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Aegean Sea travel guide

Best time to travel

The best season to go to Greek islands is four From January to October, people can be guaranteed to enjoy sufficient sunlight, and the sea water is warm and suitable for swimming. This is why local tourist brochures only divide a year into two seasons, and everything except summer is collectively called winter. Summer is the season with the most tourists, and prices are subject to change. Accommodation is tight, so it’s best to book in advance. Spring and autumn are very good, the climate is comfortable and not crowded. There are not many tourists in winter. Most Greek hotels closed at the end of October and did not reopen until April of the following year. The frequency of sea ferries has also been greatly reduced. With the development of tourism, many islands are now open year-round, with restaurants and hotels open as usual, and low-season prices are only half or one-third of peak season prices. Easter is the most important festival in Greece. There are many traditional celebrations. It is especially recommended to go to Greece during this period. You can experience unique traditional celebrations and eat traditional festival foods. However, Easter in Greece does not use the same calculation method as other Western countries, so it is best to check the exact date in advance.

Transportation

PIREAS Port on the outskirts of Athens is the hub for traveling to various Aegean islands. Dozens of passenger ships from different ferry companies arrive at different islands every day. It is very convenient to get to Pireas Port. You can take the subway from the center of Athens (green M1 line to the terminal, the fare is 0. 75 euros), or you can take a taxi (the fare is within 10 euros, remember!). If you go directly from Athens Airport, you can take the E19 airport bus to the terminal. Ferry tickets can be booked through a travel agency (must be booked together with accommodation, otherwise the travel agency will not accept it), or purchased at the ticket offices of various steamship companies in the port or directly on the ship. There are many ticket purchase points. Be sure to check which company ships to your destination, and then compare the prices at various ticket sales points.

It is particularly important to note that the ferry schedule here changes frequently. Although you can check www.gtp.gr online in advance, the exact time depends on the newspaper of the day or the daily notice at the ticket office. There are many types. Normal-speed boats are generally larger, can carry cars, and have restaurants on board. The high-speed hovercraft has a short sailing time, but the ticket is slightly more expensive, and because the hull is small, it cannot carry vehicles. Tickets vary according to class of cabin, sailing distance and type of ship. Going to an island farther away requires you to spend the night on the boat, so it is best to book a bed in advance (it is recommended to buy a first-class cabin, which is a double room, which is more comfortable; a second-class cabin is a multi-person room, and you may have to share it with other strangers). Many cruise companies operate day trips to the Saronic Islands. The round trip on the same day also includes lunch on the ship, and the price is more than 20 US dollars.

If you want to be unique, it is recommended to drive a sailboat or yacht to each island. This is the most fashionable way nowadays, and summer is the best time to travel on a sailing yacht. Many local travel agencies offer this service.

Of course you must eat seafood when traveling to an island. Greek islands are rich in seafood resources. There will be a row of restaurants on the streets near the pier on the island, and there are often huge seafood signs hanging at the door. . Because the ingredients are fresh, it is delicious no matter how you prepare it. And the price is much cheaper than in Athens. Eating seafood at the beach while looking at the sea view is a dreamy thing. Most of the islands are habitable for tourists. The islands provide different levels of accommodation, from hotels to private rooms, and many famous islands have youth hostels. Most hotels face the sea and are not expensive.

Many islands can reach major attractions on foot. Some larger islands are more convenient to drive. You can drive your own rental car brought from the ferry. There are also taxis and motorcycles on the island. But for a few special islands, donkeys and mules have become the best substitutes for cars. 4. Other practical information: The common currency in Greece is the euro. Credit cards will work in most cases, but cash is more convenient in villages and small islands. In restaurants, it is common to tip 10% of the bill. Greek time is one hour ahead of Paris, and there are winter and summer time. Street signs and various logos across Greece are in Greek, and most people only speak Greek, but English can be spoken in major tourist attractions.

Special recommendation:

Saga hotel on Poros Island

There are many hotels on Poros Island, and most of the rooms are sea view rooms facing the sea. The price of food and accommodation here is reasonable, and it is definitely a good idea to stay here. I particularly recommend the Saga hotel on Poros Island. This is a medium-sized hotel run by a Greek couple. It has strong local characteristics and is very suitable for people on vacation.

First of all, the room is clean and has a good view. From the balcony of the guest room, you can see the Aegean Sea and the mountains and forests on the Boloponnese Peninsula on the other side. Secondly, the conditions are comfortable but not expensive. The hotel has a swimming pool, fitness facilities, and all rooms are air-conditioned (many Greek hotels do not have air-conditioning), which ensures guests a good rest in the hot summer. All rooms have satellite TV. The couple who owns the shop speak English fluently and are very talkative, so there are many foreign tourists here. But the most attractive thing here is the feeling of home where the owner carefully considers his guests.

There are more than 20 guest rooms here with kitchen facilities. Guests can cook according to their own tastes, and the hotel has laundry services. They also take care of children for guests so that guests can have a peaceful vacation. In the hotel's own restaurant, most of the ingredients for the dishes come from the owner's farm on the Boloponnese Peninsula, and they are all green foods.

Special Tips

1. When I tasted the olives in the restaurant, I was almost shocked because they were so big, like potatoes, that I couldn’t eat them in one bite. Despite their size, they are actually very delicious. The owner of the store said that he has reported these giant olives to the Guinness Book of Records.

2. The hotel’s various homemade wines are made from grapes grown on the owner’s farm and have a unique taste.

3. You must taste the lemon nectar on the breakfast table. Galatas on the other side of Poros Island is a famous lemon producing area. In spring, lemon flowers bloom all over the hillside, and the air is filled with the fragrance of lemon flowers. The hotel owner's bee farm is near Galatas, and the lemon nectar is made by the bees there collecting it from the lemon blossom bushes. The taste is really unforgettable.

Every holiday, guests can have the opportunity to have a Greek barbecue party with the owner's family in the flower-filled courtyard, which really feels like a family. It would be great if you happen to stay there during Easter, the most solemn festival in Greece. Not only will you have the opportunity to see traditional religious celebrations, but you will also be able to taste traditional holiday food, red Easter eggs, and "Magiritsa" soup. , and "Souvla" Greek BBQ! Because of this, there are a lot of repeat guests from various countries among the hotel guests. Saga Hotel is right next to Kanali Beach, only 10 minutes away from Saga Town.