My wife and I are going to Greece on delayed honeymoon. We are going to Santorini and are planning on staying in Imerovigli at either Anastasis Apartments or Artemis Apartments. We are looking for a hotel in a relatively quiet area of the island that has great views, a pool and of course double/king sized bed. ANy recommendations?<BR><BR>We are also looking to stay on an island that is close to Athens that is more less authentic Greece (ie not too touristy) with good beaches. ANy suggestions?

At the risk of sounding like a smart aleck, if the beaches are good, and it's close to Athens, it's going to attract tourists.<BR><BR>So you'll have to think about which is more important to you - - not so good beaches, or fairly touristy, or not so close to Athens.<BR><BR>I'm not even basing this on any experience in Greece; just seems to something that would be true from basic laws of supply and demand in travel destinations.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR><BR>

Since you're already spending time on Santorini, in my opinion maybe the ultimate Greek Island, why not plan to see a little more of Athens? It gets a bum rap by people who don't really take the time to scratch below the tricky exterior. But it is one of the most fascination of locations. Also, Delphi and Meteora are both incredible places to visit.<BR><BR>If you want an island close by, Aegina, the closest of all, is a charming place with a beautiful temple at it's peak, wonderful tavernas complete with the octopi drying on the lines and even a beach or two.

Well, it is possible to see an island quite close to Athens which is authentically Greek and has good beaches: Syros. It's different from other Cyclades islands because it has a large year-round population, a bustling working port, a busy and very elegant main town which does not depend on foreign tourism (but it is a popular escape for Athenians).<BR>There's also Andros (good beaches down the west coast, but perhaps not as welcoming as other islands) and Tinos (starting to get touristy but otherwise fulfills your criteria).<BR>For more info I can recommend a site I used called<BR>www.i-escape.com/greece.php<BR>(click on Cyclades)<BR>Hydra and Aegina are much closer to Athens but not 'authentic', for reasons which Rex correctly surmised.<BR>A final option if you want to be really off-beat is the island of Evia (Euboea) which is connected to the mainland by a bridge, has high forested mountains, superb beaches especially on its rugged and rather inacessible northeast coast and is very authentic in a quiet rural way. I stayed at a 'country estate' which has been converted to tourist accommodation:<BR>www.candili.gr<BR>when I went there. Run by a lovely, very knowledgeable but slightly disorganised English man called Philip Noel-Baker.<BR>Good luck!<BR>Michael<BR>[email protected]

Thank you all for your help!! I have found a hotel in Athens that we will stay at. However, does anyone still have any feedback on the area of Imeroglivi and on the hotels Artemis and Anastasis. If someone has a better suggestion on Santorini, please leave feedback. We do not want to stay in Fira and would like something a little more quieter, but with the caldera view.<BR>Thank you again

Thank you all for your help!! I have found a hotel in Athens that we will stay at. However, does anyone still have any feedback on the area of Imerovigli and on the hotels Artemis and Anastasis. If someone has a better suggestion on Santorini, please leave feedback. We do not want to stay in Fira and would like something a little more quieter, but with the caldera view.<BR>Thank you again

Imerovigli is just a short walk from Fira, but somewhat quieter. The most beautiful place on the island to stay, in my opinion, is Oia, farther along on the same side. But if the apartments you name have views of the caldera, Im..will be fine.<BR>As to other islands--are you dead set on islands? How about trying the Peloponnesus--beautiful country, loaded with ancient sites and some beaches on the edges. Frankly, Greece has very view decent beaches. They are mostly gravel and rock. <BR>If you want just to kick back rather than see the sites, a beautiful and quiet island is Sifnos. You can get there by ferry from Athens. Or if you want more variety than just beaches, take the ferry south from Santroini to Crete.<BR>So many choices!<BR>Vera

I second Syros.<BR>When we checked out Imerovigli and Oia for wedding purposes, we thought Imerovigli on average the better accommodation (check out Petrus Hotel (name?) but choice of restaurants was really poor compared to Oia and Fira and it had a very small and rather tatty area where there was the taverna and a couple of shops. So if you want choice of places to go, I would not choose there, if you want better value (than Oia) up market accommodation, go for it.