Athens ?

[Estealvarado]

My mom and i are still planning a cruise on splendour of the seas for next year it stops in athens and my mom is worried that there may be strikes & we wont be able to see some of the histotical sites. We would be going towards the end of september should we be concerned about this?

[KirkNC]

Way to early to worry when you have a year to go.

[paul929207]

THere is no way to guess what would be happening a year from now

[hansolosmom]

There's no way to tell what will happen. Certain people in my house are uneasy about stopping in Turkey next year, but IMO you have to jump in and take a chance.

 

From what I've read in the strike post it seems its usually the public transportation that's affected so if you avoid that, then you should be ok.

[nick_arch]

Ancient sites may be affected, but it is impossible topredict if and when a strike will take place.

 

Statistically speaking, strikes of the maginitude that can affect ancient sites opening take place 4 - 6 times a year, for 24 hours. That's 4 - 6 days out of 365.

 

Statistically speaking again, they mostly take place on Wednesdays, while it is considered nearly impossible for such a strike to take place on a Saturday or Sunday. The "Wednesday" thing cannot be a safe criterion for the future, still i can't overcome the fact that during the last 3 years, strikes of this size, affecting open air sites and museums were held on 10 Wednesdays, 2 Thursdays and 1 Tuesday.

 

From the start of the year, Franfurt Airport and / or Lufthansa have gone on strike multiple times more than Greek public employees. For the year 2012, statistically speaking again, it was more probable to get stranded in a German airport rather than dealing with a strike in Greece.

 

From the start of the year, ancient sites closed for 2 days. That's 2 days out of 270.

[earn]

Nick,

 

Thanks for the info. We will be in Athens next Wednesday, the 10th, but your statistics are reassuring!

[ducklite]

From the start of the year, ancient sites closed for 2 days. That's 2 days out of 270.

 

The Acropolis and other sites were closed on the second election day and closed at 2:00 the day before. That's 1 1/2 days right there. So I believe that the sites were closed more than just two days.

 

The Acropolis Museum closed at 2:00 pm the day prior to the second election Day and was open a partial day on Election Day. I know this for a fact, as I had pre-purchased Acropolis Museum tickets four months in advance. I arrived at 1:00 pm and we were tossed out an hour later--hardly enough time to see the museum. I nicely complained to a manager who made arrangements for us to come back the next day compliments of the museum. We then tried to go to the Acropolis--closed. It was also closed on election day, all day.

[Estealvarado]

Thanks everyone royal carribean did tell me that if there was any major strike on the day it stops there that they would switch up the itinerarie and stop at athens on a diffrent day during the sailing

[nick_arch]

Ducklite, i was talking about closure days due to strikes. That;s what we are talking about here.

 

Election day is not a strike. A site can close also for other reasons, for example due to weather extremes. If i am not mistaken, Acropolis site closed another day also, for safety reasons, when temperature went above 47C / 117F. That doesen't count though. It can also close if you have gale force winds or torrential rain; o one wants a visitor doing a Mary Poppins style flight from over there. These don't count either.

 

So, to be exactly accurate:

 

**From the start of the year, ancient sites closed for 2 days, due to strike action. That's 2 days out of 270. They also closed two days at Election Day, while Acropolis site closed one more day due to a heatwave, when temprature went above 117F. Ancient sites also closed on some national Holidays, like New Year's, Christmas, Easter etc.**

 

To be more accurate :)

[aquilegia]

There's no way to tell what will happen. Certain people in my house are uneasy about stopping in Turkey next year, but IMO you have to jump in and take a chance.

 

Am baffled by anyone would be uneasy about stopping in Turkey?

[nick_arch]

Unfortunately Turkey is very often going through serious but, thanks God, sporadic bomb attacks, which in most of the cases have fatalities too, 18 civilians already during the last 12 months, and many other injured.

Pretty different conditions there and an ongoing seccesionist war in their Southeastern terittories:

 

September 2012 in Istanbul: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19555413

August 2012: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19322449

October 2010 in Istanbul: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11660795

 

These are reports about some of the attacks, which are already 9 from the start of the year, including a kidnapping of a British tourist in Turkey.

 

Right now spotlight is on Greece due to its horrible fiscal problems, still unfortunately, Turkey is through much more serious trouble that causes victims too and is related to terrorism.

I wholeheartedly wish both countries find their tempo, both Greece with the irresponsible, immature management of resources and money and Turkey with its seccesionist problems / terrorism related attacks. Both countries are spectacular.

 

This is the travel advisory issued by the British authorities, regarding the often terrorist attacks in Turkish cities: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/turkey, where all the attacks are described thoroughly, lower in the page. Please do keep in mind that parts of the start of this official advisory are common in many European countries too, like Italy, Greece, France, UK too; and the USA too from the other side of the pond.

[ducklite]

Ducklite, i was talking about closure days due to strikes. That;s what we are talking about here.

 

Election day is not a strike. A site can close also for other reasons, for example due to weather extremes. If i am not mistaken, Acropolis site closed another day also, for safety reasons, when temperature went above 47C / 117F. That doesen't count though. It can also close if you have gale force winds or torrential rain; o one wants a visitor doing a Mary Poppins style flight from over there. These don't count either.

 

So, to be exactly accurate:

 

**From the start of the year, ancient sites closed for 2 days, due to strike action. That's 2 days out of 270. They also closed two days at Election Day, while Acropolis site closed one more day due to a heatwave, when temprature went above 117F. Ancient sites also closed on some national Holidays, like New Year's, Christmas, Easter etc.**

 

To be more accurate :)

 

Thanks--I just wanted to make it clear to people that the sites can and do close without warning for reasons other than strikes. We had been told by several people (including the manager of the Acropolis Museum) that the Acropolis would be open on election day, so misinformation can also cause plans to change.

 

I think the Acropolis was closed due to excessive heat about three weeks after we were there. It was in the low 90's on the day we finally got to visit, and it was very uncomfortable with no shade or clouds in the sky. I can't imagine trying to go to the top of the hill when it was any hotter.

[nick_arch]

90's ?? Give me 90's in July / August and i will be three times happy :)

 

Moreover, Acropolis site is hotter than the city, by 3 - 4 degrees.

 

I stand ecstatic in front of cruise companies stubornness getting their passengers on the Acropolis at 11am, for more than 25 years. That's already too hot, with nowhere to find a shade. Add on this that people have to queue and, there you have it: a mediocre visit.

 

During summer, visiting the Acropolis Hill at 07.50am, right among the first people entering the site is a hugely different experience. Make it 1 hour later and it's already starting getting hot.

 

It's a brilliant, unique site, but needs careful planning, and perhaps a visit away from the mega groups. + It needs sunglasses, good shoes and, i 'd also say, perhaps a sun umbrella. Right when you go down the Hill, it's somewhat cooler, but right on the complex it's, for sure, very hot, June to September.

[ducklite]

90's ?? Give me 90's in July / August and i will be three times happy :)

 

Moreover, Acropolis site is hotter than the city, by 3 - 4 degrees.

 

I stand ecstatic in front of cruise companies stubornness getting their passengers on the Acropolis at 11am, for more than 25 years. That's already too hot, with nowhere to find a shade. Add on this that people have to queue and, there you have it: a mediocre visit.

 

During summer, visiting the Acropolis Hill at 07.50am, right among the first people entering the site is a hugely different experience. Make it 1 hour later and it's already starting getting hot.

 

It's a brilliant, unique site, but needs careful planning, and perhaps a visit away from the mega groups. + It needs sunglasses, good shoes and, i 'd also say, perhaps a sun umbrella. Right when you go down the Hill, it's somewhat cooler, but right on the complex it's, for sure, very hot, June to September.

 

Agreed. We were there within minutes of them opening the gate in later June and by around 10:000 it had gotten hot and crowded. We took the shaded route on the north side of the Acropolis down which provided relief from the sun on the way down.

 

I would also add a sunhat and water to your suggestion. There is a fountain near the restrooms at the top where you can refill your water bottle, we drank an entire 20 ounce bottle each on the way up and half that on the way back down.

[travel gal 1953]

my family tells me the same thing..its so dangerous! well my sister had a knife pulled on her in a good part of palm bch county fla middle of the day..sunday good part of town..by a drug addict female..had it not been for a store owner with his gun..my sister wouldnt be here.so im traveling but doing my best and while im going to athens and turkey..im not goinbg to iran or seria!

[nick_arch]

Thanks God ( and thanks shop owner too! ) things went this way!

 

Regarding Athens and Greece in general, i d' say situation is wildly exaggerated. It is a very safe place more safe than most places i have been in my life, and i have been in many.

 

At the same time, with all this hysteria about strikes in Greece and potential dangers, visitors seem to be forgwetting the two real problems:

 

- Pickpocketing: It's substantially less compared to Europe's pickpocketing capital, Barcelona or Paris, still it can be a problem in public spaces on metro trains / buses. Please do take very conscious but also very much expected precautions against it. It's a type of crime that can happen ANYWHERE in the world. Regarding Athens specifically, they seem to be attracted by key points: subway stations ( especially Monastiraki and Piraeus, in the stations, on escalators and around atm's ), subway lines ( especially Green ), buses and open public spaces or restaurants ( the pedestrian bridge leading from port zone to Piraeus subesy station ). Athens has extremely low rates of severe crimes, still petty crime like this can happen, even at less extent compared to other major cruise destinations.

 

- Heat: Yes, heat. And sun exposure. We are long time beyond the time that deep tan is considered attractive, so please do it like they did it in the 1930's: less tan and less sunexposure. I am really tremendously astonished when i see tourists getting that lobster red color after a sun burn. Please dont' play with this if visiting during the summer and do take precautions, like sunhat, sunglasses, proper clothing, comfy shoes, sunblock and possibly an umbrella for those with a ligh skin.

 

Most people seem to focus to strikes, while strikes ( and relative problems ) are extremely rare. Do focus on taking precautions against pickpocketing ( it's easy ) and heat / sun protection. They are common problems in the Mediterannean, mostly at Western Med, like Spain, the Balearic island and Italy, and a bit less in Greece and Turkey, still existent there too.

[ducklite]

We never felt like we were in any danger while in Athens. We had a few encounters with Gypsy children (their parents watching from half a black away) but we waved them off and they left, unlike in Rome where they were insistent and the adult Gypsies were confrontational.

 

Of course we remained aware of our surroundings and didn't wear flashy jewelry, carry large sums of money, or get drunk and roam the streets trying to sing Greek fishing songs at midnight. We kept nothing more than a few coins and tissues in our pockets, cash, credit cards, and passports were kept safely under our clothing in money belts.

 

We didn't go looking for trouble.

 

We found the Athens subway system to be safe, well marked, and very convenient, by the way.