Greek Islands for Older Couple
 

We have always dreamed to visiting Santorni and Mykonos for about 3 days each and would plan to go in early September, hoping to have warm weather but fewer crowds. But, we do not want to be stuck in the middle of hoards of partying young adult tourists. Is there a ways to do this?

Santorini isn't that party hearty. Mykonos will still be pretty full up in early September.

I can understand Santorini for the views, but is there a particular reason why you want to visit Mykonos? At any rate, you won't see much partying unless you stay out after midnight.

Why not skip Mykonos and go to Naxos or Paros - both islands have all the charm of the others without the frenetic activity of Santorini/Mykonos.

Santorini is a huge cruise ship and honeymoon destination so the crowds in Fira during the day are fierce!

JMHO, of course!

I can only comment on Santorini however both islands do have regular cruise ship stops so are extremely busy when ships are in.
There is a way to manage these crowds. Stay just outside the big tourist attractions such as Oia and Fira. A few years ago we stayed in the tiny village of Finikia just a kilometer walk from Oia. We got up early in the morning and went to Oia and is was peaceful and quiet. About 10 o'clock 30 tour buses arrived and the hoards descended. That is when we returned to our peaceful village.
Oia is famous for sunset crowds but after the sun has gone down the tourists leave and Oia becomes quiet. Since we seldom eat until 9 o'clock it is lovely for dinner.

On anther trip we stayed in Firoestafani which is less than a kilometer walk down the clifffside path from Fira. Again we were able to time our visit to Fira to avoid the crowds. This location also give you the famous caldera views.
Images of Santoirni and Finikia.
Santorini
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632154800782/

We saw no partying when visiting Mykonos. Choose your hotel or resort carefully.
We preferred it to Santorini but best of all were Paros, Antiparos and Naxos.

If it is your dream, then you must do this! And love it you will. Most of the partying goes on in Mykonos at various beach locations, and more on the weekends than weekdays in off season. So take on Mykonos on 3 week days and leave the weekend for Santorini.

And party bars really don't get hopping until midnight.

Also, use a guidebook to find out where most of the revelry occurs, then avoid those places. If you stay in Mykonos town, while there's certainly bars and dance clubs, it's not anything like the bars and clubs around, say, Paradise Beach.