Extra time in Greece

For me going to Greece without going to Santorini is like going to the Louvre and not visiting the Mona Lisa. It will be nice and quiet in early October but still sunny. Stay in the most beautiful village of Oia. Rent a car for a day to explore the rest of the island. Have lunch below Oia on Amoudi Wharf at Katina's Fish Taverna. Opa!

Wow...such problems you have..how to spend 5 extra days in Greece. :) Hmmmm-Greece is my favorite place & I've been to many places. Since you're doing the Heart of Greece tour which, I believe covers Delphi, Corinth, Naflion, etc. I would definitely go to an island. We just spent a week in Naxos in June - LOVED it. This may be a great option for you too since there is daily ferry connections to/from Santorini and it's only 1 1/2 hours in between the two islands. I would do 2 days Santorini and 3 days Naxos. From Naxos you could also take a one day excursion boat to Mykonos & Delos. Whatever you decide, Greece is amazing and I'm sure you will have a great time! I'm jealous :)

Shannon

Julie, you DO have time to travel to an island in 1.5 days,because the island--Agistri--is right Off Piraeus! If arriving by plane, take E95 Express bus from Airport Arrival door direct to Piraeus (the port)Time= 60-90 mins. A ferry to Aegina (Egina)runs every 2 hrs. Time= 40 minutes. A "water taxi" to Agistri = 10 mins. Thus... in less than 3 hours after u leave airport, u can be ON AN ISLAND!

Teensy Agistri has no cars (only 3+ miles long, sandy beaches right by the quay...here are links for overview & hotel suggestions-- but if not on weekend, in Oct. u needn't reserve, just "walk up" to one... prices are low (30-50E). http://www.greekisland.co.uk/angistri/angistri.html
http://www.greekisland.co.uk/angistri/angistri.html
... enjoy beach (water will still be warm!!) sunset & a taverna meal, stay o'nite, enjoy all day strolling around tiny island...then do your "commute" to Piraeus & take the Metro to your Steves' hotel for your pre-trip dinner. How envious the other groupies will be when u say you've already been on a Greek Island!

PS: A shout-out to Greensboro! My son graduated from Guilford, now lives in Burlington.

Another good choice for an island close to Athens that's managed to retain it's authentic charm is Hydra. No cars alllowed there either. It's only about 1.5 hours from Piraeus by Flying Dolphin and there are several departures every day.

Lee, I thought about mentioning Hydra... but (1)it doesn't have much of a beach and i thought the inquirer might want to experience a greek island beach and (2) those 1-day 3-island excursions result in a lot of tourist wandering the port looking for souvenirs. I just thought agistri would be a little more relaxing for tired people on their arrival day.

I guess if by "beach" only the white-sand variety will do then Hydra might not be the best fit.

But speaking of pictures, have a look at Hydra's alternative beaches. I think they're beautiful:

http://www.greekhotel.com/saronic/hydra/hydra-beaches/home.htm

Holmes.....I think you must experience Santorini. With five days you could do three days there and the other two in Naxos on the way back.

As this is prior to the start of your tour, consider a flight (check Aegean Airlines) right to Santorini. This will save you the time to travel into Athens which is some distance from the airport.

Thanks for the suggestions! Based on them, we are going to fly from Athens to Santorini, then ferry to Naxos before meeting our RS tour in Athens on Oct. 13. How limited will ferries,hotels,restaurants and activities be (Oct 8-13) on the islands? I like Lee's suggestion of staying on Oia while in Santorini, and we would appreciate suggestions on places to stay - we are empty nesters and enjoy a view, good food and wine. While in Naxos, we want to take the ferry to Mykonos & Delos for a day. We have 5 nights - should we stay on Santorini 2 nights & Naxos 3 nights or vice versa? Also, suggestions of tours, moderate hikes, and other activities would be appreciated.

The islands will still be fairly active then, although tourism does begin to slow down beginning the first week of October. Ferries run between Santorini, Naxos and Athens/Piraeus all year long. In October you can just buy your tickets as you go, no advance purchase necessary.

5 days is not a lot of time to split between 2 islands. I hope this is actual island time and does not include travel from and to Athens. I'd spend 3 days on Santorini and 2 on Naxos.

FYI-Delos is not open on Mondays. The excursion from Naxos is Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

For hotel recommendations in Oia let me know what your maximum daily room budget will be.

Lee, thanks so much. Our maximum daily room budget is about 140 Euros, maybe a little more for something special (a little less is okay too). Are the rates reduced in October?

Yes, hotel rates are reduced in October.

Check Strogili Houses, Nostos Apartments, Caldera Villas, Chelidonia Villas, Aris Caves, Aspa Villas, Thea Studios, Filotera Villas, Old Oia Houses, Lena's House, VIP Suites, Delfini Hotel and Rimida Villas, all with the requisite caldera view. All have direct internet booking.

A couple of good budget choices with a nice sea view but no caldera view are Musses Studios and Anemomilos Hotel.

On the island Naxos, I recommend the Apollo Hotel. It costs less in October. It is located at the north side of Naxos town (Hora), within walking distance of the Ferry pier. The Ferry pier is near the best restaurant, and the Tourist Information office, etc.

I recommend be at Santorini 2 nights, and Naxos 3 nights. Exploring the interior of the island Naxos requires more than one day. I think you will not have time to go to an other island. On Naxos all the important places are open in October. And the water in the Sea might be warm enough for swimming, in October.

I agree with Ron. Santorini is really just about the view, and you can do that in 2 nights; Akrotiri, the main archeological hi-lite,is closed indefinitely.

Santorini is only 12 miles long; Naxos is the 2nd largest island in the Cyclades and far richer in ancient sites, landscapes, lovely beaches etc. The only thing where Santorini excels is in HYPE, promoting to honeymooners and cruise-people. I have been to Santorini 3 x and I know; also have been to Naxos 7 times and going back again. TO counter-act all those travel-agency posters of Santorini, check out my friends' wonderful little slide-show of Naxos:
http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/552001505EYxVYT

Wow. When I read "Santorini is really just about the view," and many do share this precise reaction, I am reminded just how diverse people are in their perception of the same exact image (e.g. the Rorschach Test). Is a Rolls Royce really just about the paint job? What a unique species we are......