Holiday abroad OS?

lady_lucan

Me and OH are away on our long-awaited holiday to Santorini on Tues (wedding present from the in-laws, Ist anniversary on 13th). I'll have been laid up from my broken ankle for 3 months by then, and have barely been out of the house, so it'll be doubly freaky for me. I was trying to tot up a budget today and thinking about what an absolute fortune the whole thing is costing (aside from the cheap flights) over and above what eagle-eyed in-laws have given us. We're s/c in a cave villa, and apart from a special meal I've booked in a posh restaurant on anniversay night, are free and easy. Any tips on how to keep costs down the rest of the week?

Cheers, L.

megsykins

Eat in (obv!) and shop at nearest supermarket.
If you're eating out, eat your main meal at lunchtime as there's often good lunch deals (same quality food but cheaper than dinner)
Only visit attractions within reasonable distance.
Find out local bus times / services to attractions (you can probably check these out now online to help you plan)
(Depending on your age) see if you can get discount cards from attractions (eg IYC / ISIC card)
With your broken ankle, see if they'll let you count as disabled.
Don't buy people presents (cheeky, but hey... maybe for the inlaws who bought the holiday though)
I'd say go for nice long romantic (free) walks, but I'm guessing that's not an option!!
Stay in at night

Sorry not much help, have a great holiday though!!!

se999

Hi,

It could be worth putting a request on the travel forum.

Just did this quick search and found this fairly recent thread for ideas on Santorini. It sounds like they were looking for cheap ideas too.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=65854&highlight=santorini

cozzie

If you are going S/C then take some of the food with you, eg, tins and packet noodles etc. Not the most nutricious of diets, but, hey ho, it's only for the short term.

If you like a drink then get some bottles of wine in from the local supermarket and have a tipple or two before you go out for the evening, then alternate your evening drinks between alco-frolic, then a coke and so on (or you end up completely blotto, I know!)

Keep an eagle eye on leaflets, sometimes they have discount coupons for attractions etc

Lay back, soak up the sun and relax.......It's a holiday!!
Hope you have a lovely time.

fairylights_2

WOW! Santorini - that sounds so nice. I've been there a couple of times, and was meant to be getting married there - but had ds instead! Where are you staying? Crying into my squash with jealousy!

Greece is pretty good value on the whole, and Santorini especially so - although NOT for touristy tat (which you'd have to be daft to buy anyway).

As far as transport goes, don't worry about getting around. Buses are V cheap and v unreliable :rolleyes: but that's Greece for you. If you're happy to walk, there's a footpath around the best part of the caldera (from Oia in the north to just south of Fira Town) which you could spend HOURS walking. It'll be very hot, so you probably want to plan to stay out of the sun in the mid-afternoon. Take a small coolbag with you and a couple of icepacks and then you can do yourselves packed lunches and also keep cold water to drink wherever you are. It will be HOT this point in the year, and still quite windy, although that should be dying away now to be just swelteringly hot.

There's not much by way of tourist attractions that you have to pay vast amounts for. If you have any kind of student ID you can get into any archaeological stuff for free as you can show your student card (this always WAS the case up until three years ago, so you might need to check again to be sure.) I have to say though, that the caldera boat tour is WELL worth it, just as something to remember forever - just don't pay to have a donkey ride up and down the side of the caldera. It's grim and it smells :eek: . Enough said.

I have to say, though that we haven't really found it too bad on the pocket eating out in Greece. And my personal recommedation? If you're peckish get a pita gyros (pronounced year-oss) as it has bread, chips, chicken ... it's a meal in a pitta bread and costs a pittance (excuse the pun! :rotfl: :rotfl: ) Oh ... and Mythos beer is repackaged Amstel (or maybe Heineken) so if you like lager, buy that one. The supermarkets sell pretty much everything you need, so you wouldn't need to take things with you. You might find your kitchen ill equipped for os cooking, though ...

I'll see if I can think of anything else useful

lady_lucan

Thanks FL - useful tips there. We're going to Oia - I'd been to the island once before on a day trip from Crete and am still madly in love with the place. Wish I could say the same about OH - lol

nabowla

Rather than shop at the supermarket, find out when the local market takes place. Market shopping is a great way to get an authentic experience of the country you're visiting: watch the old grandmothers as they haggle with the stallholder or the young children as they try to sneak a grape or two from the stall without anyone noticing. You don't need to speak the language to have a great time. The food's cheaper and is often better quality than the stuff sold to tourists in the supermarkets. Plus you'll be getting local, seasonal food that you might not normally buy at home, so it really does feel like you're on holiday rather than just trying to save money. I have very vivid holiday memories of eating juicy Charentais melons and fresh mussels from the local market: there was no way we could afford them back home, but they were so cheap. It was a real holiday treat!

fairylights_2

OOOOH! If you're in Oia, there's a lovely little beach you can visit. If you go down to the little tiny fishing harbour at the bottom of LOTS of steps (there is a slope, but the steps are prettier) and then follow a tiny weeny path around there's a little beach which is really picturesque - black sand and a small lava stack. I think most people holidaying in Oia are so in love with the scenery they don't explore very far, so when we went it wasn't very busy either. You could always daytrip to a neighbouring island if you wanted an interesting day out - but buy your tickets from a travel shop NOT a tourist shop.

Have a lovely time

beachbeth

One thing I do at home and abroad and it saves a fortune is that I don't buy alcohol in bars! My drink is vodka and I just tip some into an empty water bottle before I go out (it looks like you've just got water in a bottle). Then I only buy a glass of pop and when no one is looking tip some vodka in it! Naughty I know, but we begrudge paying the extortionate prices they charge for this tipple. Pity we can't do the same with husband's pints!

lady_lucan

Good idea about the market nab - sounds fun! FL - had heard about that beach and am hoping my leg will be up to it; we'll see!

Badgergal

For currency, https://www.travelex.co.uk are the best if you preorder online and pickup at the airport - more euros for your money, guaranteed best rate or the difference refunded, no commission if you preorder. I got more euros that any of my companions who used the PO/bought at the airport, for the same amount of pounds, and it was really easy to do. Every euro counts!