I am signed up for a RS Tour of Greece starting on October 12th. I arrive in Athens on October 10th and the tour starts in the evening of October 12th. I am considering how best to spend my limited pre-tour extra time. Specifically, I am wondering if I would have time to visit an island and if so which island folks would recommend with the limited amount to time I have. I am also open to other suggestions.
Thank you.
Hi,
Don't if we will be totally exhausted but we are arriving at 9:30am on the 10th, taking a 1:20 flight to Santorini, fly back Monday at about 11:30am. It is cutting it a little close but honestly I would rather be on the island than a few more days in Athens. There is another group from our tour flying to Santorini. They arrive a day earlier and fly back on Sun.
Mary
There is a very good island that most people don't think is worth going to because it's too close to the mainland/Athens: Aegina. It's one of the most over-looked and most interesting islands in Greece. It has one of the best preserved temples in Greece, the ruins of a Temple to Apollo just outside the main town waterfront, an abandoned Byzantine Village with centuries old churches with fabulous murals, an ancient Olive Grove, a beautiful seaside village of Perdika, is the Pistachio Capital of Greece, and so much more. It's just a short ferry ride from Piraeus so you can leave in the morning and be back in Athens by late afternoon and still have the evening in Athens. Santorini is one of the most popular, yet heavily touristed islands in Greece. It's a good 7-9 hours by ferry but maybe 1 hour by flight if you can get an early morning flight so you don't miss time on the island. If it was me I'd go to Aegina which will be far more relaxing, less stress in travel and probably more "Greek" than Santorini.
I would rather be on the island than a few more days in Athens.>
For those who think Athens isn't worth an extended stay . . . in my opinion you are wrong. There are many places the RS Tour doesn't take you or mention. It has a number of World-Class archeological sites & museums. There is Athinas St. with its Central Markets and numerous side streets with local delis, tavernas, herb/spice shops, Monistiraki Sq., Plaka, Anafiotika, Psiri District, Changing of the Guards, the ancient cemetery/pottery center of Kerameikos , Syntagma Sq. and so much more. While Athens is not Paris it is more Old World, inexpensive and filled with locals who are kind, considerate and courteous. Learn a few word or phrases in Greek and you'll make instant friends! And if you want a nearby island there are either Aegina or Hydra, just a short ferry ride away rather than a long ferry ride or an extra flight to a "Big Name" island that is touristy, high-priced and for me . . . over-rated!
I took the RS Greece tour last year and arrived in Athens several days before the tour began. The tour does not visit every thing that one might want to see around Athens so we stayed in Athens and visited those places that interested us. The RS folks provide a list of places that the tour does not visit giving you plenty of options. This list came along with the package of information about the tour that comes some time before departure date. One of our tour members went to Santorini (sp?) the day before the tour and reported that it was too rushed and wished they had stayed in Athens area to visit things not on the tour. We sure enjoyed Greece and hope you will too.
If you want to see the list of things recommended by the RS tour folks that are not covered on your tour, go to this page and click the "Pre Tour" tab: http://www.ricksteves.com/tours/greece-turkey/greece-2015
Thanks for all the helpful replies. I like the idea of a ferry ride to Aegina and then the following day I can explore places in Athens not covered on the tour.
Here's a lovely photo album of a Day Out in Aegina ... pictures of the whole experience ... including the ferry over & back, and going onto the Metro Platform back to Central Athens, & validating one's ticket. http://www.flickr.com/photos/36264706@N03/sets/72157621604646139/detail/
Two small added tips: (1) there are hydrofoils and conventional ferries. Do NOT choose the former... they are closed in , with no view. Ferries take just a bit longer with lovely open decks to sit on, and enjoy the seascape the bay, and all the other vessels.
(2) you're a newcomer to Greece; the Green Line ferry to Piraeus is fastest way, plus only €1.30 fare I think. But u should know... altho Greece has almost NO pickpocketing compared with Italy or Paris, the Green Line is favored by a small ring of pickpocketers (because of so many clueless cruise passengers). Keep your papers/cash in a zippered handbag w. your hand on the zip, if a woman, or in a moneybelt if a man (men seem to be the chief victims of thieves because they insist on keeping their wallets in their pockets). Just be prudent; I've used this Metro countless times in my 12 trips to greece, and never an incident. BTW, while walking around in Athens, elsewhere, no need to carry one's passport, driver license & all money; just take what you'll need for the day, leave the rest locked in a suitcase or in hotel safe.
To tommyk5,
There is no right or wrong when it comes to each indivual's choices or preferences. I know myself, I personally don't like to stay in larger towns or cities. I know they have much to offer, I would just prefer to see Santorini. Since it is my vacation, I am going to Santorini. If I miss anything in Athens, we can always make another trip at a later date.
Mary
To Mary:
Didn't mean any disrespect. Everyone has their own idea of what they want for a holiday. If you are happy with what you decide then that works for you. I just wanted to let people know there is so much more to Athens than just the Acropolis. Every time we go to Greece we spend a couple days in Athens to catch our breath and visit our favorite places. And when we return from either the islands or other parts of the mainland we make sure we get back to Athens for two more days just to make sure we have time to catch our plane in case something happens before getting back to Athens. We love Athens . . . it's a city many people think doesn't compare to other "Big Name" cities but we feel it offers a little more Old World atmosphere and it's one of the best bargains anywhere in Europe. Enjoy your time in Greece . . . just about anywhere in Greece will make you shout Oopa!
To Traveler Jan:
Fabulous photos . . . Aegina here I come!
