Frommer's^® Greece, 4th Edition

by John S. Bowman; Sherry Marker; Heidi Sarna

• ISBN13: 9780764524561
• ISBN10: 0764524569
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

The premier travel guide to the site of the 2004 Summer Games Includes a special section devoted to the 2004 Olympics in Athens Greece is the fifteenth-most popular tourist destination in the world New construction in anticipation of the 2004 Olympics will mean better transportation and other improved tourist infrastructure Expert authors, who have lived in Greece and studied its culture and history, offer a real insider's look at one of the world's most beautiful countries You2ll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer2s. It2s like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go- they2ve done the legwork for you, and they2re not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer2s Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You2d be lost without us! Meticulously researched by an experienced team of experts, this in-depth guide is much more detailed and comprehensive than its major competition. You2ll find authoritative but fun-to-use coverage of all the classical sites, with valuable insights that will enrich your trip. We2ve provided all the background information you need to enjoy and appreciate what you2re seeing. Our authors have personally inspected and chosen wonderful hotels in every price cateogory; whether you want to stay in a rustic guesthouse or an exquisite beach resort, you can trust their opinions. They2ll take you to the most beautiful islands, where verdant hillsides tumble down to the blue waters of the Mediterranean. And since Greece can be a tricky place to travel, our guide is loaded with detailed city, regional, island, and town maps; it also features a handy language appendix, complete transportation information, and detailed directions for anything that2s hard to find.

Author Biography

<b>John S. Bowman</b> has been a freelance writer and editor for more than 35 years. He specializes in nonfiction ranging from archaeology to zoology, baseball to biography. He first visited Greece in 1956 and has traveled and lived there over the years. He is the author of numerous guides to various regions of Greece. He currently resides in Northampton, Massachusetts. <p> <b>Sherry Marker</b> majored in classical Greek at Harvard, studied archaeology at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, and did graduate work in ancient history at the University of California at Berkeley. The author of a number of guides to Greece, she has also written for the <i>New York Times, Travel &amp; Leisure,</i> and <i>Hampshire Life.</i> When not in Greece she lives in Massachusetts. <p> <b>Heidi Sarna</b> has cruised on more than 75 ships of all shapes and sizes, and she loves them all (well, OK, some more than others). Heidi&#8217;s a contributing editor to <i>Travel Holiday</i> magazine, and her work has appeared in numerous magazines, major guidebooks, websites, and newspapers including the <i>New York Times, Star Ledger,</i> and <i>Boston Herald.</i> When she&#8217;s not off cruising somewhere, she lives in the Big Apple with her husband, Arun, and their baby boys.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	p. vii
What's New in Greece	p. 1
The Best of Greece	p. 6
The Best Travel Experiences	p. 6
The Best of Ancient Greece	p. 7
The Best of Byzantine & Medieval Greece	p. 10
The Best Beaches	p. 10
The Best Scenic Villages & Towns	p. 11
The Best Islands	p. 13
The Best Places to Get Away from It All	p. 14
The Best Museums	p. 14
The Best of Greece's Religious Treasures	p. 15
The Best Resorts & Hotels	p. 16
The Best Restaurants	p. 17
The Best Nightlife	p. 18
The Best Natural Wonders	p. 19
The Best Shopping	p. 19
Planning Your Trip to Greece	p. 22
The Regions in Brief	p. 22
Greece on the Web	p. 25
Security in Greece: Red Alert	p. 26
Visitor Information	p. 27
Entry Requirements & Customs	p. 27
Money	p. 30
When to Go	p. 34
Greece Calendar of Events	p. 36
Travel Insurance	p. 40
Health & Safety	p. 42
Specialized Travel Resources	p. 44
Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource	p. 49
Getting There	p. 49
Escorted General-Interest Tours	p. 54
Special-Interest Trips	p. 55
Getting Around Greece	p. 59
Taxi Tips	p. 68
Tips on Accommodations	p. 69
Tips on Dining	p. 73
Fast Facts: Greece	p. 73
Olympics 2004: The Summer Games in Athens	p. 83
Security & Crime	p. 84
Sources of Information	p. 84
Venues & Events	p. 85
Getting Tickets	p. 85
SARS & Health Concerns	p. 85
Olympics Mascot	p. 88
Accommodations During the Games	p. 89
Handicapped Accessibility	p. 89
Dining During the Games	p. 91
Transportation During the Games	p. 91
The Cultural Olympiad/Olympic Arts Festival	p. 92
The Paralympic Games	p. 92
Cruising the Greek Islands	p. 94
Choosing the Right Cruise for You	p. 94
Calculating the Cost	p. 96
Booking Your Cruise	p. 97
Cruise Preparation Practicalities	p. 100
Embarkation	p. 102
Dealing with Seasickness	p. 103
End-of-Cruise Procedures	p. 104
The Cruise Lines & Their Ships	p. 105
Ships Visiting Greece on Longer Mediterranean Itineraries	p. 118
Best Shore Excursions in the Ports of Call: Greece	p. 120
Best Shore Excursions in the Ports of Call: Turkey	p. 124
Settling into Athens	p. 126
Orientation	p. 127
Neighborhoods in Brief	p. 138
Getting Around	p. 142
Athens's Metro Finally Gets Moving	p. 143
Fast Facts: Athens	p. 145
Where to Stay	p. 150
Where to Dine	p. 161
Quick Bites in Syntagma	p. 167
Exploring Athens	p. 173
The Top Attractions	p. 176
More Museums & Galleries	p. 186
Ancient Monuments	p. 188
Historic Buildings	p. 189
Churches & Synagogues	p. 189
Parks & Gardens	p. 190
Especially for Kids	p. 192
Organized Tours	p. 193
Spectator Sports	p. 194
Shopping	p. 194
Athens After Dark	p. 199
Ticket Information for the Athens, Lycabettus & Epidaurus Festivals	p. 199
Piraeus: A Jumping-Off Point to the Islands	p. 204
Day Trips from Athens	p. 209
The Saronic Gulf Islands	p. 217
Aegina	p. 218
Strategies for Seeing the Islands	p. 220
Poros	p. 224
Hydra (Idra)	p. 227
Spetses	p. 232
The Peloponnese	p. 238
Corinth	p. 241
Nafplion	p. 246
Mycenae	p. 255
Epidaurus	p. 258
Nemea	p. 261
Argos	p. 263
Sparta (Sparti)	p. 266
Vassae & Andritsena	p. 270
Monemvassia	p. 272
The Mani	p. 275
Pylos (Pilo/Navarino)	p. 280
Messene (Ithomi/Mavromati)	p. 282
Olympia	p. 283
The Ancient Olympic Games	p. 284
Patras (Patra)	p. 290
Crete	p. 294
Iraklion (Iraklio)	p. 296
Chania (Hania/Xania/Canea)	p. 309
Rethymnon (Rethimno)	p. 318
Ayios Nikolaos	p. 324
The Cyclades	p. 331
Santorini (Thira)	p. 332
Folegandros	p. 352
Sifnos	p. 356
Paros	p. 363
The Cave of Andiparos	p. 369
Naxos	p. 376
Mykonos (Mikonos)	p. 385
Delos	p. 398
Tinos	p. 401
Siros (Syros)	p. 408
The Dodecanese	p. 415
Rhodes (Rodos)	p. 416
Simi	p. 439
Kos	p. 444
Patmos	p. 453
Central Greece	p. 464
Delphi	p. 464
Thebes	p. 474
Two Famous Battlefields: Thermopylae & Chaironeia	p. 475
The Vale of Tempe & Ambelakia	p. 476
Mount Olympus	p. 477
The Meteora	p. 479
The Sporades	p. 485
Skiathos	p. 485
Skopelos	p. 496
Skyros (Skiros)	p. 503
The Famous Carnival of Skyros	p. 507
Highlights of Western Greece: Epirus & Ioannina	p. 511
Getting to & Around Epirus	p. 512
Ioannina	p. 514
Side Trips from Ioannina	p. 521
The Ionian Islands	p. 525
Corfu (Kerkira)	p. 526
Kefalonia (Cephalonia)	p. 540
Highlights of Northern Greece: Thessaloniki, Mount Athos & the Philip & Alexander Sites	p. 548
Thessaloniki (Salonika)	p. 548
Fast Facts: Thessaloniki	p. 557
Suggested Itineraries	p. 559
The Food of Thessaloniki	p. 580
In the Footsteps of Philip of Macedon & Alexander the Great	p. 586
Philip & Alexander	p. 588
Mount Athos (The Holy Mountain)	p. 594
The Northeastern Aegean Islands	p. 599
Samos	p. 600
Hios (Chios)	p. 611
Lesvos (Mitilini)	p. 618
Excursion to a Mountain Village	p. 621
Limnos (Lemnos)	p. 627
The Greek Language	p. 631
Making Your Way in Greek	p. 631
Useful Words & Phrases	p. 633
Useful Toll-Free Numbers & Websites	p. 638
Index	p. 641
List of Maps
Greece	p. 8
Greece by Plane	p. 61
Greek Ferry Routes	p. 63
Olympic Competition Venues	p. 86
Athens & Environs	p. 129
Athens at a Glance	p. 136
Athens Accommodations	p. 152
Accommodations & Dining South of the Acropolis	p. 159
Athens Dining	p. 162
Athens Attractions	p. 174
The Acropolis & Monastiraki	p. 177
Syntagma Square & Plaka	p. 191
Piraeus	p. 205
The Saronic Gulf Islands	p. 219
Peloponnese	p. 239
Patras	p. 291
Crete	p. 295
Iraklion	p. 297
Chania	p. 311
Rethymnon	p. 319
Ayios Nikolaos	p. 325
The Cyclades	p. 333
Santorini	p. 335
Fira	p. 341
Mykonos Town	p. 387
Delos	p. 399
The Dodecanese	p. 417
Rhodes Attractions	p. 419
Rhodes Accommodations & Dining	p. 427
Central Greece	p. 465
Ancient Delphi	p. 467
The Sporades	p. 487
Ioannina	p. 515
Western Greece & the Ionian Islands	p. 527
Corfu Town	p. 529
Kefalonia & Ithaka	p. 541
Northern Greece	p. 549
Thessaloniki	p. 552
The Northeastern Aegean Islands	p. 601
Vathi	p. 603
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.