July 7, 2004 -- If you want to shell out big bucks and go to the Olympics, there is still time and yes, there are rooms aplenty. As is often the case with The Games, speculators and some in the travel business early on buy up big blocks of hotel rooms and try to sell them at exorbitant rates. When that doesn't work for every room, they are stuck with unsold hotel units and may panic, selling them cheaper at the last minute. We can't tell you when that will happen, but if you want to take the chance and go to Athens, you could arrive without a reservation and try to find lodging on the spot. People have done it, though we can't, in all honesty, recommend it.
What we can suggest, however, is visiting Athens and the rest of Greece after the games (August 13-29, 2004), when prices will be lower.
Commute to The Games
Another neat way to see some of the Olympics is to stay on a glamorous island and fly in to Athens just for the day, seeing whatever event takes your fancy. That's the mindset of Homeric Tours, one of the most able of all Greek destination sellers. You fly from New York to Athens, but spend most of your time (five, seven or nine nights) at the deluxe San Marco Hotel on Mykonos. The package also includes buffet breakfast daily, air or sea transport between Athens and Mykonos, transfers, wine or fruit on arrival, and more. You then make a day trip to Athens for $270 plus tax, which includes the roundtrip air or sea transport from Mykonos to the Greek capital, and arrival/departure transfers in Mykonos. You purchase actual Olympic event tickets starting at about E38 (approximately $47) per person.
For the five night deal (August 21-17, 2004), the cost is $2099. For seven nights (August 21-19, 2004), it's $2399. And for the nine-night program (August 19-29, 2004), the cost is $2649. After the games, on September 2, 2004, Homeric has a seven-day cruise from $1599, including roundtrip airfare to Athens from New York, airport/pier transfers, and a seven-day cruise of the islands (and Turkey) with all meals. There's a two-night extension to Athens from $220 per person. Contact Homeric at www.homerictours.com.
Athens and the Peloponnesus
Crown Travel, based in Connecticut, has a package from New York to Athens, Olympia and Argolis from $879, departing October 25, 2004. The bargain includes the roundtrip flights and six nights in three-star and four-star hotels (two nights in Athens, one in Olympia, three in Argolis), as well as daily breakfast, all transfers, sightseeing, entrance fees, and services of local guides. For add-ons, ask them, a sample would be $35 from Washington's Dulles Airport. If you want the same trip out of New York on October 4, 2004, add $90. Check it out at www.crown-travel.com or by phoning 800/853-6453.
Athens & Islands Cruise
Friendly Planet Travel says you can save up to $600 per couple if your reserve this trip before July 16, 2004, even though you won't travel until early September, 2004, or later. Priced as low as $999 (after the discount of $300 per person), their eight-day (six-night) program takes you across the Atlantic to the Greek capital from New York or Boston, and gives you three nights at the Divani Palace Acropolis Hotel in Athens. Then you have three nights aboard the Triton. You get a buffet breakfast daily in Athens and all meals aboard the cruise ship, plus all transfers. The $999 prices are for dates in November, departures in September and October being priced at $1199 (again, after the early booking discounts). Contact them at www.friendlyplanet.com.
