first greece trip ... Amanzoe and ??
Nov 16, 2018, 8:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pleasanton CA
Posts: 94
first greece trip ... Amanzoe and ??
Hi. just wanted to get a few ideas about how to spend the 1st 10 days of June in Greece next year. arrive Athens late, staying overnight at the Grand Bretagne. 4 following nights at Amanzoe, then everything is up for grabs. any suggestions for where to go/what to do prior to a flight out of Athens 5 days later? I'd like a nice contrast to Amanzoe, but the resorts on Santorini may be too busy/touristy for me. looking for an island hotel/resort that has excellent service and also a full list of activities. all thoughts/ideas appreciated!
Nov 17, 2018, 5:10 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: London
Programs: Avios
Posts: 166
Santorini is crowded but still utterly beautiful! I highly recommend it, I went in June and it was less busy than I've seen pictures of it being.
I did Grande Bretagne and Amanzoe in September. You're in for a treat!
I did Grande Bretagne and Amanzoe in September. You're in for a treat!
Nov 17, 2018, 6:08 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Gold, DL MM 8/22/16!
Posts: 2,563
Bookstore, Amazon and/or library for an armload of travel guides. And www.tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews and lists of things to do.
For travel guides, I favor Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. But these are budget simple hiking back-packing ones. I'd guess you will want the more upscale ones. There are many very different ones. Browse the various ones until you find which appeals to you personally. Fodors and Insight might be good starts.
It doesn't always work, but worth looking for the Greek equivalent of our Chamber of Commerce, and writing or emailing. I once got a lovely brochure from France that way. "The Painters of the Light". It described where the French Impressionists worked and lived. And had a suggested trail for seeing the locations and museum of their work, all along the south of France. I followed it and it was one of my more memorable and successful trips. I think trips need a goal or an overarching plan or a reason. Why are you going to Greece?
For travel guides, I favor Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. But these are budget simple hiking back-packing ones. I'd guess you will want the more upscale ones. There are many very different ones. Browse the various ones until you find which appeals to you personally. Fodors and Insight might be good starts.
It doesn't always work, but worth looking for the Greek equivalent of our Chamber of Commerce, and writing or emailing. I once got a lovely brochure from France that way. "The Painters of the Light". It described where the French Impressionists worked and lived. And had a suggested trail for seeing the locations and museum of their work, all along the south of France. I followed it and it was one of my more memorable and successful trips. I think trips need a goal or an overarching plan or a reason. Why are you going to Greece?
Nov 17, 2018, 6:54 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,600
Bookstore, Amazon and/or library for an armload of travel guides. And www.tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews and lists of things to do.
For travel guides, I favor Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. But these are budget simple hiking back-packing ones. I'd guess you will want the more upscale ones. There are many very different ones. Browse the various ones until you find which appeals to you personally. Fodors and Insight might be good starts.
It doesn't always work, but worth looking for the Greek equivalent of our Chamber of Commerce, and writing or emailing. I once got a lovely brochure from France that way. "The Painters of the Light". It described where the French Impressionists worked and lived. And had a suggested trail for seeing the locations and museum of their work, all along the south of France. I followed it and it was one of my more memorable and successful trips. I think trips need a goal or an overarching plan or a reason. Why are you going to Greece?
For travel guides, I favor Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. But these are budget simple hiking back-packing ones. I'd guess you will want the more upscale ones. There are many very different ones. Browse the various ones until you find which appeals to you personally. Fodors and Insight might be good starts.
It doesn't always work, but worth looking for the Greek equivalent of our Chamber of Commerce, and writing or emailing. I once got a lovely brochure from France that way. "The Painters of the Light". It described where the French Impressionists worked and lived. And had a suggested trail for seeing the locations and museum of their work, all along the south of France. I followed it and it was one of my more memorable and successful trips. I think trips need a goal or an overarching plan or a reason. Why are you going to Greece?
O&O Kea Island might also be of interest to you, might check w/ Dolphin about latest construction update and possible opening date, but I fear later than your travel dates.
Nov 17, 2018, 12:31 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 88
Hi. just wanted to get a few ideas about how to spend the 1st 10 days of June in Greece next year. arrive Athens late, staying overnight at the Grand Bretagne. 4 following nights at Amanzoe, then everything is up for grabs. any suggestions for where to go/what to do prior to a flight out of Athens 5 days later? I'd like a nice contrast to Amanzoe, but the resorts on Santorini may be too busy/touristy for me. looking for an island hotel/resort that has excellent service and also a full list of activities. all thoughts/ideas appreciated!
Nov 17, 2018, 12:40 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
can use zoe as a base for >
- hydra
- spetses
anything else ?
anyone done a hotel day yacht charter ?
noted FS outside athens should be open
indeed kea not even final approval yet
- hydra
- spetses
anything else ?
anyone done a hotel day yacht charter ?
noted FS outside athens should be open
indeed kea not even final approval yet
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Nov 17, 2018 at 12:46 pm
Nov 17, 2018, 4:58 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pleasanton CA
Posts: 94
Nov 17, 2018, 4:59 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pleasanton CA
Posts: 94
thanks for the ideas! Crete looks amazing, so might give us more to do... I"m thinking maybe Crete for 4-5 days then end in Amanzoe.
Nov 17, 2018, 5:39 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pleasanton CA
Posts: 94
thanks for the info!! we've had great times with O&O (Reethi Rah) in the past -- any ideas who I can contact to get ideas on an opening date? (does Dolphin have a contact?) My guess is that no info in November means that they're probably not opening in early summer '19... bummer
Nov 17, 2018, 5:43 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
they have not gotten final permit to build yet... O&O submitted new room count, will not close on acquisition if not approved. cant imagine it will not be, but who knows how long it will take just for the approval.
FS is outside athens, publishes as "30 minutes from city center" which matches google with no traffic
katikies is also on mykonos
FS is outside athens, publishes as "30 minutes from city center" which matches google with no traffic
katikies is also on mykonos
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Nov 17, 2018 at 5:52 pm
Nov 17, 2018, 5:56 pm
#15
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Athens is worth more than one day if you've never been there before. I would probably spend the one night at the beginning at the Grande Bretagne's sister hotel (very different style) and then do multiple nights at the end at Grande Bretagne.
There's also a rather nice resort complex along the coast near the airport, in a town with a long name IIRC starting with V. This is convenient to the airport, not so much in saving time, but in avoiding Athens if you wish. The place used to have a Westin and a Starwood LC (interesting location and pool, but not particularly fancy) but then it deflagged.
What islands interest you? Crete? Rhodes?
There's also a rather nice resort complex along the coast near the airport, in a town with a long name IIRC starting with V. This is convenient to the airport, not so much in saving time, but in avoiding Athens if you wish. The place used to have a Westin and a Starwood LC (interesting location and pool, but not particularly fancy) but then it deflagged.
What islands interest you? Crete? Rhodes?