Proposed Greece Itinerary
 

I am going to Greece for the first time next May for 21 nights. I have done a good bit of research via books, the internet and this forum, and I would like some opinions on this draft of my itinerary:

3 Nights - Athens
*Take the ferry to Santorini
3 Nights - Santorini
*Fly to Crete
4 Nights - Crete (split between Hania and time near the archeological sights)
*Fly to Ioannina via Athens. Arrive in Ioannina at 10 AM and pick up rental car.
1 Night - Metsovo
1 Night - Meteora
2 Nights - Delphi/Galaxidi area
1 Night - Olympia
1 Night - Between Olympia and Monemvasia (I would love a suggestion on a town for the night. I plan on visiting Mystras on the drive between these two towns.)
2 Nights - Monemvasia
2 Nights - Nafplio (Visit Mycenae and Epidavros while in this area)
1 Night - ? I will still have my car at this point, but my flight leaves at 6:50 AM. I have considered spending the night around Corinth and just getting up early to go to the airport and I have thought about returning the car to the airport in the evening and staying at the Sofitel near the airport. I really don't know.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I would not take a chance at being able to turn in your car at 4:30 in the morning -- they DO expect you to be in line 2 hours before your flight (DESPITE the fact that you then have to sit in hard seats waiting for ages!).

Yes if u are new to Greece you should stay near the airport but you don't have to pay the $300 or whatever for a sofitel room... The Holiday Inn Attika Avenue is about 10-12 KM away, here is the website --
http://www.hiathens.com/attica-athens-greece/index.html
I think that a double is about $120, but they run a free shuttle to the airport. Before you reserve, make sure that the shuttle runs all night, so that you can get it around 4 AM or so.

Another hotels near the airport where a single runs about 70 in may, and an airport taxi will run you 10-15 is this:
http://www.hotelpantheon.gr/

Yet another was recommended on Trip Advisor

"If you would like to stay somewhere inexpensive but close to the airport, maybe Hotel Medoussa in Artemis for 70-65 euros per night, (003022940-82213 or 82214) could be something for you to consider as it is 15 minutes away from the airport with the KTEL bus" (not relevant for your early flight)... the TA poster says "The hotel is by the beach and you will find seaside tavernas, cafe etc." -- so maybe one could go to the beach and have one's final Greek swim!

I would think no need to reserve way ahead of time--these last 2 are not hotels that have a lot of publicity; Before either reserve u would need to make sure they can assure you of a taxi in the wee hours to get to to the airport.

Your trip sounds wonderful; you obviously have 'done your homework' -- and I'm happy to see you write 'for the first time' instead of "trip of a lifetime' (implying that everything must be seen in ONE trip!!). And May is sublime time in Greece... even for swims if you can deal with 'brisk' water, as I have happily done.

Your intinery looks good. When you finish seeing Mystra, you might want to consider staying the night in Gythio rather than nearby Sparta. Gythio is a charming pretty town on the waterfront and you can go straight to Monemvasia from there. In May it will be easy to get a reasonably priced room right on the main waterfront.

TravelerJan - thanks for the suggestion regarding staying near the beach for my final night in Greece. I had considered and then dismissed this idea, but after your advice regarding the airport's 2 hour rule, I have decided to stay at a beach location near the airport. Is there a particularly attractive little beach town within a half hour of the airport? I know that there are several in the Athens are, but is there one in particular that anyone out there finds more appealing?

Chania - I had thought about Gythio as my stopover location, but I was not sure if that would be too long of a drive from the Olympia area.

Caitlin - I am not really a Contiki person. I am a 32 year old solo female traveler who has traveled all over the world alone. I would probably only use a tour company if I were going to someplace like Iran.

Dawn,I've never stayed at the beach myself because I've not had the car- return issue. When I've had a 7 am plane, I've normally been in Athens 1-2 days. My Athens budget hotel in Plaka (60 E per single in June)is a 10-minute walk from the x95 express in Syntagma Square. I make it an early night, get up grumpily at 3:30, hoof it to the bus up Amalias street, and reach airport @4:45.

If I had the beach option, I'd probably choose the one I mentioned -- Artemis is actually called Artemida on the map, and its usual name is Loutsa (don't ask -- many Greek places are like this!). I googled "Images" under Loutsa and got these foto of the beach:
http://www.greeka.com/attica/athens/...utsa-beach.htm
http://www.athensguide.com/beaches/1...a_jpg_view.htm
ONe Loutsa villa rental ad said it was 20 minutes to airport by bus, so by taxi of course even faster. Look at a map of Attika.

If you google Loutsa Hotels The only one that pops up is the one I gave you.. and just a phone #, no website

22940-82213 or 82214