Romantic Greece and Exciting Turkey : 2011 Trip Report
 

We returned a few days ago from a 16-day trip of Greece and Turkey. We were accompanied on this tour by another friend couple of ours, so we made a happy foursome. We are a couple from India, in our early 50's, avid travelers who have galavanted across the globe, but never to these countries. During this trip we visited the following places:

Athens - 2 nights
Paros - 3 nights
Santorini - 2 nights
Nafplion - 2 nights
Cappadocia - 3 nights
Istanbul - 4 nights

The trip was preceded with much planning as usual, which I enjoy as much as the travel itself, and DW is more than happy to leave all the preparations to me. We extensively used the Lonely Planet guidebooks of Greece and Turkey, and made full use of this Fodors forum (as always). Numerous questions were posted here, and reading through the threads on this forum, our planning was pretty much immaculate.

All four of us were vegetarians, which did limit our choice of food somewhat in these two countries, but finding delicious vegetarian food was not much of a challenge in either Greece or Turkey. I plan to post an exhaustive trip report in several installments, as much for our own records as for the benefit of readers at this forum. So here goes the first salvo :

Day 1 (Friday, June 24th) : ARRIVAL AT ATHENS :
We had a long day ahead of us, as the flight connections were bad. An early morning Turkish Airline flight at 5:15am out of Mumbai, which pretty much ruined any chance of sleep the preceding night. A boring wait at Mumbai airport from 2 am onwards, where the ladies did catch a few winks of sleep. Fortunately, the flight was mostly empty, and we could each stretch out on 3 seats apiece, and manage some sleep. It was over a 6-hour haul to Istanbul, which we reached at 9:30am local time. We had over 7 hours to kill at Istanbul, as our flight to Athens was only at 5pm in the evening !

We were mentally prepared for this ordeal, and we killed time first sitting at cafes drinking coffee, and using the wi-fi to surf the net on our netbooks. Then located suitable lounges where our credit cards allowed free access (the Zone lounge for me and the HSBC lounge for our friends), where we killed more time relaxing, with free snacks, coffee and wi-fi. At 3pm we undertook a joint inspection of all the airport shops, sniffing at all the perfumes and EDT's available. Finally, the ordeal was over and we boarded the Turkish Airline flight to Athens.

We reached Athens on schedule at 6:30pm, and quickly retrieved our luggage. Stopped at the Amphitrion Holidays counter in the arrival hall, to buy our ferry tickets for Paros and Santorini for later in the week. Good advice from Fodorites, as this was speedily done. Then boarded the metro by 7:30pm to head to downtown Athens.

The metro was crowded at that hour. We had a 40-minute ride to Monastiraki, which was our destination. Had heard a lot about pickpocket gangs that operate on these metros, and despite all the warning and precaution, I almost fell victim to such a gang myself. There was a guy trying to get friendly and helpful, standing next to me. My friend warned me to be careful of him, and I also spotted something suspicious about him. Just when we were to reach Monastiraki, and I lifted my suitcase off from the rack, another stranger tried to be helpful and held the other end of my suitcase (to assist me apparently). However, despite my pleas, he just would not let go of the end of the suitcase that he was holding. I kept telling him that I was fine, and he should put the suitcase on the ground, but he persisted. This was a ploy to distract me, while the earlier suspicious bloke moved in close to me and tried dipping his fingers in my jeans pocket. A shout from me, and they all disappeared, realizing that the game was up. I was a little shaken up, as it was a close shave. Fortunately, I had one hand very close to my wallet at all times, and averted a clever pickpocket attempt.

Anyway, we alighted at Monastiraki safe and sound, and walked the required 5 minutes from the station to reach our Hotel Plaka. It turned out to be a decent hotel, at an excellent location. Rooms were a little small, and the toilets were tiny, but we could live with that. We dumped our luggage in the rooms and left immediately to catch some dinner. It was about 9 pm, and we walked to a nearby square, and sat down at "Platanos" taverna on an outside table. Nearby, some nice music and folk dancing was going on at some cultural center. The ambiance was lovely. We had a nice dinner of Greek salad, pastas, cooked spinach & tomatoes with rice, downed with excellent Mythos beer (very well chilled).

The surroundings of the area were quite lively, and shops were open way past 10pm. Despite our journey fatigue, the ladies enjoyed some window shopping. Finally, we returned to the hotel at 11pm, showered, and crashed out in bed. Athens, we will be ready for you by the morning !

Thanks for the feedback. I look forward to reading the instalments of your trip report. :-)

Bookmarking - always enjoy your reports.

Day 2 (Saturday, June 25th): ATHENS
We got up at 6:30am and got ready. The hotel had a fairly decent breakfast buffet spread, and we were out of the hotel by 8:15am, headed for the Acropolis. Everyone on this forum had advised to get an early start for visiting the Acropolis, as busloads of tourists and the stifling heat can ruin the visit later in the day. Dead accurate.

Even so early in the morning, it felt a bit hot and humid. The climb was somewhat arduous, but doable, and we reached the entry gates by 9 am. Bought tickets and in we went.

The Acropolis visit was excellent. The crowds were not heavy at that hour, although the sun was quite strong on the hill. Many areas were undergoing restoration, and were cordoned off. However, we did see the Beule Gate, Propylaia, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Theatre of Dionysos (in ruins), the Parthenon and the Erechtheion. Had to use our imagination to conjure as to what the original structures would have looked like in all their glory. What I can I say about such an important and monumental historical site, about which so much has been written. Suffice to say that it lived up to its expectations, and we were satisfied.

Around 11 am we started our descent from the hilltop, selecting the route that went through the Anafiotika neighbourhood. A lovely part of town, very quaint and pretty. Stopped at a cute outdoor cafe which had little fans installed everywhere to cool the patrons. We rehydrated ourselves with some cool long drinks, and then walked down further to enter the Plaka area.

The next 2 hours were spent roaming the narrow lanes of Plaka, with the ladies having a whale of a time going into every footwear and handbag shop. Both of these were in plentiful abundance. Finally entered a painting shop, where an old man was sitting and painting away with his brush. Ended up buying a few miniature pieces to decorate our kitchen. As we passed through Monastiraki Square, we saw numerous streetside fruit vendors, where we picked up excellent cherries, apricots and peaches. Bought some yogurt and cold drinks, and returned to our hotel. We were tired after the Acropolis climb, and lack of sleep, so we feasted in the room with some home-made snacks that we had carried, together with these fruits. Then retired for a much needed siesta for the next two hours.

We got up before 4 pm, had coffee in the hotel's breakfast room, and ventured out again. Walked on "Arminou" street, which was full of shops. Ladies kept shopping for odds and ends while we headed towards the New Acropolis Museum. Now this museum is a must see in Athens, and it would be a shame if anyone missed it. It is beautifully located, as the actual Acropolis is in full view from its balconies. A short video film inside gives one an excellent history and background of the structures, and one starts appreciating the architectural details. The archeological finds from the excavations are very well displayed in this museum, which is very well laid out. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

We exited the museum around 6 pm, and retraced our steps to see the Hadrian Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The latter was closed, and we could only click pictures from outside. After some gelato, we embarked on a walk on the pedestrian promenade around the Acropolis, which started from here. We went past the Acropolis Museum, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, and the Ancient Agora (which had just closed by then; what a pity). The promenade was lively at all places, and beautifully constructed. We stopped ever so often for rest and to watch the people go by. Nice pavement shops and cafes everywhere.

Finally, when we had walked till the end of this pedestrial promenade, we reached the westernmost end of Arminou street, where we relaxed at an outdoor cafe with some beer. Tried the local Alfa beer, but discovered that I had liked the Mythos beer more. We continued walking till we reached Monastiraki square. It was 8:30 pm, but the sun had not yet set. Kept walking till we reached Parliament Building.

I loved the area around the Parliament building. There were hundreds of tents all around the place, each one protesting some cause or the other. Language barriers prevented us from comprehending the cause of dissatisfaction of most. Animated discussions were in progress at many places, between small crowds of people. Some groups were shouting slogans, and we merrily joined in the slogan shouting, without a clue of what was being said ! Atop a long flight of stairs, one old man was standing wearing a hat, with this hands pointing to the sky as though he was holding the heavens from falling down. Tapped him on the shoulder to enquire what he was doing. He indicated that he knew no English, and was unable to explain his gameplan to me.

We walked all around, soaking up the atmosphere. Peaceful democratic protests. Saw the change of guards at the Parliament building. Little did we realize that these same protests were to turn violent after two days (as we later saw on Television a few days thereafter), with the mobs pelting stones and the riot police bursting teargas shells. Fortunately, all was peaceful the day we were there.

It was now 9:30 pm, and getting dark. We walked a few blocks to reach "Kydatheon" street, where we knew we would find a large number of street-side restaurants. We loved the place the moment we reached it. Inspected quite a few eateries, and sat down at the busiest one (Vinzantino, or something close to it, was its name).It was very large and very crowded. Waiters have to compete in tough conditions to attract customers to their eatery, and we were offered free wine to be seated here. We got a very good pavement table. The service was excellent, and the food was exquisite. Had a mixed vegetable platter, fried pimientos, eggplant & cheese croquettes, and domus (which was divine). We enjoyed the meal as much as the ambiance.

We again had to walk on Arminou to return to our hotel. Ladies bought some junk jewellery from a very pretty salesgirl in some shop, and ended up buying footwear at a shop just opposite our Hotel Plaka (strange to see shops open close to midnight !). On reaching our hotel, we settled our bills, as we would be departing early the next morning. Booked a taxi for the morning, and went to the rooftop bar/garden of the hotel. Settled on comfortable sofas, and feasted on superb views of a lit-up Acropolis. Felt like going off to sleep there, as it was so pretty and relaxing.

Finally returned to our rooms, showered, packed up everything, and retired to bed well past midnight.

Heimdall, my special thanks to you, as you had answered so many of our questions before the trip, and helped us plan this vacation.

Thursdaysd, I am flattered that someone has followed many of my trip reports. Please keep the encouragement going !

A very evocative report that captured the lively spirit of Athens in the evening ... keep it up!

Happy to hear that you foiled a pickpocketing attempt --- but was dismayed to read that you had kept your wallet in your jeans pocket, despite the fact that you use guidebooks and this forum, all of which warn against this. I've read reports that 80% of those pickpocketed on the metro are men ... because despite being warned, they stubbornly continue to keep wallets & passports in pocket of pants OR jacket, many declaring, ME? no! I would always know if someone was trying to get into MY pocket!! Women are more used to wearing their purses (or day-bags) with a crosswise strap, and keeping their hand on the closure. Men, take a lesson. Wallets in pockets on Metro, not manly, just foolish.

I do admire the patience you seem to display with the shop-o-rama that went on ... many women wish their husbands were as forebearing!

I'm enjoying your report Keep it coming!

Travelerjan and aimeekm, thanks for the appreciation. And a special thanks to you travelerjan, for having answered so many of my questions on this forum, and having helped plan this trip.

I agree with you, that I was being foolish. I had that same bravado attitude : "pickpocketing can't happen to me ". Now that I have had a close shave, I am duly chastened. I usually use a money belt; that day I was just being lazy, and fortunately did not have to pay a heavy price for it !

Another follower! Looking forward to the rest!

Welcome progol. Next installment coming up within an hour !

Day 3 (Sunday, June 26th): PAROS
We were booked on an early morning ferry to Paros, departing at 7:25 am from Piraeus port. So we were up by 4:45 am, got ready and brought our bags down. Hotel Plaka had been very accommodating about serving an early breakfast to us at 6 am. Our taxi arrived at 6:15 am, and we were off for Piraeus.

We boarded the Blue Star ferry at about 7 am. On advice from Fodorites, we had purchased business class tickets, which turned out to be excellent advice indeed. They cost only marginally more than the economy seats, and the additional benefits are immense. The business class seating area was most comfortable, with lovely sofas, and very few people. We got a prime window port to ourselves, and spread out comfortably on the sofas, enjoying the excellent views from the windows. A peek into the economy seating area revealed cramped passengers holding on to their chairs, looking mighty uncomfortable and crowded.

The 4 hour sailing journey was largely peaceful and calm, with some rough seas after 9:30 am. We caught some sleep, made some travel jottings, snacked a bit, and generally relaxed.

We reached Parikia port at Paros around 11:45 am. It was hardly a 3 minute walk from the port to our Hotel Argonauta. It turned out to be a nice hotel, at an excellent location, with very friendly staff. The place had a homely feel to it. The reception area was large, informal, and lovely; the rooms were simple, clean, with minimalist decor, but painted in very soothing pastel shades. We settled our luggage in our rooms, freshened up, and left by 1 pm. There was a strong wind blowing in the air, but it was comfortable with the afternoon sun.

We first roamed one of the two market streets of Parikia. The streets were in narrow winding alleys, with stone flooring outlined in white, and every building without fail was painted in white with blue trimmings. Even the simplest of structures looked astonishingly pretty because of the color similarity, and the dense bougainvilleas brought each building to life. We emerged on the waterfront, and shopped around for car rentals for the next 2 days. Finally settled with Sixt, who offered an excellent deal for E 25 per day, plus E 10 per day for full insurance with zero excess.

We settled down on a Greek Taverna on the waterfront for lunch, where we had a sumptuous meal of Greek salads, pizzas and various other items which I cannot remember. Post lunch, we resumed our stroll of the market streets of Parikia, but noticed that over half the shops had closed down for an afternoon siesta. As we strolled, the two ladies got left behind in some shop, and we two males stumbled upon a group of four lovely Greek ladies, who willingly posed for pictures with us ! We then sat down for coffee at a streetside cafe that was bustling with activity, where our wives caught up with us. Finally, we returned to the hotel at about 4:30 pm and rested for an hour.

We left the hotel at 6 pm to go to Krios beach. When we reached the waterfront, we discovered that the water taxis had shut down for the day due to the strong winds. So we took a regular taxi and reached Krios beach, requesting the taxi to come back in 90 minutes to pick us back. We rented an umbrella and some deck chairs on the beach, and jumped into the cool clear waters of the Aegean Sea. After a refreshing swim for about an hour, we emerged, did some people watching for a while, and slowly made our way back to the taxi park area, where our taxi was already waiting. Returned to our hotel and dumped our towels and swimming attire.

We roamed around the Kastro area of Parikia, which was very picturesque and offered lots of photo-ops. It was getting to sunset time, and the soft light made for excellent photography. Then we emerged on to the waterfront, and sat down on the outside porch of the first-floor Evinos Bar. We had a round of cocktails. The atmosphere was great, but the wind was getting stronger by the hour, and howling in our face.

We retreated and proceeded for dinner at "Happy Green Cows", which was highly recommended by the hotel staff as well as the LP guidebook. The place had kitschy decor, but a very friendly host and chef. We had one of our best meals of the trip here, consisting of Fried Rolls with cheese, Raw Mushrooms, and an excellent Vegetable Platter. The dishes were all delicately flavored and extremely tasty. We loved it.

It was already 11:30 pm by the time we left the restaurant, and the wind was making the island feel cold. We had been sleep deprived for the last 3 nights, so we decided to call it a day, and crashed out in our beds.

Day 4 (Monday, June 27th): PAROS
Allowed ourselves the luxury of sleeping in late, and getting up without the aid of an alarm clock. Left the hotel leisurely after 9 am, and located a friendly "Friend's cafe" on the waterfront. We had a super breakfast of Stuffed Crepes and coffee. Then we ambled over to Sixt office to pick up our rental car. We had paid up and booked for a tiny car, but we got a much larger Kea Centura for the same price, which made things more comfortable. Excellent deal.

Drove straight to the Butterfly Valley, where we saw a large number of Tiger Moth shaped butterflies. Nothing terribly exciting about the place; can call it a so-so experience. Then we drove off towards Lefkes Village, located in the center of the island atop a hill. As we entered Lefkes, we veered into the Yria Pottery Studio, and took a look around their premises and pottery process. Interesting collection, but IMO somewhat overpriced.

Then we reached the heart of Lefkes village, and parked our car, as most places are pedestrian only. It was a lovely little village, atop a hill. Nice alleys everywhere, with pretty houses, all overflowing with bougainvilleas. We had heard about an interesting Byzantine walk from here to Prodomos village, but learned that it was 90 minutes long, and required sturdy walking shoes. We gave it a skip, and just continued to enjoy Lefkes village and its beauty. Sat on the main square of Lefkes (if you can call it that, as it was pretty tiny), and rested our feet with a drink of coffee and a bite of ice-cream. Also shopped a little for cute ceramic items in the small village shops.

Then slowly walked back to the car park, and drove down to the eastern coast of Paros island, to the resort village of Piso Livadi. Sat down for lunch on a waterfront restaurant called "Halaris". The place was beautiful, with crystal clear waters, and boats anchored on the waterfront. Had a good meal of Tomato Croquettes, Halaris Salad, and Mashed Fava beans with bread. Thereafter, we drove back to Parikia, and rested in our hotel for almost two hours.

At around 6:30 pm we drove to Kolymvithres Beach on the northern end of Paros, where we had a lovely swim. The water was warmer than the previous day, and there was no wind. The water also seemed clearer, and the sea bed was less rocky. Outside the water, interesting rock formations were visible. A picturesque place for a swim.

From there, it was a short drive to Naousa village, which was next on our agenda. We parked our car in Naousa around 7:30 pm, and immediately fell in love with the village. Very atmospheric place, with a great waterfront. The hotels and the crowd looked more upscale than Parikia, its market alleys were busier and its marina was gorgeous. We spent over 2 hours roaming the streets of the village, exploring the by-lanes of the narrow alleys. DW bought a nice cotton sweater, and I bought some interesting artifacts to decorate my office. The place was brimming with life and activity.

We sat down at a nice bar, and took a pavement table. Tried the Greek ouzo, which tasted excellent. Much smoother than whatever I had tasted earlier outside of Greece. Went for dinner to some place called Perimvoleris, nearer the car park area. It looked great from the outside, but it disappointed. Had the Tzitziki dip, Eggplants with peppers (bitter !!) and Tortellinis (very hard !!).

Despite the disappointing dinner, the after-taste of Naousa was excellent as we drove off, back to Parikia. We debated whether it would have been better to stay at Naousa versus Parikia, but reached no consensus on that debate. By the time we reached our hotel, and our heads touched our pillows, it was almost 1 am.

I am so enjoying your wonderful trip report....you always write interesting reports!! We have a similarly planned itinerary, on the Greek portion of your trip, for next summer and I am glad to read about your experiences. Looking forward to more.>:D<

Just curious, what made you choose to stay in Parikia versus Naousa?

Thanks for the compliments JoyC.

I guess we chose Parikia over Naousa for its better connectivity. Ferries to and from Paros dock at Parikia. Passenger ferries to Antiparos and back also go from Parikia (although we ended up taking our car to Antiparos, so we went from Punta instead of Parikia). With a car, it mattered little if we stayed at Parikia, and frequently visited Naousa, or if we stayed at Naousa nad frequently visited Parikia. We did visit Naousa again, which will come up in the next installment.

Came across your trip report, and find it very interesting! I am currently in the planning stages for a visit to Athens, Paros and Santorini. I'm definitely going to reference your report for places to visit and eat. Looking forward to your next entry!

Wow. This is a full-blown review! I appreciate you telling all these details of your trip. Yes, Greece is indeed a romantic place. Only a few find that true. I do and you do. It's a lovely place.

Thanks cvilletravel for the appreciation. Next entry coming soon.

jh2011, I guess the most romantic place in Greece is Santorini, details of which will come up shortly in this TR.

Day 5 (Tuesday, June 28th): ANTIPAROS :
We got up late once again, and could leave the hotel only around 9:15 am. Went first to have a peek at the Church with 100 doors, called the "Panagia Ekatondapyliani", which we found very interesting. Did not try to count the 100 doors, but noticed that there were plenty ! Then sat down on a cafe nearby, called Cafe Dispato, where we breakfasted on omelettes and double Greek coffee.

We had heard that a two-day strike had started in Greece, which was likely to throw the ferry schedules out of gear. As we were booked to go to Santorini the next afternoon, we were worried. We went to the Blue Star Ferries office at Parikia, and our doubts were confirmed : the Blue Star Ferries were not running either that day or the next. However, the Hellenic Flying Cats were continuing to run, and Blue Star was offering to change their ticket to a Hellenic ticket. We got the ferry tickets changed, to depart the next day at 4pm (instead of noon), and reach Santorini at 5:45 pm instead of 3 pm. We had wanted to reach Santorini in a slow ferry, where we could admire the views as we approached, from an open deck. This was not going to happen on the Flying Cat, as it was an enclosed vessel, but at least our holiday plans were more or less intact.

After this, we went to pick up the car from the parking lot, while the ladies went back to the hotel to pick up our swimming gear. By 11 am we were all off, driving towards Punta port. It was a short ride, and a car ferry was waiting at the port. We drove on to the deck, and went ourselves to the upper deck. It was a short pleasant 5 minute sailing to Antiparos, which looked pristine as we arrived.

We drove off our car from the ferry, and headed first to Farina beach located at one end, and looked around for a while. Then parked our car near the port, and walked the length of the market street of Antiparos and back. A very quaint little village, not crowded, with a very laid back feel to it.

We were looking for the "Blue Island Divers" outfit, where we had planned on doing a beginner's scuba diving course during the day. It took a while before we located their Dive Center, at one end of the main street. They told us that scuba-diving was not possible on that day, as they were already overbooked. However, they offered boat rentals for the day, to sail around the island, for only Euro 60 per day (plus fuel). We decided to go for it.

We went back to the market street of Antiparos, and packed some takeaway food (pizzas, spaghetti, stuffed tomatoes), plus stocked up on water,ice, wine and beer. Returned to the Dive Center where we were given a briefing about the boat's operation and instructions on what to do in case of engine problems. At 1:50 pm, we were aboard the boat, and away !

This was our first experience at riding a boat solo (without trained help), and it was somewhat intimidating. We had started on the north-eastern end of the Island, and sailed northwards, until we went past the northern tip of the island. There were two small uninhabited islands off the northern tip, and we decided to circle them. As we went further, the sea started to get a bit rough, and the boat rocked ominously. We decided to retrace our path, and returned to the northern tip of the island. Then we circled and went over to the western side of Antiparos. The sea was still rough, and we were all on edge. We went past another couple who had rented a boat from the same outfit, and their engine had stalled in choppy waters. We called up Blue Island Divers, and alerted them of the position of this boat, and they promised to send help ASAP.

As we sailed south, on the western side of the island, the sea gradually became calmer. The ladies were no longer on tenterhooks, and could enjoy their lunch on board. We went past several beaches where we spotted people bathing, including a nude beach. As we went further south, there was no sign of any habitation, but the lovely vistas opened up. Beautiful cliffs, and exquisite coves everywhere. It was tempting to enter one of the coves and drop anchor, and admire the views for a while. However, at the request of the ladies, who were still not 100% comfortable, we kept moving on. Kept sailing south, and continued to encounter lovely deserted beaches and coves.

The water was like a sheet of polished glass; could see every square inch of the ocean floor so clearly. I changed into my swimming gear, we shut off the boat's engine, and I dived into the lovely waters. Swam for a while in the turquoise blue waters, where both the water temperature and water clarity were simply divine.

As we went on, the engine did stall a couple of times. We pumped out air from the fuel lines as instructed, and could manage to get the engine re-started. We had reached the southern tip of Antiparos by around 4 pm, and we were circling it to go over to the eastern side (where the habitation existed, from where you could also see Paros Island). The sea was very very still on this side, and houses gradually became visible.

As we moved northwards, the engine started giving more problems, and then stopped completely. Telephoned the Blue Island Divers a few times, discovered that we had run out of fuel, were instructed on where to find the spare fuel tank. Then followed a series of operations, to transfer fuel from the spare tank to the main tank, turn various knobs, and after many failed attempts, the engine finally restarted. We were not worried all this while, as we were not far from our destination, habitation was in sight, and we knew that help could reach us at short notice.

This time the engine did not stall even once, and we slowly headed back to our starting point, reaching there at 6:15 pm. We were just about exhausting our spare fuel also as we reached ! It had been an experience of a lifetime, with lovely views on the western coast of Antiparos, pristine waters, albeit some rough seas initially, and a few anxious moments with the engine. But it is all these which make up a good adventure. We returned the boat, and took the 7:15 pm car ferry back to Paros, and refreshed a bit at our hotel.

By 8 pm we headed back to Naousa village again, as we had fallen in love with that place the previous day. Reached there just as the sun was setting. Once again, we walked all through the alleys of the village, and finally sat down at "Insomnia" bar on the waterfront. Very pretty hostess (aren't all Greek ladies gorgeous ?). Had a B52 cocktail, which was a deadly combination of Kahlua, Grandmanier and Baileys). Very nice.

We selected a Greek waterfront restaurant, where we had a nice dinner with very friendly staff. Ordered some mixed vegetables, feta cheese with tomatoes, pizzas etc; at our request, the dishes were prepared spicy and fiery, the way we like them ! The staff insisted that we also have some complimentary desserts and some Raki, which we did.

At about 11 pm we drove back to Parikia, reached our hotels and retired around midnight.

I can only read up to day 5 on the forum is there a reason why i cant read the rest
very imformative
I am going to zurich switzerland in sept
and suggestions where i can go..
but i also want to read the turkey section of this
report please inform how i can read it

sewanhaka, the only reason why you can read only upto Day 5 is that so far that is the only bit that has been posted. I am uploading the Trip Report bit by bit daily, and it may take 5-6 days for all the days to be uploaded.

I have also posted a Switzerland trip report 3 years ago on this forum. If you click on my screen-name, and look through all my trip reports, you will find that one (posted in 2008).

I too was on Antiparos... in Early June... but not as ambitious as you! Delighted to learn that boats can be rented in that way, for knowledgeable boat-handlers. I instead took the opportunity, after 17 days or so of being responsible for others, of simply doing nothing at all (except strolling & swimming), on an island that is ideal for relaxing.

Travelerjan, totally agree that Antiparos is ideal for relaxing and doing nothing. But the boat ride round the island is gorgeous - especially the west coast of Antiparos, as seen from the water is breathtakingly beautiful.

If we ever go back for a repeat trip, the idea of simply relaxing at Antiparos would sound very tempting indeed !

Day 6 (Wednesday, June 29th): ARRIVAL AT SANTORINI :
We were up by 8 am, and all had tea/coffee in the shared sitout area (which was so pretty and relaxing at Hotel Argonauta). Then slowly got ready and packed up. We had a lot of time today, due to our delayed departure caused by the Greek strike.

We picked up the car from the carpark and returned it to Sixt office. Then went for a late late breakfast at 10:30 am back to Friend's Cafe on the waterfront. I had omelettes and Greek coffee. We left the ladies to wander around the Parikia shops and do their last minute purchases. I went back to the hotel to check up my mails, establish contact with my office back in India, and got some urgent work done. The ladies arrived, and we cleared our bags from the rooms, leaving them down at the reception.

Went for a leisurely lunch at "Jacobs" on the waterfront, and sat on their comfy sofas right by the water, under large umbrellas. We had a very friendly waiter, who was tolerant of the fact that we were really not hungry, and were just trying to relax and shoot the breeze. We just ordered some Greek salad and some pasta with olives. After we had finished, we ordered just about every flavor of ice-cream and water-ice that the place had, one by one. We all shared each delicacy as it arrived, and then ordered the next flavor. The view was great, the weather was lovely, and we really had a ball.

Finally, with much reluctance, we got up at 3 pm, tipped the waiter generously for coping up with our insane ordering, picked up the bags from our hotel, and sauntered to the port. The Flying Cat was a bit late in arriving, docking at Parikia only at 4:15 pm. We climbed aboard and settled for a nap. The boat glided ever so smoothly on the water, and we could barely feel its motion.

We reached Santorini at about 6 pm. The views of the approaching cliffs were very nice, and if only the Greek strike had not taken place, we would have watched all this from an open deck instead of glass portholes. Still looked very pretty.

Our hotel had arranged a vehicle pick-up at Athinios port, and we saw the driver with our name standing. He picked up 4 other passengers, and off we went in a mini-van. We drove through Fira, Firestofani, and Imerovigli before we reached Oia. Other passengers alighted enroute, and we were destined for his last stop at Oia. It was a short but steep walk (up and down) with our luggage, before we reached Lotza Restaurant, where our hostess Gill had promised to meet us. She was waiting for us, and she led us down the steps to our rooms at Old Oia Houses.

As we entered our rooms, the fatigue of hauling our luggage up and down suddenly vanished. The rooms were awesome, with a mini-kitchen, a nice toilet, and each with a huge private balcony looking straight down into the caldera. The views from there were as good as you can possibly get from anywhere in Oia, and full marks to this property for location and views. We made some coffee and relaxed on our balconies on comfy deck chairs.

At about 8 pm we walked the short distance to the sunset viewing point. The hotel is very close to the prime sunset view point of Oia, where tourists from all over the island congregate, and it was beginning to get quite crowded. The sunset started at 8:30 pm, and was majestic till 50% of its journey. After that, dense clouds obstructed the view, and we could not watch the sun sinking into the sea.

We then embarked on the "must do" thing at Oia, i.e. to walk from one end of the village to the other along the main pedestrian walkway on the rim. It was late evening, with fading daylight, and the scene was magical and romantic. I have never seen anything so pretty in my life. Houses all lit up, just falling off the cliff into the sea - posh hotels on the cliff, with private swimming pools which seemed to hang in mid air - the lovely caldera, visible at all times - cruise ships anchored in the water with their blinking lights - gorgeously dressed women, jostling on the streets for space - art galleries strewn everywhere on the walkway - and I could just go on. It was too magical a sight to behold, and I had this rush of blood coming to me with every turn of the head.

I kept clicking my camera. Somewhere on the way, I picked up some wine bottles to consume later at night. We walked as far as the street would go, popping into every art gallery on the way (and there were plenty). On reaching the terminal point, we slowly retraced our steps. Every destination which is very hyped in travelogues, invariably disappoints when you get there, but Santorini exceeded all the hype and expectations that existed in my mind.

It was past 10 pm, and we decided to dine at "Skala", a nice terrace restaurant. We secured a table near the edge, looking down upon the cliffs and the water. Had a lovely dinner (one of the best in Greece) of Stuffed Mushrooms, Stuffed Vegetables with cracked wheat, and Stuffed Eggplants. The white wine that was served was divine, and we enjoyed the meal completely.

We returned to our rooms, had a shower, and settled down in the deck chairs on the open sky balcony with a glass of wine. Excellent wine and beautiful stars made for a heady combination. Stayed there for well over an hour, retiring to bed well past midnight. Santorini had surpassed all expectations !

Day 7 (Thursday, June 30th): SANTORINI :
DW and I got up early the next morning, and ventured out at 6:45 am for an early morning stroll down the pedestrian drag of Oia. We wanted to see the place in the morning light also, when it would be quite deserted. And deserted it was at that hour. The previous night, I had asked the waitress at "Skala" as to when the sunrise takes place in Santorini, and she had replied : "Don't ask me difficult questions !"

We only had street cleaners, stray dogs, some photography enthusiasts and some newly weds in wedding attire for company at that hour, otherwise the streets were all ours. Newly weds were posing for photographs at vantage points, the street dogs were having their own conferences at strategic places, and photo buffs were lugging around their tripods. Some people could be seen walking with a yoga mat in a particular direction. Oia was different and beautiful in the early morning light, but it somehow lacked the romance and magic of the evening.

We returned to our room by 7:45 am, had our showers and ate breakfast in the room. Then went to meet Gill at Lotza restaurant nearby, and give a bag full of clothes for laundry. Popped into a Photo Gallery very near our hotel, and bought some excellent monochromatic photo prints to adorn my office walls. Then persuaded Gill to arrange a car rental for us, which she did in a jiffy. In no time, the man from Vazeos car rental arrived, and offered us a good deal.

We went with the Vazeos representative to their office in Oia, did brief paperwork, and drove off in a Nissan Micra. We drove down to Ammoudi harbour and parked the car. The water there was the clearest that I have ever seen, and the views upwards of the cliffs of Oia were very nice. Lots of small boats anchored there, making for a picturesque setting. Some people even swimming there, although there was no beach to speak of. We all sat down at a waterfront tavern and sipped coffee. We had planned on having lunch at Ammoudi, but it was too early for that, so we left.

We drove straight to Fira, and parked in a public parking lot close to the main Town Square. Walked slowly to "25 Martinou" street, and then turned towards the Town Square. On the way, we shopped for Santorini wines and licquer bottles and of course the local ouzo. Sat for lunch at a casual eatery called "Tabasco" on the Town square. Had an average lunch, which was somewhat of a let-down. The sun was very strong and hot, and not conducive to roaming around. We had a round of gelato, drove back to Oia, and rested in our hotels for a while.

We re-emerged at 5 pm, and drove back to Fira. I found driving on the narrow winding roads a lot of fun ! This time we found a street parking very near the Main Square. We first ventured on to the "Jeweller's Street" , near to the caldera rim. Walked up and down various streets, doing window shopping, and staring down at the caldera in between. When we were done with the shops, we slowly started walking along the caldera rim towards Firestofani.

It was just 7 pm, and early for sunset. We sat down at a tavern called "Mama Thira" at Firestofani, located at the caldera rim. We had a round of beer. The place was deserted, and we thought that this may be a nice quiet place to also watch the sunset. But the staff was rude, and behaved roughly with us, in fact very intemperately once they realized that we might not have dinner there. Strange behaviour from a deserted restaurant, and we would not recommend anyone to set foot there. It was a terrible experience, not worth describing. We departed, and went to a nearby cafe a few meters away, which had superb sunset views, very comfortable chairs, and extremely welcoming staff.

We all had another round of drinks, and sat patiently for sunset. Today, there were no clouds to obstruct the view, and we had a majestic view of the ball of fire as it went down into the water. Very pretty, and I am sure the crowds at Oia must have applauded loudly today.

We walked back on the pedestrian walkway to Fira, and located the restaurant "Lithos" on the cliffs down below. It was a large, somewhat upscale establishment, with very friendly staff, and killer views. Cannot remember what we had, but we enjoyed the dinner a lot. After dinner we slowly walked back to our parked car, and drove back to Oia. Once again, the midnight wine feast on the balcony under the stars - for the last time. Finished packing, as we had an early morning flight to catch, picked up our laundry from Lotza, settled our hotel bills and retired to bed, way past midnight.

Beautifully written! I feel i'm taken along with you - sampling the food, admiring the gorgeous view. Thanks so much for sharing!

Enjoying your report! Thanks for the details!

Indiancouple, I'm another additional fan to your very enjoyable report.
There are few on this board who write and articulate their trip reports so well and you are now added to that list. Its so good to see that you are getting so much out of your time in Greece and are enjoying it all, just as we are reading about it.

Looking forward to more episodes, and your Turkish adventures. I spent 9 days in Istanbul, Izmir/Selchuk/Sirince and Cappadocia and it was one of my best holidays ever. Beautiful country.

Keep it up !

M

PS I remember reading and enjoying your Swiss report as well.

I will be relaxing on Antiparos for 2-3 weeks from the end of August. If I can be bothered, I may end the trip with a few days on Naxos or a few days in the Nafplio area. Most of the time, once I set foot on Antiparos I find it hard to leave until it's time to go back to Athens for the flight home. :-)

I loved returning to Naoussa with you. Love your report and positive outlook on your whole Greek experience.

LOVE your report! Your description of your first night in Oia is poetic and dreamy.
Paule

Thanks easytraveler and jamikins for the kudos. Sometimes I wonder if I am putting too much of detail and boring the readers, and if I should abbreviate my notings. Comments from people like you spur me on to write down everything I can remember.

Mathieu, I am completely flattered by your comments. Feels specially nice when someone has read one of my past trip reports and remembers it too !

Heimdall, I recall that when I was planning this trip a few months ago, and was wondering which islands to visit (in particular torn between Naxos and Paros for choice), it was the strong recommendations about Antiparos from you and Travelerjan that veered me towards Paros. I found it very enchanting that an island called Paros should have a neighbouring island called Antiparos !

In your first trip to Greece, one wants to "see all the sights", which is what we did, and understandably so. If we ever go back, I am sure I would like to spend more lazy time on Antiparos and Naousa, rather than speeding around Paros island.

Happytrvlr and progol, my bias for Naousa must have somehow shown in my writing. I did love that village, perhaps more than Parikia, and would probably stay there if I had to do it all again.

As for description of Oia being poetic and dreamy, well that is exactly how that place is ! People had called Oia as the prettiest village on earth, and now I totally agree. It was definitely one of my high points in this trip.

Hi Indiancouple,

I, too, have been enchanted by the style of writing in your trip reports. :-)

No accident in the fact that <i>"an island called Paros should have a neighbouring island called Antiparos"</i>. I've always been amused by the name myself, as if there were some movement for the overthrow of Paros on the island. :-D In this case the"anti" means opposite, so Antiparos is the little island across the narrow channel <i>opposite</i> Paros. Two islands in the Ionian, Paxos and Antipaxos, are named in the same way. ;-)

and there's also Kythira and Antikythira.. :)

Wonderful report!

Heimdall and clausar, thanks for the info about Antipaxos and Antikythira. Looks like this "anti" thing is endemic to Greece. Would have expected it more in Italy, with "antipasta" prominent in their cuisine !

AnnMarie_C, many many thanks for the appreciation.

Day 8 (Friday, July 1st): NAFPLION :
We had an 8:55 am flight out of Santorini, so we got up at 5:30 am, and had a skimpy breakfast in our room. The hostess Gill had promised a porter to haul our luggage up the steep steps, and he arrived at the appointed hour of 6:45 am. He carried all our luggage up as if they were filled with cotton - so effortlessly ! Part of our understanding with Vazeos Car Rentals was that they would drop us off to the airport at no extra charge. The man from Vazeos was waiting in the carpark with a largish car, into which we loaded our luggage. We followed him in our Nissan Micra till the Vazeos office, where we left the car and transferred to the larger vehicle. We were driven to the airport without any adventure.

The Olympic flight to Athens was on schedule, but we were running behind in our sleep, due to the early morning arousal. The moment we boarded the aircraft, we all dozed off. Before we realized, we had landed at Athens. Retrieved our luggage, and went to the Budget Car Rentals counter. We had a confirmed booking of a suitable vehicle with Budget, but we wasted time shopping around with the other car rental counters to see if a better deal was forthcoming. Efforts in vain. Finally completed the paperwork with Budget, which took some time. Got our pre-selected car, a Hyundai Matrix Automatic. Took a long time to walk to the parking area, load our luggage, and it was 11:30 am by the time we finally hit the road to Nafplion.

We had rented a GPS from the car rental agency, and GPS navigations have never let me down in the past. However, after 30 minutes we realized that something was amiss, as the GPS was taking us into Athens city, and into the tiniest of by-lanes and side-streets. After wasting close to an hour, we decided that the GPS was all screwed up, and took roadside directions for getting on to E-94, the main freeway headed to Nafplion. Once on the freeway, the signages were good, and we reached Nafplion by around 2 pm. We had some packed snacks with us, which we consumed enroute in the car, in lieu of lunch.

As we entered our Hotel Aetoma in Nafplion, it was obvious that this was the best hotel so far on this trip. It was a lovely boutique hotel, with only about 5-6 rooms, and so tastefully decorated. The sweet Greek lady who owned the place and ran it was so full of love and service. She immediately fixed us some tea and coffee, with some snacks to nibble on, none of which was on the call of duty. The place did not feel like a hotel at all, but like a lovely homestay. We decided to rest for a while after the long journey, and left the hotel only at 5 pm.

We drove first to Palmidi Fortress and went in. Strolled around for an hour. Nice views of Nafplion from up there, and a very intact fortress to view. Climbed up and down various steps leading to several vantage viewing points, then exited and returned to our car.

We drove down to the waterfront of Nafplion, and parked the car in the large public parking area there. We then embarked on a walking tour of the narrow streets and lanes of Nafplion, which were incredibly beautiful. A picture postcard town, once the capital of Greece. Lush bougainvilleas everywhere, lusher and more flowery than the ones on Paros. The town had a nice central square, like a plaza in a Spanish city. We rested our feet at a cafe on the square, with some cool drinks.

Walked back to the waterfront, and with some difficulty found a boat willing to go to Bourtzi island. The short ride was very scenic, and the small island was even more scenic. A cute pretty place. As we waited there (we were the only 4 people on the island!), the boat went back and forth carrying more passengers to Bourtzi. We returned back to the Nafplion waterfront, and sat on a lively plaza where kids were skating around everywhere.

As it became dark, we returned to the main city square for dinner, and took a table at "Noufara", a Greek-Italian restaurant. Had an excellent dinner of Tomato soup, Mushroom Trifolati, Spring Rolls, Cheese Saganaki and pastas. The cooking was divine.

Returned to the hotel a bit early tonight, and went to bed by 11 pm.

Day 9 (Saturday, July 2nd): NAFPLION
After an early morning wake-up the previous day, we slept till late, and reported for breakfast past 9:30 am. The breakfast spread surprised us completely : home-made Spinach pies, Omelettes, Breads & croissants, selection of cheese, freshly squeezed orange juice, cereals, tea/coffee. Everything cooked in the kitchen of this excellent lady by her own hands. We were stuffed to the neck by the time we were done.

We decided to give the GPS one more try, as we could not comprehend how much astray it could possibly go in a place like this. Double-checked all the settings of the GPS. Asked it to direct us to Ancient Nemea. However, after about 30 minutes, once again we had to give up. We were being led into the tiniest of farm roads and orchards, even to places where no road really existed. We were well and truly lost. Tried asking several people where Nemea was, but there seemed to be considerable confusion between Nemea and Lemea, the latter being a 3-hour drive away !

After much driving around the orchards and fruit-trees, we decided to dump our plans of Ancient Nemea, and seek directions to Mycenae instead. The name of Mycenae seemed more familiar to the locals when we enquired, and we were shortly on a broad wide road leading to it.

On reaching the ruins of Mycenae, we purchased our tickets and went in. Frankly, we found the ruins a bit underwhelming, as very little remained but for the foundations. It was an interesting walk around the place, but not much to see. Maybe the delight of an archeologist, but disappointing for me. The small museum on the site was much more interesting, and it was surprising to see how much stuff had been found intact from the site's excavations. Also peeped into the Treasury of Atreus nearby, which was well preserved and therefore of greater interest.

We drove back to Nafplion, not giving the GPS any further opportunity, and arrived without any unnecessary diversions. Looked around the main waterfront for a suitable restaurant and sat down at a place called "Elotos" (or something close to that). Had an average lunch, and returned to our hotel for some rest. Ladies went off to town to purchase items made of olive wood, and returned an hour later with their hands full !

The Hellenic Festival at the Ancient Theater of Epidavrus had started just the previous day, and we had pre-booked our tickets for today over the phone. It was a Greek play, called "Peace" by Aristophanes, featuring a prominent Greek actor. We had downloaded and read the English synopsis of the play, and we all wanted to experience watching a live play at the ancient theater.

We left Nafplion at about 6 pm, and drove to Epidavrus. Collected our tickets from the Box Office in a jiffy, and were allowed inside at 7:30 pm. We were taken aback to see the huge crowds there, as we had not expected such a gathering. Our tickets were in the Upper Tier, but we got prime seats since we were early. The Theater was beautiful, and the dense trees and the mountains in the background were all so lovely. The setting was very atmospheric, and the feel of the place was electrifying.

The theater is known for its acoustics, and it was great to watch an open air performance in such a large amphitheater, with no microphones being required ! The place was packed to its capacity of about 17000 people, and everything was so wonderfully audible all the way up. The play started at 9:15 pm, and went on till about 11 pm. Could not understand the dialogues obviously, and it would have been great if we could (as it was a comedy). However, we knew what was going on, from the synopsis, and found the overall dramatic encounter to be fantastic. Great music and choreography, and well enacted. A magical experience not to be missed. People travel far and wide just to visit this theater as a tourist site, and for us to be able to sit inside and watch a play there was an honour.

We drove back to Nafplion in the night and parked the car near our hotel. Ventured back to the waterfront for dinner. It was a Saturday night, and the place was very different from the previous night. The streets were full of life and crowds at midnight. We dined at "Omorfi Poli" restaurant, where they served exquisitely prepared food. Music was pouring out of every nightclub in the vicinity, and there was a strange buzz about this small town. It was almost 1:30 am by the time we went back to the hotel, streets still not deserted.

It was our last night in Greece, as we were scheduled to leave for Turkey the next day.