I Love Greece

The Acroplis in Athens and the Caldera views of Santorini were definitely the highlights of the trip. Other terrific islands we visited and I highly reccommend are Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes, and Simi. Mykonos was terrific for it's beaches, nightlife and great food. Santorini for it's incredible views, black beaches and great food. Rhodes for it's incredible history lesson and great food and Simi for it's most picturesque port and great food. I think I gained 10 pounds...

Quick Tips:

Plan ahead if you want to fly to the islands. Flights sell out months in advance. I suggest using a reputable Greek travel agent to book your hotels. We used Dolphin Hellas. They are very easy to work with as they will email you hotel lists and flight schedules. Once you have all the arrangements they will mail hotel vouchers and flight tickets in advance of your arrival. It was so easy I couldn't believe it. Most of our flights (one way tickets) were less the . My travel agent was Aliki and she was very helpful and friendly...aliki@dolphin-hellas.gr

Best Way To Get Around:

I try to always stay in the main tourist areas. In Athens, as long as you are staying in the Plaka (the main market area) you can walk to everything. There is a subway system but it was undergoing renovations so we avoided it. The buses are intimidating but we managed without any problems. Taking a taxi from the airport to the hotel we overpaid the first time (I think) but we had four people in the car and it cost less than a shuttle from Seattle to Seatac for one person, so I didn't complain. Make sure your driver turns on the meter. If you are going to Mykonos or Santorini once you are on the island there are buses to the beaches and other attractions, so you shouldn't need to rent a car. You can also rent scooters near the main bus station for island exploring. Rhodes will require a car if you plan to explore but if you stay in town look for a hotel near the the port and you will be close to most sites. Note there are no cars in the main part of town on Mykonos (Hora) or the "old city" in Rhodes.

Athens 50 room Hotel on Mitseon St. The hotel staff is so nice and helpful. This is a great place if you just want to see the Acropolis and get the hell out of Athens. These rooms are nice and clean and run about $100 per night double occupancy. We reserved rooms with balcony views of the Acropolis. When we arrived we were amazed at how close we were It was literally outside our door. The balconies were huge and marble tiled with patio furniture. We had connecting rooms with A/C and nice bathrooms. This is a great location just outside the Plaka with terrific shops just around the corner. The taxi fare for four people from the airport was less than $20. This is not a five star luxury hotel! It has average decoration and modest accommodations. It does however provide for all your basic needs and is convenient to everything. We plan to stay there again the next time we go. http://www.greecead.com/gadhome/athens-summer_philippos.html

We had the 4 person suite with A/C, Caldea view and two bathrooms, one with a jacuzzi tub for two. The rate was about $50 per person per night. When we arrived our chins hit the floor. It was lovely. The view was spectacular. We could not have been happier. The only drawback...it was quite a walk from the main road down steep steps. This is not the best choice for the elderly. It was also quite a walk downhill to Fira (the main town). Going downhill was not a problem, but coming back up was a workout. You may want to taxi it home! There were nice resturants close by. The staff was super, the breafast buffet was the best and did I mention the view? The sunsets were amazing. We just sat there for hours just taking it in. I'll never forget it! Santorini is beautiful!

The Athens Acropolis is breath taking. The Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaea and the Temple of Nike are all wonders to behold. From atop the Acropolis you can look down over the ancient agora, the Theatre of Dionysos, the Choregic Monument of Thrasyllos, the stoa of Eumenes, the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, the temple of Olympian Zeus,the Thission, the Olympic stadium, and the theater of Herod Atticus. You get the idea? It's an incredible place. The entrance fee into the Acropolis in 1999 was 2000drs (less than $7) and The Ancient Agora was 1200drs ($4). We spent about 3 hours touring the ruins and museum. We went early because it's reccommended to beat the heat and the crowds. The acropolis is the highest point in Athens and the walk up could be strinuous for the elderly or infirmed but anyone in average health sould have no trouble. The slopes are gradual and lined with trees for shade. We left in time to have lunch in the Plaka and then walked to the National Archaelogical Museum and Sintagma Square. If you only have time to do one thing in Athens...this is it!

The National Archaeological Museum will be closed from October 1st 2002 until April 2004 due to renovation works. This is a wonderful museum. It's not fancy. It doesn't have a bunch of modern models of the way things were. It just presents its collection in a simple and uncluttered way. Allow for 2 to 3 hours to see everything (minimum). In 1999 the adult admission fee was 2000 drs ($7+/-). Housed in a beautiful neoclassical building designed by Ernst Ziller the collection inclused Classical Greek, Minoan and Egyptian sculpture, pottery and artifacts. It's located at Patission 44 St. about a 20 minute walk west from the Plaka.

From Mykonos town take the bus from the main road on the south end of town (The fare is cheap less than 50 cents) to Plati Yialos Beach. If you stay at Plati Yialos, you will be given a chair and umbrella at no charge if you have lunch at one of the hotels.

From Plati Yialos Beach small boats take visitors to Paradise and Super Paradise and you can rent boats at the dock to go elsewhere. The fee for the boat taxi was about $3 for all day. There are tavernas and public restrooms at all of these beaches. Full Nudity is allowed at Paradise and Super Paradise. You will notice this is at the far end of the beach in both cases. Topless is not uncommon at Plati Yialos. Other beautiful beaches are Ornos Bay, Psarou, Kapari, Aghia Anna, Megali Ammos, and Aghios Ioannis. If you are not sure what beach is for you, stop at the Mykonos Accommodation Center in the center of town and ask the friendly staff for help.