Greece and other Greek Island Discussion Forum

Discussions regarding holidays in Greece and other Greek Islands.
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Prices on Samos in Pythagorion seemed to be the same as last year but if you talk to the locals they all say that there has been an increase since the into of the Euro
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Yes since the Euro prices in Greece have risen very much there in June when a local Greek Taverna owner who we have known for 17 years asked how we were coping with the Euro and explained we did not have it, he said the local pensioners were starving and just could not manage, my nephew who lives in Southern Ireland also says the same thing, I love Greece especially Kefalonia but as a pensioner wonder how much longer I can afford to go there.
pojo
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i agree,

the prices off things are going up for the greek nationals, but there wages have not changed much at tall.

When i was in crete last year, i was astonished with the poverty, africa has funding etc... but greece needs some too.

Greece islands main income is tourism, and this year greece has been dead, meaning not many brits there.

But, since golden sun went bust, greek holidays have become quite expensive, and so as the self catering basics you need.

brad
8) 8) 8)
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Went to Lesbos last year and the prices were alot cheaper than Samos and Kefalonia the previous 2 years. 10 years ago Greece was a destination that was appreciably cheaper than the Spanish Islands we used to visit. Howver, recently went back to Lanzarote and found that it was slightly cheaper than Greece.
The locals in Lesbos were complaining that British tour operators were pulling out of the Island and buisiness had been badly affected. I am afraid that we tourists will vote with their feet and abandon the Greek Isles for holidays that are seen to be more value for money.
This will be a pity as the Greek people themselves are wonderful and the Isalnds magical places for us Brits to visit. However it does'nt help matters when simple things like the price of sunbeds vary from Island to Island by as much as 100%.
The motto should be "BRING BACK THE DRACK"
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We had this last year with tour operators pulling out we originally booked Samos with Thomas Cook but they pulled out and we ended up going with Kosmar (no complaints there though) seems the larger tour operators only want to go to the better known islands
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The locals in Lesbos were complaining that British tour operators were pulling out of the Island and buisiness had been badly affected.

Really? Now that is a shame - we had one of best holidays in Greece in Lesvos. It's a lovely place. Still relatively unspoilt.
I was looking at a yoga holiday there for next year (in Molyvos) - mind you I'd be travelling independantly anyway.
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Prices have certainly risen since the introduction of the Euro in 2001 and the popularity of Greece last year when it hosted the Olympic Games helped to push prices up even further - I hate to think what London prices will be like for tourists in 2012!

However, on Paxos last month, we found that prices had fallen from last year to more sensible levels. We paid an average of 35 Euros a night for a 2 course meal with wine for 2 people and ate fillet steaks and fresh fish on several occasions. We thought that was good value and don't think you'd find similar quality food for that price at home
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We just got back from Stoupa (lovely) and I didn't find it particularly cheap apart from the house wine in restaurants which was excellent value. The prices of meals out were comparable to the UK although the food in general much nicer (even as a vegetarian!) However the holiday was just under £300 (Kosmar, again excellent) which I think is a bargain. We had a cheaper holiday overall as a package than we did DIY to spain last year and we ate out every meal in greece, can't be bad!
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Prices rose as soon as the Euro was introduced. The days of the cheap Greek holidays seem to be gone. But it is a lot better than being in the UK.
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the locals blame the euro - because it`s the easy thing to do - the greeks are wonderfully nationalistic

the real reason is that there`s a crackdown on paying tax and you must be given a receipt for every transaction

the greeks hate paying tax (don`t we all! - lol ) - hence their unfinished houses

i think it`s all part of being in europe - and ultimately it`ll be good for the country - but in the short-term - to the bar, restaurant and hotel owners - it`ll seem like the depression ?

i`ve paid cash to many a hotel owner in greece - but - we *all* like cash ?
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Wherever we have stayed in Greece we have done many Islands there is only one place where we have never had an officail bill,
pojo
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There is no doubt that prices in Greece have risen dramatically since 2001. The locals we have spoken to are all upset regarding the costs of basics because their wages have not risen in line with price rises and I do believe that there some genuine cases of hardship there despite the fact that most Greeks work very hard for their living.

Some unscrupulous bar/restaurant/hotel owners did chance their arms, particularly last year by hiking prices up astronomically using the Olympic Games as an excuse. This led to an outcry from certain MP's and ordinary people because the tourist numbers (apart from Athens) were well down last year and that situation has continued this year.

Greece is no longer a cheap destination. No it isn't as expensive as the UK but it is now more expensive than Spain. You can eat and drink in that country now more cheaply than in Greece.

I always used to stock up on face creams and toiletries in Greece but no longer as they are now more expensive than the UK.

This year in Rhodes I watched the price of an ice cream double over two weeks to three euro's for a basic cone as the tourist numbers increased. This sort of cashing in on tourist numbers does them no favours especially when it is blatant. The sun beds were cheaper than on Corfu but that was about it.

It is a pity. I love Greece and I love the Greek people and I shall miss them next year because for the first time in ten years I will not be visiting them. I get better value for money elsewhere. Cheap is OK but value for money is better and I think that is why they are losing holiday makers. They just don't offer that in many places now and this from someone who likes it basic, clean, with no frills.
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Have just returned from Spain also went to Greek islands in july only difference i noticed in prices was if you went away from tourist areas in Spain otherwise prices where very similar, 3 course meal including drinks for four on Samos 40-50 euro`s same price in Spain
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Last year i heard quite a few moans about bar prices, etc. I'd say although prices have increased it's still cheaper than the UK.

People think they're being fleeced because the tax on alcohol is lower in Greece and they pay similar prices for a drink. The thing most people don't consider is that they only visit the country in summer. The profit margin is higher than here in the UK but many people have no work over the winter so any extra money they take has to cover this dead period too. A lot of people i know work a 7 day week from April to October but have no income though the winter months.
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Dear All,
Just got back from Skiathos, lovely Island but EXPENSIVE. Went to Lesbos last year and spent 50% less....yes 50% less. A meal for a family of 4 was 40 Euro's in Lesbos, 62.5 Euro's this year in Skiathos. Sunbeds on Lesbos 5 Euro, Skiathos 8 Euro. Beach taverna's have to pay a new tax on Skiathos and so very expensive i.e. 2 small cans of Mythos 4.5 Euro on Maratha Beach ( bus stop 22 ).
If they are not careful they will price themselves out of the market. I do not want to feel ripped off when on holiday. Especially when the supermarket prices for everything are still really cheap. Why should there be such a mark up on say Ouzo... 1 litre bottle of Ouzo 12 costs 7.5 Euro.
In a bar one shot of Ouzo 4 Euro.
Some may say why go to the bars, why not stay in the Apartments. I'm on holiday and want to meet others doing the same. But I do not want to be ripped off. OK it's cheaper than England. The whole of the :swear world is cheaper than England.... this is not an arguement
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OK it's cheaper than England. The whole of the :swear world is cheaper than England.... this is not an arguement


Why not? Why should you expect to pay less on holiday than you do at home? 20 or 30 years ago it was different, but now we're all part of the same EU and you have to expect prices (and standards) to become fairly similar in all its countries. If you want cheap holidays, go to one of the developing nations in Asia or Africa, but make sure you don't drink the water!
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xeno, I think the argument is about value for money rather than cheapness. I don't mind paying more than I would at home and have done so in places such as Sweden, Norway, Paris, Rome etc. It's what you get for your money that is important. Has it been good value? I think this is the problem most people have difficulty with in some Greek resorts.

Not all of us want and are able to travel to the other side of the world to enjoy 'cheapness' whatever that happens to be. And as to prices etc becoming standardised throughout the EU, why should they fall into line at the higher rate? Higher prices do not necessarily mean a higher quality of goods/services or standard of living. Flip side to you argument!
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Magster, I wasn't saying that higher prices mean higher standards, quite the reverse - countries within the EU have to comply by its various regulations on health, safety, employment, etc and that costs money. Somebody has to pay for that and so prices rise as the standards of living rise. Higher prices don't necessarily mean higher standards, but higher standards inevitably lead to higher prices. It's a vicious circle in some ways.

I must have missed the part of rhombus's post where he was complaining about the standard of the goods and services he got on holiday - I just thought he was complaining about the prices and it seemed to me that he expected to receive the same quality he got at home, but for a lower price. I would certainly feel ripped off if I was charged top prices for shoddy goods and services, but if I get good quality products and services at what seems a reasonable price, then I feel I've got value for my money.

I realise that many people have to stick to a tight budget on holiday, but that's no reason for them to expect the people who live in the countries they are visiting to accept a lower standard of living in order to give them a holiday they can afford and claim that they are being ripped off just because they are being charged prices that allow those people to earn a decent living. As Marcus said, many of the people living in Greek holiday resorts only have a few months to earn enough money to last them all year. How many of us would be willing and able to do that on the same hourly rates that we currently earn all year round?
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Dear Xenosuk,
Well where do I begin. Being a Scientist I use logical thinking daily in my research activities.
1. Going to developing nations.. but do not drink the water. You cannot drink the water in Greece. Everybody buys bottled water.

2.EU Regulations making things more expensive. I'm very sorry that you do not know your map of Europe. Family and Friends have just come back from Spain and Portugal. Comparing prices Skiathos is about 25-35% more expensive than Spain and Portugal. 10 years ago we regularily visited those EUROPEAN countries and choose Greece because it offered more value for money i.e. IT WAS ALOT CHEAPER ( 50% ) TO GO TO GREECE.

3. They only have 6 months of the season to earn their money. Having visited Skiathos in 1996 and 1997 and found it fantastic value for money then.... has the season in 2005 shortened to what it was in the 1990's. I thought there was Global warning, so the season has increased rather than decreased. This is a rather flippant point but for the past 40 years the seasons have been the same.

4. Other Greek Islands have not put there prices up. Same country,same 6 month Season.. same same same i.e. Samos,Lesbos, Zante, Corfu and Rhodes.
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