Wildblueyonder, that's probably the best idea anyway since you won't arrive in Heraklion until after 7:30 PM. Stay the night, take a morning tour of Knossos then hop on the bus to Chania and be there in the afternoon. This plan gives you the added benefit of being able to see some of Crete during daylight hours on the bus to Chania.

Heraklion>Rethymnon>Chania Bus Schedule: http://bus-service-crete-ktel.com/ti...ine=1&lg=2

I totally agree with TravelerJan..Two days on Santorini to see the view is enough. Then go to Naxos for a real Greek island experience.

We flew BA Heathrow to Athens on a very good early booking fare, then flew Aegean to Santorini -- a very nice airline and also a good fare when booked early. Take out cancellation insurance (I like Travel Guard) when booking early.

In Athens I can recommend Hotel Cypria, a reasonably priced hotel serving a great breakfast buffet. It is located 3 blocks from Syntagma Square where the airport express bus comes in/departs. We're in the 70-something category and we were able to easily pull our rolling luggage the short distance, even though it's slightly uphill part of the way.

You are probably aware that Greece is a rather constant uphill/downhill experience, sometimes with stairs, sometimes not. In any case, I recommend that you prepare by using a stair stepper at the gym or a stairway someplace so that your knees (and lungs) won't scream at you.

You will love Greece. We were there last May and the weather was perfect although it got colder at night on Santorini than I had expected.

Enjoy!

Hello again,
Brotherleelove: Thanks for the hotel recs. Have you stayed at these places? Tripadvisor has mixed reviews.

Stanbr: Ancient Corinth sounds wonderful. I'm looking forward to it. I'll check out Hotel Spiros

Krccw1: I will look into Hotel Cipria. My husband and I have to begin exercising more to prepare. When we lived in New York we were used to going up and down stairs to the subway. Now we live in Florida in a one story home and drive everywhere. Maybe our limbs will remember. LOL. Thanks, Gladys

Gladfon, I've stayed at Musses Studios twice but I know the other two hotels well. Anemomilos Hotel also has an excellent traditional restaurant on the premises. Aspa Villas is owned by the same family that owns Villa Ilias in Firostefani.

Understand that these are budget accomodations, and as such are not going to please someone who is used to fancy surroundings and more amenities and services. But they are clean, well-located and run by either local families or, in the case of Musses Studios, by an efficient staff working for a successful room-finder's service, Ecorama Holidays. As for mixed reviews no hotel, even a 5-Diamond luxury property, is going to escape some complaints and problems from time to time.

If you decide on Musses, try to get a top floor room so you can sit on your balcony and see a lovely sea view. If you'd like to see some photos of the top floor studio I had and the view let me have your email address. Be advised that the beds in these studios are up some wooden stairs in a sleeping loft above the kitchen/bath/living area.

Hi Brotherleelove,
I realize that there will always be someone who complains even about the best hotels; that is why I asked if you had personal experience with these hotels. Now that I know you stayed at one and are familiar with the others, I feel more comfortable in seeking availability there. I am interested in clean and comfortable, not fancy. Thank you so much for your help. Gladys

Thanks, brotherleelove, for the bus timetable. I hadn't thought of this aspect. We will be hiring a car on Crete, but I suppose you can't pick up a car in Heraklion and drop it off at Chania?

Yes, there are rental agents in Heraklion with offices in Chania. I don't know the names but you can find them online. You could rent a car in the morning, drive to Knossos, then drive back to Heraklion and on to Chania.

wildblueyonder -- We reserved a car in Heraklion for drop off in Chania through Kemwel. AutoEurope also can arrange a one-way rental. I don't know your age, but there may be an upper age limit as we encountered that problem. If you're over 70, be sure to check and double check with the auto rental agency.

FOr all you Crete-goers: luckily, unlike any other areas in Greece, Crete agencies do not seem to charge a penalty for delivery in one town and drop-off in another -- at least the 3 big cities, Heraklion, Rethymon and Chania. I and my friends ahve done it twice.

the last 2 times we used Autoway, a local agency run by a VERY knowledgeable guy who worked in the field in Germany for 10 years; his HQ is in Rethymnon, but he delivered in Chania, we dropped off in Heraklion and he was lower than price of the biggies (hertz ed0

Also, I don't recall there was any question about age, tho the driver of record was not 70 (69, I think). When I reserved the car online, there was no age question.

travelerjan -- For clarification I thought I'd let you know exactly what our experience was in trying to rent in Crete. We had booked through Kemwel and asked specifically about upper age limits since the driver was 76 at the time. We were told "no problem." However, the agency booked by Kemwel, National, did indeed have an upper age limit in Greece (can't remember if was 70 or 75) and so we were left without a car in Heraklion, although we used public transportation to get to Chania without problems. Kemwel couldn't help us out on the Heraklion problem but did arrange for us to get a car in Athens through a different rental agency.

Thought this info might be helpful in case any of your touring companions might be of "a certain age."

thanks for the added detail, crock!!

I'll bet the age-limit is more usual with the multi-national rental firms; we have always gone with a well-regarded local agency (altho others may go with a biggie because they get a special deal).

As for travel companions "of a certain age" -- never again! Previously I'd always traveled with younger people; last time it was with fellow retirees. I gotta say, it was exasperating at times! Not in shape, lots of complaining, losing stuff. Im no Spring Chicken but at least I'm not an Old Hen. It tried my patience.

travelerjan -- You're right about the big, international rental companies as opposed to the local. We had no problem at all renting on Santorini through a local agency and the company Kemwel finally put us with in Athens was a local firm. Live and learn -- if I live long enuf! lol

I'm sorry to hear that you had problems with the retirees -- the reason we don't go with groups that age. We still feel like 40-something even if the mirror says otherwise.

BTW, you advised against going to Thessaloniki but we did anyway and enjoyed the museums. Next time, though, we'll plan more time in and around Nafplion and maybe go to Naxos. Loved Greece!

Crock, I don't remember that!! Of course, with all my blabbing, how could I? THessaloniki is fascinating place -- other friends went there in March and looooved it, and I certainly think it's worthwhile. But I probably "advised against it" mainly in terms of how to allot your time -- you know, too many things on an itinerary in 2 crowded weeks, like that.

Thanks all for the priceless info on renting cars and dropping off at a different location from pick-up! We'll now be picking up at Heraklion (do they do the centre of town, or port, rather than the airport?) and dropping off in Chania, hopefully.

No problems with the age thing, as hub will be *only* 61 and I'm still in my 50's, so a young chick! But, travelerjan, "Not in shape, lots of complaining, losing stuff." This made me laugh, as it sounds like me at times!!

We've decided to do Athens-Naxos (instead of Mykonos)-Santorini-Crete now. But it's frustrating not being able to find out the prices of ferries for June - and a lot of the hotels in Naxos, don't give rates at all "contact us".

If you go to httP://www.bluestarferries.com and http://www.ferries.gr/hfd/ you will be able to see the prices for the ferries this year for Athens>Naxos>Santorini and for Santorini>Crete. They will basically be the same next year, perhaps a few euro more.

wildblue, local car agencies will deliver pretty much where you want it -- only a couple of provisos:

(1) always a good idea to give car a good once-over, note any scratches, dents etc and have the Cary guy note them on your contract. (super-cautious people use digi-camera to snap them too, I neverhave).

(2) Make the guy mark on yr map VERY Specifically how to get out of Town to road to Chania. I've done it 3 times, we got lost 3 times. Remember, Natl Rd 75 will be marked E75 or Eth (theta)75... (Eth = Ethnos = Greek word for National! Duh!). Also have him mark which Exit (the 3rd?)to use if you want the West (Old Town) side of Chania.

I meant to say the Car Guy, not the Cary Guy... Cary Guy is the Cable Guy.

Have you booked air yet? I just threw out the idea of a trip to Greece for next June to my husband and kids and it seems so early to plan. But if I can get them all to commit, I will start. Is it wise to book air this early? It seems so high for next June. Can I wait awhile before booking hotels in Athens, Santorini, and maybe one more island?

For what it's worth, we booked air and hotels about 6 months prior to our Greece trip this year. We got good fares on Aegean and BA. The hotel we booked in Athens, again 6 months out, booked up quickly because they take tour groups.