- Monday, May 13 – Flew out of BWI around noon (USAir) to Philadelphia for a 4:20 flight to Athens.
- Tuesday, May 14 – Arrived in Athens [map] around 9:15 (approximately 10 hour flight from PHL). Cool (60 degrees) and rainy morning in Athens (warmed up, later). Met a fellow American traveler at the airport (John Rogers from Philadelphia) and the two of us took the subway from the airport to the Syngrou-Fix station (8 €), the closest stop to my hotel, the Athenian Callirhoe. Rested for awhile, then walked to the Plaka for lunch (souvlaki and beer). Strolled down to the Temple of Zeus and Arch of Hadrian, then walked around town until sunset (met the first of three con artists I encountered in Athens). Headed back to the hotel for dinner in the rooftop restaurant, with the illuminated Parthenon in the near distance. Met a nice mother and daughter at the next table and chatted throughout dinner.
- Wednesday, May 15 – Breakfast at the hotel (great selection of food, including a big bowl of oranges for the juicer). After breakfast, took the subway to Omonoia Square and grabbed a Greek frappe for the walk to the National Archaeological Museum. Toured the museum for about 3 hours, then had lunch in the cafe on the museum grounds. After lunch I did the Rick Steves’ Athens City Walk, starting at Syntagma Square, winding down Ermou and Pandrossou Streets, through the Plaka, up the hill of the Parthenon, past the Roman Forum, and wrapping up in Monastiraki Square. Grabbed the subway back to the hotel, cleaned up, and walked back to the Plaka for dinner (grilled sardines, Greek salad, and big beer).
- Thursday, May 16 – Met a bus from Chat Tours at the hotel at 7:30, heading to Mycenae [map], Nafplio [map], and Epidaurus [map] (tour guide: Daphne). Stopped briefly at the Corinth Canal, grabbed some coffee at the tourist shop, and checked out the canal from the pedestrian bridge. Arrived at Mycenae (UNESCO link) around 10AM, and spent a couple of hours touring the main site, the Treasury of Atreus, and the museum. Enjoyed lunch at a nearby hotel (dined with an Austrian economist and his wife, and a financial analyst from India who was in Greece for a professional meeting). Short trip from the lunch spot to Nafplio (a cruise ship destination), where we spent about hour or so meandering through the streets, then on to Epidaurus. Returned to Athens in the early evening, and enjoyed another dinner in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.
- Friday, May 17 – Breakfast in the hotel, then another early rendezvous with Chat for a tour to Delphi [map] (tour guide: Katarina). After a beautiful ride into the mountains north of Athens, arrived in Delphi around 10AM. Toured the ruins of Delphi for several hours, then met the tour group in the museum for a brief walk-through. Enjoyed lunch at a local hotel (dined with David from Washington, who works with Sea Shepherds, and Jim and Iris from Chicago), then headed back to Athens, arriving around 8PM (met fellow REI-travellers Chris, Stephanie, and Elsa in the hotel lobby, then headed back to the hotel dining room for a late dinner).
- Saturday, May 18 – Early breakfast, then walked to the Ancient Agora, where I spent most of the morning. Had lunch near the Agora (gyro, fried potatoes, and a frappe), then wandered around near the Acropolis and back downhill to the Acropolis Museum (free museum day in Athens, so the place was jam-packed). Headed back to the hotel in the early afternoon, cleaned up , and met REI group in the hotel lobby: Jason and Emily Stein from Lutherville, MD, Chris and Stephanie Berry from Folsom, CA , Denise Dahl from Amsterdam, Amy Leathe from Boston, Mark and Jean Brodie from Denver, Elsa Angel from the Virgin Islands, and Gloria Lee from New York. The tour guides were Dimitris Papageorgiou and Maria Efstratiadou, both from Athens. After introductions, we took a brief walk through the Plaka, up to Mars Hill for the sunset view, then to dinner at a rooftop cafe. Headed back to the hotel after dinner, and packed up for the Sunday afternoon ferry to Tinos.
- Sunday, May 19 – Met the REI gang at breakfast, then walked to the Acropolis for a tour with a local guide (Katarina). After the tour, we rejoined Dimitris and Maria on a tour bus, headed up to Syntagma Square for the changing of the guard, then rode to Piraeus to board the ferry to Tinos [map]. More frappes in a cafe in Piraeus, while we were waiting for the ferry. Dimitris provided bag dinners (salad and Greek pies) for the ferry ride, and Jason and Chris provided wine. Arrived in Tinos after sunset, and took a quick bus ride to the hotel.
- Monday, May 20 – Leisurely morning, with breakfast at the hotel, then transported to Feletados for our day’s hike. Hiked through fields and up a gentle grade to a small (closed) monastery, then up to the summit of Mount Exombourgo, with spectacular views of the island and the Aegean. Headed down to the small village of Volax for lunch, then on to Agapi where we met our bus for the trip back to the hotel. Rested for an hour or so, and then joined the group for a walk through town and a tour of the Panagia Evaggelistria church, the most popular pilgrimmage site for Greeks. Dinner at a restaurant in town, then back to the hotel to pack up for the trip to Naxos.
- Tuesday, May 21 – Another leisurely morning, then down to the port to catch the ferry to Naxos [map]. Ferry troubles forced a reroute to Mykonos [map], where we had time to tour “Little Venice” and walk through town. When we got back to the pier, we learned that the fast ferry to Naxos wasn’t running, so we ended up hanging around for a few hours playing cards at the dock. Left Mykonos in the early afternoon on a slow ferry and arrived in Naxos around sunset. Checked in to the hotel, then drove to visit the Vallindras Distillery, and to dinner in Halki.
- Wednesday, May 22 – Breakfast at the hotel, then took a bus ride to the small chapel at Santa Marina, at the foot of Mt Zas. Spent the morning hiking to the summit (lots of goats, great views from the rocky summit, 3400 feet…highest point in the Cyclades), then hiked back down to the chapel for a picnic lunch. After lunch we hiked to Filoti where we met the bus back to the hotel. Walked from the hotel down to the beach and took a dip in the chilly Aegean (cloudy day made the temperature a little cool for swimming). Showered at the hotel, then spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Naxos. Met the group for dinner at a restaurant at the port (birthday cake after dinner).
- Thursday, May 23 – After breakfast at the hotel, I walked into town to visit the Naxos archaeological museum…funky little museum but a great collection. After the museum visit, I lounged at a seaside cafe (coffee and a freshy baked donut), then strolled around town until it was time to meet the ferry to Santorini [map]. Landed in Santorini in the early afternoon, then took a bus up the steeply switchbacked road to the top of the seaside cliffs that form the caldera. Walked into town for lunch, then returned to the hotel to rest for awhile. Met the group for the hike into town where we enjoyed watching the sun set over the Aegean during dinner.
- Friday, May 24 – Met the group around 9 for the caldera hike from Fira to Oia.
- Saturday, May 25 – Akrotiri, Fira Archaeological Museum, lunch with group in Fira, tram ride to port, back to hotel to pack up, plane to Athens
- Sunday, May 26 – early breakfast and subway ride to A/P with Denise and Amy, flight home, layover in PHL, then quick flight to BWI where Susan was waiting to give me a ride home.
Kerry Snow's Travel Blog (and other stuff)
