What’s new in eastern Mediterranean travel for 2016

  • By Rick Steves
  • Friday, January 29, 2016 7:55am
  • Life

In the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece, Croatia and Turkey remain popular with tourists and present some important transportation and sightseeing changes for 2016.

Greece is one of Europe’s great destinations, but concern about its financial crisis and the thousands of Syrian refugees entering the country is impacting travelers’ vacation plans. While the country is digging out of a massive economic hole — and I wouldn’t want to be a Greek worker counting on a comfortable retirement — its fiscal woes should hardly be noticed by visitors. And although Greece happens to be on Europe’s receiving end of refugees from the east end of the Mediterranean, it’s my experience (from recent personal travel and from the many tours my company guided there throughout the year) that the tourists’ world and the refugees’ plight rarely intersect. And, when they do, it’s little more than an inconvenience for vacationers, and a valuable firsthand peek at the realities of our world.

Tourists traveling to Greece will experience higher prices next year, as the Greek government tries to pay down its debt. Specific increases include ticket price hikes to the great archaeological sites and museums, and new hotel taxes that will be passed on to visitors. Some good news in Athens: The wonderful new Acropolis Museum was previously closed on Mondays, but is now open seven days a week.

Two hours by boat from Athens, the idyllic island of Hydra has long dealt with water supply issues, as it has no natural water source (except private cisterns). Until recently, islanders had to barge in fresh water every day. But with recent help from the European Union, Hydra now has a plant for desalinating sea water, giving the island a reliable water supply and drinkable tap water.

On the island of Mykonos, a cheap shuttle boat now runs between the New Port and Mykonos town, giving people arriving by ferry from Athens or Santorini an easy way to reach the old town. Near Mykonos, the archaeological site of Delos, reachable only by boat, is more accessible than ever to sightseers. It’s now open every day (previously closed on Mondays), and in peak season, travelers may be able to tour the site later in the day, when the sun is more forgiving, thanks to a late-afternoon ferry that returns in the early evening.

North of Greece, in Croatia, transportation upgrades are making a big difference for travelers. A new express bus from the remote Plitvice Lakes National Park runs frequently in summer, connecting to Zagreb in the north and to the city of Split in the south. Visitors can now connect several coastal destinations by seaplane (European Coastal Airlines). Traveling by boat in Croatia is easier now that you can buy tickets online for national ferry operator Jadrolinija’s catamarans and smaller Krilo catamarans. This eliminates the need to get up early and wait in line at ticket offices. (Tickets can sell out quickly, though, so book well ahead in busy times.) Boat service has been revamped in Dalmatia, and Dubrovnik is now better connected by fast catamarans.

At the far eastern end of the continent, Istanbul straddles both Europe and Asia. Though not the capital of Turkey, it is the country’s largest and most touristed city. And several upgrades are making things easier for sightseers.

In 2016, the city will offer a revamped set of sightseeing passes. These passes (about $30 for three days, $40 for five days) cover the city’s top sights. They can save substantial money and time, allowing you to bypass ticket lines. If not buying a pass, purchase tickets online in advance for the top sights, especially the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, to avoid long ticket lines.

From the Eastern Mediterranean to France to the United States, countries throughout the world are being rattled by economic challenges, an influx of migrant workers, and perceived threats from terrorists. As a result, right-wing and nationalist political forces are emboldened. With the political direction of these countries in flux, a fascinating part of traveling these days is talking to people to see how they are dealing with fear, fear-mongering, security interests, and anxiety, all of which are threatening long-treasured societal norms.

&Copy;2016 Rick Steves. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

A stroll on Rome's ancient Appian Way is a kind of time travel. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves on the Appian Way, Rome’s ancient superhighway

Twenty-nine highways fanned out from Rome, but this one was the first and remains the most legendary.

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

The 2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV has room for up to six or seven passengers, depending on seat configuration. (Photo provided by Kia)
Kia’s all-new EV9 electric SUV occupies rarified air

Roomy three-row electric SUVs priced below 60 grand are scarce.

2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD (Photo provided by Toyota)
2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD

The compact SUV electric vehicle offers customers the ultimate flexibility for getting around town in zero emission EV mode or road-tripping in hybrid mode with a range of 440 miles and 42 mile per gallon fuel economy.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.