Hi we will be 2 nights on mykonos and 3 nights on Santorini at the end of this month (April). I am looking for
1- restaurant recommendations. we like down to earth, local types of places. dont need fancy, want to experience the island life.
2- sunset sailing recommendation for santorini. I have found sailing santorini and santorini sailing. anyone have experience with either? are there others?
thanks in advance.

Both are reliable, but don't book ahead. Wait until you're there to assess the weather. April weather can be unpredictable. It could be raining or the wind could be blowing strong. It certainly won't be warm enough for swimming, if that was one of your ideas.

I have done Santorini Sailing in September. There were many other boat companies. You mentioned you are in your 60s. Most of the people on board were in their 30s and many were what looked like honeymooners. The company responded emails. But there were several last minutes arrangements. A day before, while touring the island, we had to confirm our choice of meat and confirm an earlier pickup time the next day. You need a phone to do this. However, just scant hours before the time we were told to be in front of hour hotel, we got a call that the pickup time was moved up earlier by 30 min. We were on a hike, so we had to hurry up to get back to Oia. Our boat left from the Amoudi port.

This is a site we found rather helpful when planning our last trip https://santorinidave.com/, and it also has some useful restaurant recommendations on this page https://santorinidave.com/best-restaurants-santorini

Restaurant recommendations for Mykonos: Kikis Tavern above the beach at Agios Sostis, Katerina’s Bar in Little Venice, Hippie Fish at Agios Ioannis beach, Joanna’s Nikos Place in Mykonos Town.

"restaurant recommendations. we like down to earth, local types of places. dont need fancy, want to experience the island life."

You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a local taverna and the food is generally good. Your worries on this score should be minimal. Note that in Santorini there used to be TON(NE)S of live cats puttering around the various outdoor restaurants looking for hand outs. Haven't been in a while, but guessing the fluffballs are still there.

The restaurant scene in Santorini has changed a lot in the past few years, so I can't make any recommendations there. In Mykonos, Kounelas is great if you like fish. You pay by the weight, but the prices are reasonable (though not by any means cheap), but that's the case everywhere.

Unfortunately Greece's track record of animal welfare is pretty awful, stray cats. dogs and much worse. Same in many countries around the Med sadly.

Santorini restaurants worth trying: Metaxi Mas in Exo Gonia, Taverna Kallisti in Pyrgos, Santorini Mou and Anemomilos Hotel in Oia.

Hi Diane, please report back on how you liked the sailing and if so, which boat and company you chose!
Greg, were you on the sailing boat or the catamaran? All give the same price for the semi private tour. Were you happy with Santorini sailing? We will be there in early June and I think my husband would love the sunset snorkel cruise and sail as would I. I will check the weather ahead but Santorini is our last stop and we are there 4 nights, do you think we have to book ahead for the first week of June?
Thanks!

Also on Mykonos and Santorini, do you need reservations for restaurants in late May and early June?

You definitely need reservations. If you are going to a top restaurant on either island make them as soon as you can plan, but it's usually sufficient to make them the same day or the day before if it's just a regular restaurant (and of course a few places don't take reservations).

thanks doug!