HappyTrvlr

We stayed in Napflio and spent a day on the island Spetses which was beautiful and a short water taxi ride from the mainland.

PeaceOut

Great. That would be a good day trip? Assuming water taxis run in early November.

clausar

The short water taxi ride from mainland to Spetses, is from the Costa and not from Nafplio.
They run the whole year round, but you have to drive to Costa and park your car there. There is no boat connecting Nafplio with Spetses.

PeaceOut

Is it just me being dense, or is Greece a complicated place to understand? Yikes.
Thanks for helping, y'all!

clausar

What is complicated in your opinion?

Chania

try to work in a side trip to Monemevasia if you decide to travel to Nafplio. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monemvasia

brotherleelove2004

Greece is not complicated. I think perhaps your lack of knowledge stemming from a lack of research is causing you to overthink everything. You also seem to be missing a reasonable degree of overall travel experience, something that should be remedied by this trip.

Heimdall

Hi PeaceOut,

Greece is a large country, and with only a week you need to focus on a specific region, then narrow down your choices. I firmly believe that for November Athens and the Peloponnese would be the best options.

As with most threads, everyone throws in suggestions for their favourite places, and that's when it begins to get complicated. We started out discussing the Nafplio region (Argolid), and now Kalamata, Monemevasia and Spetses have been added. Get yourself a guidebook and decide which area appeals to you the most. The Fodor's Greece guide has 46 pages on the Peloponnese alone, and there is far too much to see in a week.

If you are interested primarily in ancient sites, then the Nafplio area would probably suit you best. If you are interested primarily in picturesque seaside towns, then maybe the area around Kalamata would be better.

PeaceOut

"You also seem to be missing a reasonable degree of overall travel experience,". Not true, but thanks for the dig, brotherlee.

I say it is complicated because it has so many destinations, and different modes of travel to reach them. The islands' ferries schedules aren't year-round. Shops and restaurants close down around the time we will be there. That sort of thing.

H, you are very helpful. Thanks.

I have been perusing the Greece Fodor's book, and I just keep seeing more places I want to see. That's the problem: too many places, too little time!

Heimdall

<i>I have been perusing the Greece Fodor's book, and I just keep seeing more places I want to see. That's the problem: too many places, too little time!</i>

Hopefully there will be more trips to Greece in your future. I can assure you, Greece is addictive! ;-)

PeaceOut

I hope so, H. DD went there one spring and loved it. She was there right as the stores were opening their doors, painting their facades, and were happy to see customers. A couple of restaurants gave them free food in exchange for having them write signs and menus in English. She loved all the fresh fish, and the welcome attitude. They visited three islands, I think.

PeaceOut

Just wanted to thank you all for your help. I will print this thread and keep your advice on hand.

But now, I am exiting Fodor's and have asked to have my name de-registered. Too many snakes and not enough civility.

Heimdall

Hi PeaceOut,

Sorry to hear you are leaving Fodor's. I hope those of us who reply to posts tagged for Greece have been civil — this is generally a very friendly part of the forums. I notice from your profile that most of the threads you have commented on are in the Fodorite Lounge — I never go there.

PeaceOut

Yes, H, you are so right. Thanks for your help.

HappyTrvlr

We drove from Napflio to another section of coast to catch the ferry/water taxi to Spetses, easy drive, not too far. They run tours from Napflio to both Spetses and Hydra as well. We saw the ads posted at a travel agency.

britgirl8409

As already mentioned the tourist season is May thru October. After that ferries & flights will be on reduced schedules. Also on the islands most, if not all hotels will be closed as will restaurants. Do be careful in Athens, it really isn't a terribly safe place right now, there's a lot of civil unrest and an awful lot of homeless people, because they simply have nowhere else to go.

TexasAggie

My husband and I love the Peloponnese. There are a ton of ancient sights easily accessible from Nafplio, though be aware that the open hours of the sights and museums are significantly shorter in the off season (most sights close by 2:30 or 3pm). The southern Peloponnese is also lovely, and of purse Olympia on the western side is amazing.

clausar

britgirl i don't know where you have this information from.
Athens is safe as it always has been, and there is NO civil unrest at all, also there are not more homeless people as elsewhere in Europe.

Is you post based on personal experience?
Would you like to share it with us ?

Heimdall

Britgirl is totally wrong on two points:

First of all, there is no island where all the hotels and restaurants are closed between November and April. Even the locals enjoy going out for meal, and during winter have time to do so. You can always find somewhere to stay even on the smallest island.

Secondly, as clausar pointed out, there is no civil unrest in Athens, and tourists are just as safe as ever. The crime rate in Athens is lower than in almost any other major city.

Strangely, some people continue spreading these malicious rumours, even though I have never read or heard a report of tourists being harmed in an Athens demonstration.

Heimdall

Interesting graph: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cr...e-total-crimes

Read into it what you will. ;-)