Greece: Hotel and Itinerary Suggestions
 

Headed to Greece - Was planning on 2 days in Athens; 3 nights in Mykonos; 3 nights in Santorini and then back to Athens and home. Married couple traveling alone - want access to the sights, restaurants, etc, but not looking for big nightlife or party scene. Looking for suggestions/part of city to stay: Athens - Does Plaka sound like the best area. Santorini - Fira or la(sp?); Mykonos - no idea / any suggestions

Mykonos is all about the party/beach/shopping scene, so if you want a more diverse experience of the Greek islands go to Santorini and an island close by, such as Paros or Naxos. Both have airports and both are on the ferry route between Santorini and Athens/Piraeus.

For hotel recommendations please state your maximum daily room budget and your travel dates.

Hello Colorado. Conventional wisdom suggests you fly to your first island as soon as possible on arrival and hold Athens for the end of your trip. Occasionally flights or ferries can be delayed and you so not want to time your return to Athens without at the very minimum one or two nights.
If you are traveling in a shoulder season you could find the ferry route from Mykonos to Santorini to be a bit inconvenience so you may want to follow Brotherlees advice and find a second Island on a direct ferry route. Naxos and Paros both compliment and contrast Santorini and are very good parings.
Have fun planning

Thanks for the posts above. My on again off again trip is on again . . .so back looking for some advice. We arrive into Athens on Friday night (May 21st) at 5:30pm from Colorado and was thinking it made sense to crash there after long trip, but guess it makes sense just to move onto Santorini on 7:30 pm flight and crash there. So now I am thinking Santorini for Friday - Tuesday, leave Santorini Tuesday for ferry to Paros or Naxos, and then ferry to Athens on Thursday. Would give us full days in Athens on Friday and Saturday and leave early Sunday am. Does that make sense? Or will it feel to rushed given ferry, planes, etc.? Would it make more sense to do Santorini through Wednesday (4 full days and 5 nights), head back to Athens on Wednesday, and have 3 full days in Athens? Just don't have a feel if that is too much time in Santorini and if 3 days is enough / too much for Athens? Looking to spend up to 100 Euro per night if needed, although assuming could find something for less.

Any help and/or advice would be greatly appreciated ... first trip to Greece and we are very excited. Thanks

Plaka area in Athens is a great location, and Divani Palace Acropolis Hotel is centrally located and very nice. Fira is fine, but I'd take a look at Oia, too. Great sunsets! While on Mykonos, a side trip to Delos is well worth the effort. OPA!

Affordable hotels on Santorini: Hotel Mylos, Blue Dolphins Apartments, Villa Marie Damigou, Gizis Apartments, Thea Studios, Delfini Hotel, Old Oia Houses, Villa Kallisti, Casa Sofia, Fotinos Houses.

In Athens check the Metropolis Hotel, Hotel Athos, Omiros Hotel, Hotel Tempi.

DAVE --if you had given your dates at the outset, we would have shouted, if there is a flight on Friday night to Santorini GRAB IT! That weekend is the first 3-day "getaway" weekend for Greeks... Holy Spirit (pentecost) holiday ... Santorini will be jammed with Athens Gilded YOuth, Mykonos as well. It will be crowded but festive with a lot of Greeks for a change instead of just Americans...

I say leave on a ferry by NOON Tuesday, to go to a more laid-back island:... and have 2 days without crowds, and WITH sandy beaches. Two good choices--
12:15 SeaJet to Naxo arr 1:45 .or 12 NOON Flying Cat to Paros arr 1:45 ...

On Thursday BLUE Star ferry depNaxos 9:45, Paros 11 --arr Piraeus 3 pm about 35€ -- you won't reach athens hotel before 4pm and you'll be tired. Better FLY back Olympic Air:

PAROS 7:50 am/ arrive 8:25 ... or 12:35/arr 1:10 pm€66. Metro 45 mins to city Center.
NAXOS 10:10 am arr 10:50... €75. Metro ditto

COLORADO DAVE --FLIGHT PRIORITIES... you had better lock up the AIR transportation to/from Islands TODAY or they will be gone ... and as for hotels get on that right after --- you have left it very late to organize, so do not dither...

HOTEL Priorities -- Get flights FIRST. Then Athens & Santorini Hotels; not likely to get an Athens or a Santorini hotel for 100€ at this late date ... Naxos & Paros hotels still available for much less -- come back to us after you have conquered those challenges, and the Naxos/Paros hotel & ferry matters will be much simpler...

Alright - thanks for the heads up. booking today

And traveljan, thank you for stressing the urgency

TravelerJan - One more question ... any big difference between Paros and Naxos? Just reading online and leaning toward Paros.

Everyone has their own opinion. I prefer Paros although to be honest it's been a long time since I've spent more than just a few hours on Naxos. The seaside villages of Aliki, Naoussa and Pisso Livadi are charming and the beaches are quite pleasant. You can also get to the smaller island of Antiparos by local shuttle ferry in a short time.

Check the Hotel Paros and Alexandra's Rooms, next door to each other. There's a calm beach right across the street and several restaurants right nearby. You can walk there from the ferry port in about 15 minutes, just keep the water on your left shoulder.

Brotherleelove - Thanks. I will look at both of those hotels

I have been to Paros 5 times, the most recently 2 years ago for several days, and last year for just one day. I go to Naxos almost every year since 1999 for 4-6 days but unlike BRotherlee who is a Santorini Specialist and devotes 99% of his time to a visit there, I am more footloose, and visit 5-6 places in my 25-30 days. My comparison of contrasts of both islands:

PAROS -- More nightlife; sort of a Myknos wannabe in July/August, but less hectic earlier. The Port town, Parikia is lively, but not as beautiful as Naxos port town ... On the West coast there is a lot of sport-- windsurfing etc. Plenty of moderate price lodgings, as Lee says. A PLUS-- since it's mainly flat, with hilly center, safe to rent a scooter/ATV to get around all over. MINUS -- not as convenient to get to great sandy beaches. If you don't scooter, then u need to depend on infrequent May busses, or rent a car.

NAXOS -- As said, Port town is full of interest, a mazey-climb to a Castle on Top and a really stunning Cycladic museum + Byzantine tower etc .. more interesting Tavernas (simple restaurants) than Parikia IMHO... Other PLUSSES - Beaches are a 10mile-long strand of golden sand, & a bus goes every hour from the dock area, takes about 20-25 mins to farthest beach, Plaka. The closest beach, Ag. Giorgios is shallower, but that makes it more swimmable in May ... AND the hotels there, you can walk to/from the harborside restaurants cafes shops, bars in 10 minutes. In fact, since you will be staying on an island for such a short time, I would strongly recommend you stay at Ag. Giorgios, not a farther-out beach area. MINUSES - Island is so big that you can't really explore it in 2 days ... and the central area is mountainous, so one would need a car, not a scooter. Also, the nightlife is more subdued before August... about 3-4 lively clubs in Naxos town.

Here's a handy map showing the port town and location of many many hotels -- I suggest you go to websites, then "Google" Trip Advisor reviews, then BOOK .. after all, as I said before, you are leaving it VERY late, and to popular islands. http://www.naxos-greece.net/site/gfx...hotels_map.jpg

Here's a slideshow by a regular Fodorite, Stanbr, that gives a "snapshot" of a visit toNaxos, from Getting off theferry, to exploring the heights of Old town, to driving around the Island, to beaches, then sunset, then getting on a ferry to leave. It's not glamorized, I can say it's the true Naxos: http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/552001505EYxVYT

For a "third Party" View, you might want to look at this good website by a young Greek schoolmaster who spends every summer checking out the islands -- very pictorial very candid on opinions: http://www.greek-islands.us/ He's got a young family, loves sport, loves history, and food and nightlife too..