Canadian (active senior) residents here. Planning on flying to Athens in early September 2024 after visiting family in UK. We'll be spending a couple of nights in Athens at some point but otherwise travelling by bus up to the NW of Greece (near Lefkada) and staying with my brother in a little village called Pogonia.
Some questions:
1: Interested in recommendations for accommodation and restaurants in Athens. We'd be on a budget so as long as it's clean we don't mind it being fairly cheap and/or outside the centre -- we can take transit. Pensions? Small family hotels? (no dorms, private bathroom preferred)
2: Also, accommodations and restaurants around Meteora and Delphi anyone?
3: Anyone had practical experience of long distance bus travel on K-Tel bus lines? Is ticketing easy enough?
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1632 posts
This sub-forum is for trip reviews. For soliciting more comments, post this in the Destination Q&A forum.
Posted by
TX, USA
4803 posts
Two. I have stayed twice at Boutique Plakias Guesthouse in Kastraki and will be back as soon as I can get back to Meteora. It is family owned, not fancy, reasonable, and the staff treat you like family. It is right at the base of Meteora. They have tried a couple of name changes - first to Boutique Holy Soirit when they did a remodel a few years ago, and now back to the above - since the owner’s last name is Plakias. His grandfather started with the attached restaurant Taverna Gardena and then added rooms gradually. I didn’t even bother to eat anywhere else for my 5 nights. I keep threatening to move there.
Three. Last July, I rode the KTEL busses Igoumenitsa to Ioanna and then later Ioannina to Thessaloniki (rental car for several days in Ioannina for the stay in Kastraki). Those two legs were reliable, comfortable, and easy - not to mention inexpensive and not crowded. I bought the first ticket when I arrived from Corfu (had trouble with it online) and I bought the second ticket online ahead of time.
Pogonia looks absolutely gorgeous. I am wondering why my brothers aren’t anywhere as beautiful as that so I can come stay!
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thanks Texas!
And to Barkinpark, sorry -- but the site won't let me repost in a different forum so I've suggested on there that they take a look here.
Posted by
Indiana
919 posts
My advice is to avoid the Kastalia Hotel in Delphi. Our room was not very clean, especially the bathroom. Mediocre breakfast. It was not a pleasant stay.
Posted by
11569 posts
Delphi hotels were very cheap when we visited. We had a beautiful view all the way down to the sea from Hotel Acropole.