08-23-2007, 08:40 AM
I would suggest this:
11/1-2
- Fly from chicago to athens- connecting in madrid on Iberia Airlines
- check in to athens hotel
11/3
- agora
- acropolis
- theaters on south slope
(start at agora; it is situated in a valley and can become unpleasantly hot; so go there at dawn)
11/4
- roman agora
- arch of Hadrian and temple of olympian zeus
- stadium of Herodes Atticus
- National Archealogical Museum
11/5
- other sights in Athens that your family may like
- or visit to Aegina (not terribly interesting)
11/6*
- Marathon
11/7*
- Bus direction Lamia
- Visit to Thermopylae
- take a bus to Delphi
- check in to delphi hotel
11/8
- Delphi
11/9
- Delphi, rest day
(go to Itea for a swim, make a walk through the olive groves, or something)
11/10**
- take a bus to Patra
- take a bus to Olympia
- check in to Olympia hotel
11/11
- Olympia
11/12-13**
- take direct bus from Olympia to Athens
- Fly back
*
I am trying to imagine what your family will think about these days. You invite them to make detours to battlefields, where nothing is to be seen, except for (in my opinion: ugly) modern monuments and small hills. For the day at Marathon, you can go there for your father, and leave your mother and sister in Athens: no doubt there are museums they will like, or shops they like to visit. (I was there with my best friend last summer, and our ladies forced us to see more shoe shops than we liked - better to go different ways.
)
The detour to Thermopylae will be more problematic, although I think they must grant it to you; make it easy for them by explaining its importance well before you go there. I forced my friends to go to the battlefield of Philippi, and there I suddenly produced some Dutch sweeties they like, as a token that I had appreciated their patience.
**
During these days, you will not see very many things: just moving from Delphi to Olympia, and from Olympia to Athens. Fortunately, the rocky coasts and mountains are always spectacular.
You may make things a lot easier for yourself and your relatives if you can manage to rent a car. Visa and Hertz are everywhere in Greece, and as you return to Athens, it is pretty easy. The advantage is that you can make stops at lesser monuments, and can include non-classical things that your relatives may appreciate, or can just stop to gaze at the scenery. It makes the days more pleasant.
11/1-2
- Fly from chicago to athens- connecting in madrid on Iberia Airlines
- check in to athens hotel
11/3
- agora
- acropolis
- theaters on south slope
(start at agora; it is situated in a valley and can become unpleasantly hot; so go there at dawn)
11/4
- roman agora
- arch of Hadrian and temple of olympian zeus
- stadium of Herodes Atticus
- National Archealogical Museum
11/5
- other sights in Athens that your family may like
- or visit to Aegina (not terribly interesting)
11/6*
- Marathon
11/7*
- Bus direction Lamia
- Visit to Thermopylae
- take a bus to Delphi
- check in to delphi hotel
11/8
- Delphi
11/9
- Delphi, rest day
(go to Itea for a swim, make a walk through the olive groves, or something)
11/10**
- take a bus to Patra
- take a bus to Olympia
- check in to Olympia hotel
11/11
- Olympia
11/12-13**
- take direct bus from Olympia to Athens
- Fly back
*
I am trying to imagine what your family will think about these days. You invite them to make detours to battlefields, where nothing is to be seen, except for (in my opinion: ugly) modern monuments and small hills. For the day at Marathon, you can go there for your father, and leave your mother and sister in Athens: no doubt there are museums they will like, or shops they like to visit. (I was there with my best friend last summer, and our ladies forced us to see more shoe shops than we liked - better to go different ways.
)The detour to Thermopylae will be more problematic, although I think they must grant it to you; make it easy for them by explaining its importance well before you go there. I forced my friends to go to the battlefield of Philippi, and there I suddenly produced some Dutch sweeties they like, as a token that I had appreciated their patience.
**
During these days, you will not see very many things: just moving from Delphi to Olympia, and from Olympia to Athens. Fortunately, the rocky coasts and mountains are always spectacular.
You may make things a lot easier for yourself and your relatives if you can manage to rent a car. Visa and Hertz are everywhere in Greece, and as you return to Athens, it is pretty easy. The advantage is that you can make stops at lesser monuments, and can include non-classical things that your relatives may appreciate, or can just stop to gaze at the scenery. It makes the days more pleasant.
