Greece and Turkey next summer - are we crazy?
Aug 3rd, 2015, 03:52 PM
#41
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"do not be surprised if you find people driving on road shoulders to sneak past you at a stop light where you are waiting, or establish another non-existent lane for that purpose."
I definitely remember some of those moments!
I definitely remember some of those moments!
Aug 8th, 2015, 11:34 AM
#42
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I did both Greece and Turkey. Both are fabulous with wonderful people and I wouldn't be a bit afraid. I'm an American and I think NY is more dangerous! Go for it.
Okay so my Greece trip:
1. Athens 2 nights (all you need)
2. Ferry to Naxos 4 nights LOVED NAXOS
3. Ferry to Santorini 3 nights (not enough - do 5)
4. Flight to Rhodes (I wasn't as crazy about it as the other islands)
5. Flight back to Athens and home.
Turkey (way longer trip after I had a bone marrow transplant and realized life is too short)
1. Flew to Antalya from US. 4 nights. (Lycian coast)
2. Rented a car and drove to Kas (2 nights)
3. Drove to Feithye (3 nights)
4. Drove to Ephasus (1 night)
5. Drove to Izmir and caught a flight to Cappadocia (4 nights)
6. Flight to Istanbul 4 nights
7. Flight to Santorini via Athens because I didn't stay long enough there the first time 5 nights
8 Flight to Athens and then home.
Okay so my Greece trip:
1. Athens 2 nights (all you need)
2. Ferry to Naxos 4 nights LOVED NAXOS
3. Ferry to Santorini 3 nights (not enough - do 5)
4. Flight to Rhodes (I wasn't as crazy about it as the other islands)
5. Flight back to Athens and home.
Turkey (way longer trip after I had a bone marrow transplant and realized life is too short)
1. Flew to Antalya from US. 4 nights. (Lycian coast)
2. Rented a car and drove to Kas (2 nights)
3. Drove to Feithye (3 nights)
4. Drove to Ephasus (1 night)
5. Drove to Izmir and caught a flight to Cappadocia (4 nights)
6. Flight to Istanbul 4 nights
7. Flight to Santorini via Athens because I didn't stay long enough there the first time 5 nights
8 Flight to Athens and then home.
Aug 8th, 2015, 11:49 AM
#43
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Glad to read all this info. We are going to Greece in Sept-our 3rd visit. A week in Naxos & 5 nights in The Plaka. Looks like to only thing I should do is bring more Euros & just have fun. I love Greece
PS The only question I have for those who are in Athens-have food & beer prices gone up?? I have English friends who are joining us & they have gotten reports that is has
It is what it is
Thanks
PS The only question I have for those who are in Athens-have food & beer prices gone up?? I have English friends who are joining us & they have gotten reports that is has
It is what it is
Thanks
Aug 8th, 2015, 11:56 AM
#44
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laura, back to your last remark -- "We have found that we do best if we stay in one place for 3 -4 nights and then use that as a base to explore the region. Is there any way to do this"
-- All of us would like to do the "base" thing ... however, that only works in places like Tuscany Italy, where you can get a villa in a central place and make day-trips in all 4 directions of about 30-40 miles & get back by dinner time... the "cluster" approach. I cannot tell you HOW many people come to Greece forums with Tuscany in their mind-set!!!! It's best to be more realistic .. in Greece, when you drive 40 miles in any one direction, you fall into the sea and drown. You are best doing island hopping. In Turkey, as itineraries suggested by veteran travelers there -- touring is linear rather than cluster. Best to deal with the countries as they are, not as you wish they were! Good luck for a wonderful trip!
-- All of us would like to do the "base" thing ... however, that only works in places like Tuscany Italy, where you can get a villa in a central place and make day-trips in all 4 directions of about 30-40 miles & get back by dinner time... the "cluster" approach. I cannot tell you HOW many people come to Greece forums with Tuscany in their mind-set!!!! It's best to be more realistic .. in Greece, when you drive 40 miles in any one direction, you fall into the sea and drown. You are best doing island hopping. In Turkey, as itineraries suggested by veteran travelers there -- touring is linear rather than cluster. Best to deal with the countries as they are, not as you wish they were! Good luck for a wonderful trip!
Aug 8th, 2015, 12:23 PM
#45
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BeniciaChris
Your question about prices cannot be answered easily.
There has been a major increase of the basic VAT from 13 to 23%, and this is affecting almost everything.
Restaurants had 13% before, and restaurant owners consequently should adjust their prices.
This did not happen everywhere, as many absorbed the increase, in order not to lose business.
Hotels had a VAT of 6,5% which went up to 13%, but the increase will apply after October. This will certainly affect hotels prices next year.
Your question about prices cannot be answered easily.
There has been a major increase of the basic VAT from 13 to 23%, and this is affecting almost everything.
Restaurants had 13% before, and restaurant owners consequently should adjust their prices.
This did not happen everywhere, as many absorbed the increase, in order not to lose business.
Hotels had a VAT of 6,5% which went up to 13%, but the increase will apply after October. This will certainly affect hotels prices next year.
Aug 8th, 2015, 01:39 PM
#47
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<i>"...have food & beer prices gone up??"</i>
Although the VAT in Greece has increased, the euro has dropped in value against the US $ and British £ to the lowest in many years. At this time last year the € was worth around $1.34, and today it is around $1.09. For many visitors from outside the eurozone prices are actually lower in terms of their home currency.
Although the VAT in Greece has increased, the euro has dropped in value against the US $ and British £ to the lowest in many years. At this time last year the € was worth around $1.34, and today it is around $1.09. For many visitors from outside the eurozone prices are actually lower in terms of their home currency.
Aug 9th, 2015, 12:15 AM
#48
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Benicia & Chris dont bring more cash use your plastic and drag the Greek tourist economy into the daylight.It is not the increases in V.A.T pre se that will force prices up. It is the promised enforcement of the agreement on tax collection that will.
To quote a Greek tourism Chief <Greece’s tourism chief has appealed to the millions of Britons planning to visit the crisis-hit country this year to use credit cards as much as possible.
The move comes as the government in Athens has signalled that it plans to raise VAT rates on some holiday islands.
Andreas Andreadis made the plea to what are expected to be record numbers of holidaymakers, saying plastic could play a key role in hindering tax evasion, a perennial drain on the Greek economy. “What we are saying is that on cash transactions above a certain level please use your credit cards,” he told the Observer. “That way it forces services and shops to declare it on the cash register and issue receipts.”>
To quote a Greek tourism Chief <Greece’s tourism chief has appealed to the millions of Britons planning to visit the crisis-hit country this year to use credit cards as much as possible.
The move comes as the government in Athens has signalled that it plans to raise VAT rates on some holiday islands.
Andreas Andreadis made the plea to what are expected to be record numbers of holidaymakers, saying plastic could play a key role in hindering tax evasion, a perennial drain on the Greek economy. “What we are saying is that on cash transactions above a certain level please use your credit cards,” he told the Observer. “That way it forces services and shops to declare it on the cash register and issue receipts.”>
Aug 9th, 2015, 01:27 AM
#49
meuniere, you're of'course right.
Most small establishments and especially those who have no taxed expenses they can offset will try to avoid paying tax by receiving cash in Greece and/or Turkey.
They usually feel justified because they do not think that the tax system is just, penalizing them for their small seasonal touristic revenues while the big corporations can easily get away without paying much with their expert tax consultants and loopholes.
I am not to familiar with the Greek tax structure but, I believe that the new measures will definitely hit the little guy much worse.
Especially, the lower salaried employees will suffer the most.
I just hope that the Greek government has been offering them something more tangible than "better days in the unspecified future." Otherwise, it will be an economic charaterization of the well-known serpent Ouroboros getting reincarnated in its country of origin, with the austerity measures for better economy actually resulting in frustration and worsening social conditions.
Most small establishments and especially those who have no taxed expenses they can offset will try to avoid paying tax by receiving cash in Greece and/or Turkey.
They usually feel justified because they do not think that the tax system is just, penalizing them for their small seasonal touristic revenues while the big corporations can easily get away without paying much with their expert tax consultants and loopholes.
I am not to familiar with the Greek tax structure but, I believe that the new measures will definitely hit the little guy much worse.
Especially, the lower salaried employees will suffer the most.
I just hope that the Greek government has been offering them something more tangible than "better days in the unspecified future." Otherwise, it will be an economic charaterization of the well-known serpent Ouroboros getting reincarnated in its country of origin, with the austerity measures for better economy actually resulting in frustration and worsening social conditions.
Aug 9th, 2015, 03:06 AM
#50
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This past March (2015) I took my 80-year old Mom to the Holy Land, connected in Istanbul from JFK, and even went into Jordan. Not one problem whatsoever, The flight connection Istanbul-TelAviv was empty, the sites in the Holy Land were also not crowded at all, which worked out fine for us. EVERYBODY back home asked me to cancelled. Today, my Mom looks at the pictures all the time and thinks it was the best trip she have ever been to. Go figure.
Unless the US Dept of State has a ban on travel, go and enjoy.
Unless the US Dept of State has a ban on travel, go and enjoy.
Aug 9th, 2015, 08:38 AM
#52
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over the last 5yrs 180,000 Albanians ( many Illegal) have returned home.
Last year my best mate struggled to get enough workers to pick his olives in Kalamata.Not one Greek applied for a job!!This year it will be worse. 26% of Greeks are unemployed. Last year we drove down to Stoupa for a break, we were amazed how few of the wait staff and Hotel employees spoke Greek?
Last year my best mate struggled to get enough workers to pick his olives in Kalamata.Not one Greek applied for a job!!This year it will be worse. 26% of Greeks are unemployed. Last year we drove down to Stoupa for a break, we were amazed how few of the wait staff and Hotel employees spoke Greek?
