Requesting Greece Itinerary Advice
 

Hello,
About a month ago I asked people for their opinions on the best time to visit Greece, April or May. The majority recommend May for its warmer weather and better chance of sunnier days. I have not made any reservations yet, but we have decided on going in May, either the 2nd & 3rd week, or the last 2 weeks of May. The trip will be either 15 or 16 nights on the ground, so 16 or 17 nights including our overnight flight from Boston. My husband and I are retired, but I do a lot for my 91-year old mother, so I can't really be away for any longer than that.

First, a little bit about ourselves. By the time May rolls around, I will be 72 and my husband will be 75. YIKES!!! How did that happen? Where has the time gone? I visited Greece in 1972! I went with a tour group organized by the company I worked for at the time. We spent a week in Athens, and this included day trips to Delphi, Cape Sounion, and a day cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina Marina. My husband has never been to Greece. We love just about everything: history, art, archaeological sites, beautiful coastal scenery, mountain scenery, eating local food, wine, visiting wineries, taking our time walking through neighborhoods and stopping at cafes, and easy scenic walks. We are not in shape to do any serious hiking. For example, to give you an idea, in September we visited Glacier National Park in Montana and we did 5 hikes, but they were all easy hikes that I chose from a guide book describing the best easy hikes in Glacier . Some of the hikes were flat, and a few had up and down walking but not a lot of elevation gain, and the longest hike took us 2.5 hours. While we generally do not go to Europe to go to beaches, we certainly wouldn't mind spending an afternoon or two on an island beach on this trip, either sunbathing and enjoying the scenery, or swimming if the water is warm enough.

I am in the process of reading 2 guidebooks: Lonely Planet's Greece and Fodor's Essential Greek Islands with the Best of Athens. I have also read many planning threads and a few trip reports. We want this trip to include 2 islands, the Peloponnese, and Athens. So this is the itinerary I have come up with in this order. I am very open to suggestions and advice.

Santorini - 3 nights
Naxos - 4 or 5 nights
Nafplio - 4 or 5 nights
Athens - 4 nights

I can't spend 5 nights in both Naxos and Nafplio, so should I add the 5th night to Naxos or Nafplio? Or I might just do 4 nights in Naxos and 4 nights in Nafplio, and this will be 15 nights on the ground. I have to think about this.

I know many people will probably tell me Santorini is expensive, crowded and touristy, and suggest 2 nights, but it is also beautiful and has been on my bucket list for years. We don't like to rush around at our ages so I do not want to stay less than 3 nights. I have checked some flights from Boston to Santorini and we typically won't get in until 5pm or 7pm. So that day is a wash. Besides taking the walks I have read about and just generally enjoying the views and beauty, I know we want to visit ancient Akrotiri so we do need 2 full days.

We will take the ferry from Santorini to Naxos. Does anyone know when ferry schedules typically are posted? Approximately how frequently do the ferries run in May?

On Naxos we want to explore Naxos Town and hopefully spend a few hours or more relaxing on a beach. We plan to rent a car for a day to explore the island. Some towns that interest me are Sangri, Galanado, Chalki, and Apeiranthos. Will a day be enough to explore the island?

I am currently thinking we will fly from Naxos to Athens Airport, where we will pick up a rental car to drive to the Peloponnese, and we want to stay in Nafplio. Does it make sense to spend all 4 or 5 nights in Nafplio? Some of the sights that interest us, in addition to enjoying Nafplio, are Ancient Mycenae, Epidavros, winery in Nemea. Is it possible to do a day trip from Nafplio to Mystras, which sounds fascinating. Are there other important sites nearby that I am missing?

Our last stop is Athens, where we will spend 4 nights. Some highlights to see are the Acropolis and museum, of course. I assume we could spend a greater part of a day here. We like to visit sites slowly, take our time wandering around, take photos, sit and enjoy the scenery and ambiance. The Benaki Museum and National Archaeological Museum sound interesting, and we love exploring neighborhoods, such as Monastiraki, Anafiotika, etc.

I would also love to hear what other travelers found interesting or special to them, especially if it's off the beaten track.

I apologize for such a wordy post. I look forward to hearing from people. Thank you!

For someone not much interested in beaches I think even 4 nights on Naxos is more than enough. Those “towns” on Naxos are actually tiny villages, and could easily be explored in a day or two. Don’t forget Naxos Town itself, which has a castle above the port, with passageways in the old town filled with touristy shops, wonderful to explore in the evenings.

Personally I think you should spend more time in the Peloponnese, and not just in The Nafplio/Argolis region.You could spend your whole holiday in the Peloponnese and just scratch the surface of things to see. There is a very good divided highway leading down to Kalamata at the south of the island. Near Kalamata is a small peninsula with the picturesque seaside towns Pilos, Methoni and Koroni. The huge and impressive archeological site at Ancient Messene is also nearby. It’s less well known than the sites near Nafplio, but dwarfs them in size. With more time at your disposal you could even drive on to Olympia to see where the games began before returning to Athens.

KarenWoo, following, I know the meticulous research you put into your trips. Was hoping to spend 10 days in Greece during spring break this March, but it of course wasn’t to be…

I too would do 3 nights in Santorini, it shouldn’t be very crowded at that time and you can relax and get over jetlag. Akrotiri is a must IMO, especially for those of us interested in ancient history.

Try and fit in Olympia if possible, I found it an extremely moving and evocative experience. And Delphi too, maybe a day trip from Athens…though you probably can fit in only so much!

I've been to all the places on your list except Nafplio, which I'm keen to visit. People complain about Santorini being touristy and it is - but with good reason! The views are sublime. A hotel room with caldera views is more expensive but if you are comfortable paying more, I'd go for it. On our second visit we were in a position to pay the extra and it was wonderful to wake up to the most amazing blue sea and sky as far as you could see. I'd be happy with 4 nights on Santorini but everyone is different.

Naxos was great, I'd say four nights is fine. You sound similar to us, we like time to sit at a cafe and just absorb the views or people watch. Or stroll around the streets looking in shop windows and exploring. Athens was not a favourite place but worth a few days to see some of the main sights.

If you get the ferry from Santorini to Naxos, get up on deck as soon as possible to see the views of the island as you leave. It's beautiful - it looks like white icing on a chocolate cake. There was another Greece thread recently where someone asked about ferry timetables, see what you can find from the last few weeks.

I've been a fan of the Lonely Planet books since their inception. The detail is great, though I think the later books were not quite as good. Maps in the LP books are a real plus, though maybe not so much these days with online maps. I found the Fodors Greek Island guidebook was scant on detail, not that helpful.

In post #2 I wrote: “There is a very good divided highway leading down to Kalamata at the south of the island.” Of course I meant ‘to the south coast’. The Peloponnese is almost an island, but not quite.

I agree with KayF when taking the ferry from Santorini to Naxos to get out on the open deck as soon as possible. You can only do that on a conventional ferry, because highspeed ferries don’t have open decks. Blue Star ferries have open decks and cruise right through the caldera, the best views from when the ferry leaves the port at Athinios until it reaches open sea after it passes Oia. Some highspeed ferries have open decks at the rear, but don’t go through the caldera, as the waves from their passage are too strong. Instead, they head straight out to sea and go around the island of Thirassia.

Thank you to Heimdall, KayF, and Geetika! I appreciate all of your comments. Based on what everyone has says, I will stay with 4 nights on Naxos and if I feel comfortable adding another night to our trip, I will add it to the Peloponnese Peninsula, which would make it 5 nights.

Heimdall, it's not that we don't like beaches, but we usually go to the Caribbean for beach time (although we haven't gone in 2 decades, or nearby Cape Cod in Massachusetts). But I know that as long as we have warm weather while on Naxos, we would like to relax on the beach and enjoy the scenery at least for one afternoon. My husband is not the type who would spend all day on the beach. Although, who knows, when he sees the Aegean, he might change his mind!:) I do like your suggestion of visiting Kalamata and the seaside towns you mention. If we spend 5 nights on the Peloponnese, how would you divide the trip? Do you recommend staying in Kalamata or Pilos, Methoni or Koroni? Have you been to Mystras? I know we won't have time to visit all the ancient sites, so how would you rank the ones on the Peloponnese in terms of beauty, interest, and importance?

Geetika, the reason I haven't included Delphi is because I was there in 1972. I know, I know, a very long time ago!:) On this trip, I want to visit places I haven't been, but OTOH, I was there so long ago that my memory is blurry. I will put it on the backburner for now. Olympia would be wonderful, too. I'll talk this over with my husband. As you have already said, we can't fit in everything.

And thanks to KayF and Heimdall for your suggestions about taking ferries with open decks. KayF, I am also thinking of buying the Michelin Green Guide to Greece, too. I've used it for other trips, and find them to be very helpful.

Typically, how long is the ferry ride from Santorini to Naxos?
Thanks again!

No I haven’t been to Mystras, which would be another good destination in the Peloponnese if you have the time. Another would be Monemvasia, but I’ve never been to either.

Actually when I was in the Southern Peloponnese we stayed in Petalidi, but that was because friends lived there, and I just visited Pilos, Methoni and Koroni on a day trip. What I do remember is that had I not known better I could have been on an island, and there are some beautiful sandy beaches nearby. Incidentally, Pilos (also spelled Pylos) has Nestor’s Palace and Methoni a Venetian castle. If travelerjan sees this post she will tell you about her favourite nearby place to stay.

Blie Star takes 2 hrs from Santorini to Naxos. The daily ferry leaves at 15:30, but sometimes there is another Blue Star very early in the morning at 06:45. Some people prefer to take one of the highspeeds that leave Santorini mid morning, that will get them to Santorini earlier, but they only get a disappearing view of the caldera from the rear of the ferry, then round the island of Thirassia which blocks further views of the cliff top villages. I promise you, the first view of the caldera from a ferry is something you will never forget.

"I promise you, the first view of the caldera from a ferry is something you will never forget."

Absolutely agree and for that reason, arriving by ferry instead of by air would always be my preference.

While true that the Pelopponese is wonderful, you can't really include much of it without either dropping other destinations (which are also wonderful) or adding time to your trip. There will always be somewhere that you wish you could visit but for which you simply don't have enough time. Like many countries, you could spent years exploring all Greece has to offer but most of us just see what we can. It's important to focus on what you can see and not what you can't - which I keep telling myself many times, as I find myself constrained by time and money.

When we planned our first trip to Greece we had lots of help from friends who live there. One thing they said was to be sure to visit Mystras which we did and recommend you visit it too. It is the ruins of a Byzantine city, a change from the ancient Greek sites. We stayed overnight in Sparta.
I think you are spending one night too many on Santorini. We couldn’t wait to leave and loved every place else we visited in Greece and have returned.

I agree with everyone who says there never is enough time. In my case, it's because of my 91-year old mother and my responsibilities to her. Unfortunately, my sister and brother are not reliable, but that is another story.

Dreamon, if we arrived in Santorini by ferry, would we take the ferry from Athens? How long is that? Just curious. I think I will be happy with Heimdall's and KayF's suggestion to take a ferry from Santorini to Naxos and go immediately to the outside deck. We don't want to drop other destinations because visiting Santorini and Naxos are a priority for us, and at least we will have a taste of the Pelopponese. Some day I would also like to visit Crete, and maybe when we do that, we could re-visit the Pelopponese to see what we miss on this trip.

HappyTrvlr, you make me want to visit Mystras!!!

KarenWoo, given that Santorini will be your first real destination in Greece, it's a challenging choice as to whether to fly or take the ferry.

If you fly, you have to allow a cushion of time between flights in case your incoming flight is late arriving. Hanging around an airport is my least favourite thing to do and I always try to minimise my flights anyway (for lots of reasons).

If you ferry, you take either public transport or a taxi to Piraeus to catch the ferry (which you'd need to check but think it's about 4.5hrs). If your flight arrives in Athens in the morning, then sitting out on deck on the ferry is a relaxing way to start your holiday. If the ferry timetable means that you have to wait a while, then you could stash your luggage and take a walk around central Athens while waiting.

Depending on timetables, the ferry is likely to take longer (and so many people would opt for flying) but I'd still choose the ferry. It's a personal thing.

Dreamon, thank you for your quick response. I have researched flights from Boston to Santorini. The flights would be on one ticket. One option is to change planes in Zurich, and another option is to change planes at Heathrow. I am sure there are others but this is what I found during a quick search. I think the problem you raise could happen if we fly RT Boston/Athens, and then book a separate ticket to Santorini. I admit the idea of arriving in Athens, and then taking public transport or a taxi to Piraeus to catch the ferry doesn't appeal to me. So I will stick with flying directly to Santorini. And we should get great views of the caldera when taking the ferry from Santorini to Naxos.

On our last Greek island trip, years ago, I used this website for ferry timetables and planning and found it really useful. I booked directly with the ferry companies and we picked up tickets at travel agents on the islands. I think I read recently they have e-tickets now. I checked a random date for May but this far out, I wouldn't expect timetables to be set in stone. Even when we were there last time, there were ferry departure changes from one day to the next. We were all set to get up at 5am for an early ferry but it was changed to lunchtime. Luckily our hotel advised us the night before.

https://www.go-ferry.com/

KayF, thanks for the link. I saved it to my desktop!

Hi KarenWoo,

Athens is one of my favourite airports because it is small by international standards and well organised. Even though there are many flights to Santorini from where I live in the UK I prefer flying to Athens, then taking a flight or ferry to the islands. I feel, especially in these days of Covid, you would be better off flying directly to Greece and travelling domestically to the islands. I certainly wouldn’t consider flying to London and transferring to a flight to Santorini, as most of the flights from the US arrive at Heathrow, and most of the flights to Santorini depart from Gatwick.

The Blue Star from Piraeus to Santorini takes over 7 hours, and you won’t get those caldera views from a highspeed ferry. What I would do, if you want your first glimpse of Santorini from the deck of a ferry, and you still plan to go to Naxos, is fly to Naxos first, and after your stay take the 2 hr Blue Star ferry from there to Santorini. That’s the same Blue Star ferry you would take arriving at Santorini instead of departing.

Did I miss any recommendation for Meteora?

You’ve had some wonderful advice here so I don’t have a lot to add, but also agree completely that extra time should be in Nafplion, not Naxos. And I was mulling over the idea of arriving in Santorini by ferry and agree with Heimdall again - ferry from Athens would take too long and the best way to do it would be from Naxos. But I would also prioritize and see what is most convenient for the trip. It’s a lovely view, but you will have plenty of lovely views!

One more suggestion for a possible day trip from Naxos, if you hadn’t already included it - the ferry to Delos, first stopping at Mykonos. My 2 disappointments when we were on Naxos 10 years ago was that Akrotiri had not yet reopened and it was too windy for the ferry to go to Delos, so we never got there. But those were both sites we had wanted to go. Maybe you can get to 1 or both.

Thanks, progol,

Hopefully the two excursion boats to Delos/Mykonos, Alexander and Naxos Star, will be running again in 2022, but their programs were cancelled for the last two summers due to the pandemic. Apparently there is another excursion boat running from Naxos, but I don’t have any feedback from it. I agree if you can get to Delos it would be a wonderful day trip.

There are also scheduled ferries between Naxos and Mykonos, but they don’t stop at Delos, so you need another boat from Mykonos old harbour to get there and back. Timings of these scheduled ferries could restrict the time you have for Delos. The two excursion boats I mentioned in the above paragraph serve both Naxos and Paros, leaving Naxos first and stopping at Paros, then ending up back at Naxos at the end of a long day. Here is the web page for the trip with timings from Paros:
https://polostoursparos.com/daily-cr...delos-mykonos/

We took a ferry to Santorini to see the views as we approached the island. The Captain announced that everyone getting off in Santorini had to go down below to be ready to disembark quickly. We had no views except the inside of the ferry.

HappyTrvlr, that’s true, but there is no need to rush down to the car deck as soon as you hear the announcement. Santorini is the terminus for that ferry route, so it stays a little longer than other stops. Most mid route ferry stops are only about 15 minutes, so when the captain tells you to go down to the car deck you had better hustle. 😃

I have brought along newcomer companions on at least 4 trips to Greece at that EXACT time of year -- to EXACTLY those 4 destinations -- and I can testify it works! All completely delighted as was I. Others here have made same "tweaks" I'd suggest so I'll just second the motion, and say why.

• NONSTOP to ATHENS -- doing an overnight from US gets you there between 9:15 - 10:30 depending on airline ... if you change in Europe/UK, aside from further Covid exposure, schedule & layovers & traffic delays mean u don't arrive much before 1-2 pm, even as late at 4 & your first day is shot. If u plan & book ahead u can get a noonish flight onward to your first island.
• NAXOS FIRST -- Heimdall is right.. that 2-hr Blue Star Ferry ride to Santorini as #2 Isle is just about right... and yes, you CAN remain on deck for the view almost until docking. (Ferry tip: u leave your big bags on vehicle deck; 1 of you can do tha while the other rushed up the escalator & steps to snare seating on one of 2 back decks -- its' first-come, first-served).
. NAXOS TIPS - (1) LOCATION In May it won't be too crowded yet, so it's great to stay at St. George Beach adjacent to port town, because it's a lovely short walk by shore to all the attractions ... for an afternoon's swim at outer beach like PLAKA, it's just a 25 min bus ride. Naxos is a fertile farming island, and lately there are wonderful tavernas (restaurants) that feature all local products. (2) TOURS - There are food tours, and a "lunch on a farm" adventures. U can D-I-Y in rental car, but there are also really good small-bus tours like this - https://naxostours.net/en/bus-tour-around-the-island -- that cover all the highlights @ about 23-4€€... including a swim-stop at lunch! Advantage of this is, gives u a good overview, & idea of places you might want to explore further, with a 1-day car rental (3) HIKES - I also don't do extra-strenuous hikes, but there are fun short ones. on this great list - Walking, hiking and trekking on Naxos - #14 is just perfect late in day; sunset then dinner.
• SANTORINI - U can experience the Famous Caldera View and see the sunset (to compare w. Naxos & Nafplio, the winners IMHO).. in 2.5 days enjoyably, if you employ crowd-avoidance strategies. #1 - if you can, time your Santorini visit between Friday & Monday, because weekdays have heaviest cruise-ship dockings & crowds. #2 - I advise looking for lodgings NOT in Fira or OIa, but FIROSTEPHANI . This overlooked spot is Easy walk along parapet lane to Fira's attractions (msueum, bus to elsewhere), but bypassed by those package-tour & cruise throngs, so it's serene. #3 - Do OIA at 8 am if possible... the mob scene begins at 10, then u jump on bus & go elsewhere... to Akrotiri, or Ancient Thira ruins. Also, avoid Oia Sunset scene - it's a ZOO; sunsets just as lovely all along the west rim. #4 - Despite constant recommends, do not do the looong hike Oia - Fira... u can appreciate caldera to/from Firostephani... this is promoted because it's of that isles only hikes.

• NAFPLIO & ARGOLID Area - try for flight to ATH with midAM - noon arrival. Your drive over Corinth Canal to Nafplio can include enjoayble stop at ANCIENT NEMEA... and maybe village of Nemea, heart of wine district... there's a bottling plant right on main street! where u can pick up something for y our Nafplio balcony.

•ARGOLID THOUGHTS - To try to do Mystra is over-reach, save that for next trip. SO much to see/experience IN Nafplio & ancient sites around. This superb AND noncommercial website - http://www.visitnafplio.com/ - is Pure Gold... click on Every Link! Especially walks! &overlooked places like Asine ( a ruin overlooking my fave secret swim spot... a rocky cove with ONE fish taverna). Also, you can see ANCIENT EPIDAURUS without doing a backtracking drive, IF you do it after exiting Nafplio early on last day, driving EAST on Peloponnese "Thumb" to the site (acres of ruins, but main focus is the fab theatre), then CONTINUE East & go up the shore road to Isthmus, where u can hop off to see Old Bridge over Corinith Canal, and only then join the big Intercity road back to Airport. BTW, en rout to Epidaurus, keep eyes peeled to L of highway for perhaps World's Oldest In-Use Bridge (myceanean - 1300BC) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkadiko_Bridge Another overlooked gem!

• ATHENS - Only recommend here is u might look for lodgings in area SOUTH of Acropolis "precinct" ... because it's mostly traffic-free, quieter, greener... It has a wide pedestrian promenade all along the south edge ... relaxing, Greeks come out for pre-dinner "volta" (stroll), kids on trikes, balloon man, ice-cream carts etc. Don't be allured by internet pix of fancy room decor into booking something far away... when u suddenly crumple in early afternoon, its nice to be a short walk to get a nap.

I would put one thing on your radar for Napflio and one for Athens.

Napflio - the Nemea games site (similar to Olympia and much closer), very nice little museum and what is left of the stadium

Athens - the Byzantine museum, beautifully curated items and excellent audio guide https://www.byzantinemuseum.gr/en/museum/

And while it is a bit further would highly recommend Mystras, a unique place but entirely worth the day out there https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/511/

I would love to visit Meteora but we definitely don't have time on this trip. Thanks for the recommendation, though. I hope we can return to Greece in a few years to visit Crete for a week or two, and then maybe add on central Greece and whatever we miss in the Peloponnese this year.

Wow!!! Thank you everyone! I really appreciate all the time everyone has put into responding to my post.

Progol, I do agree with you that we need to prioritize and make our decisions based on what is the most convenient for us. At our ages, convenience is very important! We do plan on visiting Akrotiri, and while I hadn't thought about Delos, that is something I will consider as a day trip from Naxos, depending on what our schedule is like on Naxos. I hope we could make a last-minute decision and book the ferry to Delos at the last minute if we so decide. I am also assuming that if we decide to fly directly to Santorini from Boston, that we will get beautiful views of the caldera while taking the ferry from Santorini to Naxos. And if we decide to add an extra night to our trip, we will add it to Nafplion, so we would be there 5 nights.

I know several people have recommended flying to Athens to avoid transferring somewhere in Europe, but I don't believe that is possible for us. I did a quick search on Expedia, and there aren't any non-stop flights from Boston to Athens. We have to change planes somewhere in Europe. And that doesn't bother me at all. Maybe we have just been very lucky, but we have been flying to Marseille to visit our daughter and her family ever since she moved there in 2013. There aren't any non-stops from Boston to Marseille, so we always have to change planes somewhere in Europe. And, knock on wood, we have never had any problems, including this past August. Oh, there was one issue one year when there were strikes at the Marseille Airport. Our flight was cancelled from Lisbon to Marseille, so we did have to overnight in Lisbon, and TAP put us on the next available flight the next day. But that has only happened once since 2013. I also have a friend who has been going to Crete every year for the last 10 years, and they typically change planes in Zurich, and have never had any problems, including this past September.

Travelerjan, thank you so much for your detailed reply. Staying at St. George Beach on NAXOS sounds wonderful. Can you recommend some places? We typically don't want to spend more than $200 per night, but less would be nicer, as well. :) We like convenient locations, cleanliness, and a nice breakfast would be great, too, but not necessary. And nice ambience, nothing sterile. In SANTORINI, I am considering staying in Imerovigli. I know Fira or Oia would be too crowded and hectic for us. You didn't mention Imerovigli so I assume you prefer Firostephani, Why is that? How would you compare Imerovigli with Firostephani? On the PELOPONNESE, if we stay 5 nights, do you recommend spending all 5 nights in Nafplio? Or breaking up the stay, such as 3 nights in Nafplio & 2 nights elsewhere? Can you recommend lodgings for Nafplio?
And what is the name of the neighborhood that you recommend for lodgings in ATHENS? Traffic-free, quiet, and greener sound great to me. Your description reminds me of the time we spent strolling on the Roman Bridge in Cordoba. Spaniards and their families were strolling along the bridge, socializing, and with their children on their bikes. It was so nice and serene and felt really "local" not touristy.

Laurie_ann, I have made note of your two recommendations. Mystras does sound wonderful! Is it reasonable to drive from Nafplio to Mystras?

Heimdall, I did find a flight that flies from Boston to Heathrow, with a connecting flight from Heathrow to Santorini. But thanks for mentioning the part about Gatwick. I will be careful to make sure our connecting flight is from Heathrow, if we choose to connect in London.

Re your feedback/queries:

NAXOS LODGINGS -- In May, it's actually hard to spend $200 on St B. Beach unless you go to the only 3 "upmarket" hotels (uniformed staff, fancy lobby etc). If you choose a nice family-owned place with 15 - 30 rooms, many with balconies facing right on the water, a double can be $100- 120. but things are filling up amazingly fast -- a lot of pent-up travel fever -- so to get the location you want, book NOW; you can cancel w. o. penalty up to 2-3 weeks before trip, so it's no-risk. to check availabilities & exact location, recommend browsing with use of Booking.com - https://www.booking.com/landmark/gr/...os-beach1.html plug in your dates & click the winow "show on Map" to see ALL availables & where they are. Many are "studios" -- ie. they have kitchenette ell, so u can fix breakfasts if u wish... all have fridges of course. Some that have nice water views from include Studios Kalergis, Hotel Palatia (my choice) , Hotel Kymata (upper floors), Studios Thomais. If some are not shown, they may not be putting up their 2022 prices yet, or may not be using a rental agency.... so find their website & email an inquiry direct. A nice upscale boutique place, Villa Naxia, has not used agencies for some years now -- I guess we regulars recommended it so often they don't need to!

SANTORINI -- Firostephani vs Imervogli. I su!gest look at a map. Both have hotels with lovely caldera views ... but Firostephani is handier... as I said, it's a nice 20 minute downhill walk down the parapet path to Fira.... Walking home, you can avoid the incline by using a "secret" flagstone walk that paralells the main road. But Imervogli is more distant from Oia AND Fira, so you need to take a bus to either, or taxi or a car & parking is hellish in both places. Again, for browsing & availability, booking.com - https://www.booking.com/city/gr/firostefani.html -- will show exact locations (as we all know, sometimes descriptions fudge, but maps dont lie). In FIrostephani, for balconies or roof terrace with a caldera view, -- depending on your budget -- nonpool hotels to check out include Hotel Mylos, Sunset Hotel, Remvi,Villa, Blue dolphins. Hotels w pool include Agnadema Apts, Blue Dolphins, Mill House, Villa Ilas . Check reviews carefully -- for instance many hotels are built DOWN the cliff & you have to walk down 50 steps to your room (!). My secret adorable budget Gem, Villa Fotini, 50 feet from the caldera path, only has 8-9 rooms so may be full already. Again, if you don't see a name listing on booking.com, find the website & write directly.

PELOPONNESE -- YES, I reommend staying the full time in Nafplio... SO handy, So relaxing after a day of explorting ruins etc ... and SO many wonderful choices of cafes & tavernas, besides having the BEST sunsets in Greece (My decision after 13 trips, including visits to 20+ islands). For stays in Old Town, The Visit Nafplio website creator & I agree that Hotel Agammemnon right at seafront is top choice (And moderate rates), but already booked solid. Boutique Omorfo Poli is a lovely small choice Athena Hotel faces right on the square -- could be noisy on weekends, but if u are there during week it's a great choice. Grand Bretagne has a couple of rooms with sea view, more $$ Don't be tempted by places up by the castle wall -- lovely views, but do u want to walk up steep stairstep streets after a wine-y dinner? Don't think so! Booking.com also lists some pvt-owner apts as well. Beware of the narrow streets 2-3 streets in from seafront, because of street-level cafes open late

ATHENS -- Here's an Online Map of Central Athens -- Attachment 6081 -- click & it gets huuuge - use side-slides to navigate. Find Acropolis & put it in the center, to orient y ourself. The neighborhood I like is called Makrigiani, but it's considered really the southern part of Plaka dist. The building marked #24 is Acropolis Museum - and South entrance to Acropolis precinct is right across the promenade. Again, u can browse for availability & location using booking.com's special filter - lists places according to how close they are to Acropolis - (tiny url) http://tinyurl.com/heq6edp Always start with "map view" to see the "ballooons" of available places w prices A new development is they also list pvt apts, sometimes in VERY good locations & less €€ than hotels.

Yes, Mystras can be done as a day trip from Napflion.

Mystras is about 2 hour drive from Napflion. It is a full day out but we thought totally worth it. You might watch out though for google maps directions and maybe compare the route to paper map. I am sure we were driving through an orange orchard they way that google sent us. But must have been the most direct.

Do read up on all the ancient sites in advance if you can. They take a bit of imagination to see what they must have been in their time but makes a difference.

Thank you to laurie_ann! Driving through an orange orchard sounds like fun! Do you know if it's possible to book a private tour guide once you arrive at Mystras? Sometimes we like to wander on our own, and other times we like to have a guide, if possible. Do you have a favorite of the ancient sites that you saw on the Peloponnese?

Travlerjan, thank you for all of your detailed information and the links. I've been checking some of them out & saving them to my desktop. I booked 2 hotel reservations! The first time I've ever booked hotel reservations before our air reservations! In Naxos, I booked a room with a sea view at Hotel Palatia. Studio Thomais only has non-refundable rooms on booking.com. I couldn't find Studio Kalergis on booking. com so I went to their website. It looks like we have to pay when we reserve, and it's a free cancellation policy if you cancel early, but they don't say what early is. So I emailed them and waiting to hear from them. In Nafplio, I booked the Omorfi Poli. And you are right, the prices are so reasonable. I think a little under $100 for Hotel Palatia, and a little over $100 for Omorfi Poli. I might search a few more places, but at least I have these booked. Will tackle Santorini and Athens another day.

Thank you! That's good to know!

YOu wil be happy with the 2 you booked ... good friends of mine, well-traveled architect & wife (he leads pvt tours of ancient Italian architecture!) had NEVER been to Greece... so I planned a trip for them - Firostephani, Naxos, Nafplio & Athens. They had a Sea view balcony at Palatia & loved it... also FIrostephani.

KarenWoo,
We stayed in Studio Kalergis in 2011 and were very satisfied with our stay. It was very “plain vanilla” but a huge space with a kitchenette for something like $40/night! I just checked their website (so much slicker than 10 years ago!) and, if you click on “details”, you’ll find the details of the cancellation policy. You can cancel for 100% refund up until 14 days prior to your reservation. The Hotel Palatia looks fine, though, and I’m sure you’ll be happy there.

Progol, thank you so much for checking for me. I don't know how I missed that. I don't want to pay now so I will stick with Hotel Palatia.

Tonight I booked the Mill Houses Elegant Suites in Firostefani on Santorini. I booked a Junior Suite with Caldera View. Price is roughly $255 per night which I think is good for a caldera view. The description does not say anything about the number of steps so I have emailed the hotel and am waiting to hear back from them. Thank you, Travelerjan, for the recommendation.

Karen, it sounds as if you've got it all 'sorted," as the Brits say. Your next task is the domestic flights -- unless you are going direct to Santorini as part of your International fllight plan connecting in Europe. Also, if you are fly ing from Naxos to ATH airport, don't wait long on that booking.... Aegean/Olympic in May only does 2-3 flights per day, and their Very modern turboject planes are small -- due to airport limitations -- only about 40 psgrs per flight. Sky express the same. A good flight to get is mid-morning. Someone says that Sky has lower rates if u are flying midweek but don't count on it. ... it's chilly in Philly tonight, I just had hot soup, and am thinking about warm sun on St. George beach. Sigh. Do give us a trip report next summer!

I just heard from Studio Kalergis, and we don't have to pay in advance. So there is something I misunderstood on their website or they weren't very clear. But I will stay with Hotel Palatia on Naxos.

Travelerjan, I have not made my airline reservations yet. We are going to Santorini first because as I think I mentioned in an earlier post, there isn't anything non-stop from Boston to Athens. So in this case, I prefer to do what is the most convenient, which is flying from Boston to Santorini on the same ticket and changing planes only once. I plan on flying from Naxos to Athens. Don't want to take a ferry. BTW, I assume you have seen Mill Houses Suites in Firsostefani. Do you remember if there are lots of steps? I haven't heard from them yet. I still have to book the Athens hotel. I also contacted Villa Naxia in Naxos and they are fully booked for our dates.

Sorry, KarenWoo, I meant to say that you don’t get charged until 2 weeks prior! I was just meant to clarify the cancellation policy. But it seemed to me that the reservation you made was good and no need to change it.

I don't think you need a guide at Mystras or any of the other Peleponnese sights.

Mystras actually is quite well signposted within, some actually quite humorous describing daily life in what was a very large city in its time. You might browse the internet for background like wikipedia and save to your phone or print a few pages on paper. Or a book like "The Lost Capital of Byzantium: The History of Mistra and the Peloponnese" by Steven Runciman and John Freely (a used copy is $10 on Amazon)

For Nemea there is a U.S. archeology professor who made it his life's work. He has a book about Nemea available on Amazon too. Here is an interesting article about him. https://www.greeknewsagenda.gr/inter...stephen-miller

Thanks for this info! We will be visiting Mystras in May.

laurie_ann, thank you for the information on Mystras and the books.

No I don't think Mill House has enormous # of steps -- the Firostephani places I listed are not that way ... many in OIA and Fira caldera-front are, however. Good for you, getting to Santorini first...
FERRY to NAXOS a 1.5 to 2 hour ride to Naxos is a short fun sail ... the morning (1045) CHAMPION JET is a large catamaran, more costly than the BLUE STAR, but has its advantages: • is 500+ all-reserved seats, so not a stampede to board & you need only be down at the pier about 30 mins before departure • you sit inside but can STAND on open back deck at departure to see the cliffs... then go inside • It's fast, & gets you to Naxos a bit after 12 noon, so yo have half a day there. The BLUE STAR leaves at 3:15 and has its plusses: • the economy fare is just about €20 • you get rear deck seats (1st come 1st serv ed) on top 2 decks, nice vista of cliffs at departure, then relax & watch the wake • huge vessel (holds 1500psgrs - 250 vehicles including huge trucks), so its very smooth ride, and corridors to walk on & stroll, many coffee bars, snack shop etc Blue Star "drawbacks" or things to be aware of: • Its the start of this run, and HUGE crowds assemble in the dock "pen" (2-ended building) -- you really need to plan ahead to get down to the pier, it's a zoo • YOu leave your big suitcases on vehicle deck near the ramp, be careful to stack where they can be retrieved quickly • That boarding throng will stampede to get deck seats, so one of u needs to scamper upstairs to snag seats • When loudspeaker announces "Naxos" u need to hustle down to vehicle deck for arrival; boat only docks for 15 mins or so.

You can avoid some of the “drawbacks” of Blue Star by reserving a numbered air seat or buying a business class ticket, which I always do. You can still walk out to the open deck, knowing that a seat will be waiting for you when you go back inside. The show isn’t over after the ferry leaves the caldera, because it passes closely by several other islands on the way to Naxos.

Another advantage of business class is that it is at the front of the ship, with windows at the front and both sides. Business class is located directly below the bridge, so you get essentially the same view as the Captain and his officers navigating the ship. The last time I took Blue Star to Santorini I didn’t even bother going out to the open deck, because views were better from business class.