Your videos are very Imformative! I've watched them before my trip to Athens and Santorini. It made my trip much more easier. Thank you so much Sebastian!
Same experience for me. I watched several of his videos on Athens and Santorini before meeting my friends from the States in Athens this past September. We spent one full day there and then boarded a cruise ship for a 7 day Greek Isle cruise. The information he shared on Santorini saved us from much distress and possibly missing the cruise ship departure in Santorini. My friends had made dinner reservations at a restaurant for the Santorini sunset experience. But they had not taken into account that the main way on and off the island is the cable car and how the wait in line for it can be 2-3 hours and then still have to get a tender boat to the ship. His videos brought out this fact. He also shared a website, I went to afterwards, to see how many cruise ships will be at the island that day. Because the more ships, the longer the line for the cable car. He also shared the transportation situation on the island, which is not great. So I emailed my travel companions all these facts, with the link to his video, and broke the bad news that we did not have ample time to catch the sunset from the island and make it back to the ship in time. After my friends watched the video and did the math, they agreed. When we arrived in Santorini, we got one of the first tender boats to the island. There was no line for the cable cars! Then in the afternoon we had perhaps a 20-30 minute wait in line to go back down to the port to catch the tender boat back to the ship. So not bad at all! We rested, got freshened up, got a cocktail and went to the top deck of the ship to watch the sunset. It was perfect! And I think it was actually better than if we had watched it from the island. Because we could see not just the sunset, but also the reflection of the sunset on the island and then watch all the lights come on as it became dark. It was magical! I bought Sebastian a cup of coffee for sharing such invaluable information that went a long way in making our trip successful.
Excellent advice! We were in Athens first time this year and all of what you’ve said is 💯 useful to know. We are booked to go this year again, cannot wait!
Hi, thanks a lot for your great videos! I bought a combo tickets with the 7 sites included and my Acropolis visit with the booked timeslot is on a Sunday, but can I go to Ancient Agora to activate my ticket first on Saturday? 😅
Don't know about the smaller islands, but on Crete (born and raised there) we drank from the tap as often as from bottles. Depending where you are, it may taste better or worse (due to chlorine) but it's fine either way.
Thank you so much for your help with this topic! Have you thought about doing one on self-guided tours outside Athens??? When I came over a decade ago, I took the train to Thessolinki and the intercity busses to Delphi and Mycenae. I wanted to to Mycenae again with my partner on my recent trip, but I forgot how much effort the research and journeys took. Possible in my mid twenties, but too much in my mid thirties. And it seems the bus no longer stops directly in Mikines below the mountain, so taxis would have to have been involved as the hike would be too long. But I know this would be good for a lot of young people on budgets. In the end, we decided to take the Cape Sounion tour that you recommended and it was awesome! And we are now planning a road trip through some of the other areas for next time. I hope by then, you'll keep expanding your channel and there will be a driving in Greece video :)
I just returned from Greece on Monday and had an amazing time in Santorini and the tall cruise ship I went on for the other islands was simply amazing. I wrapped up my trip in Athens for 2 nights but was very disappointed due to it being so dirty and the ruins ridden with graffiti. I did not really like it much other than the acropolis and parthenon. I would recommend Santorini and Syros. Both very beautiful islands.
I wonder if I should even go to the other archeological sites in Athens, considering I'm actually in Greece for surveying archeological sites in the area surrounding Nafplio, and I just extended my stay early with 3.5 days in the city. Maybe best stick to the museums, street life and viewpoints. I'll also be planning at least one full day for just exploring the city by public transit and going to Piraeus and the beach area (I'm excited for the tram). Btw, if anybody knows, are there any interesting neighborhoods outside the city center? Doesn't need to be historic, anything interesting counts.
Your videos are great - really excited about seeing both Athens and Santorini in June, but we are really struggling given that we only have 5 days. Fly into Athens at 10am on Monday and leave on cruise up the coast on Saturday evening - how do we divide the time and which do we do first?
I'd do 2 days in Athens and 3 in Santorini. So maybe you could fly to Santorini immediately on Monday, and then fly back to Athens on Thursday morning.
Hi! I'll be one week in Athens this easter. Is there something in particular that I should know? I read in some blogs that the attractions are closed on easter sunday and also on the saturday before the Holiday. Do you recommend any nice place to visit on this days? Do you think it may be hard to find places to lunch/dinner in this dates? Thanks😊
Yes Athens will be pretty closed on Easter weekend. I'd go on a Day Trip outside of Athens if I were you. Meteora, Delphi, Aigina & Agistri : all these tours will be operating. More interesting than walking around in ghost town Athens. Hope this helps ! In case you wanna support my channel, here's a link to make a one time donation : www.buymeacoffee.com/greeceexplained
Hi Sebastian! I am visiting Athens next week and would be staying in a 4 star hotel near Syntagma for 2N. Then will be travelling to Islands for 4N and again coming back to Athens and staying in the same Hotel for 2N. Hope I can keep my big luggage at hotel in Athens in their cloak room and carry only limited stuff to Santorini. Will the hotel allow this?
Do you know by any chance is there is a change of guard on Easter Sunday? Even the official tourist authorities cannot answers me... If you have other suggestions of things in or around Athens for Easter (or in Santorini, other than Good Friday at Pyrghos), you are also welcome.
About work: As The World Economic Forum (2018) writes "According to this EU data, which combines full and part-time employment hours, the Greek working week is easily the longest in the EU..", while Eurostat, in September 2023 writes that "In 2022, the usual working week for people aged 20-64 in the EU averaged 37.5 hours. Significant differences among EU countries are visible. The longest working weeks were recorded in Greece (41.0 hours)". We can read the same in earlier statistics, such as in 2015, in Statista which says that "according to OECD, Greek workers put in the longest shifts in the EU, putting Germany and the Netherlands to shame." (the same in 2013, in 2011 etc) About tax evasion: Let Germany give the reparations it owes to Greece and let England give so many decades of rent for stolen marbles, so that the exorbitant taxes are reduced and we discuss it again. For now, the Troika simply robed the Greek people and gave the money to private banks, the ECB, the IMF and the dominant States of the Eurozone. By the way tax evasion has decreased since 2016 you ignorant. Let's look at the list of the countries with the biggest tax evasion: USA, Brazil, Italy, Russia, Germany, France, Japan, China, UK and Spain (Tax campaigner Richard Murphy's estimate - See Wikipedia and Reuters, Dec 13, 2011). Tax Evasion in EU (Statista, 2019): Italy, Germany, France, UK, Spain, Poland, Belgium etc. A map of Europe's biggest tax dodgers for 2014 was published by the British Independent in 2016. There, in the first places, we see Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Romania and Spain, with Greece to be ranked below the Netherlands.
Thank you for the information! It is very helpful. I wanted to go to Hydra for a day trip during the summer. How far in advance should I book the ferry? ⛴️ Also, if I plan to go to Hydra on a Sunday, will the shops be open? Thank you!
Just got back. Started in Athens; checked out Santorini, Paros and Naxos and back to Athens. I’m convinced the best time to go is off season. No lines, no reservations needed in advance for anything and the weather was actually mild. No rain. Not once. The only thing that I wasn’t prepared for was the cigarette smoking all over Athens and the worst had to be the ferry rides just outdoors where the best views were. It drove me crazy because even just walking down the street I couldn’t breathe and I had to eat indoors most of the time to avoid it. Other than that, I had a great time.
![WHERE TO STAY in Athens [Watch BEFORE you book a hotel]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/a2SMLmsZ7GA/mqdefault.jpg)
![WHERE TO STAY in Athens [Watch BEFORE you book a hotel]](/img/tr.png)
![Athens AIRPORT : How to get to your hotel ? [Comparing Metro, Bus, Taxi, Uber]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YpOv3_6uEX0/mqdefault.jpg)
Your videos are very Imformative! I've watched them before my trip to Athens and Santorini. It made my trip much more easier. Thank you so much Sebastian!
Same experience for me. I watched several of his videos on Athens and Santorini before meeting my friends from the States in Athens this past September. We spent one full day there and then boarded a cruise ship for a 7 day Greek Isle cruise. The information he shared on Santorini saved us from much distress and possibly missing the cruise ship departure in Santorini. My friends had made dinner reservations at a restaurant for the Santorini sunset experience. But they had not taken into account that the main way on and off the island is the cable car and how the wait in line for it can be 2-3 hours and then still have to get a tender boat to the ship. His videos brought out this fact. He also shared a website, I went to afterwards, to see how many cruise ships will be at the island that day. Because the more ships, the longer the line for the cable car. He also shared the transportation situation on the island, which is not great. So I emailed my travel companions all these facts, with the link to his video, and broke the bad news that we did not have ample time to catch the sunset from the island and make it back to the ship in time. After my friends watched the video and did the math, they agreed. When we arrived in Santorini, we got one of the first tender boats to the island. There was no line for the cable cars! Then in the afternoon we had perhaps a 20-30 minute wait in line to go back down to the port to catch the tender boat back to the ship. So not bad at all! We rested, got freshened up, got a cocktail and went to the top deck of the ship to watch the sunset. It was perfect! And I think it was actually better than if we had watched it from the island. Because we could see not just the sunset, but also the reflection of the sunset on the island and then watch all the lights come on as it became dark. It was magical! I bought Sebastian a cup of coffee for sharing such invaluable information that went a long way in making our trip successful.
The luggage storage info is a game changer for visiting Athens
Very well done! Thank you, from Texas!
Very nice Video. Super informative content for vacation planning❤
As well, great video, very helpful. Love & respect from Bangladesh
Fantastic advice and info.
Your channel is so helpful, thank you!
Excellent advice! We were in Athens first time this year and all of what you’ve said is 💯 useful to know. We are booked to go this year again, cannot wait!
I just came back last Thursday after 7 days cruise (P&O ) was too hot for me 🥴😏🇬🇧🏴
I'll be in Athens for a week this April. Thanks for the heads up:)
Good Job!!! Good Job!!!!
Hi, thanks a lot for your great videos! I bought a combo tickets with the 7 sites included and my Acropolis visit with the booked timeslot is on a Sunday, but can I go to Ancient Agora to activate my ticket first on Saturday? 😅
Yes, absolutely ! The Combo ticket can be activated up to 5 days before the date you've chosen for the Acropolis.
Thanks for sharing God bless
Don't know about the smaller islands, but on Crete (born and raised there) we drank from the tap as often as from bottles. Depending where you are, it may taste better or worse (due to chlorine) but it's fine either way.
Thank you so much for your help with this topic!
Have you thought about doing one on self-guided tours outside Athens??? When I came over a decade ago, I took the train to Thessolinki and the intercity busses to Delphi and Mycenae. I wanted to to Mycenae again with my partner on my recent trip, but I forgot how much effort the research and journeys took. Possible in my mid twenties, but too much in my mid thirties. And it seems the bus no longer stops directly in Mikines below the mountain, so taxis would have to have been involved as the hike would be too long. But I know this would be good for a lot of young people on budgets.
In the end, we decided to take the Cape Sounion tour that you recommended and it was awesome! And we are now planning a road trip through some of the other areas for next time. I hope by then, you'll keep expanding your channel and there will be a driving in Greece video :)
if you go back visit voidikilia, will blow your mind. brilliant place.
Thank you
I just returned from Greece on Monday and had an amazing time in Santorini and the tall cruise ship I went on for the other islands was simply amazing. I wrapped up my trip in Athens for 2 nights but was very disappointed due to it being so dirty and the ruins ridden with graffiti. I did not really like it much other than the acropolis and parthenon. I would recommend Santorini and Syros. Both very beautiful islands.
how long does it take to tour the Olympieion? is the scaffolding still up? I’m going at the end of this month!
Takes around half an hour. Yes the scaffolding is still there.
@@GreeceExplained thank you! and how long should you need for the ancient agora?
@@salemk.3098 1h30
I wonder if I should even go to the other archeological sites in Athens, considering I'm actually in Greece for surveying archeological sites in the area surrounding Nafplio, and I just extended my stay early with 3.5 days in the city. Maybe best stick to the museums, street life and viewpoints. I'll also be planning at least one full day for just exploring the city by public transit and going to Piraeus and the beach area (I'm excited for the tram).
Btw, if anybody knows, are there any interesting neighborhoods outside the city center? Doesn't need to be historic, anything interesting counts.
Be sure to watch his excellent video about all the neighborhoods in Athens.
what's a good charisma or evangelical church to visit in or near Athens?
Your videos are great - really excited about seeing both Athens and Santorini in June, but we are really struggling given that we only have 5 days. Fly into Athens at 10am on Monday and leave on cruise up the coast on Saturday evening - how do we divide the time and which do we do first?
I'd do 2 days in Athens and 3 in Santorini. So maybe you could fly to Santorini immediately on Monday, and then fly back to Athens on Thursday morning.
Hi!
I'll be one week in Athens this easter. Is there something in particular that I should know? I read in some blogs that the attractions are closed on easter sunday and also on the saturday before the Holiday. Do you recommend any nice place to visit on this days? Do you think it may be hard to find places to lunch/dinner in this dates?
Thanks😊
Yes Athens will be pretty closed on Easter weekend. I'd go on a Day Trip outside of Athens if I were you. Meteora, Delphi, Aigina & Agistri : all these tours will be operating. More interesting than walking around in ghost town Athens.
Hope this helps ! In case you wanna support my channel, here's a link to make a one time donation : www.buymeacoffee.com/greeceexplained
Nafplio. You will enjoy the north but the south is far better.
@GreeceExplained Is this Greek Orthadox Easter 1-6 May?
@@cassiemillington8249 www.google.com/search?q=greek+orthodox+easter+2024&oq=greek+orth&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDggBEEUYJxg7GIAEGIoFMgYIABBFGDkyDggBEEUYJxg7GIAEGIoFMgcIAhAAGIAEMgcIAxAAGIAEMgcIBBAAGIAEMgcIBRAAGIAEMgcIBhAAGIAEMgcIBxAAGIAEMgcICBAAGIAEMgcICRAAGIAE0gEIMzUwMmowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
@@cassiemillington8249 no, it will be in the non Orthodox easter. Only after I asked here for tips I read that there were different dates for easter 😄
One thing I want to know before going to Athens: Greek.
Bus drivers and gasoline attendants don't give back small changes in Santorini. Be sure to bring plenty of small bills and coins.
Hi Sebastian! I am visiting Athens next week and would be staying in a 4 star hotel near Syntagma for 2N. Then will be travelling to Islands for 4N and again coming back to Athens and staying in the same Hotel for 2N. Hope I can keep my big luggage at hotel in Athens in their cloak room and carry only limited stuff to Santorini. Will the hotel allow this?
Yes, hotels usually allow that ;-)
Ur video is very informative... where can We find u if we want to book u?
Instagram : @sebi_the_guide
Or email : sebitheguide@gmail.com
Τι καλούλης!
Do you know by any chance is there is a change of guard on Easter Sunday? Even the official tourist authorities cannot answers me... If you have other suggestions of things in or around Athens for Easter (or in Santorini, other than Good Friday at Pyrghos), you are also welcome.
Yes there is.
@@GreeceExplained Thank you!
I think there is an online 'entrance tax fee' that you have to pay in advance, before travelling to the EU. I forgot what it's called.
Not until 2025
@@williamx5088 Thank you!
Where is the 'red light district'? LOL. Just kidding.
Will never go to Greece again.
Please may I ask, why?
@@happyhippylou
I should’ve said fly to Greece. Just take a transatlantic cruise.
8 things you wish you knew.... Greeks avoid paying their taxes like the plague 😂
The flip side, great presentation again.
two words the Greeks don't know, work and taxes.
@@bwana-ma-coo-bah425 κόψε κάτι ρε καυλιάρη.
About work:
As The World Economic Forum (2018) writes "According to this EU data, which combines full and part-time employment hours, the Greek working week is easily the longest in the EU..", while Eurostat, in September 2023 writes that "In 2022, the usual working week for people aged 20-64 in the EU averaged 37.5 hours. Significant differences among EU countries are visible. The longest working weeks were recorded in Greece (41.0 hours)". We can read the same in earlier statistics, such as in 2015, in Statista which says that "according to OECD, Greek workers put in the longest shifts in the EU, putting Germany and the Netherlands to shame." (the same in 2013, in 2011 etc)
About tax evasion:
Let Germany give the reparations it owes to Greece and let England give so many decades of rent for stolen marbles, so that the exorbitant taxes are reduced and we discuss it again. For now, the Troika simply robed the Greek people and gave the money to private banks, the ECB, the IMF and the dominant States of the Eurozone. By the way tax evasion has decreased since 2016 you ignorant. Let's look at the list of the countries with the biggest tax evasion: USA, Brazil, Italy, Russia, Germany, France, Japan, China, UK and Spain (Tax campaigner Richard Murphy's estimate - See Wikipedia and Reuters, Dec 13, 2011). Tax Evasion in EU (Statista, 2019): Italy, Germany, France, UK, Spain, Poland, Belgium etc. A map of Europe's biggest tax dodgers for 2014 was published by the British Independent in 2016. There, in the first places, we see Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Romania and Spain, with Greece to be ranked below the Netherlands.
Thank you for the information! It is very helpful. I wanted to go to Hydra for a day trip during the summer. How far in advance should I book the ferry? ⛴️ Also, if I plan to go to Hydra on a Sunday, will the shops be open? Thank you!
I'd do 2 or 3 weeks prior. Yes shops will be open.
@@GreeceExplainedPerfect! I will do that. What is the official site for the ferries?
@@janetf3377All Greeks use "FerryHopper". Here is my affiliate link if you want :-) www.ferryhopper.com/en/?aff_uid=santexpl
Just got back. Started in Athens; checked out Santorini, Paros and Naxos and back to Athens. I’m convinced the best time to go is off season. No lines, no reservations needed in advance for anything and the weather was actually mild. No rain. Not once. The only thing that I wasn’t prepared for was the cigarette smoking all over Athens and the worst had to be the ferry rides just outdoors where the best views were. It drove me crazy because even just walking down the street I couldn’t breathe and I had to eat indoors most of the time to avoid it. Other than that, I had a great time.
@@nabelb1208I would love to go off season but I am a teacher and summer time is usually when I travel. Can’t wait to see Greece! 🇬🇷