Hi All! I'll try to keep this as succinct as possible...
I was invited to go to Kasos with a friend (her family lives there). We'll arrive in Athens on June 15th and the plan WAS to take the ferry to Kasos on June 22nd. I'm a TOTAL novice when it comes to travelling...I'm also a teacher and a single mama...time for a break JUST FOR ME!!!! After giving it some thought I think I'd like to see one or two more islands while I'm there. Either a couple nights at two different islands OR 4 nights at one island. I'm not looking to see EVERYTHING obviously...I just know that this is opportunity is only coming around once. I would like to be WOW-ed by the scenery / views and maybe an awesome hike or caves or tourist site or two...and good food! I definitely don't want to spend all my time on a plane or a boat! I will spend last good chunk of my trip with her in Kasos...at least 5-7 days. I'll fly from Kasos to Athens on June 30th. Then leave Athens on July 1st. HELP!!!! Suggestions PLEASE!!!! Safety is first concern, but then AS ALWAYS a relatively small budget. Finally, the only last requirement is that I don't have to stay in a place with a lot of college kids or somewhere that will leave me with bed bugs - HA!!!!!
Posted by
Washington DC
28061 posts
Kasos is quite near Crete, which is fascinating. There are some disadvantages, though: Crete is huge and really deserves more than four days. And some parts of eastern Crete are package-tour hell. I prefer the western part of the island (including the interior), and Kasos is to the east, so you'd need to check out the public transportation for getting to the more attractive areas.
If you decide on one or two smaller islands rather than Crete, I urge you to consult with your friend to try to come up with places that are somewhat different from Kasos. I think it would be more fun to see islands that aren't too similar to each other. Since I haven't been to Kasos, I can be no help on that score.
Posted by
OP
NoVA
20 posts
Thank you! That's what I had understood about Crete as well. I guess I was more thinking somewhere "on the way / in between" to Kasos. Not sure if that'll be possible. I guess I could always take a flight from Kasos but I was thinking more of cutting my Athens part shorter...the heat and crowds and tourism doesn't appeal to me as much as the islands...
Posted by
Washington DC
28061 posts
Fair enough. I confess I didn't check the ferry schedule before posting, and it appears that the ferry only runs once a week, so I guess Crete wouldn't be a very good option on this trip unless you wanted to fly.
This website (which I hope is accurate) lists the ferry connections to Kasos. Perhaps it will get you started toward a decision. I presume the "Thira" entry is Santorini. Note that Chalki and, especially, Rhodes are pretty far from Kasos and not on the way from Athens.
I gather that Kasos is a very quiet island, so you might want your second island to be a bit livelier. Santorini falls in that category, but folks who've been there recently (I have not) have reported that it is very touristy. So consider your tolerance for the cruise hordes before committing. Rhodes also has a lot going on, but the location isn't ideal for you. You might read a bit about the options, perhaps consult with your friend, then post again when you've narrowed down your choice to a couple of islands. It may be that the precise days of the sailings don't actually give you many choices at all.
If what you come up with seems a bit too similar to Kasos, you might consider spending your extra days in Nafplion on the Peloponnese Peninsula, which would be about 3 hours by bus from Athens. Folks who've been there seem to love it. It would make a nice change from Athens. I think you would find seven days in Athens a lot. You've got the ruins and some good museums, but the city is otherwise not all that attractive, as far as I am concerned.