You guys are so helpful! Thanks so much.
We are seniors who did Tuscany and Amalfi on our own last year. We hope to rent a car beyond Athens.
4/29 or 30- Arrive Athens from SFO, CA.
Should we do Athens after Santorini before going further---Santorini to Hydra-2 nights and then do Athens-3 nights? It's a weekend. What is best order?
Haven't booked flights yet, yikes, but looks like availability with our miles.
Its a very long trip to Greece from the west coast however getting over jet lag is far easier on an island than in Athens. If you have two hours you can make a connecting flight to Santorini on arrival in Athens.
If it were me I would split my time between Santorini and Athens both are highlights and honestly you don't really have enough time to island hop to two islands.
Hi!
I am not sure from Santorini you can go to Hydra. From Athens Hydra is very close by ship.
In Santorini do not miss Theros and Imba beach bars if the weather permits
How many total nights do you have? If you have not booked flights see if you can book all the way through to Santorini (you will need to change planes somewhere in Europe but if you can get it all on one ticket you eliminate the possibility of the CA to Greece flight being late and then missing the Athens to Santorini flight. You want the last nights to be in Athens so you don't have to worry about getting back from an island. Where are you going after Greece? How many nights do you plan on in Santorini?
Thanks for tip to try to get to Santorini instead of stopping in Athens. Then does 3 nights Santorini make sense? Best way to start mainland? Do you suggest we start with boating to Hydra, then returning to Athens to pick up car and drive to Delphi, then Peloppenese? we'll save Athens for the end.
Or, should we cut out Delphi to add another island?
Really appreciate you sharing your experience
By the way, we have 18 total nights, plus 2 for flights. Going from Calif.
Hydra is one that is constantly promoted by the RS tours & books -- mainly because it's easy to fit in as a one-day befoe or after his sponsored Mainland tours, and he has no island tours. Frankly afte seeing Santorini, why make a special trip to Hydra? Why not instead go to one of the islands that are nearest to Santorini, instead of making a special side trip to Hydra? You have NOT said how you are returning from Santorini.
The standard most time-efficient effort-efficient way that we "Greece Old Hands" recommend to combine mainland & Islands is as follows: Land in ATH - and right away (allowing 2 hours in between) board a plane to your most-distant island... in your case, Santorini. Yes I know you'll be tired after that loooong trek from SF but believe me, it's a lot nicer to wake up y our first morning on an island than in a busy national capital! Spend your 3 days or so in Santorini... then take a ferry to the nearest ineresting island, maybe Naxos or Paros. I suggest Naxos mainly because its Port Town is the more ineresting of the 2... and you could stay at a nice beach (Ag Giorgios) directly adjacent to Port town.... a 10-min walk to all the cafes, shops , museums & other Naxos interests. After 3 days perhaps, FLY backto ATH airport. THat's where you pick up your rental car & head for the Peloponnese. Modern intercity highway, multi-lane, no stops until after Corinth Canal, a piece of cake to drive. Spend howver many days (7-8?) then back to airport to turn in car. Taxi to Central Athens hotel for remainder of your stay.
