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GingerKiwi Oct 4th, 2015 10:08 PM

Greek island advice
 
Hello,

My husband and I are trying to choose a Greek island to visit as part of a world trip. We will probably spend 1-2 weeks on whichever island we choose. We are looking for somewhere to really relax. Ideally we'd love to stay somewhere quiet, right on the water, with an interesting town/village that has some good, simple places to eat and some quiet streets to potter round. We are not looking for a party or for commercial beaches with lots of sun-loungers etc. In fact a beach is not essential to us - just somewhere that has nice water and swimming. The type of place where you can have fresh fish for lunch and then jump in the water straight after!

Does such a place exist? We will be in Greece around the start of June. We aren't limited to any one particular area of the islands, as we have plenty of time to get to wherever we need to go. In terms of budget I'd say we'd be at the low-moderate end of the scale. We'd like to stay somewhere small, traditional and fairly simple, and as I said preferably by the water.

Currently we are looking at Koufonisia, Kastellorizo, Halki, Astypalaia, Ikaria and Sifnos. Does anyone have any thoughts about any of these or others? Your advice would be much appreciated.

Rebecca

traveller1959 Oct 4th, 2015 10:58 PM

>>Ideally we'd love to stay somewhere quiet, right on the water, with an interesting town/village that has some good, simple places to eat and some quiet streets to potter round. The type of place where you can have fresh fish for lunch and then jump in the water straight after! <<

The small town Koroni at the southwestern tip of the Peloponnese meets your criteria:

- A charming fishing town, still authentic but with lots of waterfront restaurants at the port where you can see how the fish is brought directly from the boat to the kitchen - there is no way to get fresher fish!

- The town has a medieval castle with a working monastery inside with very friendly nuns selling you hand-made little souvenirs.

- There is a beach that is 2.75 km long, mostly sandy (with nests of sea turtles in it - no danger, they are marked with wooden sticks, but you can join the volunteer organization that sometimes inspects the nests in the early morning). The western end of the beach has small pebbles (which I prefer over sand).

- Along the beach there are just three or four very small hotels, barely visible because hidden in the vegetation.

- We stayed at "Koroni Village", a small hotel (10 rooms or so) 80m away from the beach. Koroni Village has in fact two-room suites with kitchens and a/c surrounded by a lush tropical garden. The owners are very nice people. Prices are 50 or 60 Euros per night in high season, less in September. http://www.koronivillage.gr/

- At the section of beach where Koroni Village is located, there is a beach restaurant called "Limanaki". They serve food all day from breakfast to dinner, traditional Greek fare of good quality, cooked by Mama (while the daughters do the service). They have a few loungers, but they are free (you are expected to order a drink or have a meal during the day).

- Water temps had been 29°C in early September. Even in January it does not get colder than 20°C. At this beach, there is nothing nasty in the waters - no sea urchins, no jellyfish, no sharks - but you will see lots of multicoloured fish.

- If you get bored with lounging at the beach and strolling through town, what about a daytrip to
--- Ancient Messene - one of the best archeological sites in whole Greece - with an excellent theatre and the best stadium.
--- Methoni with a most impressive Venetian castle.
--- Pylos/Navarino Bay with world-class natural beaches.

traveller1959 Oct 4th, 2015 11:09 PM

We loved Koroni Village, but on booking.com you find more accomodation.

A most unusual hotel is the "Paradies" right on the beach:

http://www.koroni.biz/Paradies.html

The website is in German only (the owners are German) but you can use automatic translation. And if you contact the owners they speak English.

BTW, to reach Koroni, you fly into Athens and rent a car there and drive to Koroni (3.5 hours) or you fly with Aegean Airlines (a Star Alliance member) into Kalamata and drive from there to Koroni (1 hour).

Rubicund Oct 5th, 2015 02:15 AM

I'd recommend Corfu, especially if you stay in one of the villages around the north east to north coast. Have a look at Apraos or Roda as they certainly tick all of the boxes you wanted and it won't take more than an hour or so to get there from the airport.

Apraos is a smaller place with a quieter centre, but still a choice of cafes and restaurants, with some apartments and hotels. Roda is a little larger and again with all of your requirements.

You can get into Corfu town easily, which is worth seeing and avoid the southern end of the island where the younger people enjoy their nightlife.

travelerjan Oct 5th, 2015 06:31 AM

I have stayed in Sifnos in June, there is NO better time ... it's still a bit offseason, so on the beaches, some of the tavernas will not be open yet, but Platy Gialos, a v. nice beach, will be liveliest. For night life, more will be going on up in the Hilltown of Appollonia.

I suppose Corfu is nice if you can stay away from the "resorts" that have developed for UK tourism, but it is so far north, the water will be VERY chilly!

The recommendation for Koroni is in the right direction, and I have a suggestion that may be your actual dream place ... it is my secret Eden, the first of June. When I've had a busy trip showing friends around the islands I have happily waved them off on a plane and then quicky get a bus to a place just north of Pilos (see above). The town of Gialova is about 3 blocks long with 3 hotels & about 8 tavernas. My cherished choice is Hotel Zoe http://www.zoeresort.com (the website says "Resort" but thank goodness it isn't); its really a family-run hotel directly on a Stunning golden sand beach, with a grove of low palm trees for shade. (The current manager is multilingual college grad Zoe; her grandfather named the place for her).

The website shows more of its "apartments" building back from the water, but the treasure is the original building nearest the sea, with canvas-awning balconies, that look thru the palms to turquoise water. In June it's half full, very quiet .. the website shows lots of sunbrellas, but really in June, not many people ... you can walk for miles up the beach, nothing there but a campsite. You're just 3 miles from the biggest bird sanctuary & wildlife habitat in Greece, plus castles & ruins galore if u wish. The owners are active conservationists who've helped protect this area from exploiters.

Hotel Zoe is right by the village "pier," no boats (except the fishing boats that come in early with their catch & then leave) .. but local people park there. At 5 pm, Greek daddies appear with delighted children to frolic in the shallows for an hour or so. At sunset, when you're thinking "fish dinner" lanterns turn on in the palm grove, and your table is waiting. During the day, cushioned basket chairs in the shade beckon you to read that novel. Bliss. When I was there last, June '13 my room was E55.

If you want to wander about, just 10 Km away is Pilos, charming, with a great town plaza facing the sea (it was designed by the french). Chic shops, restaurants etc ... and as others have said, Ancient Messine is not far away, plus the Mani Peninsula for day trips.

To get there from Athens, Fastest way is a domestic flight from ATH airport to Kalamata, then you can rent a car. You can also bus to Gialova, then only rent a car (hotel can arrange) when you're ready to explore the area.

stanbr Oct 5th, 2015 07:37 AM

While there is lots of merit to the suggestions by travelers 1959 and Jan the request was for an island. The whole area of teh south west Peloponnese feels like an island so I endorse the suggestions around Koroni.
Here are images of the area. we were particularly interested in Venetian era castles.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7645468134284/

If you are willing to drop the island and are willing to stay on the mainland then Nafplio is a good place to base yourself with lots of interesting historical sites nearby. Nafplio feels like it is on an island too.
Nafplio and Peloponnese http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632094108982/


It looks to me that your research has identified several small islands. We have not visited these islands as we prefer a slightly larger island with great beaches, mountain villages, a delightful main town with antiquities, a kastro and lots of choice of good hotels on the beach. I am referring to Naxos.
St George Beach Naxos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632113170279/
Naxos Mountains and Villages http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632110674306/
Naxos Town http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632094558042/
A week in Naxos https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7645113682278/

traveller1959 Oct 5th, 2015 08:01 AM

It is not what OP really wants because it is in the upper price range and there is no town in walking distance, but this hotel on the Peloponnes is a dream:

http://www.maredei.gr/

It has just 26 rooms (all of them suites), excellent cuisine and a beach which is almost private. There even is a cove at the beach where you find a healing mud of volcanic origin.

A piece of garden Eden.

Re: Island. Peloponnes is a peninsula with a very small bridge - the Isthmos - to the mainland. So it is practically an island but with better traffic connections than most "real" islands which have limited opportunities. Many Fodorites think because Greece has so many islands they must stay on an island, but the peninsula is just as good.

GingerKiwi Oct 5th, 2015 09:15 PM

Thanks so much for your suggestions! And especially for posting photos - I really appreciate the effort. To be honest all the places mentioned sound lovely. We will definitely consider mainland Greece as well as the islands. Still keen to hear from anyone who has been to any of the places I mentioned in my original post though :)

Heimdall Oct 6th, 2015 12:15 AM

<i>"Currently we are looking at Koufonisia, Kastellorizo, Halki, Astypalaia, Ikaria and Sifnos."</i>

Is that your shortlist after having done extensive research? They are all so different, I can't get a handle on what you are really looking for. Two are in the Cyclades, and the rest in the Dodecanese, some requiring long ferry trips via larger islands or a combination of air/ferry travel.

Koufonissi will start to get busy from around mid-June when the Scandinavian schools start their summer breaks, and doesn't have much to offer apart from the beaches. Kastellorizo's main claim to fame is the fact that it's the furthest island from mainland Greece, but only a mile or two from the Turkish coast.

I think the Peloponnese is the best suggestion so far. There are many peaceful seaside towns near Kalamata, which is only 2 hrs by express bus from Athens. The coastline of Messenia and Laconia is dotted with lovely towns, and there are mountains and historic sights nearby. A week or two on a very small island may sound idyllic, but you could be bored to tears after a few days.

PetrosB3 Oct 6th, 2015 03:55 AM

As a Greek I have been to most of the Greek islands (we go every summer to a new one), and I think I know which islands are ideal for you.

-Patmos: This small island, often called the island of the Apocalypse, is one of the most worth seeing secrets in the Aegean. The main-town (Chora) of Patmos has been declared a UNESCO site, along with the Monastery of Saint John that crowns the town. The Chora is full of white alleys, churches and small squares. It has some great boutique shops, bars, restaurants and boutique hotels. The atmosphere is tranquil and elegant here. Only quality tourists come to Patmos, you won't find any booze-thirsty teens on the island. It has some beautiful sandy beaches to go, and interesting villages and monasteries all over the island. Patmos is also a Christian pilgrimage site as John the Apostle was exiled here, and wrote one of the most important books of Christianity, the Book of Revelation. You can visit also the Cave of the Apocalypse where John had his visions, and is the place where God spoke to him. A very beautiful and interesting island in all aspects, totally recommended for relaxing.

The other two islands I recommend you are Folegandros and Kastellorizo. If you want any information on that I will give you, they are spectacular islands.

GingerKiwi Oct 6th, 2015 08:51 PM

Patmos sounds lovely! Thanks heaps for the suggestion. I would love to hear more about Folegandros and Kastellorizo if you have the time to tell me!
We are definitely not discounting the idea of a stay on mainland Greece, but if we can find an island that we like the sound of (quiet, small village/town with a few interesting things to do, accommodation by the water, nice water/swimming, good, simple food) that would probably be our preference. We will be arriving in Greece after 3 months of travelling, so we truly are looking to just relax and not do much for a week or so!
I do have one more question, which probably relates mostly to the Dodecanese islands that we've been discussing. Has anyone had recent experience of what the refugee situation is like on those islands? That would be very useful to know, so we can take it into account.

Heimdall Oct 6th, 2015 11:23 PM

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2013...o-kastelorizo/

PetrosB3 Oct 7th, 2015 05:09 AM

-Folegandros: Another small island with a gorgeous Chora. Folegandros is considered the most romantic island in the Aegean, it's like a Santorini but more traditional and with much less tourists. The Chora is one of my favourite in Greece, white washed houses, blue balconies, bougainvilles, small squares with tavernas and an amazing view of the Aegean as the town is built on a cliff. The sunset from the cliff-town is a total must, watching the Horizon turning purple and red and the sun slowly diving in the Aegean while the sea-breeze hits you is somthing you will remember. One of the main attractions of the island is the Church of Panagia, which is built on top of the ancient temple of Folegandros. There is also an ancient cave, Chrysospilia, in which unknown ancient rituals were taking place there. You will see ancient names in the walls of the cave, from 5th century BC. The town has nice restaurants and tavernas, and ofcourse bars and sophisticated shops, the island is also a quality-tourism destination. The local cuisine has very fresh products from the island, and the speciality if "matsata", a traditional handmade pasta dish with tomato-sauce boiled rooster topped with local cheese. Folegandros also has some beautiful beaches, like Katergo which has small stones and turquoise water, or Agali which has sand and also turquoise water. Very beautiful island, it's a gem that the tourists have not discovered yet.

Here is a very recent article of the New York Times on Folegandros:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/tr...ades.html?_r=0

The Chora:
1)http://www.thetoc.gr/images/articles...29181.w_hr.jpg
2)http://www.ellada.net/portal/assets/...reas/532_2.jpg
3)https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--.../DSC_29241.jpg
4)http://www.lovetotravel.gr/contentfi...os_hotel_1.jpg

The Panagia Church: http://www.lovetotravel.gr/contentfi...os_hotel_1.jpg

The Chrysospilia Cave: http://bloominblue.weebly.com/upload...09262_orig.jpg

Katergo Beach: https://sxoliastesxwrissynora.files....ros-greece.jpg

Agali Beach: http://files.reseguiden.se/files/m62...and-980466.jpg

And some Folegandrian food: http://greek-islands.me/wp-content/g...r_food_800.jpg

I will write for Kastellorizo later, hope you found helpful the description for Folegandros :)

GingerKiwi Oct 7th, 2015 01:52 PM

Your descriptions are fantastic! Folegandros sounds absolutely beautiful - as you say, a bit like Santorini, but quieter. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell me about it. Can't wait to hear about Kastellorizo now :)

followthesun Feb 21st, 2016 11:27 PM

I would like to tell you about Ikaria island since I don't think anyone has mentioned it so far, although it fits all your criteria perfectly :) I don't know if you are still out looking for a destination, but if you do, check this out!

Ikaria is far from mainstream tourism, there are no 5 star hotels, fancy beaches or expensive bars but untouched natural beauty and a unique culture with a free spirit. If you come in June chances are that you find yourself on the beach alone. If you want to stay by the water I'd recommend you to check out the fishing villages of Armenistis, Gialiskari and Nas on the north side of the island. Armenistis is a lovely small village with tiny streets and great Greek food. There is a small beach right there but I'd rather recommend you to rent a bike or a car and discover the wide sandy beach of Messakti at Gialiskari or the hidden beach by the foot of the mountain at Nas. Watching the sunset during a fish dinner at Nas is priceless.

Let the pictures speak for themselves:
https://www.instagram.com/discoverikaria/
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ikaria/
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ikariaisland/

You wrote that you don't want a party but I still would like to mention the famous panigiria of Ikaria which might make you change your mind. These are village festivals during the summer where people dance to Greek live music, have good food and wine. In June these are still mostly attended by the locals so one can have a real panigiri experience :)

Here is a video of the traditional dance of the island, the Ikariotiko:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecEHfoVHmKw

Ikaria has also several paths suitable for hiking along rivers, waterfalls, waterpools (great for a bath during summer), through canyons, forests and plateaus.

If you are interested in walking tours and other local activities I recommend you to visit the site https://www.discoverikaria.com
They do guiding, organize all kinds of programs and they have a big love for nature and Ikaria.

I wish you a nice trip whereever it may be!

stevelyon Feb 21st, 2016 11:46 PM

Great advice for bookmarking.


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