Sydney-Tianjin-Bangkok-Turkey-Greek Islands-Norway by cruiseship, flights and ferries.

[woodyren]

Day 59-63 Santorini.
After another brief hiatus cruising and traveling in China with limited internet I will resume this TR, albeit weeks behind so my memory will be put to the test a little.

Following our stay on Rhodes we headed for Santorini. Long term plan was to catch a ferry but ferry schedules are only released 6 months ahead at best. We based our bookings on the previous seasons schedule but when the current season was released the schedule didn't fit our non refundable bookings.

The solution was to Fly to Santorini. Aegean Airlines Y flights we booked for around 100 EUR pp. Rhodes-Athens-Santorini. Very surprised at the quality and value of their Y product. They even manage to fit in a snack on each of the two short legs.

Arrived on time and again used Hoppa to book our transfer to our hotel. Around half the price of that offered by the Hotel.

Our hotel was situated in Imerovigli which is about 30 minutes walk or 10 minutes bus ride from Fira the main town. It is also higher up the caldera with great views particularly at sunset. Hotel was Vila Lukas and we booked the least expensive room available. Cost was 615 Euro for 4 nights which included a good breakfast delivered to your room. Our room had a small private terrace but it was upstairs but easily accessed. Other rooms in the hotel with terraces outside their door and nearby hotels were generally double or much more even than what we paid.

Our room was inside the second door from the right in this photo. The terrace was for the room on the left. Our terrace was up the stairs on the right where you can see the persons head.


Inside our studio room.



Breakfast.



Views from our terrace.

 

[tgh]

Good pics , beautiful spot ,Santorini…..

 

[woodyren]

First 2 days we spent walking around the area between our hotel and Fira admiring the stunning views. Quite an eye opener considering how they manage to build on the steep cliffs. There are a LOT of stairs wherever you go.

As usual we have our travel budget to consider and most things in Santorini are understandably very expensive. As a result we did not dine in any of the up market restaurants and after our included breakfast our meals for the 4 days we were there consisted of snacks/takeaways/gyros during the day and food such as cheese, sausage, olives, tomato, salads, bread that we purchased along with beer and wine and ate on our terrace watching the sun go down each evening.

As with Rhodes Santorini becomes very crowded when the larger cruise ships are in.

I will include some more general photos as it is a stunning place.

 

[woodyren]

My favourite day in Santorini was day 3. Mrs woodyren relaxed in our hotel while I walked from Imerovigli to Oia along the cliff tops. Enjoyed the walk a lot but when I arrived at Oia is was so crowded from cruise tours it was a struggle to walk the narrow streets. We returned late in the day the next day and it was uncrowded and much more relaxing.


The walk is about 8 klms along a track that mostly follows the top of the caldera.

Caught the bus back to Imerovigli and just as arrived back mrs woodyren decided she would like to walk into Fira for a snack and to buy food for dinner. Covered about 14 klms that day I think and a lot of hills and steps.



The walk takes you past some great looking hotels.



Looking back towards our hotel location in Imerovigli.




Half way. Mules for hire if you cant finish the walk.



Approaching the end looking towards Oia.

 

[woodyren]

Last full day on Santorini. Again Mrs woodyren stayed at the hotel and relaxed for a few hours while I booked a local boat tour to the hot springs and volcano. Cost was 20 Euro and you were required to meet the boat at the port where the cruise ships tender.
To access/egress the port there are thee options. 1) Use the cable car. 2) Ride the cable car. 3) Walk the steep path with over 500 steps.

I chose the walk both ways and also walked from and back to Imerovigli. When added to the walk to get to the top and back on the volcano it was another day with a lot of walking. Legs were well and truly burning on the way back up.

The early part of the path to the harbour. Must say I didn't enjoy walking between the rear end of an unattended donkey/mule/horse and the path wall.







The swim from our boat to the hot springs. That's me with my hand up.


The hot springs. They would be better referred to as the mildly warm springs.


Towards the top of the volcanic island in the middle of the old caldera. Only a few small steam vents and a little sulphur.






Finally back at the top of the 559 steps up from the harbour. You can see the step numbers painted in the blue area on the step risers.

 

[woodyren]

Day 63 - 67

Next stop was Naxos a short few hours by ferry from Santorini. Couldn't find a Hoppa transfer option from our hotel to the ferry port on Santorini so we decided to try to catch the two local buses required to get there for our 12pm(ish) ferry. While waiting at the local Imerovigli bus stop with a luggage a coach pulled up. We thought it was the local bus but the driver told us it wasn't. As we were waiting and after a few people boarded with luggage the driver called us down to the bus and asked us where we were going. Told him "to the ferry port". He checked his list he had and told us to hop on. I asked him how much and he said "Nothing. I'm going there anyway and have room" The bus was doing paid transfers, picking up people from their hotel. We gave him a nice tip once we got to the port.

The road to the ferry port is a crazy switchback road built against the almost vertical cliff face. Becomes a bit of a traffic jam with the buses that meet to ferries.








Not our ferry. We were in no hurry so went for the regular ferry over the fast ones as it was around half the price.



Also not ours.


Our ferry.


We had the seat only option. Plenty of outdoor or indoor hard seats available. Perfectly fine for a couple of hours.



Another photo of the port access road.


Aircraft seats are the middle range option on most ferries.



First class lounge.

 

[woodyren]

On arrival by ferry at Naxos port we were met as arranged by Michalis the owner of our hotel. We had booked the Hotel Adriani based on some excellent reviews in particular about the hospitality and breakfast provided by the family run hotel. It was about a 5 - 10 minute walk from the main area of Naxos town situated in a more residential area. Turned out to be an excellent choice. Room and out outside courtyard were great. Breakfast was all homecooked by the family and was as good or better than advertised and Michalis was a wealth of friendly advice on what to see and do.

Worked out at around $300 AUD for 4 nights after a $60 Amex cashback offer.


Our outside courtyard.






Breakfast buffet consisted of fruit, cereals, yoghurts, pastries, eggs, juices, coffee, and some of the best home made cakes and slices I have ever eaten.

 

[OZDUCK]

On arrival by ferry at Naxos port we were met as arranged by Michalis the owner of our hotel. We had booked the Hotel Adriani based on some excellent reviews in particular about the hospitality and breakfast provided by the family run hotel. It was about a 5 - 10 minute walk from the main area of Naxos town situated in a more residential area. Turned out to be an excellent choice. Room and out outside courtyard were great. Breakfast was all homecooked by the family and was as good or better than advertised and Michalis was a wealth of friendly advice on what to see and do.

Worked out at around $300 AUD for 4 nights after a $60 Amex cashback offer.
Breakfast buffet consisted of fruit, cereals, yoghurts, pastries, eggs, juices, coffee, and some of the best home made cakes and slices I have ever eaten.

Lovely photos and those cakes and slices do look fantastic.

 

[woodyren]

Naxos turned out to be my favourite of the three Greek islands we visited. Sure it doesn't have the stunning vistas of Santorini or the old walled city and castle of Rhodes. What it has is a much more laid back vibe, nice beaches and is far less crowded. We were there at the end of May and it was the ideal time to visit before the peak tourist season begins.

The old town and area around the port had plenty of restaurants and tavernas and prices were significantly lower than the other two Islands. Just a great place to relax.

Harbourfront lined with excellent places to eat and drink.

 

[woodyren]

The Old Town of Naxos Town or Naxos Chora sits on a hill above the harbour. As with many old Greek towns it is a maze of narrow alleyways. No vehicles are allowed in the Old Town area.

There is also an old castle.






Many more eating options available in this area.








There local area outside the old town.

 

[woodyren]

Nearby Naxos Town but with walking distance is St Georges beach and further afield but only a short bus or taxi ride away are Argios Prokopios, Argios Anna and Plaka Beaches. All have a variety of beachfront accommodation and great beach front eateries.

As you get further along the beach the road becomes just a dirt track and the beach in many places is almost deserted.





Many places on the beach have sun lounges and shade which are used by customers at a taverna or hotel but there is ample places were you can just put down a towel in a quiet spot on the beach.












We would almost certainly pay a return visit to Naxos if we visit the Greek Islands again and next time stay in one of the beachfront hotels.

 

[woodyren]

The headland near the harbour features Portara, the huge marble Gate of the Temple of Apollo which was never finished. This is the trademark attraction of the island, built in the 6th century BC. It is believed that the temple was never completed and most of its parts were taken to build other structures on the island.

Sunsets at the temple stunning.

 

[kermatu]

Sensational sunset pics.

 

[OZDUCK]

Goodness me those photos are lovely - colour me jealous.

 

[woodyren]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not the best at putting things to words but enjoy taking lots of photos and out of those I usually get enough good ones.

 

[woodyren]

On our last full day in Naxos it was time again for me to go exploring while Mrs woodyren relaxed in our hotel. With a bit of advice from our host Michalis I decided to catch the locals bus up into the mountainous centre of Naxos to the village of Apiranthos and then walk the approximately. 8-10 klms along a path down to the village of Filoti and catch the bus from there back to Naxos Town.

The walk takes you past Mt Zas (Zeus) which is the highest point in the Cyclades Islands.

Solo and with only a few brief instructions from what I could glean the night before from the net I boarded the bus. The bus was full of a mixture of locals and tourists decked out in full hiking gear departing for what was obviously a wide variety of hiking trails in the area. I had the company of a lady from Germany on the seat next to me on the way to Apiranthos who was with a small group doing the same hike and explained that the trail was marked with number 3 in various places and also explained how to find the start. I also had a back up plan to just walk back down the road we came up if things were a little difficult to locate.

A few photos from the bus ride to Apiranthos. Passed through some small villages on the way.






On arrival a spent about an hour or so walking the streets of Apiranthos. These mountain villages all have a number of guest houses/hotels/tavernas and would be worth spending a day or two in each. All the locals I encountered were very friendly and the villages were so relaxed. Great places to sit and have some food or a drink under a shady tree and watch the world go by.












The villages are surrounded by orchards, olive groves and pasture.

 

[woodyren]

I had about a 4 hour window to get to Filoti for the bus back to Naxos Town. I had asked the German lady that I talked to on the bus if I could just follow them as one of their party knew the way they spent too long walking around Apiranthos so I decided to head out solo to give myself more time on the way and in Filoti.

Located the start of the track quite easily and off I went. The track was not to steep and mainly the grade was down hill so it was not a difficult walk.

Found the number 3 and headed in that direction.



The track wound it's way through local rural areas.



Quite a few little chapels along the route.





Every so often the number 3 was marked. I never saw any other hikers along the way.

 

[woodyren]

Around a of what I estimate to be more than half of the way along the track it joined the road for a few hundred meters and then a sign pointed me to another entrance on the opposite side of the road. I followed the sign that led up a road to a run down farm.

While I could see a path leading down further into the valley and heading towards Filoti the path I was on was blocked by a fence. No one else was around and after going back to a taverna near the start of the track for directions and not really getting anything clear from them I decided to give up on the path and just follow the road the rest of the way. The road was obviously a much longer distance from my viewpoint at this time but it was also very scenic as it wound it's way closer to Mt Zas.



I found out later that the track was only fenced at this point for livestock control and it was fine to open the gate and continue on.







This taverna was near the entrance to the track. They told me not many people use the track and maybe it was better to go by road.




Mt Zas

 

[VPS]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not the best at putting things to words but enjoy taking lots of photos and out of those I usually get enough good ones.

Really enjoying it so please keep going

 

[woodyren]

Arrived in Filoti an hour and a half or so before the bus departure. Plenty time for a look around the largest village on Naxos and take the time for a gyros and icy cold beer in one of the tavernas at the bus stop in the main square. Really enjoyable day.
















Unfortunately I didn't get to try the titbit.


4 Euro for a gyros and icy cold beer.