CONSEJOS PARA VIAJAR A GRECIA | ISLAS GRIEGAS

Hello my name is John and in this video I'm going to give you a few tips if you're planning to travel to Greece I have traveled to Greece a couple of times once it was the Greek mainland and the last trip I took this summer was to the Greek Islands In this video I'm going to focus mainly on the Greek Islands because I think that's what can be a bit more confusing at times How to move between the islands which islands are better than others how long to spend on any of them I think it might be a bit more exciting than visiting mainland Greece It's a bit more normal within the context of visiting for example other countries So nothing else since I don't want a very long video if you want I'll show you the time bar In the YouTube bar you have the markers of what I'm talking about at each moment So I'm going to start by briefly talking about continental Greece So if you want to skip this part because you're more interested in the Greek Islands just skip this part and we'll continue there To reach Greece specifically the mainland which will be Athens for example the easiest way to get there is by plane If you live in Europe there are often very good deals to get to Greece For example from Spain you can find flights for less than 100 euros and return without any problems Depending on the season much less But in general the prices are usually quite good for going to Athens Then besides Athens there are many other places to visit on the mainland For example there is the area of Corinth It's very personal because it depends on whether you want to visit more historical and archaeological sites or if you're looking for more natural areas Then based on that you can change what you want to visit For example a part that I already have pending and that I'm already very eager to do is practically at the border with Macedonia Meteora which has a monastery on top of a mountain And it really looks spectacular I've seen a lot of it in photos and articles you know And the truth is it's a place I really want to visit =(_)=# But anyway it's not that close since I haven't been able to go yet But anyway I hope that on the next trip I will be able to do it Then one option is if you're visiting for example the Balkans and you're in Macedonia then the border is quite close Then it's up to you And if not from Greece for example if you're in Athens it's practically a day trip They are a few hours you can take the bus I'm not sure if there's a train or if you rent a car but you can get there in a few hours But you'll need at least a couple of days between things Because once you're there it's best to dedicate yourself to it you can see it in a morning or an afternoon But the best thing is to dedicate a day to it because you can take different walks around the area to get up there Then well I think spending a day in the Meteora area is pretty good But anyway that's why I'm telling you it's quite personal depending on the values you give it It's best to rent a car if you're going to visit several places in this part of Greece Although it's good if you don't have enough options to move around by bus for example or by train Then the car is a very good option For this well you have many comparison sites that will show you which rental companies will be cheaper for you Keep in mind that driving in Greece is regular It's not one of the worst countries I've driven in but it's true that Greeks in general tend to drive quite fast But just keep in mind that the car is a great option if you're planning to visit several places throughout Greece To visit Athens which is the main point of Greece if you are mostly in this area I would dedicate at least a couple of days for the essentials After all you can even dedicate one hour if you're rushing and just need very specific points For example the Acropolis cannot be missing as it is one of the most incredible sites there is And nothing else but generally I would dedicate at least a couple of days so as not to rush because in the end there are many places to visit in Athens At the time of booking hotels are usually quite affordable but keep in mind the area where you stay Look carefully at the reviews people write about hotels For example if you have a reservation through Booking make sure to read the reviews about the area I remember when I went to Athens for the first time during the Interrail which I did there in 2012 with two friends I remember that we stayed at a hostel that was very reasonably priced The room itself wasn't entirely bad it was just very plain But the area was quite irregular to say the least quite bad We were three guys were always together Then well more or less we didn't have a big problem But you could see that the street wasn't inviting to walk down especially at night Even during the day because you're a bit insecure So if you're going alone or feel insecure in places like this it's better that you look carefully In which areas do you stay because there are some and this one in particular is quite close to the Acropolis Then they aren't necessarily the safest areas Look carefully at which are the best areas in Athens For example I recommend the best areas to stay are near the Syntagma Square which is one of the most famous squares It will sound good because that's where all the uprisings happened years ago The Plaka area is also very good Then there's Monastiraki and Kolonaki Then these areas are quite good Look here and you will find a lot of options quite affordable And on top of that you'll have a bit more security that you're ending up in the right place To give you an idea when we did the Eurail I remember that the last morning were going to the Port of Piraeus The port of Piraeus is a port I think it's the closest one there in Athens It is from here that most ferries depart to the War Islands at least the most famous ones We left very early around 5 in the morning to take the subway And during that walk we took to the subway quite a few people on the street started following us There were eight or ten people sleeping on the street moving around at 5 in the morning It looked pretty normal and they started following us they followed us all the way to the subway They didn't do anything to us but the truth is it's not an ideal situation That's why I'm telling you to look at this very carefully and if you're going to move at those times Better to take an Uber or a taxi or whatever you can order from the hotel than to walk to avoid any problems Having said that I'm going to move on to the Gregas Islands so I don't want the video to be too long In the Gregar Islands there are often many questions such as which islands to visit Because Greece has I don't know around 3 000 islands obviously not all of them are inhabited but there is a huge amount of options and it's hard to choose especially because when you travel Well it's common to travel for two weeks three weeks so you have to choose for sure Because I recommend that you choose a few and squeeze the most out of them rather than trying to cover many of them and spending too little time on each Because in the end you really won't enjoy them and the trip will end up being much more expensive Therefore the islands are mainly experienced in two seas Those in the Ionian Sea which are the ones to the west of Greece and then those to the east which would be the Aegean Sea Then they are like the two major island groups which you definitely can 't doomed by cruise well there are cruises there are ferries and such But it takes a very long time so here it is definitely advisable to move by plane if you want to visit both parts There are also many options for this so it won't be a problem but anyway depending on the time you have maybe it's better just to focus one area But anyway as I said that's up to each person For example within the Aegean Sea there are several subdivisions of the islands then as there are so many I won't focus on all of them If I'm not going to focus only on the main ones which are the most visited in the case of the Aegean Sea which are the Troad Islands In this section the Cyclades islands contain the most well-known islands as Sermione Santorini Naxos Andros Milos Paros and on the other hand are those of the Ionian Sea among which the most well-known islands are Corfu Paxos Ithaca Cephalonia and Zante There are other islands but these are the most visited and the best known Then this is the first thing you need to decide whether you are going one way or the other or if you have time then a bit of everything My initial idea for example on the last trip was to try to visit both parts Visit some of the Cyclades and then go to the Ionian part to visit others there But then I thought no it's too much movement in the end you waste time going back and forth it's also more expensive and not worth it I prefer to make a trip focused one place and then in the future I will focus on another one or whatever but not try to cover too much Because in the end you're more stressed than enjoying it So in our case were there for a couple of weeks And we wanted to focus on three islands which were Santorini Milos and Crete Crete is a very important location it is an island in the Dodecanese to the south It is a very important location because it is one of the largest Then it's perfect for example there are often very cheap flights from Spain We actually traveled from Spain to Crete via the airport in Heraklion And it cost us the flights were very cheap I don't remember but I think it was less definitely less than 100 euros there and back Then it works out very well in terms of price Similarly if for example you go to the Ionian Islands I think the most affordable international flights are from Corfu Island Then but for example in the Cyclades depending on whether you don't want to go to Crete There are also international flights to the islands of Santorini and Mykonos and I don't know if to any others but definitely to these two Then if you are going to go exclusively to these know that you have this option If not once you have gone to this area you can then take a ferry or a plane depending on the prices schedules and so on Regarding the usual schedules the fact that prices don't include checked bags and such Once you have chosen the area the best way to move between them which are already quite close to each other is by ferry We in our case as I told you landed in Crete and we spent several days in Crete and the truth is that we loved it I highly recommend this island it's a very large island but anyway it can be easily covered in a few days because you don't have to see it all Obviously it's impossible But if you go for example to the west area which I think is the most beautiful part of Crete You have a bunch of really interesting points like Elafonisi Beach The beach of Balos Loutro which is a fishing village that seems almost like an island Because you have to arrive by boat but you can also arrive by car and it ends up being quite secluded Then there are many people who decide to go for example to Santorini to Mykonos because they are the most popular Then went to Santorini and Milos in addition to Crete And went around by boat because we looked at flight options Milo thinks it doesn't have an airport because it's a very very small island Santorini yes but the timing didn't work out for us to fly from Cre쟈 to Santorini And because of what I've mentioned to you cheap flights end up coming out But then adding suitcases etc ends up being more expensive So in our case it was better for us to take the ferry To choose for ferries there are different websites and apps that I recommend For example there is a website called directferries com There's another one called ferrieshopper These are pages where you can search for ferries From any island to any island and not only that but it gives you the option obviously to buy the tickets through this page Not only does it involve making the hopper which is like making jumps but it also allows you to buy multiple ferry tickets Speaking of which I go from A to B then from B to C from C to D which allows you to do the entire itinerary on the web and buy all the tickets at once This kind of thing is very convenient When it comes to planning it is very important that you check The available boats >p schedules and such because they are not available all year So for example if you go in winter Many of the ferries are not operational or if there are any they have a much lower frequency than in summer Then it's important to consider this when making a plan because you might say well I'll spend four days in Crete And from Crete I'm going to Santorini I'm going by boat I leave in the morning just like that From planning and then when you look you'll say "Damn but if no ship is leaving today " Then it's important that you check If you go in the summer which is the most popular time As for the season here whether it' s summer or autumn spring or winter it depends a lot For example summer is obviously the most popular And the most crowded one it's very noticeable These are places where a lot of people come so it's something you need to take into account In Crete you get something better as long as you get up early to go to the places but then there are islands like Santorini They are extremely crowded especially in the summer There are a lot a lot of people And this was in 2021 which was still a pandemic for example cruise ships were still not operating Cruise ships traveling throughout the Mediterranean and making stops for a day in Santorini unload thousands of people But that's why this year in 2021 they were still not operational Then there were fewer people yet it was still very crowded Then it's something you have to keep in mind Summer has its good points obviously the weather is better Especially if you want to go to the beach swimming etc There are more options there are many more ferry lines ours activities restaurants general stores that are open All of this of course you have Remember to consider the positive aspects Obviously the negative aspects well it's way more crowded there are way more people everywhere And in many moments it is very hot For example we in Milos and Santorini during the day were very hot And then unless you're at the beach it's very comfortable but if not if you're visiting places But when it's too hot just like in Athens In Athens in July or August You can comfortably sit in 40 degrees and be visiting the Acropolis in 40 degrees for the heat Then I personally would choose the same spring or autumn to travel to Greece because the weather is already nice It has a Mediterranean climate the heat is not so intense you have the option to swim there are not so many activity options For example ferries etc but there are still options and there's not as many people not so much heat so I think at least For the type of trips I like to take I would enjoy it more It means that thing you won't enjoy A summer trip not at all You're not going to travel is the ferry or by plane Actually those are the only options but I mean depending on No matter which one you choose it may turn out better one way or another In my case the first trip I took to Greece After Athens were on the Greek island of Mykonos which is surely the most well-known a bit on par with Santorini Then we took a ferry from the port of Piraeus to Mykonos As they are very popular islands There are usually quite a few ferries Three different ferry lines operate daily You can check this as it also depends a lot on the time of year etc Then depending on where you're going for example if you're going to Crete it veterinates that it might be cheaper to fly From Athens because there are very cheap flights you can get a flight for 15 or 20 euros and you save a lot of time Because it's quite far from Crete to Athens by boat and you save that time and it's much more economical Because a common idea is that ferries are much cheaper If you want to go with your car When you take the ferry you have the option one of the positive aspects of taking the ferry It's that you can go by car Then if for example you are going to be traveling for two weeks and you want to have the same car If you have driven your car to Athens because the ferries offer you the option to bring your car We'll move with him and save you the hassle of having to rent a car on each island Not having a car on a specific island and looking for other ways to move around Then for these things ferries are better But if not then it depends on which island you go to it's better that you book a flight For example Milos where we are is a small island that can be explored in a few days but for example Milos has everything It has many beaches but they are small coves and typical little fishing villages that are very colorful They are places well worth visiting I'm leaving now well you have the playlist with the trip so you won't get bored again with everything we visited But Milo surprised me a lot It's an island that isn't as crowded as for example Santorini or Mykonos And it has a lot to offer Then if you want islands that are not so crowded a lot in terms of nature or beaches and such Milos is a very good option for example Well look I've said it among the islands I've been talking about search for images and so on And thus you see what each of them can offer you and you can decide more easily which ones are suitable for you As I said if you have one or two weeks It's better to focus on a few islands and spend several days there because the travel times also take time and so on As for food the Mediterranean diet is prevalent across all the islands in the typical Greek menu such as Greek salad etc There is an abundance of fish obviously because of the area where it is located So this type of food that is found everywhere It's very good it's generally cheap but it's true that in very popular islands like Santorini restaurants are already at international prices Then don't expect it to be like going to some remote island that hardly has any tourism It's the same for 5 or 7 euros if you have a full meal Santorini is completely international So forget that it's a Greek island Charging you calmly 30 40 euros 50 from everything Obviously there are low-cost options But it will cost you a bit more to find the typical street food Accommodation is exactly the same There are very affordable options on all these islands But especially in islands like Santorini or Mykonos the biggest offers are at high prices Especially if you want to stay in Ia which is the most popular part of Santorini it's super expensive because those are the typical apartments It has a pool They stay on the hill and such There they are ready to pay at least 1 000 euros per night And things like that if you're going in the summer Then there are other options from other small towns around the island where you'll have more economical options And generally across all Greek islands it will be more similar You will have as in all places more economical and less options Mykonos for example which doesn't have as much availability but the prices are a bit higher but we found some very good priced apartments and quite spacious so the most important thing is It's so that you stay well Ferri you can get them practically from one night to the next morning 𝒛 though if you already have an itinerary established It's better that you find out as soon as possible so that you can take it Another thing is that later you are improvising which is another option of improvising Do you want to spend a few days and when you get bored move to another one then it's good what you have but you might end up without seats But it's strange Ferri usually has plenty especially in summer with plenty of space But if not then the sooner you know It's better to take them now because if not the better rooms will sell out Then a final part I want to dedicate to the COVID part It now makes a bit of sense but okay if you watch this video in a few years it might not apply anymore The whole issue with COVID It only affects the flight section For example to travel to Greece you have to fill out a PLF which is a form requested in many countries You have to fill it out with your details you have to fill it out in advance To avoid picking up bags at the origin airport or at the destination Then it is important to have this filled out Then they may ask for your vaccination passport or have a PCR antigen test it mostly depends on when you are traveling Because this is practically changing every week the requirements but when we travel they asked for the vaccination in the passport And the PLF was sufficient Then upon returning to Spain you will have to fill out the same form again But with Spain you can do it online and everything is done from your phone without any problem You will not be using it and you will be informed of what you need or else you go to the Spanish ministry or to the country you are in You will see the country's conditions where you are going to travel and there they will set the entry exit etc conditions But then in daily life For example in Greece it was as if the COVID did not exist meaning there had been practically no one wearing a mask Practically nowhere did they ask for it in the hotel lobbies from some hotel but the rest as if it didn't exist They often ask for the vaccination passport topic PCR or antigen doses fill out a form which in principle must be printed So look at this carefully because when you buy the ferry tickets if you do it online we will send them to your email A form that you need to fill out with your details and this in principle has to be physical because you hand it in on the ship itself Just like the vaccination passport even the ferry ticket you can carry on your phone without any problem Whether you scan it with a QR code or not it's enough this document in particular It's also true that the ferries we took asked us once meaning my security measures decreased as the trip progressed The first ferry from Crete to Milos were asked for everything police asking for the vaccination passport were asked for the form and the ticket on the phone And this was a bit slowing things down which was the entrance and then on the boat they are constantly checking that you are wearing the mask They didn't ask us for the form or the vaccination passport and directly the boat from Santorini back to Crete I don't know if it was because it was very late or if they just didn't ask us for anything at all not even the ferry ticket I think it was so late What everyone said was inside you could go in without a ticket you could enter the same way they didn't ask us anything when entering during or when leaving it's a bit random but in principle these are the rules at I wanted to give you so that my video doesn't get too long for that I recommend you watch my videos because there I talk more about my daily life About all of this and I can give you more detailed information but well I think in general here I tell you the most important parts regarding the planning Regardless if you have any questions as always let me know put it in the comments