TexasAggie needs input on initial plan for 5-06 Greece Trip
Jul 15th, 2005, 12:25 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TexasAggie needs input on initial plan for 5-06 Greece Trip
Hello fellow Fodorites,
We are planning a 13 night trip to Greece in April-May 2006. This is our tentative itinerary. We need to work toward finalizing it as soon as possible as we need to call AA to get our tickets (FF miles) soon. If you saw our recent trip report (12 days of pizza) you know that we are young active travellers very interested in ancient history.
All insight wanted and welcome!!
Saturday April 29 - depart from Denver
Sunday April 30 - land Athens, perhaps explore Plaka and Monastiraki areas in the evening
Monday - May 1 - National Holiday - see Acropolis complex including museum and agoras
Tuesday - May 2 - see anything from the Acropolis complex that we missed on Monday and go up to Lycabettus hill
Wednesday - May 3 - National Archaeology Museum and possible Benaki museum. Catch a 5:45pm flight to Santorini
Thursday - May 4 - Santorini - relax at hotel and visit town of Oia
Friday - May 5 - Akrotiri archaeology site and museum
Saturday - May 6 - 7:25am flight back to Athens, pick up rental car and visit Corinth and Epidaurus on the way to Napflion.
Sunday - May 7 - explore Napflion and daytrip to Mycenea
Monday - May 8 - drive to Olympia. See Olympia archaeology site and museum.
Tuesday - May 9 - drive to Delphi. See archaeology site and museum
Wednesday - May 10 - finish Delphi site and visit toen of Arachova
Thursday - May 11 - drive to Meteora and see monasteries. Stay in Kalambaka
Friday - May 12 - finish monasteries in the morning and drive back to Athens stopping at Marathon and Cape Souinon (Temple of Poseidon). Return rental car.
Saturday - May 13 - depart back to Denver
We are planning a 13 night trip to Greece in April-May 2006. This is our tentative itinerary. We need to work toward finalizing it as soon as possible as we need to call AA to get our tickets (FF miles) soon. If you saw our recent trip report (12 days of pizza) you know that we are young active travellers very interested in ancient history.
All insight wanted and welcome!!
Saturday April 29 - depart from Denver
Sunday April 30 - land Athens, perhaps explore Plaka and Monastiraki areas in the evening
Monday - May 1 - National Holiday - see Acropolis complex including museum and agoras
Tuesday - May 2 - see anything from the Acropolis complex that we missed on Monday and go up to Lycabettus hill
Wednesday - May 3 - National Archaeology Museum and possible Benaki museum. Catch a 5:45pm flight to Santorini
Thursday - May 4 - Santorini - relax at hotel and visit town of Oia
Friday - May 5 - Akrotiri archaeology site and museum
Saturday - May 6 - 7:25am flight back to Athens, pick up rental car and visit Corinth and Epidaurus on the way to Napflion.
Sunday - May 7 - explore Napflion and daytrip to Mycenea
Monday - May 8 - drive to Olympia. See Olympia archaeology site and museum.
Tuesday - May 9 - drive to Delphi. See archaeology site and museum
Wednesday - May 10 - finish Delphi site and visit toen of Arachova
Thursday - May 11 - drive to Meteora and see monasteries. Stay in Kalambaka
Friday - May 12 - finish monasteries in the morning and drive back to Athens stopping at Marathon and Cape Souinon (Temple of Poseidon). Return rental car.
Saturday - May 13 - depart back to Denver
Jul 15th, 2005, 01:31 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,330
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was in Greece last October. I went to Athens, Santorini, Diakopfto and Delphi in 10 days. I didn't do exactly all you plan but you have a few more days. It looks like you have a lot of territory laid out pretty decently. I think it can be done the way it is. It's just a little too busy in a couple of spots for my own tastes. So I have a few recommendations.
Corinth, the town itself, was not recommended by my LP guidebook. Having been flattened by an earthquake it was completely rebuilt on a modern grid about a hundred years ago. I took the guidebook's advice and didn't go.
After driving from Athens and stopping along the way, Napflion for an overnight with a day trip to Mycenea sounds like you'll miss a lot of Napflion.
Maybe you can drop Olympia? That's 3 hours of driving across the Peloponnesian Peninsula then another 3 hours of driving to Delphi to see a museum.
Your day from Meteora to Cape Sounion with stops along the way is going to be pretty long. About a 5 hour drive between the two, a late start from the monasteries, your 2 stops along the way and getting back to the airport. That's a lot.
I drove through Arachova on my way to Moni Osiou Louka. It looked like another hillside town, nothing particularly special. The main drag was clogged with tour busses chugging to and from Delphi. Maybe I missed something. Perhaps you can get in and out of Arachova quickly so you can finish Meteora sooner and get on the road to Cape Sounion early in the morning.
I tussled endlessly with Meteora for my trip. I really wanted to see it. In the end I decided it was too far out of the way. I put Meteora off to my next trip to Greece when I do Thessalonica and the northern part of Greece...someday.
By the way the overnight at Delphi is a must in my book. It was so nice to walk into Delphi at 5:00pm as the last of the day trippers were straggling out.
Have you considered getting your FF tickets without a finalized itinerary? There's not much more of a choice then flying in and out of Athens. Maybe you could open-jaw into Athens and out of Thessalonica but I don't think that's likely using FF miles.
Here's a link to my trip report.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34535452
Corinth, the town itself, was not recommended by my LP guidebook. Having been flattened by an earthquake it was completely rebuilt on a modern grid about a hundred years ago. I took the guidebook's advice and didn't go.
After driving from Athens and stopping along the way, Napflion for an overnight with a day trip to Mycenea sounds like you'll miss a lot of Napflion.
Maybe you can drop Olympia? That's 3 hours of driving across the Peloponnesian Peninsula then another 3 hours of driving to Delphi to see a museum.
Your day from Meteora to Cape Sounion with stops along the way is going to be pretty long. About a 5 hour drive between the two, a late start from the monasteries, your 2 stops along the way and getting back to the airport. That's a lot.
I drove through Arachova on my way to Moni Osiou Louka. It looked like another hillside town, nothing particularly special. The main drag was clogged with tour busses chugging to and from Delphi. Maybe I missed something. Perhaps you can get in and out of Arachova quickly so you can finish Meteora sooner and get on the road to Cape Sounion early in the morning.
I tussled endlessly with Meteora for my trip. I really wanted to see it. In the end I decided it was too far out of the way. I put Meteora off to my next trip to Greece when I do Thessalonica and the northern part of Greece...someday.
By the way the overnight at Delphi is a must in my book. It was so nice to walk into Delphi at 5:00pm as the last of the day trippers were straggling out.
Have you considered getting your FF tickets without a finalized itinerary? There's not much more of a choice then flying in and out of Athens. Maybe you could open-jaw into Athens and out of Thessalonica but I don't think that's likely using FF miles.
Here's a link to my trip report.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34535452
Jul 15th, 2005, 01:38 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
indytravel,
Oh my goodness, thank you SO much for all of your insight. I will read and print your report in a moment. I like the idea of possibly skipping Corinth and getting in a little more time in Napflion. Our main area of interest is the ancient archaeology but I do like soaking in the ambience of small towns too.
Also, thanks for the input about Arachova. I think skipping it in favor of getting up to the monasteries and having more time there is an excellent suggestion.
There is also a possibility that we could cut out Santorini and save it for a future Greek Islands trip. That would give us a couple more days on the mainland... with which we could probably see everything we want. However I've been obsessed with a particular hotel on Santorini ever since I saw the website (Santorini Princess). Still, it's another good option to ponder.
Anyway, thank you so much for you very helpful post!
Oh my goodness, thank you SO much for all of your insight. I will read and print your report in a moment. I like the idea of possibly skipping Corinth and getting in a little more time in Napflion. Our main area of interest is the ancient archaeology but I do like soaking in the ambience of small towns too.
Also, thanks for the input about Arachova. I think skipping it in favor of getting up to the monasteries and having more time there is an excellent suggestion.
There is also a possibility that we could cut out Santorini and save it for a future Greek Islands trip. That would give us a couple more days on the mainland... with which we could probably see everything we want. However I've been obsessed with a particular hotel on Santorini ever since I saw the website (Santorini Princess). Still, it's another good option to ponder.
Anyway, thank you so much for you very helpful post!
Jul 15th, 2005, 05:13 PM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,330
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You're welcome TexasAggie.
I know how you feel about Santorini. I was only going to do a mainland trip, but my friend wanted Santorini. The more I looked around the more I wanted to fit it in too. I'm glad we did. When I get around to a Greek Island vacation I'll fit Santorini in again.
I know how you feel about Santorini. I was only going to do a mainland trip, but my friend wanted Santorini. The more I looked around the more I wanted to fit it in too. I'm glad we did. When I get around to a Greek Island vacation I'll fit Santorini in again.
Jul 15th, 2005, 07:37 PM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi, TexasAggie!
Wow, after reading indytravel's terrific report, I don't think there's much to add, other than emphasizing a couple of things:
1)Make it to the Nat'l Archaeological Museum in Athens early. It really is world-class, and I think you'll find it worthwhile to have as much time there as possible.
2) While I thought Arachova was charming (we only drove through it en route to Delphi), a destination is nearby that I think is much more worthwhile. The monastery of Osios Loukas (or, as indytravel says, Moni Osiou Louka) is about 10-20 mi. from Arachova, going away from Delphi. As I recall, it's near a town named Phocis.
The monastery's mountainous setting is picturesque enough, but the interior of the katholikon is stunning. Mosaics with golden backgrounds line the walls and ceilings, reflecting the light that streams in through the angled windows, making a truly glorious sight. When I first saw it, I could have dropped to my knees and wept, had others not been present.
You say that your interest lies in classical history, but even if you don't care a fig about Byzantine history, the monastery is still very much worth visiting.
Hope your trip is wonderful!
Wow, after reading indytravel's terrific report, I don't think there's much to add, other than emphasizing a couple of things:
1)Make it to the Nat'l Archaeological Museum in Athens early. It really is world-class, and I think you'll find it worthwhile to have as much time there as possible.
2) While I thought Arachova was charming (we only drove through it en route to Delphi), a destination is nearby that I think is much more worthwhile. The monastery of Osios Loukas (or, as indytravel says, Moni Osiou Louka) is about 10-20 mi. from Arachova, going away from Delphi. As I recall, it's near a town named Phocis.
The monastery's mountainous setting is picturesque enough, but the interior of the katholikon is stunning. Mosaics with golden backgrounds line the walls and ceilings, reflecting the light that streams in through the angled windows, making a truly glorious sight. When I first saw it, I could have dropped to my knees and wept, had others not been present.
You say that your interest lies in classical history, but even if you don't care a fig about Byzantine history, the monastery is still very much worth visiting.
Hope your trip is wonderful!
Jul 15th, 2005, 08:19 PM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TexasAggie: Just wanted to say hello to a fellow Denver resident 
Your trip to Greece sounds wonderful! I hope to return there one day. I visited it several times as a child so I can't help you with recommendations however I do remember being fascinated by the historic places and the blue, blue Mediterranean. Enjoy!
P.S. If you like Greek food there is a wonderful Greek restaurant called Zorbadillo's in Colorado Springs.
Your trip to Greece sounds wonderful! I hope to return there one day. I visited it several times as a child so I can't help you with recommendations however I do remember being fascinated by the historic places and the blue, blue Mediterranean. Enjoy!
P.S. If you like Greek food there is a wonderful Greek restaurant called Zorbadillo's in Colorado Springs.
Jul 18th, 2005, 06:34 AM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi everyone,
Thank you ALL for the wealth of information. The Osios Loukas monastery sounds fascinating. We are not huge shopping people (well I probably **could** be but try my hardest not to do that to DH on vacations at least! ;-)), so skipping or just flying through Arachova and seeing it instead sounds perfect.
Thanks again to everyone!
Thank you ALL for the wealth of information. The Osios Loukas monastery sounds fascinating. We are not huge shopping people (well I probably **could** be but try my hardest not to do that to DH on vacations at least! ;-)), so skipping or just flying through Arachova and seeing it instead sounds perfect.
Thanks again to everyone!
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
swfeken
Europe
31
Nov 9th, 2010 03:05 AM
pittpurple
Europe
22
Jul 11th, 2008 05:25 AM
