Greece in December
 

I am planning to visit Greece in December. I was told by some friends that a lot of places are closed during this time. Any help will be appreciated. <BR>Thanks

Where exactly? Never been there in fall or winter, but have Brit. friends who go every few yrs in late Nov/early Dec and never mentioned problems with closings. Are you going to a city? an island? Peloponnese? Where?

I am planning to go to Crete and then make day trips to the other islands. My travel plans are last week of December/ First week of Jan

When I was in the Cyclades (Santorini, Paros, Mykonos)in mid-September, it was rather noticeable that things were already slowing down for the fall. We were at Punda beach on Paros on Sept. 6 or 7, I think, and already almost all the beach services were shutting down. I don't know about archaeological sites, etc.--those I would think will at least be open in the winter, although with more limited hours--but beach and other outdoor-related sites may not be providing much service. While the islands themselves are interesting to see regardless, not much "basking" can be done in the winter; I understand that temps in the islands in Dec. and Jan. tend to be around the 50s. (And it gets chilly there at night even in the late summer/early fall.) So I think it depends on what you're hoping to do and see. <BR>

I was also in Greece in September. One thing that was noticable was that the ferries between the islands were starting to cut back on services already. In December it would be hard to get around except maybe by plane. The mainland may be ok though. For instance Delphi becomes a ski resort in winter so that is definately open.

You'll be OK in Crete - it has a large year-round population that doesn't depend on tourism, so you should find hotels/bars/restaurants that are open. Since it's so far south, you'll probably get the best of the weather, too. <BR> <BR>Regarding other islands, though, you will find that many bars/restaurants/ hotels close during the winter, when the tourists have gone home. However, you'll probably find at least one bar and restaurant open, where the local population eat and drink. <BR> <BR>Which islands were you planning to visit on day trips? As I recall, it's quite a long way to the next nearest island. Ferry schedules will be quite erratic - be prepared to be flexible. You should also check out whether flying between islands really will be an option - schedules will be severely cut back. Check with www.olympic-airways.com <BR> <BR>But even if you're stuck in Crete for the whole fortnight, you'll have a great time. It's a very big country, so there's lots to see and do. Don't miss the Samaria Gorge and Knossos.