View Full Version : Greek Islands
Gary Jarvis
04-05-2004, 21:16
After first considering a trip to Eastern Europe, then the Middle East, we've (K n I) now decided to visit the islands of Greece and we start and end the trip at Athens.
We don't plan to visit the Ionians (Corfu and Zante etc) but would appreciate any tips/recommendations on any other islands and Greece mainland (ie the Peleponnese).
Cheers
Gary Jarvis
Dubversion
04-05-2004, 21:46
myself and la furve are heading for Lindos on Rhodes in a couple of weeks, when are you planning to go, we can report back?
thankfully we're quite a trek from faliraki and Lindos does sound lovely - no cars, lovely beaches, quite a lot of sights and plenty to do...
Gary Jarvis
04-05-2004, 21:57
1 - 23 June
gary
If you start in Athens, get a bus up the coast to Agias Constandinos then get a dolphin shuttle across to Skiathos - absolutely stunning. My wife and I keep going back to Skiathos, I personally would recommend it, it's only 8km x 4km or something and has 60 odd beaches, some only accessible by boat etc... we've only ever had great times there. There's plenty to do for a small island and has great history.
From Skiathos you can also get to Skopelos quite easily and although smaller, less busy it is stunning.
As for Rhodes, I didn't like it, Rhodes town is a nightmare, we stayed in the North East in Ixia so were closer to the town than Lindos where Dub is going, we did venture down there and it seemed quite pretty etc.. but I doubt I'll ever go there again. Faliraki is quite possibly the worst destination in the world.
You can get boat trips to neighbopuring islands like Symi etc.. which is a very small peaceful little island, but with feck all to do.
I hold Rhodes dear in my heart because I asked my wife to marry me there, and like the man from Del Monte she say yes.
Skiathos for me everytime.
Spetses and Hydra in the Saronic Gulf are beatifull and peacefull and close to the Peloponese. You can also get the Flying Dolphin from Piraeus.
the cyclades :) they're only about 4 hours on the ferry from athens (you can get a bus from the city centre or from the airport to the port, piraeus) and it's really easy to island hop cos they're all pretty close together. we visited paros, antiparos, naxos, mykonos (for an afternoon only!), delos, and santorini in two weeks. it was great. there are lots of good beaches, good food, good scenery and walks inland, accomodation is easily available everywhere ... deffo recommend it.
The Peleponnese is amazing and people don't often bother going to the mainland. I especially recommend the Mani area where everyone lived in these tower forts and shot arrows at each other. You can still stay in these forts now.
Also around there is Monemvassia which is amazing annd a beautiful small island called Elafonisos - Very, very quiet with tropical style beaches. No other tourists except Greeks.
Former capital - Naphlio I think - on the Peloponnese is very nice.
South side of Crete (closer to Africa than Athens) is great too, and the buses pretty good for exploring the island. :)
Yossarian
24-08-2004, 11:58
I'm looking at heading to Greece myself in the not too distant future and a lot of these recommendations sound intriguing, especially Skiathos.
my parents have just got back from crete and say the east side of the island is really quiet and lovely, not like the package-hell image which is firmly located in the west around hania.
i'm interested in the peloponnese, they sound nice and quiet. anyone know how the ferries are? and can you fly into athens then get a ferry or do you fly into somewhere else?
edit: symi is a nice island, we had a good family holiday there when i was younger, and rhodes was interesting but the tack does get a bit much, i agree.
After first considering a trip to Eastern Europe, then the Middle East, we've (K n I) now decided to visit the islands of Greece and we start and end the trip at Athens.
We don't plan to visit the Ionians (Corfu and Zante etc) but would appreciate any tips/recommendations on any other islands and Greece mainland (ie the Peleponnese).
Cheers
Gary Jarvis
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Some random thoughts from my first experiences of Greece last year...
Taking a boat from Athens to Santorini leaving Piraeus at dawn gave me one of the most beautiful sunrises I've seen, and it's exhilerating watching the small islands pass by.
Santorini iteslf is very beautiful and the volcanic rocks stupendous, but the some of the barowners/restaurateurs are a bit f'd up by money (this from a Greek friend who worked there, as well as my experience).
Rhodes old town is the second oldest medieval city in Europe. You can also get to Turkey from there. The locals say it's a shame Faliraki has such a bad rep, cos the coast there is so good. Lindos nearby is really peaceful, has a great acropolis and lovely secluded cove to swim at.
Check Lawrence Durrell's book (often available in nice old edition at the South Bank book stands...) on Greek Islands.
Oh yeah lastly, if u fancy spirited passionate debate on politcics philosophy anthropology etc go to a bar called Brettos in Athens, it's in the main tourist area, frequented by a great bunch of Athenean regulars and assorted internationals...
Have fun all of u!
I went to Rhodes last year and loved old Rhodes town and the classical ruins nearby. Visited Lindos for the day and it seemed nice, but I don't think there's much to keep you occupied for more than a couple of days.
I visited Crete a few years ago and it was just wonderful. The people were so friendly and helpful, especially when I tried to speak a little Greek (sometimes I managed as many as four or five different words). Loads of nice archaological sites and museums in Crete as well.
Hellsbells
24-08-2004, 15:03
I was in Lindos for a week several years ago. It is very lovely there, very sheltered and hot. Away from the main beach is a secluded little cove which is great for snorkelling. However, as Alex B says, there isn't really enough to do or see in Lindos to keep you occupied for any large amount of time.
I'm looking at heading to Greece myself in the not too distant future and a lot of these recommendations sound intriguing, especially Skiathos.
oooh we're going tomorrow :D
heh heh, VERY excited.
Yossarian
24-08-2004, 15:15
Make that 'the immediate future'....:D
Lindos sounds good, as does the Cyclades, and just about everywhere...:cool:
go to the cyclades go go go! they're lovely :) if you go to paros i can recommend a lovely english lady who rents out rooms (tho you'll probably have jetted off by the time i dig out her card!)
go to the cyclades go go go! they're lovely :) if you go to paros i can recommend a lovely english lady who rents out rooms (tho you'll probably have jetted off by the time i dig out her card!)
We're going tomorrow morning, so if you have the time tonight to have a look and PM me or Yoss, that would totally rock :)
hmm i'll text Photo and ask him to look it up ... dunno if you've got any guidebooks but we found her through an island-hopping guide ...
hmm i'll text Photo and ask him to look it up ... dunno if you've got any guidebooks but we found her through an island-hopping guide ...
Star :)
Yep, we've got an old island hopping book (1999) although the chap who wrote it seems to really despise Greece...I've printed off Lonely planet pages too.
I'm SO excited.
:) jealous of you - you'll have a great time, we did!
ok i have the details, not sure bout posting them so will PM you now ...
Gary Jarvis
24-08-2004, 20:16
my parents have just got back from crete and say the east side of the island is really quiet and lovely, not like the package-hell image which is firmly located in the west around hania.
i'm interested in the peloponnese, they sound nice and quiet. anyone know how the ferries are? and can you fly into athens then get a ferry or do you fly into somewhere else?
edit: symi is a nice island, we had a good family holiday there when i was younger, and rhodes was interesting but the tack does get a bit much, i agree.
We were in Greece 1-23 June and we flew from Heathrow to Athens and then bought a one way flight at Athens Airport to Iraklio, Crete for about 40 quid each or less. We really wanted to see Crete but didn't want to spend 11 hours on the ferry. The flight was about 40 mins.
The ferries are excellent, if a little bit humourous at times. I remember the ferry from Santorini to Folegandros via Ios. At Ios the crew and harbour staff had a heated discussion about how best to tie up the boat as it docked.
British Airways fly to Athens and we got return flights for about 150 quid.
I am strongly considering a return to Crete in September to catch the last of the sun and hit the bits I missed in June.
Gary
if you do get back to crete then avoid the north of the island - hersonnisos, stalis & malia - v.commercial nightmare.
rent a car & drive to the south west - palechora is a small town we stayed in where everything costs a fraction of what you'd pay in the north, lots of greeks on holidays from the mainland, no signs for "we serve english breakfast" - it's real greece & very beautiful.
further west from there is an amazing place called elafonnissi - no town, just a fantastic beach
roads can be a bit scary (& practically non-existent) on that side of the island but the terror of the trip is well worth it...
Gary Jarvis
25-08-2004, 18:00
if you do get back to crete then avoid the north of the island - hersonnisos, stalis & malia - v.commercial nightmare.
rent a car & drive to the south west - palechora is a small town we stayed in where everything costs a fraction of what you'd pay in the north, lots of greeks on holidays from the mainland, no signs for "we serve english breakfast" - it's real greece & very beautiful.
further west from there is an amazing place called elafonnissi - no town, just a fantastic beach
roads can be a bit scary (& practically non-existent) on that side of the island but the terror of the trip is well worth it...
Hi Pinky
Yeah we stayed in Paleohora for three days at the campsite out on the east side of town and I didn't want to leave - but from there we went to Elafonisi which was fantastic and from there up through the hills to Hania, which and back to Rethimno where we had spent our first night before going to Chora Sfakion and Palehora. Our last two nights were in Rethimno waiting for the ferry to take us to Santorini.
If I do go back then it will be to Paleohora or a town to the east of it - the name escapes me right now.
Anyhow off to pack I'm going to Ireland tomorrow.
Gary
ernestolynch
26-08-2004, 12:23
WE just got back from Rodos and Kos today. Stayed in Kos Town, Rodos Old Town, Faliraki, Pevkos, Lindos and Kos Town and I've loads of tips if anyone wants it. MAIN ONE BEING: DO NOT TRUST LONELY PLANET BOOK - its snobby, out of date, and wildly inaccurate.
Faliraki is 70% down on last year and well worth a visit - hotel with a/c, ensuite, 24 hr bar, central - 35 euro a night, not in any guide book. Lovely beaches and don't believe the BS about it being a 'hell-hole' - it made a nice 4-day beach break in amongst the moving around.
There are loads of rooms in Lindos as well - again the travel books are wrong - we stayed in the busiest week and turned up on spec and got a lovely pension (Electra) with a/c, private bath/wc, great views and terraces for 50 euro.
Stayed 2 nights in Pefkos, a few miles south of Lindos, booked through a bubble travel agent who thought Lindos was full, but it was nice as well as the beach was literally on our front door of our studio (a/c, ensuite, kitchenette). Nightlife's shit there though.
Rodos Town is two towns - Old and New. Old is nice to look at but heaving with fellow-tourists (we're all tourists, not travellers) and touts. The bars are well poncey, filled with Athenian try-hards and Italian posers, but you can find a few quiet spots. Stayed at Hotel Spot which is in the guide books, in the Jewish Quarter, for 50 euro a night, which was okay.
Kos Town is the best nightlife - a concentrated Bar Street area heaving with revellers from all over Europe, no aggro, everyone having a good time. Stayed in a Hotel and a Pension there.
Lindos is very pretty but not worthy of a stay of more than 2 nights tops....their bars are beautiful on the inside - 16th century interiors, but its too geared towards the Greek Cocktail Con, and the music is either R'n'B or Beegees type stuff.
There are rock bars in Kos Town and Rodos Town, but most of the music elsewhere is the above shite.
The Greek Cocktail Con - more cynical this year than I've seen it on my past 5 trips - shite rubbing alcohol in phoney spirits bottles - served to tourists (even to Greek ones- who are the majority, along with Italians of all nationalities in the islands) - the bottles of spirits cost 2 euros and the mark-up in bars is massive. Stick to Mythos beer or Heineken. Or get pissed on Retsina in the restaurants before you go out.
As for some of the comments above - bit generalised - Hania is lovely, and Malia has a 'Bar Street' like all resorts, but also a lovely Old Town which should not be missed, with some nice garden restaurants and bars.
Prasonissi Beach/Islet at the south of Rhodes was well worth a drive to.
Loads of restaurant/bar info if you want. I'll put up pics soon.
Yammas!
welcome back ern :) glad you had a good time.
Just east of Malia is a Minoan palace which is well worth a look...
Yossarian
20-09-2004, 12:48
Thanks to people who recommended Lindos, spent an amazing few days and nights there before heading off to the beautiful island of Tilos - very quiet and scenic with not much to do but swim at lonely beaches and wander in the hills playing 'Spot the Goat'.
flimsier
22-08-2005, 14:20
Just east of Malia is a Minoan palace which is well worth a look...
I preferred Knossos despite it being much busier. Also Hersonissos is shite in the main (Dutch/ German bar street except not busy) but a walk or land train up to the villages is great, and Malia has an amazing old village. It also has a cheap museum which is just like a traditional Greek house and had my wife going 'my grandad has stuff like that'.
I actually like pottering around Herklion a lot.
You can still drink very cheaply as long as you do it in small village tavernas.
Mostly though, we sat by the pool all day.
cyclades - naxos, santorini, paros
good mixture of beaches and bars in naxos, and thrilling views in santorini.
have you thought about Northern Aegean Islands?
Lesvos etc. Much quieter and beautiful.
http://www.greektravel.com/greekislands/index.html
Do NOT go to Athens. Its rubbish.
not sure what this is in replay to actual since the prevoius post to acjf is from last year :eek: but anyway
we (me and missue) went to greece this summer (june) and we went to the following place and realy liked them:
tinos is a lovley litle island in the cyclades that is mainly visited by greeks. it has the largest collection of chatolic mostries and churches in greek and a church dedicated to a saint that should help women get pregent.
paros is an ok place out of seson but get yoursels some transport and go around the island to find some palce not so infested with oversees tourists. we found a bay on the opposite side ot the main port town.
i quite like athens as a city to be honest. it's nicley rundown to spend a few nights in. and the acropolis is a must see!
we planed to go anafi as well. it's a of the beaten track place that you need some time to get to. you can get boats from paros to anafi.
on the whole if you're going go out of seson. it's less crowed, realy cheep and nicer i think. and i think it's better to go in september then in june since then the see will have wamed up better, we found it a litle on the cold side when on the beach.
and also get a snorkling set, it's a wonderfull past time when on the more rocky beaches ;)
marco mark
04-09-2005, 16:55
cyclades - naxos, santorini, paros
good mixture of beaches and bars in naxos, and thrilling views in santorini.
have you thought about Northern Aegean Islands?
Lesvos etc. Much quieter and beautiful.
http://www.greektravel.com/greekislands/index.html
Do NOT go to Athens. Its rubbish.
oiiiii You, what about myconos, then at least you get to meet me :D .... and athens is not rubbish if you know where to go and stay, its fab :mad: ;)
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