If you had a month in Greece in June . . . .
Feb 27th, 2012, 07:20 AM
#21
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We stayed in Rhodes in June last year and liked it a lot. It is very touristy - especially when the cruise ships come in to port - but Rhodes town is fascinating and you really should spend a couple of days there. We stayed in the utterly delightful Hotel Attiki - http://www.hotelattiki.com/en/home-page-hotel-attiki/ - and would totally recommend it. However, it may not be suitable for dogs.
From there we went to Lindos and stayed in the Three Brothers Studios - http://www.threebrothers-studios.com/accommodation.htm . Cheap, cheerful, clean and perfectly safe. We also stayed in Villa Koki - http://villakoki.com/ - which has gorgeous views of the bay. Lindos is beautiful. Again it might be a bit over-developed for your tastes, but there are no high rise buildings, and there are some super restaurants.
If you travel in June you will probably be all right "winging it" regarding accommodation. We booked Rhodes accommodation ahead of travelling and then took our chances. Be aware that the European soccer championships take place in June and that might mean that tourism will be down.
Finally I would second the posters who advised shorter times in Santorini and Athens (3 days in each is fine), and also to spend a bit of time on Crete - especially around Chania, or perhaps the southern side - maybe Paleochoura - a friendly beach town.
From there we went to Lindos and stayed in the Three Brothers Studios - http://www.threebrothers-studios.com/accommodation.htm . Cheap, cheerful, clean and perfectly safe. We also stayed in Villa Koki - http://villakoki.com/ - which has gorgeous views of the bay. Lindos is beautiful. Again it might be a bit over-developed for your tastes, but there are no high rise buildings, and there are some super restaurants.
If you travel in June you will probably be all right "winging it" regarding accommodation. We booked Rhodes accommodation ahead of travelling and then took our chances. Be aware that the European soccer championships take place in June and that might mean that tourism will be down.
Finally I would second the posters who advised shorter times in Santorini and Athens (3 days in each is fine), and also to spend a bit of time on Crete - especially around Chania, or perhaps the southern side - maybe Paleochoura - a friendly beach town.
Mar 9th, 2012, 08:29 AM
#22
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You should go to Santorini for two days, stay at http://www.hotelmargarita.gr/ then up to Paros for a week, stay at www.laselini.com then try Tinos for four days theres a ferry to there from Paros. After that get back to Athens and stay there for twos days max and watch your belongings. From there take a ferry to Spetses for three days, this should give you a good cross-section view of different islands.
Mar 9th, 2012, 06:51 PM
#24
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OP's last post goes back to Feb. 15, so i don't think that there is a point in making further recommendations.
It would be also very interesting to see how OP is going to resolve the problem with the dogs, but i am afraid that we will never find out.
It would be also very interesting to see how OP is going to resolve the problem with the dogs, but i am afraid that we will never find out.
Mar 27th, 2012, 03:08 AM
#26
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Hi all, I'm still here! Sorry for the delay in responding to all of these fantastic comments and suggestions --- I had to put Greek trip planning on hold while dealing with our Turkey travel plans -- we're heading to Turkey next week for almost 2 months!
Anyhow, to answer some of the questions relating to dogs:
(1) We book almost exclusively at vacation apartments because we have the dogs. It's MUCH easier to find pet-friendly vacation rentals than to find hotels and our dogs are also much more comfortable at vacation rentals. That's one of the reasons why we prefer to go a bit slower. Mariha, I totally agree with you --- there are a few idiots out there who ruin it for the rest of us who travel with pets. We try very hard to be respectful of the places where we're traveling - we bring our own drop cloths, sheets, and blankets so that pet hair won't get onto the hotel/house furniture, and we don't leave our dogs alone in an unfamiliar environment until we are absolutely convinced that they are comfortable (it normally takes them about 24 hours to get comfortable though we've found that they prefer fancy hotels like Hiltons and Dorints and will settle down easily in those places within just a few hours. They're not fans of the cheap hotels and won't let us leave them alone when we stay at an Ibis.
Clausar, as far as leaving the dogs in the rooms, because we're staying in apartments/vacation rentals, it's usually not as difficult to leave them and we've only once had a problem in the last 8 months (and that was our fault because we didn't properly wipe their feet in the super muddy London weather and a rug had to be cleaned.) When we stay at hotels, we ask them not to clean our rooms unless we leave with the dogs for a walk (some hotels like Hiltons and Sheratons actually have a 'dogs in room' sign which will notify the maid service not to clean.) We've been VERY pleasantly surprised by how easy it's been to travel across Europe with the dogs --- most countries are super pet-friendly and they don't think anything of us having our dogs with us - even less wealthy countries like Bulgaria. We're frequently able to take them into restaurants with us, as well.
(2) Also, our dogs are super well-traveled --- they've been traveling over the last 8 months with us all across Europe (so far they've been to 11 countries, I think). We have a cocker spaniel and beagle mix so they're medium-sized. We're currently in Bulgaria with them and we brought them over from the US via cruise ship. Yes, I know it sounds crazy but we're having a blast and so are they --- if you're interested in how we're doing it and where they've been, we've got a website all about traveling with pets in Europe here: http://theroadunleashed.com
(3) Some of the things that we've found with respect to Greece and dogs is:
- a lot of vacation rentals will let us keep dogs and bring them in the house but we have to pay extra cleaning charges
- most of the aparthotels (apartment hotels) will allow dogs without any charge but regular old hotels won't allow them
- Expedia.com, Booking.com, and Venere.com all have "pet-friendly" search functions which work quite well
So, with all that out of the way, I took all of your recommendations and this is the final plan:
Coming from Bodrum
1 day in Kos
7 days in Rhodes
4 days in Santorini (we thought about doing this for less based on y'all's suggestions but the place I found wouldn't let us book less than 4 days and we're arriving late at night on the ferry)
7 days Naxos
4 days Athens
10 days Peloponnese (probably based somewhere near Napflion)
We would have loved to see Crete and some of the other islands but we'll have to save them for our next trip to Greece!
Anyhow, to answer some of the questions relating to dogs:
(1) We book almost exclusively at vacation apartments because we have the dogs. It's MUCH easier to find pet-friendly vacation rentals than to find hotels and our dogs are also much more comfortable at vacation rentals. That's one of the reasons why we prefer to go a bit slower. Mariha, I totally agree with you --- there are a few idiots out there who ruin it for the rest of us who travel with pets. We try very hard to be respectful of the places where we're traveling - we bring our own drop cloths, sheets, and blankets so that pet hair won't get onto the hotel/house furniture, and we don't leave our dogs alone in an unfamiliar environment until we are absolutely convinced that they are comfortable (it normally takes them about 24 hours to get comfortable though we've found that they prefer fancy hotels like Hiltons and Dorints and will settle down easily in those places within just a few hours. They're not fans of the cheap hotels and won't let us leave them alone when we stay at an Ibis.
Clausar, as far as leaving the dogs in the rooms, because we're staying in apartments/vacation rentals, it's usually not as difficult to leave them and we've only once had a problem in the last 8 months (and that was our fault because we didn't properly wipe their feet in the super muddy London weather and a rug had to be cleaned.) When we stay at hotels, we ask them not to clean our rooms unless we leave with the dogs for a walk (some hotels like Hiltons and Sheratons actually have a 'dogs in room' sign which will notify the maid service not to clean.) We've been VERY pleasantly surprised by how easy it's been to travel across Europe with the dogs --- most countries are super pet-friendly and they don't think anything of us having our dogs with us - even less wealthy countries like Bulgaria. We're frequently able to take them into restaurants with us, as well.
(2) Also, our dogs are super well-traveled --- they've been traveling over the last 8 months with us all across Europe (so far they've been to 11 countries, I think). We have a cocker spaniel and beagle mix so they're medium-sized. We're currently in Bulgaria with them and we brought them over from the US via cruise ship. Yes, I know it sounds crazy but we're having a blast and so are they --- if you're interested in how we're doing it and where they've been, we've got a website all about traveling with pets in Europe here: http://theroadunleashed.com
(3) Some of the things that we've found with respect to Greece and dogs is:
- a lot of vacation rentals will let us keep dogs and bring them in the house but we have to pay extra cleaning charges
- most of the aparthotels (apartment hotels) will allow dogs without any charge but regular old hotels won't allow them
- Expedia.com, Booking.com, and Venere.com all have "pet-friendly" search functions which work quite well
So, with all that out of the way, I took all of your recommendations and this is the final plan:
Coming from Bodrum
1 day in Kos
7 days in Rhodes
4 days in Santorini (we thought about doing this for less based on y'all's suggestions but the place I found wouldn't let us book less than 4 days and we're arriving late at night on the ferry)
7 days Naxos
4 days Athens
10 days Peloponnese (probably based somewhere near Napflion)
We would have loved to see Crete and some of the other islands but we'll have to save them for our next trip to Greece!
Mar 28th, 2012, 04:48 PM
#29
I know I am biased but I think you will be happy in keeping your Athens stay at four days/nights. I know there is much to see and do but we had only three days/nights there and after we got into the countryside were delighted with the lack of noise and diesel fumes.
Apr 8th, 2012, 12:15 PM
#30
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Hi all...
You mentioned that you will be at Boulgaria and you will live from Patras. I am Greek habitant and and I suggest you your destinations should be near. It will be more enjoyable.
So you have two choices.
1)Boulgaria - Thessaloniki - Pilio(Volos)- Athens - 1 or two islands at Ageon Sea - Athens - Peloponese - Patras.
2)Boulgaria - Thessaloniki - Ioannina - Parga - Preveza (undersea tunnel) - Lefkada island - Meganisi island - Delphi - Peloponese (you will pass the biggest greek bridge) - Ancient Olympia - Patras.
Why am I suggesting the first solution? Destinations are bigger but very beautiful. So you don t have many choices.
In the 2nd solotuions destinations are nearest as we have a new motorway (Egnatio is called) connecting Boulgaria - Ioannina. After, Parga is about 1 hour, Preveza less 1 hour, Lefkada island 20 min, Meganisi 30min with ferry. Meganisi is quite,peaceful not overcroweded. Then you can go to Delphi 3 hours from Lefkada. The center of the world for the Ancient Greeks. Then you are 1 hour way to Patras harbour. Then If you have more days to spend you can go to Pirgos, Ancient Olympia and many other cities of Peloponese.
Friendly
You mentioned that you will be at Boulgaria and you will live from Patras. I am Greek habitant and and I suggest you your destinations should be near. It will be more enjoyable.
So you have two choices.
1)Boulgaria - Thessaloniki - Pilio(Volos)- Athens - 1 or two islands at Ageon Sea - Athens - Peloponese - Patras.
2)Boulgaria - Thessaloniki - Ioannina - Parga - Preveza (undersea tunnel) - Lefkada island - Meganisi island - Delphi - Peloponese (you will pass the biggest greek bridge) - Ancient Olympia - Patras.
Why am I suggesting the first solution? Destinations are bigger but very beautiful. So you don t have many choices.
In the 2nd solotuions destinations are nearest as we have a new motorway (Egnatio is called) connecting Boulgaria - Ioannina. After, Parga is about 1 hour, Preveza less 1 hour, Lefkada island 20 min, Meganisi 30min with ferry. Meganisi is quite,peaceful not overcroweded. Then you can go to Delphi 3 hours from Lefkada. The center of the world for the Ancient Greeks. Then you are 1 hour way to Patras harbour. Then If you have more days to spend you can go to Pirgos, Ancient Olympia and many other cities of Peloponese.
Friendly
