Traveling with non sightseers

[journeys0404]

My adult kids in their 20's are not great sightseers and we are looking for some fun or adventurous things to do in one or all of these places Santorini,Athens and Mykonos

[Susan-M]

When will you be going? Do they enjoy adventure as in being active (e.g. hiking)? If it's beach weather, Santorini and Mykonos are places you could spend some time at the beach. There's a hike from Fira to Oia that might be enjoyable for everyone, but probably not a good idea on a really hot day.

 

In Athens even non-sightseers will probably find some interest in the Acropolis and a few other sights of interest nearby (Temple of Zeus, Old Olympic Stadium) ... for adventure, a hike up Mt. Lykabettus (within view of the Acropolis) is worthwhile.

[MercedMike]

My adult kids in their 20's are not great sightseers and we are looking for some fun or adventurous things to do in one or all of these places Santorini,Athens and Mykonos

 

Well, to be perfectly honest about it ... why bother to cruise to the Mediterranean if not to sightsee? Send them to Yosemite to hike up Half Dome, or on a cruise to Alaska for rock climbing and kayaking, while you go to the Med and enjoy all the marvelous history there.

 

Would they really visit Athens without climbing the Acropolis? (Well, now that I think of it, that is an adventure in itself!) Or visit Mykonos without going to Delos, the birthplace of Apollo? Now another adventure in itself is riding the donkeys on Santorini ;)

 

Oh well, whatever they do, you have a GREAT cruise!

[Susan-M]

Well, to be perfectly honest about it ... why bother to cruise to the Mediterranean if not to sightsee?

 

I admit that the same thought occurred to me, briefly, until I thought back to when DH and I were in our 20's, when we accompanied my MIL on a trip to Europe. Our interest in and appreciation of historical sites then certainly wasn't what it is now. I'm really appreciative of the opportunity for that trip and the spark of interest that it generated, resulting in our desire to keep exploring new places. We all know people who have never been to Europe and who say they have no interest ... but once most people take that first trip, it leads to many more.

 

I think it's fortunate that the OP and his family enjoy traveling together, and I congratulate him on trying to find activities that will appeal to all. They can't help but be exposed to some significant historical sites, and I have no doubt that they will be intrigued by some of them and develop more of an interest.

 

One step at a time ... and who knows, down the road those young adults might be the ones offering helpful advice here on CC.:)

[tom_uk]

Mykonos is a great place for a beach - do some research on Paradise and Super Paradise beaches on Mykonos. There are buses to Paradise beach from the town.

 

As for Santorini, it is such a stunning place that I feel it will grab the attention of anybody. If they're not into historic buildings then they'll probably just enjoy wandering around Fira town and browsing the shops - absolute tat and great jewellery and ceramics side by side.... and after that, there are all those caldera-edge bars to enjoy.

 

Athens might be harder: it's quite a plain city, and very crowded and busy, apart from the great sights: Acropolis, Temple of Zeus, the museums, the Plaka, etc. Most of Athens (c 95%) dates from the 19th century onwards, a good part of it from the 20th century. At independence (1822?) it was a small town of about 10,000 clustered around the ruins, today it's a city of well over 1 million, so you can see that the greater part of that conglomeration is new.

[Mrs Miggins]

There will be plenty for them to do. The greek islands are holiday destinations for loads of Europeans that do not have the slightest interest in History. Its rather a pity that the Cruise ships do not stay longer in port as both Santorini and Mykonos have a very lively nightlife scene.

It's rather sad that the Uk cruise company Ocean Village will shortly be defunct - their tag line was along the lines of "the cruise ships for people who don't do cruising" ie they had lots of shore excursions that did not involve history - jeep rides, diving trips, snorkelling, hiking - they even carried bikes on board and on every stop these were well used by the younger cruisers. I am sure that similar things can be found onshore - eg hiring scooters, jeeps, boats etc etc.

There will be parasailing, windsurfing etc. In Athens I agree that if would be hard to avoid the Acropolis - but there will also be shopping, eating, drinking - I am sure others will have more specific ideas for those that get bored with history. My 16 year old said "do we have to look at another church" when we were standing outside St Peter's on Rome - but she loved the high end shopping streets and sitting in the sun and watching the wonderful Italian fashions - and even I liked watching the wonderful Italian men - I am sure in the future she will return to all the fantastic places we have seen - and perhaps then take a little more interest in the history.

[jocap]

There's plenty of beach activities in Santorini, at the opposite side of the island- 20 mins away by bus or taxi. There's a water taxi to beaches, and all the usual seaside fun...it's a lot cheaper on that side, too!

Jo.

[MercedMike]

Mykonos is a great place for a beach

 

HMMM ... life is about choices.

 

Let's see ... spend thousands on a cruise to get to the Mediterranean which is full of historic and scenic places. Stop at Mykonos where you have the chance to visit the island of Delos, one of the most important religious shrines of the ancient world, legendary birthplace of Apollo, and still full of amazing art offerings made to the god .... And then choose to go to the beach????

 

OR -- spend $400 to fly to Miami Beach and go to the famous beach?

 

I'm afraid going to the beach in Mykonos does not make sense to me.

 

YMMV

[tom_uk]

HMMM ... life is about choices.

 

Let's see ... spend thousands on a cruise to get to the Mediterranean which is full of historic and scenic places. Stop at Mykonos where you have the chance to visit the island of Delos, one of the most important religious shrines of the ancient world, legendary birthplace of Apollo, and still full of amazing art offerings made to the god .... And then choose to go to the beach????

 

OR -- spend $400 to fly to Miami Beach and go to the famous beach?

 

I'm afraid going to the beach in Mykonos does not make sense to me.

 

YMMV

 

You're right of course, Delos is all of things you mention. I was responding to the OP who said that people in her part were not great sightseers and were looking for non-sightseeing things to do. Mykonos does indeed have great beaches.

 

Besides - holidays are all about enjoyment, right? I'd rather someone did something that they enjoyed rather than did something they'd been told they ought to enjoy. I've seen too many crocodiles of bored, hot, tired cruise passengers walking around historic sites in the Med, mostly not enjoying themselves, but doing what they were doing because some guidebook has said that such-and-such a place is 'unmissable'. I think that visitors will go home with a better experience, and happier memories, if they've enjoyed themselves during their visit than if they've dutifully done something they didn't really want to do.

[MercedMike]

I'd rather someone did something that they enjoyed rather than did something they'd been told they ought to enjoy.

 

Sure, you are right. Which is why I suggest that people who ENJOY historical sites and ancient architecture and classical scenery spend their money on a cruise to the Med.

 

And those who enjoy lying on the beach go to Miami or maybe Cozumel.

 

Makes sense to me ... ;)

[Hlitner]

Hmm. So you have adult (children) who do not share the same travel goals as the parents. The solution is quite simple. When in ports you simply do your own thing. The parents go off and do their sightseeing and have a great day. The young adults go off and do whatever makes them happy and also have a great day. Once you all get back on the ship you can then get together and share your experiences over a drink or meal.

 

Hank

[Mrs Miggins]

Many cruisers will be European - so the beach in Mykonos may be their preferred destination. I do understand the passion for these ancient sites especially from the US travellers - but over the years many of us have been fortunate enough to visit lots of them and have the privilege of living in countries that are overflowing with ancient history - the cruise is a vacation and each to their own - so I agree with Hlitner.

[ROCruiser]

I personally think that just spending time together as a family on a cruise is worthwhile enough.

[MercedMike]

I personally think that just spending time together as a family on a cruise is worthwhile enough.

 

Family time together is wonderful. But why fly to Europe and cruise the Med to get it? That is why I suggested a Caribbean Cruise. One of the ten day cruises out of Miami would be a terrific family experience, lots of nice beaches, relaxing places to go, private islands, take excursions or don't bother. If you want to go to the beach instead of touring a church or a fort, then it will be great! To me the Med cruise is an entirely different experience.

[Mrs Miggins]

At the risk of being controversial - the beach, food, wine, ambience, surroundings, language, and style are very different on a Med cruise from the Caribbean - I loved the cruising from Barbados - fantastic islands - lovely people great beaches - but very different to the experience in Europe. Travel will broaden the mind and we should encourage those who are able to travel to do it as much as possible. If a little bit of ancient culture creeps in - all to the good - if not then there is always next time.

[jocap]

At the risk of being controversial - the beach, food, wine, ambience, surroundings, language, and style are very different on a Med cruise from the Caribbean - I loved the cruising from Barbados - fantastic islands - lovely people great beaches - but very different to the experience in Europe. Travel will broaden the mind and we should encourage those who are able to travel to do it as much as possible. If a little bit of ancient culture creeps in - all to the good - if not then there is always next time.

I'm in full agreement...absolutely no difference to the 1,000s of Europeans who travel across the Atlantic to have a beach holiday in the Caribbean- same distance covered, and a pleasant beach resort to visit on arrival.

Jo.

[screwcork]

Hmm. So you have adult (children) who do not share the same travel goals as the parents. The solution is quite simple. When in ports you simply do your own thing. The parents go off and do their sightseeing and have a great day. The young adults go off and do whatever makes them happy and also have a great day. Once you all get back on the ship you can then get together and share your experiences over a drink or meal.

 

Hank

I agree with you - don't force them. Our kids (17 and 20 now) have been cruising in the Med with us many times. Most times they go with us on excursions, but sometimes they prefer to stay onboard working on their tan! Having breakfast, lunch and dinner together (and conversations!) for 12 days will never happen at home - or on a "normal" vacation - and is extremely important for the family as such.

 

Screwcork

[TLCOhio]

My adult kids in their 20's are not great sightseers and we are looking for some fun or adventurous things to do in one or all of these places Santorini,Athens and Mykonos

 

You've gotten lots of good suggestions from Susan, Mike, Hank, Tom, etc. Being together as a family is great and these wonderful areas offer much to see and do. History, architecture, natural settings are big part of the "deal" here. Below are a few of my visual suggestions to consider for Athens and Mykonos. Clearly the Plaka in Athens is super for dining, drinking, listening to the music, shopping, wandering around, etc. Mykonos is fun for just walking around and the beaches are not that far away on this relatively small island. They might like to do a rental car and explore the island, see various beaches, grab something to eat out there, enjoy the fresh air and scenery, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 20,500 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Outdoor dining in the Plaka in the heart of Athens' historic area. Lots of music and fun, shopping, music, plus good food:

 

 

 

On the opposite side of the Mykonos village on the island, here's a sampling of the beachside activities. This includes Agrari, Elia and the long sweeping Kalafatis beach that has become famous to wind surfers:

 

 

 

 

 

On Mykonos, here is a sampling of harbor, boats, church domes, etc., views. Lots of charm and character on this great Greek Island.:

 

 

 

Mykonos’ market and outside dining area overlooking the harbor:

 

 

 

Narrow flowered street in Mykonos with its many shops:

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

The original poster hasn't been back for a while, maybe they've been driven away.

 

I see nothing wrong with spending time in the Greek Isles without spending all of your time doing ancient ruins. I love them myself, but I also love the ambience of the Greece, the villages, the taverns, the beaches.

 

If you want to spend the day on the beach at Mykonos, why not? (I haven't been there myself, and would love to see Delos, but even folks like me get "ruined out" sometimes.)

[lynned2899]

Thanks for the beautiful pictures of Mykonos. Did you use a fancy camera to take those shots.

[MercedMike]

Thanks for the beautiful pictures of Mykonos. Did you use a fancy camera to take those shots.

 

OK, I have to tell a story here ... :D

 

A photographer and a painter had their studios in the same building. One day when business was slow, the painter wandered into the photo studio and studied the works on display. He complimented the photographer on the great pictures and said, "You must have a really good camera."

 

The next day, the photog visited the painter's studio. After carefully studying the paintings on the walls, he said, "You must have a really good paintbrush"!!

[TLCOhio]

Thanks for the beautiful pictures of Mykonos. Did you use a fancy camera to take those shots.

 

MercedMike: A photographer and a painter had their studios in the same building. One day when business was slow' date=' the painter wandered into the photo studio and studied the works on display. He complimented the photographer on the great pictures and said, "You must have a really good camera." The next day, the photog visited the painter's studio. After carefully studying the paintings on the walls, he said, "You must have a really good paintbrush"!![/quote']

 

THANKS, both, for the nice comments on the pictures of Mykonos, plus especially to Mike for his great story on painter's brush being the "secret"!

 

My camera used on past travels has been a Nikon D50 SLR. Good, but not at the super-pro, high-end level. Lots of people have cameras at and near that quality or comparable. These days, the digital technology has improved so much that nearly everyone can take good to great pictures. Just last week, I upgraded to a new Nikon D3100. It does high definition, 1080p video, plus its still pictures are done at a much pixel level and the viewing screen is much larger and sharper. Plus, this camera has many other improvements, etc. Below you can check some of my tips, secrets and suggestions for getting better pictures.

 

Since I have an "SLR" or single lens reflex camera, that bring up the question of lens. I have a 10-20 mm lens that gives a wider angle view than average. That really helped create some picture "drama" without being too wide and distorted as can happen with a fish-eye lens. This wide-angle lens does especially for the interiors of great churches and historic buildings. There are cases where my longer lens (have a Nikkor 70-300 mm zoom) can really help. In many cases, my basic Nikkor 18-55 mm zoom covers the middle range very well and is used the most. It's nice to have only one lens that covers all needs, but then you lose some in the desired picture quality.

 

On such trips as recently to Norway and the Baltics, I download my pictures most days to the MacBook Pro laptop that I usually bring along for such trip. Today's technology makes it easier to straighten pictures, adjust the cropping, fix color balance, etc. By taking the laptop along, downloading and checking the pictures as I travel, it helps to know what I'm getting and improve my "focus" as I travel in such great, scenic places. Playing with the pictures on the flight back while I listen to the "tunes" on my computer also helps pass the time quicker. Many laptops also have great programs to put these pictures into nice “slide shows” with various great visuals tools to add titles, do dissolves, etc.

 

I found taking cruise and travel pictures is fun, plus much, much cheaper than shopping for souvenirs. It also keeps these memories "fresh" as you can re-live your experiences, share them with friends, etc.

 

It's titled: Baltics/Picture Secrets! Key Tips, Ideas, etc. Check this summary out and let me know your feed-back, questions and comments.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=977864

 

Hope this helps. Here are a few more visuals from charming Athens and Mykonos. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 21,000 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Harbor view in Mykonos and one of the charming windmills:

 

 

 

Ladies departing a church service in main Mykonos on a Sunday:

 

 

 

The famed windmills overlooking Mykonos:

 

 

 

On Acropolis hill with our very knowledgeable private guide who helps us appreciate all of the history and architectural details there. Even if you're not into that much history, the views from here are super wonderful and very impressive.:

 

 

 

A view from below the Parthenon:

 

 

 

Mythos is the beer to enjoy while dining outdoors in Plaka:

 

[agabbymama]

Family time together is wonderful. But why fly to Europe and cruise the Med to get it? That is why I suggested a Caribbean Cruise. One of the ten day cruises out of Miami would be a terrific family experience, lots of nice beaches, relaxing places to go, private islands, take excursions or don't bother. If you want to go to the beach instead of touring a church or a fort, then it will be great! To me the Med cruise is an entirely different experience.

 

I have to agree with Mike on this one. I don't see spending the thousands of dollars it costs to do a Med cruise for 4 people, to lay on the beach. But that's just me. I've been to Europe 7 times, and the last one just about broke the bank, with the dollar exchange so poor, I won't be going back for quite some time.

 

If all I wanted to cruise for was some beach time and family time, you'd better believe I'd be going to the Caribbean at say $799 vs $2199 for a cruise, then another $4000 in airfare/hotels/meals/souvenirs, etc.

 

At the ages of the OPs kids, there's lots of time for Europe in their future when they might be a little more interested in sightseeing.

[ny4cruise]

If you are visiting in the summer, then definitely the beach for water sports and other activities for Santorini and Mykonos. Especially Mykonos is famous for the Super Paradise Beach that is a unique blend of bar, music and dancing all day long. Some say it is quite wild and considering that Mykonos is a must go place for youth all over the world, that’s probably true.

I can’t help much with Athens but I would strongly suggest that they visit the Acropolis and Plaka. It would be a pity to visit Athens and not go to the Acropolis.

Have fun!

[Lair Bear]

Pardon me if I try to reply to the original question. I know many of us have had great moments and pictures on this wonderful island (such as Terry), but what to suggest to do for a couple guys in their twenties?

 

How about renting a motor cycle or Vespa on Mykonos? http://www.mykonos-accommodation.com/bike-rental.htm

 

How about quad biking on Santorini?

Now I would like to do that last one if we were to go back.

 

Hiking to the top of the Acropolis is not really a 'climb', Mike. It can be done in a wheel chair.

 

So, what to do in Athens? Go visit some historical sites and have a drink at a local bar.