Santorini and ???
 

Thank you for the advice I got on how many nights to spend on Santorini. Now, I would like some thoughts on where else to go! We have another 4 nights. Our interests are in a place that is less touristed - some place where we can get that 'time stood still'feeling in small villages. A place where people are hospitable and prices not quite as high. We like history and most important - we are looking for natural beauty. I have looked at Naxos and Crete and Sifnos, but am open to other places, as well. Lastly, but of great importance is my inablility to spend long periods on boats. Simply put, I get seasick. With medicine I can go a few hour...one of my great disappointments since I love the water! That was why I was looking at Naxos and Sifnos because they seem to make sense with Santorini. Crete looks facinating.

Maybe try Folegandros? I think this is right beside Santorini ( 1/2 hour in the boat) and anyone I know who has been there says it is a "get away from it all" place

One concern you have with only 4 days is accessibility to ferry service. Not all islands are serviced by ferries every day. With only 4 days available I recommend Paros. It's not anywhere near as developed as Santorini and is easy to reach, as little as 1 hour and 40 minutes away from Santorini. It's not as developed as Santorini and is easy to reach. by Hellas Flying Dolphin or a car ferry. If you use the Flying Dolphin express boat that runs through the Cyclades you can avoid long sessions at sea, and the ride is very smooth.

http://www.greekislands.gr/hfd/

This website doesn't have the updated schedules yet for summer, 2005. Keep checking back.

The less touristy islands near to Santorini are Serifos, Sifnos, Kimolos, Milos, Folegandros, Sikinos, Anafi. If you intend visiting them you will need to visit them first due to the lesser frequency of ferries. Ones to avoid are Ios, Naxos, Paros. All of which are almost as touristy as Thera.

Try to choose larger ferries if possible to avoid seasickness, or possibly delay your travel if the meltemi wind springs up for a few days.

For natural beauty I would go to Serifos as there are a number of inland villages in the mountains behind the Chora, there is a cicular walking route around these mainly on old cobbled footpaths.

Folegandros is also a characterful place, the Chora is a good place to stay in, grab an unsually good map (for Greece) of the island from the tourist office, this shows some of the old tracks around the island the best seem to be in the north of the island, it's mainly for the coastal scenery.

Disagree completely that Naxos is ``almost as touristy as Thera.''

Thera lives and dies by tourism. Naxos has a diversified economy, including huge agricultural tracts. It's busy -- not pandering to the tourist buck (mostly American) like Santorini -- but with the business of Greek life.

Certainly there are tourist centers (the harbor in Naxos town and around a couple of the better-known beaches), but the size and diversity of Naxos allows one to escape the buzz and visit towns that don't give a darn about tourists or discover empty beaches that don't have umbrellas for rent.

If you really want to see the difference, visit both in the offseason. Thera closes down. Naxos hums along -- without the tourists.

It's the variety of areas that helps make Naxos attractive. The amenities -- certainly not as upscale, glitzy or concentrated as Santorini -- are adequate for a fine holiday, but there are also plenty of opportunities to get out of the tourism loop.

Certainly Sifnos, Milos and Folegandros are even less touristy. (Can't speak for the others.) Naxos lies between Thera and these on the tourism scale -- a good distance from Santorini.