Heimdall

Booking.com is a good idea! Pay attention to location, though. There are no dangerous areas in Athens, but many people recommend against hotels around Omonia Square and the Exarchia area. I won't go into detail, but a Google search will show you what I mean. Greece is a very safe country, though, so have no concerns about that.

Sometimes booking.com shows "no availability", while an enquiry directly to the hotel shows rooms still available. I use booking.com as a guide, then try to find the hotel's own website.

Travelerjan knows Nafplio well, so she can give some good tips for that area. I imagine your teens would enjoy testing the acoustics in the theatre at Epidavaros, and maybe running on the track in the stadium at Olympia where the first games took place. Delphi has a theatre and stadium too. There is much to inspire young people in the trip you are planning.

gtproteam

travelerjan thankyou - I'm afraid our budge in Euros is something like 100 Euros per night for the 5 of us (about 200 Rand each a night) We've got a pad through airbnb in Nafplion for 3 nights eeek but are now wondering if we shouldn't have made it 4 nights or even 5 there seems so much to do there. STILL looking at an island venture for the children - From Nafplion?? I wonder?

stanbr

Wow I saw Jans first response on Jan 13 and came back today and there are 20 responses. It is good to see experienced people sharing their knowledge.
Just my thoughts an Island probably isn't a good idea as this is too early in the season. Concentrate on the mainland.
You can do a circle trip from Athens to Corinth and visit the canal, Ancient Corinth and Ancient Nemia. That can easily take up a day and there are lots of decent hotel around Corinth that should be within your budget for a night.
Then head down to Nafplio. If you can certainly add a night or two there. There are so many great ancient sites in that whole area.
Then head north to Delphi through Patras. You will probably arrive in mid afternoon so may be able to visit the museum. Get a room on a walk up basis at a hotel in the village. Last June we got a lovely room for 50 euros. If you don't mind the kids sharing a room next door you should be able to stay within your budget. Next morning you should pretty much have the archaeological site to yourselves until the buses arrive. You might then consider driving north to Meteora. One of the monasteries there was featured in a James Bond movie. The kids might just enjoy this remarkable site, That should fill in those few days for you.
Back in Athens check out Attalos again. I know they have several rooms with multi single beds and family rooms.

Just near the Monistraki station there is a youth hostel called Athens Style. We stayed there a few years ago. They have a couple of family suites. We never saw one as they were occupied but it is in a perfect location likely in your budget and there is a real youthful vibe there. And as I recall 2 euro beers at happy hour on the rooftop bar overlooking the acropolis.
Here is an album of the Peloponnese including a ll the day trips from Nafplio and Corinth
Nafplio and Peloponnese http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632094108982/
Delphi and Meteora
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7645469717811/

And lastly Athens. Views from the rooftop bars of both Athens Style and Attalos can be found toward the end of the album.

Athens http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632121475515/
Good luck with your planning

gtproteam

We're considering 2 nights in Athens 1 in Delphi 3 nights in Nafplion (alreaady booked), 2 on Hydra and then back to Athens for our flight. This leaves us 2 nights somewhere else where we'd like to base ourselves. Has anyone got any ideas. As you can see we're doing a circular route anti clockwise and our island visit will be two nights on Hydra. For the kids sake we don't want to spend too much time driving.

mariha2912

Are you people who enjoy visiting more places on the go or less places and explore in depth? Quantity vs quality is always a difficult equation and works different for each person on each trip.
Personaly I get bored of packing/unpacking and moving on every other day... I am a firm believer that if you make the effort to go all the way somewhere, you may as well allow some time to get an idea what this is all about too. Thus I would add those 2 nights in Delphi and/or Athens rather than adding more destinations.

Athens is a 6 millions population modern city with plenty to see and do. It is a pitty people never research it properly and never allocate enough time to see/experience anything else than the Acropolis. Diverse nightlife, all kind of museums, ancient, Byzantine and other sites, all kind of shopping, very different districts, walking and hiking, strong eating out and coffee culture, zoo and theme parks are among some of the features available in Athens... Personaly I spent weeks on every visit and never get bored of the area.

Delphi's main attraction is of course the ancient ruins and the related museum, but Delphi is not only this. Landscape is fantastic, on April modern town is not crowded and you may enjoy to hung around there, walking, eating and shopping in leisure, visiting the Agelos&Eva Sikelianos museum and take in the views and ambiance of a touristy but small rural town. Delphi's location is a key point to explore all surrounding area, that been caves, fir trees forest, mountain villages, sea-side towns, Byzantine monasteries or whatever, there is hiking starting from Delphi and I am sure you may pleasantly spend 2 full days or 10 there.
Just saying...

Heimdall

No mention of Olympia in your latest post. Are you still planning to do the circular route through the Peloponnese between Delphi and Nafplio?

gtproteam

mariha2912 you speak a lot of sense. We are quality rather than quantity people so hear exactly what you're saying. We'll have 3 nights in Athens in total as we're staying there on our way back. Thank you for confirming that Delphi is certainly worth staying longer at. We love to hear what you've mentioned one can do there in April. We LOVE coffee and sampling a different culture's food.

Heimdall we're just wondering whether Olympia is worth the extra drive. If we leave Delphi and drive via Corinth to Nafplio, isn't it a pretty long detour to Olympia. We're wondering how long it will take us to drive from Delphi to Nafplio the quickest route.

travelerjan

Yes, it is quite a long drive ... from Athens to Pyrgos took 5.5 hours on bus, hten 30 mins to Olympia. If you did want to see a Games site, Nemea is a LOT of fun ... beautifully excavated, authentic partial restauration of temple, and ditto of stadium, including triumphal entry tunnal and starting blocks for racers ... (U Cal Berkeley is in charge, money helps!!!). As my previous post said, it's just 5 miles or so off the main road to Nafplio.

Heimdall

<i>"If we leave Delphi and drive via Corinth to Nafplio, isn't it a pretty long detour to Olympia."</i>

Yes, indeed, it would be a very long detour that way to Olympia! If you were to go to Olympia it would make more sense to continue west from Delphi and cross over the bridge at Antirrio (the other end of the Gulf of Corinth) toward Patras in the Peloponnese, then make your way to Olympia from there. That was the anti-clockwise route I mentioned in my Jan 13th, 11:01am post. It would still be a long drive, though.

If Olympia isn't a "must see", then I suggest you go with mariha2912's advice and spend more time in fewer places.

Heimdall

Gtproteam, from an online distance calculator:

Delphi to Patras (via Rio-Antirrio bridge) — 122 km, driving time 2hrs 13min
Patras to Pyrgos (near Olympia) — 97 km, driving time 1hr 44min

After Olympia you would have to drive across the Peloponnese to Nafplion. According to the same online distance calculator that would be 193 km, driving time 2hrs 41min.

Your call!

parosblue

Hi Gtpro, We drove from Nafplion to Dephi. I think it took 2.5-3 hours, if I remember correctly. Be sure to stop in Arakova, the town just before Delphi. Nafplion is a wonderful spot to stay and tour the local areas - visit Mycenae, the site of King Agamemnon's castle. Encourage your kids to read about Queen Clytemnestra and her children Orestes and Electra. Wonderful tales of palace intrigue and revenge.

mariha2912

Amylu, this is a silly way to advertise your company. Do you think people would ever believe that a family enjoyed sailing and kitesurfing on the islands in the middle of the winter? And especially this winter when some islands had 2 metres snow?

Litsa

.. for inexpensive accommodations in Athens, you may want to take a look at www.athensbackpackers.gr/
As far as the drive is concerned.. speaking personally here, I would not omit Olympia.. where the torch is still lit and travels the world for the Olympic Games.. I found it more interesting than Epidauros theater and Mycenae.. then again, we're all different;-) Nonetheless, I did it in reverse going from Olympia to Delphi and remember the drive did not take more than around 4 hours! Happy planning.. and EnJOY!

joannyc

I highly recommend an overnight in Meteora, stunning!

PetrosB3

My advise is to spend most of your time in the Peloponnese, one of the most culturally rich places in Europe. Start in Athens, exploring the world class museums, strolling the old town, tasting the fascinating culinary scene, and ofcourse admiring one of the wonders of the world, the Parthenon. Then head to Nauplion, one of the best preserved towns of Greece. On your way to the town you should definitely visit Epidaurus, a UNESCO site which is an Ancient Greek city state with the pest preserved, largest, and most well built Greek Theater in the world. It's world famous for its outstanding acoustics, you can whisper something from the bottom of the Theater and a person on top clearly hears what you say. It's considered a masterpiece. After your stop at Epidaurus your next stop is Mycenae. A UNESCO site as well, Mycenae is one of the most important ancient sites of Greece, a city full of legends, myths and History. This is the hometown of Agamemnon, leader of the Greeks during the siege of Troy. Explore the Cyclopean Walls, the Lion Gate, the Palaces, and the majestic Tombs of many Greek heroes of the Trojan War and other Homeric figures. Then finally head to Nauplion. Stay some days there strolling the old town with its neoclassical houses, old tavernas and shops, make sure to visit the Archaeological Museum which has a number of Mycenaean treasures, and climb to the Palamidi citadel. After staying in Nauplion your next stay is Monemvasia, a true jewel. On your way to Monemvasia make a stop at Mystras, a UNESCO site which is a Byzantine castle settlement. This is the place where the last Byzantine Emperor was crowned before departing for Constantinople to defend the City from the Turks. It has a number of beautiful churches with century old frescoes and mosaics, the Palaiologos Palace, castles, and some other beautiful public buildings from the era. It's next to Ancient Sparta which you can visit, even though there is not much left. Then head to Monemvasia, a walled Byzantine town built in the side of a huge rock, called the Gibraltar of the East. The town is gorgeous, with small elegant shops, bars and restaurants. It has many Byzantine churches and Venetian buildings, and don't forget to visit the now uninhabited Ano Polis (Upper Town) which houses the medieval cathedral of Hagia Sophia. Near Monemvasia is Elafonisos, considered one of the best beaches in the world with crystal turquoise waters and white sand. From Monemvasia you can make a day trip to the Mani Peninsula with its tower houses and wild beauty, also the home of Hades Gof of the Dead, which was living in Cape Tainaron, the very edge of Greece. Leave Monemvasia and take the boat for the island of Cythera. Birthplace of Aphrodite it has a charming villages, beautiful landscapes and beaches and a beautiful Chora (main town).

jakub

there are a nice and unique islands near Peloponnes like Hydra and Spetses but not for swimming. Send your request to www.triphelp.gr and you will get proposals from locals.

mariha2912

There are locals in this very forum jakub.