The only ferry will be the early morning Blue Star that leaves around 7 or 7:30am. Let’s take your own suggestions one by one.1) Peloponnese and perhaps Kythera (do some exploring in this area, perhaps visit Kalamata)You can tour the Peloponnese in a hire car making a clockwise or anticlockwise circle and easily fill up your two weeks. After my research I have selected the following hotels for my stay. Herodion has a great location near the Acropolis Museum and Plaka (and below the Acropolis itself). Villa Anto is a 10/12 minute walk from Fira. Need your advice, I am considering to stay at the Intercontinental, Hilton, or Radisson Blu Park Hotel on hotel point redemptions. This rather small island comes generally as a pleasant surprise to most visitors and garners its fair share of repeat day – or even longer stay – trippers.
We will be staying for 2.5 days in Athens first then take the ferry to Santorini to spend another 2.5 days there before flying out from Santorini to Athens then Athens going back home on the same day.Athens and Santorini can be great in November as long as you’re not expecting sunny days at the beach. Specially as I am travelling with a baby.I much prefer taking the ferry. You won’t need a car on either – as there aren’t any, at least not for tourists and private motorists. Overall, Aegina is a lived-in ‘Greek’ island where many Athenians have holiday homes, or to which many landlocked residents flock on weekends to get a taste of the seaside close to home, so Aegina can get busy – even in Winter. In Santorini, Aressana is the nicest of those hotels and a super-central location (but no direct caldera views). Would you recommend staying in that neighborhood and taking some other form of transportation (taxi), or spending the night closer to the airport (if so, can you recommend a budget hotel)?The first train from Monastiraki to the airport leaves around 5:50am so train is not an option for you. If you’re catching one of these ferries then stay close to the Monastiraki metro station (which has quick direct trains to the ferry port for just 1.40€).
There is a X95 bus that leaves from Syntagma Square to the airport 24 hours a day – and costs €5. The walk from the Radisson Blu goes through the roughest section of central Athens – more ugly than dangerous – but it’s very close to the National Archaeological Museum which is the best museum in Greece. The only caveat is that you won’t be walking out your door and enjoying the Plaka or Acropolis.
If you don’t make it to the metro station in time there will be plenty of taxis in Piraeus to take you downtown.In Santorini, the main bus station in Fira will post a bus schedule for buses going to the port a day before. Booking ferry tickets 2 to 4 weeks in advance is fine (unless there is one specific ferry that you must be on, the book earlier). I just stayed at the Grande Bretagne a few weeks back and it still has a ton a charm that makes it the best hotel in Athens. 5 Couples to be precise. Thanks for creating such a great site – we’ve been using it to plan our entire Greece Itinerary – my boyfriend and I will be traveling there in May. The Acropolis and the main archaeological sights lie to the south.
Thank you for all the information!Nice hotel. Syntagma is the center of anything “official” going on.If your in Santorini for 2 to 4 days then only stay at Absolute Bliss.
Get to Piraeus (the ferry port) about 30 to 40 minutes before the ferry departs and buy at the Blue Star ticket kiosk (it’s located directly across from the metro station, you can’t miss it). We will be travelling with all of our luggage and cash on us so I am a bit concerned being around so many people who find themselves in a desparate situation. Electra has the beautiful rooftop pool and is a little closer to the metro station at Syntagma. I’d say 2 nights at the GB and 1 at the Westin would be a nice mix. You’re right, it is more classical luxury than modern luxury.What would you recommend for a day and a half in Athens in May? Or should I just stay at the hotel Bretagne. If you feel like walking all that off, then hike along the bottom of one of Europe’s greatest canyons – the Vikos Gorge. It’s a 4 star hotel but rates are not that expensive.
It’s very central for seeing all the best historical sights in Athens (except for the National Archaeological Museum which is a little out of the way and requires a short metro or taxi ride).
Should we try to avoid the port area and book a flight instead? It kindle ticks all the boxes (rooftop pool, gym, area, peice etc) What are your thoughts? This is where you will probably want to focus your stay in Athens and do your walking.Get a multi-site archaeological ticket (€20) – basically the cost of the entry ticket to the Acropolis and visit a further six archaeological sites at no further cost. Do you know of any quirky, hip, different hotels or boutique guesthouses that aren’t too expensive?2) We have no idea where to go and have learned of late that for two weeks its best to choose two islands close together and leave it at that, that anything else is impossible. Hotel Reviews and Travel Guides to Santorini, Greece, Italy, Europe, Asia, USA, Canada, and Mexico - The best hotels, resorts, and places to stay. We would like to keep within budget in Athens and not splurge much on stay,but do want to opt for a good cosy and neat place.