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Package Pricing
| Package price from $2129* |
Valid from 5/1/2010 - 5/13/2010 |
Purchase Deadline: Dec 17, 09 - Thu
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Visit the Islands of the Aegean Sea on this spectacular island journey by ferry. Arrive in Athens to spend two nights at the ancient capital of Greece. Then travel to Mykonos, where a number of shops, bars and restaurants provide a plethora of things to do and explore. Our next stop takes us to Santorini, a scenic island known to have been created by a volcanic eruption in 1450 BC. Finally travel to Crete, the largest of the Greek Islands and the center of the oldest civilization in Europe, the Minoan civilization. Return to Athens for your last night of your Greek Island Journey. The crystal clear waters, natural beaches, intense nightlife and warm hospitality of the locals are just what you might need for a fantastic getaway.
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Vacation Details
| Vacation Departure Cities: | (hit CTRL+F to search) |
| | $0 - | New York JFK Newark-NJ | | $30 - | Boston-MA Philadelphia-PA | | $60 - | Baltimore-MD Washington-DC | | $120 - | Chicago-IL Miami-FL | | $180 - | Albany-NY Augusta-ME Bangor-ME Binghamton - NY Buffalo-NY Burlington - VT Elmira-NY Hartford-CT Islip-NY Ithaca-NY Jamestown-NY Manchester-NH New Haven-CT Newburgh-NY Portland-ME Presque Isle-ME Providence-RI Rochester-NY Rockland-ME Syracuse-NY White Plains-NY Wilkes-Barre-PA | | $200 - | Allentown-PA Altoona-PA Beckley-WV Bradford-PA Charlottesville-VA Clarksburg-WV Harrisburg-PA Johnstown-PA Lynchburg-VA Morgantown - WV Newport News-VA Norfolk-VA Pittsburgh-PA Richmond-VA Roanoke-VA Salisbury-MD Shenandoah Valley, VA State College-PA Williamsport-PA | | $230 - | Akron-Canton-OH Asheville-NC Athens-GA Atlanta-GA Augusta-GA Birmingham-AL Charleston-SC Charleston-WV Chattanooga-TN Cincinnati-OH Cleveland-OH Columbia-SC Columbus-OH Dayton-OH Denver-CO Erie - PA Fayetteville-NC Florence - SC Grand Rapids-MI Greensboro-NC Greenville-SC Hilton Head-SC Houston-TX Huntington - WV Indianapolis-IN Jacksonville-NC Kalamazoo-MI Kansas City-MO Knoxville-TN Lewisburg-WV Lexington-KY Louisville-KY Memphis-TN Myrtle Beach-SC Nashville-TN New Bern-NC Phoenix-AZ Saginaw-MI San Francisco-CA Savannah-GA Seattle-WA St Louis-MO Tri-City-TN Wilmington-NC | | $280 - | Appleton-WI Bloomington-IL Cedar Rapids-IA Daytona Beach-FL Des Moines-IA Fort Lauderdale-FL Fort Myers-FL Fort Wayne-IN Gainesville-FL Green Bay-WI Huntsville-AL Jackson-MS Jacksonville-FL Lansing-MI Little Rock-AR Madison-WI Milwaukee-WI Mobile-AL Moline-IL Montgomery-AL Mosinee - WI New Orleans-LA Pensacola-FL Peoria-IL Rockford-IL Sarasota-FL South Bend-IN Springfield - IL Springfield - MO Tallahassee-FL Tampa-FL Traverse City-MI West Palm Beach-FL | | $300 - | Austin-TX El Paso-TX Lincoln-NE Oklahoma City-OK Omaha-NE Salt Lake City-UT San Antonio-TX Tulsa-OK Wichita-KS | | $310 - | Las Vegas-NV Los Angeles-CA | | $340 - | Sacramento-CA San Diego-CA | | $390 - | Burbank-CA Oakland-CA Ontario-CA Orange County-CA San Jose-CA | | $440 - | Bakersfield-CA Billings-MT Boise-ID Bozeman-MT Carlsbad-CA Chico-CA Crescent City-CA Eugene-OR Eureka-CA Fresno-CA Great Falls-MT Idaho Falls-ID Imperial-CA Inyokern-CA Kalispell - MT Medford-OR Minneapolis-MN Modesto-CA Monterey-CA Oxnard-CA Palm Springs-CA Palmdale-CA Pasco-WA Redding-CA Redmond-OR Reno-NV San Luis Obispo-CA Santa Barbara-CA Santa Maria-CA Spokane-WA St George-UT Tucson-AZ Visalia-CA Yuma-AZ | | $450 - | Detroit-MI Orlando-FL | | $460 - | Dallas-TX | | $520 - | Charlotte-NC Raleigh-Durham-NC | | $680 - | Albuquerque-NM Aspen-CO Bismarck-ND Casper-WY Cody - WY Colorado Springs-CO Durango-CO Fargo-ND Grand Junction-CO Gunnison-CO Hayden-TX Jackson Hole-WY Missoula-MT Montrose - CO Rapid City-SD Sioux Falls-SD Telluride-CO Vail-CO | | $820 - | Portland-OR |
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Notes & Restrictions
| Vacation Notes & Restrictions |
Notes:
Space is limited and your desired travel dates may not be available if you wait, so book early to avoid disappointment. We highly recommend 2nd and 3rd choices for travel dates and/or accommodations.
Due to the Athens Marathon taking place November 7-9, 2008, space may be difficult and hotels reserve the right to increase rates over these dates.
Full payment due within 1 day of booking by 2pm.
Passport Requirements:
It is the sole responsibility of each passenger to obtain the necessary documents for travel, not excluding passports and visas. A valid passport is normally the only requirement for U.S. citizens. Visa requirements do change without notice and vary by nationality. Please check with the consulate office of the destination country as to visa requirements.
A Saturday night stay is required.
Nonrefundable and nonchangeable once paid in full.
Restrictions:
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and a 21-day advance purchase. Purchases within 21 days will incur additional fees. Air carrier used in the package is based on gateway and availability at time of booking and multiple flights connections may be necessary. Flight departure times may be at any time on your requested departure day. Surcharges up to $50 per person each way may apply for travel Thursday through Monday depending on travel dates. Air taxes/Government-imposed fees/surcharges are excluded. These fees are in addition to the package prices and will be added to invoice. Travel is valid for these dates only. Certain other restrictions may apply, and offer is subject to change without notice. No request will be processed until full payment is received. Once submitted your request can take at least 24 hours to confirm. 2nd and 3rd choices for travel dates are highly recommended.
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Vacation Reviews
| Vacation Reviews |
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I love go-today. have been using only them for 15 years.
So here goes,..
Make sure you have 2-3 hours between flight connections. We were late leaving NY and missed our Athens connections in London. Almost missed flights coming back. Nerve racking more time is needed. When you arrive in Athens you take the only line from there (blue line) into town (metro) Tell ticket agent how many are in your party so you get one ticket. Cost was 5 euros each for 2 of us. Get a metro map from ticket agent. When you get to Snytagma Square get off and change to red line north 2 stops to Omnonia Square. Come out of metro on 3 septembre street (spelling is off but you will see what i mean) there will be a mcdonalds when you come up from the metro. Go left to the first street just a few feet from there. That is the street you go down (3 septembre) cross the street though cause hotel turn in on left hand side of that street. Go about 2 blocks until you see a small plaza like area. There will be 2 vendor stalls in this area. Pass the first one. the second one is on the corner. Go left down that street. Stay on left hand side of road. The hotel is on left hand side and has a lit sign. It is dark down that road but was busy and safe. Now I had read reviews about druggies in the area. I did not see them until i came back from Crete. They are not by hotel but off an alley of the Square. But there are police in groups of 8 or more EVERYWHERE so you ARE safe. The hotel is budget, expect that. But it had the only bath tub of the trip and the beds were the most comfortable.
Athens: we tried to find the city 400 bus that cost 5 euros for hop on and off and never did. So we paid 18 euros each for the hop on and off that you can get right in Onmnonia Square. There is a sign for it right in front of Hondos center. Keep the map they give you it comes in handy. Take the walks they recommend they are nice. Add an extra day in the beginning to Athens. You get there late at night and leave the next day which gives you no time at all for Athens. It only cost around $80.00 for extra nioght at hotel and otherwise you miss Athens altogether. A metro pass for 24 hours costs 3 euros each. Again, tell the ticket agent how many people are in your party so you get only one ticket. We took the 30 minute ride down to Pireaus to the port the day before to check out the lay of the land. When you come out of the metro station turn right and you will see the port. Take the bridge over the street and turn left. Go into the port and show the information person your tickets and they will tell you exactly where you ferry will be docked. it is well worth the confusion the next day when the port is full of ferries. Now another tip. Have go-today upgrade ALL your ferry tickets to executive (business) class. it is only 5-8 euros per person but WELL worth it. You get roomier seats on the upper level.
Ferry Schedules:
You will probably leave Prieaus for Mykonos at 7:30 a.m. This was the only ferry that was about on time. It took about 4-5 hours. You get in Mykonos at 11:30 am-12:00 pm. Look for the people holding up the hotel signs.
The guy for Kamari has a small white van and a very distinctive voice. Ask for a ride. Ask if there is a fee. it is about 5 miles from port to hotel. We walked out of the port and headed for town. We stopped at the first place that rented scooters and rented one. It cost 15 euros per day. Leave that rental place and take your first left up a big hill. You go around 2 round abouts to get to hotel. Follow all signs for Playgos beach. Hotel is on left hand side at bottom of hill right past a restaurant that is also a convenience store. We added an extra day in Mykonos but I wish we had added it to Crete. The Kamari hotel is nice but: don't expect a seaview room. When we first got there we were given a smelly musty room in basement. I complained and we were moved to another room with no view. Next day we were moved to a room that it you leaned way over the balcony you could just see a part of the bay. The hotel was
VERY nice for budget, BUT the beds were horrible. They were like just a boxspring. When you lay down the slats hit you in the back. This was the only compliant. The beach is 5 minutes walk down hill. That beach is thye busiest and least nice. Take the boat shuttle from there to Paradise beach, which is the nicest (we went to them all) They will sell you the ticket and tell you when they will come back to pick you up. (they assign a pick up time, talk to them if you want to stay later)
The town center is cute for a day unless you are a shopaholic. If you rent a scooter go through town to the north end. Follow public parking signs. It is down within view of the NEW port that you came in on. Look for alot of big busses that haul people from cruise ships into town. Go into that lot and turn to your left. Go all the way to the end towards the town center and park where the rest of the scooters are. 2 minutes walk into town. Once you get totally lost and find your way out, hit the scooters to the countryside, its nice.
When you leave Mykonos for Santorini, if you rented scooters drop your partner at where you parked the scooter as you leave out of the OLD port Not the new port where you arrived. When you rent the scooter ask them if they will drop you off at the OLD port when you return the scooter. Ours did.
Now for the bad news about ferries. They will be late from here on in. The one we took from Mykonos to Santorini was suppose to leave at 2:45 p.m. It was an hour and a half arriving. We didn't get in Santrorini until about 7:30 p.m. and it was dark. When you get off the boat look for teal green public busses. Ask if you don't see them as you don't have a ton of time to locate them, they fill up and leave. It costs 2 euros each for the bus. They will drop you off at the bus station. Walk up the hill a block to the main road. You will turn right and start up the hill, but cross the road first that is the side the hotel is on. Go up the hill about 3/4 mile until you see a hotel that is lit and say "Thiras Hotel" and is also Tony's scooter rental. This is NOT the hotel. But turn onto that street and it will wind to the right. There are 2 big dumpsters on wheels on the right hand side. The hotel in straight ahead.
King Thiras Hotel: The man is the nicest we encountered in all of Greece. Please tell him his "sister" from the US says hello. Really I would like that. He will give you a map and ALOT of advice. Take all of it. If you need anything, go to him. The ONLY down side to this hotel, was again, the beds were really hard. Is it is also a seaview room we had, not mentioned in itinerary.
Santorini: A VERY busy touristy place. Again if you like shopping great. We added an extra day here and rented scooters from Tony (Thiras hotel) at bottom of hill. it costs 15 euros per day ($90.00 for 4 days.) I recommend Prygos as a cool city (walk up to ruins) Kamari beach (black colored sand/rocks beach) and Old Thira ruins which are above Kamari beach. We took the paid mini bus that you get at the bottom fo the road up and walked down. But that IS a hard walk so you can pay to take bus up and back down. OIA is the town where all the pictures of Santorini are taken. VERY busy and touristy. The countryside is pretty. Alot of vineyards to visit if that is your thing. Pressia beach is really pretty. When you leave Santorini, your ferry departs 5:45. pm The bus schedule says 4:15 pm departs from station. Don't wait, be there by 3:45 pm We got there at 4:05 and the bus was full and it left at 4:07.
The ferry ride is about 2 and a half hours but this one left 45 minutes late and we did'nt get into Crete until about 9:00 p.m.
Crete:
Rehtymnon is an hour drive from the port in Hereklion. You can get a cab for about $120.00. I don't think the public busses run that late, but check if that is your choice. Scooters in Crete forget, its to big of an island. We rented a car at the port. Big mistake. Arrange for a national company like Hertz to meet you at the port with a car. Before you come buy a LARGE scale driving map of Crete. Get good directions to national road it will be dark. It is a left out of the port and then a right to the national road. Don't panic if traffic is crazy. Drive on the curb and go slow they will pass you and go by.
Getting to the Pearl Beach:
We got off on the OLD ROAD to Rethymnon. Take that all the way into town about 5 miles. We got lost and my brilliant husband found another upscale hotel and went in and asked for directions. You take any side road to the right that says beach road and you will find the Pearl Beach. It is the very end of the strip on the opposite end from the town center.
Pearl Beach hotel:
Really nice for a budget hotel. Walk out front door to the Creteian Sea. About a mile from old town center. Connected and partnered with Aegean Hotel. 2 nice pools, great big buffet breakfast.
Crete:
OUr favorite place of all. Wish I had added an extra day or 2 here instead of Mykonos.
the countryside reminded us of Austria but not a lush, much more barren. The West roads along the mountain range is amazing. Hiking paths, caves, all beautiful. You WILL get lost ad roads are marked badly, but always fill your gas tank in the morning and embrace what comes around each new corner. Dropping off car at the airport: If you are smart unlike us, and rent from a national company, you will see a lot when you return cars. Your company will have a flag flying to mark their spot. If you rent from the port like us LISTEN UP!! You park you car ANYWHERE in public parking and turn you keys into the booth where you pay your parking ticket. WEIRD??? Boy it sure was but that is what you do.
Thanks go-today for one more in a long line of great trips, we will be back March for your fly drive to Ireland?
Egypt or Spain in the fall 2010??? decisions decisions!!!!
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Review Provided by:
Laura Harridge who traveled on 9/14/2009
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Greece is amazing. That being said, the Ionis hotel in Athens isn't exactly the kind of place I would have selected for myself if going to Athens apart from a tour package. The sheets were probably washed (but terribly stained), the bathroom may have been cleaned (but I'm not sure when), the breakfast was good, the staff was not friendly. Other websites described the location of the hotel as seedy and questionable. I never felt that I was in a seedy neighborhood, the surrounding area may be a little dirty (the streets that is), but it is safe, just residential as opposed to a typical tourist neighborhood. The hotel is decent enough if all you plan to do is eat and sleep there, just be sure to have a plan because the hotel staff will not help you.
The Kamari Hotel in Mykonos is lovely. The rooms are small but clean and each room has a balcony or patio. The staff is wonderful, they will help you with anything you need from selling stamps and postcards to arranging for the hotel van to take you to the port. There is a bus stop right in front of the hotel, you can be in Mykonos Town in about 7 minutes, and you can purchase tickets from the concierge. The pool is very nice and there is a small tiki bar by the pool that sells drinks and snacks. Breakfast is very nice, there is a pretty large spread of breads, jams, fruit, eggs and olives. The beach is only about a 3 minute walk down the road (watch for cars and vespas). Note: when you arrive at the port in Mykonos there are hotel representatives all over that will try to get you to stay at there hotel, if you look for the gentleman holding the Kamari Hotel sign he will take you to the hotel, just be sure to tip him as he does not charge for the ride.
The Flyingcat 4 is the ferry we took from Mykonos to Santorini and then again from Santorini to Crete. It is reliably an hour and a half late. This does not become a problem until you are going to Crete.
The King Thiras Hotel in Santorini is adorable. It is run by a sweet, helpful, and multilingual family. When we arrived we were greeted by the owner's two daughters (one a high school student, the other a college student). Both speak perfect english and are eager to suggest affordable restaurants and provide comprehensive maps so that you can wind your way through the streets. Every morning the owners fix a breakfast of toast, fruit and cold cuts. The rooms are small and clean. My favorite part of the hotel may have been the neighbor's donkey that lives across the back ally. The owner helped us arrange for a boat to go to the volcano and took us in his own car to the bus station so we did not have to drag our luggage through the busy streets to get to the port.
Crete is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The only problem is the Flyingcat 4 takes you from Santorini to Heraklion, Crete. The Pearl Beach Hotel is in Rethymnon, Crete, an hour and a half drive. As I mentioned the Flyingcat 4 is reliably an hour and a half late. We did not get to Heraklion until after 10 PM, public transportation stops running at 10 PM. We had to take an 80 Euro cab ride from Heraklion to Rethymnon. I would highly recommend either staying at a hotel in Heraklion or taking a ferry from Santorini to Rethymnon (it has its own port). The Pearl Beach Hotel is well worth the transportation headache. It is the sister hotel of the Aegean Pearl (in fact the two are connected by a courtyard). The rooms are (of course) small and clean, but the bathrooms are extra nice (a three jet shower that rivals any hotel shower in the US). The hotel has a lovely pool with rows of chairs (always crowded), wake up early to stake out a spot and then go to the dining room for the best breakfast buffet you'll never pay for. When you get tired of laying out by the pool just walk across the street to the beach. The Sea of Crete is a bit rougher than the Aegean so be sure to check the flags to see if the waves are too rough for a swim. The walk into town is nice, just over a mile, there are tons of shops and restaurants along the way, making it nice to take your time, but you may want to hurry because stores close earlier in Crete than the other islands. Going back to the port in Heraklion wasn't as bad as the trip to Rethymnon because we were able to take a cab to the bus station (about 6 Euro) and then the bus to Heraklion (about 6.75 Euro).
The ferry back to Athens (the Knossos Palace) is more like a cruise ship. The first and only escalator that I saw in Greece was on this ferry. You can check your luggage, there are shops, restaurants, snack bars, a swimming pool, private cabins, just about anything you can think of. It is a long trip but its not so bad on this ferry. When you get back to Athens I would recommend taking a cab back to the Ionis hotel because the subway, which was convenient when going from the Ionis to the port, is about a mile from where the Knossos Palace docks.
Overall the trip was wonderful, I would suggest upgrading hotels solely so you don't have to stay at the Ionis. Try to get a hotel in Heraklion or a ferry to Rethymnon. If you can avoid having to take the Flyingcat 4 from island to island, do it.
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Review Provided by:
Heather Dunn who traveled on 7/31/2009
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Average Rating: (3)
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appears,
you will be able to book this vacation at a lower price.
