Greece - Athens, Delphi, Santorino, Crete

[mbferruggia]

So excited just book the July 18 adventure to Greece. Is anyone booked on that trip?? Traveling with my 15 year old daughter. Wondering if anyone has any shopping or restaurant suggestions.

 

[sayhello]

Congrats on booking your Greece ABD, mbferruggia! I took this trip last summer, and it is FABULOUS!!! We have several people on this Forum who have taken the trip (check out the Trip Report Sticky at the top of the Forum - the trip used to be called Greek Odyssey)! I'll be back later with some recommendations when I have time to think.

I've added you to the Roll Call on the Meets thread for the Greek Trip. There's no one else listed on your departure yet, but a lot of great discussion there.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2933934

Sayhello

 

[mbferruggia]

Thank you Sayhello. Any information you can provide me with is appreciated. We have traveled on ABD before and loved em. We are going to Mykonos 2 days before our adventure starts and staying one extra day in Crete post adventure. Our travel agent recommended we switch hotels just for a change of scenery. If I change hotels they do not provide transportation to the airport. So I am still unsure what to do post adventure.

 

[sayhello]

Thank you Sayhello. Any information you can provide me with is appreciated. We have traveled on ABD before and loved em. We are going to Mykonos 2 days before our adventure starts and staying one extra day in Crete post adventure. Our travel agent recommended we switch hotels just for a change of scenery. If I change hotels they do not provide transportation to the airport. So I am still unsure what to do post adventure.

OK, I'm going to say, the hotel (actually, the resort) on Crete is amazing! Beautiful rooms with large balconies overlooking the Aegean Sea. Several really nice restaurants. A lovely Spa. Beautiful grounds and a beach. If it was me, I'd just stay there. I don't know that it would be worth packing up & moving for just one night! Plus, it's such a gorgeous place! But that's just my opinion. The place you move to could be gorgeous, too!

And the transport is nice, especially since you'll probably need to leave early if you're connecting through Athens. But I wouldn't make a decision based solely on the transfers.

Feel free to ask all the questions you want. I really, really need to finish my Trip Report for this trip...

Sayhello

 

[abdgeek]

So excited just book the July 18 adventure to Greece. Is anyone booked on that trip?? Traveling with my 15 year old daughter. Wondering if anyone has any shopping or restaurant suggestions.

I did the trip in 2012 and really enjoyed the shopping in the Plaka(found some really nice sterling silver jewelry there-at the foot of the Acropolis-- in Athens that I always get compliments on when I wear them--don't remember the name of the shop, kind of stumbled on it). I went in a day early and had two full days to sightsee before the ABD started. I also got handmade sandals from "The Poet Sandal Maker--Melissinos Stravros(his son is running the shop now)---reviews in Tripadvisor and has his own website". His store is in Monastiraki Square, about two blocks from Syntagma Square. They only take euros and bring your patience. They do great work, but the secret is out and a lot of people from the cruise ships come to his shop. Syntagma Square also has a lot of shops, many that we have in the US.

I chose to fly back to Athens and spend a post-night there at the Athenaeum Intercontinental instead of staying in Crete at the hotel because it was a lot cheaper. As Sayhello said, the hotel in Crete is great but there is really nothing there but the resort and I want to say the airport was about an hour away. If you want to go into town where all the restaurants and shops are, you will have to take a taxi. Otherwise, your only option is to eat at the resort which is rather expensive--I think the dinner buffet was 50 euros--some cheaper things on the room service menu. Porto Eloundo Resort does have a nationally ranked spa. If it's like it was when I went, ABD gives you time to go to the spa(on your dime of course). I did one of the body treatments and LOVED it.

If you haven't already, check out the Frommer's website for the Greek cities you want. They have great maps that show where the attractions, hotels, and restaurants are.

 

[sayhello]

I agree with abdgeek about shopping in the Plaka. Tons of stuff, it goes on & on forever, quite an array of things!

I also really liked the shopping in the town of Plaka on Crete, after the visit to Spinalonga. Not a huge number of shops, but they had a nice selection of stuff. Among other things, I also got a necklace that has gotten a lot of compliments (very reasonably priced) and I got a decorative bottle of olive oil. The olive oil is now gone (Yum!) but the bottle makes a nice souvenir!

Oia is rather touristy, but there were a lot of nice shops there, too.

I did room service at the Porto Eloundo Resort on Crete. It wasn't too expensive, and they set the dinner up on my balcony, and I sat out there, eating while admiring the view. Not a bad way to spend an evening!

That said, I also went back to Athens for my post-night. I was glad I did, because I was sick during my 2 pre-days in Athens, so there were some things I missed doing that I was able to do on the post-day (the ancient Agora and the Museum of the Acropolis. Both fantastic!)

Sayhello

 

[mbferruggia]

Love all this information. Thank you. We just finalized our plans. We are departing on July 15th arriving into Mykonos on the 16th, spending two nights there and then flying into Athens on the 18th at 3:00 which is the first day of our adventure. I hope to get to the Poet Sandal Maker during our time in Athens. How far is it from the hotel??? My daughter has size 5 feet so she would love a pair of sandals. On our post adventure we are moving to a starwood property on Crete. I have so many points we used them for this hotel. It is inconvenient to move but ABD wanted over $500 for post night. Our room at the other hotel has a private pool with sea views so we are excited about that.

 

[mbferruggia]

Is anyone going on the July 18th -27 ABD to Greece

 

[abdgeek]

Love all this information. Thank you. We just finalized our plans. We are departing on July 15th arriving into Mykonos on the 16th, spending two nights there and then flying into Athens on the 18th at 3:00 which is the first day of our adventure. I hope to get to the Poet Sandal Maker during our time in Athens. How far is it from the hotel??? My daughter has size 5 feet so she would love a pair of sandals. On our post adventure we are moving to a starwood property on Crete. I have so many points we used them for this hotel. It is inconvenient to move but ABD wanted over $500 for post night. Our room at the other hotel has a private pool with sea views so we are excited about that.

The hotel has a shuttle bus that will drop you off in Syntagma Square at the McDonald's(ask at the front desk for the schedule). When you are facing McDonald's, walk down the street on the left side of the building. The Poet Sandalmaker is about a 5 minute walk down the street. Make sure you have the address and look at the street signs. Once there, they will give you a menu of the sandals they sell, you will tell them your size, they will give you a pair to try on, and then he will fit them to your feet. With mine, he had to take the shoe apart and put it back together again. I've never had a pair of sandals before that fit so well and felt so good! I never buy sandals at home because they don't fit right. Now that problem is solved!

 

[mbferruggia]

Omg thank you for such detailed information. I am so excited to get a pair of sandals made. This might be one of the highlights of our trip.

 

[mbferruggia]

I just got my box from ABD so we 45 days out. So excited!! Inside our box for my daughter and I is the handbook, two luggage tags, an open canvas bag and a document holder. Been traveling on ABD for several years and we always got backpacks, messenger bags and other goodies. Surprised we only got 1 bag since its two of us traveling. Is this what the package is to include this year??

 

[tufbuf]

I just got my box from ABD so we 45 days out. So excited!! Inside our box for my daughter and I is the handbook, two luggage tags, an open canvas bag and a document holder. Been traveling on ABD for several years and we always got backpacks, messenger bags and other goodies. Surprised we only got 1 bag since its two of us traveling. Is this what the package is to include this year??

Yes, that is all they are giving away now.

 

[mbferruggia]

Thanks tufbuf. We use to get so many goodies

 

[tufbuf]

Thanks tufbuf. We use to get so many goodies

You are welcome!! The Greece ABD is Awesome!! Just prepare for the heat!

 

[mbferruggia]

Thanks again tufbuf. I read it was going to be 90 in Athens but 15 degrees cooler in the islands (so around 75). Was it that much cooler??

 

[tufbuf]

Thanks again tufbuf. I read it was going to be 90 in Athens but 15 degrees cooler in the islands (so around 75). Was it that much cooler??

I was soaking in sweat especially in Oia. Our most brutal day was the hike on the caldera. Santorini weather was hot and I think Crete was a bit cooler.

 

[mbferruggia]

Thanks for the update. Helps me on what to pack. One month until we are off to Greece.