hklukas

Hi,

Mu husband and I are planning a 3 week trip to Greece and I need some help. We are planning to go either the first 3 weeks in June or the first 3 weeks in September. What would be the best time to go? We like warm sunny weather but not super hot.

We want to spend most of our time on the Greek Islands. How much time should we plan to spend in Athens and what islands are recommended? We want to spend time on the beach, fish, and do some hiking. We also do like to party so that would be fun too.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Heidi

Intrepid

I've been at the very end of May and into the first part of June in the past. Weather was warm and wonderful but not overly hot and there weren't as many folks crowding the more popular sites. I suspect September may be the same way.

hklukas

Intrepid,

Any places you would recommend? I think we may shoot for the first 3 weeks in June then.

Heidi

beachbum

You might consider that the Olympics will (supposedly) be held in Athens in mid-late August.

sheila

By September everything is pretty brown and burned; and in the Cyclades at least you will get quite a lot of meltemi. I (who have never been in June) would suggest June.

carylspall

Just had the first 3 wks in September.Some days were extremely hot and we never saw rain.We stayed 2 nts in Athens(more than enough),then hired a car and went to some wonderful places - the best was Meteora.Stunning scenery.We really enjoyed the Pelopponese as well.So much to see and do.made the mistake of going to Paros for 5 nts -didn't like the place.Really loved Santorini though.Still preferred the mainland to the islands we visited as you could get a real taste of Greece without seeing signs saying "English Breakfast"! As September was fairly quiet, we did not book hotels -just turned up and haggled over the price of a room.
We intend to go back next year in May as the locals told us it's very beautiful then.

Vera

I've been in September, and it was not all burned brown. It was beautiful. My favorite time is April, but you're not giving us that choice. An advantage of September is that the European tourists all disappear after Sept. 1 and getting reservations, etc. is a lot easier. I second the suggestion to see something other than the islands. Delphi is breathtaking and there are so many wonderful things to see and do in the Peloponnese. Few people get past Olympia and the other major sites to the far southern Mani and island fortress of Monemvassia. The island I liked best (after magical Santorini) was Sifnos. Also would love to get to Folegandros some day. And Crete is worth a week. It has everything--sand beaches, wind surfing, wonderful archaeolgy sites, party towns, hiking in canyons and on mountains--it never ends.

Vera

Hania

I have been in June and Sept. I found Sept. quite windy. The first 2 weeks of June are prefect and then by the 3rd and 4th week it starts getting almost too hot for my liking. My favourtie time is the last week of May and the first 2 weeks of June. Prices start to climb near the end of June as well.

hklukas

Thank you all so much for your input. By "hot" in June, what do you mean? 80? 90? Hotter?

Also, my husband really wants to try and go fishing while he's in Greece, has anyone done that while they were there and have any advice or where to go or cost?

Thanks again,
Heidi

carolyn

We arrived in Athens on June 9 this year, spent a week on the mainland and a week island hopping, and it was hot. The temperature was in the 90s F. every day with no rain in sight, just clear blue sky and *bright* sunshine.

We had a really good time, but I, who never wear them, bought a hat and used a lot of sun screen.

Do see Delphi, and Ephesus was wonderful.

Old_One

June is a good month to go temps around 80s end of May more like 70s sun almost every day. Fishing I guess would be at no cost, where to go you better ask a greek islander.

beaches & hiking - Serifos, Ikaria, Anafi, Sifnos, Naxos, Crete, Samos
hiking - Amorgos, Folegandros, Tilos, Nissiros
poseur partying & beaches - Mykonos
basic bars & beaches - Ios, Kos, parts of Rhodes, parts of Corfu
Maybe give Athens a miss in 2004 due to various disruptions due to the Olympics.

It's relatively easy to combine the various styles of islands in a 3 week trip.

Hania

By hot I mean 90's.
Sorry no idea on the fishing.

d43

Dear Hkluhas...
I spent 3 weeks in Greece in May/June of 2000. Had an absolutely wonderful time...I still smile when I think of it.

We live in NYC and really wanted to get away from all of the busy-ness. Thought we would start out really deserted and minimal and work are way up. We spent 2/3 days in Athens and it was busy. We came back to it after 2 1/2 weeks in the Cyclades. We loved Athens then. It was familiar and energetic.
The islands were theraputic. We wanted to get a way from it all, and we did.

We went to Sifnos first. It was late May...very few people around. Went to a little bay / beach strip called Platy Gialos. Stayed in one of the only open rooms for let right on the beach. One restaurant was open. Bliss.
Very deserted.

From there we went to Ios overnight...hated it!!! Got out of there on the next ferry.

Then we went to Naxos. Very worried when we got into port..Super busy not very pretty.
Took a bus which left us at Aprianthos. A very small mountain town that has streets paved with marble. Nowhere to stay here....perhaps just make the harrowing drive "on a bus" in for lunch...From there we spent a couple of days in Appolonas. A very small fishing village it was in the middle of nowwhere. The people where very friendly...only one person spoke english...it was a lot of pantomime and laughter. On our last night there they went out on their boats and caught fresh tuna for everyones dinner.

One of our new friends motored us to Koufonisia on his fishing boat the next day. Koufonisia was a little deserted even for us. I had fun but it is a little bit of a strange place.

From Koufonisia we went to Paros. So many more people....which was very welcome after seeing very few for days....Lovely... lots of greenery. Stayed in a town call Naoussa...beautiful lively outdoor restaurants by the waterfront. Rented scooters and drove around the whole island...

From there we went to Santorini. I don't think I need to tell you much about that...it's is an absolute gem.... Just don't underestimate the amount of time you WILL spend just sitting and staring out at the caldera.

Then back to Athens....for 2 days....

Go to the Parthenon...spend hours and hours there...the tourists eventually feel like they are not there. (Yes ...you & I are a tourist too...but you don't have to act like one!)

Bring good shoes...do lot's of walking...it is the best way to see a pedestrian city.

You will find your own way...have a good time.

hklukas

Thanks again for all of the great advice!

Heidi

jstockler

Just got back from two weeks, starting Sept 6. Nothing was burned or browned, the days were warm and comfortable, we spent many on the beach, in fact. We always travel in Sept because at least part of the world is back in school.

The only thing that may be burnt out next Sept are the Greeks.