Santorini
 

Hi everyone,
We are wanting to stay in Santorini for a few days and were wondering if anyone could recommend a really good hotel. There are two teenagers (15 and 18) so it would be good if it was on or close to the beach.
Thankyou mt_24

Use this link as a start for your hotel search. The best beaches with a wide variety of accomodations are Perissa Beach and Kamari Beach.

http://www.santorinihotels.com/hotels.php

You can also "google" Perissa Beach or Kamari Beach and find many more hotels and guesthouses.

Going to Santorini for the beaches is like going to New York for the peace and quiet.

It's a beautiful island, but to appreciate what sets it apart, get a place on the caldera. As a ``beach island'' it's mediocre at best, but for views from the caldera it's one of the best in the world.

Thanks both of you thats great help. Just wondering what would be the best island to go to instead.
Thanks mt_24

Going to Santorini for its beaches is a mistake. You go there for the gorgeous view of the caldera!! It is a magical place and you should not miss it.
There are many other islands with wonderful beaches, but IMO one should not miss seeing Santorini.

I agree. Santorini is a must-do -- and some of the day trips offer some nice swimming. Your kids will remember it for the rest of their lives.

Depending on your time, you could split your time with a stop in Santorini and a few days on either Naxos or Mykonos. Mykonos is a busier scene, but Naxos has wonderful beaches and great drives. Both are easy connections from Santorini.

I'm partial to a Santorini-Naxos pairing because I like the mix of one island that survives almost solely on tourism with one that has more going on than just catering to visitors. It might be a bit boring for the teens, tho. Probably Mykonos.

Depending on how independent the girls are, you still could have a great time on Santorini. Get a caldera view place on Fira (not my fav, but plenty to do) or Imerovigli (a short bus ride away). There are express buses to the beaches in the high season and the bus system is great and cheap -- usually a bus every half hour.

As a parent, though, I know it's all about your comfort level. Greece is a safe place with friendly, caring people.

I agree that Naxos would be a good alternative, but I don't think teenagers will have a problem with Kamari or Perissa Beaches on Santorini. They are hugely popular with the young crowd and the water is usually very swimmable. It's true that the Caldera view gets most of the attention on Santorini, and with good reason, but don't discount the beaches for funtime unless you plan to be there in the off season. Being young in the summer on Santorini is a perfect combination, something they'll never forget. Unless you have the extra time and want to split your time between two islands I still believe Santorini will give you what you want.

mt-24, have you given any thought of visiting the smaller, less visited islands, like Halki, Symi, Tilos, Tolendos? To get an idea, checkout the following website: www.laskarina.co.uk
Its a travel agency that specialises in the more traditional and quieter Greek Islands.