In this article you will find out how to organise your holiday whether you are a true lover of luxurious holidays on a private yacht or a budget tourist who is going on holiday to Greece in summer.
“Luxurious” options
Not many people know it but most rich people organise their holidays well in advance. Their assistants or managers do it for them but it’s all still planned in advance. In my experience I booked and organised Summer holiday in December and Winter holiday in June/July. This way you have more yachts or villa options which you can select based on your preferences and budget and you’ll also get better prices and a discount if you pay a deposit 6 month before the date of travel.
What does “advanced” mean for Greece? This is 4-7 month before your trip.
In spite of “siga-siga” life and daily siesta, most Greeks organise their summer holiday a minimum of 6 months in advance and they get the best options. Following this method you can get the best price and conditions for yachts, hotels, villas and services.
Booking a Yacht
If you are going to rent a yacht, there are several yachts types which each have different characteristics and prices:
- Motor yachts
- Sailing yachts
- Catamaran which is a sailing yacht with two hulls.
Sailing and Catamaran yachts are totally different to Motor yachts. The difference is that on a Motor yacht you live as you would in a Hotel or Villa, with 24/7 service. Sailing and Catamaran yachts are more for active people who prefer to catch the wind, be outside more than they’re inside of the yacht and don’t care too much about the service in the boat.
Price for renting a yacht in summer depends on:
- The season. If you are renting in Spring or Autumn the prices are much cheaper than in July, August and September.
- Model and when the yacht was built. The newest, latest technology and modern yachts cost much more than old ones the same size.
- Size. The biggest is more expensive. For most people who rent a yacht the first time it’s difficult to understand what a 35 meter yacht will look like, and people believe that with their budget they can’t afford it. You have to know that for 4 people even a 20 meter yacht is the perfect size, because the important criteria is how many sleeping cabins it has, and even a 15 meter yacht can have 3 cabins.
- Crew. The crew and chef are calculated separately from the boat.
10 Top luxurious Hotels & Resorts in Greece
For those who prefer to stay on land here are 10 best hotels to impress even the most demanding and discerning person.
- Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel. Athens https://www.fourseasons.com/athens/
- Amanzoe Porto Helli. Peloponnese https://www.aman.com/resorts/amanzoe
- Elivi. Skiathos https://www.elivihotels.com/skiathos/
- Grace Santorini https://aubergeresorts.com/gracehotel/
- Poseidonion Grand Hotel. Spetses https://www.poseidonion.com/en/
- Amirandes Grechotel Exclusive Resort. Crete https://aubergeresorts.com/gracehotel/
- Istoria Santorini https://istoriahotel.gr/
- Mountain Resort + Villas https://www.aristi.eu/en
- Ellies Resort. Sifnos http://www.eliesresorts.com/#!
- Lindos Hotels. Rhothed https://www.lindoshotels.com/
Economy option
What about those who want to visit the most beautiful islands on a small budget?
The answer is you can visit exactly the same places as people on private yachts but go there by Ferry. Every day ferries deliver tourists from the port in Athens to the Aegean and Ionian islands.
Even if you come to Greece by car you can go to the Islands with your car, because the ferries transport people and their cars on one boat.
The price for one ticket depends on the direction and class but usually start from €50 for 1 passenger.
Flights
Getting a cheap ticket to Greece in summer is possible if you book in advance or choose the generic destination ‘Greece’ in the search box, rather than specifying your exact destination.. This hack gives you all the cheapest options from your city to Greece. And once you’re in Greece you can take a domestic flight to reach your destination city which usually costs next to nothing.
Services
On the Islands you have to pay for sun-beds if you are not a guest at a hotel which has their own sun-beds. You’ll also need to buy something: water, coffee or food. Or you can take your rug and use it on the same beach without paying; this is a free option open to everyone.
Food
Food in Greece is perfect: fresh seafood, local fruits and vegetables and the famous Green Yogurt will not disappoint you. Portions are big and the food is cheap; you’ll find something for everyone.
Yachts
In Greece some charter companies provide yachts to rent by the hour – you can rent one with your friends and sail around the islands with a crew and captain. Price by hour, depending on the type of a yacht, how many people are going and the type of service onboard (special dinners at sunset can be arranged, for example).
In the next article I’ll give you all the details about how to rent a yacht.
