Truly one of the best ways to see Greece is to plan a
Greek Island Hopping Vacation. This can be done by air, by sea or a
combination of the two. Budget and timing are a serious consideration as they
will dictate how many different islands you can see, and what class of hotels
you should be looking at. Know that the islands you choose will also make
a difference in pricing as some are more visited, thus more expensive, while
others are lesser known and less expensive.
Here are some things to consider before getting started; 1)
the destinations you are interested in 2) the different types of transportation
available 3) choosing your hotels 4) planning some sightseeing and fun
activities.
Start with your budget and dates.
A reasonable budget, for a couple traveling from the USA
or Canada to Greece and staying for one week, would be about €2,500 per person.
This would include the international plane tickets, your transportation on the
islands and accommodations in 3 and 4 star hotels. You should plan on a night or two in Athens,
either at the start or finish of the trip, and no less than 3 nights on each
island. This will give you a true feel for each place you visit.
Dates will make a difference as the international plane tickets
are much more expensive for July and August (as are the hotels) and, you can't
check availability at the hotels if you don’t have a good idea of the dates you
wish to stay in them. Preparing a 1 week island hopping package for the end of
May in 4 star hotels will be less expensive than preparing an island hopping
package for the end of July which will be double if not triple the price of a
May package.
Choosing which islands to visit.
This is a tricky part of the planning process and you
will see why when we get to transportation. There are over 6000 Greek islands
with about 230 of them being inhabited and only 78 having a population of more
than 100 people. This is still a huge number of potential islands to choose
from!
When working with clients I would usually get a sense of
who they are through our correspondences and then recommend which islands will
be best for them. I have a 6th sense about this but it is absolutely useless
when addressing the entire web... but I will try!
If you are looking for romance, look at Santorini and
Elounda in Crete. If you are looking for fun, Mykonos, Corfu, Kos, Zakynthos,
Hersonissos in Crete. If you are looking for peace and quiet with beautiful
landscapes try Paxos and Kefalonia or island hop from Sifnos to Milos to
Koufonissi. There are many islands that make great combinations, just open a
map that has the sea routes on it and you will see what connections are
possible.
Many great Island Hopping trips include a combination of
nearby islands that are easy to navigate from one to the other with little
waste of time or money for the ships.
For a 1 week visit, I recommend Mykonos and Santorini as a good start if
you have not been to Greece before. If these islands are too expensive for you
or too busy for you, then go for Tinos and Paros, or maybe Folegandros and
Santorini, or even Mykonos and Tinos.
Island hopping transportation
If choosing your destination was tricky, this part of the
process will seem impossible. There are a few things that you should know
before you start, namely that the islands may look like they are close together
but the distances are much greater than you think. Most islands do not connect easily by boat to
other island chains and none of the islands connect to each other by commercial
flight, some of them don’t even have airports!
If you choose destinations in the same island chain, you have a better
chance of making quick, easy boat trips from one place to the other - open a
map of Greece and look for the sea routes.
Choosing your hotels on the islands
There are several different types and classes of hotels
you can choose from on the islands. Smaller, less traveled islands may not have
luxury hotels at all. I have had many clients ask me for a 5 star hotel on
Tinos and it just doesn't exist. Most islands have choices ranging from luxury
(5 star), first class (4 star), average (3 star) or budget (2 star and pension
rooms). There are also studios, apartments and villas. Within these choices you
have the standard room, the sea view room, the superior, deluxe, suite etc. You
will also need to decide where on the island you would prefer to stay, on the
beach, in town or in one of the little villages inland or sea-side.
Sightseeing and activities on your island hopping
adventure.
Each island will have something to do and it is worth
looking into before you travel although many tours are based upon weather
and/or participation so you might not be able to book them in advance. Still,
knowing what you want to do when you get there will make it much easier to
enjoy your stay.
Sunset and day cruises around the islands are usually
done quite well. An Island Tour will always prove interesting and useful in
getting to know where you are and taking lots of photos you wouldn't otherwise
get. There are scuba diving clubs all over Greece where you can try or enjoy
diving; just about all of them will rent snorkel gear for the day. Then there
are bigger excursions like visiting the ancient sites or hiking a gorge on
Crete. Wine tasting and cooking courses are also a great way to get to know
what is grown locally and how it is prepared by the locals. Hiking in itself is
a free and amazing way to see the area you are staying in. You should also ask
your hotel reception where the locals eat and try it.
If you would like help planning a trip, I am a
professional Travel Agent and will plan out a trip for you for free. If you are satisfied and want to book any
portion or the whole thing, I can help you do that too and ask only that you
use my links or offer a small donation in exchange. Contact me at MessinaL917@gmail.com
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