Hi- My husband and I are planning trip to Greece in 2nd wk of September for 7 days. Please make recommendations for which islands to go to w/:

-great food
-luxury hotel
-galleries/boutiques/cafes
-charming local culture
-not too disco or spring break fever

I've skimmed some of the forum...should we do Crete and Santorini...? Is that the general consensus?

For your reference, we are looking to come close to or top (wowza!) our fave destinations which I hope will give you an idea of what we like:

-Positano and Ravello
-Portofino and Santa Margherita
-San Jean Cap Ferrat, Eze, and Monte Carlo

Is there anywhere in Turkey that would be convenient from Greece? We liked Istanbul.

If Greece doesn't fit our bill (judging from our favorite places) and you happen to know what country in europe (or any continent) we might go that is similar but different from our fave places, please let me know. I would LOVE to discover another favorite place. We have done the French & Italian itinerary so many times....Thanks so much!!!!

How about Croatia? Grand Villa Argentina would meet your specifications.

Go to Marrakech and stay at the Maumounia.

thanks so much!! sorry i'm so ignorant about croatia and marrakesh, but i forgot to mention (in case you couldn't tell) that we're obsessed w/ the mediterannean...

do these hotels offer views of the sea? thanks so much, you guys rock!

Marrakesh is not on the sea but it has all your other requirements. You could try Agadir, on the Atlantic. I would pick Morocco over Greece any time.

If you consider Dubrovnik, I would highly recommend Grand Villa Argentina.
http://www.hoteli-argentina.hr/index.htm

Sorry, that website isn't working. I'll see if I can find a new one.

thanks so much, catbert and ekscrunchy!

ekscrunchy: i notice there are multiple hotels in that group. which one is best and close to water? is the food good in croatia?

catbert: just out of curiousity, what do you not like about greek isles? i'm just wondering....maybe i'm a sucker for those beautiful pics of blue sea and white buildings...we love to be near the water....

Santorini. I rented a "smart car" and drove around the island. Very nice.

I did enjoy Greece. I was just responding to the part of your question that asked about other places that might fit your criterea. I just found Croatia far more interesting than Greece.

I was not crazy about Santorini. It is beautiful but I found it way too filled with tourists and lacking in accessible local culture. Fira is quite awful, in my opinion. But most people here seem to love the island. Also, I did not particularly like my hotel (Pegasus Suites) so that played into the feeling I got. I think you just check out the Maumounia and take a side trip to the sea in Morocco if you can tear yourself away from Marrakech. Or check out Croatia....maybe try Dubrovnik and Hvar.

I would try to post this for BROTHERLEELOVE (the poster has some numbers after the name that I've forgotten) who's been an incredible wealth of knowledge about the Greek Islands.

That being said, I enthusiastically share your list of favorite places ( although where's Nice!?)and we're headed to the Greek Islands this year.

We'll be staying at three luxury hotels ( the rest are not) in Santorini at PERIVOLAS, in Myknonos at GRECHOTEL BLU, and in Athens at THE GRAND BRETAGNE.

We are also going to Crete, Rhodes, and Chios to visit Greek friends. From Rhodes and Chios, you can day trip to Turkey.

I almost skipped Myknonos because we've heard that it's a huge party scene ( and mostly younger) in the summer, but I don't know if or when we'll ever get back to Greece.

Good luck with your plans!

weadles!!!! wow, great i found a very knowledgeable traveler who has the same taste as us. i'm so happy about that because i have been trying to look for new places for years now...now i will just check out where you're going every year. ;-)

can you tell me how you're getting around greek isles? i think we're taking air france b/c i gotta stop by fabric show in paris on the way back. but what do i do from athens on? i trust you have researched this tons, so if you have an itinerary you're willing to share, i would be ever so grateful!!!

KARMA!

sorry i forgot to say i like nice (even stayed here for my wedding at villa rothschild), but it is just a bigger city and less uniformly luxurious feeling than some of the other places...

If you enjoyed Positano with it's spectacular views and cliffside architecture, Santorini will blow your mind. September is an excellent month for a visit since it won't be as busy as mid-summer but everything will still be open. The main village of Fira has the most commercial development on the island, but also has the only real nightlife available if that's a consideration. My favorite village is Oia, which sits by itself on the northern tip of the island. It's the most beautiful and romantic village of the lot. That's where you should stay. There are several luxury hotels there, with Esperas, Katikies, Kirini (previously the Katikies Suites) and Perivolas at the top of the list. Keep in mind that the way Greeks do "luxury" on Santorini is a bit different than elsewhwere, so that may influence your final decision. These hotels are all modeled after the traditional Santorini Cave Houses. Each unit is more like a studio or suite set apart from the others but connected by pathways that meander along the cliffs. Many are all or partially underground like the original island structures, or at least built to give guests that "feel" as a way to enhance their stay. The island's top layer is compressed ash from the volcanic eruptions that happened thousands of years ago. When people first repopulated the island once the volcano settled down they just dug a cave into the ash and faced it with volcanic rock and primitive mortar to keep out the elements. This evolved into the architectural style you'll see there now, but don't misunderstand. You don't walk down an enclosed hallway to find your room number. Each unit has an outside entrance reached from the pathways mentioned earlier. But there's nothing primitive or basic about these luxury hotels, they have all the amenities you'd expect, swimming pools, A/C, room service, etc. Kirini even offers special private dining and wine tasting in charming open "caves."

Perivolas Villas has THE most spectacular room on the island, the Perivolas Suite. It's 1200 sq. ft. of double "WOWZA." At 1400 Euro/night it's also the most expensive room on the island so it's only for the more fortunate few, but it's definitely worth a peek if you stay there.

If room service isn't a high priority for you I also recommend the Aspaki Suites in Oia as a great alternative. Daily maid service is included, but these are wonderfully decorated self-catering units with the requisite spectacular views. No pool, but terraces for sunbathing and a large hot tub. Oia is full of wonderful restaurants from the basic Greek tavernas to the upscale boutique establishments sure to satisfy the gourmand in you. '1800' and 'Ambrosia & Nectar' come to mind.

You could do a lot worse than Santorini. I'm sure others here will say the same for Crete.

http://www.artmaisons.gr/AboutAspaki.htm

http://perivolas.gr/

http://www.kirini.com/

http://www.esperas.com/

http://www.katikies.com/

http://www.canaves.com/

http://www.santorini-gr.com/oiascafe.htm

http://www.oia-1800.com/

brotherlee-

you are a rock star AND a psychic! yes, that is precisely why we liked positano. close to the ocean and striking view of vertical town. thanks so much for sharing your vast wealth of knowledge!!

should we do another island (like crete) and then end on santorini since we have 7 days? (to end at the "best" place) what other island would that be?

thanks so much-- i'm really excited a/b it after reading your msg!

I can't make that decision for you. Much depends on what will make you happy and keep you occupied. I can just sit and stare out at the view and be happy. Others require movement and diversion. Another option to consider is staying closer to Santorini by taking a day trip to Ios or Naxos. Both are close by and easily reached by ferry for a few hours' diversion before the return boat arrives. To get to Crete from Santorini by ferry means arriving in Heraklion, the capital city, and I do mean city. You'll have to be prepared to find accomodations that suit you, and judging from your responses I doubt you'll be happy there. This means taking the time to get out of the city to someplace more charming such as Chania. More time taken, and you say you only have a week. Best to stick to Santorini with the day trips already suggested. Either that or go directly to Chania from Athens and rent a car for the week and explore the island. It has a lot to offer as others here will attest.

I think brotherleelove2004 is a much better source of info than me since I've never been to Greece, but I'm happy to post our itinerary. I don't know exactly how it will help you since due to business in Greece, we'll be there over two weeks, and you've got 7 days. But anyway, here goes!

We are flying Athens- Crete
5 days in Crete ( staying in Chania at PALAZZO DI PIETRO near the harbour)

Taking hydrofoil from Crete- Santorni
3 days at Perivolas

Taking hydrofoil from Santorini to Mykonos
3 days at Grechotel Blu

Flying from Mykonos-Athens- Rhodes
no idea where we're staying- booked by Greek client

Now this is the part I can't help with, because our Greek friends have planned out the rest of the trip!!

All I know is we're spending our last two nights in Athens at The Grand Bretagne, which they say is the best hotel in Athens.

Two things they've told me and maybe Brotherleelove2004 can let us know whether its true or not- 1) Book business class in hydrofoils if you are at all prone to sea sickness. Not sure, but I think this part of the boat is higher up or partially outside, so there's more air circulation?

2) Spend two nights on the way out of Athens, so that if there's a weather related delay or cancellation coming from the other islands, you won't miss your flight out of Greece.

And now on a totally unrelated topic- I've heard over and over again that while Croatia is well worth visiting, the food is pretty bad. Would love to hear from other posters who've been, since for me, food is definitely a huge part of the travel experience!

To clarify:

The highspeed ferry between these islands is no longer a hydrofoil but a much larger catamaran with stabilizers, and actually holds well over 400 passengers in aircraft-style seating. I think buying a business class ticket is a waste of money for such short hops. There is no outside access and no significant separation between business and economy. Both areas share the same air.

http://www.greekislands.gr/hfd/fc4-gallery.htm

Giving yourself the cushion of an extra day in Athens to prevent missing your flight home is a good idea if you're travelling by ferry, but if you plan to fly back to Athens it's really unnecessary since a wind strong enough to ground the planes is an extrememly rare occurrence. One last night in Athens will do the trick.

Thanks, Brotherleelove2004. The info on the high-speed catamarans is very helpful.

Any thoughts on day trips from Turkey to Rhodes? Worth doing?