Greece in October
Jul 12th, 2019 | 10:14 PM
#1
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Greece in October
If I plan a trip to Mykonos, Greece the first week of October for a few days, will restaurants, etc. still be open. I only have 3-4 days to spend in Greece. I will be coming from Paris and it is a cheap flight to Mykonos. We are retired and are not looking for night life so I thought it would be quieter in early October. We just want to walk around and look at the beauty of the town and beaches. But we love to eat out and would like good restaurant options. Thank you for your help.
Jul 12th, 2019 | 11:51 PM
#2
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Mykonos in October should be fine for your needs. I’ve been there in May and June, which are the other end of the season from October, and probably similar in that it is relatively quiet even when cruise ships are in, as long as you get away from the area around the old port and windmills. Lakka Square (near Fabrika Bus Station) is fairly quiet and has some reasonably priced restaurants. Look at the menu by the door before you sit down at a table.
Try to get over to Delos Island to see the archeological site. It takes only 30 minutes by shuttle boat, and you can buy tickets at a little kiosk at the old harbour where the boats depart. Entry for the site is payable when you get to the island.
Try to get over to Delos Island to see the archeological site. It takes only 30 minutes by shuttle boat, and you can buy tickets at a little kiosk at the old harbour where the boats depart. Entry for the site is payable when you get to the island.
Jul 13th, 2019 | 07:53 AM
#4
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Thank you. Will definitely look at Delos. Have not looked at flights back to US yet, but I am guessing I will have to fly out of Athens. Is it worth staying in Athens if I only have one day? Or should I split my time more 3 days in Mykonos and 2 days in Athens? Or just get a connecting flight straight from Mykonos?
This is somewhat last minute when I realized I had another 5 days or so before I had to get back to the states.
This is somewhat last minute when I realized I had another 5 days or so before I had to get back to the states.
Jul 13th, 2019 | 12:28 PM
#6
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I go to Greece every October usually the first half and find it a wonderful time to be there. Lower costs, less tourists and still nice weather. You can even take a dip in the Aegean. Even if the tourists businesses shut down they'll always be shops, markets and tavernas open for locals which will give you a more "Greek" experience than a tourist experience.
Athens deserves at least 2 days with 3 days being better. There's more to see there than just the tourists sites.
I'm not a fan of Mykonos but you may like it. Have you considered other islands?
Athens deserves at least 2 days with 3 days being better. There's more to see there than just the tourists sites.
I'm not a fan of Mykonos but you may like it. Have you considered other islands?
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Jul 13th, 2019 | 11:47 PM
#8
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Ksm, with only 3-4 days for Greece you don’t have time for another island. You don’t say where you are flying from when you leave Greece, but if Athens, that would be a logical choice for one or two nights.
If you already have a return flight booked from Mykonos, then stay put. Delos is a wonderful day trip from Mykonos, and the shuttle boat to there from Mykonos old harbour takes only 20-30 minutes. Here is my Flickr Mykonos and Delos album, with photos mostly from Delos:
If you already have a return flight booked from Mykonos, then stay put. Delos is a wonderful day trip from Mykonos, and the shuttle boat to there from Mykonos old harbour takes only 20-30 minutes. Here is my Flickr Mykonos and Delos album, with photos mostly from Delos:
Jul 14th, 2019 | 04:39 AM
#10
Joined: Dec 2016
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Lots of options for islands depending on your interests. I have been to Amorgos, Sifnos, Milos, Tinos, Chios, Astypalea, and Ikaria. All of them are lovely, especially Tinos which turned out to be a gem of a Greek Island, even better than my research showed.
If you haven't been to Athens before then I suggest spending your extra time there. Some people avoid it but that's a shame. It has a lot to offer and isn't as expensive as Rome, Paris or London.
If you haven't been to Athens before then I suggest spending your extra time there. Some people avoid it but that's a shame. It has a lot to offer and isn't as expensive as Rome, Paris or London.
Jul 14th, 2019 | 07:39 AM
#11
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Thanks for all the good replies. I now also have an offer to stay on Crete. Would you choose Crete or Mykonos if you could only choose one?
i don’t have a flight back yet so I can be a little open with my plans.
I would love to see the pics Heimdaall if you can get them to work.
i don’t have a flight back yet so I can be a little open with my plans.
I would love to see the pics Heimdaall if you can get them to work.
Jul 15th, 2019 | 04:36 AM
#13
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I only spent about 2 hour on Mykonos during the Delos/Mykonos cruise and even 2 hours was enough for me. I only saw the waterfront and back streets and they were over flowing with tourists and crowds and this was early October. It's not for me. But for those who may like that type of experience then it may be OK.
I spent 9 days on Crete and was based in Chania on the west side of the island. Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands and it is truly a beautiful island with so much to do, see and experience it would take weeks to enjoy.
Go to Crete!
I spent 9 days on Crete and was based in Chania on the west side of the island. Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands and it is truly a beautiful island with so much to do, see and experience it would take weeks to enjoy.
Go to Crete!
Last edited by crazyh; Jul 15th, 2019 at 04:51 AM.
Jul 15th, 2019 | 05:15 AM
#14
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That explains why you thought Mykonos was crowded in October, you hung out with the cruise ship crowd. Too bad you didn’t take time to explore the island a little further, or you may have had a different experience. When I’ve been to Mykonos in May and June I didn’t find it crowded at all.
Last edited by Heimdall; Jul 15th, 2019 at 05:25 AM.
Jul 15th, 2019 | 06:03 AM
#15
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I didn't go to Mykonos because I chose to go Crete (in 2006, for eight nights), and would love to go back. While I would like to see Delos I can't work up much enthusiasm for Mykonos. I stayed in Chania, Rethymno and Iraklio (for the museum and Knossos) and if I went back would try to spend some time on the south coast. While I was in Chania I hiked the Samaria Gorge, which I would not attempt today!
Jul 15th, 2019 | 10:44 AM
#16
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Thursdaysd, both times I've been to Delos I stayed on Mykonos for a few nights before moving on to Paros and Antiparos, which are my favourite islands. If you've ever read any of Bill Barr's posts you will hear from someone who loves Mykonos, and has been going there for about 60 years (are you reading this, Bill?)
Bill gave me a tip for my second visit to stay somewhere near Lakka Square, which is still in the middle of Mykonos Town but far enough away from the port to filter out most of the cruise ship passengers. I even found a restaurant at Lakka Square, Marco Polo, that has good food at about the same price as on Naxos and Paros. That part of town is quiet, just what I wanted.
Bill gave me a tip for my second visit to stay somewhere near Lakka Square, which is still in the middle of Mykonos Town but far enough away from the port to filter out most of the cruise ship passengers. I even found a restaurant at Lakka Square, Marco Polo, that has good food at about the same price as on Naxos and Paros. That part of town is quiet, just what I wanted.
Jul 16th, 2019 | 02:09 AM
#19
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There are tour boats to Delos/Mykonos from Naxos and Paros, but it’s much better to go from Mykonos itself, then you can control how much time you spend on Delos. The best boat from Mykonos old harbour is the 9am, because it gets there an hour before the tour boats arrive, and until 10am you have the site almost to yourself.
The trip on the tour boat from Naxos takes 10 hours, and of that you get only 3 hours on Delos and up to 3 hours on Mykonos. That is even less than the cruise ships that dock at Mykonos, leaving you little time to explore anywhere except the old port, Little Venice and windmill area, which as crazyh wrote gets crowded when cruise ships are in port. If you stay on Mykonos you can easily avoid those places when cruisers are around.
The fabled night life in Mykonos Town is mostly after midnight, so if you are an early to bed type you won’t even notice. Some beaches have partying in late afternoon, but others, like Agios Ioannis (the Shirley Valentine beach) don’t. Mykonos will never be my first choice of island, but it has a beautiful well maintained town and the easiest access to Delos.
The trip on the tour boat from Naxos takes 10 hours, and of that you get only 3 hours on Delos and up to 3 hours on Mykonos. That is even less than the cruise ships that dock at Mykonos, leaving you little time to explore anywhere except the old port, Little Venice and windmill area, which as crazyh wrote gets crowded when cruise ships are in port. If you stay on Mykonos you can easily avoid those places when cruisers are around.
The fabled night life in Mykonos Town is mostly after midnight, so if you are an early to bed type you won’t even notice. Some beaches have partying in late afternoon, but others, like Agios Ioannis (the Shirley Valentine beach) don’t. Mykonos will never be my first choice of island, but it has a beautiful well maintained town and the easiest access to Delos.
Jul 16th, 2019 | 05:39 AM
#20
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If I had to choose, I'd always choose Crete over Mykonos, which has become far too expensive and crowded. It won't be crowded in October, but it's still outrageously overpriced. Crete is much larger and has so much more to offer, even without the opportunity to see Delos. However, I'd spend a day in Athens. The museum is outstanding (as is the Cycladic Museum). And the food is so good. Athens is a happening place now.
