We are planning a 14 day (could stretch it to 16) trip to Greece with an 18 year old grandson. Greek history is an interest of his and will be a focus of our itinerary. He likes adventure but not of the nightlife kind and will be traveling with 70 year young grandparents. We’ll like to include at least one island and some beaches. I am planning to start with 4 nights (3 days) in Athens. Then maybe take a ferry to Hydra. Paros has also been recommended…not sure about having time for both. After Athens and islands, I’ve been looking at road trip itineraries. We’d pick up a rental car (perhaps at airport.) The popular loop seems to be Delphi, Nafpaktos, Olympia, Mystras, Nafplio, Epidarus, Mycyensal, Corinth. We’d return the car to airport at end of road trip. Grandson would fly home and we’d stay another 4 or 5 days…maybe Crete. So, questions are: Is 3 days in Athens too long considering grandson’s interest in history? Is 1 night enough for Hydra? If including Paros it seems would need to budget 4 nights total. Is suggested road trip loop doable in a week’s time at a not too frantic pace? Caveat: we're also interested in hiking. I welcome any suggestions!
Posted by
11606 posts
3 FULL days in Athens is not too long! You said your grandson is interested in ancient history and he will find plenty in Athens and surrounding area.
Hydra: Why?
Paros should be ranked higher in every way than Hydra. Four nights would be good on Paros.
A week for the Peloponneasean Peninsula is good.
Posted by
France Southwest
2391 posts
If Athens is a major destination for you and your son you will need 4 full days (5 nights) or more.
For the Peloponnese part you want to see + Delphi + Nafpaktos you need at least 10 days (11 nights)
To go to Hydra + Paros you will need at least 6 more days (7 nights)
For Crete plan at least 5 days (6 nights) to see a very small part of it.
Your itinerary is reasonably feasible with 25 days at a still fast pace
Posted by
5097 posts
I'd dispense with the time-consuming side trip to the islands and make the most of the car and time on the mainland.
Places we enjoyed hiking: Kardamyli and Stemnitsa.
If my trip had been longer (was 10), I'd have headed to the west coast and explored more of the Mani.
Posted by
OP
Bené, AZ, Usa
33 posts
Well, well. It seems I have some thinking to do and have imagined an itinerary that is too ambitious. I included Hydra because of the novelty of no cars or scooters. It's back to the drawing board. I continue to welcome comments.
Posted by
5097 posts
Not exactly--I think you have a great plan, just need to trim a bit, big difference--and much better plan that many toss out!
Posted by
France Southwest
2391 posts
Driving in Greece is not like driving in the USA, there are no long straight roads, it's much more time-consuming.
The sites to visit are often located in places in the middle of nowhere after miles of narrow and winding road in a semi-mountain environment. You will rarely drive faster than 50mph.
You need to determine what your priorities are, not just have a list of places to visit.
Look on a map, estimate distances and travel times,
For archaeological sites, take into account the opening hours of the sites and the duration of the visits.
You didn't specify when you want to travel. From June to September you will experience significant heat and it is dangerous to hike in the middle of the day. At least eight tourists who went hiking were found dead this summer in Greece.
It's worst in Athens.
Going by ferry to Hydra or Paros will take you a large part of the day. Same for returning to Athens. The islands, even the smallest and car-free ones, are not like museums that you can visit in 2 or 3 hours.
There will be 3 generations of you traveling. Your son will not have the same needs and desires as your parents.
Don't try to plan too much. In Greece, less is more.
Posted by
OP
Bené, AZ, Usa
33 posts
Thanks for your insight. We are traveling in late May/early June. I do wish we could go earlier in the spring and stay longer but 18 year olds have high school graduation and college prep schedules to keep. Life's not perfect. We are from Arizona so we appreciate the dangers of summer hiking and the restrictions of winding, narrow roads. Thanks for the warnings, though. Every year in AZ there are tragedies. I am trimming the itinerary...thinking just one island (Paros) and making choices about how many sites to include in Peloponnese portion. I want a blend of interesting historical sites along with time spent in nature. Authentic cultural experiences and interactions with local people will be great...but difficult to arrange. My husband and I enjoy leisurely travel but with the constraints of time...this will be a busy trip. We want to share the joy of travel with this grandson and give him a taste of the world outside of the USA. He chose Greece as the destination. I'll be back with some revisions, keeping the 'less is more' mantra and the realities of road travel in mind. Thanks to all.
Posted by
NH (USA)
1228 posts
Nafplio would be a great place to base yourself as it's one of Greece's prettiest Old Towns.
There are numerous world-class archeological/historic sites within a much shorter drive rather than drive long distances to see just one like Delphi and Olympia.
Nothing wrong with those sites but you get your money's worth in Nafplio without long drives to/from sites.
Not known for it's beaches but there are several nearby.
Check out the best website for Nafplio and you'll find than enough to keep everyone happy.
Posted by
NH (USA)
1228 posts
If you have 14 days in Greece with 4 in Athens you could split your time with Nafplio in the north with Gythio in the south. Lovely drive down the coastline from Nafplio then cut inland over the mountains with pretty villages and end up up Gythio right on the water!
Lovely and colorful town not solely devoted to Tourism. Long waterfront lines with shops, markets and tavernas and the back streets have a nice Greek Vibe.
Good base to get to Monemvasia, Mani, Mystras and other out of the way locations.
If you are interested you can read my Peloponnese trip review with photos from another website:
Peloponnese is now my favorite area of Greece, easy, quick and inexpensive to get to from Athens and has just as much as any island and more
Posted by
France Southwest
2391 posts
Whatever the initerary you'll choose, an often preferred option when coming from the USA is to go to an island as soon as you arrive in Athens, either by taking a ferry if the schedules are compatible or rather by taking a flight if you are going to Paros. For a flight to Paros, allow at least 2.5 hours of connection time at Athens Airport, a little more with checked baggage. The flight is approximately 45 minutes
With the ferries, to go to Paros on the day of your arrival you will have to take the 2nd rotation of the day around 4 p.m. / 5 p.m., which makes you arrive in Paros between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. depending on the type of ferry.
(the first ferries departures are too early, around 7 a.m./8 a.m.)
Athens→Paros flights in May/June are currently quite expensive, from €100 with 8kg cabin baggage on Aegean Airline.
The ferry ticket price Piraeus→Paros depends on the type of ferry, approximately from €40 to €70.
Once you return from your stay in the island you can visit the mainland then finally Athens in order to be there for your return flight