We are arranging a trip to Greece in September and have no desire to spend time in Athens - we were there 4 years ago and couldn't leave quickly enough (except for the wonderful Parthenon and Acropolis).

Our time this year will consist of 11 complete days (not counting days of arrival and departure), and our plan is to spend the bulk, if not all of our time in Naxos (Glaros) and Santorini (Absolute Bliss)- we have also spent some previous time in Mykonos at the Mykonos Grand, which we loved, but we want new experiences this time 'round.

What is a recommended split between these two islands, and what comments does anyone have in regards to the chosen hotels?

Many thanks, as always, for any advice.

It depends on what you are interested in. Santorini is gorgeous, but IMO not all that rich in sights, beyond taking in the views and strolling the (few) lovely villages. Naxos has excellent beaches, a charming port town and some interesting little towns in the interior, hiking, and archaeological sites. So if you're looking for sightseeing opportunities, Naxos is the place to spend your time.

BTW, if you did not see the archaeological museum in Athens, you should stop in Athens at least long enough for a visit - it's incredible. I recommend an afternoon at Sounion as a very rewarding way to spend time near Athens without being <i>in</i> Athens. You should plan your last day for Athens regardless, in case there are any delays getting back from the islands. See the museum in the morning and Sounion in the afternoon and you won't resent the time there.

Arts - thank you for your response, but we will do everything we can to avoid spending even one day in Athens - I am certain that many people would disagree with me and do find Athens wonderful, but for us it just turned out to be one of those cities that one chooses to avoid at all costs.

In any event, I guess that if we are contemplating 3 or 4 full days and nights in Santorini, the real question is, is 7 days in Naxos going to be too much, and if so, what is a recommended stay in Naxos?

We want the beach, some sites and nice interesting villages to wander through.

Thanks again.

We spent three nights in Santorini last June then seven nights in Naxos. It was a perfect division of time for us as we found more to do in Naxos than Santorini although we loved our time in Santorini. In Naxos we rented an ATV and drove all over the island visiting small towns and beaches. Very enjoyable. Naxos is also much more affordable than Santorini.

Lily - thank you for your response.

Where did you stay in both locations?

In Santorini we stayed at the Delfini in Oia - small apartment with terrace with view of the Caldera for 140 Euros per night. Owner is very helpful and gracious. Would recommend this hotel to all who wish a caldera view without paying over 200 Euros. We enjoyed it very much.

In Naxos we stayed at Hotel Galini which is a budget hotel on St Georges Beach. The rooms are small but comfortable and clean. The family owners are very helpful. We paid 50 Euros per night including breakfast. Very good deal with the price.

Coming from Athens, does anyone have any advice on whether to see Naxos or Santorini first? Those will be the 2 islands we visit on a trip in late May. Is the ferry to Naxos shorter/more doable? If so, we may want to take the ferry from Athens so we can see some other islands/get our bearing on the way.
Since Santorini is so beautiful, I'm tempted to do it last so it is the last impression I'm left with before heading to Athens.
Spending 8 full days between Naxos/Santori/Athens excluding travel days.

Naxos is going to require a ferry ride. If you can se if ther are an y inexpensive flights from Athens to Santorini or from Santorini to Athens. If you can get a flight it is about 45 minutes to Santorini. From there it is a 2.5 hour ferry ride to Naxos.
If you pan to do the ferry only then it is about a 5 hour conventional ferry ride to Naxos from Athens. Think of it as a sea cruise.
We have taken the overnight ferry from Santorini back to Athens. It left at 7:30 in the evening, great sunset vies of the island and arrives back in Athens at about 4:30 in the morning. As I said if you can fly from Santotini that 45 minutes seems like a great time saver.