My husband and I are on a backpacking trip right now. We arrived in the Greek Islands three days ago and have had nothing but thick clouds, wind, and rain. Mykonos was like a ghost town. We were not expecting things to be so dead at this time of year as we heard the weather can be very nice in early Spring. Our plan was to visit Naxos and Santorini but after the horrible weather we are thinking of just giving up and retreating to Athens. Any suggestions? Has anyone else been to the islands at this time of year? Is every island as dead as Mykonos?? Please help!
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3401 posts
WHO told you the weather was nice in March?? An actual Greek? "we heard" usually means bad info. Every island IS dead right now. Go to Athens ... always plenty to do there. ALSO then go to Nafplio ... just 2.5 Hours on intercity bus, a town on a peninsula, gorgeous Old Town, special Heritage status - loads to do even if it's rainy, it's a favorite weekend get-away for savvy Athenians.. here's a Website all about it, and a short video of "a walk thru Nafplio on a sunny Feb day" which shows it's lovely even off-season: http://www.visitnafplio.com/visitnafplio.com/Home.html and here's a slide-show of beauties of Nafplio & area in May: http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/551991579dJbWvh you can happily spend 3 days there take a 30-min bus to Epidaurus if weather's nice. If it's cloudy just take a 10min bus to Tiryns fortress, just outside town. Gi-normous. as backpacker u want inexpensive hotels in Athens go straight to Hotel Metropolis or Hotel Phaedra, tell them Janet from Philadelphia sent you best bargain hotels in all of Plaka district .... or you could try Athens backpackers if they have room they fill up even in April In Nafplio, go to Hotel Epidaurus about a block of main square, only GReeks& grad students know this one: http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/greece/nafplio/38464/epidaurus-hotel/hotel-detail.html
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3149 posts
It's too bad but the weather is just too unstable this time of year. Warm and reliable sunny days aren't really in the cards for at least another few weeks, although it should start improving sooner than that. As for island life, it doesn't usually 'wake up' until closer to Easter weekend, April 23-24. Santorini and Naxos both have fairly large local populations but in terms of tourist activities it's the same answer as for the weather: don't expect too much for a few weeks yet.
Posted by
Boston, MA
119 posts
I was just visiting some of the islands a week ago - weather was in the 60s, and then we went to Athens for the last three days and it was cold and windy and in the 40s! Weather in Greece is very unpredictable this time of year. I absolutely loved Santorini, and I loved how it was not overrun with cruise ship passengers. I didn't stop at Mykonos so I can't compare it, but I would recommend Santorini since you're there. Maybe it will be a nice sunny day tomorrow, you never know!
Posted by
Chania, Crete, Greece
42 posts
It's still pretty dead here and the weather has been pretty miserable.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23643 posts
Don't think someone did their homework. Early spring anywhere, especially that far north, can be very iffy. And spring near large bodies of water are always delayed by the effect of all the cold water. Denver is about the same latitude as Mykonos -- on Saturday a record high was 85 was achieved and today it is 20 with four inches of snow. But it should be in the sixties by Wednesday.