Please critique my Greek Island/mainland itinerary
Jun 14th, 2009, 10:11 AM
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Please critique my Greek Island/mainland itinerary
Hi. I've already gotten tons of good advice, and thank you all very much for it. I just thought I'd post my itinerary to see if anyone has any other great tips or suggestions for any of the places I'm going.
July 1 - arrive Santorini (from Dusselforf, by plane) at noon, staying in Fira at San Gorgio Villas
July 2 - Oia and perhaps some other inland towns (Pyrgos, Vothonos?)
July 3 - probably take 16:00 ferry to Naxos, so have much of the day in Santorini
Evening in Naxos, staying at Anaxis Hotel
July 4 - either rent car to explore, or just take bus to Apiranthas
July 5 - ferry to Paros - there are several so could spend more or less time on Naxos
Evening in Paros, staying at Hotel Dina
July 6 - want to see Naoussa and/or Lefkes - bus, taxi, car rent? or skip them and just
explore Parika
July 7 - ferry to Piraeus - can't decide if it's worth saving an hour and a half by taking the
high speed ferry over the slower ferry which sounds like more fun but eats up
more time
Late afternoon, evening in Athens, staying at Hotel Metropolis
July 8,9,10,11 - Athens. Probably day trip to Aegina and possibly another day to Hydra
July 12 - rent car, pick up at airport, drive to Delphi - do we spend the morning in Athens and get to Delphi late and see it the following morning, or leave Athens early and see Delphi in the afternoon, early evening? Staying at Hotel Sibylla
July 13 - drive to Napflio - stopping at ancient Corinth on the way, staying at Pension Isabo
July 14 - day trip to Mycenae and/or Epidarus (am thinking of skipping Mycenae, am I crazy to do that?)
July 15 - drive to Cape Sounion to get there near sunset. Staying at Hotel Saron that night which is between Cape Sounion and the airport. Anyone know of it?
July 16 - fly out at 9am (back to Germany where we have a week in the Rhine Valley)
Thanks for any input.
July 1 - arrive Santorini (from Dusselforf, by plane) at noon, staying in Fira at San Gorgio Villas
July 2 - Oia and perhaps some other inland towns (Pyrgos, Vothonos?)
July 3 - probably take 16:00 ferry to Naxos, so have much of the day in Santorini
Evening in Naxos, staying at Anaxis Hotel
July 4 - either rent car to explore, or just take bus to Apiranthas
July 5 - ferry to Paros - there are several so could spend more or less time on Naxos
Evening in Paros, staying at Hotel Dina
July 6 - want to see Naoussa and/or Lefkes - bus, taxi, car rent? or skip them and just
explore Parika
July 7 - ferry to Piraeus - can't decide if it's worth saving an hour and a half by taking the
high speed ferry over the slower ferry which sounds like more fun but eats up
more time
Late afternoon, evening in Athens, staying at Hotel Metropolis
July 8,9,10,11 - Athens. Probably day trip to Aegina and possibly another day to Hydra
July 12 - rent car, pick up at airport, drive to Delphi - do we spend the morning in Athens and get to Delphi late and see it the following morning, or leave Athens early and see Delphi in the afternoon, early evening? Staying at Hotel Sibylla
July 13 - drive to Napflio - stopping at ancient Corinth on the way, staying at Pension Isabo
July 14 - day trip to Mycenae and/or Epidarus (am thinking of skipping Mycenae, am I crazy to do that?)
July 15 - drive to Cape Sounion to get there near sunset. Staying at Hotel Saron that night which is between Cape Sounion and the airport. Anyone know of it?
July 16 - fly out at 9am (back to Germany where we have a week in the Rhine Valley)
Thanks for any input.
Jun 16th, 2009, 07:43 PM
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Comments: A LOT of moving around in a hot month!
-- NAXOS -- I would suggest spending more time in Naxos than in Paros ... I would suggest renting a car for July 4 if you just have the one day to explore, and work it so that you end up about 3 pm on Plaka Beach (change to swimsuit in your car) to cool off after your drive ... consider staying in St. George Beach next to Naxos town instead of way up in Anixis -- try Studios Naxos at the near end (quiet corner) of the area, or Hotel Sanudos, around corner, same low prices as Anixis.
-- PAROS -- with just one day, use morning to explore Parikia, then see if you can bargain for a half-day price for a car to see Lefka & Naoussa, maybe hit a beach. About ferry choices -- you can get a full day more in Paros, if you are willing to arrive late in Athens. There's a non-hi-speed Blue Star ferry that leaves around 7 pm... get a "reserve economy" ticket ... sit outside for sunset, go eat in cafe, THEN go doze in your reserve seat, arrive just before midnight, grab Metro to Syntagma square, get to your hotel before 1 am.
-- ATHENS time: just do the Aegina day trip (not Hydra also) , have dinner on waterfront, come back in the cool of the evening...
-- CAR TRIP: yes, arrive afternoon, and see Delphi early next morning... go to SITE first, before bus throngs, arrive, then do museum before 11 am, then go.
NAFPLIO TIME -- no u are NOT crazy to skip Mycenae, unless you are crazy about it, most of the best artifacts are in Athens museum ... instead go just 6 km outside Nafplio and see Tiryns instead ... no tour buses ... same great Iliad-era fortress type... If you want a BEACH after your ruins (it IS July afer all), drive on road to Tolo & at the fork in the road that says TOLO right, ASINE straight ahead, choose the latter.... darling pebble beach with a cute little taverna and a few umbrellas and NO crowd ... plus another ruin you can walk around and there's a great sandy beach behind!! and no crowds (bring own water & food there).,
-- NAXOS -- I would suggest spending more time in Naxos than in Paros ... I would suggest renting a car for July 4 if you just have the one day to explore, and work it so that you end up about 3 pm on Plaka Beach (change to swimsuit in your car) to cool off after your drive ... consider staying in St. George Beach next to Naxos town instead of way up in Anixis -- try Studios Naxos at the near end (quiet corner) of the area, or Hotel Sanudos, around corner, same low prices as Anixis.
-- PAROS -- with just one day, use morning to explore Parikia, then see if you can bargain for a half-day price for a car to see Lefka & Naoussa, maybe hit a beach. About ferry choices -- you can get a full day more in Paros, if you are willing to arrive late in Athens. There's a non-hi-speed Blue Star ferry that leaves around 7 pm... get a "reserve economy" ticket ... sit outside for sunset, go eat in cafe, THEN go doze in your reserve seat, arrive just before midnight, grab Metro to Syntagma square, get to your hotel before 1 am.
-- ATHENS time: just do the Aegina day trip (not Hydra also) , have dinner on waterfront, come back in the cool of the evening...
-- CAR TRIP: yes, arrive afternoon, and see Delphi early next morning... go to SITE first, before bus throngs, arrive, then do museum before 11 am, then go.
NAFPLIO TIME -- no u are NOT crazy to skip Mycenae, unless you are crazy about it, most of the best artifacts are in Athens museum ... instead go just 6 km outside Nafplio and see Tiryns instead ... no tour buses ... same great Iliad-era fortress type... If you want a BEACH after your ruins (it IS July afer all), drive on road to Tolo & at the fork in the road that says TOLO right, ASINE straight ahead, choose the latter.... darling pebble beach with a cute little taverna and a few umbrellas and NO crowd ... plus another ruin you can walk around and there's a great sandy beach behind!! and no crowds (bring own water & food there).,
Jun 19th, 2009, 07:36 AM
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Thanks for the input. Especially for the advice on Mycenae and Tiryns, we will probably do that, and maybe even that beach. We are not that interested in sitting on beaches - all our vacations for the past 20 years have been beach vacations, and we live near the coast, so while gazing at the Agean is a high priority, sitting on the beach or swimming is not.
Two other questions - how reliable are the ferry times? I did consider taking the late ferry to Athens from Paros but it makes me nervous that we wouldn't make it till the metro closes and then we'd be stuck with a very expensive taxi ride.
Also, going from Santorini to Naxos there is an earlier ferry that I'd like to take but it's a high speed and I really want the experience of seeing (and photographing) the island from the boat and my understanding was that this was much better from a slow ferry than a high speed. Is that true?
Two other questions - how reliable are the ferry times? I did consider taking the late ferry to Athens from Paros but it makes me nervous that we wouldn't make it till the metro closes and then we'd be stuck with a very expensive taxi ride.
Also, going from Santorini to Naxos there is an earlier ferry that I'd like to take but it's a high speed and I really want the experience of seeing (and photographing) the island from the boat and my understanding was that this was much better from a slow ferry than a high speed. Is that true?
Jun 19th, 2009, 10:09 AM
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Yes, that is true ... on High Speed there is no deck, so you essentially can take NO pictures. Besides, the Blue Star ferries, while not "Hi-Speed" are the fastest REGULAR ferries, and in the short run from Santorini-Naxos, there is only about 30 minutes difference in travel time.
Jun 19th, 2009, 10:22 AM
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Just now saw your first question --- Yes, the evening Blue Star is VERY reliable on times, but the arrival time is 5 minutes after 12 midnight. On a weekend, the Metro runs until 1:30 but on weekdays it closes at 12 or so. The Hi-Speed arrives at 11:45, but by the time u get off, it's after midnight.
Yes, the cab fares double. but you have several alternatives. Explore the cost of a advance booking taxi (google to find some & compare rates). It avoids the whole pushing-shoving experience at Piraeus. A guy stands there with a card in his hand.
ALSO -- either for advance-booking taxi OR for the regular taxi Queue ... I always advise people to get busy and socialize on the ferry with other tourists; you'll have hours to find some congenial ones to talk with ... locate another 2 people who are staying in a Plaka hotel somewhere near yours, and arrange to share a cab. Agree BEFORE LANDING, on which hotel to direct the taxi driver to. That way, you are treated as ONE PARTY and charged accordingly and you split the cost ... therefore, your taxi will be no more than about 25 per couple. I have done this numerous times myself, so I know it works.
Yes, the cab fares double. but you have several alternatives. Explore the cost of a advance booking taxi (google to find some & compare rates). It avoids the whole pushing-shoving experience at Piraeus. A guy stands there with a card in his hand.
ALSO -- either for advance-booking taxi OR for the regular taxi Queue ... I always advise people to get busy and socialize on the ferry with other tourists; you'll have hours to find some congenial ones to talk with ... locate another 2 people who are staying in a Plaka hotel somewhere near yours, and arrange to share a cab. Agree BEFORE LANDING, on which hotel to direct the taxi driver to. That way, you are treated as ONE PARTY and charged accordingly and you split the cost ... therefore, your taxi will be no more than about 25 per couple. I have done this numerous times myself, so I know it works.
Aug 10th, 2009, 10:53 PM
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Hello, Isabel/Anne
I just wanted to let you know I've put some photos of Venice on Picasa/Google (and this seems to be the only way of contacting you). If you click on my name it will be obvious where the link is. I have captioned relatively few - I like to tease and give some clues. If there are any you'd like to know the locations of, you can email me. I hope you like them (if you go for a look).
Bert
I just wanted to let you know I've put some photos of Venice on Picasa/Google (and this seems to be the only way of contacting you). If you click on my name it will be obvious where the link is. I have captioned relatively few - I like to tease and give some clues. If there are any you'd like to know the locations of, you can email me. I hope you like them (if you go for a look).
Bert
