JCinMD

I am continuing to plan our trip to Greece this May. Thanks for all the comments on my other posting.
My husband and I will be meeting our 21 year old daughter in Rome, will fly to Greece and then need to go back to Rome to make a flight home. We have 10 days and would like to visit Athens, Santorini and Naxos. I was hoping we could fly from Rome to Athens and then go on to Santorini, spend 2 or 3 nights in Santorini, ferry to Naxos and spend 4 nights, and then ferry back to Athens.
In researching the connections from Rome to Santorini, it looks like we would need to spend a significant portion of our day at the airport making the connection from Athens to Santorini. Seems like a waste of a day when we could be enjoying ourselves in Athens. I am now thinking we should get a round trip ticket from Rome to Athens (could get a better deal), stay in Athens for a few days, and then take a morning flight to Santorini. That would mean, in order to make sure we get back on time, we should plan to get back to Athens the day before our flight to Rome, which is a day before our flight home. I know the recommendation is to visit Athens last because of weather contingencies in getting back from the islands. Any thoughts on how to work this better? The longer I wait in getting flights the more they will cost. How long is the fast ferry from Athens (is it Piraeus?) to Santorini? Should we consider that?
I need to nail down the exact days and then will need some help on hotels. There are 3 of us, we would rather not stay in touristy areas but like the convenience of walking places. From reading the forum entries I am thinking about staying in Firostephani on Santorini, in Naxos at Plaka Beach (Stella's?) and haven't thought about Athens yet. Price range max $200/night (not yet high season). Suggestions welcome. I do wonder whether the weather be warm enough to hang out at the beach mid-May.
Thanks again for all your help. I am buried down with the mid-Atlantic snows so May in Greece seems like a dream!

fmpden

I think what you are finding is that the islands are just waking up in May. We hit the same snag last Oct when we wanted to fly from Santorini to Rome. Had to connect through Athens with poor connections. Had we been a month earlier we could have flown direct from Santorini to Rome. I am guessing the direct flights don't start till June. The ferry ride is long (look at a map) maybe over night and unpredictable given the weather and again the schedule is limited at that time of year.

It should be warm enough to use the beach but most likely too cold to swim. But it is Spring time weather and can range widely.

markrosy

I do wonder whether the weather be warm enough to hang out at the beach mid-May

We sailed the Ionian last May during the first two weeks. The Southern Europe high pressure usually forms during May and holds until at least September. May can be a nightmare to pack for - we experienced huge rain and 12 oC followed by sun, sun, sun and 23 oC. The sea is fairly cold but again it's down to how you define cold. We swam without an issue. The Ionian is fairly well north the areas you are planning are well south and the weather should be proportionately better. It has been 15 oC in Sicily for most of winter.

moonlion

You may want to consider booking open-jaw flights instead of roundtrip States-Rome: for example, outbound States-to-Rome; return Athens-to-States. We did this in reverse in 2008 (flew into Athens, and departed from Rome, with a separate one-way ticket from Athens-to-Rome) and were able to save time and money. The open-jaw ticket did not cost us more than round-trip, and a one-way Rome-to-Athens ticket is not that expensive. Try an online search sight such as kayak.com and see if you can save some time and money. Have a great trip!

JCinMD

Thanks moonlion. Already have the tickets from States to Rome and back. Our daughter will be at the end of her semester abroad so flight arrangements were made in advance. I will look into possibility of changing but will probably cost more. For now may need to work around as a constraint.

JCinMD

I read some postings and came to the conclusion we should fly to Athens, spend the night and then fly out to Santorini in the morning. Just bought all the airline tickets - got the last saver seats in Aegean to Santorini. We will visit Athens and maybe Nafplion at the end of the trip.
Now I'm focused on specifics including hotels. Would appreciate your help. See beginning of thread for specifics including itinerary, our preferences and price range. Thanks!!!

travelerjan

JCin MD --
If you want our best lodgings advice, please take a minute and re-list for us your DATES that you will be in each location you want recommendations for ... it DOES make a difference, i.e. weekends, holidays like Pentecost etc.

JCinMD

Travelerjan - thanks for your help. Nice to get back to trip planning as we dig out of all the snow in the DC area with more on the way!

As for the itinerary to date (with remaining questions inserted):
-Saturday 5/8 Need hotel near Athens airport but convenient for dinner in Athens (flying in from Athens in afternoon and to Santorini next morning)
-Santorini - Sunday 5/9 for 2 or 3 nights. Still deciding how long to stay. I think I want to stay in Firostephani.
-Naxos - Ferry from Santorini either Tuesday 5/11 or Wednesday 5/12 preferably in morning. Not sure where to stay. May rent car to get around island at least part of the time (do we need to do that in advance?). Stay in St George to be able to walk places? Or Plaka beach (not sure how warm it will be so will we want to stay on beach?. Stay 4 nights.
-Leave Naxos on either Saturday 5/15 or Sunday 5/16 ferry to Piraeus. Thinking about one or two nights around Napflion/Epidavros and then two nights in Athens.
-Flight to Rome on Wednesday 5/19 where we get our connection home.

Would like to keep hotel rate to $200 for 3 of us. We like being able to walk places but not being in the middle of touristy areas. I am assuming we can make ferry reservations when we get to Greece and since we are a bit off season, will have some flexibility when we get there.

Do you need any more info? Any/all thoughts/guidance/advice is appreciated!

lbbttn

we booked at 2 lovely, not too pricey hotels highly recommended -in fact will be there also in May and are doing Santorini (7 nights) Naxos (6 nights)and Athens (2 nights).

http://www.oia-strogili-houses.gr/
http://www.kavos-naxos.com/

need a place in athens - prefer walking distance to most "sights" so interested in any input/feedback you receive on that.

brotherleelove2004

Check the websites of these hotels. They're all between Syntagma Square and Monastiraki Square.

Pan, Arethusa, Amazon, Metropolis, Cecil, Attalos, Omiros, Acropolis View and Hermes.

travelerjan

Naxos - yes stay in St. George, rent a car for a day to go around the island .. Also St. George beach is shallow, water will be warm enough there, chillier in Plaka, also plaka will just be "waking up" about then, fewer places open of an evening. Also, since Your daughter is 21, may want to stay out a bit later, on her own perhaps. After late dinner at harborside maybe parents are ready for hotel, but daughter might like to sample a club like Escoba, or Jam Bar across from Waffle House, & it's no big deal when she's a 5 minute walk from the hotel, no need to take bus or drive.

For Hotels: Check Hotel St. George, Glaros, Galini, Asteria -- all on the beach; several have apartments or "Studio units" -- handy for 3; a BR with double bed or 2 singles, main room with 1 or 2 daybeds, kitchenette niche & tables. Of course, all Hotel rooms have balconies, in-room fridges, TV etc etc. If u want a pool, Hotel Spiro is a good buy... back from the beach a bit (as all hotels wih pools are... and the pools are unheated, so what's the point actually). Here's a list to browse of ALL Naxos areas, in-town or at variuos beach areas: http://www.thegreektravel.com/naxos/hotels.html

Here's a DYNAMITE Map showing location of many hotels in Naxos Town & St. G beach: http://www.naxos-greece.net/site/gfx...hotels_map.jpg -- quite useful because many websites obscure the fact that a hotel may be far from the beach and/or on a busy road ... those that are right on the beach are on narrow lanes with no thru traffic.

BTW - it's

travelerjan

I hit "Submit" too soon... I meant to add, in a kindly tone, that it's thoughtful to give budget parameters in Euros, because that's how Greek places quote prices, and if you don't translate into Euros then we have to. Here's link for latest exchange rate http://www.xe.com/ucc/ -- and today €1 = $1.36, so $200 = €147. In Santorini, you'll have to hunt, but in Naxos you can lodge like royalty for that amount.

Regarding your fllying in from Athens & wanting "a place near the airport but convenient for dinner in Athens. JC, I see you are from Maryland, so let me put it this way: what if someone said to you, I want a hotel near to Dulles Airport but convenient for dinner in the heart of Washington DC. Come on now. Let's do some map work. Central Athens is 45 minutes on Metro, an hour on bus. Like saying "near JFK but I want dinner in Manhattan."
... there's a hotel right at the airport, SOfitel, but it charges a king's ransom.

There is ONE alternative but they only have 3 rooms, so you'd better email TODAY. It's called ST. Thomas B & B, it's 10 minutes from the airport, they'll pick you up, they're in a little olive grove, with a swimming pool, they'll arrange for dinner with advance notice, here's the lilnk: http://www.stay-in-athens.com/

About ferries... here is a site with the MOST info: http://www.gtp.gr/RoutesForm.asp just plug in your 2 places: the port you're leaving from (Naxos) and destination (Piraeus), and on the dates, leave the year 2009, and the Day at "Any" and the Month at "5". see what ferries are avaiable. If you don't see enough ferries, Leave the month at "any." IT will help you see service patterns. For Santorini, many more ferries will appear by March. It is good to learn to use the ferry site, so you can find some answers yourself, and only ask forums about things you can't find. Happy hunting!

JCinMD

Thanks for your help. I just e-mailed St Thomas B&B to see about availability. That sounds like a great solution and we will need to visit Athens on the way back. Also, thanks for the Ferry site. Tried to use a site last month and found it confusing. I now have lots of info and need to wade thru it.

CollK

We spent four nights on Santorini last May (arriving on the 1st) - and had a couple of days of beautiful, picture perfect weather, warm but not hot, sunny - it was just lovely (one of the days we hiked from Firostefani to Oia). Unfortunately, the weather turned on the third day - cold, rainy, windy- we hardly left our little apartment. It was still windy and cool the day we left. The weather is definitely unpredictable but the nice part of going in May is that the wildflowers are out - our hike was beautiful and definitely the highlight of our time there. We took the bus to Perissa but that side of the island was cooler and windy so we just had some lunch and came back - didn't hang out on the beach at all - it was kind of a waste of time.

We stayed in Firostefani at Lithies Traditional Homes, and really enjoyed it. We paid 110 euros per night for the smallest house (Eros). The views were beautiful, our apartment was great and the staff couldn't do enough for us - they include transport to and from the ferry and a great breakfast. Highly recommended. Here's the link: http://www.lithies-santorini.com.

lbbttn

Just booked hotel (VERY basic but great reviews) - be careful though as there is one by the same name which is close to the beach and not in the town
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ns_Attica.html

looks like it can only be booked via expedia or venere - I chose expedia.

Anyone heard of this palce.

travelerjan

I understand that it really just got on the radar screen lately because it got a new owner 12-18 months ago and was renovated and buffed up quite a bit, but is VERY budget-friendly (about ?70€? in May including breakfast)... probably to get notice. The website & a couple of reviews certainly looked promising. And Nikis street is very convenient...