Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2007 - (Page 50) ATHENS COMPRISES a latticework of cobbled streets and charming dwellings, many of which are positioned on hilltops overlooking the city. you’ll hit that’s on the mainland. Maybe that’s why it is the anomaly of the Greek Isles itinerary. The city’s importance rests with its cultural offerings, such as the Parthenon on the Acropolis or the Temple of Olympia, but visiting all of them can be difficult, as many of the attractions are spread out across the city. It’s highly advisable to recommend a private sightseeing company, such as Greece à la Carte (www.greeceala carte.gr), which offers an Athens tour called “Athens at a Glance.” Contact Kasi Turpin (30210/6236670-72) to set up a tour for your VIPs. Hint: If you don’t book your clients either on a ship’s shore excursion or through a private tour operator, they will be at the mercy of the many spurious taxi drivers, which we, unfortunately, experienced first-hand. All we wanted to do was see the Parthenon. Sounds easy enough, right? We thought so until encountering a taxi driver, who went by the name of George. The Acropolis is only a 10-minute drive from the cruise port, but “George” wanted about $80 for a roundtrip fare. Having no other recourse (one can’t go to Athens and not see the Parthenon), we jumped in with the notion we’d deal later. After seeing the sights (Note: George basically followed us around the entire time), a local café owner told us we were being swindled and the ride should cost no more than 15 euros (that’s right, about $20). Having the right mind to take off running, we tried talking George down, which we did, to the still-outrageous sum of $50. Moral of the story: Do your clients a favor and steer them clear of cabbies. This is not to say that Athens doesn’t have its bright spots. There are many museums in Athens to occupy an afternoon. The National Archaeological Museum (Patission 44 Street; 30-821/7717) houses a trove of ancient Greek artifacts, while the Byzantine Museum (1 Koumbari Street; 30-361/1617) in the Duchess of Plaisance’s mansion features sculpture, frescoes, icons, wood carvings and jewelry. If shopping is more your clients’ forte, direct them to the Kolonaki area, the best spot for shops, as well as cafés and restaurants. The neighborhood is very safe and attracts the fashionable and affluent Athenian crowd. Two other stores of note are The Center of Hellenic ADVISOR INSIGHT: Kelly Shea, vice president and owner of Earle Travel Co. in Indianapolis, is a guru of all things Greek, having visited the country 17 times. When it comes to cruising the Greek Isles, Shea says the best way to do it is with the smaller lines, such as Windstar, SeaDream Yacht Club, Star Clipper and Lindblad. “They truly do the Greek Isles, and often do some more obscure itineraries there,” she says. If your clients are true high rollers and relish privacy, suggest a private yacht. Shea has chartered the 161-foot Oceanos (www.alphayachting.com). Amenities are top notch and the ship comes with a crew of 13. Another benefit is your client will be able to choose and map out the itinerary. Shea says chartering private yachts is steadily becoming a bigger trend. “I’m getting a lot more of them,” she says. “It’s a dream trip and a fabulous way to see the islands.” After a client’s Greek Isles cruise is completed, Shea says it’s best to recommend a post-stay of a day or two to really soak up the region. It’s also best to do it on a less-traveled island, such as Hydra, which Shea calls her favorite. “If a client is doing a seven-day cruise,” she says, “they need to have a couple days at the end of the cruise to get a better flavor for the islands.” Tradition (59 Mitropoleos) and the National Greek Welfare Organization (36 Pandroussou). Each specializes in handmade items, especially hand-woven articles. Corfu: We ended our tour of Greece in the lovely town of Corfu, which struck us to be more as Parisian-village-meet-New-Englandhamlet, with its outdoor cafés and tree-lined streets, than a city known best for its network of fortresses. If your clients are up for it, suggest a day trip to the top of Mount Pantokrator, which will be far less touristy than any other spot in Corfu. There are many winding roads that lead to the top of the 3,000-foot mountain, but it is worth every foot once you make it to the top. There your clients will have panoramic views of neighboring Albania and the small islands of Othoni, Erikoussa and Mathraki. The best advice for clients seeking food and relaxation is to stroll along the main corridor, called Spianada Square, which is lined with cafés, restaurants and bars. It’s one of the biggest squares in all of Europe and is known as the “hub of the Corfiot life.” One of the better meals we had was at a quaint taverna called Chrisi (Sevastianou 46; 30-26630/46175), which served up a killer pastitsada, a beef-in-tomato-sauce dish. If the mood to eat a genuine Greek gyro strikes, there are countless walk-ins that specialize in the national sandwich. 50 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | August 2007 http://www.greecealacarte.gr http://www.greecealacarte.gr http://www.alphayachting.com
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