I'm Indonesian and need information about travelling in Greece especially in Athens.?

Question

I travel with my wife, about a week. I need the information how to see the whole Greece (August 2007)especially in low budget

Answer 1

Athens is a big metropolis, and like all big metropolises, it has a lot to do. Some info/advice:
-August is peak tourist season, and this will make tourist attractions busy. However, if you go around the 15th of the month, the city empties of locals, as they head to their home towns for a holiday. This makes the city A LOT quieter and, in my opinion, more beautiful.
-There are several excellent museums, but at the very least go to the National Museum of Archaeology.
-Visit the Akropolis ruins. Go early in the morning (be there before 10), to avoid the mad rush of tourists.
-Find out if the Athens Festival has any performances at Herodeion theatre (in English, often referred to as the Theatre of Herod Atticus) during the time you will be there. This is an ancient theatre at the foot of the Akropolis.
-Walk around! Good areas to do this include Plaka / Monastiraki (tourist and antique markets near the Akropolis), and Kolonaki (pricy shopping area), and the Parliament area itself. Watch the changing of the guard in front of Parliament (there are small ceremonies every couple of hours, but the big one happens on Sunday mornings at 11:00 I think). After this, go to the National Gardens next door to cool off.
-At night, if you're looking for some nightlife, make your way to one of the clubs at Poseidonos Boulevard by the coast. Or, just walk around Dionysou Aeropagitou pedestrian street below the Akropolis.

In a week, it is impossible to see all of Greece. But you should leave Athens to get a feel of the country. My advice would be to visit some towns nearby. You can go on a chartered day trip by coach to Delphi (2-3 hours away), site of the famous ancient temple. The ruins are extensive and some are amazingly intact. The museum is also fabulous. You may actually manage to get a decent Greek meal in this town, too!

Another town to see is Nafplio, which is, unfortunately, 2.5 hours in the other direction from Athens. Again, you may be able to find chartered day trips. If not, just go on a regularly-scheduled bus (KTEL). In that case, however, you should spend the night in the town. Book your hotel ahead of time because it gets very busy in August. Nafplio is a pretty seaside town with lots of little shops and cafes. It has a fort at the top of the hill, and a mini fort on a small island in the harbour. If you go to Nafplio, you should seriously consider making your way to nearby Epidavros. Like the Herodeion in Athens, they have a festival in this ancient theatre, with performances of ancient plays throughout the summer.

If you head out to any islands, keep in mind that they can be VERY expensive (especially places like Mykonos). You might want to consider the less expensive and less touristy - but equally stunning - Spetses and Hydra islands. These have the added advantage of being closer to both Athens and Nafplio.

What I've written above should take AT LEAST a week to see, so you may have to cut down on that. Perhaps you might try: 2 days in Athens, 1 day to and from Delphi, 1 day in Nafplio, and 2 days on a nearby island like Spetses.

Answer 2

You can't visit the whole of Greece in a week. But I understand that the time you can spend here is limited, so I'll give you a good schedule to see most of the "must see":
2 days in Athens: visit the Acropolis and the nearby archaeological sites, and have a walk in the historic area of Plaka. The next day you can visit one or two of the following museums: Benaki museum (arts from ancient to modern times, traditional greek art, etc), Cycladic art museum, Byzantine Museum, and National Archaeological Museum. Go up Lycabettus hill for dinner or a drink and a spectacular view.
3-4 days in the islands. Visit one of the following groups of islands: Sifnos-Milos, Naxos-Santorini, Andros - Syros - Mykonos . I give them in groups which are on the same ferry line, otherwise you have to get back to Piraeus and get another ferry.
1 day excursion in Nafplio, nice town in the Peloponnese by the sea, with castles, etc (2 hour drive from Athens), near the archaeological sites of Epidaurus and Mycenae, which you can also visit.
or 1 day excursion in Delphi and Hosios Loukas monastery, and the beautiful town Galaxidi, by the sea.
I could tell you more wonderful places to visit, like the medieval towns of Mistra and Monemvasia, or the amazing rocks Meteora with monasteries on top, or the picturesque villages of Pelion and the Zagorochoria, but you don't have enough time, they are far and you would spend most time on transport, plus they are not the best choices for the summer. In the summer it is worth being near the beautiful sea, the islands and the beaches.

Answer 3

the places to see above are all very good pieces of advice. As far as places to stay that are budget, you can't get much cheaper than free:

One possibility is to stay for free at people's homes. You would only pay for your transportation, and you would probably contribute to the cost of meals, but that is very, very cheap.

To do so check out

www.couchsurfing.com

this website connects people all over the world who are traveling--basically you sign up to find hosts, and in return, if some traveler is stranded near you in the future you open your home to them.

It's an amazing website.

Good luck and happy travels!

Answer 4

You can try these links
http://www.easytraveller.gr/ares.html

This takes you to the most important archaeological sites of Greece covering a big part of the mainland Greece
http://www.easytraveller.gr/odysseus.html
This is more in the islands and includes a 3 day cruise. I would say for a young couple this is the best
Have fun and enjoy your vacation

Answer 5

This tour is great (go to my sources), and definently the cheapest one I've found. However it does not include airfare, and you are going during the most expensive time to go to Greece. Anyways the tour is 9 nights/ 10 days and it includes everything you want to see in Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini! Have fun!

Answer 6

I recommend a cruise in Greece and the Greek islands.

http://www.cruise.gr