I've scoured the posts for awhile and thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences! It has really helped to narrow our 1st Greek isle trip to 3 islands Mykonos (must see Delos), Naxos & Santorini.
I have 2 dilemmas, whether to use a Greek travel agency (or book online myself) and the best towns/places to stay on those islands for mid-range prices. We usually prefer a quiet street in town, for easy sightseeing (we're a B&B-type married couple). As for the travel agency question, I've contacted both Fantasy Travel & Dolphin-Hellas and am not very encouraged by their generic responses (no hotel availability details until we pay at Fantasy, & D-H sent a long list of mostly A & luxury hotels to choose from when I asked for midrange).
Our tentative itinerary is Athens (arrival) 1 night, Santorini 3 nights (will Oia be too quiet in Sept?), Naxos 4 nights, Mykonos 3 nights, end with Athens 2 nights (gotta see the Parthenon!). Any suggestions welcomed.
Thanks!

I would do Athens before the islands.
A couple of years ago I did Athens, Naxos and then Mykonos. In Naxos we statyed at Nisskai beach hotel, located near the center of town on the beach

http://www.greekhotel.com/cyclades/n...ssaki/home.htm

The beach in front of the hotel was not that great but we liked the hotel, the taverna on the beach and the location.

In Athens we use Uli at Dolphin Hellas and we book the Attalos, a tourist class hotel just on the edge of the Plaka. It also has one of the best rooftop bars overlooking the Acropolis. Uli has always been able to book Attalos at a cheaper rate than I can get direct. In June this year we got it for 62 euros double with breakfast.

I too am a budget traveller and you can do very well on Naxos. We do not ask Uli to book these hotels because she does not have a relationship with these smaller hotels.
My favourite hotel is Hotel Glaros. It is a family run hotel ( quite small but clean and friendly) It is right beside Hotel Nissaki on St George beach. While it is true that the beach directly in front of Nissaki is not the best, if one were to walk 50 meters to the left, St George beach becomes one of the best fine sugary white sand beaches in the Cyclades.

I like to stay on St George beach because it is a 15 minute walk to the action of the main street of Chora. You will appreciate that at night when you are ready to go to sleep, because it is Quiet.

Another very nice hotel about 50 meters from St George beach is hotel Spiros .www.hotel-spiros-naxos.gr. It too is an economy hotel but has a pool and is equipped with a kitchenette which we find really keeps the costs down for breakfast and lunch. While we were in Naxos in June we toured Spiros so we could be sure of what we were recommending. At that time a one bedroom studio was 50 euros.

By the way, I think it is important to spend at least a night or two in Athens when you arrive to get over transatlantic jet lag, but you are wise to spend at least one night there before your return flight just to make sure you can get back from the islands.

I would book the first and last nights in Athens, and then play it by ear (taking lots of info with you) on the islands. September traffic drops off dramatically as all the Europeans (mostly German) return home at the end of August.
Vera

Thanks will,stan & vera. I'll consider the options given. I've read so many posts saying late Sept. would be quieter, but Fantasy Travel scared me with their urgent request for a reply to their offer, saying there was very limited availability at that time (hmmm. . . think I'll stick with D-H). Thanks again for great suggestions.

It would be helpful to have accommodation booked for Athens unless you plan to go directly to the islands. I prefer to bypass Athens at the start of my trip and either take a connecting flight to the islands or the bus to Piraeus (or Rafina) for the ferry. There are several flights each day to both Mykonos and Santorini, so you are unlikely to have a very long layover at the airport. Most ferries to the Cyclades depart around 0730 each morning, but a few also leave around 1600-1700 in the afternoon (arriving on the island late evening).

Personally I would never go through a travel agent, because you will end up paying more for your hotel room than if you go directly to the owner. September is the end of the season, rooms on the islands are plentiful, and hotel owners scramble for that last bit of business before the end of the month.

When you arrive on an island by ferry there will be many people waiting at the port with rooms to rent. They are legitimate hotel owners - this is how they do business. They will often have pictures of the rooms and maps showing where the hotel is located. You can ask questions and even negotiate a better price. They will drive you to the hotel, you can look at the room, and then decide whether or not you want to stay. You can even take the room for one night if you wish, then look around for something better the next day.

If you decide to fly, there aren't as many hotel owners waiting at the airport, though. One time, when arriving by air on Naxos, I just asked a man waiting to pick up another client if he had a vacancy at his hotel. I figured I had nothing to lose, as I would have to pay for a taxi into town anyway. I liked the hotel (Argos) so much, I have stayed there ever since.

Personally I would skip as much of Athens as possible. I never figured out why Athens cost twice as much as the islands but gives you half as much in return... but that's my opinion I suppose.

I stayed on Santorini for 5 nights on the souther tip of... Parissa? I think that's what it's called. It's kind of out of the way and has a nice black sand beach and you can easily take a bus into Fira or Oia whenever you want.

Your itenerary looks great by the way. Santorini, Naxos and Mykonos are the big 3 in my opinion. But honestly, skip that 2nd night in Athens at the end of your trip. The Parthenon doesn't take an entire day.

Thanks Heimdall & Tyler - I feel more confident now to wing it - literally - we'll probably fly back from islands (to insure arrival one day before flight back home), which gives us one more day on islands. Can't wait for the adventure!

There are many professional society meetings and conventions in Athens during September ... it surprised me. In Sept 2005 I made many inquiries directly to hotels in the Plaka section, nearly all were full.

There may be some underlying truth to Fantasy Travel's "urgency". But it could also just be a hard sales pitch.

Good info from tom_h. Even without the availability issue it would be impractical to turn up in Athens without reservations and make the rounds of hotels, which can be scattered over a wide area. For the islands, on the other hand, it is easy to get a room when you step off the ferry.

You can find the names of Athens hotels with internet searches and from recommendations by other Fodorites, and call or email them for reservations. If you don't have a hotel reservation by the time you get to the islands, the same travel agents that sell ferry tickets can find you a room in an Athens hotel. You could also ask the owner of the hotel you are staying at on the islands for help.

bookmarking

Hi Opie!

I'm also going to Greece in September, and was interested in your comments about Fantasy Travel, as I had the same experience.

Now, I'm a travel agent myself, but this is not an area of the world I specialize in - I don't know Greece. I also wanted to see how a Greek agency works, and I'd read how good Fantasy was.

I provided "Mike" with a background of what I was looking for, how my husband and I like to travel, a Draft Itinerary, and a few hotels I was interested in. The itinerary was basically done, so I was hoping for his comments & insight.

I got back a "cookie cutter" reply with nothing included that I'd asked for, and several things I didn't ask for (or want)!
(geez, if I treated clients like this I'd be out of business!).

There was another exchange with a smiliar response, and I replied and basically said that I understand he may not have a contract, or work with some of the hotels I picked (an explanation of that fact would have been helpful); apologized for taking up his time, and said we were just not communicating very well and I'd make my own arrangements.

I now have all my accommodation for Athens, Santorini, Naxos and Rhodes.

I did contact John Tirrell, an American who's a travel agent in Athens. (much better response)! In late April/May, when the ferry schedules have been updated, I'll be asking John to make ferry and domestic air reservations. His information is: email: [email protected], and www.conceptours.gr.

Hope this is helpful!

Regards,

Melodie