Squeaky

I'll be in Greece for 11 days beginning April 28, '04. I thought I would stay in Athens for 5 days, visit some long lost relatives in Chios for 3 days, and my last stop would be Santorini. Does anyone have any advice as to whether I am staying in Athens too long ( I hope to take a day trip to Delphi). Also, which neighborhood in Athens would be good for a single woman to find a hotel. Someone recommended the Best Western Ilisia, but I am wondering how safe it would be to get back to the hotel alone at night.
Do I need a visa to hop over to Turkey from Chios? Thanks for any input.

Chicago_Heather

I really liked Athens and posted last summer about all that I did there. Was very sorry not to have more than 4 nights. Stayed at the Hotel Plaka and really liked it ... there is a bar on the roof (or you can just sit up there)with views of the Acropolis. Plaka is a great neighborhood and I was solo.

http://www.plakahotel.gr/

You definitely need a visa any time that you go into Turkey. If you wait until you get there to buy one, keep in mind that you have to pay in US$. I believe the cost is up to US$100.

Chicago_Heather

BTW, I found that post on Athens that I did:

Message: I'm not big on trying to convince others (particularly those whose tastes are unknown) of much of anything, but I really liked Athens. For me, the amount of time to spend there would depend largely upon the length of your whole trip, if you planned to go to Greece again, and what your interests are for the trip.

For me, I loved just walking around in the different areas. Just one day was hiking up to the Acropolis, walking down to the Agora and into the Monastiraki markets, and nosing around in the Plaka neighborhood. Another day, I walked through the National Gardens, went up (by foot - not necessarily a recommendation) to the top of Mount Likavitos, then down into the Kolonaki area, visited the outstanding Benaki Museum, and ate dinner outdoors with a view of the Acropolis.

As many will write, the National Archaeological Museum is amazing. But, I also enjoyed some of the smaller museums (in addition to the Benaki) like the Folk Art Museum, the Musical Instrument Museum, and the small Greek Children's Museum (one of the women who run the Children's Museum walked me through for an hour and told me about all of the fascinating programs that promote art throughout Greek schools - very interesting).

Another American I ran into visiting Athens with her husband said that they "hated the place". She complained of the buildings falling down, the scaffolding (I was there last fall when pre-Olympic work was in high gear), the crowds of people, etc. But, if what an Athenian told me is correct, one reason a large number of buildings appear to be in disrepair is that the owners do let them fall down ... because the city's laws are so strict and difficult to navigate when trying to renovate buildings, some people just choose to let them fall down and rebuild. And, Athens is crowded - I believe something like 40% of the country's population lives there, and the growth was so rapid that the infrastructure is still trying to catch up.

No city is perfect, but I absolutely didn't regret one moment of the 5 nights/4 full days (with a half-day trip to Sounion) spent in Athens - I saw so many fascinating things and met a lot of very interesting people that it was well worth the time for me. However, having said that, I had nearly 4 weeks before moving on to Turkey. Would I have taken more time away from Nafplion, Corinth, the islands, and other sights? Probably not.

Sorry to ramble on but wanted to try to answer your original post. I actually have lots more info on what I did in Athens ... can't imagine too much more would be of interest to most people here, but you're welcome to drop me an email if you want more feedback.

mzani

Athens:the Illisia bw is on the back of the Athens Hilton.The area is safe with afew good restaurants and cafes.

Why not trying the excellent. Herodion hotel (the owners are from Chios as well...)

An other new option is the brand new boutique hotel, the Xenos Lycabettus hotel (Valoritou street)right in the middle of the best shopping area of Kolonaki an Syntagma Squ.

A visit of Delphi and why not a day trip to Egina or Hydra are a must.

You will adore Chios

MAS16

We also enjoyed Athens. I think 5 days is fine, especially since you're taking a day trip to Delphi (which is beautiful by the way!) We stayed at the Divani Acropolis Palace and liked it very much. I felt the neighborhood was safe - and it was a short walk to the acropolis and the plaka. The breakfast there was very good too!