Greek island advice

[Leosayer]

I loved santorini - Perissa and it's smaller neighbour of Perivolos were great - decent beaches (black volcanic sand). 15 mins by road (cab was about 8 euros) from the main town of Fira. The view of the Caldera (the blown out volcano) and sunsets at Oia (pronounced ear) are breathtaking.

I also really liked Parga on the mainland although the beaches are more shingle and the water colder as it's a natural inlet to the sea from the mountains

Agree with this I thought the caldera was stunning worth the slightly higher prices

 

[Notters]

Thanks everyone, keep it coming!

 

[fire&skill]

Roda, Corfu

Angelina Apartments

£1200 including Easyjet flights in July this year for a family of four

Budgeted approx €95 per day

Lovely views of Albania

 

[Surf's Up]

Thinking of going for a week or two to a Greek island in September next year with my lady friend. We may well go all inclusive (though I've always been slightly dubious about such things). I'm sure one of you will be able to help. I've never been to Greece before.

Ideally we want:

Somewhere fairly quiet (not too many children or ravers)
Decent food
Not too cheap or too expensive!

Which Islands and towns would your recommend? Which operators, and which hotels?


Many thanks!

Notters.

I love the Greek islands and there is such a choice! I prefer the medium sized/smaller islands and within this categorization and to match your requirements I would suggest further investigation of the following:

KEFALONIA - especially around Fiskardo or Assos
ITHACA - Kioni
PAXOS - Gaios, Longos or Lakka
PATMOS - Skala
SYMI - Gialos
SANTORINI - Oia
PAROS - Parikia or Naoussa

I can't recommend any particular tour company because I always just pre-book the hotel, book a flight to Athens or Rhodes and get a ferry or high speed catermaran out to one of the islands - great way to start and end a holiday. Also if you go in the second half of September the crowds should have subsided quite a bit and you'll have great weather, warm sea and a bit of space to enjoy it with most of the tourist infrastructure still up and running.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Ill ask my uncle next time I see him, they go to a different Greek Island every year.

 

[peterward]

Roda, Corfu

Angelina Apartments

£1200 including Easyjet flights in July this year for a family of four

Budgeted approx €95 per day

Lovely views of Albania

Having been to many Grek Islands on holidays and a summer island hopping and working there many years ago. I would concur.... Corfu, is wonderfully diverse. The NE of the Island is stunning, hilly overlooking small bays with stunning little bays....... Stayed in this 4 double bed villa in 2008 (pics on james villas link below), private pool, gardens, hammock, was stunning with amazing views to coast. It has a self contained 1 double bed bit downstairs, and 3 double rooms in main house upstairs - sleeps 8. lovely Greek Taverna 10 min walk downhill when pissed, big b-b-q, beautifully quiet, but within 10 mins of larger resort of Kassiopi with bars full of sky sports, and plenty of shops for your good lady. Overlooks the Rothschilds family estate and it isn't that expensive considering what you get..... maybe a bit to big for your needs?

week starting 17th sep 2012 is £1000 for whole villa + flights (book seperately with Easyjet) or £809 for villa on 24th Sep + flights.

http://www.jamesvillas.co.uk/corfu/kokini/avgusta-3909/

Just down the hill from villa small bay of Agios stefanos, about 6 restaurants

 

[Cosmic Joker]

Naxos is my favourite of the Greek Islands. It's a largish and beautiful island with a lovely harbour town and amazing and extensive beaches and but with a very small airport catering only for (approx) 40 seater planes from Athens a few times a day, not direct international flights, which keeps the hordes at bay and prices down. The other way to get there is to fly to either Santorini or Mykonos and then ferry/hydrofoil. Plenty of ferry boats for day trips to next door Paros, Ios, Mykonos etc.
Great place for couples, lots of nice restaurants and bars of various sizes and types - as usual the best ones were a street or two back from the tourist string of harbourside venues. Best find was a great fish restaurant accessed from the lane running along the hill behind the prom which has a terrace looking out over the harbour and bay from a high level. Crowd there is a mixture of couples and backpackers and some families. No gangs of pissed up meatheads, although the backpackers will put away quite a bit.

Main choice was to stay in the port town Chora and either walk to the town beach at Agios Georgios or travel out to the continuous strip of beaches on the west side from Ayios Prokopios through Ayia Anna to Plaka or to stay in the relaxed beach resort of Ayia Anna and travel into the town (about 5km) when wanted. I'd recommend staying in the town for better nightlife and lack of mozzies after dark, which is an issue at Ayia Anna. There's a frequent bus between the two (and Plaka) which also runs until the early hours or taxis, but the island is large enough to make car hire well worthwhile to explore the mountain villages and remoter bays and beaches. There's also a small castle in the town and ruined temples. Plaka beach is sheltered from the road by sand dunes and is used by nudists, although they were a minority overall.

Take a look round the official island website. Naxos Island
Paros is similar and very close and the caves on the small island of Antiparos are worth a visit.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I'm in Paros right now

If you end up coming here, I can give you a lot of tips. My folks have a house here so I know the island pretty well.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

AntiParos. Fantastic outdoor cinema. Lovely tiny little town square, bars overlooking the sunset beach view, etc... Fishing harbour, etc...etc...

And Paros itself isn't too bad either.

I've just come back from a day trip there about an hour ago! Back in Paros now! I agree it is absolutely gorgeous, did you go to the caves? Tom Hanks and Madonna have houses there and with some donations and influence have managed to secure large parts of the island as an area of outstanding natural beauty and so development there has been limited, meaning plenty of wild beaches to explore and some great snorkling/scuba spots!

 

[tubaman]

Notters,

I think this all points to the fact that we all have our own ideas and that you will just have to try them all out for yourself.

 

[eastterracemike]

Having been to many Grek Islands on holidays and a summer island hopping and working there many years ago. I would concur.... Corfu, is wonderfully diverse. The NE of the Island is stunning, hilly overlooking small bays with stunning little bays....... Stayed in this 4 double bed villa in 2008 (pics on james villas link below), private pool, gardens, hammock, was stunning with amazing views to coast. It has a self contained 1 double bed bit downstairs, and 3 double rooms in main house upstairs - sleeps 8. lovely Greek Taverna 10 min walk downhill when pissed, big b-b-q, beautifully quiet, but within 10 mins of larger resort of Kassiopi with bars full of sky sports, and plenty of shops for your good lady. Overlooks the Rothschilds family estate and it isn't that expensive considering what you get..... maybe a bit to big for your needs?

week starting 17th sep 2012 is £1000 for whole villa + flights (book seperately with Easyjet) or £809 for villa on 24th Sep + flights.

http://www.jamesvillas.co.uk/corfu/kokini/avgusta-3909/

Just down the hill from villa small bay of Agios stefanos, about 6 restaurants

What are you doing recommending this wonderful place - I was thinking of suggesting Aghios Stephanos but was going to keep it quiet - don't want anybody else knowing about N.E.Corfu and all the lovely bays that you can visit by boat and all the beaches which are empty in the mornings and early evenings. Greece is my favorite european country - lovely people , food , and climate. Go there every year cos can't find a better place though Paxos comes close.

 

[Rowdey]

What are you doing recommending this wonderful place - I was thinking of suggesting Aghios Stephanos but was going to keep it quiet - don't want anybody else knowing about N.E.Corfu and all the lovely bays that you can visit by boat and all the beaches which are empty in the mornings and early evenings. Greece is my favorite european country - lovely people , food , and climate. Go there every year cos can't find a better place though Paxos comes close.

We went to AS earlier this year - i'm not one for going back to same place, but have to say ticked a lot of boxes for us. We stayed at Theresa Apts. really great.

We traveled around Mykonos, Santorini, and Idra (or Hydra) a couple of years ago - Something for everyone with those three.

Also, found Corfu about 30% cheaper than say Majorca or Minorca, which helps.

 

[peterward]

What are you doing recommending this wonderful place - I was thinking of suggesting Aghios Stephanos but was going to keep it quiet - don't want anybody else knowing about N.E.Corfu and all the lovely bays that you can visit by boat and all the beaches which are empty in the mornings and early evenings. Greece is my favorite european country - lovely people , food , and climate. Go there every year cos can't find a better place though Paxos comes close.

I'll be totally honest, I felt the same way, was in 2 minds whether to say nought.!...... I always thought of it as well kept secret, and as I'm considering going back to the same place next year I wondered if I should keep it to myself..... but for a fellow tribesman/Albion fan.

Anyway there are loads of good recommendations on here - Crete is massive, Santorini and Zakynthos are very pretty. Didn't like Kos or Rhodes particularly. Mykonos is vibrant and has a lively gay scene.

 

[Norman Potting]

Sailed around the Ionian Island many times. Took this picture when leaving Fiskardo in Kefalonia. Beautiful place.

Happy memories, lovely little town and I think it was the only place of any size not flattened by the 1947 earthquake. There is a lovely beach just round the corner from here - Fokis Beach, hope it hasn't been built all over, it was great for snorkelling.

 

[Razi]

Ill third that! Kefalonia is possibly the loveliest place I have been.

Another vote from me for Kefalonia. I worked there for 3 years in a row - I'd intended to travel the world, but I kinda got stuck there because I loved it so much. You won't find too much in the way of all inclusive though. Very beautiful island, friendly people, not a single fast food restaurant on the island.

 

[blue'n'white]

I'm surprised there's only been one mention for Lefkas which is a fabulous island - I went to Nidri a couple of years back staying just outside the town in the Ionian Blue Hotel - it was an 8 euro cab ride into town but well worth it. Great hotel and facilities
Probably my favourite island though out of the twenty or more that i've stayed on or visited is Samos. It's in the North East Aegean group of islands and just a shortish ferry ride to Kusadasi in Turkey. We've stayed at the Ino Hotel just outside of Samos Town twice - there's always a great welcome, fabulous beaches just down from the hotel and at Limonakia and Psili Amos, good restaurants in the town, very Greek, no yobboes or football shirts and, all in all, a wonderful place to stay. I really would advise checking it out as it's got a little bit of many Greek islands in it.
For views you'd be hard pushed to beat Santorini but there's not a lot to do for a fortnight, Kefalonia is lovely but I was a bit disappointed when I went back there this year (but Fiskardo remains one of my favourite places), Hydra is the streotypical Greek island with white sugar cube houses tumbling down to the sea - it's only reached by ferry though and is hellishly expensive. Crete is a country in itself !
Greece is a beautiful country - there's something for everyone

 

[HovaGirl]

Kefalonia will tick all those boxes. No ravers/kids, great weather and food and plenty of sights. According to locals the weather is fine from April to October, obviously at it's best in July/Aug.

Greece in July and August is unbearably hot. I've not been to Kefalonia, but various friends have, and they say it is a lovely island.

 

[HovaGirl]

Santorini is beautiful - Highly recommend. It is more expensive than most of the other Greek Islands, but still cheap in comparison to anywhere else in Europe.

I've briefly been to Santorini but I can't imagine staying a week there.

 

[HovaGirl]

sorry I meant Paros! We were tendered off the ship and dropped off near the harbour entrance Oldest surviving Greek Orthodox Church there built by Emperor Constantine's mother! Beaches really great across the harbour too.

Actually if you want some history, Myceane ( sp?) just around from Pireus is a nice area. Lesvos also really nice.

Mycenae is a couple of hours' drive from Piraeus. It's fairly near Nafplion, which is my favourite place in the whole of Greece. Greeks themselves stay in mini-resorts, with very few English or foreigners, nothing like the commercial resorts. They keep these places secret! I'm thinking of Drepano and Tolon. The other holiday spots Greeks keep secret, are their ski resorts.

 

[ROSM]

I've briefly been to Santorini but I can't imagine staying a week there.

I spent a week there - went to kamari, the caldera, fira, imerovigli, oia, perissa, thirassia and paros. Visited vineyards, had days on beaches and lots of good meals.