Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

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Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby Gemma1 » 02 Jul 2019, 19:22

Rather long report from our island hopping trip last month. I would have added photos to break it up a bit but unfortunately I don't have the talents of D&E and silverfox and my photos come out far too big on here. I'm not sure why as they post on Facebook ok :?

9/6/19
Flew with TC on an Airbus A321 from Manchester to Mykonos. The flight was delayed half an hour due to the incoming flight arriving late and we arrived on Mykonos at 1920 to temperatures of 27 degrees. Our accommodation didn’t provide transfers, so we got a taxi from the airport to the Pension Marina in Tourlos which cost 17 euros. We’d pre booked our accommodation at a cost of 60.5 euros for a twin room which was quite compact, but then this is Mykonos and the room had decent air conditioning and a fridge and was adequate for a one night stay and only a short walk from Tourlos port. After freshening up we walked towards the port and had dinner in Matthew Taverna overlooking the cruise terminal, where we shared a Greek salad, followed by stuffed mushrooms for me and the chicken fillet for OH. The 5 plump mushrooms filled with cheese were more than adequate and OH’s chicken came with rice and potatoes cooked in the oven. The bill including dips and bread, 4 large beers and a glass of house rose was 58 euros. This was a pleasant traditional Greek taverna but quite noisy due to its proximity to the busy main road. A complimentary dessert of delicious yogurt with fruit compote followed the meal.

10/6/19
We walked the short distance to the café above the supermarket overlooking Tourlos cruise terminal for breakfast. I had fresh orange juice and a ham and cheese toast and OH had a special omelette (not very special as it was only cheese and ham) and a latte. The bill was 23 euros. After breakfast we walked on to the ticket office at the port and purchased tickets for the 1415 Blue Star Patmos to Syros for 12 euros each. We intended to catch the Sea Bus to Mykonos old port but it had just left and we weren’t sure how long we’d have to wait for the next one so we decided to walk, which wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience on the busy road. There was only one cruise ship in the harbour but plenty of people around as we spent an hour rediscovering the pretty, narrow streets of Mykonos town, trying to avoid the crowds.

Mykonos
2. Mykonos.JPG

Mykonos
3. Mykonos.JPG

Little Venice, Mykonos
6. Little Venice, Mykonos.JPG


We checked out of the Marina at 12 mid-day and left our room for the 10 minute walk to Tourlos port and the ferry. The port was busy but we managed to find a couple of seats inside and were on board the Patmos half an hour before the ferry departed. When we arrived on Syros, George picked us up from Ermoupoli and drove us and another couple across the island to Galissas, where we’d booked a studio with SV for a very reasonable 32 euros a night at George Rooms. We were very happy with our spacious, airy studio with a balcony and pleasant view of Galissas beach. After unpacking we went for a stroll round the quiet village, where prices are so much cheaper than on Mykonos, and stocked up on provisions from the supermarket.

Our room at George's - on the top
7. George's rooms, Galissas, Syros.JPG


View from our room
9. View from our room at George's.JPG


For dinner we went to the meze restaurant opposite Manousos where we shared a Greek salad, fava, meatballs and a portion of fried potatoes. The bill including a large beer, half a litre of very nice white wine and a bottle of water was 25.5 euros.

11/6/19
After breakfast on the balcony we set off along the quiet country lane towards Kini. After walking for just over an hour through the Greek countryside, passing mules, sheep and chickens, the pretty seaside village of Kini came into view below us and 20 minutes later we arrived at Kini beach. After a drink at the expensive cocktail place with very nice toilets (8.5 euros for a beer and diet coke), we walked the length of the beach and back before stopping for lunch at the pizza, souvlaki, grill place on the beach, where we relaxed and listened to the sound of the waves lapping against the beach a few yards away. For lunch I had a chicken gyros and OH had a chicken club sandwich with chips. The bill including 2 large draft beers and a large bottle of water was a reasonable 17.10 euros. After lunch we walked back to Galissas and spent the rest of the afternoon chilling on the balcony.

Kini
11. Kini.JPG


Kini
12. Kini.JPG


Kini
13.Kini.JPG


For dinner we went to Savvas where initially we sat outside next to the beach but OH was complaining that he was getting bitten so we moved to one of the tables inside the restaurant. To start with we shared Greek salad and zucchini balls followed by salmon with roast vegetables for me and spaghetti bolognese for OH. My salmon was delicious and OH enjoyed his meal too. The bill including half a litre of white house wine (only 3.80 here) and 2 large draft beers was 46.60 euros. Complimentary raki followed the meal. The service was excellent and the very friendly waiter who liked to guess accents guessed straight away that we were from Yorkshire – I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not!

Dinner at Savvas
15. Greek salad at Savvas.JPG


Salmon and roast vegetables at Savvas
16. Salmon with roast vet at Savvas.JPG


12/6/19
Woke to another beautiful day without a cloud in the sky and after breakfast, followed by a walk down to the little harbour as we had time to spare, we caught the 1020 bus to Ermoupolis via the coastal villages which cost 1.8 euros each and took 40 minutes. We enjoyed seeing more of Syros, even if it was from the bus. After disembarking at the bus station we purchased tickets on the 0700 Artemis to Paros on Sunday for 7.5 euros each, before making our way past the town hall and up the many steps and lanes to the old city of Ano Syros, stopping several times to catch our breath and admire the view below us. The steps are very steep in places and it made walking up the Kali Strata in Symi seem easy in comparison. After taking some time to recover and admire the stunning views from Agios Georgios, we made our way back down through the scenic, narrow streets of Ano Syros, passing two tavernas with tables that had lovely views over the bay, though unfortunately both were closed. Really loved Ano Syros and it was worth the effort climbing up there but Ermoupolis was a bit too busy and noisy for us so we caught the 2pm bus back to Galissas and had lunch at Manousos in the square – 2 chicken gyros, a portion of chips, a large beer and small water was 11 euros. The rest of the afternoon was spent chilling on the balcony.

Galissas harbour
17. Galissas.JPG


Ano Syros
22. Ano Syros.JPG


View from Ano Syros
23. View from Ano Syros.JPG


For dinner we went to one of the restaurants opposite the beach – I’m not sure what it was called though it said ‘Timokata’ on the menu and is next to Alex’s grill. We shared a Greek salad followed by chicken a la crème with mushrooms x 2 which came with rice and fat chips and was very nice. The bill including 2 large beers and 2 glasses of white wine was was 45.7 euros. Complimentary tiramisu followed the meal. This restaurant seems slightly more expensive than the others and tonight we were the only customers but we enjoyed the food.

13/6/19
After breakfast on the balcony we walked along the main road to Finikas. The map also showed a minor road to Finikas but we weren’t sure where it started and walking along the main road here is much easier than on Mykonos as it was relatively quiet. After walking for 40 minutes we reached the turn off for Finikas and walked down to the port where we sat and watched a luxury catamaran reach its mooring – joining the several other yachts (some very luxurious) already berthed there. On the pebble beach at the side of the harbour there was a large brown goose pecking around with 2 unusual looking ducks and some large seagulls, none of which appeared bothered by the little cat lying a few feet away under the shade of the tree. As it was still early we continued walking along the coastal road to Agathorpes beach where we stopped for a while before retracing our steps to Finikas. It was a bit too early for lunch so we stopped at the Ora Baresto for drinks and sat at one of the outside tables admiring the view of Finikas bay. Suitably refreshed we walked back to Galissas and had another chicken gyros for lunch – this time at Alex’s Grill. Neither of us were over impressed with the gyros which came with salad cream instead of tzatziki. The bill including 2 large beers, 2 chicken pitta gyros, a portion of chips for OH and a bottle of water was 12.5 euros. A complimentary dessert of moist coconut cake followed the meal which was very nice. Once again we spent the afternoon chilling on the balcony – I could get used to this lifestyle.

Finikas
26. Finikas.JPG


For dinner we went to the pizza place next to the square which makes homemade pizzas and pies. We shared a Greek salad followed by a special pizza (cheese, ham, bacon, mushrooms and pepper) which was ample for two. It was a pleasant evening listening to two elderly Greeks on another table playing their guitars and singing Greek songs. The bill including ¼ carafe of very nice white wine and a large beer was 18.5 euros.

Dinner at the pizza restaurant
30. Pizza restaurant, Galissas.JPG


14/6/19
After breakfast we set off along the beach road and took the lane uphill signposted St Stefanos. Although it was only 9.30 it was already very hot and hard work climbing up the steep path with no shade. The path levelled out just below the OTE tower and after 40 minutes of walking we reached an open gate with no entry signs so must have missed the turn off somehow. As we didn’t have the energy to go up and down any more paths in the heat we decided to return to Galissas, taking the alternative route which brought us out at the back of the village close to the main road. Walking back was much easier and I enjoyed the view below us of Finikas Bay to the right and Galissas to the left. There were wildflowers growing at the side of the road and we saw several pretty butterflies. We made our way back down to the beach for much needed refreshment. As it was still early we decided to walk up the steps to the little church overlooking Galissas bay. The church wasn’t locked so I went inside and admired the frescoes inside. Down below were the ruins of Ancient Galissas and the path to the nudist beach. We walked back down the steps and had lunch at Kavos Taverna where I had a chicken caesar salad and OH had a club sandwich and chips. The bill including a large beer and a small water was 20.6 euros. After a walk along the beach to the beach bar, the rest of the afternoon was spent chilling on the balcony.

Finikas Bay from above Galissas
32. Finikas from above Galissas.JPG


Dinner was at Savvas again, this time sitting outside but away from the greenery, enjoying the warmth of the summer evening, with the sea in the distance and the little church all lit up on the headland - beautiful. Aubergine dip was on the specials board and I couldn’t decide between that and fava so decided to order both and skip the main course. We shared both starters along with a Greek salad with OH ordering chicken chunks for his main course. The chicken was cooked on the grill and nicely flavoured and came with potatoes in the oven that were delicious. The bill including half a litre of rose wine and 2 large beers was 36.90 euros and a complimentary orange liqueur followed the meal.

15/6/19
After breakfast I went to pay George for the studio and check that our transfer to Ermoupolis tomorrow morning is sorted. OH suggested we go for a walk so we decided to explore the local area a bit more and went for a wander round the quiet lanes around Galissas, rounding a corner and passing 4 rather smelly goats at the other side of the wall. We walked in a loop through a quiet hamlet, passing several houses before returning to Galissas just as the coastal bus was approaching. We decided to catch the bus to Megas Gialos and apart from one scary moment when the driver was talking on his mobile and driving round a corner with one hand (don’t they have hands free in Greece!) we arrived unscathed. There wasn’t an awful lot in Megas Gialos so we decided to walk on to Vari, where several cafes overlook the sandy beach and a castle overlooks the bay. We walked up the hill for a closer look at the castle but it was in the grounds of somebody’s house so we returned to the beach for refreshments before catching the bus back to Galissas and a gyros for lunch at Manousos. It was very windy with sand storms in the car park and things blowing all over the place – including my plate and serviette at one point. The beach was busy and several people were swimming in the sea. After a wander down to the little harbour, where the waves were crashing over the rocks, it was back to the room for more chilling on the balcony.

For our final dinner in Galissas, we went back to the restaurant next to Nick’s grill where we ordered a Greek salad and tomato balls followed by moussaka for me and chicken with mushrooms a la crème again for OH. All the food came together – which I know sometimes happens in Greece but it’s the first time it’s happened here and it meant my moussaka was lukewarm by the time I started eating it. The restaurant was quiet when we arrived but soon started filling up and it did feel a bit as though we were being rushed along. The bill including a glass of wine, a large beer and a large bottle of water was 39.70 euros and as soon as we’d finished our meal we paid up and left. It was a disappointing final meal in Galissas.

16/6/19
George arrived to pick us up at 6.10 and 15 minutes later we were in Ermoupolis where the Artemis was waiting. After saying goodbye to George and thanking him for his excellent hospitality we went straight on board.

Leaving Syros
44. Leaving Syros.JPG


Ferry to Antiparos
45. Ferry to Antiparos.JPG


Upon checking my emails I found messages from booking.com and the Begleri hotel advising that they were overbooked for tonight and didn’t have a room for us until tomorrow which put a bit of a dampener on things. There was a mention of alternative accommodation so we settled down and enjoyed the crossing and hoped for the best. The Artemis was about 10 minutes late leaving and by the time we disembarked in Paros it was 9am which gave us an hour to spare before the Antiparos Star was due so we settled down at the café across the road until the little ferry arrived. The journey to Antiparos took less than half an hour and cost 5 euros each. With the help of google maps and a local shopkeeper we found our way to the Begleri where the owner was most apologetic and told us that she had found us accommodation for tonight at the La Scala apartments. She said the price was normally 100 euros a night but she had got us a special rate of 50 euros. We went to look at the apartment which was only a short walk away and in the process of being cleaned. It was a very nice apartment with all mod cons, including a full kitchen and washing machine though it smelt very strongly of stale cigarette smoke. The outlook wasn’t the best as the terrace was overlooked on two sides and on the other side, almost within touching distance, was a half-finished building. The owners had done their best to make it nice and there were plants in tubs round the outside, but it was disappointing after our lovely SV studio in Galissas and certainly not worth 100 euros a night IMHO. We told the owner of the Begleri it would be fine for one night and we would meet her back at the Begleri at mid-day tomorrow. After a drink at one of the harbour side restaurants whilst the cleaner finished the room, we returned and unpacked the minimum for our overnight stay, before going out to see more of Antiparos. After leaving the harbour, we turned right along the coastal path, admiring the beautiful turquoise colour of the sea - absolutely stunning. After reaching Psaraliki beach we re-joined the road and walked back inland through the picturesque narrow streets of the town, stopping for lunch at Café Babel where the owner seemed to think he recognised us from a previous visit. As the only time we’ve been to Anti Paros was on a day trip in 2010, when we’re pretty sure we didn't visit his restaurant, I think that’s unlikely but he was a great guy and we enjoyed lunch of tuna salad for me and club sandwich with chips for OH. The bill including 2 large draft beers and a large bottle of water was 21 euros. It was great service and very nice food and we definitely plan to go back as the prices were very reasonable. After buying a few bits from the supermarket and a couple of delicious chocolate cakes from the bakery, we returned to the apartment and sat out in the courtyard trying not to think about our lovely view from George’s too much!

After a walk down to the harbour, I met OH for a pre-dinner drink at Café Babel – no nice view but a great place for people watching. The street was very busy tonight with a lot of people walking around; it reminded me a bit of Mykonos – without the cruise ships. For dinner we walked the few yards to Manos Taverna where we shared starters of tzatziki and crab dip followed by beef stifado x 2. The food was excellent and the bill including half a litre of rose wine, 2 large beers and a bottle of water was 38.70 euros. A complimentary plate of melon and orange followed by raki followed the meal.

Antiparos
50. Antiparos.JPG


Evening in Antiparos harbour
52. Evening in Antiparos harbour.JPG


17/6/19
After breakfast on the terrace, we set off walking through the town to find the castle. The streets were very quiet this morning which was a complete contrast to last night. After a few false turns and a bit of help from google we managed to find the old Venetian Kastro, I’m not sure how we missed it as we’d almost walked past a couple of times. We left the castle behind and turned right out of the town on the wide road, walking past the small building with a sign saying ‘Disco La Luna’ – it’s hard to imagine that it was big enough for anybody to dance in. Shortly after we’d passed the disco the road came to a dead end just as a rabbit or hare (I thought it was a rabbit but OH said it was a hare) ran across the road in front of us up a driveway, did a U turn and ran right past us before disappearing under a parked car – it was one of those wow moments. We made our way back into town and after stopping for refreshments in the harbour, walked past Mike’s studios and Theologos beach and continued walking round the bay, once again admiring the beautiful turquoise of the sea and watching the boats coming and going across the water.

At mid-day we left the apartment for the short walk to the Begleri as arranged. We were shown 2 rooms – a standard compact double on the first floor with a small balcony and a distant view of the sea, or a larger studio on the ground floor with a spacious terrace and view of the countryside. As the studio was much bigger, and as OH pointed out it meant not having to take the cases up the narrow stairs, we decided to take the studio. We left our luggage and went for some lunch in the harbour whilst the room was being cleaned. For lunch we went to the traditional looking taverna at the end of the harbour next to the car hire place where a couple of squid were hanging up outside. I was tempted in by the menu outside which mentioned omelettes but as we sat down that menu was replaced by the lunch menu, plus several dishes on the specials board. I decided to have the crab salad as I’d enjoyed my crab dip so much the previous evening and OH went for a Greek salad followed by stuffed tomatoes – no chips today! He was pretty sure the stuffed tomatoes were stuffed peppers but enjoyed them nevertheless and the bill including a large beer and a small water as 19.20 euros. After stocking up on provisions we returned to the room to the room to unpack and had a walk to Fanari Beach.

For dinner we went to Klimataria, a pretty garden taverna in a back street of Antiparos. We shared starters of fava and zucchini balls followed by chicken fillet x 2. The food was very good – especially the zucchini balls which were delicious – and the bill including half a litre of rose and a large Mythos was 39.10. A complimentary dessert of ice cream biscuit followed the meal.

18/6/19
Today we decided that we’d go to the Antiparos cave. As we had finished breakfast and were ready to leave by 9, and the first bus wasn’t until 11, we decided that we might as well walk and set off along the coastal road as we weren’t sure where to pick up the road that goes through the interior of the island. There was still quite a lot of traffic, though it was easy walking without any big hills and the countryside became greener and prettier the further south that we walked. We turned inland at the sign for the cave and made our way up the hill to the entrance. The entry fee was 6 euros which OH thought was a bit steep, but as it had taken almost 2 hours to walk there I had no intention of not going in the cave. For info the 6 euros also includes entrance to the Historical and Folklore museum. As we descended into the dark, damp interior of the cave I did have a few reservations and OH’s flippant comment about hoping there wasn’t an earthquake whilst we were down there certainly didn’t help! There are lights in the cave, though some sections are quite dark, and there is a handrail all the way. The steps were wet in places and I took it very steady, not wanting to end up in a heap in the bottom. At one point water dripped on my head and there was an overall eerie feel to the place so I was relieved when we reached the bottom and even happier when we were back at the top in the sunlight. In the leaflet it mentioned there were 400 steps, though I only counted 330. I’m glad I’ve been but wouldn’t be in a hurry to go down there again. The views from the top are stunning and there are toilets and a few tables and chairs – though no refreshments are available. It was a nice spot to relax in the sunshine and admire the view of the coast below us. As it was still only 11.30 we decided to walk back through the interior of the island which was a much pleasanter walk IMHO as there was very little traffic and stunning views across the island. Flowers lined the side of the road and I was amazed at the number of butterflies fluttering around. The road went up and down hill, passing a large field full of goats and some hens before making its way back uphill and round a corner where Antiparos came into view below us. We walked back into town and made our way to Café Babel for lunch where OH had a club sandwich with chips and I had a mushroom and cheese omelette. The bill including a large bottle of water and 2 draft beers was 19.5 euros. The owner kept us entertained with tales of his journey to Paros where it took him 45 minutes to drive one km and his wife came out and asked what we thought of her amusing T shirt – they are both great characters.

After all that walking we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the terrace, though after all the exercise I decided another visit to the bakery/cake shop was in order and I rewarded myself with another delicious chocolate cake.

Met up with OH in Café Babel for a pre-dinner drink and it was lovely to bump into Cyclades DE GreecemadUK. We had a drink together, followed by dinner at Kyklades in the back streets of the town. We shared starters of beetroot, eggplant dip and zucchini balls followed by lemon chicken for OH, lamb for GMUK and swordfish fillet for me. The chicken came with delicious potatoes done in the oven and the lamb and swordfish came with chips. The food was excellent and the bill including a large beer, half a litre of house white and a large water was 42.5 euros. It was a very enjoyable evening,

19/6/19
After purchasing tickets for the Blue Star ferry from Paros to Santorini tomorrow, we spent the morning relaxing on sunbeds at Theologos beach. There is a sign saying sunbeds are free for all and the crystal clear turquoise water is shallow for a long way out. This is a lovely spot, only a short walk from town and you can watch the ferry boats coming and going in the distance. We had lunch at the restaurant – a tuna sandwich for me and club sandwich with chips for OH. The bill including a diet coke and large beer was 19 euros. After lunch we just had time to make it to the Historical and Folklore Museum of Antiparos before it closed at 2pm, followed by a stroll down to the campsite and back along the track through the sand dunes at the back of the nudist beach. The rest of the afternoon was spent chilling on the terrace.

For our final dinner on Antiparos we went to Taverna Avra in the harbour where we sat watching the harbour lights and the little car ferry going backwards and forwards. One of the three geese that live in the harbour kept popping its head up as a little girl fed it bits of bread. For dinner we shared starters of Greek salad and roast peppers followed by pork steak x 2. I initially asked for chicken in the oven but as the taverna has only been open for 2 days they didn’t have any and the large, succulent pork chop was very nice. The bill including ¼ carafe of white wine and a large beer was 34 euros.

20/6/19
Before breakfast we had a last walk through the village and down to the harbour where one of the fishermen was selling his catch. After a final breakfast on the terrace listening to the birds tweeting, we packed and made our way down to the little ferry. We caught the 0945 ferry from Antiparos, though the 1045 would have got us there in ample time. We settled down at one of the cafes opposite the ferry terminal watching several ferries coming and going and the non-stop traffic, before the Blue Star Naxos and the Blue Star Delos turned up within 5 minutes of each other. We joined the queue of people waiting to board the Delos and were soon sitting on deck in the sunshine. The ferry stopped at Naxos en route and it was nice to see the Skopelitis in Naxos harbour, waiting to start her journey to Amorgos and the Little Cyclades – I do have a soft spot for that little ferry.

It was very busy when we arrived in Athinos with hundreds of people waiting to get off the ferry and it was very hot waiting for the doors to open. There were several buses waiting to meet the ferry, though unfortunately no direct bus to Perissa as there was on our previous visit. Our bus joined the queue of traffic zig zagging out of Athinos and when we got to Fira we didn’t have long to wait for the Perissa bus to leave. With the help of google maps it didn’t take long to find our way to the Santa Barbara hotel and we were allocated room 12, a double room with fridge and kettle. Complimentary toothbrushes and slippers were a nice touch. After unpacking a few basic items we went for a walk along beach road which seems to have got busier since our last visit in 2015, or maybe it was just a shock to the system after spending 4 nights on Antiparos. We went to Tranquilo for a drink as OH was a frequent visitor on a previous trip, though it was a bit pricey at 5 euros for a draft beer and 1.5 for a small water. There were two different types of music competing against each other, making a right racket and I think it’s doubtful that we’ll go back. We made our way back to the Santa Barbara past the new Tui hotel, though I wasn’t over impressed with what I could see from the road.

Met up with OH for a pre-dinner drink in Dorians, where he was very happy that a large draft beer is only 2.5 euros – half the price of draft beer in Tranquilo. A glass of wine was 1.5 euros. For dinner we went to God’s Garden which was a favourite of ours when we stayed in Perissa a few years ago. We shared starters of fava and mushrooms a la crème (delicious) followed by God’s Garden special spaghetti for me and chicken a la crème for OH. The food was excellent, though I could only eat half the spaghetti - a large portion of spaghetti with ham and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. OH’s succulent chicken breast with a creamy mushroom sauce came with chips and rice. The bill including a large beer, half a litre of house rose and a small bottle of water was 33 euros. Complimentary dessert of yogurt with home-made marmalade followed the meal. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meal and the food and service was just as good as on previous visits.

21/6/19
After breakfast I suggested walking up to Ancient Thera as the views from up there are stunning but OH said it was too hot. Instead, we walked along the beach road from Perissa to Perivolos, passing a few joggers on our walk. There are numerous restaurants to choose from along this road and many of them offer free sunbeds – you are spoilt for choice. When the road ended we continued walking inland, passing a field with some mules and a very friendly family of goats in an enclosure with some chickens. We continued walking on this relatively quiet road through the countryside until we reached Vlychada with its busy harbour, several restaurants and tomato museum. I’ve never visited Vlychada before and really liked it. A couple of the restaurants were on the cliff with views of the harbour and beach below; it would have been nice to return there for dinner. After walking round the harbour, which has a snack bar and toilets, we made our way up the road passed the museum (10 euro entry) and continued walking up the hill until we reached the main road and walked back to Perissa for lunch on the beach – a chicken gyros for me as I was suffering from gyros withdrawal symptoms and a club sandwich and chips for OH.

For dinner we went to Atlantis Island where we shared starters of tomato balls and Greek salad, followed by beef stifado for me and chicken a la crème for OH. The food was fine but the service left a lot to be desired and was very slow considering the restaurant wasn’t full. Our starters were initially taken to another table and whilst this was no big deal, when they brought our main course they brought me stuffed tomatoes instead of stifado. The staff apologised and rectified the situation but by the time my stifado arrived OH had finished his chicken. The bill including a large beer, ¼ carafe of house wine and a small bottle of water was 40.3 euros. Complimentary crème caramel followed the meal. It was a disappointing end to our holiday, though I understand Atlantis Island only recently opened for this season so maybe they were having teething problems.

22/6/19
We packed and were out of the room by 9.30 though check out wasn’t until 11. The hotel kindly said they would store our bags for us until we left for the airport using their transfer service. We initially asked for a transfer at 7.30pm but as the mini bus was due to collect somebody from the airport at 6.55 we were concerned it might not be back in time so said we’d be happy to go earlier and arranged to be back at the hotel by 6pm to get changed and ready for the airport. The transfer cost 25 euros, though it’s free if you are staying for 4 nights or more.

Today we decided to catch the bus to Fira and from the bus station walked up the cobbled road until the stunning views of the caldera were in front of us, there was just one cruise ship in the bay below. We walked along the path admiring the views, passing the cable car and continued walking with the sea below us until the path was closed by a landslide. We spent an hour walking round the old cobbled streets in Fira and had a gyros for lunch which cost 3 euros – Fira doesn’t have to be expensive. After using the facilities in the bus station (50 cents and still the hole in the floor that I remember from previous visits) we caught the 1pm bus back to Perissa. After a final walk along beach road we made our way to Dorians to pass the time reading and relaxing until it was time to go back to the hotel to get changed. When we returned to the hotel we discovered that the flight the other guests were due to arrive on had been delayed. It would have suited us to go to the airport a bit later but the mini bus was keen to take us as arranged and we were at the airport shortly after 6 where we sat outside in the café bar until check-in opened. There is also a taverna up the road only a short walk away. Unfortunately our flight was delayed for 3 and a half hours due to the IT problems at Manchester Airport which meant the airport was utter chaos with people sitting on the stairs and the floor as two Easyjet flights were delayed as well as ours and the airport isn’t big enough to cope with so many people at once. Once the Easyjet flights left it eased off a bit and we managed to get two seats together upstairs until we were called to passport control where our flight departed at 1.35am.

Another wonderful holiday in Greece comes to an end.
Last edited by Gemma1 on 08 Jul 2019, 21:08, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019

Postby D and E » 04 Jul 2019, 20:07

A great blog of your island hopping trip Gemma with great descriptions of the places (and the food :D )
You certainly get the steps in and we are so impressed with the logistics of your trip - we are delighted when we get from Diagoras to Akantia under our own steam :oops:
Photos do need to be sized to post on this site and I use an App called Image Size but when I first started posting Allan was very good at helping me out and doing the resizing for me - we bet the photos of the places you decribe are amazing.
Thanks for sharing your trip with us - we often talk about venturing further afield from Symi and perhaps one day. We certainly know who to ask for advice.
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019

Postby Gemma1 » 07 Jul 2019, 21:17

Thanks for the kind comments D&E and the tip about resizing photos. I know that Allan has resized my photos in the past but I was wanting to add quite a few so will try and download the app. I love Symi and it's my favourite and most visited Greek island but there are lots of other lovely islands if you are ever tempted to try somewhere new :D
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby Gemma1 » 08 Jul 2019, 21:19

I was trying to add the photos in the relevant places but I could only add 20 photos so the rest are below:

Our hotel in Antiparos
65. Begleri Hotel.JPG


View from our terrace
66. Our view from the Begleri.JPG


Not much room for dancing!
53. Antiparos.JPG


Antiparos wildlife
54. Antiparos wildlife.JPG


Antiparos town beach
55. Antiparos.JPG


Antiparos Castle
57. Antiparos Castle.JPG

59. Antiparos Castle.JPG


Antiparos
61. Antiparos.JPG


Delicious
67. Delicious - Antiparos.JPG


Walking to the Antiparos cave
70. Walking to the Antiparos cave.JPG


Antiparos cave
71. Antiparos cave.JPG

72. Antiparos cave.JPG


View fron the Antiparos cave
77. Views from the Antiparos cave.JPG


Dinner in the harbour
83. Dinner in Antiparos harbour.JPG


Leaving Antiparos
87. Leaving Antiparos.JPG


Athinos port, Santorini
91. Blue Star in Athinos, Santorini.JPG


Walking to Vlychada, Santorini
95. Walking to Vlychada.JPG


Fira, Santorini
109. Fira.JPG


Caldera view, Fira
112. Fira.JPG
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby rockbottom » 15 Jul 2019, 23:22

Lovely photos and descriptions!
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby D and E » 09 Aug 2019, 08:48

Loved the photos to supplement the blog.
Thanks Gemma.
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby Gemma1 » 10 Aug 2019, 08:26

Thank you both. It's always nice to see photos to back up trip reports IMHO - even though my photos are nowhere as good as D&Es. I used paint to reduce the size as already have that on my laptop :D
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby silverfox » 10 Aug 2019, 12:09

How have I missed this?

Great blog Gemma with some fine pictures and food, food food!

More islends to think about.

:)
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby Gemma1 » 18 Aug 2019, 08:31

silverfox wrote:How have I missed this?

Great blog Gemma with some fine pictures and food, food food!

More islends to think about.

:)


Thanks silverfox, there are so many wonderful Greek islands, the problem is fitting them all in - especially when Symi keeps drawing people back ;)
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby Lisa B » 18 Aug 2019, 09:00

Gemma, so true! We've booked for Paxos next year to try and stop ourselves returning to Symi :D
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby Gemma1 » 19 Aug 2019, 08:12

Lisa B wrote:Gemma, so true! We've booked for Paxos next year to try and stop ourselves returning to Symi :D


I loved Paxos Lisa, we stayed in Lakka 7 years ago. Like Symi it has some lovely walks and beautiful scenery and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. It's another island that I'd love to return to one day :D
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Re: Cyclades Island Hopping - June 2019 - photos added

Postby Lisa B » 19 Aug 2019, 18:01

Gemma, that's good to hear, thank you :)
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