Based on many useful tips and suggestions in this forum, we did and can recommend the following.
Rather than go to an island on a short trip, go to Nafplio, 2 hours south of Athens, a port town that does not appear to be overrun with tourists, although we were there in April. Rather it is a real place, not a Disney type place for exclusively tourists. There are several fortresses and castles to explore as well as an island fortress reachable by 10 minute ferry. Also, recommend NafplioSunSailCruises for a lovely sunset cruise with gourmet prepared dinner.
We used Royal Transfers Nafplio for getting to and from Athens to Nafplio. Very efficient and comfortable with stops in Nemea and Mycenae. Recommend restaurants Pidalio and Itria.
We stayed in the Liberty Hotel, which is new and modern with the most fantastic shower ever seen, and very helpful desk staff. However, on a future trip we may try to stay closer to the waterfront and old town, although the Liberty was just about 15 minutes from old town.
In Athens, we can recommend the Athens Gate Hotel. Perfect location near the Acropolis and easy walk to the Plaka. Our only complaint there was iffy WIFI, which they should fix.
Strongly recommend our private guide for the Acroplolis, Pantelis Touloumakos ( 0030 6977 745024). The cost of this was not much more than a group tour and worth every cent. We went ourselves to the Acropolis museum before seeing the Acropolis, which I recommend doing. A guide there would have been helpful, although the museum’s self guide audio tour is quite good.
Plenty to see in Athens just wandering through neighborhoods and enjoying the Greek life.
Posted by
Wisconsin
47 posts
Thank you for posting this. It is exactly the information I need to help with a plan to Greece. My husband and I and our adult daughter and spouse are tentatively planning a 8-9 day trip in October. We would spend some time in Athens at the beginning and end of our trip and it looked like Nafplio would be a good place to go for a different location. Plus transportation looked fairly easy compared to boating to an island. The “kids” want some beach time (we do not) and in reading Rick’s guidebook it appears Nafplio has several beaches within walking distance.
We would not be renting a car, prefer to stay in the center of town using public transportation and other services available. The info you provided sounds like it would work for us