Anyone going to Greece this year?

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

I really want to go to Greece this year, one of the islands, but everyone keeps saying it isn't a good time to go with the current economic climate.

Is anyone booked to go? Or does anyone here think it is a bad idea?

I would love to go to Greece and I'd say they really need our custom, however seeing the news on it I'd be worried to be affected by general strikes, rioting, etc.

Oh, I think on an island it would be far away from it tho....

we went last year. the taxi drivers were on strike (luckily we had a hire car or don't know how we would have got from the airport) and we had a couple of very short power cuts towards the end (may have happened anyway). apart from that we weren't affected at all. as someone else says ...the islands are far away from athens. Plus they rely on tourism.

on the plus side, other people might be put off and it might be quieter/cheaper. who knows where else might be affected by the summer....france, italy, spain, portugal?

Don't go to Athens and try to fly straight to your island. In Athens there are a lot of strikes and riots - very unpleasant. The islands should be business as normal although there is a small chance of getting caught up in flight disruptions due to strikes which would a horror!

I wouldn't go to Athens, just to one of the islands. I wasn't so much thinking of riots or anything as we would go somewhere small and quiet, it was more of whether things would be really expensive or that they wouldn't have enough money to make sure the accomodation was clean etc.

I think power cuts are pretty normal in Greece anyway, I always take a torch just in case!

DH and I are going to Rhodes. Am hoping there won't be any airport strikes or delays. I don't think those in the hospitality business would risk their living and income on the islands, as it is such a major source. If anything they will probably try harder, especially family-run businesses. Out of season many bar and waiting staff and chambermaids have to find alternative jobs away from resorts, olive picking, painting and decorating and so on.

We have booked to go to Crete in June. It hadn't occurred to me that there could be any problems with going.

Where in Rhodes are you going? That's where I was looking at.

I like Greece - the only reason I did not book there was because people were saying the locals try to rip tourists off at the moment.

We had powercuts in corfu last year and it was frighteningly expensive.

Went to one of the islands last July. No signs of strife, there had been a brief local taxi strike but as we were on the coach transfer that didn't affect us. People everywhere were fantastic. But.....we did find things expensive in the tourist resorts...Greece is not the cheap holiday it used to be ...

Oh, everlong, you will LOVE Santorini! It's my favourite island.

Sootica, we are staying in Pefkos, we have stayed there a few years ago, but will be in a different hotel this time. It will be interesting to see how much has changed since.

It is just along the coast from Lindos.

That is where I was looking at, it sounds really nice.

Last time we were there in August and it was really hot. That side of the island gets a nice breeze in the afternoon though. There are some nice eating places.

I would recommend getting a taxi to Lindos to walk up to the acropolis, but go in the morning about 9-9.30. You walk up lots of stepped streets but in shade from their awnings and they are close together. When you get to the top it would be really hot if you started any later. You can enjoy the shops and bars on the way down! It's perfectly possible to do in a morning, even I managed it with a dodgy knee!

Another trip is by ferry to the island of Symi which is lovely, and Rhodes town has lots of mediaeval cobbled streets and buildings.

As a greek I would say it's perfectly safe and you will have no trouble whatsoever- I live in England and we holiday every year in Greece in the summer in various islands- we are booked to go again this year to Skiathos which is adorable.
Keep away from Athens as thts were the troubles/strikes are (though not in August, all the greeksathenians are away on leave!!!) though for airport transit that wont be a problem either.
Dont forget its breezy in August in the aegean islands, Ionian like lefkas/cephalonia are not affected by wind in the summer; wherever you go go will be hot and you will be welcomed..

Apparently the Germans are all cancelling because of anti-German feeling (which is hardly surprising given the situation). If we weren't already going to France I think we'd go - they'll be no one 'reserving' the sun loungers with towels at 6am!

Well I think Greece is looking good then. Thanks girlywhirly for the info, I am going to start looking into it now