Sharon:<BR>Hey...(smile) No harm, no foul. You just started to remind me of my husband. My bad. Sorry if I stressed you. It is three days like you say so girl if you just lie on a hammock in Samos do your thing! Have a ball (smile).

Sharon:<BR>It got pretty quiet out here...I think the bug spray "killed" the thread. Just joking. Maybe I WASN'T the only one who began to not take you seriously.<BR>

SANTORINI !!!

SHARON: <BR> <BR>WE HAVE DECIDED ON SAMOS FOR 4 NIGHTS IN JULY AFTER 10 DAYS IN ISTANBUL AND KUSADASI/EPHESUS. IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN OUR FIRST CHOICE OF GREEK ISLAND BUT IT WILL BE EASY FROM KUSADASI AND HAS SOME UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES. HAVEN'T BOOKED A HOTEL YET. THINKING ABOUT PARADISE OUR AEOLIS. DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? ANYONE ELSE? ALSO WONDERING WHERE TO STAY ONE NIGHT IN ATHENS BEFORE AN EARLY MORNING FLIGHT BACK TO TORONTO.

David - I don't know anything about hotels on Samos first hand, only what I've gleaned from the web and from reading guidebooks. I prefer smaller, locally run hotels, not the big ones with pools and such. Someone recommended the Hotel Daphne for this category. I've also heard someone else say they liked the Aeolis. I'll be at the Samos Hotel after my tour, which, I am told, has been renovating its rooms. It's right on the waterfront, close to the port. I'll try to check things out when I'm there and report back when I return at the end of May!

sharon: <BR>I've been to many of the islands and the most outstanding one , without a doubt, is Hydra. It is absolutely outstanding, breathtakingly beautiful. The next favourite is Kefalonia. The scenery is spectacular and the people are so friendly. Now is the time to go as it will soon become very busy now that the film Captain Corellis Mandolin has been released. <BR>Where ever you choose have a great time!!

Thanks Jane! Hydra intrigues me, too. I'm glad to hear from someone on this island. Depending on how my transportation looks, I very well may end up here!

I've just returned from watching "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" and I was thinking that I am overdue a visit to Greece.Your question started me thinking. <BR>I have visited Crete,Corfu Rhodes,Skiathos,Skopelos,Alonissos,Lesvos,Poros,Hy dra,Paros,(and Anti Paros)Naxos,Tinos,Kalymnos,Leros,Patmos,Karpathos, Tinos and Andros.Oh and Lefkas. <BR>I think that wherever you go you may be limited by communications.To access some of these islands from Samos you will have to route through Athens. <BR>For what you want and bearing this in mind,I'd go for Poros,Paros or Skopelos. <BR>Just remembered,I've been to Mykonos too!

One of my fondest memories of Santorini is racing up the steps from the harbour in Oia with 3 of my girlfriends on the mules. The mule keepers were pretty amused/bemused by 4 screeching chinese girls trying to beat each other/stay on the mule despite some never having ridden on an animal before. Sure Santorini is touristy but there's a good reason for the crowds. And it's not so crowded before and after the cruise liner tourists leave Oia. However I'll definitely visit Santorini during the less peak season.

I may be prejudiced, but in my opinion you will find everything that you are looking for on the Island of Skopelos in the Northern Sporades chain. Give it a try. Santorini is beautiful but very touristy. I have been going to Skopelos now for over 40 years and have had a seaside home built there. The views are exquisite. The island villages very quaint. Several excellent sandy beaches can be found. The Taverna food is traditional and good. There are many "real" Greek accommodations, too. Fly from Samos to Athens then Skiathos and hydrofoil to Skopelos if you cannot fly directly from Samos to Skiathos. Good luck. You'll love Skopelos.

Try Chios. I may be prejudiced as my fathers family originated from there, but we went last year (we were staying for the whole summer in Halkidiki on the mainland, which we love, as we have been going there 24 years plus). We wanted to see Chios for family reasons but we are so pleased we visited. The main town is busy, Greek style, and is at the harbourside. The shops are Greek style, not many touristy ones, but very interesting. The beaches are spread all over theisland and each time we visited a different one apart from the ones really near to towns, we were the only people on them. The kambos area is very beautiful, full of old, and renovated, Greek houses, fruit orchards etc. Even the tourist village we stayed in (there are only a few hotels) was not really touristy apart from a couple of shops and tavernas. The people were extremely friendly. We will certainly go again. And, of course there was the museum which held special interest to me as it detailed the family history, sad though as lots got killed by the Turks in the massacre of 1822. We also visited one of the monasteries (cant remember name off hand) and in there is a cupboard which housed skulls and bones of some of the women and children who were sheltering there from the Turks. There is also a village on a hillside which looks like just a rocky hillside until you get really close and see that there are houses. There are stories aboutthis place and how it almost escaped the invasion. Then there are the mastic villages (Chios is famous for its mastic gum). Mesta is the prettiest, you go in and all the houses rooves meet (this was so the Greeks could escapte across the tops of rooves when the Turks invaded). So you feel almost as if you are in a cave, lots of avenues etc., with donkeys and goats and flowers etc. Then you arrive in the middle of the village which is an open square under the shade of a huge tree with three tavernas. Brilliant.

Symi - perfect!

I also love Chios. My mother was born there, so we too have family ties. It was the last site we visited on a trip about 5 years ago, and our favorite. More down to earth than Santorini. The monastery is Nea Moni and is very interesting. Great black stone beach. Lots of variety but you feel you are really in Greece, not a tourist destination. Jane's comments on the other towns are right-on. We took a day trip to Turkey from there as well, which was a highlight.

It's interesting that no one has mentioned the one island I wanted to go to last november but because of off season could not get there. I think you will be able to from Samos. And that is Amorgos, I believe it's beautiful with a main town in the centre on a hill and a monastery built into the cliff which you can visit. The beaches are also nice evidently. I will definitely be going there next time to Greece.
Go to www.aegialis.com

I would have to weigh in for Santorini, too..but apparently from reading all of the above there is no &quot;one perfect place in Greece&quot; after all!

OK. I am planning 2 trips for next year. My daughter's honeymoom and my trip. She is getting married in Ravello. I want to stay in 2 places in Greece. I have been to Greece - Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Delfi. I know we both want to go to Santorini so we will rotate weeks (don't want to be with her on her honeymoon!)

Where else should we go - can be different places. She wants sandy beach and I want scenery and history. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

My perfect place in Greece was a daytrip that I took from Mykonos to Delos. We climbed the mountain and had an amazing view of the entire archaeological site and the sea. It was stunning.

wandering texan- meteora was amazing, but I would only stay 2 nights. The monasteries perched on the rock formations were unbelievable. Corfu would be a nice honeymoon spot, and there are some very nice beaches. Just choose carefully where you stay as certain spots are overrun with package tours. My favorite part about Corfu was it's strategic location- we took day trips to Paxos and to Albania. At the end of the trip we took the overnight ferry to Venice where we ended our trip.

Thanks so much. I am thinking about adding Dubrovnik and ending the trip in Venice too as it rained 2 out of 3 days last year when we were there. Thanks for the info. How was the ON ferry? That is what I am thinking about taking. WT

In Samos ,suggest the perefect location of the picturesque village of Kokkari the hotel arion www.arion-hotel.com.superb amenities/service and food and among the cleanest rooms one can find in the islands.
Great walks on the mountains and to some hidden water springs.
do not miss the village of Vourliotes and a stop at the Pnaka spring with its excellent taverna,continue to the tsambou beach (try to find the secret cove for private bathing)
and then up to the mountains to Manolates....at Filias tavern (some people in greece fly to Samos just for a lunch al fresco ...it is a real privilege and pleasure at mini-prices)

An other good Taverna is Psarades (fishfood) and in Kokari ask niko's Sine's tavern with its bio vegetables and fruits.

In samos town(Vathi) just on the harour promenade stands the Eolis wich is excellent as well...but not a vacation spot.

Now as for your second option Patmos could be an ideal place and within 1h sail from Samos....

or maybe Syros check the www.arionhotel.com(funny coincidence isn't it)
In fact it is a bed and breakfast first class guest house.

I took a Minoan overnight ferry, I believe the name was Parsiphae Palace. It was a huge boat, it reminded me of a cruise ship. There was a small pool, restaurants, shops, etc. It was very new and comfortable. We had airplane seats so I can't comment on the cabins. Coming up to Venice by boat while eating breakfast was really beautiful.

I was traveling with a friend and her family and her family had chosen the location of our hotel in Corfu. Stay away from the area of Benitses unless your looking for 18 year-old drunks all over the place. The west coast of the island seemed to me to have the best &amp; sandiest beaches. The best that I found was Agios Georgios (sp?) but there were a few more that looked very nice.