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.
Expert: Denny Date: 5/28/2007 Subject: backpacking around greek islands in September
Question Hi there, We are two 50 somethings wanting to backpack September 2008 around greek islands something my friend has dreamed about for years. We want to do this on a budget travelling from UK. Any suggestions of where and how to do this. Many thanks - Shirley and Deb
Answer Yiasou Shirley, thanks you for the question,
2008 ??? Long time to plan ...
I imagine that you should be able to find a good rate down to Greece out of the UK on one the relatively new cut-rate airlines...if they are still cut rate at that time. Probably want to go that way as the other way...ie: euro rail for two might be just as expensive.
2 traveling together on eu-rail get a special rate...about 200-pounds for 4-days unlimited travel...France/Italy/Greece
ferry passage included.
Metro will get you whereever in Athens area for around 3-euro a day (24-hr ticket).
London & Athens do have things in common. Athens has a similiar set up as London ... from Plaka/Syndagma area you can walk to most of the touristee sites as you can walk fm Buckingham to hyde/Green parks, Piccadilly, wax museum and 221-Baker street (Holmes/Watson residence)...Athens has flea market, changing of guard, Roman ruins, National (Zappione) gardens, National museum, Olympic Stadium and ofcourse the Acropolis...even doable is the walk to the base of Lycabitos hill, where you can finicula to the top for coffee and icecream and the view. The beaches of Athens are located south of the city in Glyfada, Voula and Varkiza...and are still excellent in Sept. Tram can take you there. The port of Piraeus is a 30-min metro ride where you can get on the ferrys to Cycladic and Dodecanese islands as well as crete.
I would say 3-nites in Athens at a Plaka pensione or small hotel for around 40-euro a nite for a double. IF you are the camping types you should try the one at Voula beach camping in Glyfada area...easiest to get to...probably save around 10-euro pp per nite there, but you will be 45-min out of the downtown area.
On one of the 3-days in Athens you could catch the train to Corinth for a day trip. Still have plenty of time to return to your room in Athens that nite.
Or if you like the Peleponesse part of Greece you can go from Corinth to Naphlion and get a place there (camp or small hotel) and go on 1/2 day or day trips out of there to see Epidavrous, Mycenae, Argos, Sparta and other spots in the southern Peleponesse.
Islands near there Spetsis, Hydra, Poros, Aegina are all day trips...very near Piraeus (1-hr away and low cost trips on the ferrys for under 10-euro one-way)
The Cycladic islands are further away and perhaps you could go to Paros or Mykonos or Naxos and camp out there. You should allow 2-nites per island. Same general price range.
(NOTE: 3-nites of more at one place usually gets you a better price per nite rate)
Go to Santorini (Thira) from Paros...cheapest...daily run cost about 15-euro and takes about 3-hours and the slow ferry is indeed the way to go in September as the temperatures and the sparkling sea will be ideal for travel.
Santorini does have a nice campsite with tent rentals, and there are 'some' pensiones to be found for around 40-euro for a double...although there are a lot more that cost a lot more. Santorini is a definate 3-niter stay.
If you like the HIKE and NATURE LIFESTYLE ... you may want to Ferry out of Piraeus to Crete...take ANEK lines to Chania...on the western side of the island and go that route, working your way back toward the east and then south. OR go Piraeus to Heraklion and then get a place at the near to the port HOSTEL, which is both convenient and cheap. Crete has many many places to go to and spend time...The Samarian Gorge, a ten-klik walk in the mountains ending up at the sea. The caves of Matala...still very hip but no longer "hippy" as it was in the 60's & 70's. Agios Nikolaus to the East of Heraklion and its neighboring spas of Sitia and Malia, Hersonnissis, etal ... all will still be "HOT" and VERY ACTIVE in September ...
Many things and places to go and so little time ... Keep in mind 75 % of Greece is same ... tavernas, Retsina, Ouzo, Greek salads, Souflaki, Music, beaches the people, both the locals and foreigners ...If you have to drop an island for time no problem. Just don't drop Mykonos or Santorini.
Check with some of the London travel agencies...they know where the Brits like to go...Mykonos, Corfu (Ionian island), Crete, Rhodes, KOS (Dodecanese) would be my guess as to favorite islands.
And ofcourse IF you need someone to squire you around, ask me as the time grows near ... I am usually in Greece in september. (and I have friends...some handsome, some boring, some gay, some simply without a clue.)
