Trips to Greece

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

Hello everyone. I hope are all well.

My wife and I are planning to go to Greece for our 5th wedding anniversary (in two years).

Mostly because my wife wants to go. I'd be cool as a cucumber to spend a weekend in Rio Linda California (sorry inside joke for any dittoheads). Anyways, we know squat about Greece and will begin researching on the net, books, friends, etc... As part of this research I will ask our fellow VJers for any tips suggestions etc...

Parameters... 2 weeks in the fall. Open to cruises or simply staying on the island and exploring from there. And the language is greek to us. hehehe Money is somewhat of a concern. But mostly that means not staying at fancy hotels and personal yatchs.

okie dokie. Any and all input is welcome.

Peace be with all of you,

Daniel

[HAL 9000 96]

Avoiding Thira (Santorini) might be good for your bank account... you can get as good (or better) sunsets on other islands and a heck of a lot less touristy stuff.

Try the Pelopponesian peninsular region also. Great mountain scenery and really cool historical ruins all over the place.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Go the islands - Athens is good for the tourist stuff, but once you've seen the parthenon you'll probably want to get the hell out

[Mags 112]

My parents always sang their praises of the island of Naxos. Pretty unspoilt by tourists and relatively cheap to stay in the local tavernas rather than hotels. But they're older than you so I guess they may have different expectations of what a vacation entails!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Although I'd say going to a Greek island old people like is infinitely preferable to going to one the Club 18-30 people like, unless vomiting and fighting is your idea of a good time

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

excellent! i understand there are many islands. will have to start learning the geography so i know what the heck you guys are suggesting. most likely we will combine some turisty sightseeing with more jsut enjoy the freaking bueaty of the islands.

Daniel

[Mags 112]

Although I'd say going to a Greek island old people like is infinitely preferable to going to one the Club 18-30 people like, unless vomiting and fighting is your idea of a good time

Oh I agree entirely. My parents went back to Naxos many time, as did their friends etc. It's a nice, quiet little island - perhaps ideal for the end of the holiday and a few days of just plain old relaxing.

Edit: My Dad's not that old, btw.

Edited May 5, 2008 by Mags

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

Although I'd say going to a Greek island old people like is infinitely preferable to going to one the Club 18-30 people like, unless vomiting and fighting is your idea of a good time

Oh I agree entirely. My parents went back to Naxos many time, as did their friends etc. It's a nice, quiet little island - perhaps ideal for the end of the holiday and a few days of just plain old relaxing.

Edit: My Dad's not that old, btw.

yeah, not sure Ana would look to kindly upon me being the life of the party at one of these nightclubs. hehehe soooo I will just stick to her side and enjoy the ride. She just loves the view given by photos of the hillsides looking out into the ocean.

Daniel

[HAL 9000 96]

Look for pics of Meteora, too!

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

Look for pics of Meteora, too!

sweet!

I'll be scoring enough brownie points to last me a good while.

thanks bro.

Daniel

[HAL 9000 96]

No hay de qué hermano.

[GabiandVi 34]

How early in the fall? September is the best time to tour Greece. The tourists are gone, but the ferries are still running and the weather is much nicer than summer, but not yet cold. Most hotels in Greece do not have heating, and those big thick walls are meant to hold the cold which they do well - wet cold.

One person said to avoid Santorini, but I think every new tourist has to go at least for a day. It's like the Grand Canyon surrounding the sea and including beautiful white houses stacked up the cliffside. You don't need to stay long, but I thought Akrotiri, the town on Santorini that had been covered by volcanic ash 4000 years ago during the Minoan era, was really interesting, though most of the relics have been brought to the national museum in Athens. Still, the town remains and you can walk through the streets. And the prices aren't as high in off season. Plus, you really don't need to stay on the Kaldera unless you want to. There are lots of walks through Fira or Oia where you have the view.

In Athens, stay in Plaka, but again, you don't need to stay long. I think two or three nights would be good, and definitely make it to the National Museum, plus go down into the metro station at Parliament. It's a free museum (very small). Try to stay near the square. I wish I could remember the little hotel I used to stay in, but it has been years.

If you want to stay on a mountain on the mainland, Volos is the place. I forget the name of the mountain, but it looks out over the Agean and the little towns don't have roads going through them. You have to travel by foot or donkey past the main street. And Volos town is pretty cool. Plus, you can get the ferries from there.

I prefer the Agean islands. My favorite was Alonisos. It doesn't have the white houses. Instead the houses are mud colored. It makes for a very nice change, and it wasn't quite as touristed as a lot of the other islands. The little island off the cost of Alonisos is a turtle refuge. You can tour out there. I never made it to Skiros, but I always wanted to. It is still very traditional and a lot of the housing is in people's homes, but I'm sure there are hotels as well.

Thasos is very nice. It is large, and used to be the greenest island, but it may have had a fire a few years ago that changed that.

The second finger of Halkidiki is very nice. It is hugely popular with the Greeks. I've never been, but my sister lives there because her husband was sent there to be the local doctor. She says it lives up to its reputation. She used to live in Patras, which she hated, but I really liked.

If you stay on Mykonos (which I wouldn't advise as it is the party island) stay at Kokinos Milos. It is an old converted windmill. It is called Red Windmill, but it is not red. The owner has red hair. It sits up on the hill looking over the town. When I stayed there years ago there was nothing nearby, but it was a quick walk down a little path to the main square. It has a large rooftop patio. That is the roof of the bottom structure, not of the mill. It is a single house, not a hotel. It has a kitchen and two bedrooms, I believe. The top of the mill is a little loft bedroom. I found it by accident when the hotel I called wasn't opened yet for the season, so the owner directed me to the redhead. Now it can be found easily online, but you'll have to book in advance.

Crete is always an option. You have everything there. Venetian towns, mountain towns, Minoan ruins, beaches, cave exploring, and there is the gorge though it might be closed off to walking in the fall. I don't remember. Plus, the tsiporo is really good there.

Meteora is incredible and most people miss it. If you have the chance, you really have to visit. You can stay there, but you really only need an afternoon to get the effect. It has been featured in two Bond movies.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

GabianVi,

wow, that is really goo info.

thanks for that.

fyi, most likely we will be scheduling it around end of Sept beginning of Oct.

Daniel

[HAL 9000 96]

Oh then if you tour the northern parts of the country you may get lucky with the weather!

Check out Lonely Planet guides... theres LOTS of info in the Greece version.

I thank God I have such a great boss... I am nearly sure he won't have any problems with the Mrs and I taking an extra bit to tour Europe (Greece included) next year.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

Oh then if you tour the northern parts of the country you may get lucky with the weather!

Check out Lonely Planet guides... theres LOTS of info in the Greece version.

I thank God I have such a great boss... I am nearly sure he won't have any problems with the Mrs and I taking an extra bit to tour Europe (Greece included) next year.

lucky with the weather? like how? is it like winter stormy by then?

yeah, i will start perusing them sites. just that helpful hints by "live" folks tend to help focus on certain aspescts. muchas gracias.

Daniel