Athens trip report

For spring break, we looked at various places to visit and the top of the list included Amsterdam, Dublin, Brussels, and Tokyo.
The new DL HND flights were wide open but the earthquake ended that plan.
We have a free place to stay in AMS but we have been before and it was going to be cold.
I saw that ATH was wide open both directions and so we chose that.

I am glad we chose Athens because we LOVED it!
It was about 70 degrees everyday and the city was wonderful!
We got Biz Elite both directions, a 763 going and a 333 returning.
The one thing I liked was the food and I am so addicted to gyros and Greek salads right now.
We had two great hotels. One of them was Hotel Metropolis, near the Plaka and it had a great view of the Acropolis.
Our other hotel was on the coast in Voula and it was the Plaza Hotel.
Had each hotel for about $70 per night.
Transportation in Athens is wonderful and modern.
We found it to be very safe.
The people were all nice and very helpful.

I also spent a few hours exploring the old Athens airport in Glyfada. There are some Olympic venues built on the grounds but most of the airport is still there, including the runways.

I will definitely return to Greece and hope to visit some islands next time!

sounds great to me!! thanks for the report--more more more please!

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

sounds great to me!! thanks for the report--more more more please!

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I'd go back for the food alone! Although Thai food is great too and I am sure you had plenty over there....

Have you been to Athens?

one time for 48 hr layover and I have to admit, I wish I could have eaten every hour of the trip--OMG!! Love Med food.
Was thinking about making a trip to enjoy Athens for 4-5 days in early June--something we've never done. Did you book hotel direct or what? All my fab auction deals are outside of city or on islands...please advise more info!! THANKS!!

Amsterdam, Dublin, Brussels, Athens; you've got to love having so many great options. Great report.

thanks for the report. I have been thinking of Athens for my next trip.

Never been to ATH myself but my partner went two years ago, he says the city was nice and rather compact. How long did you stay there and did you visit the Greek Islands? SO DL sends the 333 from ATH to JFK? I wonder why we don't send US does not send the 332 from PHL to ATH as the 762 usually takes a payload restriction (not sure if our 333 can make it back to PHL) making it hard for nonrevs to get back during the prime of the summer season. Greece is definitely on my list of places to visit.

Regards,

Chepos

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

one time for 48 hr layover and I have to admit, I wish I could have eaten every hour of the trip--OMG!! Love Med food.
Was thinking about making a trip to enjoy Athens for 4-5 days in early June--something we've never done. Did you book hotel direct or what? All my fab auction deals are outside of city or on islands...please advise more info!! THANKS!!

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We found the two hotels on Expedia.
They were low priced, in good locations, and had good reviews.
There are two Accor hotels in Athens but none were lower than $100 even with the discount.

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Originally Posted by SummerShi

thanks for the report. I have been thinking of Athens for my next trip.

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I do recommend it!
I rarely like to return to a place because there is still so much of this great big world I need to see, but we are already planning on another trip to Athens.

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Originally Posted by chepos

Never been to ATH myself but my partner went two years ago, he says the city was nice and rather compact. How long did you stay there and did you visit the Greek Islands? SO DL sends the 333 from ATH to JFK? I wonder why we don't send US does not send the 332 from PHL to ATH as the 762 usually takes a payload restriction (not sure if our 333 can make it back to PHL) making it hard for nonrevs to get back during the prime of the summer season. Greece is definitely on my list of places to visit.

Regards,

Chepos

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It is compact and it's easy to see all you need to see in 3-4 days.
We were there for 4 days but spent one day out on the coast.
We thought about visiting an island but there was just not enough time.
We really want to see Santorini but the ferry takes 5+ hours each direction.
I think when we return, we will visit one of the islands...

I've heard they are reasonably priced flights from ATH to Santorini but I have not gone so far as to look into it. 5 hours on a ferry is not appealing.

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Originally Posted by SummerShi

I've heard they are reasonably priced flights from ATH to Santorini but I have not gone so far as to look into it. 5 hours on a ferry is not appealing.

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Not really.
It was going to be about $600 positive space for the three of us and a zed was going to be about $400.

Okay, that is far from reasonable. Guess the ferry wins. ;o)

are you talking RT air for 3 people?

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

are you talking RT air for 3 people?

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Yes.....the ZED on OA for 3 is about $441

We need more trip reports. Thanks for the post.

As for Athens, do you think it would be a good place to take a teen & a pre-teen (my daughters) for spring break? I take them somewhere, just the 3 of us, each spring break. Our biggest drivers are seats up front and $70 or less hotels. After that I'm looking for safe public transport and something educational. I'm thinking ATH has history in spades.

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Originally Posted by jbear

We need more trip reports. Thanks for the post.

As for Athens, do you think it would be a good place to take a teen & a pre-teen (my daughters) for spring break? I take them somewhere, just the 3 of us, each spring break. Our biggest drivers are seats up front and $70 or less hotels. After that I'm looking for safe public transport and something educational. I'm thinking ATH has history in spades.

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Absolutely!
Our daughter(10 years old) got such a great history lesson on this trip. The prices were reasonable for Europe.
The metro, bus, and tram systems are very clean and safe.
The food is awesome!!!

I rarely like to repeat destinations because there are so many places I still want to visit, but we will return to Athens within the next year.

Typically tough to get seats up front for ATH due to cruises (crusielines offer upgrades at relatively low prices when bundled) Are you talking about next year spring break? I tried several times going with Boss but it was finally a reality in Jan 2 yrs ago.

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Originally Posted by vulindlela

Absolutely!
Our daughter(10 years old) got such a great history lesson on this trip. The prices were reasonable for Europe.
The metro, bus, and tram systems are very clean and safe.
The food is awesome!!!

I rarely like to repeat destinations because there are so many places I still want to visit, but we will return to Athens within the next year.

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Good stuff to know, thanks. The exchange rate is a killer these days, so finding reasonably priced hotels can be tricky. We are looking for something different next year and I think ATH could be it.

Mrs767er: Maybe spring break next year. I can live with flying in the back, but who wouldn't want to be up front? :D

Is your main goal mostly ancient history? What about Istanbul or Amman (when it comes back) along with Cairo?
Eastern Europe is still relatively affordable--choose countries that still have their own currency.

We were actually planning Cairo before the uprising. I HAD an expat cousin who lived there. He had just hosted my sometimes travel partners. Saw some great pics. But his job went away and he, and his family, are now back in the US.

We also want to get to Romania and Turkey before they switch to the Euro. So much to see, but only so many vacation days.

Romania is hardly geared for tourism, just to mention that factor. Boss' family is from there and we went when DL had service to Bucharest. Rental cars are insane IF you can even get one and they still live in the darkness of Communism. Not a shadow like much of eastern EU. Not like Budapest or Prague--both on their own currency. Good bus/train service city to city as well.
I agree with so many vacation days but I have the luxury of being retired and Boss can work his sked...

I highly recommend Budapest and or Prague. Both have so many places outside the city--easily accessible via bus--medieval towns, river trips, monasteries/breweries. Nevermind that their languages are really difficult--just find young people and they have some English skills.

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

Romania is hardly geared for tourism, just to mention that factor. Boss' family is from there and we went when DL had service to Bucharest. Rental cars are insane IF you can even get one and they still live in the darkness of Communism. Not a shadow like much of eastern EU. Not like Budapest or Prague--both on their own currency. Good bus/train service city to city as well.
I agree with so many vacation days but I have the luxury of being retired and Boss can work his sked...

I highly recommend Budapest and or Prague. Both have so many places outside the city--easily accessible via bus--medieval towns, river trips, monasteries/breweries. Nevermind that their languages are really difficult--just find young people and they have some English skills.

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That is all the more reason to go to Romania!! I love places that are off the beaten path.

I agree with you on Prague and Budapest and they are not on the Euro yet.
Same with Warsaw...

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Originally Posted by vulindlela

That is all the more reason to go to Romania!! I love places that are off the beaten path.

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Same here. That is one of the things I liked about Guatemala. Lots of friends/family have been to Prague. Only people I know who have been to Romania are first gen immigrants.

I still have friends in Romania and one of the things tel me all the time is do not trust the native Romanians. They say they will cheat and steal, like the gypsies they despise...
most of their younger gen have become US citizens in the past 10 yrs or so but the older folks still feel like they live under communism. They feel like the prgoression from that era is not progressing at all. it is a very depressed/repressed country with so many unhappy people.

V--why not check out Tallinn Estonia?

I also went to Warsaw a few years back and it was so much like what I found in Romania, years later...

I came across a little apartment thru VRBO. It has a terrace (bigger than apt) and a view of Acropolis rock
Athens Vacation Rental - VRBO 312524 - 1 BR Attica Apartment in Greece, Acropolis "Love Nest",Panoramic Acropolis View,Private Balcony
WOW--covered terrace is huge, interior is pretty typically tight but that apt is in great location. SO COOL
85-110 euros/nt

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

I still have friends in Romania and one of the things tel me all the time is do not trust the native Romanians. They say they will cheat and steal, like the gypsies they despise...
most of their younger gen have become US citizens in the past 10 yrs or so but the older folks still feel like they live under communism. They feel like the prgoression from that era is not progressing at all. it is a very depressed/repressed country with so many unhappy people.

V--why not check out Tallinn Estonia?

I also went to Warsaw a few years back and it was so much like what I found in Romania, years later...

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We thought about getting the ferry to Tallinn when we were in Helsinki. I would like to visit Tallinn and Riga sometime.
I think the next trip will be BUD in a couple of weeks.
BTW--Great find on the Athens apartment!

thanks--do you need any referrals for BUD? we go there often!

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

thanks--do you need any referrals for BUD? we go there often!

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We are getting a hotel through the accor discount but what should we see in BUD?

How about food? What is the specialty we should try?

Food:
Goulash!!!
Pork leg, wines are good, duck
Central market--go hungry! (Pest) Buy Paprika sweet and hot--to take home (give you my marinade recipe later)
Sights: Margaret Island (crowded on wkends) Beautiful!
Castle area (Buda)
Baths--Gellert is large one, also Schezgeny
Hop on/off bus is good there--make sure you get the real one so you can get off at any point.
there is also a new Amphibus (very new) so we haven't done it.
oodles of boat trips--one goes up Danube bend for the day
Terror Museum is great!
There are catacombs up past the castle St. George Residence--not for this girl. they do a total blackout thing--sposed to be very scary!
Wander around the castle area and see the guard change (we haven't been inside castle bldgs)
I'll add more as I shake my brain loose.

Central Market--look for langos (lan gosh) 2nd floor
There's a farmers market somewhere in Buda, but not sure where
Lots of smoking on the streets--PU
St Stephens cathedral
don't use euros--get forints (HUF) at ATMs
MAke sure you validate your transport tickets!! Unless you get mutli hour transport card (good for anything except the funicular) 24 hrs is 7 bucks, 72 is under 20. typical pass--trams are good to see stuff--the hills are really tough to walk up.

I almost forgot!! I have a driver--you can get a pickup if you want a treat 6,400 forints ($34--a few bucks more than taxi on meter)) --he'll wait until last pax are cleared--w/sign
His name is Pulai Alajos
http://budapestairporttaxi.com

Match is the large local grocery--wines, picnic stuff etc

Great info!
Thanks a bunch!!!
Now if that pesky volcano will stop erupting......

My back up is ICN.

funky!! ICN is one of the BEST airports I've ever dealt with--gotta love Airport Town--free shuttle to the Queen Hotel--stinky greasy bfast BUT steam roon hsoweres and computers in room. there is a restaurant across the street w/ Korean BBG and exhaust fans above every tabel--tres cheap--the place around the block has oyster soup of some sort for BF. train goes into Seoul or you can do the DMZ tour

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Originally Posted by mrs767er

funky!! ICN is one of the BEST airports I've ever dealt with--gotta love Airport Town--free shuttle to the Queen Hotel--stinky greasy bfast BUT steam roon hsoweres and computers in room. there is a restaurant across the street w/ Korean BBG and exhaust fans above every tabel--tres cheap--the place around the block has oyster soup of some sort for BF. train goes into Seoul or you can do the DMZ tour

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Well, it seems that DL has not canceled any flights due to the volcano yet and now ICN Biz class is full so BUD it is!!!!
You do have me interested in ICN now though!

when are you going??

I was going to go this weekend but life has gotten in the way.
May try again in about 2-3 weeks.