My friend and I are traveling will arrive in Athens on Sunday, May 10 and will have about 5 days to see Greece. We don't want to spend time in Athens. Wondering about leaving Athens as soon as we arrive at 6:50 pm and getting somewhere else or we could spend the night and leave in the morning. Could you suggest two top destinations to see? Also, can we fly out of any other island to Malta or do we have to get back to Athens? Mary
Posted by
4323 posts
Where are you flying from?
What kind of things do you wish to see?
Check for all flights to Malta on the website Skyscanner, then come back and share what is possible.
I would go to Nafplio (from which you can see several major sites) and then fly out of Athens, at least seeing the Parthenon.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We are flying in from San Diego, Ca.
Sounds like Nafplio might be one of our stops
Posted by
4323 posts
Gotcha--then I would not drive upon arrival after such a long flight--were you planning on driving or using public transport?
You could search for a bus from Athens to Nafplio if you'd feel up for it at that point, or just wait until the morning.
Depending on your transport choice, you could drive up to Delphi before returning to Athens, but there is much more than you could see in five days in the Peloponnese, and it just depends on what you wanted to see.
Posted by
11130 posts
At least see the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens. Then go to Napflion.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
If staying on the mainland, and with only 5 days, Nafplio and Delphi are about the only options for you. You will need a car to see both.
I do recommend either a night after you arrive or a night before you leave, depending on your flight schedules. With that, you can see the Acropolis, Agora and Archeology Museum.
Posted by
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
1366 posts
You could also think about the 4 day Classical Greece guided bus tours. Spend the night in Athens and take the tour which will include Mycenae maybe a brief stop at Nafplio then Olympia and Delphi and Meteora. since you will still be jet lagged next morning you can catch a few naps while the bus driver gets you from one place to another.
If you are planning a DIY plan then on arrival in Athens you can take the bus or a taxi to the central bus station, which will probably take around an hour. Buses leave every hour to Nafplio until the late evening. There are a couple of hotels near Athens airport if you choose to just crash on arrival. Peris hotel offers a free shuttle service as does Avra hotel. Avra is probably a better choice because its in Rafina which is a Port but also is a town so you have access to a beach and the central square is only a two minute walk from the hotel so you can start your Greek experience with a meal on the square.
Now you have some choices. Monday May 11 shows three ferries departing around 7 in the morning to Mykonos and one to Santorini. These are the two most popular islands in Greece. They are both expensive places to visit but in my mind Santorini is a wonderful place. So you have to decide do you want to see islands or the mainland.
here are some images to help you decide.
Mainland
Olympia Delphi Meteora /http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632126687570/ Bus tour
Nafplio and Peloponnese http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632094108982/ Nafplio area DIY
Santorini http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632154800782/ by ferry
And here is what you will be missing
Athens http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632121475515/