Greece (instead)! Please help!

[Amanda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Amanda]

Hi, I found a great week in Crete at the Village Holiday Club for the beginning of June for an unbeatable price and I am really considering booking it! I read trip advisor reviews and everyone had a positive experience. I liked the fact that its in a small town for purposes of walking to bars and restaurants... I am thinking of spending a week at the resort then 5 nights in Athens at a hotel.

I have a few questions for those that have visited Greece before:

- I will likely be flying into Athens via Aer Lingus (I am currently in Ireland), and will have to book a separate round trip flight from Athens to Crete - can you suggest any local airlines for this purpose?

- When staying in Athens, I planned to use my Starpoints and have a choice between staying in the city center at Hotel Grande Bretagne OR staying in Vouliagmeni at Arion Resort & Spa -- What are you thoughts? I was thinking after the week on Crete in a small village it might be nice to stay in the city center with easy access for sight seeing.

- Have you stayed on Crete or at the Village Holiday Club? How is it?

Thanks so much!

Amanda

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Your local airline choices with be Aegean and Olympic, with the former the better of the two. There are also ferries. Check the TS4MS Links Directory for clickable links.

I have never been to Crete, although it is on my list, but have been many other places in Greece. Five nights is a bit much for Athens. The ancient sites and the museums can easily be done in a day, and the rest of Athens is maybe half a day. I have always stayed in the center where I could walk to everything, and that would still be my preference. I am not sure where the hotels you are choosing between are actually located, but quite a few hotels in the center have a view of the Acropolis from their breakfast rooms and some hotel rooms, which is nice. Two I have stayed at have had such a view.

You might want to look at some day trips out of Athens. Personally, my recommendation would be the perched monasteries, but you would need a rental car for that and the courage to drive in Greece.

[Amanda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Amanda]

Thank you Carolinian!

The city center hotel that I am looking at has that view of Acropolis but the other one does not, its on a peninsula on the outskirts of Athens, I beleive.

I have also located a rental on VRBO that looks great and is a lot less $ -- so I will offer both options to my boyfriend when he arrives home from work and see what he thinks I've never used VRBO myself but heard it was good?

Thanks for the day trip ideas as well - I will definitely look into them! I like to go prepared with some ideas for day trips when on vacation but have often been very happy to just walk around, visit local bars/restaurants, and take it easy as well!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I believe joycapecod is familiar with this resort - send her a pm as she must not have seen this post....sounds like a NICE trip.

[Amanda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Amanda]

Thanks Pat! I just sent a PM

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Amanda, you have mail

Joy

[Amanda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Amanda]

Thank you all so much! Joy's advice was SO helpful and I confirmed my week at VHC on Crete for June 4-11 and then the Grande Bretagne in Athens for June 11 - 16!

SO EXCITED!

IF you have any favorite restaurants/bars or sights to see -- please let me know!

Amanda

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Amanda, I am going to be out most of today, but later this evening I will PM you so of the things we like to do when on the island. I think I can also remember the names of the resturants we frequent and I will also PM you some things to do in Athens, including the name of a walking tour company we LOVED!

Joy

[Amanda Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Amanda]

Great! Thats so nice -- thank you!! Im looking forward to it