selinalei

Hi, Everyone. After my previous posts, I have been studying and researching for my first trip to Greece in early May. I am really thankful for your valuable information and suggestions. I am now at the point of finalizing my trip, although I still have to work a bit more about the highlights in each place.

Basically, I have come up with the following itinerary:
- Fly to Athens and to Chania on the same day, arriving early afternoon
- Chania (3 nights)
- Agia Pelagia (3 nights)
- Hydrofoil to Santorini (5 nights)
- Fly to Athens (3 nights, including a day trip to Delphi)

Does this itinerary sound good and reasonable? Is there anything I should pay attention to? Also, I want to know if it is necesary to book anything in advance for the hike to the Samaria Gorge on Crete? I heard that one has to book seats on buses and boats/tours. If so, where can I do that? Any other comments are welcome.

Thanks again!

brotherleelove2004

Sounds good to me. Chania is a very charming town, very much reminiscent of Venice, Italy. Agia Pelagia looks very nice as well. Try to get to Oia on Santorini, it's the most beautiful and traditional village on the island, and will be perfect in May. Have a great time!

HellsBells

Your itinerary looks great! am very jealous! You will just want to go back, and back! My family is from Kythera and Agia Pelagia is so lovely - best time of year to go to Greece as well. Make sure you go to the markets in Potamos, and lie in the sun at kapsali! There's a great hotel there as well called the Kalokerinos hotel. so beautiful. Hire a vespa to get around - the island is not that big! Have fun!

DougP

You do not have to book the trip tp and from the Samaria Gorge ahead. When in Chania go to any travel agent and book when you are there. You can also book trips to other destinations such as Elafonnisis or Knossos. I would suggest the trip to Knossos if it includes the museum and the ruins. The gorge is spectacular and a simple hike. We saw many people 65 and older.
Wear good shoes, take water and a hat. The bus ride to the gorge and back from the seaport are exciting also. Our bus had to stop and let the sheep and goats pass.

selinalei

Thanks again for your input.

HellsBells, can you tell me more about that Potamos markets? I can't find much info on the search engine.

I guess I must have made a mistake. My topic doesn't appear in the Greece section?

selinalei

By the way, is it easy to get a cab to and from the airport and the hotel in Athens?

sheila

selinalei, there is no Greece topic, only a Europe one. The box you "ticked" for Greece only helps in a search.

YOU can, in Chania, just walk to the bus station and get a service bus up to Omalos and the top of the Xiloskala. The boats at the end will take you back to an appropriate village and you get the service bus home again. It's a tremendous walk. Have a great time

KathyNZ

Where are you staying in Athens? It is not necessary to take a taxi, take the bus which leaves from right outside the front exit of the airport and alight in Syntagma Square. If you are staying there or in the Plaka it is not far to walk from the bus stop. Watch out for taxi drivers who rip you off, it is quite common in Athens.
If you have time take the local bus or a tour to Cape Sounion, it is a lovely drive along the coast.

selinalei

Thanks again.

I will wait until I get to Chania to fix my trip to the Samaria Gorge. Likewise, I will wait until I get to Athens and see what to do. I will bear in mind about the option of the bus. I am also hoping to go the Cape Sounion by bus. (I am staying in Electra Palace, by the way).

KathyNZ

Hi there
In that case take the bus to Syntagma Square, walk a short distance down
Mitropoleos Street, turn left at Nikis and right into Nikodimou Street.
This is about a ten minute walk with a wheelie bag. I have done this stretch a number of times.

sisterleebore2004

The Samaria gorge may be closed in early May, especially if it's been raining a lot.
It is also easier to stay in Paleochora for the Samaria Gorge rather than Chania. There is an early morning bus to the head of the gorge from either place, just go to the bus station (KTEL) to ascertain the timings the day before (the walk takes about 6 hours or so). When you reach the bottom of the gorge, Ag Roumeli, buy the ferry ticket either to Paleochora or Chora Sfakia (you will have to wait for a Chania bus).I have been down the gorge 3 times so I am saying this from experience of both routes. Do NOT use travel agencies, use the greek buses (KTEL).

The Agia Pelagia mentioned by HellsBells is the one on Kythera island NOT Crete.

The one on Crete is not worth staying at, try Paleochora for reasons mentioned above.