Greece
 

Thanks everyone for your help.... Looks like our dates will be August 17-Sept 5.
Thinking of Santorini, Paros, Sifnos for one week and Crete for another. Too much?
There is so much to see I need some help to focus. Also suggestions for hotels .. I am travelling with my husband and 9 year old.
Also, Crete being so big, what area is the most worthwhile. We would get a car to move around from a homebase.

If you want hotel suggestions you need to state your budget and whether you want a view, pool, etc.

For Crete check out Chania or Agios Nikolaos.

You will have to carefully work out the sequence of Santorini, Paros, and Sifnos. Unless something new comes up this year, ferries between Sifnos and Paros (both ways) run only twice per week, even in high season. Personally I would drop either Paros or Sifnos. :-)

$350-400 a night.. pool and view great but not essential

hopeingree, you have posted 2 similar threads so I am not sure which to answer! I'm glad that you have pushed your holiday later I'm guessing that you arrive on August 18 ... and many of the huge numbers of Europeans cramming the Isles will have to leave the wekend of th 20-21st because their schools will be starting. And it now looks as if you are allotting 20 days for your trip -- splendid! You can have a wonderful adventure without being rushed.

ACCOMMODATIONS -- It will be hot 85=90°F , so wise to be near the sea or have access to a Pool. Best to think & request in Euros not dollars, so responders don't have to make the conversions themselves. Most popular conversion site = http://www.xe.com/ucc/ Right now $350 400 = €246-282 ... should be able to get something fairly good except Santorini which is better for a day trip anyway.

ASSUMPTIONS -- "Home base" idea .. relevant for, say Tuscany: for Crete, or most Greek islands, not so much. On crete you'd spend HOURS in a car, retracing your route. And on most islands, ferry schedules aren't set up for you to get to another island, spend the day, then get back to Island #1. Best to stay somewhere for 3+ nights, move on. Exceptions: Paros or Naxos have companies with Dedicated Vessels for day-trips to (1) Santorini and (2) Delos-Mykonos. If Santorini is a must, I recommend that one ... if u are on Paros, the trip is shorter.

OPENING STRATEGY -- Usually a good idea only to go into/out of Athens once. Not that Athens isn't wonderful, it's just that this eats up time. So if connections permit, why not fly to your first destination, then "island-hop". For example, arriving Aug 18, look at this handy "combo" airsite: http://www.airtickets.gr/searchFlights.asp It shows you'd have several choices for a 50-minute flight to Chania, Crete -- 2:30, 4 pm or 6 pm -- fare @ €63 adult. Wow! by sunset you could be sitting harborside in Old Town, or on a nearby beach.

SEQUENCE STRATEGY -- The important thing, always is to get transport figured out FIRST, then lodgings. The worst thing is to make reservations for a place you cannot reach on a ferry. Almost all air flights are only to Athens, So ferries are it. Here's a (somewhat outdated) ferry route map for high season, that at least shows the main connections: http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.co...erry-chart.htm and to see most ferry schedules... learn to use these 2 handy ferry websites: http://www.gtp.gr/RoutesForm.asp
http://www.openseas.gr/OPENSEAS/index_en.vm

POSSIBLE OPTIONS:
Crete (6 days) Santorini (3 days) Paros or Naxos (6 days) ... ?? 3 days ... Athens (3 days)

Crete (5-6 nites) Santorini (3 nites) Sifnos**(4 nites) Paros(4 nites) Athens (3 nites)
** reaching sifnos requires taking the daily 3 hr ferry from Santorini to Milos arr 6:45, have dinner at port, board 8:45pm 1-hr ferry to Sifnos.

Paros - Sifnos - (milos 1 nite) Santorini - Crete (Heraklion) - fly back to Athens from Chania

This is such helpful information.. let me absorb it and I might come back with a few questions.
Thx Traveljan.. very generous.

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