Greece FAM Trip Hosted
by Emirates Airline and Key Tours – October 2018
I would like to thank Emirates Airline for a wonderfully comfortable
nonstop flight from Newark to Athens, and Key Tours for hosting an amazing
Familiarization trip to Greece in October. It was my first time flying with Emirates and
they more than lived up to their reputation.
The seats were comfy with plenty of legroom even in coach, the service
was flawless, there was an amazing array of entertainment choices, the food was
restaurant quality and served with real utensils….and I actually slept which I
have never been able to do on an overnight flight. A heartfelt Thank You to all those involved
in making this such an incredible and memorable experience xo
Athens
Upon arrival mid-afternoon, we were greeted and whisked off to the NJV
Athens Plaza Hotel by our delightful Key Tours host Nichola, who arranged all
our hotels, tours, transportation and guides, and accompanied us with his
colleague Fillipa during our stay in Greece.
Everything was flawless and I am delighted to highly recommend Key Tours, and notably
their amazing personnel in Greece.
Athens Plaza Hotel
The NJV Athens Plaza Hotel is one of the top luxury hotels
in Athens, conveniently located on the historic Syntagma Square, very close to
the Acropolis, the Parliament Building, and the pedestrian shopping and
restaurant area of Plaka. The hotel features 162 contemporary rooms and 18
suites, some with views of the Acropolis, which are tastefully decorated with
modern touches and first-class amenities. The hotel has meeting and event facilities
that can accommodate up to 350 people, with state-of-the-art equipment available
for a conference, special event, board meeting or business luncheon.
During our stay in Athens we visited several other hotels listed here,
and I would be happy to share more details with anyone interested.
Hotels
Hotel Electra Metropolis – central Athens
St. George - adjacent to the Athens Plaza Hotel
Royal Olympic – central Athens
Herodion Hotel – central Athens, lunch and tour
St. George Lycabettus Hotel – tour and dinner overlooking the city.
Sightseeing
On our first full day in Athens, we enjoyed a drive through the most
emblematic sites in Athens with our tour guide, visiting the Temple of Zeus,
Hadrian’s Arch, the Greek Parliament where we saw the Changing of the Guard,
the National Library, Academy and University, with a photo stop at the
Panathenaic Stadium.
We climbed the winding steps up to the Parthenon dedicated to Athena
the goddess of Athens, passing through the Propylea to the Erechteum Temple,
and reaching The Acropolis which stand 230 feet above the city. Amazing to experience in person, and enjoy the
incredible views of the city. Finally we
visited the New Acropolis Museum which was fascinating and well worth spending
a couple of hours exploring.
Transfer
from Athens to Paros
We boarded the Blue Star Ferry early the next morning for our 3.5 hour
trip to Paros, which in itself was quite an experience. The ferry was part car ferry and part cruise
ship, accommodating as it did cars and trucks in its bowels, and passengers on
the higher decks. Seating options
included outdoor benches and tables, and indoors a range of choices including
high-backed seats with area TV’s, cafeteria-style table and chairs, a
children’s play area, stores, coffee shops and bars. Open seating and very reasonably priced.
Paros
The island of Paros is not quite as well known as other Greek Islands
and therefore is more authentic – a true hidden gem. It is considered one of the most beautiful of
the Cyclades Islands with its many beaches and charming villages. Parikia is the main town, Naoussa Port is to
the North, and Lefkes, Marpissa, Piso Livadi, Drios, and Aliki are well worth a
visit.
Naoussa is an old fishing village which is becoming more popular with tourists,
but not so much that it take away from its charm. The village is characterized
by its Venetian port and its many fish restaurants, and the local bar scene is
growing as the number of visitors increases.
We arrived at the port of Parikia and transferred to the Zefi Hotel
& Suites where we would spend 3 nights.
This boutique hotel’s charm was outmatched only by the warmth and
hospitality of the owners, manager and staff who took such great care of us,
and even joined us on our sightseeing excursions sharing stories and adding
local color.
Zefi
Hotel & Suites, Naoussa, Paros
Zefi is a boutique 4 star hotel just a short walk from the town center
of Naoussa, and close to the beach of Agioi Anargyroi. The hotel features a restaurant, swimming
pool, poolside bar and a hot tub. Room
categories are Superior Suites, and Superior, Standard and Basic Rooms, and all
have air conditioning, a fridge and TV.
Rooms are individually decorated in Cycladic style, some with built-in
beds, beamed ceilings and stone-paved flooring.
Sightseeing
After checking in, we had time before dinner to explore the charming
port of Naoussa, stopping at an open air restaurant for a bite and a glass of
wine, and taking many photographs of the picturesque fishing village as the sun
began to set.
On our first full day in Paros we toured the Moraitico Winery where I
purchased some Ouzo along with a couple of bottles of their delicious
wine. Next it was off to explore the
village of Lefkes, and a stroll around the narrow stone alleyways, with much
picture-taking and some shopping for local souvenirs.
In the early afternoon we took a local ferry across to the sister and
smaller island of Antiparos, where we traversed hundreds of steps down into the
belly of a huge cave, which is the location of the oldest stalagmite in
Europe. There was even really old
graffiti….!
Lunch was on the pier watching the fishing boats come and go, and a
huge plateful of fresh caught shrimp and locally produced wine certainly made
moving on difficult. But move we did,
returning to Paros on the ferry, and stopping at Kolybithres Beach to see the
amazing rock formations at sunset.
The following day we headed to Parikia to tour the Panagia
Ekantotapiliani Church, one of the most significant Orthodox churches in Greece. The original church was constructed in the
4th century A.D. and was a three-aisled basilica. In the 6th century A.D. the
Byzantine Emperor Justinian made reformations to the church and added a dome.
More reformations were performed through centuries and today the church is a
complex of Paleochristian, Byzantine and post-Byzantine elements. There is a
museum on the site, with photographs of the earlier excavations.
After some meandering around narrow paths and passageways, we stopped
for coffee and to show off our purchases before heading to the beach and
amphitheater at the National Park….
Our final dinner in Paros was at Axinos Restaurant in Naoussa Port,
also owned by the Zefi Hotel family, and served on a long table family
style. There was much laughter, wine and
great food shared and we all vowed we’d return to Paros some day!
Transfer from Paros to Santorini the following morning was by Blue Star
Ferry which again took about 3.5 hours.
Santorini
Santorini was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC,
which shaped its rugged landscape of sheer cliffs. The famed whitewashed houses
in Fira and Oia cling to the cliffs, with spectacular views overlooking the
underwater caldera.
Santorini
Palace Hotel
The Santorini Palace Hotel was the first resort on Santorini Island, located
in Firostefani village just 10 minutes walk from the capital of Santorini, the
village of Fira. The hotel combines the
Cycladic surroundings with breathtaking views of the east side of the island
and a panoramic view of the Caldera. Rooms
at Santorini Palace are bright and contemporary with air conditioning,
flat-screen TV, fridge, private bathroom, balcony or veranda, double-glazed
windows and safes. Categories are Standard and
Superior Rooms, and one and two-bedroom Suites. The hotel offers a
combination of beautiful Cycladic architecture, open spaces, resort facilities
and proximity to attractions, and has a restaurant, 2 bars, a spa services are
available at their sister property,
El Greco Resort and
Spa a few minutes away via complimentary shuttle.
Hotels
El Greco Resort and Spa (Caldera side, sister property 5 minutes away)
The Belvedere -boutique, cliffside
Kafieris Blue – boutique, cliffside
Cliffside Suites - cliffside
Splendour Resort – affordable
Sightseeing
On our first afternoon in Santorini, we followed a short path from the
hotel over the hill to the town of Fira, where we explored the narrow
alleyways, browsed the little stores, and took photographs of the village, the
views and of course the sunset for which Santorini is so famous for.
For dinner, the group split up and tried several different restaurants;
some with amazing views, some with wonderful authentic food, and some with
both!
After touring several hotels the following day, we visited Pyrgos to
explore this traditional village with its twisting pathways and many beautiful
white churches, and the picturesque town of Firostefani, and then a visit to
the local winery of Boutaris with a tour and wine tasting (of course!)
Next
we stopped to stroll around the traditional settlement of Oia on the northern
tip of the island, high on the cliff top with the most magnificent views on the
island.
On our last day we headed to the Bronze Age site of Akrotiri where we
met out guide. All guides must be
professional, licensed archeologists with a PhD and its no wonder when you
begin to understand the importance of this town and its history.
Akrotiri was originally a Minoan settlement and today is the most
important archeological site in Santorini. The prehistoric town was destroyed
due to a massive volcanic eruption around 1600 BC. Nowadays, the picturesque
streets, the two-story buildings, the lovely frescoes and plenty of tools
witness the way of life in the prehistoric times. The people that built this port city, traveled
and traded with North Africa and the Middle East, as is evidenced by the
artifacts that have been unearthed. No
human remains have been found, and it is surmised they must have had some
warning before the volcano erupted and
destroyed the whole island.
A few minutes away is Red Beach which is
one of the most famous and beautiful beaches in Santorini. The beach is quite
small and can get overcrowded in the summer, so I recommend instead of making
the trek down to the beach, you can instead admire this unique landscape of red
and black volcanic rocks from the headland.
Upon our return to Fira and having worked up an appetite, we climbed
three flights of stairs to find a great local restaurant with wonderful views,
authentic food and wine from the winery we had visited the day before…highly
recommended!
Then we took the cable car from Fira down the cliffs to Old Port, but having
just had lunch we decided to give the famed Santorini donkeys a break and
returned to the top by cable car.
Our last meal together in Greece before heading home via Athens, was at
one of Nichola’s favorite restaurants on the clifftop in Fira – delicious food
and wine, amazing views, and wonderful company……..Yamas, until we meet again my
friends J
To Nichola and Fillipa, many
congratulations on your engagement
………and beware of gatecrashers next
September xo
Nikki Perkins, CTA
Travel Exchange - A Virtuoso Agency
2 Sconset Square, Westport, CT 06880
T# (203) 221-3500 C# (203) 912-4641
