Chant

Hi Everyone!
My hubby and I are going to Greece in May of next year and for the most part we like to travel a bit off the beaten path, see how the locals live, eat where the locals eat, rent a house or apt in a neighborhood and we generally avoid tourist-y things (except for must sees, can't go to China and not see the great wall kind of thing). What we are hoping to do is sightsee in Athens for a couple days (can't got to Greece and not SEE Athens) then go to an island to relax, swim, eat, drink and really vacation for 5-7 days.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an island that has beautiful beaches but really not overdone like Santorini?

Thanks!

brotherleelove2004

Consider Antiparos, Anafi, Folegandros or Sikinos.

treplow

Crete is large enough so that you will find places that are not overun with tourists. The southern part of the island has the beaches, they are busier but also reachable by car on day trips from the northern part. The northern coast (Hyaclion. etc.)is the more interesting one as far as history goes. So I would pick a place along the the northern shore.

Before you go, read some of Mary Reynaults )Sp?) novels. They are a good introduction to the history of Crete and the Mynoan culture. Besides, they are easy vacation reading.

MyriamC

I have friends who live in Athens. They spend their summer holidays in the southern Pelopponese, in Gialova close to Pilos. You could easily drive there after your explorations of Athens (4 hr drive).
http://appthanos.eu/en/index.html

travelerjan

(1) -- Gialova is divine, stay at Hotel Zoe ... there's a 5-mile stretch of golden beach to walk, now being encroached upon by a super-luxe Resort for the uber-rich, go before everything changes. It IS quite a long drive however... 4 hours only if u don't stop at all & drive fast.

(2)-- For a stunning island experience, SIFNOS in may is unbeatable! You can stay up in the hills, Appollonia-Artemonas-Ano Petali whie "cube" houses looking down on valleys and sea... or stay at Beach like Vathy or Platy Gialos. Aegean Travel has a WIDE range of family run pensions, small self-catering units, many of them with no web link, all VERY reasonable in May. http://www.thesaurus.gr/sifnos.htm Walks in Sifnos are superb i.e. to Chora the medieval village hanging over the sea (little changed 500 years) or up into hills. My friend Jo Helen has been going there for 30 yrs, here's her take: http://www.igogreece.com/EN/Greece.a...a=areas&id=127

(3) Another Isle on same ferry line, MILOS may have the MOST beautiful beaches of all! Good place to stay is Pollonia, this website shows terrif small places to stay (And shows exact locale on beach) http://www.milos-island.gr/rooms-apa.../pollonia.html Best to rent ATV, bike or car to get around. At port (Adamas) there are line-ups of day-sail boats around island (a looong trip) or partial ... many praise the smaller boats (8-12 people), sailing to Kleftiko, with stops for swims in coves and for beach BBQ.

zoecat

bookmarking

gogogreece

Even the most touristic destinations will not be overly crowded in May. I have one of many sceneros for you. I will begin with a charming little village on the water in the foothills of the Pellion, called Affisos. We just drove upon it and have returned twice. It is about a four hour drive north of Athens. There are two beaches there which are not outstanding, but a great base for drives to mountain villages such as Makrinitsa. Also, marvelous beaches and sea scapes galore, all within an hour's drive. From Volos city which is nearby, there is a ferry to Skiathos, Skopelos and the Sporides Islands. Skiathos is beautiful but busy in the Summer. Scopelos is a favorite of ours, for a lovely, port town, with white washed homes on a hillside, and beautiful beaches. It will be very quiet. These are green,lush islands with fantastic beaches. In May, one only needs to walk up for lovely rooms and rental studios. We always rent a car if in Skopelos. Not necessary in Skiathos as there is a fairly good bus system. Very easy to have the same car on both islands, as they are only a short ferry ride to each other. Trolos Beach,Skiathos is lovely, quiet with decent taverna right on the beach. We tend to stay in this area if in Skiathos. Bus stop to the lively port town and market, and more tavernas on the main road also. The Pellion beaches and Skopelos were the main areas where Mama Mia was filmed.

Chant

Thanks to all of you!

Odin

It's not necessary to go to an island to get off the beaten track. In Pelion (as described above), there are many working villages occupied year round. The area is breathtakingly beautiful, with cliffs that plunge into the sea and alot of greenery even in high summer. Afissos is on the Pagasitic Gulf however the really stunning beaches & villages are on the Aegean coast eg Milopotamos, Papa Nero. Villages worth seeing are Tsangarada, Mouressi, Makrinitsa, Vizitsa, Portaria, Damouhari. In May it would be a good time to hike in this area, along ancient mule trails.