Imerovigli on Santorini.....away from the crowds and with amazing sunset views. If we wanted to watch the sunset, which we could do from our room or terrace, they set tables by the infinity pool with complimentary snacks and drinks.

Using a multi-destination search function, book your itinerary Boston-Crete and Athens-Boston. Do your Athens touring after the islands, then fly home.Your east-bound itinerary could very well go through another European gateway city connecting to Crete without going through Athens. Compare prices and schedule convenience.

Between islands and back to Athens, search for budget flights using www.skyscanner.com

Thank you Judy for the lodging suggestion, I will check it out.
3Gnhgirl

Hi, thank you for the suggestion, I often use skyscanner, google flights and hopper. But I will use a multi- destination search...I want to land early so can enjoy my jet lag on Crete. Another poster gave me the idea, that is why I turn to this forum.
3Gnhgirl

Hello Everyone,
I have been doing a lot of reading and mulling our trip coming up in September. Realizing how big and beautiful Crete is save that for (hopefully another time).
Any suggestions for changing up the order of the islands would be appreciated. Antiparos has 3 nights due to hopping islands from Naxos. Santorini is last because of early flights back to Athens. We would like recommendations for lodging close to a town so can walk and not drive or use public transport. Kja, I will check your trip report for more detail on the islands we have chosen. Is this realistic? We are thinking of public transport to visit the hill towns and possibly renting for a day or so. We are thinking of snorkeling, could someone report on that? Thank you for any help...
Thoughts?
Fly Boston to Naxos
Naxos 2 nights
Antiparos 3 nights
Santorini 2 nights fly back to Athens
Viator tour 3 nights
Athens 3 nights
Fly home

3Gnhgirl

There are lots of places to snorkel on Antiparos. The beaches are mostly sandy coves with rocky fringes where the fish can find shelter. Captain Ben cruises have stops where people snorkel, including the sea caves at the south of the island. Blue Island Divers is mostly for SCUBA, but sometimes take snorkelers too. You can check when you get to the island.
https://captainbenantiparos.com
https://blueisland-divers.gr

Hello Heimdall , thanks for the reply. I will look into Captains Bens cruises. Any thoughts on our sequence of islands? Or transportation between Naxos and Antiparos?
Thank you
3Gnhgirl

Much as I loved Crete (and I did!), I think you are wise to defer it until you can give it more time.

I'm not sure I'm reading your plan correctly, but 2 nights in Naxos really means less than 2 days there; same with Santorini. Are you sure you will have the time you want on either? It might be worth thinking about skipping one island -- but it really depends on whether you can do what YOU want.

Good luck with your decisions!

Hi 3Gnhgirl,

It’s very easy to get between Naxos and Antiparos. Recommend using Blue Star, and just buy an economy ticket. The trip between Naxos and Paros takes only an hour, and you may as well stand on the open deck the whole time, because the ferry will be nearby land the whole time and there is lots to see.

When you get off Blue Star at Paros there will probably be a little Antiparos Lines taxi boat at the corner of the pier, to the left as you face town. The fare is about €6 and you pay as you board the boat. If for some reason the taxi boat isn’t there (sometimes it’s cancelled when windy) turn to your right as you face town, and walk along the docks about 200 yards to the bus station. You can buy tickets in the little kiosk, and they will give you a current printed bus schedule if you ask. You could also take a taxi to Pounta (the port) where the ferries leave for Antiparos.

The #4 Pounta-Antiparos bus takes about 15 minutes to get to Pounta, which is the the main year-round access to Antiparos. The landing craft ferries there run every 30 minutes from first thing in the morning until after midnight, and the crossing takes only seven (7) minutes. Again, buy your ticket as you board, and it will cost only about €2 or less. Most people just walk from the ferry to their accommodation, and you can ask anyone for directions. If you have booked a room and the hotel knows when you will be arriving, they may be waiting for you when you step off the boat.

Having said all that, if you are coming from Athens it’s better to go to Antiparos first and then Naxos. The directions I’ve given you will apply in reverse. Paros has a better airport than Naxos, with larger planes and more flights. Paros is also an hour closer to Piraeus if you are taking a ferry, and Naxos is the next stop on the way to Santorini. If you still want to go to Naxos first, no problem, you are only losing an hour each way.

Hi kja,
Thank you for your comment about 2 days in Naxos and I realize that one of those days is partial as we are coming from long traveling. So, I have added 1 day to Naxos and taken one from Antiparos....your suggestions are well taken.
I hope the C-virus is not a disrupter....
Happy traveling,
3GNHgirl

Hello Heimdell,
Your directions to the ferry make sense. I am trying to wrap my head around going to Antiparos first as we will be traveling over 13 hours just to get to Naxos...I'm sure you have a good reason....is it ferry logistics? Thank you so much for your help.
3GNHgirl

The only reason I would put Antiparos first is that on the ferry route from Piraeus the sequence is Paros, Naxos, and then Santorini, so if you go to Naxos first you will be backtracking when you go on to Santorini. That’s not really a big deal, so if you wish to go to Naxos first, no problem.

If you fly from Athens to Paros, the little port that serves Antiparos is only 10 minutes from the Paros Airport, and the ferry from there (Pounta) takes only 7 minutes to cross to Antiparos. The ferries leave every 30 minutes. Going on to Naxos from Antiparos is very easy too. There will be both a direct boat to the Parikia docks, and the ferry to Pounta meeting a bus that will take you the rest of the way to Parikia.

If you are going on to Santorini after Paros or Naxos, strongly recommend you avoid Sea Jets and take the Blue Star conventional ferry where you can stand or sit on the outside deck to take in the views. On the Sea Jets catamarans you sit inside the cabin and can’t see very much. The views from Naxos to Santorini are among the best you will see from a ferry in Greece, so too good to miss by sitting inside.

Hi, now I understand why your suggestion to go to Antiparos first. We will be flying into Paros, spending 3 days then to Antiparos via the Blue Ferry then Santorini. I do appreciate your advice as it pulls it all together for me in planning. Another question is a good area for lodging close to town on both islands where one can walk to cafes for drinks and dinner? We would rather not drive at night.. lodging would run up to $250 a night , ballpark. Thank you again.
3Gnhgirl

Just to clarify: you are still planning Santorini AND Antiparos AND Naxos in 7 nights? Could work, but you did say "We don't like to rush and would rather stay put in one area for a few nights at a time."

You don’t go from Paros to Antiparos on the “Blue Ferry”. It’s a little local ferry that doesn’t appear on the ferry websites. This might explain how it works:
https://antiparos.com/paros-antiparo...boat-schedule/

There is no need to divide your time between Paros and Antiparos as the two islands can be visited as one, so just pick where you would like to stay and visit the other on day trips. People commute for work and school between the two every day.