Frommer's Greece (2008) (Frommer's Complete)

707 Pages·2008·18.75 MB·English

by  Sherry Marker

01_165386 ffirs.qxp 1/3/08 10:36 AM Page i
Greece
6th Edition
by John S. Bowman, Sherry Marker
& Peter Kerasiotis
with cruise coverage by Rebecca Tobin
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”
—Des Moines Sunday Register

01_165386 ffirs.qxp 1/3/08 10:36 AM Page i
Greece
6th Edition
by John S. Bowman, Sherry Marker
& Peter Kerasiotis
with cruise coverage by Rebecca Tobin
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”
—Des Moines Sunday Register
01_165386 ffirs.qxp 1/3/08 10:36 AM Page ii
Published by:
Wiley Publishing,Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
Copyright © 2008 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
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Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John
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of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their
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mentioned in this book.
ISBN: 978-0-470-16538-6
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5 4 3 2 1
02_165386 ftoc.qxp 1/3/08 10:36 AM Page iii
Contents
List of Maps viii
What’s New in Greece 1
1 The Best of Greece 7
1 The Best Travel Experiences . . . . . . . . .7 7 The Best Museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
2 The Best of Ancient Greece . . . . . . . .10 8 The Best Resorts & Hotels . . . . . . . . .15
3 The Best of Byzantine & Medieval 9 The Best Restaurants . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
10 The Best Nightlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
4 The Best Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
11 The Best Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
5 The Best Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
6 The Best Places to Get Away
from It All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
2 Planning Your Trip to Greece 20
by John S. Bowman
1 The Regions in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Frommers.com: The Complete
Greece on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Travel Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Security in Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 12 Staying Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
2 Visitor Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 13 Packages for the Independent
Traveler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
3 Entry Requirements & Customs . . . . .25
14 Escorted General-Interest Tours . . . . .53
4 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
15 Special-Interest Trips . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Greece Calendar of Events . . . . . . . .27
16 Getting Around Greece . . . . . . . . . . .58
5 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Taxi Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
6 Money & Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
17 Tips on Accommodations . . . . . . . . .68
7 Travel Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
18 Tips on Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
8 Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
19 Recommended Books,Films
9 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
& Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
10 Specialized Travel Resources . . . . . . .43
Fast Facts: Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
11 Sustainable Tourism/Ecotourism . . . .48
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iv CONTENTS
3 Suggested Greece Itineraries 84
1 Greece in 1 Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 4 In the Footsteps of the
2 Greece in 2 Weeks . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Apostle Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
3 Greece with a Family . . . . . . . . . . . .90
4 Cruising the Greek Islands 96
by Rebecca Tobin
1 Choosing the Right Cruise 8 The Cruise Lines:Small &
for You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Yacht-like Ships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
2 Calculating the Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Booking Your Private Yacht
Charter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
3 Booking Your Cruise . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
9 Best Shore Excursions in the
4 Cruise Preparation Practicalities . . .102
Ports of Call:Greece . . . . . . . . . . . .126
5 Embarkation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
10 Best Shore Excursions in the
Dealing with Seasickness . . . . . . . .105
Ports of Call:Turkey . . . . . . . . . . . .130
6 End-of-Cruise Procedures . . . . . . . .106
7 The Cruise Lines & Their Ships:
Large & Midsize Ships . . . . . . . . . .107
5 Settling into Athens 132
by Peter Kerasiotis
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 3 Where to Stay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159
Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . . . . . .143 4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153 Quick Bites in Syntagma . . . . . . . . .183
Fast Facts: Athens . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
6 Exploring Athens 191
by Peter Kerasiotis with Sherry Marker
1 The Top Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . .194 9 Spectator Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
2 More Museums & Galleries . . . . . . .204 10 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
3 Ancient Monuments . . . . . . . . . . . .207 11 Athens After Dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
4 Historic Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Ticket Information for the Athens
5 Churches & Synagogues . . . . . . . . .210 (Hellenic), Lycabettus & Epidaurus
Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
6 Parks & Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
12 Piraeus:A Jumping-Off Point to
7 Especially for Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
the Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Athens’s Urban Beaches . . . . . . . . .212
13 Day Trips from Athens . . . . . . . . . . .237
8 Organized Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
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CONTENTS v
7 The Saronic Gulf Islands 245
by Sherry Marker
1 Aegina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246 3 Hydra (Idra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255
2 Poros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252 4 Spetses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260
8 The Peloponnese 266
by Sherry Marker
1 Corinth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268 10 The Mani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304
2 Nafplion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273 11 Pylos (Pilo/Navarino) . . . . . . . . . . .308
3 Mycenae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283 12 Side Trips from Pylos:Methoni
4 Epidaurus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286 & Koroni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
5 Nemea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289 13 Messene (Ithomi/Mavromati) . . . . .312
6 Argos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291 14 Olympia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .313
7 Sparta (Sparti) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294 The Ancient Olympic Games . . . . . .314
8 Andritsena & Vassae . . . . . . . . . . .299 15 Patras (Patra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319
9 Monemvassia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301
9 Crete 324
by John S. Bowman
1 Iraklion (Heraklion) . . . . . . . . . . . . .327 3 Rethymnon (Rethimno) . . . . . . . . . .352
2 Chania (Hania/Xania/Canea) . . . . .341 4 Ayios Nikolaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360
10 The Cyclades 368
by Sherry Marker
1 Santorini (Thira) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371 5 Naxos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412
2 Folegandros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388 6 Mykonos (Mikonos) . . . . . . . . . . . .422
3 Sifnos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .391 7 Delos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .441
4 Paros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398 8 Tinos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .444
The Cave of Andiparos . . . . . . . . . .406 9 Siros (Syros) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .453
11 The Dodecanese 460
By John S. Bowman
1 Rhodes (Rodos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .462 3 Kos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .488
2 Simi (Symi) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .483 4 Patmos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .497
Local Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .485
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vi CONTENTS
12 Central Greece 508
by Sherry Marker
1 Delphi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .510 4 Mount Olympus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .522
2 Two Famous Battlefields: 5 The Meteora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524
Thermopylae & Chaironeia . . . . . .520
3 The Vale of Tempe & Ambelakia . . . .521
13 The Sporades 530
by John S. Bowman
1 Skiathos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .532 3 Skyros (Skiros) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .548
2 Skopelos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .541 The Famous Carnival of Skyros . . . .551
14 Highlights of Western Greece:Epirus & Ioannina 556
by John S. Bowman
1 Getting to & around Epirus . . . . . . .557 3 Side Trips from Ioannina . . . . . . . . .566
2 Ioannina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .559 Trekking into Vikos Gorge . . . . . . .570
15 The Ionian Islands 573
by John S. Bowman
1 Corfu (Kerkira) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .574 2 Kefalonia (Cephalonia) . . . . . . . . . .589
Highlights of Northern Greece:Thessaloniki,Mount
16 Athos & the Philip & Alexander Sites 598
by Sherry Marker
1 Thessaloniki (Salonika) . . . . . . . . .601 History 101: Philip & Alexander . . . .635
Fast Facts: Thessaloniki . . . . . . . . .608 History 101: Philip’s Tomb . . . . . . .636
The Food of Thessaloniki . . . . . . . .627 3 Mount Athos (The Holy
2 In the Footsteps of Philip of Mountain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .640
Macedon & Alexander
the Great . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .632
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CONTENTS vii
17 The Northeastern Aegean Islands 643
by John S. Bowman
1 Samos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .644 3 Lesvos (Mitilini) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .661
2 Hios (Chios) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .654
Appendix:The Greek Language 670
1 Making Your Way in Greek . . . . . . .670 2 Useful Words & Phrases . . . . . . . . .672
Index 677