WANTED: Traditional Greece
 

Long for my hippie days of island hopping with the age of Aquarius singing in my head ....too old for that now but I want to find a non touristy island as close to tradition as possible. Hope for a cottage on the water, with local taverna and bakery nearby. Want nothing more than the shade of an olive tree, local olive oil, honey, fresh fish and rice pudding. Do not want a new condo, jet skis or para sailing. Aaaaah I can even smell the bread and oleander from 40 years ago. If you have any ideas of I am looking for please share.

Anafi? One of the Little Cyclades? Amorgos? Palaiochora on Crete?

You and the entire population of Northern Europe, I venture regretfully to say.

Focus on Gavdos Island or the southwest coast of Crete.

We loved the Pelion peninsula.

One more thought--Cirali in Turkey. Not an island but coastal and undeveloped. In many ways we prefer Turkey to Greece.

There's miles & miles of mainland coast (most of it) that has no development or tourism. I can go anything from 5 mins or more from my house & find an empty beach, even in August. As for the rest, local olive oil (I live near Kalamata) local bakery, selection of local tavernas, fresh fish market on the square, the fishermen come in every morning & sell what ever the catch of the day is. This is how we live every day, so yes, there are still places to go!
When are you wanting to find this idyllic spot? second half of July & August is somewhat busier, the Greeks are on holiday & the usually quieter places get a little livelier :)

Thanks for all the suggestions...Yiassas you may have the answer. We want to go first two weeks of September. We are traveling from the states. So, we want to figure it out the best we can to enjoy our time.

here are some more ideas :

Ithaki, Paxi, Elafonisos ( Southern Peloponnese), Alonissos and Skopelos.

and also Astipalaia :)

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I also recommend the Peloponnese. The southern part is not as crowded.

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