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3 Questions about Guides, Monasteries, and Islands

Thank you all for the help you have already given us! Our family is locking down plans for our 2 week educational trip to Greece in March. We have 3 kids (14, 12, 10) who like historical travel, but are also typical wiggly kids. Our 3 questions:
1. Should we hire a guide at the Acropolis and/or Delphi?

2. Which Meteora monasteries should we visit if won't visit them all?
3. Which island? We are still debating Hydra, Aegina, Naxos.

More info on

1--We always start cities with the free 2 hour walking tour to get an overview. This will not go to the Acropolis, but around--typically lots of good history. We have the RS Walking Tour (we really enjoy those), but also know that a guide can give even more. We are weighing the cost vs. benefit. Same question regarding Delphi--will the RS self-guided tour do it justice?

2--Meteora--we registered for the half day hiking tour, but will need to decide which monasteries to visit in our couple days there. With kids, anything (cathedrals, ruins, monasteries) can start to feel/look like repeats. So we prefer to dig deeper on just 1-3 of them, rather than trying to visit them all. I know that they each have closed days, so we will have to weigh that in, but we would appreciate advice on the "Ones you just CAN'T miss!"

3--Because we will visit mid-March, we aren't going to do typical island activities (kayaking, swimming). But we still want our kids to experience a lovely Greek island. We will do a day trip from Athens. We prefer not to squeeze multiple islands in because we don't want to spend more time on the ferry. We would like advice on: Hydra, Aegina, Naxos. (Also we don't know yet which is easiest to get to).

Thank you for any advice you can give us! Also, if you have specific restaurants (Athens, Kalampaka, Nafplio), guides, cool stuff for kids--we would love the info. Thanks!!!!!

Posted by
199 posts

If you do decide to go to the Acropolis, be sure to wear sturdy shoes with good traction. The steps are super slippery from being worn down and there are no rails, unless they've installed them in the last couple of years since I went there. The flat areas are slippery and uneven too. I saw several tourists fall and really bashed their knee caps. But it was an unforgettable visit and I hope you and your family have a chance to go.

I visited Meteora many years ago and that was an incredible, unforgettable experience. I remember climbing a lot of steps and at the top a lady gave us some old shawls to wrap around our legs as it was very hot and we had shorts on. I think your children might get a kick out of this, especially if you see the old James Bond movie first. Sorry, but forgot the film's title and the name of the monastery.

Have a great trip!

Posted by
35 posts

Thanks--I had forgotten about how slippery the steps are. I love it that they aren't as hung up on safety stuff as in the U.S., but we also find we have to be on our toes!

We did see the James Bond movie "For Your Eyes Only"--really fun images of Meteora!

Thanks for the input.