Hello, thank you to all who provided helpful input on my previous post about a 2-week trip to Greece in May (first trip to Greece for a couple celebrating 50th's). While it seems our planned itinerary was do-able (Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos/Delos, Nafplion, Athens) in 13 days, we are concerned it might be a bit too rushed and hectic. Studying the map further, we're thinking of cutting out Rhodes and doing that another time along with Turkey.

We want a good balance of seeing historical sites, relaxing or easy hiking in beautiful natural surroundings (mountains or beaches), and enjoying Greek culture/food/wine. We definitely want a couple of days in Athens to see the famous historical sites, and despite some views to the contrary we want to spend some time on Santorini and Mykonos/Delos (don't want to travel this far and miss all the really famous places). We're just not sure about the rest of the itinerary - Nafplion, Rhodes, other islands, other mainland destinations? Or just add time to Athens/Nafplion/Mykonos/Santorini?

Given our goals and the time we have:
- Do you think that we should cut out Rhodes due to distance and if so, would you just cut it and increase time in the other places, or would you substitute another destination?
- We plan to travel weeks of 24 and 31 May. Should we book hotels/inter-island flights in advance, or just play it by ear and catch flights and/or ferries as we can? We aren't on a tight budget, but do want to preserve some flexibility as long as we won't have to pay top dollar for everything by not commiting to a specific plan in advance. We like local hotels, not an American chain.

Please share your thoughts. Despite a good guidebook (Eyewitness) and internet research, Greece is so big and there is such variety of things to do that it is a bit overwhelming to plan this trip. Thank you so much!!

I would just skip Rhodes this time ... I didn't get there until my 6th trip ... As it is you will have to plan carefully. I dont recall whether your previous thread took into consideration 2 May factors: May 22-24 is "holy Spirit weekend" (Pentecost; greeks get Monday off work/school). So Friday & Monday will be "rush" on ferries/planes for Athenians fleeing to nearest island and or mainland getaway spot, such as Nafplio. And Mykonos/Santorini will be especially crowded those 3-4 days. In fact, this year I switched our trip a week earlier due to that. Also, as Bill Barr, our Mykonos veteran says, each year there's one weekend when the Greek college kids swarm to Mykonos; it changes every year.

However, when you say "May 24" that means you're arriving at Athens airport that day? Then u may be just fine, because you'd be "going against the traffic"... people will be leaving the island hotels and taking ferries/flights BACk that day. So look at flight out to Santorini on May 24... this should definitely be booked in advance. After 3 days, move on to Mykonos (there MAY be a direct ferry, otherwise, change at Paros), for 3 days. Either fly to Athens airport (book this in advance), or find a fast-ferry to Rafina & bus/taxi to airport. At the airport pick up a car (research in advance, book while in Greece via Phone). Drive to Nafplio... 2.5 hours on good modern 4-lane highway most of the way. 3 days there, and back to athens airport to drop car. Metro into Athens for 3 days. That's 12 days -- but call it 14, with the "slippage" of travel time.

About advance planning -- I think you said you wre celebrating 50th birthdays, right? Not 50th anniversary! In any case, you probably should book hotels in advance... if you pick the right ones -- small family-run hotels, you won't have to put down deposit, just give them your Visa Card #. And if there's a ferry glitch due to weather, island hoteliers like this are understanding, it's not new to them. Yes, you can wait until you get to an island to find something -- but somehow, I don't think you'll be as happy, because the most charming and convenient places will be booked, and you'll be left with less-desirably situated ones.

Re Hotel reservations: Have you travelled in Europe before? France/Italy? Did you play it by ear and get hotels as you drove into a town or got off a train? And what was your experience (not counting what you did at 21 as backpackers). That will govern how comfortable you are with winging it. Re transport: For many Americans, who've spent decades getting into their cars and just going, whenever they wanted, it's hard to get used to planning ahead for transport and adapting their travel to timetables ... but that's the fact of life in an island nation. And it's also good practice for future life in the USA (when car travel may be less taken for granted).

Reading back on your other thread, you plan to arrive in Athens on Sat May 22nd. That is Pentacost weekend, but you should still be okay for travelling out to Santorini, because most Greeks will have left by Friday afternoon, or on the Saturday AM ferries at the latest <i>(no point in a three day weekend if you use only half of it)</i>. Santorini isn't as greatly affected that weekend as Mykonos, Paros, and Naxos, so if you have your flight and accommodation booked you will be fine. If you plan to change islands on the Monday, however, recommend booking your ferry as soon as timetables are available and you have finalized your plans. FlyingCat 4 Santorini-Mykonos timetables should be released around early March, Blue Star timetables have already been published.

Now, since you have cut the number of destinations, does that mean you will allocate more nights for your stays on Santorini and Mykonos? As you may recall, I suggested sticking with Mykonos mainly because of your plan to spend only two nights there, that being the best base from which to see Delos. I still feel Mykonos would be the best choice for a short stay, but if you can spare as long as four nights, you will have no problem getting to Delos from either Paros or Naxos. You would also have time for a day on the beach, and to visit the beautiful mountain villages on those islands.

Heimdall, you are right, we're planning to arrive Sat. night. With the 3-day weekend, are we better off doing Athens/Nafplion first and then doing islands the second part of the trip? I'll do some research on Paros and Naxos. We would like to at least see Mykonos but we aren't really into the party scene so probably would enjoy staying on a less busy island if it's easy to get to Mykonos from there for an afternoon/evening.

Travelerjan, we have traveled in France (but only Paris) and Italy (Cinque Terre, two weeks in Tuscany) but had our own car and pre-booked all of our hotels. We have never done a trip where we didn't pre-book so we're much more comfortable with that approach. I was thinking that we'd have more flexibility and could test our adaptability if we didn't book everything in advance but maybe that wouldn't be good.

Thank you both for the input - really appreciate it! Originally we were going to do a cruise but it just didn't seem the best way to really get to know Greece (as much as one can in 13 days).

Millemar - we had only 12 days and this is how we spent it - arrived in Athens airport and caught the bus straight from the terminal to Piraeus, where we spent the night at the Piraeus Dream Hotel - very close to the ferry terminals.

We caught the ferry the next morning to Paros (other islands departures from there too) and spent time in Nauossa (5 days). You could explore Mykonos/Delos from here if you wanted to.

Back to Athens - flying this time - and picked up a hire car from Budget at the airport - booked direct through the GR website - to tour the Peloponnese (3 nights - not long enough!!). I cannot recommend the Aetoma in Nauplion highly enough as your base to explore the area.But this will need booking in advance as they are very popular. As OP noted a great highway most of the way to Nauplion from Athens.

We went back to Athens airport to drop the car off and then into Athens by the excellent train service for 3 nights at the 2/3 star Airotel Parthenon which is within walking distance of the Acropolis, new museum etc.

I hope this helps - but there is so much to do and see in Greece - I know how hard it can be deciding what your trip will look like!

Also, I noted you like to do some hiking - if you decide to go to Paros there is a Byzantine Road from Lefkes in the hills to Prodromo by the coast which is a must-do walk.Maybe the herbs and wildflowers will be out then - it would be gorgeous!

Millemar, were it me, I would head straight for Santorini and save Nafplion/Athens for the end of your trip. Nafplion will still be busy when you arrive, and Athens is best left until last to insure that no glitches cause you to miss the flight home.

If you arrive early enough in the evening, try to catch a late flight to Santorini. Last flights leave Athens around 9-10pm, and you will need two hours between flights. Right now the summer timetables aren't complete, but check with Aegean Airlines, Olympic Air, and Athens Airways.

If you arrive too late for a flight that evening, you have several choices. One would be to spend the night in Athens or Pireaus, then take the morning ferry. Another would be to book an early flight the next morning. I don't believe there is much advantage in staying at Piraeus, as you can get from central Athens to the ferry docks in 30 minutes by metro. Then you can have a walk around Plaka that evening, have a late meal (tavernas stay open <i>very</i> late), and gaze at the Acropolis above the city, ablaze with lights.

If you can't get out to Santorini the evening of arrival, my recommendation would be to book a flight early next morning. You could, as I do with an early morning flight, stay at the airport Sofitel, and have only a 3 minute walk to the airline check-in counters the next morning. The hotel is expensive, but you can get a slightly better price with a non-refundable booking over the internet.

If you don't want an expensive hotel, there are some alternatives near the airport (Peri's Hotel & St Thomas B&B). I don't know if she has stayed at them, but travelerjan will give you some details on those hotels.

Some great advice - the Sofitel is expensive, but convenient when travelling to/from the Athens airport. We tried to stay at St Thomas B & B and it was full - so maybe that is a good recommendation!

We arrived in Athens to find Olympic Air has cancelled our flight to Paros, so our arrangements to get to Paros were made on the fly, but worked out well and I found the ferries much improved since I had last travelled on them, in fact much less scary than the Olympic flight from Paros to Athens a week later!

The point about leaving the Athens part of your trip to later to ensure you make your connections is a good one!Getting back to the airport via the train is a breeze!

Hi Lizzy,

I <i>love</i> that Paros-Athens flight! The Dash 8 climbs like an elevator - it has to - the Paros runway is only 2,300ft! Who needs to get their thrills on a rollercoaster when you can fly out of Paros?

It's a very safe aircraft, though, and I have always felt comfortable on those flights. I don't know when you were there, but last autumn Olympic was going through some major changes. Olympic Air agreed to fly to Paros and other subsidized routes without compensation until contracts were awarded, and some of the flights were cancelled. By next spring Olympic Air should be more reliable.

Look forward to the more reliable service - we were there in October and it did give us the heebie jeebies when the pilot reversed that extra meter on the runway before taking off! Every centimetre counts!!

The surly stewardess was a trip highlight ;-)

Don't care - I would still risk it all to go back to Naoussa Please!!!

Yes, I thought it might be around then. All the Olympic Airlines employees had to reapply for jobs with the new Olympic Air, and they faced an uncertain future. I've found it's hard to get a smile out of Olympic stews, but when they do, you know it's a sincere one.

BTW, what you saw is standard procedure when the taxiway doesn't lead directly to the end of the runway. They have to taxi down the runway, then do a 180 deg turn at the end to take off. I've experienced the same thing at airports with much longer runways than Paros. Flights from Skiathos to London sometimes have to land at Thessaloniki to take on extra fuel - the runway isn't long enough for some jets to take off with a full load. One flight I was on did a hot refueling (engines running) with all the doors open in case we needed to evacuate. The joys of travel!

Now that 'hot refueling' is terrifying - show me the exit!

Still, all adds to the experience of travel!

I first went to Greece 30 years ago with my dear Mum who shared her love of Greek mythology and history with me,so the country and it's people has a soft spot in my heart forever- in spite of OA!

That 'hot refueling' was at least 15 yrs ago with a charter airline. We never even went near the terminal building - the refueling was done somewhere in the middle of the airfield. Newer jets are much more efficient, and perhaps no longer make those refueling stops. Whatever happens on flights, I am comforted by knowing that the pilot doesn't want to die either! Remember the old saying: <i>There are old pilots, and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots.</i>

Thanks for the information. We have decided to definitely spend time in Athens, Santorini, and Nafplion. We will be there for 13 full days and would like to add in one other island. We want to see Mykonos and have dinner there one night, but it sounds like Paros or Naxos might be a better place to actually stay. If we have 7 nights for the islands (Santorini plus one other), and we want to see Delos, should we make the other island stay Paros, Naxos, or Mykonos?

Just from a logistical point of view Naxos and Paros are on several direct ferry routes from Santorini.
You can also catch the day excursion boat from both Naxos and Paros that runs 3 days a week to Delos and stops in Mykonos for 3 hours so you can at least experience Mykonos for a bit.

Here are some Naxos pictures so you can see what to expect there.
http://travel.webshots.com/album/570796960FtMsPF

If Delos is a priority, Mykonos would be your best base. Boats leave Mykonos harbor three times daily except Mondays, when the site is closed. The boats from Mykonos take 30 minutes, and tickets entitle you to catch any boat back to the harbor, so you can explore Delos at your own pace. The first boat departs for Delos at 9:00am, and the last boat returns to Mykonos in early afternoon.

If, however, you allocate 3-4 nights for your second island, you could stay on Naxos or Paros and still be fairly confident of getting to Delos. The same excursion companies serve both Naxos and Paros. They sail on Tue, Thu, & Sun, departing Naxos at 8:45am, and returning at 6:45pm. They pick up passengers at Naoussa on Paros at 9:30am and return at 6:00pm, so from Paros the trip takes 1hr 30min less.

Some other facts you should know:

The excursion boats from Naxos/Paros are much smaller than the ferries, so the ride could be rough in high winds. It is possible they could even be cancelled, but this is rare in May. M/V Alexander is a catamaran, and Naxos Star a conventional boat. Naxos Star tends to roll more in rough seas.

Whether you choose Mykonos, Naxos, or Paros is a matter of taste. I prefer Paros (combined with nearby Antiparos), and others on this board are staunch Naxos advocates. Mykonos is more expensive, but has lots of good hotels and restaurants. You can see the Mykonos live webcam at: http://www.mykon.net/mtest/index.php.

Thanks heimdall & stanbr - the information ferry timetables is really helpful, and your pictures of Naxos are beautiful!

It sounds as though it's very do-able to get from Naxos or Paros to Delos as long as we have a few days. Are there any night ferries - ie if we went to Delos and then wanted to have dinner in Mykonos but end up back in Paros/Naxos that evening, is that possible? Or would we need to stay in Mykonos?

Thank you!

One other question - everyone is recommending doing Athens last seemingly due to flight reliability. Is that really a problem? All things being equal, we'd rather do our historical sightseeing first and wrap up the vacation with some R&R in the islands.

Flights are much less likely to be cancelled than ferries, but if your intention is to do some island hopping saving for the last an island with an airport for the return to Athens at the last minute then you might just find yourself stranded if there's a big wind.

Hi millemar,

If you want to have dinner in Mykonos you will have to spend the night there, then take a morning ferry to Paros. Getting back to Naxos would probably require going through Paros.

We all advise travelling back to Athens a day or two in advance to insure you don't miss your flight home. Flight and ferry delays/cancellations are rare, but occasionally happen. Since many people rely on my advice, I always give the safe answer. I would feel terrible if someone missed their flight home because of something I wrote.

Now, for myself, I routinely take flights and ferries the same day as my flight home, usually arriving back in Athens only a few hours before flight check-in time. So far I have never been caught out, but am aware that eventually the odds will catch up with me. If they do, I will only have to pay for a single ticket to London - no big deal. If, on the other hand, it were two or more tickets on a transatlantic flight, then I would think differently.