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Best Island for the Golden Girls
4 mid 50's ladies who have been friends since first freshmen year in college, back in the dark ages when you took notes with pen and paper. ;) We supported each other through marriages, divorces, births, deaths, breast cancer and knee replacements and now sliding into retirement. Last year after the death of our 5th partner at a too early age we decided that every year we would take a trip together. Out of this whole wide world where is the first place we pick?? lol Disneyworld
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a253be1fe6.jpg Animal kingdom anyhoo, this year we're off to Greece. We only have 7 days so we decided on 3 days in Athens and 4 days on an Island. To that end I'd like your opinion on which one of the myrid of islands in Greece should we hit. We are planning on the last week in August or the first week in September. We definitely positively want to hit the beaches. We'd like a bit of nightlife. we're not Dance diva's but we don't want to go to bed at 9 pm. Would like to be able to grab a nice late night cocktail. Suggestions. |
One of the best of the Greek Islands is Naxos which is rather easy to get to from Piraeus . . . either ferry or flight. It has something for everyone. I think the first week of Sept. may be a good time as it's just about the end of High Season so there'll be less tourists, lower prices and still great weather.
St. George Beach would be a good choice to stay as it's a short walk to Naxos Town with lots of shops, markets, and tavernas and there is a nice town square at St. George with lots of options too. There are many other Greek Islands to recommend and you'll probably get more opinions, but Naxos is not over-the-top like some of the better known islands and you can find lots to explore as it's the largest of the Cyclades Islands. |
Sorry don't know a thing about Greece, but LOVE the photo. That's really helpful to get the "feel" of your fun group. I wish more people would start doing that! Have a blast!
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Girls. you are going to Looove Naxos. Don't let others lure you away to $$$$ places pestered with Cruise Mobs. If you stay on St. George Beach, you can have lovely balconies looking at the water (it's a shallow beach but its a quickie bus ride out to Divine Beaches like Plaka & Ag. Prokopios). From St. G, u walk 15 mins to all the delights of port town -- shops, tavernas (restaurants), cafes, music bars, clubs... and flagstone maze-like paths up to the tippy=top where there's a Fab Medieval Castle, Venetian manors (& weekly concerts). You won't need a car, except for maybe 1 day to whirl all around the island, see the dramatic inland scenery (hillside villages, marble-paved streets, ancient ruins, and Farms!). Or u can do this via good local half-day bus tours. And Did I mentiom the village wine festivals in Early Sept?
Since your trip will be so CRUELLY short, you must be very time-efficient, and Greece isn't as easy to bop around in quickly as Northern Europe. SO -- do NOT do Athens first, since u will have to be there for yr last night anyway. Here's the skinny: book on airlines that go non-stop from N. America - Athens. Thats Delta, AA, Air Canada, UAE (Newark). All leave late aft, arrive ATH between 9 - 11 am. All other connex don't arrive until afternoon... and u then have few /no options for island connection, thus lose a whole day. (yes the 4 named will cost more but u know the old saying; if u don't have the time u must spend the money!!). U want to be on Naxos for that 1st glorious sunset... worth it. Here are a couple of photo albums to whet your appetite: Aegean Air domestic flights usually have a period early in the year where they offer "promotional fares." use this link to sign up for A's e-mail "newsletter" https://aegeanairlines.custhelp.com/.../302/related/1 to be alerted... if you act promptly u can book a flight for €50 or so. If u want to ferry back to Athens, ferry is about €38. and takes 5.5 hours. If u do that, take the 6pm ferry so u won't eat up the whole middle of the day (9:30-3)wi8th the earlier sailing. You get a whole extra afternoon on the beach (u wd have to check out at noon, but landlady will stow your bags behind reception, and let u use a spare powder room to change into travel duds. Trust me; i've done it). Naxos is very good bet for you... it's not for teens, but for Grownups who still know how to have fun. Just ask me; I've got a new knee too, and I never end the night early on Naxos! |
Travelerjan, you hooked me. Great information for a future trip.
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I haven't been to many Greek islands, but Naxos came to my mind, too. You might find some useful information in my trip report; Naxos starts at post # 109; Athens at post # 181.
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...reece-1460735/ Hope that helps! |
THose photo links may not be correct -- one of them seemed to segue into Hawaii fotos here are the actual links
-- Trip arond Naxos - |
@ travelerjan: Something is definitely wrong. I have my settings set to avoid photos, and yours are showing up both times! At least they are lovely. :)
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>>THose photo links may not be correct -- one of them seemed to segue into Hawaii fotos . . .<<
Not for me - the first pictures are the same as the the 2nd ones you posted. And clicking through a lot of both photo albums in the first post didn't get to any of Hawaii. Lovely photos. |
@ janisj: On an entirely different matter (sorry for the disruption, Eliza61), I have confidence in you! You -- we! -- can find a way to manage.
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kja: we can be each other's support group ;)
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@ janisj: Sounds like a plan!
@ Eliza61: Again, apologies. |
Fly to an island and you can get anywhere from Athens in less than an hour. Think about Rhodes, which has everything you are looking for. Naxos is nice, I’ve been there several times, but wouldn’t pick it for my one and only island in Greece. Wherever you decide to go, get a connecting flight to the island first, saving Athens for last. Rhodes has flights from Athens with regional jets, while Naxos is served by small turboprops.
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Gorgeous!! Have an awesome time. Hope you partay like never before :)
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Most of the above posters who recommended Naxos have only been there during the European school year, which for most countries runs from the second week of September until July. Obviously there aren’t many families with children on Naxos during periods when they are in school. Naxos is the ultimate family island, and I almost choked on my breakfast when I read travelerjan’s comment that Naxos “isn’t for teens”. It will be crawling with teens and younger children at the end of August and begining of September, but perhaps you won’t mind that since you chose Disneyworld for your first trip together.
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Originally Posted by travelerjan
(Post 16829135)
Girls. you are going to Looove Naxos. Don't let others lure you away to $$$$ places pestered with Cruise Mobs. If you stay on St. George Beach, you can have lovely balconies looking at the water (it's a shallow beach but its a quickie bus ride out to Divine Beaches like Plaka & Ag. Prokopios). From St. G, u walk 15 mins to all the delights of port town -- shops, tavernas (restaurants), cafes, music bars, clubs... and flagstone maze-like paths up to the tippy=top where there's a Fab Medieval Castle, Venetian manors (& weekly concerts). You won't need a car, except for maybe 1 day to whirl all around the island, see the dramatic inland scenery (hillside villages, marble-paved streets, ancient ruins, and Farms!). Or u can do this via good local half-day bus tours. And Did I mentiom the village wine festivals in Early Sept?
Since your trip will be so CRUELLY short, you must be very time-efficient, and Greece isn't as easy to bop around in quickly as Northern Europe. SO -- do NOT do Athens first, since u will have to be there for yr last night anyway. Here's the skinny: book on airlines that go non-stop from N. America - Athens. Thats Delta, AA, Air Canada, UAE (Newark). All leave late aft, arrive ATH between 9 - 11 am. All other connex don't arrive until afternoon... and u then have few /no options for island connection, thus lose a whole day. (yes the 4 named will cost more but u know the old saying; if u don't have the time u must spend the money!!). U want to be on Naxos for that 1st glorious sunset... worth it. Here are a couple of photo albums to whet your appetite: Trip Around Naxos Greece Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...57656336387898 Aegean Air domestic flights usually have a period early in the year where they offer "promotional fares." use this link to sign up for A's e-mail "newsletter" https://aegeanairlines.custhelp.com/.../302/related/1 to be alerted... if you act promptly u can book a flight for €50 or so. If u want to ferry back to Athens, ferry is about €38. and takes 5.5 hours. If u do that, take the 6pm ferry so u won't eat up the whole middle of the day (9:30-3)wi8th the earlier sailing. You get a whole extra afternoon on the beach (u wd have to check out at noon, but landlady will stow your bags behind reception, and let u use a spare powder room to change into travel duds. Trust me; i've done it). Naxos is very good bet for you... it's not for teens, but for Grownups who still know how to have fun. Just ask me; I've got a new knee too, and I never end the night early on Naxos! ps, we accept all knee replacement recipients that still love to have fun!!;) |
Originally Posted by kja
(Post 16829254)
I haven't been to many Greek islands, but Naxos came to my mind, too. You might find some useful information in my trip report; Naxos starts at post # 109; Athens at post # 181.
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...reece-1460735/ Hope that helps! Thank you |
Originally Posted by eliza61
(Post 16829428)
OMG thank you for the information and the tips.
ps, we accept all knee replacement recipients that still love to have fun!!;) That would be me! Plus two hips! I have no advice but just want to cheer you on. What a lovely partnership. It’s going to be a great trip! |
Hi girls!!
Loved your picture! You wrote: To that end I'd like your opinion on which one of the myriad of islands in Greece should we hit. We are planning on the last week in August or the first week in September. I can't tell you which island would be best, but I can tell you that the first week of September will be far better than the last week of August! Lots less tourists! |
Responding to Heimdall, I fully acknowledge that I misspoke... What I Meant to convey actually is that Naxos doesn't attract throngs of party-hearty collegians or UK footie gangs, any big beer-keg scenes, rowdy all-nighters Instead, in fact Naxos IS good for teens, because it's a family-friendly island that is plenty safe, so that children from 13- 18 or so (the age when they Do Not Want to be around Parents!), can have a lot of freedom to roam around a bit on their own... so you will see, during the June-end of August period, teens wandering together, clustering at beaches, at the Hugely popular icecream place, Waffle House, and (at least back a few years) at some video-game parlors. Of course if u go 1st week of Sept, almost all school-age kids will be gone except the locals.
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