Expert: Stephen Tanenbaum - 4/13/2006

Question
Hello,

I would like to travel to greece in late june and would like to know about budget accomodation, what is the best to sleep? I would like to sleep in a hostel but I don't know if they are usual, should I get a sleeping bag and take it with me? or if you rent a tent, do they give you the sleeping bag? also, information about ferries, which are the best option to travel??,

As much info would be great,

Thanks,

Alfonso

Answer
Alfonso:

Sorry for the delay. Was waiting for my young step son John, who travails using Hostels etc. to advise.

Best we can offer is some general advice.

John used hotels in Greece but used hostels elsewhere in Europe paying the usual $10-15 per night. Rooms are usually four at minimum to larger dorm rooms.

John suggests you SHOULD take your own sleeping bag, most young people do. John also suggests you buy a LOCKABLE rucksack/backpack so that for example if sleeping on a ferry, either in a chair or (cheaper) on the deck itself you can lock your bag to a nearby pole, chair etc. Same in a hostel. There are times, like when biking, that you need to leave the rucksack for a while (ex: sleeping) and always best to have it LOCKED and ATTACHED to something that woul deter thieves.

Ferries are the cheapest way to travel between Greek Islands. Depending on which island and how far the trip to get there prices vary greatly. Still always cheaper than flying.  On our trip from Athens to Lesvos, near Turkey, we took an overnight ferry. We paid almost $100 each to get a double CABIN, yes private cabins/rooms on overnight ferries.
They also offered airplane type seats for maybe half that price and finally most young people who would normally opt for very low cost hostels bought tickets that allowed them to sleep on certain areas of the deck....on the ground that is,,,,using sleeping bags.

Other ferries like high speed hydrofoils are by their nature high priced. General rule is the larger, slower ferries are CHEAPER.  You can go online and check all ferries available for a given route, like Athens to Mykonos and check prices etc. Sometimes you will have choices, cheapter versus more expensive ferries. Other times you may not.

Ex. I went online and asked for a ferry from Athens to Mykonos in mid June, high season. There is only one ferry that day. There are three classes, middle class is air seats and then there is Economy/birth seats. Price is 24 Euros or about $35 one way for the five hours trip.

Here is the web site page that lets you plug in your ferry trip and check prices for all classes of tickets.
http://paleologos.forth-crs.gr/english/npgres.exe?PM=BO

Hope this helps. Steve T.