Jim,

There’s nothing to apologize for. You came seeking information…we shall provide it.

2 days in Athens is good. 2 days 1 night is good too. Read my second post in the following thread:

http://www.eurotrip….

On the island: 1 day is not good. You won’t want to leave so soon after getting settled. I’d say at least 2 days 1 night. Make it at least 2 days 2 nights for Rhodes. (I’m glad you’re visiting Rhodes!)

Total duration of trip: estimate about a week.

Touching on this topic, after reading through all previous posts, I’m wanting to clarify that if I go to Greece, the only main attraction on the mainland is Athens, and all my other time should be spent on "the islands" whichever they may be?

Is this fairly accurate – or is there some other place of significance on the mainland that is highly recommended? ie: is a must see (or at least a should see) for everyone, regardless of personal interests.

quote:
Is this fairly accurate – or is there some other place of significance on the mainland that is highly recommended? ie: is a must see (or at least a should see) for everyone, regardless of personal interests.

I am going to visit Greece soon and we are trying to decide what to do also (wow, tough life! ) My friends have raved about the Pelopennesus (spelling?) and recommended the medieval cities on the Greek mainland like Meteora, where the hanging monasteries are. They also said there were far fewer tourists there than on the islands.

Flipisme,

Yes, there are must-sees on the mainland…they’re just rarely mentioned by Eurotrip psoters. There is a large concentration of must-sees in the southern regions of the mainland (Peloponnese and Rumely). The Peloponnese is especially touristy, but not with backpackers. In the northern part of the Pelponnese, and in Rumely, expect to encounter several tour buses taking people (including several Americans, Canadians, and Japanese) to the classical sites of Olympia, Epidaurus, and Delphi; to bronze age ruins at Myceanae; and the neoclassical city of Nafplio. In the region’s northeast corner, there are sun-seekung package tourists (mostly British) in Toló, Hydra, Spetses, etc. In the southern part of the Peloponnese, you will encounter several German and Italian families, many with their own motor homes, touring the towns and medieval sites of this area. Notable towns are Gytheio and Monemvasí­a in the southeast, and Pylos, Koroni, and Methoni in the southwest. The Máni area (the middle finger) is also being newly discovered (and worth the exploration).

In other regions of Greece, one major must-see quite often mentioned by Eurotrip posters is Metéora: a beautiful valley, dotted by amazing rock formations, many of which have medieval monasteries and convents built on top. Some are now open to the public. Expect tour buses here too. Metéora is located in Thessaly region. In Epirus region (northwest) there is a charming small town called Párga, within close proximity of Corfu and Paxos (there’s a ferry connection), also popular with European sun-seekers. Also in Epirus region is the newly "discovered" [thus still serene] Zagoria region, with 15th century villages in a beautiful setting, like pictures from a storybook. These are popular with European tourists with motor homes. Less serene is the nearby town of Métsovo. Makedonía region, in the north, is home to a huge portion of Greece’s population, with a heavy slice of the national economy, but not as touristed as regions further south…with a couple exceptions: the city of Thessaloní­ki (a very nice city with Classical, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman monuments, and a large student population, including study-abroad students), and the very touristy Halkidiki peninsula with its vineyards, beaches, and sun-seeking Scandinavians.

If I was going to Greece for the first time or for a few days and was actually interested in seeing the country (as opposed to going clubbing on the islands) I’d stay on the mainland, spend a couple of days in Athens, then Nafplio, Mikines, Epidavros, Delphi, Sounio, maybe even Olympia and down to Mystras and Monemvasia. I wouldn’t bother going all the way to Santorini or Rhodes for a couple of days, nice as they may be.

How does this look? Is it feesible (Not sure about transportation in particular)

Patras (1)
Olympia (?)
Sparta (?)
Tripoli (?)
Athens (2)
Santorini (2)
Paros (1)
Mikonos (2)
Back to Athens (1)

I’d like to see Meteora but it’s out of the way. It would also be nice to fit Delphi in there somewhere, maybe I can do that on my return trip to Italy.

I’m wanting to spend no more than 2 weeks in Greece. Is this at all doable?

Paros looks interesting, but can be left off… any ideas and comments would be great.

Definitely leave Paros off. Nice enough island, but nothing there that you won’t see elsewhere. There’s nothing much to see in Sparta itself either – why are you going there? Are you hoping to go to Mystras or Monemvasia? Tripoli is a good hub for daytrips to various places of interest. I’d be inclined to spend some time in Nafplio – either a day trip from Tripoli or on the way to Athens.

If you’re coming back to Athens from the islands it may be worth allowing 2 days in Athens before you’re due to board your plane to allow for disruptions and delays to boats due to high winds (not common, but not unheard of either).

As regards transportation on the mainland, I don’t think there are any coach links between Olympia and either Sparta or Tripoli, although there are links between Sparta and Tripoli, Patras and Tripoli and all of these places to Athens.

Meteora would be almost impossible to fit with the rest of your itinerary. Delphi could be done as a day trip from Athens (there are special coach tours).

Are you coming from Italy?

as Tinsie asks: what do you plan to do in Sparta? There’s nothing to see there. Ancient Sparta hasn’t left anything behind, and the modern city is boring.

LTB’s suggested rough itinerary for Greece first-timers:

1. Corfu (3 or 4)
2. Igoumenitsa (transit)
3. Meteora (1)
4. Athens (2, preferably 2 days & 2 nights)
5. Nafplio & Epidaurus and maybe Hydra or Spetses (2 or 3) OR Olympia and/or Zakynthos (2 or 3)
6. Back to Athens (transit)
7. Mykonos (2 or 3)
8. and/or Santorini (2 or 3)
9. Back to Athens

hey , i have just been reading through all the info i can find on this site about greece and as LTB seems to know all , i was wondering how much cash would i need for the itinery u have provided , do i need to book hostels? i am going in august so i dont wanna get there and be locked out all night , please if u could help , i am really keen to go as this is the only time i can get off work , I am interested in seeing and partying as much as i can so if you could jot down a rough estimate or would you suggest i went to a travel agency?

Well, some people, and certainly some travel books, will discourage you from going in August. August and July are not only the peak of summer (temperature wise), they are also the peak of tourist season….and prices. The flip side is this: July and August are the months when the country is the most alive, both with locals and foreign visitors alike. August is a special month culturally…August 15th is a major holiday (Assumption of Our Lady) and major summer festival nationwide. Also, August is the start of the wine harvest season…some wine regions may have wine harvest festivals towards the end of August. August’s full moon is considered by the Greeks to be the most romantic night of the year. All Ancient and Medieval Ruins around the country will be open on this night, to everyone and free of charge. And finally, coastal areas (most especially certain islands) have a party atmosphere in August with people from around the world. The sea is warm, everyone’s at the beach, and the mood is just right. You will really experience summer in Greece during August, and if all goes well you will remember this experience for years to come. I prefer July/August.

Some of the tourists can get very annoying, but I think it’s good for people to be exposed to what the locals endure every year from the handful of rowdy tourists. It’s a learning experience. Please do not act like these idiots…respect the country, its laws, and its people.

Let me revisit the heat issue, because a lot of people tend to approach Southern Europe with caution as if we’re talking about India or the Sahara here. Southern Europe is at the same latitude as middle America. Rome is at the same latitude as Chicago. Los Angeles and Atlanta are further south than Crete. Now, Europe is a pretty warm continent relative to it’s very northern location. Greece, being as far north as Illinois, has temperatures closer to northern and central Texas. The Gulf Stream (an oceanic current) from the Gulf of Mexico crosses the Atlantic Ocean and warms up much of Europe, which explains why Britain has a very mild climate considering its very northern location.

That said, do not expect temperatures to be higher than in the American South, and in fact, the American South is humid. Greece is not. It’s not as dry (nor as hot!) as like Las Vegas, but it sure as hell is more pleasant than Georgia and Florida. The flip side: the sun is strong, so do as the locals do, and don’t walk too much in the midday hours (about 1ish to 4ish). By "strong sun" I mean that the air may feel pleasant, but if you do too much physical activity, you will break a sweat. Again, it’s not like the American South where you sweat without moving a finger. (Only downside is that buildings trap heat, so if there’s no AC, it can be pretty stuffy.) Sightsee during the crisp early morning (and away from the throngs of crowds who don’t know any better but to visit major sights during siesta hours), and use siesta hours as an opportunity to go to the beach. Or nap…catch up on some sleep if you’ll be getting up early and going to bed late.

Cost

Greece is getting more expensive every year. As the tourism boom continues to grow (with occasional dips), and as the cost of livng also continues to grow, so do prices (no, Greece is not experiencing inflation). Relatively speaking, it is still cheaper than most other western European countries (and you will notice this mostly in transportation: cabs, metro, ferries, trains), but in other areas, it can be expensive (most especially food even at the farmer’s market, restaurants, cafes, highway tolls, and manufactured goods -like clothes and toiletteries). And sales tax is high (because there’s no income tax, besides the social welfare tax)…but it’s always included in the price, not slapped on at the register as they do in the US. The high value and stability of the euro (the new currency used by Greece and 11 other European countries since 2002), vis-a-vis the US dollar, as well as rising prices after the introduction of the euro, are exacerbating the problem. But again, it’s defintely not prohibitive. Just budget well, and when you’re there, be careful with your money. I can tell you from experience, when you’re away from home, your money can slip away from you pretty fast.

Now, as for budgeting, how long wil you be there??

Many backpackers here say that even in high season, they’ve been able to find a place to stay as soon as they step off the ferry. There are people from various hotels and hostels and pensions trying to pick up last minute customers. But if you want piece of mind (and/or a choic of where to stay, you should book ahead).

Of course, I’d like to hear from people who have not booked a place to stay, and they can tell us their experience. I know there’s a lot of them on these boards, and their advice would be of great help.

I just realized you’re from New Zealand, so if you’re not familiar with the United States, the climate comparisons I gave you are useless.

Greece’s climate should be comparable to northern and central New Zealand, and if you’re familiar with neighboring Australia Athens has the same climactic conditions as Perth (summer drought, winter rain). Temperatures should be comparable to northern New Zealand and southern Australia. Only, Greece being in the northern hemisphere, the seasons occur on opposite times of the year, as you should already know.

Greece’s climate does have regional variations, despite being a small country (in area). The further southeast you go, the longer the sunny/dry season. The west coast and northwest have a longer cool/wet season than the rest of the country (but it does not include August). The northern areas have a more continental climate, except for the coast which is Mediterranean. And throughout the country, mountainous areas, and valleys of high altitude have a cooler climate.

i am from nz but i live in england and yes i am familier with all that was written and its a great help , im still not too sure wether to do this or just buy a rail pass and travel around for a while i havnt actually decided so this is a great help , cheers.

anyone have an idea of how much all of this inner-greece travel costs?

Toadman, I can do an internet search and try to fidn prices for domestic ferries, flights, buses, trains, etc…but I can give you a quick estimate depending on ym experience of total expenditure if you know how long you’ll be in Greece. To be on the safe side I’d estimate -inclusing everything) US$1000 for a month’s stay, including lodging, food, etc…although it’s highly possible to go in eaither direction. But I’m also bad at giving estimates. Lately I’ve been going to Greece for personal and business reasons. Haven’t gone as a backpacker since 2001. If you’d like, I can do some internet research for you. If you have any experience in other Western European countries, budget less than you would in France, Italy, or Germany for land travel (about the same as Spain and Portugal), but budget about the same for domestic flights and ferries.

Hey there Luv_the_Beach. Is a Greek Rail Pass worth the money to get around in Greece, or are the trains relatively inexpensive? I am planning to spend 1 month in Greece and I, too, am concerned about costs of trains on the mainland as well as cost of ferries within the islands. I have tried searching for plane ticket costs on the internt without much luck. I’d like to do a relatively extensive tour of the mainland as well as the islands, but am not sure how to go about the itinerary.

quote:
Hey there Luv_the_Beach. Is a Greek Rail Pass worth the money to get around in Greece, or are the trains relatively inexpensive? I am planning to spend 1 month in Greece and I, too, am concerned about costs of trains on the mainland as well as cost of ferries within the islands. I have tried searching for plane ticket costs on the internt without much luck. I’d like to do a relatively extensive tour of the mainland as well as the islands, but am not sure how to go about the itinerary.

I wouldn’t get a pass for Greece. Train travel is cheap and the network is limited. Most of your travel is likely to be by bus (on the mainland) or ferry (in the islands). If you take the occasional train you can pay on the spot – a typical expensive route (Athens-Thessaloniki by Intercity train) is about 20 EUR for a single ticket. That’s USD 24.

Have a look here for train info: http://www.seat61.co…

Here http://www.ktel.org/… for buses

Here http://www.aegeanair… and here http://www.olympicai… for air travel

Thanks a lot!

Do people ususally get travelers cheques or use the atms in greece? Thanks.

By &quoteople" do you mean backpackers?

You can do either one. ATMs are widely available throughout Greece, but it’s always good to have some backup traveler’s checks in case you lose your ATM card. ATMs are wonderful because they’re 24 hours. Traveler’s checks require that you enter a bank (and some will only cash your Traveler’s Checks if you have an account there) which close certain hours of the day, and on Sundays, or bureaux de change which charge high fees.

Rule fo thumb, the National Bank of Greece (Ethnikí Trápeza Elládos) cashes Traveler’s Checks for everybody. Independent Alpha Bank only cashes for people that have accounts there. If you find a National B of G go there instead of the bureaux de change for a better rate.

With your ATM card, make sure your pin# has 4 digits, not 5, as ATMs in Europe do not read 5-digit pin numbers.