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Athens Easter Sunday Weekend

Hi,

I'm planning a trip to Athens/Santorini, but the first part of the trip (Athens) coincides with Greek Orthodox Easter.

4/10 - 4/13: Athens
4/13 - 4/14: Delphi (bus to Delphi on afternoon of 4/13 and return to Athens on the evening of 4/14)
4/15: Athens
4/16: Fly to Santorini
4/17 - 4/19 Santorini (fly back to Athens on evening of 4/19)

I want to see all the sites in Athens. What will be open on Easter weekend? How should I re-arrange my trip to get the most out of my time there? Is it even worth trying to get to Delphi by public bus the day after Easter Sunday?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Sara

Posted by
3311 posts

Your trip is exactly backwards. Almost nothing will be open Easter Sunday OR Monday in Athens ... ditto for Delphi.

I suggest you try a different sequence (but of course it depends on what flights you can book): Delphi - Santorini - Athens. To do this via public transport:
(1) take a public (KTEL) bus immediately on arrival Friday 4/10 (it would help if you gave arrvial time!). How? take bus X93 from Airport Building curb to Lission St. KTEL Depot. Leaves 10:30am, 15:00 (3pm) 17:30 (5:30pm), takes 2.5-3 hrs.
(2) See part of site (museum?) late aft, ruins in early AM Sat 4/11, return via KTEL (bus 3pm?), 1 night ATH. (easter Eve) ... you may want to stay in Central Athens for midnight services (!) or else go to a B & B near airport (Peris Hotel or St Thomas B & B)
(3) Easter Day 4/12 Fly to Santorini http://reservations.airtickets.com/airtickets/com/search.do?sid=3&xid=1421688205257 shows all available. Luckily for you, few Greeks fly Easter Day; there are flights at 5:15, 6, 7:05, 8 (you'll have to be at airport 1 hr ahead of departure) .... and the Santorini "View" never closes, LOL.

(4)Santorini - from Easter Monday 4/13 thru ??. There are ryan air flights back at 8:20 am daily, 4/14, 4/15, 4/16, 4/17.. you choose
(5) -- ATH Sightseeing Final 2-3 days (I advise return 4/17 AM) . At end, you need to be at airport 2 hr before 4/19 flight.
... Remember, your transport is the challenge. Get that set First, and then QUICKLY find lodgings. If you want help on this forum, you will need to give your budget limit per night, per double or single.
... I can give further advice re KTEL delphi trip/lodging, but not worth the effort unless u confirm u will be trying it.

Posted by
18 posts

Thanks for the suggestions. I decided to do my trip in reverse:

4/10-4/14: Santorini
4/14-4/16 Athens
4/17-4/18: Delphi
4/18-4/20 Athens

Santorini sounds like an interesting place to spend Easter weekend (as opposed to Athens where all the monuments/museums will be closed, or run on limited hours). If anyone has specific Santorini Easter activities or suggestions, please feel free to share!

I booked all my flights and hotel arrangements, except for my bus rides and hotel lodging for the overnight in Delphi. I was hoping to take an afternoon bus to Delphi from Athens on 4/17 (Friday) and spend the night, and explore Delphi on 4/18 (Saturday) provided it will be open. Still researching that portion of the trip, so again suggestions/advice are greatly appreciated. I would prefer to take the three hour (KTEL) bus to Delphi, rather than do a tour, as tours are not my thing. Hope this info helps! My budget for a hotel in Delphi is in the $50-100 range.

Thanks!
Sara

Posted by
3311 posts

Hotel Pan in Delphi, right on the main street, just about 150 yards from the bus turnaround, is great... The rooms in the BACK are the ones that look out over the mountainside. In early june 2011 a double room cost about 35E ... The owner asked if a Main Floor (street level) room was OK. We hesitated & said, could we see it? w alked down hallway behind desk, into room and out to Balcony. A hawk was circling BELOW my feet!! ... we were on the side of a mountain, you could see down a valley to the sea!! NOTE: when u get off bus, find out times for bus returning; they sell the tickets at a gift shop there, it's not a real station.

There are fancy restaurants that cater to bus tours, but we really liked the small cafe right across from the bus station. Good spaghetti, a pool room, popular music, nice vibe. BTW, fill your water bottles straight from any faucet!! The water comes straight from a mountain-top, is the most delicious I've ever drunk in Greece.

Posted by
18 posts

Hi, Janet!

Thanks for all the helpful advice. Do you have directions for catching a KTEL bus to Delphi from within Athens, rather than the airport? I will be staying in the Plaka neighborhood at the Hermes Hotel. I want to locate the nearest KTEL station with buses leaving for Delphi from there.

Thanks for the Delphi lodging recommendation! It's a huge help!

Sara

Posted by
3311 posts

I always take a taxi to the Lission KTEL Station, because no bus is handy. It should be between 10-12 E from your hotel area. When u get into the taxi, you might say to the Driver, I want to make sure I hve the right change for you... last time I went to this bus station it was about 11 Euros, right? I've never been taken "the long way" by any taxi, but never hurts to sound authoritative. Or you can flag a taxi in front of your hotel & have someone from your hotel desk speak to the driver. Takes about 15-20 minutes. Did I give you the bus schedule?? http://www.athensguide.com/practicalinfo/busschedulesB.htm A final note: make a visit to your bathroom before u take a taxi ... the bus statiion restrooms are no treat. The busses make a rest stop halfway there, & for refreshment.

I hope u are using a guidebook, not trying to scope out Greece totally from a Smart-phone.

If you're doing Delphi DIY here are the best links (print & Take)

General -- http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/delphi

MAPS -- http://www.planetware.com/i/map/GR/delphi-sacred-precinct-map.jpg

http://www.planetware.com/greece/delphi-gr-cen-delphi.htm#DEL
MUSEUM - http://www.planetware.com/delphi/delphi-museum-gr-cen-dathm.htm
SACRED WAY -- http://people.hsc.edu/drjclassics/sites/delphi/sacredway.shtm
... the Stadium is up top, Very steep hike, and iffy to bother, since they won't let you go into it now (a rocksllide hit a tourist a couple of years ago, so it's roped off).
.... if u are doing it all in one day, do the Museum FIRST, because Tour groups do it second; that way, it'll be empty when u go.

Posted by
18 posts

Thanks for the info and bus schedule! Don't worry! I have a couple guidebooks for Greece that I'm referring to. Just doing some internet sleuthing to fill in the gaps. I booked the Pan Hotel in Delphi. Thanks again for the suggestion!

Posted by
9 posts

hello
how are you ? you will love,t beeing in easter in athens and yes every thing will be open on satrday , i mean acropolis and all what you need to see they are around the area plaka , it is the old town
marco