Crete, Naxos Combo? Recommendations please.
 

Hello, I am impressed with the wealth of information on this site! My husband and I are planning a 12-day (on-the-ground) trip to Greece in early Sept. 2023. After much research, I am leaning towards:We are interested in great food, authentic experiences, boutique accommodations, beach time, nature, and history and culture. We just returned from Israel, which was fab, but we have had our fill of archeological sites. We are not into nightlife, cruise crowds, or moving at break-neck speed. What do you think of our island selections? And what specific recommendations on these choices can you share? Accommodations? Must dos?

I appreciate any help you can provide.

I have not been to Crete but we did visit Naxos last May, and we loved our stay there. For accommodations, we stayed at the Hotel Palatia on the edge of Ag. Georgios Beach. So it's a close walk to the center of Naxos Town. Our room had a balcony overlooking the beach. Breakfast was home-cooked by the manager/owner, Manos, and cost 10 euros per person. You have a choice of eggs prepared different ways, such as fried, scrambled, or omelets. Bacon or ham, pastries, Greek yogurt, coffee and juice is included. We did this several mornings, and then another morning we ate breakfast at a nearby restaurant for a change of scenery.

https://palatiahotel.com/

One of our favorite days of the whole trip was the day we rented a car and explored Naxos. We visited mountain villages and fishing villages. We had a fresh fish and seafood lunch at Moutsouna Bay while sitting about a foot from the Aegean. Visit Temple of Demeter, Chalki, Moutsouna Bay, Apeiranthos, and Apollonas. I wish we had another day for exploring.

For a nice hotel in Chania look at Casa Delfino. Don’t miss the town market, walk along the harbor and out to the Venetian lighthouse. You can do day trips to the sec western beaches, Falasarna and Elafonisi, as different from each other as they could be. Hike Samaria Gorge.
There are many villages near Chania to explore.
Southern coast offers more options such as the villages of Sougia and Loutro but you’d need more time.

Thank you for the wonderful suggestions
 

The info provided has been helpful! Based on your guidance I just booked our hotel in Crete! Keep the suggestions coming.