If you think it's expensive, I recommend renting a small car from Athens for 50€ a day. Put your bags in and hit the road to Peloponnese: Corinth, Argos, Patras, Ilia, Olympia, Sparta, Kalamata, Pylos, Methoni. Find some small, very cheap hotels. There are some very beautiful beaches with not many tourists, mostly Greeks. You will have wonderful vacations.
If you ever go back to Greece I recommend the mainland and definitely the peninsula Peloponnesos, it addresses almost al of your cons. It's a lot cheaper, less touristy, less windy,... than the islands.
My family is located there. Spent 3 weeks and never thought about how long I was there. Easy day trips by drive or ferry to many of the historical islands and places. I'll cherish the memories always!
Absolutely love Crete ❤. As you say, Chania is gorgeous, but you would enjoy Rethymno and Heraklion too. Heraklion is ten minutes from the airport. There are fab beaches six minutes on the bus and four minutes walking, close to Heraklion. Rethymno has extensive beaches and tons of historic sites. Heraklion has fab museums and an enormous archeological site nearby. I was also impressed by the warmth of the people. English was widely spoken, though I learned some Greek before I went and that was much appreciated. Smaller, cheaper, restaurants didn't have menus but served fantastic food. You visit the kitchen and choose which dish you want 😊. Works really well. Also, it's common for Greek restaurants to give free desserts to thank you for your custom. Had the best tiramisu of my life in Heraklion. Bought it from one of many patisseries there ❤.
I knew you were. In. Crete. Krete. I see. Lamani' yes we have to pack waters. In yourwster cars, cooler, and house check drinking waters, Nero, yasoo. 🍷 vino, wines. 🫒 🕊 oils. Visit. Italy. Too. 🇮🇹 🇬🇷 🇫🇷 yasoo. Kalimeras
Me and some other 1 million Romanians are getting to Greece every summer...so, yes, i can definitely confirm that Greece is the place to be for summer holidays...and it's not pricey at all....compare it with some other summer destinations like Spain / Portugal / Italy / Croatia or France...no doubt Greece is the most affordable...I also love Chania, is the best part of Crete !
We were told that Chania was the best so glad that it was the place that we chose. Romania is an amazing country as well. One of our favorite places is Brasov.
My wife and I are originally from Greece, but lived for 11 years in Texas. After watching your video about Bellingham, we visited last year and loved it so much, that we decided to move here permanently! It's nice to see you enjoying Greece.
Great video and info. Thanks for the comparisons to Turkey and Albania. That is a great help when people have to make decisions on where to go to get the most for your money.
Why don’t you go to Greece in the Fall instead of the Spring? The weather has cooled off, crowds are gone but the Med water is a lot warmer after the summer versus before the summer. The con is the landscape is a lot less green after drying out over the summer.
We enjoyed Greece outside of Athens, which we thought was "dumpy." The islands are beautiful, especially Santorini. Will have to add Crete to our "to visit list." Thank you for the informative videos. Go Dawgs!
The riviera part outside Athens by Glyfada & Vouliagmeni are phenomenal with awesome luxe hotels, boutiques and restaurants. The Kolonaki section of Athens under Mt. Lycavitos is equally lovely. Plaka can be much but the energy and fun of eating a souvlaki with wine on the street along with a loukoumada ( honey donuts) is awesome. rooftop bar at GrandeBretagne hotel across from parliament square with beautiful people is wow! Just got to know where to hang like most US cities.
This was a very helpful video. My husband and I spent a few days exploring Corfu (Kerkyra), Greece, last summer and found the people to be extremely friendly and welcoming. The food, wine and beer was amazing. The beaches are not sandy and as picturesque as others, but we found a great local spot and enjoyed it very much. We would love to return and explore Santorini and Crete. Thank you for all the helpful information.
as always a quality video with options and costs detailed out. I think many wouldn't consider Albania and Turkey as lower cost alternatives but you have shown that similar beach and experience can be had there. Greece is at the top of my list and you have shown no reason why it shouldn't remain there! Cheers!!!
Greece should be at the top of your list. The exciting thing for us is that we have only been to a few places. There is so much more of Greece to explore.
@@BrianandCarrie You keep going to these Bucket List places for me, and adding to my list with some of your other travels. I live vicariously through you two
Back in the early 1970's Crete was extremely affordable for tourists!! We loved it way more than Athens. Northern Greece was absolutely lovely. We saw a couple of (now) UNESCO sites that we thoroughly enjoyed.
I love Greece and the islands . Kefalonia is beautiful you should give that a try . Can’t agree with saying Greece is expensive . In comparison to what? I think Greece in general is very reasonable. If you go to the high touristy areas it’s bound to be expensive . The locals are always so friendly and mostly the colour if the ocean especially around the islands matches the Maldives . ❤
Brian and Carrie, I just finished my 25 days trip to visit Portugal and Spain. It was a wonderful trip and unforgettable time of my life. Again, thanks so much for sharing your amazing experiences that inspire so many to travel the world. Is there an email address that I can contact you to share photos and videos of my trip? 🙏
Amazing country, and you're right, there's a lot more to see (Athens/Athens Riviera, Peloponnese, Ionian islands, Thessaloniki, and tons of others. Agree totally on the wind, and it's a factor when I play around with my Greek-Islands-on-a-boat fantasy retirement. The Meltemi (strong winds) doesn't even show up until later in the summer. One thing that appeals to me about the Ionian Islands, other than the other-worldly color of the water (check out Shipwreck Beach), is the fact that the Gulf of Patras is so protected and, I believe, much less windy than the Aegean. I think Santorini, Mykonos, and maybe Athens are known for being very expensive, but there should be lesser known islands that are more reasonable. Not compared to Albania but maybe to France or Ireland or Germany. Great stuff as usual, thanks!
That's absolutely true! If you get away from the main touristy hot spot locations it will for sure be less expensive. That wind though... Gets old! Thanks as always for watching. Cheers!!
We are headed to Naxos and Paros. I hear from family there that they are less expensive, less crowded, and cooler (in the 80s) than the more popular islands.
Hi Guys love your videos, your travels and enthusiasm are sensational. Keep it up 👍🏽 I’m Aussie(with Greek heritage) Not sure if you have been but some other lovely spots on Crete outside of the two biggest cities of Heraklion and Chania are Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Georgioupoli, Sitia and Bali I had a month on Crete last year. And going again tomorrow 😃
Can't wait for when we're able to visit Greece and Crete. Got your newsletter. Enjoyed the quick scan ability of it. I noticed you only had a couple of resources and recommended items. Will you be connecting your Amazon influencer account? Seems like a natural fit and a perfect way for us to show support. Especially when most of us buy stuff all the time from the Smiley box folks. 😊👍
Glad you enjoyed our newsletter 😊. Great question about our links. I only link the best deals I find that week for our viewers. But, we also have our website where we show all our packing essential as well. www.brianandcarrietravels.com/shop Thanks so much for watching 😊
Just started watching your videos and I love the info you provide. Would October be a good time to visit Greece? Thinking about taking a tour group trip the first week of October. Thanks 🍻
Great info. I hope you went to the palace of Knossos where the Minotaur was held in the maze. Where Daedalus and Icarus created wings to escape. It’s has to be one of the best archeological sites in Greece.
I"ve stayed several times in Greece and love it, but we just got into Croatia just north of Split and I have to say that there are aspects of this place I really like - the infrastructure is quite modern and so far the costs have been quite reasonable and we have stunning views of the water and with similar pebbled beaches. But there are so many beaches here it seems easy to find one that only has a few people. Not sure what others think about the comparison.
Thanks for info and for not rooting for Celtics 😂 I bought my first B&C shirt - “Live Your Dream”!!! Love that and can’t wait to wear it as I’m getting ready to retire and travel! 💕
We are heading to Greece on a cruise in September so I’ll be one of the hordes of crowds 😂😂. Not really my idea of fun either but it allows me to see a lot in a short period of time…..which is all I have now. Looking forward to sometime in the future when we can slow travel more through the islands!
Thank you for the review, windy? Yes! Particularly in the Cycladic islands. And thankful for that in the summer months 🙂 to cool down the heat! Brian you made a comment that Greece is not the place for you if you want to get out of the tourist areas. Visiting 3 spots in Greece I can understand the comment. However, visiting other islands or the mainland your cost including residence is half of what costed you in Rhodes or Chania. Demand drives prices. By the way starting in 2025 there will be a limit to the # of cruise-ships visiting a port in a day.
There are still many off the beaten path places where you can rent a room and won’t run into large crowds if you visit through mid-June or after mid-September. Chania, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes etc are the most popular destinations…
Good to know about the Greece and the islands. Rental car you mentioned did cost $35 for entire mean how long you rented ? Was it manual or automatic transmission ? Currently we are in Armacao De Pera , Algarve Portugal, here for a single day I paid $35 for the automatic. If one can drive manual rental cars are way cheaper in Europe, but not me. Of course we could drive to Sagres fortress, , Lagos and Portimao beaches. Cheers 😀
We rented the car for the day, and it was an automatic. Here is the video! ruclips.net/video/ADCifWpHOU0/видео.html When we were in Portugal for a vacation back in 2019, we did the Sagres fortress to Lagos and all the beaches in between! Great trip!!
Yes, we are in Budapest now. Wonderful city that we are excited to share with you. We are still in the discovery and planning phase of those videos, but they will be out soon. 😁
Albania - budget friendly yes. But man, that infrastructure, as in getting from one area to another - man, I say again. What capped it for me was that not even the people working at TRAVEL AGENCIES spoke enough English to be of any assistance. Also, on the costs of Chania, if you can stand totally off-season, I had a gorgeous place right in Old Town on the hottest new street for under $800 for the month of December. And it was quite often warm enough for me to swim (and some locals), but my tolerance is pretty high.
Albania is about 40 years behind for sure. We have been in places that are shut down and didn't mind it at all. Enough places are open, and the cost is way less expensive. It's easy to slow down and enjoy!
I had a dream years ago of sitting on a white balcony overlooking beautiful blue waters... I have never forgotten that dream and think of it often. Recently I saw it in a promo ad for Greece. And a woman was sitting on "my"white balcony, overlooking the blue waters. It was like someone posted my dream. I now know in the dream I was in Greece. I'm going to watch all of your videos and try to figure out which island it is. And then I'm going to book a trip. I'm seventy five and I wanna be in that dream before I leave here. Thank you for the videos that you do. And I hope in one of them you show me my balcony!
We are seriously considering visiting Greece with our adult children in May 25. Athens is a must for it's history/museums, but which island(s) are also good for museums or historical sites? We think we have about 9 days (11 w plane travel). We're not really beach people, but love looking at it. Thoughts?
The three that we went to we really enjoyed. There's plenty to see on each. Santorini is beautiful and has an archeological site but it may not have everything you want. Thank you for watching and safe travels!! 😊
Hi :-) What's the situation there for flushing toilet paper? This was the deciding factor when we were in Greece 5 years ago and decided to do a cruise of the islands instead of staying on the islands. Read through the comments, but no one has discussed this. Maybe it's just my issue!?
I think your heading is a little misleading, actually very misleading! This is not a Pros & Cons of Greece it's a Pros & Cons of the Greek Islands & that's a whole different ball game. Greece is a lot more than just a couple of the expensive Touristy Islands & is not expensive if you stay away from the main ones. There are wonderful places to visit & see on mainland Greece. Islands like Chios are far better & not full of English & American tourists 😀
Great video! I am going to Greece in October. Do they still use donkeys to transport tourists on the stairs in Santorini? I want to see it but animal abuse puts me off.
Interesting, I see you two going back and forth from Turkey and Greece, but not Albania despite the fact they give Americans up to 1 year visas upon arrival. Any particular reasons???
We keep going back to Türkiye for dental reasons. Carrie is having an implant done so we will have the final procedure next month. Greece was easy to get to from Fethiye, Türkiye. Staying within the region and saving on travel costs.
@BrianandCarrie Well said 😉. I do enjoy your videos. I'm in Saranda now and I'm leaving for Northern Greece by bus in a couple of weeks. I'll be there for a week before continuing to Northern Macedonia. Which Greek wine is best, red or white?
FINALLY, a shorter video. Glad you decided to appease those people by not taking up their whole day with a 25-30 minute video. 😂(just kidding). I myself am "Hungary" for more info. 🤭 On that, I'm looking at a dental office there, could you swing by and check it out for me? 😀 (again, jk). Did you WIZZ over from Chania? If so, did you have to weigh your carry-ons? Do you find that the budget airlines are more strict on checking? Do you know what your carry-ons weigh? Thx
Finally!!! 🤣 We flew Aegean Airlines and checked our bags for $40, we didn't have a choice. The budget airlines are stricter although we have never had a problem with Rainaire. Thank you for the 15+ minutes of your time, Barry!!! 😁
@@BrianandCarrie 😄 Ah, if 15 or even 30 minutes were all I put into your videos (and others). Like how "easy" it is for you to make money on RUclips...takes no time at all, huh? 😧 Before I came across your videos I already had the thought of maybe off-road RVing across the western US (esp. Utah), and possibly doing some YT videos along the way. As I've watched the work you've put into your videos (and some of the responses you get 🤦♂), I'm thinking I'll just enjoy my travels. And you handle those "interesting" responses better than I would 😁 Thanks for the reply, after all, who says I'm not one of "those" responses 🤔
iNTERESTING COMMENT ABOUT SHAWN KEMP, THROUGH OUR MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHIP WE SOLD THIS NEW 50cc SCOOTER TO SHAWN, HIS FATHER MAKING THE PURCHASE. AT THIS POINT IN TIME HE WAS A STAR ON HIS HIGH SCHOOL TEAM - CONCORD, I BELIEVE. IT WAS FUN TO FOLLOW HIS CAREER.
Talk me off a ledge! We have 1 month booked in Tirana mid August to mid September and 1 month booked in saranda mid September to mid October. Is 1 month in Tirana too much time to spend there or is it doable?I think I booked a couple nights in Berat to breakup the trip from Tirana to saranda.
@@dianamartin9558 would always love to meet fellow travelers while in Albania we are in Greece for the rest of the month and then we are heading to turkey until August 15 when we move to Tirana.
@@BrianandCarrie that’s my understanding as well. It’s a hard no for me as a retirement destination because of the Internet issues. I wish you guys continued happiness and good health
Your video is very, very good, well shot and carefully edited and truly captures the vibrant summer life, the unique beaches and the ambience of this island. However, it is a very sad and disappointing thing to know that Mykonos, once the island selected by authors, painters, sculptors and people aiming to experience the natural beauty of this island that was a rather poor stronghold for pirates for centuries has now become a place where prostitution, drugs, alcoholism, rudeness and complete disrespect of almost any lawful behavior rules. Hotels, restaurants, beach bars and cafeterias charge exorbitant prices (usually without issuing any receipt), they employ young Greeks or illegal immigrants at monthly wages below (sometimes way below) the minimum wage, without any social security compensations and having them work 12-14 hour shifts 7 days per week treating them like slaves,, while beach bars and hotels occupy beaches charging ridiculously high prices for an umbrella and two chaise longues, forbidding people who are not willing to use them and pay for them from swimming in the beach (by Greek law all beaches are public and freely accessible to everybody). Much of the tourist economy of the island is in the hands of the Russian mafia and its oligarchs much of the supply of food, equipment and fuel a part of the building business is ruled by the Albanian mafia. Corruption runs high, as you can open any sort of shop almost anywhere if you have "the right connections" and you can build whatever you wish or can afford without feeling restricted by any building permits, Greek laws on the use of land or any public space demarcation. Local Mykonians, once happy and proud of their island, are questioning whether they are going to have the means to keep their properties on the island, are more and more threatened by the shady people that make Mykonos their summer residence and by the myriads of people landing on their island in the summer, as tourists seeing Mykonos as the paradise for heavy drugs, easy free and paid sex, wild partying and a chance to engage in any sort of extreme, unhinged nightlife "entertainment" of all sorts. Mykonos was recently characterized as the "Colombia of the Mediterranean Sea", if that adds a layer of description to the fast, sad and possibly irreversible disintegration of this very beautiful island. What a shameful waste!
so you've visited some famous Greek islands, like the majority of the north American viseters do, but am sorry to tell you that the Greek islands are not the only thing Greece has to offer and Greece is an afordable destination you are definitely wrong about that.
If you think it's expensive, I recommend renting a small car from Athens for 50€ a day. Put your bags in and hit the road to Peloponnese: Corinth, Argos, Patras, Ilia, Olympia, Sparta, Kalamata, Pylos, Methoni. Find some small, very cheap hotels. There are some very beautiful beaches with not many tourists, mostly Greeks. You will have wonderful vacations.
We will definitely be back in Greece someday soon! Thank you for all the tips and insights!!
Cheers!!🍻
We have done from Marathon Beach to Meterora. Beautiful country and people. We agree with you 9176.
Roger
Greece rocks... Proud to be Greek American .. two best countries in the world. Goto kalamata my ancestors city . Youll love it.
Agree with Kalamata- good prices, beautiful city beaches and tons of great day trips in Messinia and Lakonia!
Ano Melpia Mesinias❤
Just went in May! Took drive thru Kalamata! Grandma was from Sparta/ Arachova.
Greece is stunning, still my favorite vacation of all time.
If you ever go back to Greece I recommend the mainland and definitely the peninsula Peloponnesos, it addresses almost al of your cons. It's a lot cheaper, less touristy, less windy,... than the islands.
Thank toy for the tip!! We will eventually go back to Greece and explore more of the mainland.
My family is located there. Spent 3 weeks and never thought about how long I was there. Easy day trips by drive or ferry to many of the historical islands and places. I'll cherish the memories always!
Absolutely love Crete ❤. As you say, Chania is gorgeous, but you would enjoy Rethymno and Heraklion too. Heraklion is ten minutes from the airport. There are fab beaches six minutes on the bus and four minutes walking, close to Heraklion. Rethymno has extensive beaches and tons of historic sites. Heraklion has fab museums and an enormous archeological site nearby. I was also impressed by the warmth of the people. English was widely spoken, though I learned some Greek before I went and that was much appreciated. Smaller, cheaper, restaurants didn't have menus but served fantastic food. You visit the kitchen and choose which dish you want 😊. Works really well. Also, it's common for Greek restaurants to give free desserts to thank you for your custom. Had the best tiramisu of my life in Heraklion. Bought it from one of many patisseries there ❤.
We received the desert treatment as well! amazing, kind people. We look forward to going back someday soon. Thank you for sharing, Jane. ❤️
I knew you were. In. Crete. Krete. I see. Lamani' yes we have to pack waters. In yourwster cars, cooler, and house check drinking waters, Nero, yasoo. 🍷 vino, wines. 🫒 🕊 oils. Visit. Italy. Too. 🇮🇹 🇬🇷 🇫🇷 yasoo. Kalimeras
Me and some other 1 million Romanians are getting to Greece every summer...so, yes, i can definitely confirm that Greece is the place to be for summer holidays...and it's not pricey at all....compare it with some other summer destinations like Spain / Portugal / Italy / Croatia or France...no doubt Greece is the most affordable...I also love Chania, is the best part of Crete !
We were told that Chania was the best so glad that it was the place that we chose. Romania is an amazing country as well. One of our favorite places is Brasov.
My wife and I are originally from Greece, but lived for 11 years in Texas. After watching your video about Bellingham, we visited last year and loved it so much, that we decided to move here permanently! It's nice to see you enjoying Greece.
That's so wonderful to hear. Bellingham is a wonderful city and we feel so lucky to be able to call it home. Cheers!!
Greece is beautiful.
Great video and info. Thanks for the comparisons to Turkey and Albania. That is a great help when people have to make decisions on where to go to get the most for your money.
Türkiye has great infrastructure. Albania is a few years behind in that category, but you can always rent a car. Thank you for watching, Joel!!
Why don’t you go to Greece in the Fall instead of the Spring? The weather has cooled off, crowds are gone but the Med water is a lot warmer after the summer versus before the summer. The con is the landscape is a lot less green after drying out over the summer.
We will be in Mexico in the fall!! 😁
Thank you for the great info and insight into some of the beautiful places in Greece.
Our pleasure! Thanks for watching 😊
We enjoyed Greece outside of Athens, which we thought was "dumpy." The islands are beautiful, especially Santorini. Will have to add Crete to our "to visit list." Thank you for the informative videos. Go Dawgs!
Thank you!! Go Dawgs and Go M's!!
The riviera part outside Athens by Glyfada & Vouliagmeni are phenomenal with awesome luxe hotels, boutiques and restaurants. The Kolonaki section of Athens under Mt. Lycavitos is equally lovely. Plaka can be much but the energy and fun of eating a souvlaki with wine on the street along with a loukoumada ( honey donuts) is awesome. rooftop bar at GrandeBretagne hotel across from parliament square with beautiful people is wow! Just got to know where to hang like most US cities.
This was a very helpful video. My husband and I spent a few days exploring Corfu (Kerkyra), Greece, last summer and found the people to be extremely friendly and welcoming. The food, wine and beer was amazing. The beaches are not sandy and as picturesque as others, but we found a great local spot and enjoyed it very much. We would love to return and explore Santorini and Crete. Thank you for all the helpful information.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching 😊
as always a quality video with options and costs detailed out. I think many wouldn't consider Albania and Turkey as lower cost alternatives but you have shown that similar beach and experience can be had there. Greece is at the top of my list and you have shown no reason why it shouldn't remain there! Cheers!!!
Greece should be at the top of your list. The exciting thing for us is that we have only been to a few places. There is so much more of Greece to explore.
@@BrianandCarrie You keep going to these Bucket List places for me, and adding to my list with some of your other travels. I live vicariously through you two
Back in the early 1970's Crete was extremely affordable for tourists!! We loved it way more than Athens. Northern Greece was absolutely lovely. We saw a couple of (now) UNESCO sites that we thoroughly enjoyed.
I love Greece and the islands . Kefalonia is beautiful you should give that a try . Can’t agree with saying Greece is expensive . In comparison to what? I think Greece in general is very reasonable. If you go to the high touristy areas it’s bound to be expensive . The locals are always so friendly and mostly the colour if the ocean especially around the islands matches the Maldives . ❤
James is Greek on his mothers side. It's definetly on our retirement travel list! Only 28 1/2 more months! Happy Fathers Day Brian!
Thank you, Norma! See you soon. ❤️
Brian and Carrie, I just finished my 25 days trip to visit Portugal and Spain. It was a wonderful trip and unforgettable time of my life. Again, thanks so much for sharing your amazing experiences that inspire so many to travel the world. Is there an email address that I can contact you to share photos and videos of my trip? 🙏
That sounds amazing, hope you had a wonderful time. You contact us on Facebook and Instagram, we'd love to see some of your pictures 😊
Hi guys. If you get the chance go to Northern Greece. Thessaloniki, and road trip from there... monasteries at Meteora, vikos gorge
I visited those places on my only family visit to Greece. These posts are bringing tears to my eyes as long forgotten memories come flooding back.
Great video! I'm actually surprised you spent as little money as you did considering you visited three of the four most touristy islands!
Very true! We are pretty frugal! 😁
Amazing country, and you're right, there's a lot more to see (Athens/Athens Riviera, Peloponnese, Ionian islands, Thessaloniki, and tons of others. Agree totally on the wind, and it's a factor when I play around with my Greek-Islands-on-a-boat fantasy retirement. The Meltemi (strong winds) doesn't even show up until later in the summer. One thing that appeals to me about the Ionian Islands, other than the other-worldly color of the water (check out Shipwreck Beach), is the fact that the Gulf of Patras is so protected and, I believe, much less windy than the Aegean. I think Santorini, Mykonos, and maybe Athens are known for being very expensive, but there should be lesser known islands that are more reasonable. Not compared to Albania but maybe to France or Ireland or Germany. Great stuff as usual, thanks!
That's absolutely true! If you get away from the main touristy hot spot locations it will for sure be less expensive. That wind though... Gets old! Thanks as always for watching. Cheers!!
Thanks for the great video. I look forward to your videos which always have great information.
Thank you for watching, Lori! ❤️
We just returned from 2 nights on Naxos. Absolutely loved it there. It had that great feel! We plan on booking a month on Naxos in October 2025.
We are headed to Naxos and Paros. I hear from family there that they are less expensive, less crowded, and cooler (in the 80s) than the more popular islands.
That sounds amazing!! Temperatures in the 80s is perfect!! Thank you for watching and safe travels!! 😊
Greece has many pros. November 8 cruise loved it
Hi Guys love your videos, your travels and enthusiasm are sensational. Keep it up 👍🏽
I’m Aussie(with Greek heritage)
Not sure if you have been but some other lovely spots on Crete outside of the two biggest cities of Heraklion and Chania are Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, Georgioupoli, Sitia and Bali
I had a month on Crete last year. And going again tomorrow 😃
Thank you, Jim!!
Can't wait for when we're able to visit Greece and Crete.
Got your newsletter. Enjoyed the quick scan ability of it.
I noticed you only had a couple of resources and recommended items. Will you be connecting your Amazon influencer account?
Seems like a natural fit and a perfect way for us to show support. Especially when most of us buy stuff all the time from the Smiley box folks. 😊👍
Glad you enjoyed our newsletter 😊. Great question about our links. I only link the best deals I find that week for our viewers. But, we also have our website where we show all our packing essential as well. www.brianandcarrietravels.com/shop
Thanks so much for watching 😊
Great video--thank you!😊
Thank you, Julie!! ❤️
Just started watching your videos and I love the info you provide.
Would October be a good time to visit Greece? Thinking about taking a tour group trip the first week of October. Thanks 🍻
We haven't visited Greece in October but can't imagine that it would be too bad.
We like IOS and Santorini also Lesbos but the best islands are Hydra and Crete. We stayed Aghios Niklaus on Crete we loved it.
Great info. I hope you went to the palace of Knossos where the Minotaur was held in the maze. Where Daedalus and Icarus created wings to escape. It’s has to be one of the best archeological sites in Greece.
We unfortunately did not get the opportunity. 😔
I"ve stayed several times in Greece and love it, but we just got into Croatia just north of Split and I have to say that there are aspects of this place I really like - the infrastructure is quite modern and so far the costs have been quite reasonable and we have stunning views of the water and with similar pebbled beaches. But there are so many beaches here it seems easy to find one that only has a few people. Not sure what others think about the comparison.
And you missed Corfu
- one of the nicest Island in Greece- Definitely the greenest - absolutely gorgeous - next time 🍻
There is always next time!! 😁
Thanks for info and for not rooting for Celtics 😂
I bought my first B&C shirt - “Live Your Dream”!!! Love that and can’t wait to wear it as I’m getting ready to retire and travel! 💕
Thank you, Mary!! We are having fun with that. Make sure you send a photo to our Instagram when it arrives!! 😊
We are heading to Greece on a cruise in September so I’ll be one of the hordes of crowds 😂😂. Not really my idea of fun either but it allows me to see a lot in a short period of time…..which is all I have now. Looking forward to sometime in the future when we can slow travel more through the islands!
Yes, I agree a cruise is one way you can see a lot in a short period of time. Enjoy 😊
Thanks for your honest and practical commentary.
We appreciate the support!! Thank you! 😁
Thank you for the review, windy? Yes! Particularly in the Cycladic islands. And thankful for that in the summer months 🙂 to cool down the heat!
Brian you made a comment that Greece is not the place for you if you want to get out of the tourist areas. Visiting 3 spots in Greece I can understand the comment. However, visiting other islands or the mainland your cost including residence is half of what costed you in Rhodes or Chania.
Demand drives prices.
By the way starting in 2025 there will be a limit to the # of cruise-ships visiting a port in a day.
Very true!! Thank you for adding this!
Interesting about the cruise ships, I wonder how that will affect the local economy?
There are still many off the beaten path places where you can rent a room and won’t run into large crowds if you visit through mid-June or after mid-September.
Chania, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes etc are the most popular destinations…
Good to know about the Greece and the islands. Rental car you mentioned did cost $35 for entire mean how long you rented ? Was it manual or automatic transmission ? Currently we are in Armacao De Pera , Algarve Portugal, here for a single day I paid $35 for the automatic. If one can drive manual rental cars are way cheaper in Europe, but not me. Of course we could drive to Sagres fortress, , Lagos and Portimao beaches. Cheers 😀
We rented the car for the day, and it was an automatic. Here is the video!
ruclips.net/video/ADCifWpHOU0/видео.html
When we were in Portugal for a vacation back in 2019, we did the Sagres fortress to Lagos and all the beaches in between! Great trip!!
@@BrianandCarrie Thank you for your quick reply, currently are you folks in Budapest still ?
Yes, we are in Budapest now. Wonderful city that we are excited to share with you. We are still in the discovery and planning phase of those videos, but they will be out soon. 😁
Albania - budget friendly yes. But man, that infrastructure, as in getting from one area to another - man, I say again. What capped it for me was that not even the people working at TRAVEL AGENCIES spoke enough English to be of any assistance.
Also, on the costs of Chania, if you can stand totally off-season, I had a gorgeous place right in Old Town on the hottest new street for under $800 for the month of December. And it was quite often warm enough for me to swim (and some locals), but my tolerance is pretty high.
Albania is about 40 years behind for sure. We have been in places that are shut down and didn't mind it at all. Enough places are open, and the cost is way less expensive. It's easy to slow down and enjoy!
I had a dream years ago of sitting on a white balcony overlooking beautiful blue waters... I have never forgotten that dream and think of it often. Recently I saw it in a promo ad for Greece. And a woman was sitting on "my"white balcony, overlooking the blue waters. It was like someone posted my dream. I now know in the dream I was in Greece. I'm going to watch all of your videos and try to figure out which island it is. And then I'm going to book a trip. I'm seventy five and I wanna be in that dream before I leave here. Thank you for the videos that you do. And I hope in one of them you show me my balcony!
Sounds like an amazing dream. Hope you find where it is ❤️
Thank you for your time and posting.
Thank you for your time and watching!! We wouldn't be here without that!!
@@BrianandCarrie Sometimes I don't say anything, but I know comments improve TY algorithms for the poster. :)
Well, we very much appreciate it!! We need all the help we can get!!! 😁
Great video! Where are you headed next???
We are in Budapest now and then head back to our hometown in the US for a few weeks before starting our travels in Mexico.
@@BrianandCarrie can’t wait to see the videos from Budapest!!
Hey guys which video do you discuss travel insurance?
Wind is better than you have 300Days of Grey Skies¿ It's Depressing.. xo from Canada
Agreed!! Being from the Seattle region we know all too well.
We are seriously considering visiting Greece with our adult children in May 25. Athens is a must for it's history/museums, but which island(s) are also good for museums or historical sites? We think we have about 9 days (11 w plane travel). We're not really beach people, but love looking at it. Thoughts?
The three that we went to we really enjoyed. There's plenty to see on each. Santorini is beautiful and has an archeological site but it may not have everything you want. Thank you for watching and safe travels!! 😊
Enjoy your videos
Thank you for watching!!!
Hi :-) What's the situation there for flushing toilet paper? This was the deciding factor when we were in Greece 5 years ago and decided to do a cruise of the islands instead of staying on the islands. Read through the comments, but no one has discussed this. Maybe it's just my issue!?
You still can't flush the toilet paper... But after a few months we got kinda used to it.
Can you explain why you chose the turtle as your logo?
Turtles travel slow and so do we. 😁
Great vid but I have to visit the archeological site at Knossos on Crete once before I die. Travel on and be safe!
Thank you!! Unfortunately, our time on Crete was limited for an Airbnb mess so we didn't get to explore as much as we had hoped to.
I booked a tour to Knossos. It was a great tour. We also went to the museum in Heraklion about that civilization.
@@hangto5038 thanks for the reply some day I will get there: glad you got to see it, though!
I think your heading is a little misleading, actually very misleading!
This is not a Pros & Cons of Greece it's a Pros & Cons of the Greek Islands & that's a whole different ball game.
Greece is a lot more than just a couple of the expensive Touristy Islands & is not expensive if you stay away from the main ones.
There are wonderful places to visit & see on mainland Greece.
Islands like Chios are far better & not full of English & American tourists 😀
Thanks for watching, Karen. 🙄
Great video! I am going to Greece in October. Do they still use donkeys to transport tourists on the stairs in Santorini? I want to see it but animal abuse puts me off.
Yes, they do. We show those donkeys in our Santorini video. They seem to enjoy it. 😁
Interesting, I see you two going back and forth from Turkey and Greece, but not Albania despite the fact they give Americans up to 1 year visas upon arrival. Any particular reasons???
We keep going back to Türkiye for dental reasons. Carrie is having an implant done so we will have the final procedure next month. Greece was easy to get to from Fethiye, Türkiye. Staying within the region and saving on travel costs.
@BrianandCarrie Well said 😉. I do enjoy your videos. I'm in Saranda now and I'm leaving for Northern Greece by bus in a couple of weeks. I'll be there for a week before continuing to Northern Macedonia. Which Greek wine is best, red or white?
We think that the whites are better although the higher-end reds are really good too.
FINALLY, a shorter video. Glad you decided to appease those people by not taking up their whole day with a 25-30 minute video. 😂(just kidding). I myself am "Hungary" for more info. 🤭 On that, I'm looking at a dental office there, could you swing by and check it out for me? 😀 (again, jk).
Did you WIZZ over from Chania? If so, did you have to weigh your carry-ons? Do you find that the budget airlines are more strict on checking? Do you know what your carry-ons weigh? Thx
Finally!!! 🤣 We flew Aegean Airlines and checked our bags for $40, we didn't have a choice. The budget airlines are stricter although we have never had a problem with Rainaire. Thank you for the 15+ minutes of your time, Barry!!! 😁
@@BrianandCarrie 😄 Ah, if 15 or even 30 minutes were all I put into your videos (and others). Like how "easy" it is for you to make money on RUclips...takes no time at all, huh? 😧 Before I came across your videos I already had the thought of maybe off-road RVing across the western US (esp. Utah), and possibly doing some YT videos along the way. As I've watched the work you've put into your videos (and some of the responses you get 🤦♂), I'm thinking I'll just enjoy my travels. And you handle those "interesting" responses better than I would 😁 Thanks for the reply, after all, who says I'm not one of "those" responses 🤔
Not just a regular team...your Seattle Supersonics
We are hoping for a return soon!!!
iNTERESTING COMMENT ABOUT SHAWN KEMP, THROUGH OUR MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHIP WE SOLD THIS NEW 50cc SCOOTER TO SHAWN, HIS FATHER MAKING THE PURCHASE. AT THIS POINT IN TIME HE WAS A STAR ON HIS HIGH SCHOOL TEAM - CONCORD, I BELIEVE. IT WAS FUN TO FOLLOW HIS CAREER.
That team was so much fun to watch!! The Sonics should be back in the next couple of years!
Talk me off a ledge! We have 1 month booked in Tirana mid August to mid September and 1 month booked in
saranda mid September to mid October. Is 1 month in Tirana too much time to spend there or is it doable?I think I booked a couple nights in Berat to breakup the trip from Tirana to saranda.
We are heading from Sicily to Tirana in August. Out of the Schengen. Hope to find plenty to do at a cheap price!
@@dianamartin9558 are you staying in Tirana for a month?
@@jameshall2299 might be 3 months. We are deciding,
@@dianamartin9558 would always love to meet fellow travelers while in Albania we are in Greece for the rest of the month and then we are heading to turkey until August 15 when we move to Tirana.
We are escaping the Schengen as well.
How good is the Internet on Crete?
Not great but we managed. We are glad to be in Budapest now where it is fast and reliable.
@@BrianandCarrie that’s my understanding as well. It’s a hard no for me as a retirement destination because of the Internet issues.
I wish you guys continued happiness and good health
Thank you, Kevin, and you as well!
Cheers!!🍻
Your video is very, very good, well shot and carefully edited and truly captures the vibrant summer life, the unique beaches and the ambience of this island. However, it is a very sad and disappointing thing to know that Mykonos, once the island selected by authors, painters, sculptors and people aiming to experience the natural beauty of this island that was a rather poor stronghold for pirates for centuries has now become a place where prostitution, drugs, alcoholism, rudeness and complete disrespect of almost any lawful behavior rules. Hotels, restaurants, beach bars and cafeterias charge exorbitant prices (usually without issuing any receipt), they employ young Greeks or illegal immigrants at monthly wages below (sometimes way below) the minimum wage, without any social security compensations and having them work 12-14 hour shifts 7 days per week treating them like slaves,, while beach bars and hotels occupy beaches charging ridiculously high prices for an umbrella and two chaise longues, forbidding people who are not willing to use them and pay for them from swimming in the beach (by Greek law all beaches are public and freely accessible to everybody). Much of the tourist economy of the island is in the hands of the Russian mafia and its oligarchs much of the supply of food, equipment and fuel a part of the building business is ruled by the Albanian mafia. Corruption runs high, as you can open any sort of shop almost anywhere if you have "the right connections" and you can build whatever you wish or can afford without feeling restricted by any building permits, Greek laws on the use of land or any public space demarcation. Local Mykonians, once happy and proud of their island, are questioning whether they are going to have the means to keep their properties on the island, are more and more threatened by the shady people that make Mykonos their summer residence and by the myriads of people landing on their island in the summer, as tourists seeing Mykonos as the paradise for heavy drugs, easy free and paid sex, wild partying and a chance to engage in any sort of extreme, unhinged nightlife "entertainment" of all sorts. Mykonos was recently characterized as the "Colombia of the Mediterranean Sea", if that adds a layer of description to the fast, sad and possibly irreversible disintegration of this very beautiful island. What a shameful waste!
Do you need an international driver’s license to rent a car? Thanks!
We did not in Greece, but it depends on the rental service.
@@BrianandCarrie thank you!
so you've visited some famous Greek islands, like the majority of the north American viseters do, but am sorry to tell you that the Greek islands are not the only thing Greece has to offer and Greece is an afordable destination you are definitely wrong about that.