Greece itinerary ideas
Jan 16th, 2024, 03:39 PM
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Greece itinerary ideas
Hello my husband and I are planning on a trip to greece right as we arrive in Istanbul airport. We will be departing from Istanbul airport, headed towards one or two of the following Greek islands. However I'm having great difficulty choosing between which exact islands we should visit as I like several, and they seem to be far from one another. We are a married couple and enjoy relaxing at beaches and some nightlife is nice just not OVERLY crowded like or too expensive like Mykonos.
Please help me decide which islands to go to, and where to depart from to reach certain islands (such as los) which doesn't have an airport to fly into. Also would appreciate recommendations on which of two islands to visit first vs second.
Total trip: 10-12 days
Islands on my top list;
1. Crete & Zakynthos
(thinking of ferry from Heraklion)
2. los and Paros
3. Crete and Ios
4. Zakynthos and Corfu
I really like the nightlife in los and was wondering if Zakynthos Laganas has equal nightlife to that of los'.
If I go to los from Istanbul, should I fly into Paros or Santorini? Then take ferry to los. If I fly into Paros for my los trip, then I would just stay in Paros for a week then go to los via ferry. Not to mention, I am debating most between choosing options 1 or 2. Thank you so much!
Please help me decide which islands to go to, and where to depart from to reach certain islands (such as los) which doesn't have an airport to fly into. Also would appreciate recommendations on which of two islands to visit first vs second.
Total trip: 10-12 days
Islands on my top list;
- los
- Possibly Paros
- Crete
- Zakynthos
- Corfu?
1. Crete & Zakynthos
(thinking of ferry from Heraklion)
2. los and Paros
3. Crete and Ios
4. Zakynthos and Corfu
I really like the nightlife in los and was wondering if Zakynthos Laganas has equal nightlife to that of los'.
If I go to los from Istanbul, should I fly into Paros or Santorini? Then take ferry to los. If I fly into Paros for my los trip, then I would just stay in Paros for a week then go to los via ferry. Not to mention, I am debating most between choosing options 1 or 2. Thank you so much!
Jan 16th, 2024, 07:06 PM
#2
It seems strange to fly into Turkey then straight away head to Greece. If you will be in Istanbul, why not see something of Turkey first, then head to Greece. Where do you fly out of, to go home?
With the Greek Islands, if you can visit islands that are on the same ferry route, it will save a lot of time. Otherwise you may need to return to Piraeus (Athens) and then catch another ferry back out.
With the Greek Islands, if you can visit islands that are on the same ferry route, it will save a lot of time. Otherwise you may need to return to Piraeus (Athens) and then catch another ferry back out.
Jan 16th, 2024, 07:12 PM
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Well our actual trip is going to Istanbul to visit my Husbands family, I just decided to combine Greece with it because we usually like to go somewhere other than Turkey since I’ve already been to Turkey 5 times and actually got married in Bosporus last year. We usually combine trips as we will visit Turkey yearly
It seems strange to fly into Turkey then straight away head to Greece. If you will be in Istanbul, why not see something of Turkey first, then head to Greece. Where do you fly out of, to go home?
With the Greek Islands, if you can visit islands that are on the same ferry route, it will save a lot of time. Otherwise you may need to return to Piraeus (Athens) and then catch another ferry back out.
With the Greek Islands, if you can visit islands that are on the same ferry route, it will save a lot of time. Otherwise you may need to return to Piraeus (Athens) and then catch another ferry back out.
Jan 16th, 2024, 11:41 PM
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Forget Option 1 unless you really like spending time in airports. There are no ferries from Piraeus to Zakynthos, or ferries between Zakynthos and Crete. that would mean four separate flights connecting in Athens to combine those two islands.
Logistically Option 2 would be easiest, as Ios and Naxos are close together, and well connected by ferry. From Paros, as well as excellent beaches, there are many opportunities for day trips to other islands, including Antiparos, Naxos, and Delos/Mykonos.
Unless I missed it, you didn’t say which month you are travelling. Even the so called party islands are quiet outside high season (July and August). Are you attracted to Zakynthos partly from photos of the shipwreck beach (Navagio)? what the photos don’t show are the crowds that go by boat to the beach, or the fact that it is pebbles rather than sand. I believe the beach was closed recently for danger of rockfall.
Logistically Option 2 would be easiest, as Ios and Naxos are close together, and well connected by ferry. From Paros, as well as excellent beaches, there are many opportunities for day trips to other islands, including Antiparos, Naxos, and Delos/Mykonos.
Unless I missed it, you didn’t say which month you are travelling. Even the so called party islands are quiet outside high season (July and August). Are you attracted to Zakynthos partly from photos of the shipwreck beach (Navagio)? what the photos don’t show are the crowds that go by boat to the beach, or the fact that it is pebbles rather than sand. I believe the beach was closed recently for danger of rockfall.
Jan 17th, 2024, 12:54 AM
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I don’t mind airports, and I saw there was a ferry option from Zakynthos to Heraklion specifically, found ferry tickets. And yes that’s 4 separate flights. Such a hard decision…
Forget Option 1 unless you really like spending time in airports. There are no ferries from Piraeus to Zakynthos, or ferries between Zakynthos and Crete. that would mean four separate flights connecting in Athens to combine those two islands.
Logistically Option 2 would be easiest, as Ios and Naxos are close together, and well connected by ferry. From Paros, as well as excellent beaches, there are many opportunities for day trips to other islands, including Antiparos, Naxos, and Delos/Mykonos.
Unless I missed it, you didn’t say which month you are travelling. Even the so called party islands are quiet outside high season (July and August). Are you attracted to Zakynthos partly from photos of the shipwreck beach (Navagio)? what the photos don’t show are the crowds that go by boat to the beach, or the fact that it is pebbles rather than sand. I believe the beach was closed recently for danger of rockfall.
Logistically Option 2 would be easiest, as Ios and Naxos are close together, and well connected by ferry. From Paros, as well as excellent beaches, there are many opportunities for day trips to other islands, including Antiparos, Naxos, and Delos/Mykonos.
Unless I missed it, you didn’t say which month you are travelling. Even the so called party islands are quiet outside high season (July and August). Are you attracted to Zakynthos partly from photos of the shipwreck beach (Navagio)? what the photos don’t show are the crowds that go by boat to the beach, or the fact that it is pebbles rather than sand. I believe the beach was closed recently for danger of rockfall.
Jan 17th, 2024, 02:38 AM
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A ferry from Zakynthos to Heraklion would be nice, indeed. But it never existed, neither in this, nor in the last Century.
If you opt for Crete, spend all 10 days there.Even that will not be enouigh for a somewhat decent visit of this big Island.
In summer season Ios can be reached by direct catamaran from Rafina port (30 min by taxi from Athens airport) as well as by catamaran and slow ferry from Piraeus port (1 1/2 - 2 hrs by commuter train, metro or bus from Athens airport).
You may also book a connecting flight from Athens airport to Paros, Naxos or Santorini and go on from there by ferry or catamaran. All depends on the boat and fllight timetables..
If you don't want ti fly via Athens, you may also focus on a Dodecannese or Eastern Aegean Island, of easy reach from the airports of Dalaman and Bodrum, resp. Izmir.
If you opt for Crete, spend all 10 days there.Even that will not be enouigh for a somewhat decent visit of this big Island.
In summer season Ios can be reached by direct catamaran from Rafina port (30 min by taxi from Athens airport) as well as by catamaran and slow ferry from Piraeus port (1 1/2 - 2 hrs by commuter train, metro or bus from Athens airport).
You may also book a connecting flight from Athens airport to Paros, Naxos or Santorini and go on from there by ferry or catamaran. All depends on the boat and fllight timetables..
If you don't want ti fly via Athens, you may also focus on a Dodecannese or Eastern Aegean Island, of easy reach from the airports of Dalaman and Bodrum, resp. Izmir.
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