AboutDenny Expertise Greece on a budget, The Islands, Mainland, Athens and its burbs. For the basics on getting around...maybe I can help...I go there yearly and you can`t be as cheap as me .
Experience Worked & lived in Athens area for 5 years. (78-83 Was AFRS Radio Announcer (Denny West)at the time. Last visit: Mar/Sep 2005. Last time in Europe, June
2008 (Spain & Germany).
Organizations Janesville Library (I have a card)
Publications Stars & Stripes
Education/Credentials I have a BS degree from UTSA, guess that means I can expound on just about anything ?
Awards and Honors USAF Broadcasting's 'Thomas Jefferson Award'
Past/Present Clients I am NOT a travel salesperson.
I've always wanted to rent a small house somewhere in Greece, by the sea in a rural place.
If the price is low enough I will rent it for a couple of months and invite a friend to come for a week then later another friend. That seems heaven to me, sit with the old folks in a local restaurant, nature around (bit of green would be nice), some goats passing by (not necessary but you get the picture).
What would I be expected to pay? No problem living basic, actually preferred.
Could you recommend a place? Island or not.
ANSWER: Yiasou Nicky, Thankyou for the question,
First thing is you have to plan which time period to come...
I suggest Mid September thru May first. This time will offer the best prices, as tourist season will be over. But if you were to come at the most ideal time for a price...Jan to March 15th...the weather would not be very good anywhere...ie: cold, snow flurries possible, cloudy, hi around 38 degrees. Probably March to May would be 1st choice, with Sept 15 into November as the 2nd choice.
Weather not bad...warming in the spring, cooling in the fall. Not a chaotic as May thru August, or as hi priced.
CRETE is good for sheer geographic variety...everything from Palm trees to...mountains , gorges and beaches. Goats to Grapevines. If you want the feeling of being in the old country try a Cretan village in the mountains outside of Agios Nickoleus or better yet, the western part of Crete...near the city of Chania, in the Souda bay region. There is also a US & Nato base there just in case you want some home boys & their families. This is incidentally, the area where the movie ZORBA with Antony Quinn was filmed in the 50's. Known as the Akrotiri Peninsula. I think that if I were to settle in Greece, CRETE would rank very high on my choices. Because if it gets too dull where you are, you can always rent a car and see a whole other country out there as it is about 50-kliks wide and over 300-kliks long.
And it doesn't close up in the winter as some smaller islands do.
Most of the lesser visited islands are also good bets to find a place for under 600 euro a month. Although I personally know of none.
good for browsing site: www.chania.gr ... I believe that recently I recommended a couple of other sites good for browsing for apartments and such in Greece ... check them out too.
TINOS...in the Cycladic group , not far from the mainland of Greece. But not at Easter or in August...that is true of all the islands.
KASSOS...between Rhodes and Crete ... Cept for August ...
www.kassos-island.gr (and/or its neighboring island Karpathos.)
ON LAND...MESSINIA in the Peleponesse is an excellent choice for the rural feel of Greece. Olives, figs and grapes amid a mostly tourist free oasis in the arid Peleponesse.
Dense forests hide the ruins of Venetian castles & Turkish fortresses. Other sleepy hollow towns in this area include PYLOS, Methoni, Koroni, Kardamyli, Finikorda...all with clean beaches, quiet streets and breathtaking sunsets. Unfortunately, no one out there seems to have a current e-mail or web site that I can give you...Phone for info on apartments 27210-21-700. Or just do a SEARCH ... key words: MESSINIA Greece.
Good luck in your search ...
Calh taxiedi
DENNY
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Oh wah! That was fast, thank you very much Denny,
Yes I was planning Mid September or May, off-season but sunny.
This is great, got the best time AND the old country-feel places. It sounds wonderful.
Yes, I tried to find info on houses to rent but so far…Villas, resorts and the like but no small houses (understandable of course, rural people won't have many websites). I'll try your urls, and maybe I should just go and see, there should be something basic for less than 600 a month.
MESSINIA & surrounding sounds just wonderful! Thank you, just what I wanted.
Nicky
Answer Hello again Nicky,
Yes, Messinia would be a good location and September is an ideal time to just go there, get a room at a small hotel like the HOTEL GEORGE or the HOTEL BYZANTION, both in the village of KALAMATA, and probably available for around 25-30 a nite. Stay there for 3-nites (you'll get a better price then just 1 nite)and explore for apartments etc. Tourist office there, phone number is 27210-21-700. Free maps and info.
