Amidst much talk of countries and economies crashing and defaulting, I thought I’d concentrate on something we have some control over: finding a room in Greece.

I remember talking to a friend before a trip to Greece a couple years back.  The conversation went something like this:

Friend:  So are you all set for your trip?

Me:  Yes!

Friend:  Are your reservations made?

Me:  No!

After much trial and error in planning the best route to Ithaka, here is my best advice:

If you are traveling to the Greek islands outside of August, do no (do not) reserve a room before you get there.

Seriously, here’s how to get a great room on the Greek islands: Step off the boat.

That’s all it takes, people.  As soon as you step off the boat, you’ll be met by a crowd of people offering you any and all manner of room.  They’ll show you photographs and will most likely offer you a great price.  Want a room in the old town with a a view of the sunset from your terrace?  How about €35?  Need a shack off the beach to contemplate the meaning of life? Is €40 too much?

Let’s say your boat sails into Sifnos at an off time and there aren’t any room owners to meet you.  Here’s what you do then: Walk approximately 100m to the tourist office at the port and ask them to recommend a great room, or, even better, walk around until you see a sign for a room you might like.

Any time you reserve a room ahead of time, it will most likely be in a hotel-like setting. You know… a front desk, check-in and check-out times, tourists rounded up like obedient sheep around the pool and snack areas. Sadly disappointing, considering you could have had a view over the churning sea that sprouted Aphrodite, and had the company of people who knew you by name and  invited you to share watermelon and figs with them.

Without fail, the worst rooms I’ve had in Greece have been the result of reservations. Serves me right for planning ahead.  At this point, I’d rather pound nails into the floor with my forehead than stay in a resort or hotel in Greece.  I am, however, willing to concede that my views may not be exactly universal, so take this advice with a grain of sea salt. If you’re the kind of person who experiences anxiety when winging it, and would rather not leave anything to chance, then by all means plan ahead and book a package tour. I recommend the island of Kos.

I should also point out that when traveling outside the islands, i.e. mainland Greece and Athens, definitely do make a reservation. You have nothing to lose on the mainland and in cities because all the rooms are in hotels anyway.

© 2011, Ithaka Bound. All rights reserved.

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I’ve gotten more than a few messages asking about the cost of traveling to Greece, so I thought it warranted a blog post.

The good news: compared to most European countries, Greece is cheap.

The bad news:  if you’re American, you’re still getting about  €.60  to $1

Timing is everything.  Prices go down by as much as half if you travel outside of July and August.  Prices start their steep climb in July and reach their peak sometime around the middle to end of July.  The peak lasts a full month and prices drop again on September 1st.  Athens may be the exception, in that prices don’t change quite as much, but on the islands timing makes a huge difference.

So here’s the nitty gritty on traveling to Greece:

Airfare

Airfare is dependent on where you’re flying from, so I’ll use the U.S. as an example that’s familiar to me. When I was searching for decent airfare last year, prices from the east coast averaged about $1,100.  A good travel agent or a thorough internet search will pay off.  A good friend who visited me last summer in Greece was able to get a ticket for about $700.  Europeans are lucky — they have a plethora of budget airlines operating around the continent.

Some sites to check out:

www.attitudetravel.com

www.airninja.com

www.ryanair.com/en

www.bing.com/travel

Accommodations

First things first:  if you’re going through Athens and care about location and cleanliness, book early.  Book early.  Athens fills up fast, no matter what time of year you’re traveling.  This is especially true of rooms  around the Acropolis, Plaka and Monastiraki.  If you’re like me and just want something cheap and are not averse to walking 15 minutes to reach the Acropolis, I would still recommend booking early.  I’ve shown up in Athens without a reservation after a long trans-atlantic flight and have always vowed never to do it again (even though I do).

On the islands, forget about hotels and go for private rooms instead.  Most private rooms are just as good, if not better than hotel rooms, and you get the added bonus of getting to know a Greek family.

When I arrived in Kythnos, I found a room for 30 euro, which turned out to be a bit higher than I paid on the other islands for the month of June.  The average cost for a single room in June and the beginning of July was 20 – 25 euro.  The price last August for a room in the Cyclades was about 35-50 euro.

Some things to keep in mind:

1.  Mykonos, Santorini, and to some extent Folegandros, are always more expensive.  Try to book a room before you arrive or you’ll end up paying a premium.  If you show up in Mykonos in August and someone offers you a room for €70, take it — it’s not going to get any better.

2.  Rooms on some of the least visited islands can actually be a bit more expensive than average because there are fewer rooms on those islands.

3.  Americans, keep in mind that European room prices vary depending on how many people are in the room.  This worked out in my favor since I was mostly traveling alone.

It’s perfectly OK to show up on most any island (caveat:  Mykonos, Santorini, Folegandros) without a reservation.  Most people do this when traveling through Greece.  Your ferry will be met by a group of locals who will offer you all sorts of rooms.  You can bargain, within reason.  Don’t expect the price to drop by more than €5 or so.  Also, almost every island has a tourist office near the port and they’re a big help when it comes to locating rooms.  Just go with the flow and remember that things move at a different pace in Greece.

Car Rental

In the beginning of the summer, I was able to rent a car on the islands for about €20 a day.  Mind you, I always asked for the cheapest and smallest car.  In the middle of August, I rented a jeep for about €50 a day.  On September 1st, the jeep price dropped down to €30.

The great thing about renting a car in Greece is that there are no hidden costs.  The price includes everything.  That means no extra costs for taxes or insurance.  Americans will especially appreciate this, since we get shafted on a regular basis by car rental companies in the States.

I was almost always able to get the price lowered just by asking if there was a better price.  I  think I brought up the dismal dollar to euro exchange rate once or twice.  Feel free to look around for the best price — you might be surprised by how much prices vary from company to company.

Ferries

Ferry prices are dependent on how far you’re traveling.  I paid about €12  for a one hour ferry between islands, and €45 for a trip of a few hours to one of the more remote islands.  To save money, skip the fast boats and stick to the slower ferries, which really aren’t much slower.  To save even more money, stick to steerage and don’t reserve a specific seat.  Most greek ferries don’t have classes, per se, and so-called steerage fare will give you access to the entire ship unless it’s a ferry with pullman seats or sleeping berths, which cost extra.  Use common sense though —  if you’re on an overnight ferry, it gets fairly chilly on the open sea and you can save yourself a lot of discomfort by booking an interior seat if one is available.

Food

Food in Greece is reasonably priced and very filling.  Greeks don’t skimp on portion sizes, and most entrees are sized for two people.

I spent, on average, between €15-20 a day on food.  On one especially thrifty day, I only spent €6, so it can be done!

Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll try to do specific posts on rooms throughout the islands.  It’s information I really could have used before my last trip, so hopefully it will help someone else out.

If you’re interested in keeping your travel costs down, yet still want a fantastic holiday in a breathtakingly beautiful country, I highly recommend Greece.

© 2010 – 2011, Ithaka Bound. All rights reserved.

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