Greek Islands Travel Planning – Thassos, Lemnos, and Samothraki
Greek Islands Travel Planning is the summary of my three weeks road trip to three Greek islands, during the summer of 2016 (July). The pace of traveling was slow, in accordance with the flexibility I had to go and stay wherever I wanted with my car.
Greek Islands Travel Planning – General Planning:
Travel Planning for the Greek Islands of Thasos, Lemnos, and Samothraki started somewhere around one month before my trip. I used an old Lonely Planet Guide to get some names of places that worth to visit. As I was going with my own car, I didn’t bother too much with the plans. I was flexible to go, stop, and stay wherever I wanted. I only searched for camping places on the ACSI Campings website and saved some print screens with the locations of all the main camping sites from the region.
Greek Islands Travel Planning – Fixed Plans:
– nothing
Greek Islands Travel Planning – Intentions, but nothing fixed:
When I left for the Greek Islands, all I knew was that I wanted to go to some places but I hadn’t fixed dates for them:
– go to Thasos Island, probably from Kavala Port
– go to Lemnos Island but I had no idea from where (I was hoping for a ferry between Thasos and Lemnos)
– go to Samothraki Island but I had no idea from where (I was hoping for a ferry between Lemnos and Samothraki)
Greek Islands Travel Planning – Final Result:
The final result of my trip to the Greek Islands, where I stayed for three weeks, is a series of three travel diaries, which you can read at the following links.
Greek Islands Travel Planning – Thassos Island (6-8 days):
- two days driving from Romania to Greece, crossing Bulgaria (via Sibiu – Calafat – Sofia – Kulata – Kavala)
- ferry from Kavala port to Skala Prinos (on Thassos Island), and beach in Ormos Prinos
- road trip from Ormos Prinos to Pefkari (with lots of detours), via Ormos Prinos – Skala Prinos – Rahoni – Agios Georgios – Prinos – Moni Agios Panteleimonos – Mikros Prinos – Skala Sotiros – Skala Kallirachis – Kallirachi – Skala Marion – Pefkari
- road trip from Pefkari, via Limenaria – Moni Karakallou – Maries – Limenaria – Potos – Theologos – Pefkari
- road trip from Pefkari to Chryssi Ammoudia (with lots of stops), via Pefkari – Moni Archangelou – Aliki – Loutra – Kinyra – Potamia – Panagia – Chryssi Ammoudia
- road trip from Chryssi Ammoudia, via Thassos town – Marble Beach (Saliria and Porto Vathi) – Chryssi Ammoudia
- ferry from Thassos town to Keramoti and one relaxing and writing day in Camping Batis Multiplex, Kavala
Thassos Island – pristine waters, marble beaches, authentic villages
The version in Romanian can be found at Insulele Grecesti, Thassos.
Greek Islands Travel Planning – Lemnos Island (5 days):
- ferry from Kavala to Myrina, on Lemnos Island, and sunbath at Keros beach
- road trip on the eastern side of Lemnos Island (with lots of detours), via Keros Beach – Kalliopi – Panagia – Plaka – Port Plakas – Sanctuary of Kabeiroi – Antic Theater of Hephaistia – Kontopouli – Romanou – Poliohni neolithic site – Skandali – Fisini – Moni Agios Sozon Monastery – Moudros – Keros Beach
- road trip on the western side of Lemnos Island (with lots of detours), via Keros Beach – Kontopouli – Romanou – Portianos – Kontias – Nevgatis Beach – Thanos – Myrina – Kaspakes – Dafni – Atsiki – Kotsinas Beach – Keros Beach
- extra visit in Myrina – Gomati Beach and stayed there overnight
- Gomati Beach to Myrina, ferry from Myrina (Lemnos Island) to Kavala and highway from Kavala to Alexandroupolis
Lemnos Island – secluded beaches, whitewashed chapels, fried octopus
The version in Romanian can be found at Insulele Grecesti, Lemnos.
Samothraki Island (5 days):
- ferry from Alexandroupolis to Kamariotissa and road trip via Hora – Paleopolis – Camping Varades 1 – Fonias River (and vathres) – Kipos Beach
- road trip from Varades Camping 1, via the archaeological site of Paleopolis – Hora – Alonia – Lakoma – Profitis Ilias – Xiropotamos (vathres) – Pahia Ammos Beach – Camping Varades 1
- short drive Camping Varades 1 – Therma – Kamariotissa – Camping Varades 1
- short drive Camping Varades 2 – Hora – Therma (bouzouki concert)
- ferry from Kamariotissa to Alexandroupolis and afternoon at the beach of the municipal camping
- one day driving from Greece to Romania, crossing Bulgaria (via Alexandroupolis – Veliko Trnovo – Russe – Bucharest)
Samothraki Island – pebbled beaches, goat dishes, and bouzouki music
The version in Romanian can be found at Insulele Grecesti, Samothraki.
This is my three weeks road trip to the Greek Islands of Thassos, Lemnos, and Samothraki. Enjoy your reading and let me know your opinion about the Greek Islands. Which is your favorite island? Why? Where would you go?
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Thanks for sharing your itinerary – I love that you had intentions but nothing was fixed – that’s the magic of a road trip! It’s fab to know too that you can catch ferries between the different destinations – assuming this ferry ride includes the car too?
I was hoping that I’ll be able to catch ferry between different destination but no, it was not possible. I had to come back from where I left and take a new ferry so instead of taking two ferries I had to take three of them. Yes, you can bring the car on the ferry, pretty expensive though.
I like the fact that you have visited some of the lesser known Greek islands. So far I’ve only been to the mainland in Greece but island hopping sounds like great fun. Thanks for the handy itinerary suggestions
I think that Greece is mostly well-known for its hundreds of islands. Since Greece is very close to Romania, I always hear people going to all sorts of hidden gems. I hope that my itinerary has some good suggestions for your future trips.
I love that you traveled in your own car to give you so much more flexibility. I have never been to any of these islands, but the Lemnos Island with secluded beaches looks gorgeous. I also love fried ocotpus so that’s a huge plus in my book!
Lemnos island is not touristic at all, although it has well-preserved archaeological sites and secluded beaches. The reason why it’s not packed up with tourist (as Thassos) is because you need a five-hours ferry trip to get there. The accessibility is very difficult but once you get there you’re rewarded at every step.
Thassos is such a beautiful island, I can’t wait to go back! But I think I have to visit some of the other islands you mention now. 🙂
Thassos is very touristic from my point of view, but Lemnos is more remote and authentic. let me know when you visit other Greek islands. I would like to hear more impressions.