Greece - 3 week trip - requesting input
Dec 6th, 2014, 10:03 PM
#21
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Hello PMD!
I just noticed this thread and I have to say that your original plan is in general very good, maybe some trimming is needed here and there, that's all.
We usually advice people here to slow down, yet some people now advice to add a 2 nighter on Santorini or shorten your stays on the islands or whatever. I disagree. You do not mention the age of kids and grandparents or their stamina level, but personaly I think getting up and going as a group of 6 complicate things no matter what. And I feel Naxos is ideal to spend a week or more. Members of your group could always join a day trip from Naxos to Santorini if you wish or to Mykonos/Delos or to small Cyclades, say grandparents baby sit with children and parents join a boat trip...But Naxos has plenty to keep you busy for a week on my opinion and on your dynamics you will want to take it easy anyway.
On the mainland part, do you plan to hire a car or use PT or a tour? I think this is the part you really need to think about a bit more... I feel that Athens deserves at least 3 full days and given you demographic you may want to allow some more time to have flexibility, group splitting some times to do different things, taking time to have a siesta on the hottest part of the day rather than sightseen, visit a children(teen?)-friendly attraction or two etc. If you want to stick with your original plan of 5 days, I feel adding Nafplio is too much.
Furthermore, maybe it is wiser upon returning from Naxos to Athens airport or any Athens port to take a latter flight to Preveza airport (located actually on Aktio, 30 minutes drive from Lefkas), or the bus and save Athens/mainland for the tail end of the trip. You save one packing/unpacking, checking in/out of hotels session.
In relation to my previous comment re mainland, I want to focus on your options from Lefkas. Lefkas is an island but connects to mainland only on a small bridge, so it is easy to take side trips. I feel that you may want to investigate on hiring a car for a day or two and explore say Vonitsa and its fort, Preveza, ancient Nikopolis or even drive all the way to Ioannina. Again, part of the group might stay put on Lefkas or not, depending on your mood. OK, Nafplion is Nafplion and Peloponnese is Peloponnese, but Nikopolis is Nikopolis and Western mainland Greece is Western mainland Greece. All have their charm. Lefkas is charming too and I would not skip it if your heart is set there. Which part of the island you plant o be based?
Given your group, I am hesitant to suggest making complicated routes or intermidiate stops. But if you want to fit in one more attraction, you could use bus system to spend one night or two somewhere along the way returning to Athens. Say Meteora might be possible with some moving around. You could allow one less day in one destination and make this work, but of course this goes contrary to my previous advice of not moving much/adding overnighters here and there. Just something to have in mind as an alternative to Nafplion, although if you use my side-trips from Lefkas approach, I feel you will have take a good taste of varied locations on this trip. Last but not least, remember that quite likely you'll land on Athens on a future trip and Nafplion is only a 2 hours bus ride away. So quite possibly you will easily fit it in a future trip in Greece.
I just noticed this thread and I have to say that your original plan is in general very good, maybe some trimming is needed here and there, that's all.
We usually advice people here to slow down, yet some people now advice to add a 2 nighter on Santorini or shorten your stays on the islands or whatever. I disagree. You do not mention the age of kids and grandparents or their stamina level, but personaly I think getting up and going as a group of 6 complicate things no matter what. And I feel Naxos is ideal to spend a week or more. Members of your group could always join a day trip from Naxos to Santorini if you wish or to Mykonos/Delos or to small Cyclades, say grandparents baby sit with children and parents join a boat trip...But Naxos has plenty to keep you busy for a week on my opinion and on your dynamics you will want to take it easy anyway.
On the mainland part, do you plan to hire a car or use PT or a tour? I think this is the part you really need to think about a bit more... I feel that Athens deserves at least 3 full days and given you demographic you may want to allow some more time to have flexibility, group splitting some times to do different things, taking time to have a siesta on the hottest part of the day rather than sightseen, visit a children(teen?)-friendly attraction or two etc. If you want to stick with your original plan of 5 days, I feel adding Nafplio is too much.
Furthermore, maybe it is wiser upon returning from Naxos to Athens airport or any Athens port to take a latter flight to Preveza airport (located actually on Aktio, 30 minutes drive from Lefkas), or the bus and save Athens/mainland for the tail end of the trip. You save one packing/unpacking, checking in/out of hotels session.
In relation to my previous comment re mainland, I want to focus on your options from Lefkas. Lefkas is an island but connects to mainland only on a small bridge, so it is easy to take side trips. I feel that you may want to investigate on hiring a car for a day or two and explore say Vonitsa and its fort, Preveza, ancient Nikopolis or even drive all the way to Ioannina. Again, part of the group might stay put on Lefkas or not, depending on your mood. OK, Nafplion is Nafplion and Peloponnese is Peloponnese, but Nikopolis is Nikopolis and Western mainland Greece is Western mainland Greece. All have their charm. Lefkas is charming too and I would not skip it if your heart is set there. Which part of the island you plant o be based?
Given your group, I am hesitant to suggest making complicated routes or intermidiate stops. But if you want to fit in one more attraction, you could use bus system to spend one night or two somewhere along the way returning to Athens. Say Meteora might be possible with some moving around. You could allow one less day in one destination and make this work, but of course this goes contrary to my previous advice of not moving much/adding overnighters here and there. Just something to have in mind as an alternative to Nafplion, although if you use my side-trips from Lefkas approach, I feel you will have take a good taste of varied locations on this trip. Last but not least, remember that quite likely you'll land on Athens on a future trip and Nafplion is only a 2 hours bus ride away. So quite possibly you will easily fit it in a future trip in Greece.
Dec 6th, 2014, 10:16 PM
#22
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Sorry, just spotted how old your group is... I do not know how well-traveled you are and how everyone cope with changing locations and long bus/ferry trips and everything, but I stick with my previous advice. One week Naxos, one week Lefkas and 5 nights Athens seem great.
