I am planning a trip to Greece for the early part of July(2nd to 14th). I would like to spend some time in Athens (2 days) and then visit the Islands (Santorini, Mykonos, other suggestions (2 to 3 days on each)). As well we will leave Greece via Patras by ferry and I would like to explore Delphi. I would love to hear from anyone who has done this type of trip on a budget with Kids. Ours aged 13 and 9 are quite flexible when it comes to sleeping arragements, but it seems that most hotels require getting two rooms. Any suggestions welcomed.
Posted by
Brighton, UK
1419 posts
Richard
My immediate response is that you're trying to do too much in 12 days, especially if you are on a budget. Piraeus, the port of Athens, to Santorini is around 7 hours by ferry. You can fly, and internal flights are comparatively cheap in Greece, but that depends on your definition of budget.
On the islands a lot of rooms, as opposed to hotels, have triple rooms and will allow an extra bed (for a supplement). The problem is that these tend to be less easy to book on-line, which may be a problem when traveling with children.
Finally, this is worth a look for things to do in Athens with kids.
Have a good trip.
Alan
Posted by
Houston, TX
19 posts
I, too, am planning a trip to Greece with my 13yr old, but I've trimmed my trip down to Athens and Santorini, 4 days each because I don't want to be in too much of a rush. Also, this website has been recommended several times and I found it to be very helpful. I decided, rather than booking everything myself, I'd let an Athens based travel agency handle all of the details. Perhaps it will be easier for you to let someone else take care of booking your hotels.
greektravel.com
fantasytravel.com
dolphinhellas.com (I think)
Posted by
OP
Vancouver, BC, Canada
3 posts
Thank you for the responses!
I have visited the greektravel.com website, and it is very imformative. I saw the suggestion for Fantasy travel and inquired about their package tours (a week ago)...this may be the way to go. This agency also wanted to make all the bookings for our family of 4 at two rooms each night. It gets pricy quickly.
As much as I like to plan the trip myself, I imagine early July is super busy and everything needs to be booked in advance? We will likely scale things back a bit and stay on one Island for a longer period of time. If anyone has done this trip before as a family I would love to hear how they did things.
One other question...When I travelled to the islands some 20 years ago (backpack in tow) the Eurorail pass covered free deck passage on ferries. Is this no longer the case? I see that the crossing from Italy to Greece is covered (with a high season surcharge).
Richard
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3398 posts
Richard, please forget your 1985 trip, it will get you into trouble. YOur problem is, you are looking at the wrong islands, thru the lens of Nostalgia.
Forget Mykonos, it is now for the party-people and cruise-ship mobs. If you must go to Santorini, look for budget rooms in Fira (40-50 pr dble), not price Oia... and just stay 2 nites, for the view; the beaches are black grit, in cae you don't remember.
Then get on a BLue Star ferry and head to Naxos. THAT is the place for u & your kids. It has 15 miles of white sand beach. I suggest Ag. Prokopios beach which has a lot of "self-catering" apartments or 2-room "studios". Google "Ag. Prokopios budget apts Naxos" and you will get a good choice at I bet under 75E per night even in July. Ag Giorgio beach is even handier, but can be crowded in July.
As a matter of fact, I think I promoted naxos to you on another forum. So forget your youthful island- hopping and enjoy today's Greece; different but still wonderful!
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Richard, the last time you were in Greece was the last time I was in Greece( about 1985) so I think our memories will be similar. I remember getting off the ferry in Mykonos and towns folk crowding around offering "rooms rooms" some even holding pictures etc. We paid between 12-15 dollars for rooms, with private toilets too, mind you this was in Sept.. ahh the good old days. LOL
I plan to return, but this time stay in a " fancy " hotel (meaning maybe a/c, LOL anyways, I had one on my favorites " Hotel Tagoo" ( Mykonos) I have had it there for a few years,, it looks great. Unfortunately it has recently been " discovered" and is on some travel lists in magazines, which means the prices will have gone up, it WAS cheap . While looking at site today I see they now also have "Tagoo Studios" a seperate website. Perhaps look into it, just google.
PS Mykonos has changed from what I remember there are pictures of the town on some sites, and it looks alot bigger then I remember! Drats.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Janet, ah as I feared,, change happens.. but still Mykonos is pretty and one I am sure one can still catch the buses to the beaches away from town( no??) . but Naxos, now that does sound much better.I will have to add that to my list,,
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3398 posts
Pat, yes you can catch a bus to the beach in Mykonos .. but try to buy a meal under 15E lotsa luck. And do you really want to spend most of your time around cruise- ship passengers & honeymooners almost all Yanks? Face it your mykonos is pretty much gone.
In Naxos, busses zip everywhere, to beaches with no "posers." You still can find a great taverna meal for 9-10E including a glass of red, and (because this is an agricultural island with a large permanent population not connected w. tourism), you can take a short bus ride/ scooter ride, and find yourself in a village pursuing its old ways. Go sit in a cafe in Filoti square, under a plantain tree, while old geezers play dominos with the priest. One May, driving around inland roads, we stopped and watched sheep-shearing for awhile.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Well Richard, yes , it is true the good prices I remember are well and truly gone. I contacted a hotel in Mykonos, Hotel Tagoo, they WILL put four of you in a lovely room , BUT it will cost 150 euros. No bargain there.
Posted by
OP
Vancouver, BC, Canada
3 posts
Yes Pat, Times have changed. Thanks for the Hotel Tagoo recommendation. I checked their web site and the various recommendations for them...it is definitely a place that we would like to stay if we end up going to Mykonos. Although I did visit both Paros and Naxos in 1988, Mykonos is one island that I missed, and it is a location which my wife and I have seen numeros photos and beautiful paintings of over the years.
Janet your advice of self catering places on Naxos will likely work out better on our budget...Thank you!
Richard
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3398 posts
Richard, leave the Mykonos memories in the photos and paintings, then you won't have to be let down by the reality. Commercial, commercial commercial. I say this and i have a good friend an artist that I
have stayed with there twice (the 2nd time because of ferry-change requirement.
Take a look at this slide show of Naxos by my friend, and maybe it will cure your Mykonos 'jones':
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
1 posts
I agree about visiting Naxos or any of the less crowded (and much less expensive) islands rather than Mykonos but if you go to Santorini, visit Akrotiri.
But for 12 days only to spend in Greece, I would not go to the distant islands such as Santorini.
Athens 3 days (See Acropolis, Dora Stratou fork dance performance, Museums, a trip to Kyfissia, Lykavitos at sunset (take jackets), Plaka - old Athens)
One day trip to Sounion; go swimming and tell the kids the story of Aegeas and Thyseus.
Two day visit to Delphi and Meteora, Arachova
Two day visit to Mycenae, Epidavros, Olympia, Nafplion
Four days on an near-by island; Corfu, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Paros, Naxos etc Unfortunately I don't know any panegyri at that time but it's a highlight of a trip to Greece to visit one.
Here is a vide clip of a typical one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuR5k1i82Zc
Don't schedule your ferry trip back to Athens just before you are about to fly back (due to weather)