Hi, Have you booked your accommodation yet? what type were you planning on?
There are so many islands how did you pick Thassos?
And have you been to Greece before?
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NVP
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if someone offers to sell the Colosseum to you dont buy it .........i bought it last year for 2000 euros and its mine
N
Quantt
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Hey, frankly I have no logical explanation... my wife wanted to go and we go
Never been to Greece before... I am more of a Caribbean guy myself, so this will be different for sure...
Hey, frankly I have no logical explanation... my wife wanted to go and we go
Never been to Greece before... I am more of a Caribbean guy myself, so this will be different for sure...
Ha,Your wife sounds like a lucky lady.
"Advice" is fairly open ended. So random thoughts...
My disclaimer is that I love the Greek Islands. And usually go every year (but now the kids are a little older we are limiting to every other year so they get to experience other countries and cultures too.)
The Greek beaches will never compare to the Caribbean, in beauty and exoticness (think I've just invented a new word.) They are just as likely to be stony as sandy.
So if you want sand you will have to choose your destination.
Also the beaches can get busier than that in the Carribean, so if you want quieter beaches you will need to pick a quieter island with plenty of small coves.
Greece and the islands are defiantly a little more run down since the financial crises (like the bins mount up quite a bit now before being emptied), but the warm welcome and culture more than make up for this.
Crime, I think you would have to try really really hard to become a victim of crime on any Greek island! To the most part crime is none existent.
The sun and beach is not the main draw for me in Greece.(I get a bit bored of it.)
But its about spending all evening in a family run taverna chatting and getting to know the family over a few drinks. I like to read up on the Greek mythology for the island and visit places like the birth place of Zeus on Crete and any ancient ruins. On some islands like Rhodes there are ancient Greek ruins just lying around most corners. (google some images from Rhodes, you will be amazed)
I would definitely start learning Greek words, it goes a long way as an ice breaker.
Just a few words like thank you, your welcome, good morning/night, the more the better. I have been invited into Greek homes many times to eat, drink and watch football, which I'm sure would not have happened without an ice breaker of banter of a few Greek words.
For me the last thing I would do would do is stay as full or half board in a hotel, but instead I would stay as a bed and breakfast somewhere near to a few tavernas and enjoy your meals out.
I would avoid staying in a purely tourist built town (of which there are many) and stay somewhere where locals live and work too. There are lots of places that are deserted in the winter as the Greeks go back into the mountain villages to harvest the olives, these sort of places have no churches, no school and often no personality.
The other thing I would suggest is that if you have 2 weeks and you have come all the way from Canada, it may be worth splitting your stay to two islands.
P.s - If you like lamb you must try a kleftiko from a local taverna (it's a slow cooked lamb,where the vegetables are cooked with the lamb in its own juices, so the the veg just absorbs all the lamb juice. Its an old dish that used to be cooked in a fire dug on the beach). It's worth asking the locals which taverna does the best one. But do reserve it during the day as they take 4-5 hours to cook and often go really quickly in the evening.
Jason
Quantt
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Hey Jason, thanks a lot for the great advice!
Looks like you like minded guy... I am not too much a beach person as well, unless I am sitting in a deep shade with a cold brew (or snorkeling or fishing), so essentially I am looking to eat and drink my way around the islands and enjoy some quite time with my wife, the main purpose for our month long trip across Europe is to see friend and family, so this is going to be a little vacation inside the vacation, if it makes any sense ...
Cheers!
timsk
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Hi Quantt,
Greek food is great - especially their yogurt and Feta cheese which tastes sooooo much better than anything one can get here in the UK! However, my only word of caution would be to tread carefully when it comes to Greek wine. That's a PC way of saying avoid it like the plague - especially Retsina which is only fit for student parties when it's three in the morning and there's literally nothing else to drink and everyone is way too drunk to care. Red wine is not much better, although it can make an excellent substitute toilet cleaner - which is really all it's fit for. Stick to French or Italian wine if you can get it. In all other respects, Greece the country and Greek people are delightful - there's nothing not to like - if you'll forgive the double negative.
Have a great holiday - post some snaps on here!
Tim.
Quantt
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itspossible
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https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g189482-i1706-k3238964-o10-Will_I_like_thassos-Thasos_Northeast_Aegean_Islands.html
looks decent.
my wife and kids go away but i stay at home with the cavalier spaniels.
ive 2 and will be getting a 3rd soon.
the extreme heat drives me nuts and i have panic attacks so i need to be near the shade.alcohol helps though:cheesy:
looks decent.
my wife and kids go away but i stay at home with the cavalier spaniels.
ive 2 and will be getting a 3rd soon.
the extreme heat drives me nuts and i have panic attacks so i need to be near the shade.alcohol helps though:cheesy:
I would disagree with Tim on the wine.
I would say the retsina is a bit of an acquired taste. But when in Rome..
It's flavour comes from pine needles.
If your not so keen on the retsina then there are plenty of other Greek wines, after all they practically invented it.
For me the Greek wines and retsina is just another part of the culture to take in.
Would I by it at home, probably not, but I would at a London Greek restaurant or to accompany a Greek meal at home.
It's all good, besides I could drink French wine any old time.
I would say the retsina is a bit of an acquired taste. But when in Rome..
It's flavour comes from pine needles.
If your not so keen on the retsina then there are plenty of other Greek wines, after all they practically invented it.
For me the Greek wines and retsina is just another part of the culture to take in.
Would I by it at home, probably not, but I would at a London Greek restaurant or to accompany a Greek meal at home.
It's all good, besides I could drink French wine any old time.
timsk
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Yes, fair point Jason.
I'll amend my advice to FXX to agree with you that Retsina and other Greek wines are worth trying. Once! Thomas Beecham's famous adage springs to mind: "try everything once, except morris dancing and incest".
:cheesy:
Tim.
NVP
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eh ? ....i bought that 5 years ago from a nice guy sitting at the side of it ....he gave me a nice certificate ....only £2,000 in used notes as he said he was moving and wanted a quick sale
N
Signalcalc
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I don't know about Thassos wine, but there is a bottle of local red they sell in Lidl on Corfu that is the most delicious red I've tasted in a long time, I can't remember the name (it's all Greek to me) and at only €1.50/litre an absolute bargain. Greek wine definitely nothing to shy away from, pity we can't get in the UK as cheap.
I
I go to Corfu quite a bit I'll make a point of checking that red out. (Usually the North East of the island, which is my favourite part.)
I go to Corfu quite a bit I'll make a point of checking that red out. (Usually the North East of the island, which is my favourite part.)
