Trip report- Honeymoon in Athens, Mykonos, Hydra, Santorini, Positano & Capri
Aug 10th, 2004, 05:56 AM
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Trip report- Honeymoon in Athens, Mykonos, Hydra, Santorini, Positano & Capri
We had such an incredible honeymoon trip last month! We loved all of it, and we really appreciated the wealth of information we got from this forum. We kept a travel journal (actually, I did, but he did write two entries- one for Greece and one for Italy), and I thought I'd post some of the trip details we wrote about here. I hope it is helpful! We did a lot of research before going. Please feel free to ask questions about the places we went.
Athens:
First, a word about the flight over. We used our delta frequent flyer miles for Air France first class tickets for the entire trip. We really got our miles worth on this trip- we flew from Florida to Athens (via Paris), then from Athens to Naples (via Milan), then from Naples back home (via Paris). The only flights we booked and paid for separately were the inter-island flights in Greece. This saved us lots of money, of course, but it also ensured that all of our long flights were first class when available, or business class when first was not available. It was such a luxury, especially for the transatlantic legs, and it also gave us access to the first class/business lounges in the airports, which was very nice for the layovers. Anyway, we felt it was well worth it, and it seemed the best time to cash in all the miles we had been saving over the years. Immediately after take off, we were presented with flutes of champagne, which added to the celebratory mood of heading off on our trip. I think we had 4-5 of these flutes before dinner, but we also drank water in a weak attempt at hydration. The cabin was unbelievable. It was just one row with six first class seats, and 2 flight attendants. The seats were like huge recliners or lounge chairs, and actually reclined 180 degrees when it was time for sleep. For dinner we had an impressive spread of poached lobster with mango coulis (it was really good- and we are Floridians and very picky about seafood) and filet mignon (actually served medium rare- I couldn?t believe it), a cheese course, dessert, and lots of French wine (naturally, since it was Air France). After dinner, the flight attendants made up the beds with feather duvets and pillows. We actually slept well and were relatively rested when we arrived in Athens.
We arrived in Athens about 2:00pm on the 4th of July- 19 hours after we left home. A driver was waiting for us at the airport- arranged by our U.S. travel agent through Greece a la Carte. It was really so nice to have the transfer prearranged, as we did all throughout our trip. It took all the stress out of getting from one place to the next, finding the hotel, etc. Also, we were so tired when we arrived in Athens, we would not have enjoyed making our way to the hotel on our own. We stayed that night at the Grande Bretagne, which was perfect. It is very ornate and has tons of old world character, but it seemed brand new due to the extensive renovation it underwent for the Olympics and really was not a bit stuffy. The common rooms were huge and beautifully furnished, with big urns of fresh flowers everywhere. Because of our Starwood Preferred card (or maybe because we were honeymooning), we were upgraded to a junior suite, which was enormous and absolutely gorgeous- two chandeliers, a huge Jacuzzi tub, and complimentary champagne and strawberries. It was a great start and a very cool (it was so hot it Athens!) and luxurious place to rest from the long trip over.
We checked in and then headed out to the Plaka for a snack?tzaziki (I am an addict) and Alpha beer at the Taverna Byzantino. The food was just average, but it was a pretty outdoor café set under some huge shade trees and perfect for people watching. We did this for a couple of hours, and loved watching the bustling plaka scene. As it turned out, much of the bustle was in preparation for the European Cup finals that night. Greece had never made it to the finals, and something like 85% of greeks were watching the game that night when Greece played Portugal for the championship. They are INTO it. In the plaka, all the restaurants and businesses were setting up chairs outside to face the many large screen televisions brought in for the occasion.
That night, we had drinks at the Roof Bar of the Grande Bretagne. This was a really cool place, with a very sleek, contemporary feel, cool euro-music, an extensive martini menu and very expensive drinks. We paid 35 euros for a glass of champagne and a gin/tonic. It also has a great view of the Acropolis, which Bo (my husband) had not yet seen. As it got dark the Acropolis lights came on and the city kind of twinkled below. From there, we went to The Old Tavern of Psara?s, a pretty, shady place at the base of the Acropolis. It was spread inside and outside with chairs set up on the steps and all around, and candles all over. It was very romantic and quiet- out of the main pedestrian area of the plaka. The restaurant was actually next to a church where a wedding was taking place, and it was fun to see the guests and the bride/groom leaving. It added to the romance of the place. We had great traditional food- a greek salad, cheese pies and fried zucchini, mousakka and lamb with lemon sauce- all with a good greek red wine (from the peloponese). After dinner, the waiter brought some ice cold watermelon slices, and we joked that we got to eat watermelon on the 4th of July after all.
After dinner, we strolled back through the Plaka. The European Cup finals were on, and the streets were packed with people watching the tv screens. It was really interesting to see- we could hear the game everywhere we went, from the inside of shops and houses and in the streets. We really wanted to stay out and watch it with the crowds, but we were so exhausted we had to get back to the hotel. We went to sleep shortly after, but were awoken when Greece won. Outside our window there were people yelling, horns honking, fireworks- generally a frenzy of activity at about 1:00am. The city went crazy. It was really a cool and unique thing to see on our one night in Athens. Not the typical night in Athens, but very celebratory and fun.
The next day, our tour guide and driver met us in the lobby about 8:30 for our private tour. The guide was great- George from Greece a la Carte (again, arranged by our US travel agent). He took us on a combination driving/walking tour of the city. Our visit to the Acropolis was the highlight, of course, and he had lots of interesting information to share. He was very knowledgeable and friendly, and even helped us with getting a phone card to use on the rest of our trip. He spoke perfect English and could answer any questions we had for him. He joked that the city was very quiet that morning, because of all the hangovers from post-game parties the night before. After our tour, the driver took us straight to the airport for our flight to Mykonos. It was a great, short visit to Athens, and we began to appreciate the fact that we prepaid most everything before we left (hotels, guides, transfers)- it was really nice not to have a big bill to pay when we checked out (really just food/drinks/incidentals). Anyway, we then spent several hours in the awful Athens airport (very smoky, despite the many no smoking signs) waiting for our (delayed) Olympic flight to Mykonos.
Athens:
First, a word about the flight over. We used our delta frequent flyer miles for Air France first class tickets for the entire trip. We really got our miles worth on this trip- we flew from Florida to Athens (via Paris), then from Athens to Naples (via Milan), then from Naples back home (via Paris). The only flights we booked and paid for separately were the inter-island flights in Greece. This saved us lots of money, of course, but it also ensured that all of our long flights were first class when available, or business class when first was not available. It was such a luxury, especially for the transatlantic legs, and it also gave us access to the first class/business lounges in the airports, which was very nice for the layovers. Anyway, we felt it was well worth it, and it seemed the best time to cash in all the miles we had been saving over the years. Immediately after take off, we were presented with flutes of champagne, which added to the celebratory mood of heading off on our trip. I think we had 4-5 of these flutes before dinner, but we also drank water in a weak attempt at hydration. The cabin was unbelievable. It was just one row with six first class seats, and 2 flight attendants. The seats were like huge recliners or lounge chairs, and actually reclined 180 degrees when it was time for sleep. For dinner we had an impressive spread of poached lobster with mango coulis (it was really good- and we are Floridians and very picky about seafood) and filet mignon (actually served medium rare- I couldn?t believe it), a cheese course, dessert, and lots of French wine (naturally, since it was Air France). After dinner, the flight attendants made up the beds with feather duvets and pillows. We actually slept well and were relatively rested when we arrived in Athens.
We arrived in Athens about 2:00pm on the 4th of July- 19 hours after we left home. A driver was waiting for us at the airport- arranged by our U.S. travel agent through Greece a la Carte. It was really so nice to have the transfer prearranged, as we did all throughout our trip. It took all the stress out of getting from one place to the next, finding the hotel, etc. Also, we were so tired when we arrived in Athens, we would not have enjoyed making our way to the hotel on our own. We stayed that night at the Grande Bretagne, which was perfect. It is very ornate and has tons of old world character, but it seemed brand new due to the extensive renovation it underwent for the Olympics and really was not a bit stuffy. The common rooms were huge and beautifully furnished, with big urns of fresh flowers everywhere. Because of our Starwood Preferred card (or maybe because we were honeymooning), we were upgraded to a junior suite, which was enormous and absolutely gorgeous- two chandeliers, a huge Jacuzzi tub, and complimentary champagne and strawberries. It was a great start and a very cool (it was so hot it Athens!) and luxurious place to rest from the long trip over.
We checked in and then headed out to the Plaka for a snack?tzaziki (I am an addict) and Alpha beer at the Taverna Byzantino. The food was just average, but it was a pretty outdoor café set under some huge shade trees and perfect for people watching. We did this for a couple of hours, and loved watching the bustling plaka scene. As it turned out, much of the bustle was in preparation for the European Cup finals that night. Greece had never made it to the finals, and something like 85% of greeks were watching the game that night when Greece played Portugal for the championship. They are INTO it. In the plaka, all the restaurants and businesses were setting up chairs outside to face the many large screen televisions brought in for the occasion.
That night, we had drinks at the Roof Bar of the Grande Bretagne. This was a really cool place, with a very sleek, contemporary feel, cool euro-music, an extensive martini menu and very expensive drinks. We paid 35 euros for a glass of champagne and a gin/tonic. It also has a great view of the Acropolis, which Bo (my husband) had not yet seen. As it got dark the Acropolis lights came on and the city kind of twinkled below. From there, we went to The Old Tavern of Psara?s, a pretty, shady place at the base of the Acropolis. It was spread inside and outside with chairs set up on the steps and all around, and candles all over. It was very romantic and quiet- out of the main pedestrian area of the plaka. The restaurant was actually next to a church where a wedding was taking place, and it was fun to see the guests and the bride/groom leaving. It added to the romance of the place. We had great traditional food- a greek salad, cheese pies and fried zucchini, mousakka and lamb with lemon sauce- all with a good greek red wine (from the peloponese). After dinner, the waiter brought some ice cold watermelon slices, and we joked that we got to eat watermelon on the 4th of July after all.
After dinner, we strolled back through the Plaka. The European Cup finals were on, and the streets were packed with people watching the tv screens. It was really interesting to see- we could hear the game everywhere we went, from the inside of shops and houses and in the streets. We really wanted to stay out and watch it with the crowds, but we were so exhausted we had to get back to the hotel. We went to sleep shortly after, but were awoken when Greece won. Outside our window there were people yelling, horns honking, fireworks- generally a frenzy of activity at about 1:00am. The city went crazy. It was really a cool and unique thing to see on our one night in Athens. Not the typical night in Athens, but very celebratory and fun.
The next day, our tour guide and driver met us in the lobby about 8:30 for our private tour. The guide was great- George from Greece a la Carte (again, arranged by our US travel agent). He took us on a combination driving/walking tour of the city. Our visit to the Acropolis was the highlight, of course, and he had lots of interesting information to share. He was very knowledgeable and friendly, and even helped us with getting a phone card to use on the rest of our trip. He spoke perfect English and could answer any questions we had for him. He joked that the city was very quiet that morning, because of all the hangovers from post-game parties the night before. After our tour, the driver took us straight to the airport for our flight to Mykonos. It was a great, short visit to Athens, and we began to appreciate the fact that we prepaid most everything before we left (hotels, guides, transfers)- it was really nice not to have a big bill to pay when we checked out (really just food/drinks/incidentals). Anyway, we then spent several hours in the awful Athens airport (very smoky, despite the many no smoking signs) waiting for our (delayed) Olympic flight to Mykonos.
Aug 10th, 2004, 06:18 AM
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Unfortunately, we did not have time for the Grande Bretagne spa. I am sorry about that because it would have been a great way to recover from our jetlag! I did see the facilities, though, and it was very impressive.
Aug 10th, 2004, 06:22 AM
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Part 2- MYKONOS:
We arrived after a very rough flight (which should have tipped us off to the extreme wind on Mykonos) and long delays in the Athens airport, but all that was quickly forgotten when we arrived at the Mykonos Blu. This is a beautiful resort overlooking Psarou Beach. There is a double infinity pool terrace with cushioned lounge chairs, more euro-lounge music and their ?brasserie? (really more like a taverna and very pretty) poolside. When we arrived, we dropped our bags in the room and went straight to this restaurant for a great lunch of Tzaziki, souvlaki and greek salad and a bottle of their house white wine (which we finished off by the pool). We hung out by the pool, lounging, drinking wine, reading, and taking in the great view of the Aegean, until about 7:30. The sun was still out, but nobody else was still by the pool so it was very peaceful. We were very happy to be in the islands at this point and had almost forgotten the noise and dust of Athens.
Back in our room- an executive seaview bungalow- the hotel had left more champagne, walnuts and honey and other treats with a note congratulating us on our wedding and explaining that in Greece, it is tradition for a new mother in law to give the groom walnuts and honey to symbolize the strong and the sweet. It was a nice touch. The room was nice, but we were surprised at how small it was. It was their second highest category (below the private pool suites), but apparently all the rooms are exactly the same size. The differences in category and price relate only to the view, the size of the balcony and the proximity to the water. We had a great view, with sunbeds, an umbrella, a small table and two chairs outside. There was a large bed built against the wall in the corner, with pillows all around the bed on the wall sides and a white mosquito net draped overhead. It was pretty and had a definite island feel. The bathroom was very small, for the price, and not very luxuriously appointed. Still, we were happy with our room and loved the location and view and general contemporary atmosphere of the hotel.
That night, we headed into Mykonos Town and wandered the pedestrian streets with all its stores, restaurants and many bars. It is very picturesque and we enjoyed watching all the tourists. We went to Little Venice, on the waterfront, for drinks at The Veranda. It was very pricey but had a good view of the sea and the famous windmills. Afterwards, we went to a busy taverna in the middle of town (Kosta?s) for dinner- just ok, with a really awful carafe of red wine. After all this, we headed to the taxi stand and attempted to get back to our hotel. There are only 30 taxis on the island, and this is a real problem in the high summer season. We waited a long time, in the gale force wind, and finally made it back to the Mykonos Blu around 2:00am.
Our second day in Mykonos was our first real chance to enjoy the beach resort. We slept in and had breakfast on our terrace, then spent several hours by the pool until it was time for our massages (the hotel gym has a massage room and a good therapist). Afterwards, we headed down to the beach and discovered N?ammos- a beach club just down from the Mykonos Blu beach (about 5 minutes walk along the shore). This place was just incredible, and we knew we would spend a lot of time there. We had a great lunch in the open air restaurant overlooking the beach, and rented some lounge chairs (teak with white cushions) on the beach just in front of the dining tables. One of our favorite things about N?ammos was the music- they had two djs spinning Buddha Bar type music, along with lots of ?world? music like bassa nova, latin, even some Sinatra. It was a really fun mix and there was great energy on the beach. In fact, we read later (in a Mykonos Guide we got at the airport) that Psarou is the hip beach in Mykonos this season, where the Greek celebrities and socialites hang out. We did notice that the people were very beautiful (including the N?ammos employees- the beach drink waitresses wore matching white bikinis and had perfect bodies and tans; the chair rental guys wore white linen pants rolled up and nothing else). It was obviously a place to see and be seen. Apparently, we missed Madonna by a couple of days. Oh well. We pretty much hung out there until it was time to head into town for dinner.
Back in Mykonos Town, we had cocktails at Kastro (which was ok, but I was the only woman in the bar and Bo felt a little uncomfortable) and Montparnasse (which we preferred- classical music and a great sunset view. We were seated next to a very nice gay couple that we got to know over the course of an hour), and then went to Katerina?s for dinner. This place was hard to find, but the food was great, if not especially Greek. It was more French, really, but we enjoyed it very much and loved out sidewalk table where we could watch the late night revelers going back and forth. After dinner, we did some more reveling ourselves. It really is fun to go out in Mykonos; it never seems to slow down, and it is so incredibly well lit in the streets, you have no idea what time it is. Finally, we settled in for the long (45 minute) wait in the taxi line. We were once again surprised by the force of the wind while we waited, and we decided that the Mykonos Blu should really offer a shuttle service as one of its 5 star amenities.
For our last day in Mykonos, we wanted to hit one of the party beaches we had heard so much about. We went to Paradise Beach, fully expecting to see the crazy beach party scene Mykonos is famous for, but it was not at all what we expected. It was very tame, with some tired beach bars (they reminded us of the spring break beach bars we have at home in Florida, and not in a good way), and everyone had clothes on (except one big, pasty white man who really should have had clothes on). This was surprising because it was supposed to be a nude beach, but we didn?t really mind! We got a couple of chairs and hung out for awhile, but eventually couldn?t handle the wind anymore (sand blowing in our faces for a solid hour) and took a taxi back to the Mykonos Blu. Once there, we settled in at N?ammos for lunch again, and lounged on their beach with champagne drinks, Mythos beer and that great music. It was noticeably less windy there, and we learned that Psarou Beach, on the south shore of the island, is one of the only beached shielded from the wind. We were perfectly happy to stay there the rest of the day.
On our last night in Mykonos, we made it into town before dark and took some photos along the beach as you head into town. The view is so pretty, with the sunset and the town in the background (it kind of curls in a horseshoe around the water), and the beach with bright colored boats bobbing in the water and pulled up on the sand. Then, after our usual pre-dinner cocktails in Little Venice, we took the suggestion of a greek couple we?d met the night before and went to Sea Satin for dinner. This place is located on a point, jutting out into the water, just down from Little Venice. It was our best meal experience so far. Very authentic and fresh, with more cool dj music (kind of greek club music, but not overpowering for people dining) and lots of greeks at large tables- it looked like a special occasion restaurant for greeks celebrating birthdays with friends. We had wonderful fresh fish (red snapper) for two served with a vinaigrette of lemon, olive oil and mustard. Delicious. Toward the end of our meal, some greeks dining at a table outside started dancing. Before long, there were tons of greeks dancing outside, some even on top of their tables. It was so fun- we could have watched them for hours (we kind of danced, too, but not on our table). We did some last minute shopping, and finally got another taxi to the hotel around 3:00am to pack.
Mykonos was REALLY fun, and so lively and pretty. But we were totally exhausted after 3 days there. It?s crazy- people eat lunch at 5:00pm and dinner at midnight, so 3:00am is a normal time to get to bed. We did likewise during our stay, but were ready to move on to something a bit more low key. I?m very glad we did Mykonos at the start of our trip, so we could spend the rest of our time relaxing and hopefully return home rested instead of worn out! Hydra next.
We arrived after a very rough flight (which should have tipped us off to the extreme wind on Mykonos) and long delays in the Athens airport, but all that was quickly forgotten when we arrived at the Mykonos Blu. This is a beautiful resort overlooking Psarou Beach. There is a double infinity pool terrace with cushioned lounge chairs, more euro-lounge music and their ?brasserie? (really more like a taverna and very pretty) poolside. When we arrived, we dropped our bags in the room and went straight to this restaurant for a great lunch of Tzaziki, souvlaki and greek salad and a bottle of their house white wine (which we finished off by the pool). We hung out by the pool, lounging, drinking wine, reading, and taking in the great view of the Aegean, until about 7:30. The sun was still out, but nobody else was still by the pool so it was very peaceful. We were very happy to be in the islands at this point and had almost forgotten the noise and dust of Athens.
Back in our room- an executive seaview bungalow- the hotel had left more champagne, walnuts and honey and other treats with a note congratulating us on our wedding and explaining that in Greece, it is tradition for a new mother in law to give the groom walnuts and honey to symbolize the strong and the sweet. It was a nice touch. The room was nice, but we were surprised at how small it was. It was their second highest category (below the private pool suites), but apparently all the rooms are exactly the same size. The differences in category and price relate only to the view, the size of the balcony and the proximity to the water. We had a great view, with sunbeds, an umbrella, a small table and two chairs outside. There was a large bed built against the wall in the corner, with pillows all around the bed on the wall sides and a white mosquito net draped overhead. It was pretty and had a definite island feel. The bathroom was very small, for the price, and not very luxuriously appointed. Still, we were happy with our room and loved the location and view and general contemporary atmosphere of the hotel.
That night, we headed into Mykonos Town and wandered the pedestrian streets with all its stores, restaurants and many bars. It is very picturesque and we enjoyed watching all the tourists. We went to Little Venice, on the waterfront, for drinks at The Veranda. It was very pricey but had a good view of the sea and the famous windmills. Afterwards, we went to a busy taverna in the middle of town (Kosta?s) for dinner- just ok, with a really awful carafe of red wine. After all this, we headed to the taxi stand and attempted to get back to our hotel. There are only 30 taxis on the island, and this is a real problem in the high summer season. We waited a long time, in the gale force wind, and finally made it back to the Mykonos Blu around 2:00am.
Our second day in Mykonos was our first real chance to enjoy the beach resort. We slept in and had breakfast on our terrace, then spent several hours by the pool until it was time for our massages (the hotel gym has a massage room and a good therapist). Afterwards, we headed down to the beach and discovered N?ammos- a beach club just down from the Mykonos Blu beach (about 5 minutes walk along the shore). This place was just incredible, and we knew we would spend a lot of time there. We had a great lunch in the open air restaurant overlooking the beach, and rented some lounge chairs (teak with white cushions) on the beach just in front of the dining tables. One of our favorite things about N?ammos was the music- they had two djs spinning Buddha Bar type music, along with lots of ?world? music like bassa nova, latin, even some Sinatra. It was a really fun mix and there was great energy on the beach. In fact, we read later (in a Mykonos Guide we got at the airport) that Psarou is the hip beach in Mykonos this season, where the Greek celebrities and socialites hang out. We did notice that the people were very beautiful (including the N?ammos employees- the beach drink waitresses wore matching white bikinis and had perfect bodies and tans; the chair rental guys wore white linen pants rolled up and nothing else). It was obviously a place to see and be seen. Apparently, we missed Madonna by a couple of days. Oh well. We pretty much hung out there until it was time to head into town for dinner.
Back in Mykonos Town, we had cocktails at Kastro (which was ok, but I was the only woman in the bar and Bo felt a little uncomfortable) and Montparnasse (which we preferred- classical music and a great sunset view. We were seated next to a very nice gay couple that we got to know over the course of an hour), and then went to Katerina?s for dinner. This place was hard to find, but the food was great, if not especially Greek. It was more French, really, but we enjoyed it very much and loved out sidewalk table where we could watch the late night revelers going back and forth. After dinner, we did some more reveling ourselves. It really is fun to go out in Mykonos; it never seems to slow down, and it is so incredibly well lit in the streets, you have no idea what time it is. Finally, we settled in for the long (45 minute) wait in the taxi line. We were once again surprised by the force of the wind while we waited, and we decided that the Mykonos Blu should really offer a shuttle service as one of its 5 star amenities.
For our last day in Mykonos, we wanted to hit one of the party beaches we had heard so much about. We went to Paradise Beach, fully expecting to see the crazy beach party scene Mykonos is famous for, but it was not at all what we expected. It was very tame, with some tired beach bars (they reminded us of the spring break beach bars we have at home in Florida, and not in a good way), and everyone had clothes on (except one big, pasty white man who really should have had clothes on). This was surprising because it was supposed to be a nude beach, but we didn?t really mind! We got a couple of chairs and hung out for awhile, but eventually couldn?t handle the wind anymore (sand blowing in our faces for a solid hour) and took a taxi back to the Mykonos Blu. Once there, we settled in at N?ammos for lunch again, and lounged on their beach with champagne drinks, Mythos beer and that great music. It was noticeably less windy there, and we learned that Psarou Beach, on the south shore of the island, is one of the only beached shielded from the wind. We were perfectly happy to stay there the rest of the day.
On our last night in Mykonos, we made it into town before dark and took some photos along the beach as you head into town. The view is so pretty, with the sunset and the town in the background (it kind of curls in a horseshoe around the water), and the beach with bright colored boats bobbing in the water and pulled up on the sand. Then, after our usual pre-dinner cocktails in Little Venice, we took the suggestion of a greek couple we?d met the night before and went to Sea Satin for dinner. This place is located on a point, jutting out into the water, just down from Little Venice. It was our best meal experience so far. Very authentic and fresh, with more cool dj music (kind of greek club music, but not overpowering for people dining) and lots of greeks at large tables- it looked like a special occasion restaurant for greeks celebrating birthdays with friends. We had wonderful fresh fish (red snapper) for two served with a vinaigrette of lemon, olive oil and mustard. Delicious. Toward the end of our meal, some greeks dining at a table outside started dancing. Before long, there were tons of greeks dancing outside, some even on top of their tables. It was so fun- we could have watched them for hours (we kind of danced, too, but not on our table). We did some last minute shopping, and finally got another taxi to the hotel around 3:00am to pack.
Mykonos was REALLY fun, and so lively and pretty. But we were totally exhausted after 3 days there. It?s crazy- people eat lunch at 5:00pm and dinner at midnight, so 3:00am is a normal time to get to bed. We did likewise during our stay, but were ready to move on to something a bit more low key. I?m very glad we did Mykonos at the start of our trip, so we could spend the rest of our time relaxing and hopefully return home rested instead of worn out! Hydra next.
Aug 10th, 2004, 06:55 AM
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Part 3- HYDRA:
What a contrast, in the best possible way. Hydra is relatively easy to get to from Athens, but coming from Mykonos was a long and unpleasant experience. Of course, we started with only 4 hours sleep in order to catch our 9:50am flight. Funny how that didn?t seem early when I booked it, not knowing about the late hours one keeps on Mykonos. We missed breakfast and made it to the airport in plenty of time, but there was no food to be found there. We got to Athens about 10:30am and a non-English speaking driver met us and took us straight to Piraeus, where we would catch the hydrofoil to Hydra. On the hour long drive, our driver (and we) listened to what must have been greek talk radio, which sounded just like chatter droning on and on and added to our no-food-too-many-cocktails headaches. We arrived at Piraeus at noon for our 2:00pm ferry, and had to wait outside on wooden benches with no shade and no facilities other than portopotties for 2 hours. Desperate for food, we bought Pringles from the vending stand, and Bo finally broke down and went across the street to McDonalds. Culinarily speaking, this was the low point of our trip. By this time, we were seriously questioning our travel agents? judgment in sending us here and we doubted it could be worth all this trouble.
We were wrong. When we finally arrived in Hydra around 4:00, we were met by the most beautiful sight- a picture perfect harbor with boats, restaurants, shops, flags flying, donkeys (!) and generally everything one would think a greek island harbor should have. A man offered to take our bags on his donkey for 20 euro, which we quickly accepted. He probably ripped us off (it was only a 5 minute walk), but after the day we had we didn?t care, and our suitcases were very heavy. He led the way on foot to the Bratsera Hotel. At first glance, it seemed like a major step down in terms of luxury from our Mykonos resort hotel, but in truth it was a lovely small inn. We had the Virani Suite, a huge room, although sparsely furnished, occupying the oldest part of the building and dating to 1898. There were handpainted friezes bordering the natural wood ceiling, and 5 large picture windows in long row overlooking the hotel ?garden? (just dirt, really). The real bonus of this hotel is the swimming pool- the only one on the island that isn?t part of a private home. This is where we spent our first afternoon, napping in the sun on white cushioned chaise lounges, drinking crisp white wine and recovering from our long journey. The pool is set within a pretty courtyard with plenty of both sun and shade. It connects the hotel to the restaurant, and in the evening they set tables beautifully around the pool for dinner. It was so peaceful and relaxing.
We headed back to the waterfront harbour after freshening up for dinner. At this time of day (around 7:45) it was very peaceful, since the daytrippers were gone. We browsed the shops a little, then went early for our dinner reservations at The Veranda. This place is up some steep steps from the harbour, and overlooks the entire scene below from a perfect angle. It was a lovely, romantic view. We were absolutely starved and so happy to have the only reserved table at the edge of the railing. We quickly ordered some appetizers- paella, fried feta cheese and mountain mushrooms, which are unique to Greece (large and flat and shaped sort of like oyster mushrooms) and served in balsamic sauce. Then we shared chicken souvlaki with veggies. It was a great meal and the view was incredible. We sat and watched the light fade and the harbour lights come on below. Then, we went back to Bratsera for some much needed sleep. The last thing we felt like doing was a late night bar scene!
The next morning, after sleeping 12 hours, we had breakfast by the pool at the hotel. Bo was not in the mood for any touring and going anywhere, really. He just wanted to sit by the pool again, and I worried that I had worn him out already, only 5 days into our trip. I finally convinced him to head out to one of the beaches for awhile, mainly because I really wanted to take a boat ride around the island and I knew he would enjoy seeing it. On Hydra, as there are no cars, scooters or other motorized vehicles allowed, the only real way to get around is by water taxi (or donkey). We walked to the harbour and got tickets for a boat going to Bisti Beach, recommended by the hotel receptionist. The ride was about 20 minutes, and I was surprised at how little development there was away from the harbour. The landscape was almost mountainous, with cliffs dropping to the sea and houses sparsely scattering the hillside.
Bisti Beach was beautiful- a small, rocky beach with green trees behind it and bright aqua water. We got some lounge chairs and 2 cold coronas and went for a swim. The Saronic Gulf, where Hydra lies, was warmer than the Aegean (where Mykonos is), crystal clear and calm. We also noticed that the water here (Greece in general) is much saltier than the water at home. We hung out on the beach most of the afternoon, swimming and enjoying the peaceful, uncrowded shore. Around 5:15, we took the boat back to the harbour and settled in at Tassos Café, at a great location right by the Yachting Center, for a snack of tzaziki, greek pizza and wine. This is a great spot to watch the action at the harbour, and we stayed a couple hours doing just that (and catching up on our travel journal- something we had to keep reminding ourselves to do). Eventually, we went back to the Bratsera to shower and dress for the evening. It really was so nice to come back to the inn. It?s a quiet, shady and elegant sanctuary from the bustle of the port, and we came to like it better than the Mykonos Blu, although we were glad to have done both. The contrast of our stops so far was so interesting and gave us great variety on our trip.
After a nap and quick showers, we walked back to the harbour (this is obviously where people go every time they head out from the hotel- there is not much else!) and found the Hydronetta Cocktail Bar (again, on the advice of the very helpful receptionist at our hotel). It was an intimate terrace bar along the top of the rocks where people swim in the daytime, in a spectacular position facing the sunset. There was great music- more of that euro-lounge soothing music we liked so much in Mykonos. We ordered cocktails, then frappes (refreshing foamy coffee drinks that everyone orders here, but we still didn?t get the universal appeal) and hung out for a couple of hours. This was our last night on Hydra, so we took lots of photos, shopped around the harbour, and making our way back to the Bratsera. The hotel was beautifully set for dinner. All around the pool were intimate tables with white cloths and votives, white lights were strung overhead, zigzagging over the tables and the pool, and they played vintage French music (like a French Ella Fitzgerald). It was a wonderful atmosphere, and we enjoyed our dinner of grilled vegetables and fish and chocolate soufflé. We sat there for a long time, talking about our families and our plans and generally enjoying our time together. It was so nice, romantic and very honeymoonish. The last morning, we went down to the harbour with our luggage and had breakfast near the ferry dock. We sat in the café, drinking a frappe (they were starting to grow on me) and waiting for our hour long ride back to Piraeus, where we would (hopefully) find our driver waiting to take us to the airport. I hated to leave Hydra; we enjoyed it so much. But it helped that we were headed for Santorini, my favorite place on earth.
What a contrast, in the best possible way. Hydra is relatively easy to get to from Athens, but coming from Mykonos was a long and unpleasant experience. Of course, we started with only 4 hours sleep in order to catch our 9:50am flight. Funny how that didn?t seem early when I booked it, not knowing about the late hours one keeps on Mykonos. We missed breakfast and made it to the airport in plenty of time, but there was no food to be found there. We got to Athens about 10:30am and a non-English speaking driver met us and took us straight to Piraeus, where we would catch the hydrofoil to Hydra. On the hour long drive, our driver (and we) listened to what must have been greek talk radio, which sounded just like chatter droning on and on and added to our no-food-too-many-cocktails headaches. We arrived at Piraeus at noon for our 2:00pm ferry, and had to wait outside on wooden benches with no shade and no facilities other than portopotties for 2 hours. Desperate for food, we bought Pringles from the vending stand, and Bo finally broke down and went across the street to McDonalds. Culinarily speaking, this was the low point of our trip. By this time, we were seriously questioning our travel agents? judgment in sending us here and we doubted it could be worth all this trouble.
We were wrong. When we finally arrived in Hydra around 4:00, we were met by the most beautiful sight- a picture perfect harbor with boats, restaurants, shops, flags flying, donkeys (!) and generally everything one would think a greek island harbor should have. A man offered to take our bags on his donkey for 20 euro, which we quickly accepted. He probably ripped us off (it was only a 5 minute walk), but after the day we had we didn?t care, and our suitcases were very heavy. He led the way on foot to the Bratsera Hotel. At first glance, it seemed like a major step down in terms of luxury from our Mykonos resort hotel, but in truth it was a lovely small inn. We had the Virani Suite, a huge room, although sparsely furnished, occupying the oldest part of the building and dating to 1898. There were handpainted friezes bordering the natural wood ceiling, and 5 large picture windows in long row overlooking the hotel ?garden? (just dirt, really). The real bonus of this hotel is the swimming pool- the only one on the island that isn?t part of a private home. This is where we spent our first afternoon, napping in the sun on white cushioned chaise lounges, drinking crisp white wine and recovering from our long journey. The pool is set within a pretty courtyard with plenty of both sun and shade. It connects the hotel to the restaurant, and in the evening they set tables beautifully around the pool for dinner. It was so peaceful and relaxing.
We headed back to the waterfront harbour after freshening up for dinner. At this time of day (around 7:45) it was very peaceful, since the daytrippers were gone. We browsed the shops a little, then went early for our dinner reservations at The Veranda. This place is up some steep steps from the harbour, and overlooks the entire scene below from a perfect angle. It was a lovely, romantic view. We were absolutely starved and so happy to have the only reserved table at the edge of the railing. We quickly ordered some appetizers- paella, fried feta cheese and mountain mushrooms, which are unique to Greece (large and flat and shaped sort of like oyster mushrooms) and served in balsamic sauce. Then we shared chicken souvlaki with veggies. It was a great meal and the view was incredible. We sat and watched the light fade and the harbour lights come on below. Then, we went back to Bratsera for some much needed sleep. The last thing we felt like doing was a late night bar scene!
The next morning, after sleeping 12 hours, we had breakfast by the pool at the hotel. Bo was not in the mood for any touring and going anywhere, really. He just wanted to sit by the pool again, and I worried that I had worn him out already, only 5 days into our trip. I finally convinced him to head out to one of the beaches for awhile, mainly because I really wanted to take a boat ride around the island and I knew he would enjoy seeing it. On Hydra, as there are no cars, scooters or other motorized vehicles allowed, the only real way to get around is by water taxi (or donkey). We walked to the harbour and got tickets for a boat going to Bisti Beach, recommended by the hotel receptionist. The ride was about 20 minutes, and I was surprised at how little development there was away from the harbour. The landscape was almost mountainous, with cliffs dropping to the sea and houses sparsely scattering the hillside.
Bisti Beach was beautiful- a small, rocky beach with green trees behind it and bright aqua water. We got some lounge chairs and 2 cold coronas and went for a swim. The Saronic Gulf, where Hydra lies, was warmer than the Aegean (where Mykonos is), crystal clear and calm. We also noticed that the water here (Greece in general) is much saltier than the water at home. We hung out on the beach most of the afternoon, swimming and enjoying the peaceful, uncrowded shore. Around 5:15, we took the boat back to the harbour and settled in at Tassos Café, at a great location right by the Yachting Center, for a snack of tzaziki, greek pizza and wine. This is a great spot to watch the action at the harbour, and we stayed a couple hours doing just that (and catching up on our travel journal- something we had to keep reminding ourselves to do). Eventually, we went back to the Bratsera to shower and dress for the evening. It really was so nice to come back to the inn. It?s a quiet, shady and elegant sanctuary from the bustle of the port, and we came to like it better than the Mykonos Blu, although we were glad to have done both. The contrast of our stops so far was so interesting and gave us great variety on our trip.
After a nap and quick showers, we walked back to the harbour (this is obviously where people go every time they head out from the hotel- there is not much else!) and found the Hydronetta Cocktail Bar (again, on the advice of the very helpful receptionist at our hotel). It was an intimate terrace bar along the top of the rocks where people swim in the daytime, in a spectacular position facing the sunset. There was great music- more of that euro-lounge soothing music we liked so much in Mykonos. We ordered cocktails, then frappes (refreshing foamy coffee drinks that everyone orders here, but we still didn?t get the universal appeal) and hung out for a couple of hours. This was our last night on Hydra, so we took lots of photos, shopped around the harbour, and making our way back to the Bratsera. The hotel was beautifully set for dinner. All around the pool were intimate tables with white cloths and votives, white lights were strung overhead, zigzagging over the tables and the pool, and they played vintage French music (like a French Ella Fitzgerald). It was a wonderful atmosphere, and we enjoyed our dinner of grilled vegetables and fish and chocolate soufflé. We sat there for a long time, talking about our families and our plans and generally enjoying our time together. It was so nice, romantic and very honeymoonish. The last morning, we went down to the harbour with our luggage and had breakfast near the ferry dock. We sat in the café, drinking a frappe (they were starting to grow on me) and waiting for our hour long ride back to Piraeus, where we would (hopefully) find our driver waiting to take us to the airport. I hated to leave Hydra; we enjoyed it so much. But it helped that we were headed for Santorini, my favorite place on earth.
Aug 10th, 2004, 08:43 AM
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I just read through my post and realized that quotation marks and apostrophes show up as question marks. I always wondered why there were so many random question marks in the posts here. Anyway, sorry for the strange punctuation and typos! 
Aug 10th, 2004, 01:38 PM
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europhile, your report is so helpful! We're planning a trip in the spring to Athens, Hydra, Santorini and one other, yet to be determined island.
Did you find going back and forth from Mykonos to Hydra then back to Santorini taking up too much vacation time? Was there a reason you didn't go to Santorini from Mykonos, then fly back to go to Hydra?
Can't wait to read about your Santorini stay...so far we've chosen the same hotels!
Did you find going back and forth from Mykonos to Hydra then back to Santorini taking up too much vacation time? Was there a reason you didn't go to Santorini from Mykonos, then fly back to go to Hydra?
Can't wait to read about your Santorini stay...so far we've chosen the same hotels!
Aug 11th, 2004, 11:10 AM
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Sorry for the delay- I'm having trouble posting! Probably the impending hurricane here...
Judy- actually we did feel that we spent too much time traveling. The only thing that made it okay was the length of our trip (almost 3 weeks) and the fact that we had time to settle in each place and relax once we got there. Originally, we had planned to visit only Greece, ending our trip in Santorini. Wherever else we went in Greece, we knew we wanted to end in Santorini because that was the "best" of the islands, in my opinion. I had been there 3 times before, and stayed in our hotel twice before, and I knew it would be our favorite stop. It would be difficult to go from that to anything else without feeling we were taking a step backwards, so to speak, when so far everyplace we visited was better than the last. Instead, we liked the idea of going from least to most desirable (this seems like a ridiculous thing to say, since they are all wonderful, but this was our thought process), based on our idea of "desirable." This is, of course, a very personal decision based on what you enjoy. I knew that Santorini was best suited to our tastes and what we wanted out of our honeymoon (very beautiful and serene with a fabulous small hotel). We wanted to end our trip with the highlight. That's why we didn't go to Hydra last.
However, if I had it to do over, I might go to Hydra first, then Mykonos, then Santorini. That would have saved some time and a couple of flights (we could have taken a high speed ferry from Mykonos to Santorini). When we planned the trip, we wanted to get to a beach resort asap, and Hydra didn't look like the place to veg out and relax. Now that we've been, I think Hydra would have been a great first stop because it was much more relaxing than Mykonos. I have to reiterate that we really loved it all, and had no complaints. The islands we visited we so diverse and gave us a great overview- perfect for my husband's first greece visit. In terms of our preferences, we loved Santorini most, but that was due in large part to the incredible room we had at our hotel. I'll write about Santorini when I get home (where the travel journal is!) tonight. Thanks for all the comments so far!
Judy- actually we did feel that we spent too much time traveling. The only thing that made it okay was the length of our trip (almost 3 weeks) and the fact that we had time to settle in each place and relax once we got there. Originally, we had planned to visit only Greece, ending our trip in Santorini. Wherever else we went in Greece, we knew we wanted to end in Santorini because that was the "best" of the islands, in my opinion. I had been there 3 times before, and stayed in our hotel twice before, and I knew it would be our favorite stop. It would be difficult to go from that to anything else without feeling we were taking a step backwards, so to speak, when so far everyplace we visited was better than the last. Instead, we liked the idea of going from least to most desirable (this seems like a ridiculous thing to say, since they are all wonderful, but this was our thought process), based on our idea of "desirable." This is, of course, a very personal decision based on what you enjoy. I knew that Santorini was best suited to our tastes and what we wanted out of our honeymoon (very beautiful and serene with a fabulous small hotel). We wanted to end our trip with the highlight. That's why we didn't go to Hydra last.
However, if I had it to do over, I might go to Hydra first, then Mykonos, then Santorini. That would have saved some time and a couple of flights (we could have taken a high speed ferry from Mykonos to Santorini). When we planned the trip, we wanted to get to a beach resort asap, and Hydra didn't look like the place to veg out and relax. Now that we've been, I think Hydra would have been a great first stop because it was much more relaxing than Mykonos. I have to reiterate that we really loved it all, and had no complaints. The islands we visited we so diverse and gave us a great overview- perfect for my husband's first greece visit. In terms of our preferences, we loved Santorini most, but that was due in large part to the incredible room we had at our hotel. I'll write about Santorini when I get home (where the travel journal is!) tonight. Thanks for all the comments so far!
Aug 11th, 2004, 11:31 AM
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Gosh, I hope you don't get the hurricane where you are! Your honeymoon trip sounds fabulous, and you make me want to visit Greece! BTW, you mentioned Greece a La Carte helped with your plans. Is that a travel agency? I would be interested if you have any further info. Thanks again.
Aug 11th, 2004, 12:42 PM
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italyss- It's my understanding that Greece a la Carte is a company based in greece that works with travel agents and companies, not individuals. I did find a website for them (from Google) and it looked like they specialized in corporate-type travel arrangements. We used a travel agent at Earle Travel, based in Indianapolis, whose name I got from a Travel & Leisure article on all star travel agents. She was listed as the one to call for Greece. Anyway, she booked all of our transfers and our Athens tour through Greece a la Carte. We never spoke to anyone from Greece a la Carte, but we did receive an email from them giving us contact numbers in greece in case of emergency on our trip. That was nice, although thankfully we didn't need it. Greece a la Carte was very reliable- they were waiting for us at the airport everywhere we went in Greece (except Hydra, of course). They didn't all speak English, as advertised, but that really didn't bother us as long as they were there and knew the way to the hotel!
Aug 11th, 2004, 01:34 PM
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Thanks for that information! I would love to travel around Greece with all the arrangements in place. I will check it out. Obviously, all of your research helped to ensure that you would have a perfect trip, and you did!
Aug 11th, 2004, 03:31 PM
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WELCOME BACK EUROPHILE!
Glad you liked Psarou Beach and N'ammos.
I just loved the entire "vibe" there.
It was my favorite last summer.
You ate at my favorite restaurants as well, Sea Satin and Katerina's.
Yes, Everyone does eat very late in Mykonos. It has been a long time since I had dinners at 10:30 PM. But we "got with the program" and ate dinner very late in the evening as well.
Did you get a chance to see The Belvedere hotel, with the Nobu restaurant high up on the terrace? It was very dramatic to say the least.
Glad your trip was a good one.
It was great to hear that it was still wonderful this year as well.
Glad you liked Psarou Beach and N'ammos.
I just loved the entire "vibe" there.
It was my favorite last summer.
You ate at my favorite restaurants as well, Sea Satin and Katerina's.
Yes, Everyone does eat very late in Mykonos. It has been a long time since I had dinners at 10:30 PM. But we "got with the program" and ate dinner very late in the evening as well.
Did you get a chance to see The Belvedere hotel, with the Nobu restaurant high up on the terrace? It was very dramatic to say the least.
Glad your trip was a good one.
It was great to hear that it was still wonderful this year as well.
Aug 17th, 2004, 07:58 AM
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Sounds cool. Am just in the middle of organising honeymoon from Ireland to Greece for September. My fiance thinks I booked it ages ago!!
Do you recommend the Capri stage of the holiday?
Was thinking of 1 day Athens, 2 days Hydra, 1 week Santorini, 2 days Mykonos, 2 days Athens...does that sound enough to you?
Do you recommend the Capri stage of the holiday?
Was thinking of 1 day Athens, 2 days Hydra, 1 week Santorini, 2 days Mykonos, 2 days Athens...does that sound enough to you?
Aug 17th, 2004, 11:17 AM
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Trend Girl- unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to see the Belvedere, but I heard good things about it when I was there. I also wanted to check out Kivotos, but didn't manage to get there either. Next time.
Thor- I think your itinerary sounds good, but I might steal a day from Santorini and add one to Mykonos, only because 2 nights is very little time to spend there. I could easily spend a week (or 2) on Santorini, but I also found that our 2 night stays were a little rushed (we spent two nights in both Hydra and Capri), particularly with the travel time involved. You would have a better chance to relax and settle in if you added a little time to Mykonos, I think. That way, you would have two full days there to go to the beaches, delos, town, etc. There is so much to do on that island, you really need more than one full day, especially if you want to enjoy your hotel, too. For us, we really liked spending a day around our hotel to enjoy the pool and beach, the views, the facilities and just to veg out a little (we did this everywhere we went, except Athens), then venturing out on the remaining day(s). The Mykonos hotels are very resorty for the most part- oriented around a beach or pool. It is nice to take advantage of what they offer, if you are going for a relaxing holiday, as we were. For us, two full days was great for seeing the beaches and town, but we still didn't have a chance to see Delos (the wind was too strong on the one day we could have gone). If we had an extra day, we may have been able to do everything.
Hydra, on the other hand, is well suited for 2 nights, in my opinion. We did love it and could have spent more time, but there isn't a whole lot to do. Two nights around the harbour scene and one full day to check out the beach and walk around was enough time for us. For Athens, I think 2 nights is perfect. We only spent one, but two would have been nice, particularly if you want to see more than the bare minimum sights. We had one afternoon to wander the Plaka and the next day hit all the major ancient sites in the city, but we did not see any museums. With an extra day in Athens, you could go museuming, or even venture out of town to see Sounion (I love this temple) or do a day trip to Delphi or someplace nearby.
Capri was really a great island, and I promise to report on it fully as soon as I can. We actually liked it 2nd best of our stops, which is saying a lot because we had a really strange tour guide experience. More on that later, but suffice it to say I recommend doing Capri independently.
Thor- I think your itinerary sounds good, but I might steal a day from Santorini and add one to Mykonos, only because 2 nights is very little time to spend there. I could easily spend a week (or 2) on Santorini, but I also found that our 2 night stays were a little rushed (we spent two nights in both Hydra and Capri), particularly with the travel time involved. You would have a better chance to relax and settle in if you added a little time to Mykonos, I think. That way, you would have two full days there to go to the beaches, delos, town, etc. There is so much to do on that island, you really need more than one full day, especially if you want to enjoy your hotel, too. For us, we really liked spending a day around our hotel to enjoy the pool and beach, the views, the facilities and just to veg out a little (we did this everywhere we went, except Athens), then venturing out on the remaining day(s). The Mykonos hotels are very resorty for the most part- oriented around a beach or pool. It is nice to take advantage of what they offer, if you are going for a relaxing holiday, as we were. For us, two full days was great for seeing the beaches and town, but we still didn't have a chance to see Delos (the wind was too strong on the one day we could have gone). If we had an extra day, we may have been able to do everything.
Hydra, on the other hand, is well suited for 2 nights, in my opinion. We did love it and could have spent more time, but there isn't a whole lot to do. Two nights around the harbour scene and one full day to check out the beach and walk around was enough time for us. For Athens, I think 2 nights is perfect. We only spent one, but two would have been nice, particularly if you want to see more than the bare minimum sights. We had one afternoon to wander the Plaka and the next day hit all the major ancient sites in the city, but we did not see any museums. With an extra day in Athens, you could go museuming, or even venture out of town to see Sounion (I love this temple) or do a day trip to Delphi or someplace nearby.
Capri was really a great island, and I promise to report on it fully as soon as I can. We actually liked it 2nd best of our stops, which is saying a lot because we had a really strange tour guide experience. More on that later, but suffice it to say I recommend doing Capri independently.
