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.

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

We will definitely be back in Greece someday soon! Thank you for all the tips and insights!! Cheers!!🍻

@whirltraveller1350

6 күн бұрын

We have done from Marathon Beach to Meterora. Beautiful country and people. We agree with you 9176. Roger

Greece is stunning, still my favorite vacation of all time.

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 ❤.

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

We received the desert treatment as well! amazing, kind people. We look forward to going back someday soon. Thank you for sharing, Jane. ❤️

@angelitaliano4517

9 күн бұрын

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

Greece rocks... Proud to be Greek American .. two best countries in the world. Goto kalamata my ancestors city . Youll love it.

@k.johnson1256

11 күн бұрын

Agree with Kalamata- good prices, beautiful city beaches and tons of great day trips in Messinia and Lakonia!

@agathamantanes1252

7 күн бұрын

Ano Melpia Mesinias❤

@Shush767

6 күн бұрын

Just went in May! Took drive thru Kalamata! Grandma was from Sparta/ Arachova.

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.

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

Thank toy for the tip!! We will eventually go back to Greece and explore more of the mainland.

@TheColorgrl

11 күн бұрын

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!

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.

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

That's so wonderful to hear. Bellingham is a wonderful city and we feel so lucky to be able to call it home. Cheers!!

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 !

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

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.

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.

Thank you for the great info and insight into some of the beautiful places in Greece.

@BrianandCarrie

8 күн бұрын

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching 😊

Thanks for your honest and practical commentary.

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

We appreciate the support!! Thank you! 😁

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.

Thanks for the great video. I look forward to your videos which always have great information.

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

Thank you for watching, Lori! ❤️

Great video--thank you!😊

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

Thank you, Julie!! ❤️

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.

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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!!

Thank you for your time and posting.

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

Thank you for your time and watching!! We wouldn't be here without that!!

@davidj7516

11 күн бұрын

@@BrianandCarrie Sometimes I don't say anything, but I know comments improve TY algorithms for the poster. :)

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

Well, we very much appreciate it!! We need all the help we can get!!! 😁

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 . ❤

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.

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching 😊

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!

@BrianandCarrie

10 күн бұрын

Thank you, Norma! See you soon. ❤️

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 😃

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!!!

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

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.

@robertmcfarlane4151

9 күн бұрын

@@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

Greece has many pros. November 8 cruise loved it

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.

Great video! I'm actually surprised you spent as little money as you did considering you visited three of the four most touristy islands!

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

Very true! We are pretty frugal! 😁

Enjoy your videos

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

Thank you for watching!!!

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! 💕

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

Thank you, Mary!! We are having fun with that. Make sure you send a photo to our Instagram when it arrives!! 😊

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. 😊👍

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

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 😊

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!

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

Thank you!! Go Dawgs and Go M's!!

@beckypetrop5268

10 күн бұрын

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.

We like IOS and Santorini also Lesbos but the best islands are Hydra and Crete. We stayed Aghios Niklaus on Crete we loved it.

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!

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

Sounds like an amazing dream. Hope you find where it is ❤️

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.

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

We unfortunately did not get the opportunity. 😔

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.

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

We will be in Mexico in the fall!! 😁

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? 🙏

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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

@TheColorgrl

11 күн бұрын

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.

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!

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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!!

Great video! Where are you headed next???

@BrianandCarrie

10 күн бұрын

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.

@dawnzaffery4980

10 күн бұрын

@@BrianandCarrie can’t wait to see the videos from Budapest!!

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!

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

Yes, I agree a cruise is one way you can see a lot in a short period of time. Enjoy 😊

Wind is better than you have 300Days of Grey Skies¿ It's Depressing.. xo from Canada

@BrianandCarrie

10 күн бұрын

Agreed!! Being from the Seattle region we know all too well.

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 😀

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching, Karen. 🙄

Hey guys which video do you discuss travel insurance?

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.

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

Very true!! Thank you for adding this! Interesting about the cruise ships, I wonder how that will affect the local economy?

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.

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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!

Not just a regular team...your Seattle Supersonics

@BrianandCarrie

9 күн бұрын

We are hoping for a return soon!!!

Great vid but I have to visit the archeological site at Knossos on Crete once before I die. Travel on and be safe!

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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.

@hangto5038

5 сағат бұрын

I booked a tour to Knossos. It was a great tour. We also went to the museum in Heraklion about that civilization.

@GLeibniz1716

4 сағат бұрын

@@hangto5038 thanks for the reply some day I will get there: glad you got to see it, though!

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 😀

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

We rented the car for the day, and it was an automatic. Here is the video! kzread.info/dash/bejne/c3h3y8iQoKu1hZM.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!!

@kcsnew

12 күн бұрын

@@BrianandCarrie Thank you for your quick reply, currently are you folks in Budapest still ?

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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. 😁

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?

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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!! 😊

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.

@BrianandCarrie

7 күн бұрын

That team was so much fun to watch!! The Sonics should be back in the next couple of years!

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!

Can you explain why you chose the turtle as your logo?

@BrianandCarrie

10 күн бұрын

Turtles travel slow and so do we. 😁

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…

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.

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

Yes, they do. We show those donkeys in our Santorini video. They seem to enjoy it. 😁

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!?

@BrianandCarrie

7 күн бұрын

You still can't flush the toilet paper... But after a few months we got kinda used to it.

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

@BrianandCarrie

11 күн бұрын

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!!! 😁

@barryutah

11 күн бұрын

@@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 KZread...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, 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???

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

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.

@telluwide5553

12 күн бұрын

@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?

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

We think that the whites are better although the higher-end reds are really good too.

How good is the Internet on Crete?

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

Not great but we managed. We are glad to be in Budapest now where it is fast and reliable.

@kevinstrong7520

12 күн бұрын

@@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

@BrianandCarrie

12 күн бұрын

Thank you, Kevin, and you as well! Cheers!!🍻

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

11 күн бұрын

We are heading from Sicily to Tirana in August. Out of the Schengen. Hope to find plenty to do at a cheap price!

@jameshall2299

11 күн бұрын

@@dianamartin9558 are you staying in Tirana for a month?

@dianamartin9558

11 күн бұрын

@@jameshall2299 might be 3 months. We are deciding,

@jameshall2299

11 күн бұрын

@@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.

@jameshall2299

11 күн бұрын

We are escaping the Schengen as well.

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.