skigal

Forget Hydra. I spent 2 days there and it was 1 1/2 days too long. It is really not worth the stop on a short trip. It is just a bunch of houses on a big rock with lots of tourist shops on the waterfront, with a few donkeys and lots of cats. Delphi, Naplion with the surrounding areas are much more interesting and worth your time.

saltymuffin

We have had a change of plans and are doing Provence and Barcelona rather than Turkey prior to this Greece itinerary. This has done two things.
1. We are not stuck arriving in Samos, but fly into Athens instead
2. and we have gained one more day!

I am thinking about a route similar to what Murphy suggested.

1. Arrive in Athens and connect to Santorini.
2. Santorini
3. Santorini - overnight ferry to Athens?
4. Arrive Athens and head to Nafplion.
5. Nafplion
6. Nafplion - rent a car to explore the surrounding sites.
7. Nafplion to Delphi, not sure if we should keep the car and drive to Delphi, or take the bus. Overnight Delphi.
8. To Athens - again not sure if we should still have the car and drive back, or take the bus.
9. Athens
10. Athens
11. Fly home

I also wondered if we should maybe take an overnight tour to Delphi instead of taking the bus, or driving ourselves. My main concern with driving is dropping the car off in Athens. I don't like the idea of having to drive into Athens to drop it off.

Fidel

I'm lost in your details and unsure what time of year you're going, but I'm weighing in...drive to Delphi and stay a couple nights. Go to the site as early as possible one morning and again as late as possible in the evening, and avoid tours, tour groups, buses, etc. Instead, read books about one of the sacred places of the world.

hopscotch

I just started reading "The Oracle" by William J. Broad. I'll be going to Delphi on my next visit to Greece.

kari92037

I agree with skigel that Hydra is great for a day trip but nothing more. It is cool because of the donkeys but, I don't think I would overnight there unless you are writing a book and want peace and quiet! We got there at 9am and were ready to go home before the last ferry! We had actually hoped to do the Aegina, Poros, and Hydra 3 day island day tour-which would have been better.
Santorini is a must but, so is Delphi! I would have loved to stay the night (like someone else's suggestion). We also stopped at the Lucas Monastary on the way back to Athens and it is still operating and a great place to have a pit stop and have lunch! There is historical relevance from WWII and Germany's occupation there.
Try not to make a choice between Delphi and Santorini-they are so entirely different but, you can do all of Athens in 2 days easily! We were there for 8 nights but, we had a wedding in Glyfada. Don't miss Plaka (our favorite) at night, the small port (can't recall the name) is great for night life and very modern restaurants too, and we loved the Archielogical Museum.

saltymuffin

Thanks kari92037,

In the end we have chosen both Delphi and Santorini. Here is the latest itinerary. Many people have suggested overnighting in Delphi, but the day trip really looks like it will work the best for our time. I would love to hit the Lucas Monastary on the way to or from Delphi, but none of the day trips seem to offer this. Did you hire a driver, or drive yourself?

Day 1: Arrive in Athens 4:30pm
Day 2: Athens
Day 3: Day trip to Delphi
Day 4: Athens. Overnight Ferry to Santorini.
Day 5: Santorini
Day 6: Santorini
Day 7: fly to Athens, pick up car and drive to Nafplion
Day 8: Day trip from Nafplion to Mycenae and Epidaurus
Day 9: Day trip from Nafplion to Hydra? Mystras?
Day 10: Drive to Athens via Corinth and Dafne, drop car at airport and sleep at airport hotel.
Day 11: Early flight home

poligirl

Good choice. Santorini is really something you don't want to miss. Delphi is also wonderful. We were only there for one night but I felt like it was enough. I also really enjoyed our afternoon at Corinth. The hotel Rex in Nafplion is nice. The night life there if fun too, lots of great places! You will have a nice trip.

kari92037

I don't know when you leave...but hope this reaches you before. I was searching for his address to send a good old fashioned "thank you." this is my driver's info...really, he's a cab driver and he was awesome! We had several girls/ladies so the cost split by four of us made it worth the privacy/own schedule vs. cost but, see if you can negotiate with him since it is lower season. Also, say you are friends of the girls from "California" Kari and her Mom, and Angelica, and Alpa....HIs name is Aris (prounouced like short for Aristotle) his phone number is : from US 011-30-693-2642364 or email his adorable 18 year old daughter Joanna...at [email protected] This guy made our trip! we could have never seen as much of Greece w/o his recommendations, help, and courtesy. Aris is an amazing guy! He speaks great English. If Aris can't help you, he will turn you on to someone who can and you can trust. (We were taken advantage of by other cabs while in Athens, by the way). He became such a friend, that he invited us to his home for dinner with his wife and two college age daughters...again, we were a group of 4-5 women from California and we ended up making several day trips around mainland Greece/Athens with him including Ancient Corinth/Canal in the Peloponeese/Sunion, etcc etc.. Our cost for Delphi in his 2 door Mercedes Cab was 300 Euro but, we split it by 4...and we made a couple neat stops along the way. Good Luck!

saltymuffin

Thanks kari,

We don't actually leave until May, so I have lots of time!

I will consider your driver. For just the two of us, it is a bit $$, but may be worth it.

SuQue

Another idea- from Nafplio it is easier to take a day trip to pretty green Spetses than Hydra. It is a shorter drive and you take water taxi over thus not dealing with schedules as you would be for Hydra.There also was a company in Napfplio that offered a day trip to both islands but did not operate on the day we wanted to go.Your hotel can arrange the tour for you.

saltymuffin

Thanks for the tip SuQue, I had wondered what was the best thing to do that 2nd day in Nafplion. We may even wait and decide when we get there and see all the options . . . pretty novel idea for me!

travelerjan

I'm fine with everything but day 9. You get to Nafplio and spend day 8 on day trip to Ephesus & Mycenae; OK, fine.

But Day 9 for a day trip to silly-donkey Hydra when you have the most delightful city in Greece (Nafplio) to explore?!?! A WOrld Heritage City for its history, architecture & state of preservation!?! With a paralia along the water that has marquee cafes facing the most stunning sunset view imaginable. And a castle in the harbor, one atop the city ramparts, and an amazing Palamidi fort on a GIbralter-size rock behind the town!?!

Please! Do yourself a favor and spend just one day marveling at Nafplio. The Greeks do this -- it's their favorite getaway place (you DO notice that they never promote Nafplio to tourists; they want it all to themselves).

I'm willing to bet big Euros that you'll come back and say Why don't more guide books talk about Nafplio!?!?

Dukey

"Why don't more guide books talk about Nafplio!?!?"

Perhaps because they know a lot of people would prefer to wade through all those jewelry stores on Santorini.

saltymuffin

Thanks travelerjan,

I think we will play day 9 by ear - not planning anything at all. I figured we would have quite a bit of time on day 7 for Nafplion, but it sounds like there is a lot to see and do there, so we shouldn't have a problem filling another day! It will also be a break from driving that day.

Are there generally day trips available from Nafplion to Mycenae and Epidaurus? Maybe we don't need a car at all?

merlinnz

I am travelling to afplio next yeah but as a driver from the "wrong" side of the road I do not want to hire a car. Did you find day trips were easily available from nafplio, to epidavros, mycenae etc? What about a ferry trip from there?

Thanks