Lina

I am reposting a trip report that I wrote last October under another title (that isn't very search friendly) in hopes of answering some recent questions. I hope it isn't against forum protocol. I'm just trying to share information in the most efficient manner.

Crete, Santorini, Athens:

After our children were grown, several friends and I decided to leave our spouses, pets, jobs, and other responsibilities for a week each fall and travel to Europe. We consciously choose "less traveled" destinations in the off-season to avoid crowds and to see places we haven't been to previously. Last year we explored Croatia, this year it was Greece. We love to hike, learn about local history & culture, and sample local cuisine. Fortunately, we're pretty low-maintenance women and manage with just a carry-on suitcase and a modest budget.

Thanks to all of the Fodorites who answered my frequent trip-planning questions. As always, you are my most reliable resources! We made all of our own reservations even though I briefly corresponded with Uli at Dolphin Hellas Travel. I'm just used to doing things myself…

After arriving in Athens, we flew to Crete for 4 days, took the Flying Cat to Santorini for 2 days, and then flew to Athens for a final day of touring. This itinerary worked perfectly since Santorini provided R&R between more hectic touring on Crete and in Athens. We traveled the very last week of October and the weather was sunny and in the low-70's each day. Superb!

We found the Greek people to be exceptionally friendly. Most everyone spoke English and cheerfully tolerated our attempts to speak a few words of Greek. We had many conversations with waiters and shopkeepers and clearly felt a warm welcome from everyone on Crete and Santorini (Athens is much more impersonal but everyone was pleasant). In turn, we tried to leave a very positive impression of American tourists. We spent a lot of time visiting village churches and an elderly lady gave on of my friends a very animated explanation (in Greek) of how to worship. We were amazed at the gentleness of the many dogs and cats wandering about, especially on Santorini. Hopefully they will be cared for over the winter.

Our only complaint on the trip was the signage, or lack thereof, especially on Crete. Many maps seemed to be works of fiction and street signs were nonexistent or impossible to read. We got lost many times and a less confident driver than my friend would have abandoned the car every day and called a taxi! As many of you have reported, driving is crazy in Greece! Roads are VERY narrow and VERY curvy off the National Road, there are no guardrails next to the 500-foot high cliffs (sometimes there is chicken wire), and drivers tailgate and pass each other constantly. We observed hundreds of shrines along the roadside and alternately said silent prayers for those who perished and made irreverent jokes about "dead tourists" to ease our own anxiety. A local woman told us that sometimes shrines are erected in thanksgiving for miracles (perhaps an accident averted) and that made us feel better. Despite the driving conditions, we were very glad to have a car so we could travel on our own schedule and stop whenever we wished (basically, whenever we saw a church or a scenic overlook). Traffic was never a problem and our designated driver did a wonderful job. We all agreed that the driving experience would have exceedingly more stressful had we been with our husbands (happily, we had no yelling, blaming, or reluctance to ask for directions!).

Chania, Crete:
Our flight from Athens to Chania on Aegean Airways went smoothly. It only took the pilot two attempts before he stuck the landing (no kidding). We had a car reserved through www.economycarrentals.com, which is a broker service, and picked it up at Europcar. A stationwagon (hatchback, really) was just the right size for the 4 of us and our 4 small suitcases.

We liked the old part of Chania very much. Personally, I would never stay in one of the resorts in the outskirts. Being the end of tourist season, we had the old town practically to ourselves and it was lovely. The dogs roaming around were very sweet and never begged at the sidewalk cafes. Since I missed my pup back home, it was nice to have a dog sleep at our feet at dinnertime.

Hotels: After getting VERY lost, we finally found Pandora Suites Hotel on Lithinon Street. The exterior is not well marked. Unfortunately the 2BR suite was very disappointing and we decided to move to Casa Delfino. Before we left, though, we viewed a nice double room with a magnificent view over the harbor, so I wouldn't rule out staying at Pandora if that's all you need. The 2BR suite was just too stark and had no space for the 4 of us to gather and relax. Our 3-level suite at Casa Delfino was much nicer and included 2 full baths. It was well worth 100 euros extra per night. The staff was fantastic and the breakfast was excellent. Casa Delfino is also located in a lovely part of the old town.

Restaurants: Our favorite restaurant was Tamam and we ate there twice. There seemed to be a nice mix or tourists and (mostly) locals. We had their spinach & cheese pies, grilled feta, Greek salad, layered eggplant, chicken kebab, lamb w/yogurt, moussaka, and house white wine. Excellent! We also ate at Ela once. It was good, but not as good as Tamam, and seemed to cater more to tourists. Sadly, the canvas cover is drawn over the restaurant in the evening so you can't enjoy the open air (there is no roof). The veal stew and mixed vegetable platters were good, and their spinach and cheese pies were excellent. All restaurants gave us raki (jet fuel) and a complimentary dessert (OH! The yogurt with cherry preserves at Ela was soooooooo good!).

One evening we walked all around the harbor to the lighthouse. It was blocked for repairs at the end but we got around it to take some spectacular pictures. There is a bar/taverna on that jetty and we had a glass of wine up on the roof and sat there until after sunset.

Activities: We toured the monasteries on the Akrotiri peninsula and west to Elafonisi beach, stopping at many churches, the caves near Topolia, and Moni Hrissosklaitissa (a gorgeous monastery on the coast) on the way. Those of us that had bathing suits went swimming at the beach and the others enjoyed the tide pools and rocky shore (very reminiscent of the volcanic beaches on the Big Island in Hawaii). The beach is not very developed and there are no shops or eating places (maybe one snack bar).

Another day we drove to Imbros and hiked the gorge since the Samaria Gorge was closed. We were so concerned about our footing on the rocky path that we were looking down the whole time and missed the second sign on the path pointing to the gorge. So, uphill we went to a cell phone tower! We got nice aerial photos of the area and a good cardiovascular workout, but lost an hour to this little adventure. I can hear the blonde jokes now, but we really did think that the path was going to head downhill any minute! The Imbros Gorge was spectacular and took us about 2 hours to complete. The Imbros was a highlight of our visit to Crete and I recommend it to everyone who is reasonably fit (the entire path is very rocky). Unless the Samaria is dramatically different, I don't see the need to hike an additional several hours for more of the same. We passed other hikers but often didn't see another soul for long stretches. At the bottom, we took a taxi back to Imbros. Well, it was actually a pick up truck and three of my friends sat on wooden planks in the open bed of the truck (I was too chicken) as we careened around the hairpin turns heading back north. I counted 8 shrines on that stretch, but we made it safe and sound.

We were told that there were "cute villages" throughout western Crete and were expecting something akin to Tuscan "cute villages" but that was not the case. The only village we visited that truly had charm was Vamos (east of Chania). The stone buildings in the very old part of town are in the process of being restored, the streets are very narrow, and beautiful gardens abound. However, we saw many interesting places and got a sense of how locals live. The terrain varied dramatically from rocky mountains to terraced hills to flat farmland. Near Elafonisi there are dozens of huge greenhouses but we never determined what was grown there.

Heraklion & Knossos:
I was prepared to dislike Heraklion, based on tour books and many posts on this forum. However, for the time we were there (1 night) it was very nice.

We stopped at Knossos on the way to Heraklion. It was not as restored as I expected (after reading about the controversy with Sir Arthur Evans, I guess I expected a Disney-ish feel). There are good displays and descriptions in every area, but a live guide would probably have been worthwhile. We weren't opposed to hiring a guide, but the way they "assault" you at the gate was a big turn-off. We were simply amazed at the history and age that the ruins represented. The Heraklion Museum was closed by the time we reached town.

Fortunately, finding our way into Heraklion was much easier than in Chania! We stayed at the Lato Boutique Hotel which was visible from the harbor area, so it just took some winding around to reach the entrance. We did find ourselves facing two dozen very large, blue busses at the bus depot at the harbor (we were going in the wrong direction), but a little James Bond-ish driving fixed that. The Lato was fine…the furniture and bedding could have used an update but the location and terraces facing the harbor were ideal. The hotel smells very smoky and only has a teeny tiny elevator, but serves a very nice breakfast. We left our car parked in front of the hotel for Europcar to pick up.

We walked along the harbor and out on the pier to the old castle and beyond. It's longer than it looks! We sat at the end with many locals and chatted while we watched the water and the harbor activity. After walking along the pedestrian-only section and doing a little shopping, we at Tazarkis (?), which was recommended by the Lato receptionist. It is immediately behind a tiny church. Dinner was excellent: stuffed mushrooms, stuffed red peppers with cheese, lamb kebab (actually ground lamb on a skewer), grilled octopus, seafood risotto, and plenty of "wine from the barrel" (house wine).

After breakfast the next morning, we took a 5-minute cab ride to the Flying Cat hydrofoil. Our driver was delightful and told us about his travels to the U.S. to perform at Greek festivals. Turns out he was a dancer but we didn't have time for lessons! We had business class seats on the Flying Cat and they were very comfortable. The ride was smooth and the view approaching Santorini was AMAZING!

Santorini:
We arrived in Santorini without any reservations since the ferry was dependent on good weather and we didn't want to lose our deposits in case we didn't make it. The travel gods were looking out for us, however, so the weather was clear and the seas were calm.

Upon arrival, we approached several car rental agents to negotiate a 30-hour rental. Each place only had a few vehicles (since it was late October) so we were competing with other travelers doing the same thing, but we did get a good price (45euros). After driving in Crete, the roads in Santorini were not intimidating at all! We briefly stopped in Fira to sign the car rental papers but couldn't wait to get out of town. Too busy, too many people, too many souvenir shops…

Our first stop was to photograph yet another church and have a beer on Dana Villas' terrace in Firastefani, one of the few places open. We couldn't get over the beautiful view of the caldera…you have to see it to believe it! It was hard to figure out how to get into the village of Oia because from the road there is just a series of parking lots. We finally picked one and walked into the pedestrian-only section. A few busloads of older Americans were in town so it was a bit crowded in the streets. Several times we said, "If it's like this in October, what must it be like in July?"

It didn't take long to fall in love with Oia…we loved the landscape of homes perched on the hillside, the winding streets, nooks & crannies, steps (yes, we loved the steps!), flower boxes, painted doors, little shops, and dogs wandering around. After the busloads of people left, the city was virtually empty and we were the only patrons in most stores. After viewing several other properties, we finally found Lava Oia and Mrs. Petridou, with whom I had corresponded prior to the trip. We didn't have a reservation but she had an apartment that would accommodate four of us. It turned out to be perfect and I would highly recommend her lodgings. She is a LOVELY woman and very hospitable. Our 2BR cave house was plain but clean and comfortable. It also had more windows than some other properties. The terrace had a magnificent view and was roomy enough for the 4 of us, a dog, and 5 cats! Lava Oia is close to a market where we bought beer & wine, cheese, yogurt, fruit, and other snacks. Two bakeries were nearby for breakfast items.

We had dinner that night at Katina's Fish Taverna down on Ammoudi Beach and watched the sunset. It was nice to have a different perspective of the caldera. Dinner was good (fried melted tomatoes, fried eggplant, sea bass, grilled octopus, mussels, and more "wine from the barrel&quot but not the best we had. We enjoyed our waiter, Benny, and all the dogs that patrolled the waterfront. The next day we ate a late lunch at Skala and had stuffed mushrooms, tzatziki, vegetables stuffed with rice & spearmint, and baked eggplant with feta and tomatoes. It was an exceptional meal with a view to match.

Sadly, we only spent one night and two days on Santorini but it was enough time to explore most of Oia, take at least 100 photos, do some power shopping (including nice jewelry from Oro), and lounge on our terrace, soaking up the sun and the view for many hours. It is definitely a place I'd like to return to with my husband. The combination of mountains and water will win my heart every time, but Santorini is truly one of the most beautiful places I've been.

At the end of the day, we drove along the back side of the island to get back to Fira and drop off our car. After some photos from the top of the funicular, we headed to the airport and Athens.


We found that most of the dogs in Oia wore collars and appeared to be pets. They were called by name by the shopkeepers as they wandered in and out of the stores and we saw food put out for them. They appeared healthier than on Crete and were quite a sight as they sunned themselves on the rooftops or ledges. One pup made himself very comfortable in the corner of our terrace. They were very, very gentle and not a nuisance at all (but dodging their poop is!) Our waiter at Katina's said that he would take his dog with him when he left during the winter season, so I can only hope that the others are cared for as well.

Athens:
Since we were arriving in Athens late one night and flying out very early on the second day, we opted to stay at the Sofitel for two nights. It worked out perfectly since the Sofitel is immediately adjacent to the airport, it is a brand new and beautiful, and we got a great Internet rate (156 euros/night vs. 335 euros/night). We even got upgraded to Deluxe double rooms. In the morning, we took the new Metro directly to Syntagma Square (45 min.) and began a long day of touring. We arrived in time to peek in on a Russian Orthodox service and a Greek Orthodox service, then had breakfast in a sidewalk café in the Plaka. The Acropolis was amazing and we enjoyed the small museum very much. Rick Steve's guide provided excellent commentary. We saw everything in the area around the Acropolis, including the two theatres, Roman agora, Tower of the Winds, the Agora, Temple of Hephaestus, Palace of the Giants, the renovated Stoa of Attalos, and more. We walked through the Market area but it was so crowded, we made our way quickly back to the Plaka. Beers were probably double the price, but we got prime tables and spent a few hours reminiscing about our great vacation. We moved around, ordered appetizers and drinks at different cafes, admired the sunset and lighting of the Acropolis, and finally had dinner at Hermion. The atmosphere of the courtyard was lovely but the food wasn't as good as what we had elsewhere and the house white wine was awful.

We found our way back to Syntagma Square and got on the Metro. Imagine our surprise when everyone got off three stops prior to the airport, the train pulled into a tunnel, and all the lights went off! WHAT?! Turns out that the Metro stops short on Sunday nights (we had asked the concierge prior to departing the Sofitel that question and were told that the Metro runs 24 hours). Ultimately the train started moving back in the other direction, so we got off and caught a bus to the airport. It cost us an hour and what remaining energy we had, but it wasn't that big of a problem.

Final thoughts: We enjoyed every destination on this trip. Western Crete, Santorini, and Athens are all very different, but each offers so much to do. Since we are pretty high-energy travelers, we covered a lot of territory. While it would have been nice to have more time, what we had was adequate to see the highlights. We were blessed with great weather.

We loved the Mediterranean diet and continue to eat lots of yogurt, Feta, spinach, eggplant, other vegetables, and Greek salads. Greek yogurt is available at Trader Joe's and we found a Greek market nearby. We enjoyed Mythos beer, which is a light lager and most of the local wines.

Traveling with little luggage has great advantages, especially when trying to fit four people into European cars. We couldn't buy a lot of souvenirs, but that allowed more time for absorbing the culture and history of the places we visited.

Thanks again to everyone on this forum, especially brotherleelove2004 (for so much great advice) and wug (for the Lava Oia recommendation). Thanks also to Nancy for sharing her info and to my superb travel companions for putting up with my obsessive-compulsive research and note-taking!

Miss_Maple

Regarding the metro airport ride:

I believe the train runs every half hour, and it has an airplane sticker on it's windows. I know we were alarmed we the train stopped and everyone got off. We saw folks waiting with their bags for the next train which was the one that went all the way out to the airport. Be sure to buy the airport metor ticket as agents did check our tickets on the train at the last stop before the airport connection.

marginal_margiela

What about vice-versa??? Does the train FROM the airport into Athens also stop and you have to get off and get a new train???

I am leaving for Greece on July 8 and I want to take the train from the airport into Athens (I am staying at the Intercontinental). I have been to Athens before, but the train didn't go to the airport back in 1998.

The Great and Powerful Thingorjus

hannafonckers

Hello,
I'm bookmarking so I can read it at home later.

marginal_margiela

Up
Up
and
away!

seeksocean

bookmarking

brotherleelove2004

Lina-

Would you please describe in as much detail as you can recall the location of Lava Oia's. As familiar with Oia as I am I can't seem to remember where in the village it is.

Thanks-Lee

crckwc1

Lina, Thanks for posting this -- just in time for our May trip to Crete, Santorini, Athens along with Sicily. I'm bookmarking all your recommendations. Question: would you share your packing list?

Lina

Sorry, I have not checked this message board in a while. Lee, to answer your question, I have to dig deep into my memory bank! Lava Oia was near the beginning of Oia. We parked in the lot (bus drop area?) and walked back to the left, through a big church plaza. It is not off the main road, but off a parallel road, very close to a mini market. As we walked toward the main part of Oia where all the shops and restaurants are, we passed Katikies, so it is BEFORE that stretch.

Our house was not luxurious but clean and spacious. The patio and view were to die for. As I mentioned in my report, we looked at other moderately priced apartments and many had something unattractive in their sights. Lava Oia apartments are also quieter, since they are not in the heart of the village.

My neighbors are in Santorini right now and I am so jealous!

Heimdall

There is more than one line at Monastiraki and Syntagma stations, and even if you are on the right platform, you need to make sure to board the train that goes to the airport, which is well outside central Athens. The others stop well short of the airport. I made the same mistake, but when I realized I was on the wrong train, got off two or three stops later, and waited for the airport train. It was the next one to come along. See: http://www.ametro.gr/files/pdf/AM-At...tro_ext_en.pdf

The metro doesn't run 24 hours a day, but does run seven days a week.

travelerjan

Folks, any advice on the airport metro is NON-OPERATIVE for anyone planning to use it STARTING JUNE 1. The Metro authority says that's when the station renovation work will disrupt the connection to the airport thru the rest of 2008.

For stops nearer Central Athens it's still OK, but most people on this forum are only interested in whether it will reach the airport. It won't.

So just take the 24/7 reliable X95 which goes to Syntagma Square, the "gateway" to Plaka DIstrict, where most tourists stay. Get it outside door 5 of Arrivals...3.2 Euros, goes every 20-30 minutes, takes 1 hour (1.15 in rush hour, 45 mins in wee-hours of morning).

Heimdall

Travelerjan, you are braver than me to predict when costruction at Ag. Peraskevi station will actually start, and airport metro service interupted. Originally it was supposed to be February, and now the airport website is saying it will be sometime in July. Any bets there won't be further delays?

http://www.aia.gr/pages.asp?pageid=981&langid=2

travelerjan

Heimdall, I guess I should have checked this week! I got the news from an Athens resident who posted the JUne 1 start date about 10 days ago on Trip Advisor. Maybe they found some more bronze-age shields & swords under a track or platform!! :0

As long as we're guessing, anybody want to lay bets on
(1) when the Heraklion Museum will re-open (and explain why its "temporary exhibit room" is closed on Wed/Thurs;guard have the days off?)
(2) when Akrotiri will re-open.. and
(3) When the Nafplio Museum will re-open (that's been closed for 5 years now).

Heimdall

Good list, Travelerjan. You've covered the major ones, and I can only think of a few more:
1) When will Sky Express publish its summer timetable?
2) When will Olympic Airlines sort out its problems with the European Commission?
3) What happened to that direct metro/suburban railway link between the airport and Piraeus we heard about last year?

brynwyn

Hi, Lina, that was a great summary of your trip! Which leads me to a question about travel from Crete to Heraklion. I had pretty much gotten used to the idea of not going to Santorini because it appeared there was not going to be a way to get there from Crete in Oct except to fly back to Athens, then back to Santorini. At least, the ferry service was almost non-existent. I'm going to check on the Flying Cat Hydrofoil. Thanks so much for the info!

travelerjan

Brynwyn, the Hellenic Flying Cat schedule from Heraklion to Santorini at 9:45 am daily (except for a few no-sail wednesdays) has been a regular schedule for at least 5 years... what ferry websites have you been looking at? try gtp.gr.

W if you look at the r-h column, you will see "cm". That means catamaran. These are quite large vessels carrying perhaps ?350 passengers. Lina misspoke about hydrofoils. THey now are used only on islands near athens, in sheltered waters, not across Aegean.

seeksocean

Hi All,
Especially TravelJan and Brotherleelove,
We are Chania now and had a great time in Santorini...a freak heat wave made for some fabulous weather. We went to Midnight Mass last night for Easter.

The weather is a bit cold and rainy now and things are closed for the next two days, but I think I'll head to the bus station and explore the possibility of the six of us getting a bus tomorrow.
Also, the Samorian Gorge is closed due to high water.

I have to pass on that we made ALL of our Olympic flights and connections and got all our luggage each time without a hitch. Many of the Aegean flights were cancelled(?)...We have one more flight, this time on Aegean to Athens.

Any suggestions out there for a day bus trip tomorrow? It's not worth renting cars for all of us. The food's been great. Following ALL the suggestions. Thanks again all!

travelerjan

Hi seeks! Thanx for pix! Glad you had sun for your Thera "foto op"!

Your request is a toughie; it will be Easter Monday & most everything will be shut tight. Also, busses will be on holiday schedule, so be aware of bus times before u go anywhere.

Yahoo weather for Crete says showers Mon AM then sunny for a week. Thus I wouldn't recommend bus to western Beaches. Here's one idea --

Ask Hotelier (if he/she is even around) to call VAMOS,the traditional village just a few miles away
http://www.vamossa.gr/content/view/1/37/lang,english/

Here's the phone # etc:
[email protected]
Tel: +30 2825023251
Fax: +30 2825023100

It's a long shot, but they may be open because of Tourists.. charming village not "restored" but saved from modernism by a group preserving authentic crafts, products etc.

I would suggest Rethymnon for the Fortezza but it will be closed, and I consider Rethymnon old town less interesting more touristy than Chania.

You might consider Imbros Gorge if you could get a bus to Imbros & gorge is open... not as often closed as Samaria.. and only takes 2-3 hours to walk vs 7-8. By time u reach start of gorge, AM showers will hve cleared.

At end of Gorge u would have to get a taxi to Chora Sfakion then a bus to Chora Sfakion. As I said, check the bus schedule & you might get lucky and it would be do-able... I found this Gorge GORGEOUS in SPring. NOTE: pick up branches and fashion walking sticks before entering gorge -- the trick is balancing on rocky trail.

seeksocean

Hi Jan,
Thanks for all the info. I think what we have settled on is a bus to Paleochora for tomorrow. We will either take the 8:30am bus or the 12:15pm bus (6.5 Euro per person each way) for a 6 hour visit. That will give us some site-seeing and also a little walking around. Any suggestions for that local?

I think Tuesday we'll just hang around Chania, because we really didn't get a chance to thoroughly window shop and go through the streets.

Wednesday is another travel day to Athens. I am very full of Easter food and noticing I had to change my belt notch. Way too much good rich food!....and raki. Good call on the self-serve coffee. That's helped with the budget.

I will check into your other suggestions too. Run it by the 'sextet'. I'll send you some Chania pics soon too. Thanks again!

LSUvetgirl

bookmarking for reference: taking a similar trip next month!