Traveling to Greece

[Athena Areias]

Dan, we spent 3 days in Athens (at the end of our trip- we had to leave from there anyway). It was not enough. I dragged my partner all over the sites surrounding the Acropolis. We never made it to the Benaki or the national museum (next time, I swear).

The Keramikos Museum and site is small, but hardly minor. It was absolutely amazing to be wandering around below modern street level and (dodging the whistle-blowing attendants) have my picture taken leaning against the ancient gate stones of Athens. The grave stones are haunting.

Save your $$ up. Go a year later if you have to. Greece seems to require a much slower pace than us USAians are used to. You have to be ready to spend twenty minutes sitting in the top row of the theatre at Epidaurus before you "get it". Rushing from place to place loses so much of the adventure.

Take your time. It seems like lots of people here can help you get the best Greek adventure possible.

[DanM]

Is four days in athens enough?

[DanM]

I now have the plan for $801 for the flight, 80 for a passport, 400 for 5 nights in athens, 40 for one night in Delphi, 200 for 2 nights in olympia, 80 for 1 night in corinth. PS yesterday at my library I put the learning greek software one hold. So I hope to get fluent by the time I go, and the current window gives me time between June 2009, and August 2013. So I have at least a little less than two years to get bilingual. I still need to figure out how I can get my $200 to $1600 in at least two years.

[Jona Lendering]

Is four days in athens enough?

That's sufficient. The plan itself looks great, and I think the airplane ticket can be cheaper. Don't underestimate the jet lag between Illinois and Athens! Most Greeks speak English, but if you learn some standard phrases, they will love you.

[DanM]

Learning greek will be useful to read many signs, and It sounds fun, so I'll at least learn a few phrases.

[DanM]

[Don't underestimate the jet lag between Illinois and Athens!

I can solve that by sleeping on plane. At least that's what my dad said. I was planning an experiment that would involve simulating a flight from chicago to munich by relaxing for several hours, while caffinating myself, to find a solution to jetlag, I might do some experiments this winter on jetlag, and which one works best, maybee a good science fair project.

[DanM]

Until I get true solid plans, or get the best plans I can make, I now dedicate my life to planning a trip to greece, and learning at school (and I can't forget my stuff I enjoy, too)

[DanM]

good meat- there is no need for sauces to disguise the shortcomings of the ingredients that are common in Western Europe and the USA.

Good, I like meat, not sauces. I think that greek food in the us is like the chineese food in the us thing. It's not really where it's from, but more of the people who make it, at least that's true about chineese.

[DanM]

I asked my parents, and they said this plan was really good. My dad said I should look at eurail cards. And $1700 for 10 days in greece is a great deal. And the flight for $801 is dirt cheap! (these prices are per person, and there's +$80 for passports.)

[Jona Lendering]

I asked my parents, and they said this plan was really good

I hope your enthusiasm will convince your parents that they like to go to Greece as well! Good luck!

[Jona Lendering]

I asked my parents, and they said this plan was really good

I hope your enthusiasm will convince your parents that they like to go to Greece as well!

Here's a trick: go to the library and get a book with many, many photos of pieces of art. In Dutch we use the expression "coffee table book": a book that is not just for reading, but for display when visitors arrive, so that -while you are making coffee- they have something pleasant to look at. Make sure that this book is always somewhere in the room, and no doubt your parents will -when they have nothing to do- leaf through it and be impressed. (That's how I made my father pay a trip to Rome, back in 1984.) :wink:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

That is a good deal Dan. I paid over 400 pounds for just a ticket alone 4 years ago from aberdeen to Athens.

[JP Vieira]

Hello
I went to Crete last summer and it was great.
The food is wonderful, people are very nice and helpful and there is a lot to see around or just to lay down on the beach.
The bus system is very well organized and inexpensive:
We went to Knossos by ourselves (no guides) and we get there with no problems (we were logged at some 60Km), fast, directly and spending very little money.
To me is worth going back and I plan (in a not very distant time) to go back and see other islands and the mainland; if the rest of Greece is as Crete it is worth the travel.
Many thanks to the Greek people for my best holydays so far.
Best regards
JP Vieira
PS: As I said the food is great, but if you still want to go to McDonalds try the McGreek (no kiding ) is the best McDonnalds' sandwiche I ever tasted.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Greece Rules Baybee!! :wink: :lol: 8)

[Athena Areias]

"My dad said I should look at eurail cards."

If you are looking at public transport, Greece's rail system might not work so well for you. The KTEL bus system seems to be much more connected to any where you might want to go. Lots of rail connections are down because the RR is converting to standardized rail gauges from the narrow-gauge systems. Check into it when you are actually ready to go. Stuff might be fixed by then. The KTEL website has been down for at least a year, so you can't research that on the web.