Naxos, Paros, Santorini and ???
 

Hi there,
I've got two weeks in mid-September to explore some Greek Islands, and I would appreciate some suggestions on narrowing the choices.
My husband and I will be flying home from Santorini, so the trip will end with four nights there. That leaves me 14 nights to fill in the Cyclades.
We're interested in quieter locales with good swimming nearby (from rocks or beaches), small towns or villages and great hiking. Renting a car would be okay, but I'd prefer local transport, walking or bike rental.
We like to stay at least four nights in each place. Initial research suggests Naxos and Paros are must-sees. But what about a third choice? Folegrando? Sikinos? Milos?
Finally, what's the most practical order of visiting them?
Many thanks in advance for your help.

Check out Nafplio or Milos. My husband and I are going in August and I've done a ton of research and had lots of great input from the folks here. We are doing Santorini, Naxos, Nafplio and Athens. We are hikers and I heard mixed review on hiking in Milos.

Hope that helps!

For Paros, stay in Naoussa which fits your requirements perfectly.
Napflion on tne Peloponnesian Pen is also wonderful.

If you'd like to stay in the Cyclades, Folegandros would be a great last stop before Santorini. It's a nice contrast to Santorini and so relaxing!

Paros and Naxos are along the slow ferry lines from Piraeus to Santorini (Bluestarferries and Hellenic Seaways). Both are fine. So is Antiparos, a short bus and ferry ride from Paros.
The small Cycladic Islands (Iraklia, Koufonissi, Schinoussa, Amorgos) are linked to Naxos by almost daily slow ferries.

Many other Islands are linked to either Naxos or Santorini by sometimes not daily catamarans: Mykonos, Folegandros, Milos, Kithnos, Serifos, Crete.....

Don't be put off by neckervd's use of the term "slow ferry lines". The modern conventional ferries, e.g. Blue Star, are nearly as fast as the highspeeds, and offer more comfort. The difference in speed is only about 26 knots (30 mph) and 36 knots (41 mph), and they both have to slow down as they near the port. Given the choice I would always pick Blue Star before highspeeds.

Thanks, everyone.
The Peloponnesian Peninsula looks amazing, but I think I'll save it for another trip in order to keep our travel between island destinations to a minimum.
So does it makes sense to go in this order: Paros, Naxos and then Milos or Folegrandos before ending up in Santorini? Is there one island worth more time? Less time?
Thanks again for the great advice.

Four islands in 14 days is a lot, especially when it takes a Minimum of half-a day to change islands ... even isles so close that from a beach (Naxos) you can see anoher (paros). And don't you want to spend 2 days in Athens?? The Parthenon has been waiting for 2400 years to wow you, you should at least give it an hour! So give Athens at least the first FULL day, before you leave for the islands... i'd argue for 2... so that makes it 13 days ... and if you are counting arrival day (unless you arrive before 10 AM), dont, and never count departure day... its all about breakfast, check-out & getting to airport. So is it 13 days or 12? NOTE: you say looking for quiet locales; ALL islands will be quiet in Mid-late Sept except Santorini.

Which island to eliminate depends on several factors - your stated activity interests, your preference for walking, local bus or cycling. MOST important -- can ferries get you from one to the other?? Mid-September the schedule falls away and you have a big problem ... Santorini is the "Link" between Naxos-Paros and Folegandros or Milos, so it should be in the Middle; instead, you've got it at the end ... so you may have to make a quickie several-hour stop to get from one side to the other. I.e. - fly to MILOS - sail to Santorini, transfer to Blue star to Naxos, then Paros. OR -- ferry/fly to PAROS, then Naxos, then Santorini transfer to Milos then back for final 4 days.

The best Ferry website -- gtp.gr -- is a mine of info, but won't yet have skeds for Folegandros or Milos end. TO find out what the "usual pattern of service is", you can use http://www.openseas.gr/en/index.html on its Departure slot, there's a calendar with a "rollback" feature, so you can see what sailings there were on, say, the 3rd Tuesday of September. Not foolproof but a good indication.

Both PAROS & NAXOS have good beaches, Naxos has great hikes, Paros only a couple. Public transport is good on each, cycling is limited. FOLEY has a Gorgeous "Postcard" Chora (high town) to stay in, not much to do, especially in Mid-Sept. Bus transport to OK beaches (no amenities) is limited in summer, and n Mid=sept? A good walk from Chora to high church, otherwise... u have to drive to get to good hikes. MILOS has v. lame bus network; 22 lovely beaches but u need to rent car or 4x4 to reach. You can bus to High Town, and walk down, a nice hour. In Mid-Sept would have to stay in port town (Adamas) to have choice of tavernas and any night life. The Big Treat in Milos are the half-round sails around rim of island, stopping for picnics & swims ... IF these trips are still operating.

You should already have decided between the 2 if you'd looked at a good guide book with Details (not just the ones with pretty pictures), which give all above info. Internet sites don't provide candor. Check out the library, and you'll find some facts like above to aid your decision.

Have you checked out greecetravel.com? We went to Greece in 2005. I used Matt Barrett's Greecetravel site for much of my planning. Granted that was 12 years ago & travel info on the internet is now more abundant. However, I found a lot of great advice on his site. We had 12 days; 3 Athens, 3 Paros, & 4 Santorini. I considered Naxos, but Paros won out. We were very happy with our intineray! Paros was delightful and Santorini was amazing. We stayed in Oia in a cliff type inn. Lots of stairs! All in all it was a very memorable trip. Enjoy!!

The only problem with combining Paros/Naxos with Milos or Folegrandos is that they are on opposite sides of Santorini, so would involve some backtracking if you want to end up in Santorini.

You could easily fill 14 days just on Paros and Naxos, maybe spending part of that time on Antiparos, which has lots of quiet beaches, some of the best reached by hiking.

From Antiparos you can even reach some uninhabited islands for more hiking all on your own. Despotiko can be reached by taxi boat from Agios Georgios. It has an archeological site and some great beaches. Another uninhabited island (except for sheep) is Diplo, which can be reached by wading and a short swim from the Camping Beach at the northern tip of Antiparos. Bring some sandals and you can walk around in complete solitude, unless a yachtie has anchored off one of the coves.

My thoughts exactly Heimdall. Transportation logistics are easy from Paros to Naxos to Santorini. Milos and Folegrandos require the small Seajet ferries and they are always late and somewhat unreliable.
I would just do the three easy island hops Paros, Naxos, Santorini.
Here are some images.

Naxos Town http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632094558042/
Trip around Naxos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7634605629689/

Antiparos http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632126687570/

Santorini http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632154800782/

Again, many thanks to you all for your invaluable suggestions. Yes, I've now equipped myself with a load of library books, so they're helping with the planning as well.
travelerjan -- you bet we're going to Athens. We'll spend four nights there and then do an overnight stay in Meteora and see Delphi before we move on to the islands.. Then we have an additional 18 nights , including 4 already booked in an Oia cave. Thank you for reminding me of the seasonal limitations we may face in Sept.
fluff224 -- I will check out that site. Thanks!
stanbr -- thanks for the visual motivation. Gorgeous.
Heimdall -- wise advice to stick to Paros, Naxos and Antiparos. Given our transportation restrictions, that sounds like a good plan.
Cheers!

Just a heads up about cave rooms on Santorini. We found ours claustrophobic, damp in rear part of room. We stayed at Esperas in Oia.

Swanny, it would have been SO much clearer if from the beginning you'd clarified how much time u would have -- then we wouldn't have had to fret about you missing something on limited time. It NEVER hurts to lay out ALL the key details up front so we don't guess incorrectly.

Hi travelerjan
I did say in the original post that I had 14 days to fill in the Greek Islands -- not Greece, generally -- and specifically the Cyclades, beyond the 4 nights being spent on Santorini.
Sorry that wasn't clear. All your good advice and that of others still stands. Thanks again.

Ah ... but I wasn't clear that Athens was covered BEFORE the 14 days, that's what. I'm relieved!

Please be aware of professional pickpocket gangs on the Athens Metro, particularly on the airport line. Pick pocket proof pants were even pilfered! A money belt is better.

Another vote for Antiparos if you want to add a 4th island.

Bookmarking

Thanks, everyone. If I could lean on you a bit further.
So does this breakdown seem sensible?
Naxos: 5 nights
Paros: 5 nights
Antiparos: 4 nights
Santorini:4 nights

Is that too few nights on Santorini? It's the priciest one, but if it's worth another night, I'll cringe and go for it.
For Antiparos, the Dolphin suites near Agios Georgios look nice but would a car be required?
We love to stay in quieter locales, with swimming and walking close by.

It's the bare minimum for Santorini.

Yes, you'll definitely need a car if you book the Dolphin Suites. It's quite far from the village center.

I'd stay nearer the port area in September... you say you want quiet locales, but in September there isn't any "Noisy" locale, and you 'll find more going on there ... The port is tiny, and there are several nice places overlooking it, across a curving bay. Heimdall's favorite is Mike's place. I stayed next door in what is now ?? Sunday Hotel?? has a restaurant ... several beaches an easy walk on the other end of the town stretch and down a slight hill.

As for walks, the seafront is the start of the "Agora" (market lane) tdhat leads right from the pier to the center of island, where there's a very atmospheric square with cafes, where old guys with mustaches hang out playing cards, then a central "fort" dating back from Pirate days, then the lane (flagstoned & lovely) continues thru a quiet residential area all the way to the west beach for glorious sunsets (almost no buildings on that beach, due to fierce gales at certain times of year)

Thanks, brotherleelove and traveljan! I've since increased the nights on Santorini to 5 (and will reduce Antiparos to 3).
And I'll take your advice, traveljan, and stay close to the port on Antiparos.
Thanks again!

Dolphin on Antiparos is at the most beautiful part of Antiparos, Agios Georgios, passing by some amazing villas, one of them owned by the actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. It's also the hopping off point for trips to uninhabited Despotiko, where an archaeological site is being developed into an open museum.

One of the best restaurants on the island, Captain Pepinos, is located at Agios Georgios. Yes, you will need a car if you stay there, but the trip into town is only 6 miles on a paved road, taking about 10-15 minutes. I do like to stay in town myself, but wonder if, since you will be staying in three busier islands you might enjoy the contrast of Dolphin's idyllic location.

If you decide to stay in town, a hotel comparable to Dolphin is Kastro Apartments, which has a pool and sits on a hill with views over the sea to Paros. It's about 5 minutes walk to the nearest beach, Psaraliki II, which is my favourite.
www.kastro.net

A good overview of the island can be found on Dutchman Hans Huisman's website: http://www.angelfire.com/super2/greece/antiparos.html. The photo of Hans and his friend sitting with Lilian, owner of Mike's Place, is one I took myself. I was amused to see that my Robin Lane Fox book, which I had set down on the table, appears in the photo. ;-)

Travelerjan, I don't recall, did you make it to Agios Georgios, where Dolphin is located, during your stay on Antiparos?

Milos is great for couples and very romantic, its very "chill" and you will be able to relax! If you have time you should definitely visit! Don't fall in must-see visits, if you want to relax visit less known islands because popular destinations will be overcrowded!

<i>" if you want to relax visit less known islands because popular destinations will be overcrowded!</i>

Not in mid-September, tonib. All the islands on the OP's list, with the exception of Santorini, will be quiet by then.

Heimdall, many thanks for mentioning Kastro; I'd mentally tagged that as so attractive & wanted to bookmark but had forgotten the name (brain-fog).

Nope, didn't get to Agio Georgios, and regretted not doing so, I'd heard it was SO lovely -- I just got too busy showing my "newbie" around, and then socializing w Stanbr & spouse & suddenly time was up. Since I don't drive right now, I'd have to taxi there, but everything is so reasonable on Antiparos, why not. This year, Greece isn't in the cards for me (mystery exhaustion syndrome my MDs are working on), but I'm hopeful for 2018 and -- since I'm not squiring newbie travel pals to Famous Sights anymore -- I'll just indulge myself with a relaxing Antiparos stay.

I've never stayed at Kastro, but have chatted with owner Magda and some highly satisfied guests, including a retired US Army Infantry colonel. The pool is newish, maybe about five years old. The hotel is on the opposite side of town from Mike's, Sunday Hotel, etc in a quiet location, but only a few minutes walk from Kastro Square. I was very impressed with what I saw on my visit to the hotel.

There are buses to Agios Georgios that leave from near the Pounta ferry docks, with a hand-printed timetable on a whiteboard. They run frequently during high season, but not often enough for someone staying there in mid-September. It's easy to go there for a few hours in the morning or afternoon, as long as you don't miss the last bus. There has never been a taxi on the island, but I've heard someone applied for a taxi license last year. Antiparos has several car rental agencies along the harbour, which require an IDP (from AAA) for US driver's license holders.

Unfortunately, travelerjan, we are both getting older, with the ailments that go along with it. I haven't decided yet whether I will go to Greece this year, and if I do it will be a last minute decision. My future travels from the UK where I live will be mostly visits to my family in Wisconsin and in-laws in Cape Town, South Africa (if only the beaches in Greece were as nice as those in Cape Town, or if the water there was as warm as in Greece!).

Thank you for sharing your experiences and suggestions. It's these kinds of tips and reminders that help motivate me to keep travelling as much as possible for as long as I/we can. We're starting this trip with a three-week hike along England's South West Coast Path, so a little downtime on the Greek Islands will be a nice balance.
You've all provided some wonderful ideas for places to stay in Antiparos and Paros. Any suggestions for hotels or apartments in Naxos? I was weighing staying near Plaka for the swimming, but it may be a little remote in September.
If this trail is getting too long, I can start a new one.
All the best of health to you, travelerjan and Heimdall, and everyone else.

Oh swanny, you are too cruel! I was just reading in the NY Times about the wonderful walks in the Cotswolds, from one country pub to another, something I've ALWAYS wanted to do! And realizing with a sigh, that it's not gonna happen, my gimpy left knee would howl at those stiles!

Heimdall, I hope you get to your family visits ... It was thanks to my terrific son & his new car that this year I managed the "Sibling Bermuda Triangle" ---so-called because one can get stuck & never reappear -- Indiana to Louisville to Ohio. Now my chief hope is a late-Spring week to UK ... a few days in London & a side-trip to Cambridge to visit a dear e-mail pal who doesn't travel anymore because his wife's not able. He's a retired prof and a fellow Cretophile, he & I met thru Fodors & TA back in 2004 or so, and have been trading verbose e-mails and exchanging books ever since! The internet has its flaws but it has brought me wonderful friendships of shared interests.
.... Including you I hope.

Have fun in Cambridge, Jan — it's a beautiful city. Your prof friend will be able to take you to parts of the colleges that few tourists ever see. Some of the colleges have original manuscripts on display from the great thinkers who studied there.

When my daughter was little I used to take her to the Fitzwilliam Museum, and she always asked to see the Egyptian mummy! Later she worked at the university for several years.

I have only been to Paros and it has quite a few traditional Greek villages, many beaches and good food selection. The highlight was Lefkes village which is hidden between the hills. I wrote a report on it, if you want to see more: http://www.travel-monkey.com/paros-i...-to-santorini/

Originally, I planned to go to Santorini but found the accommodation to be extremely expensive. In that sense, Paros is a good alternative with similar landscapes but more affordable stay.