Help choosing a Greek island

[leothetiler]

We want to visit a new Greek Island next July, but need some advice as my wife has a pretty strict criteria.

1 Quiet island
2 Must have an airport
3 Unspoilt beaches, good for snorkelling (not too busy)
4 Small resort, but good choice of tavernas
5 Looking for some good locally run villas/apartments
6 Must not be Corfu, Kefalonia or Zakynthos.

Good luck...but would be great to get some suggestions!

[Apache]

I'd hang slack if I were you, for the price of your holiday you might be able to buy one soon

[Ultuous]

Skiathos? Must admit I've not been in nearly 20 years, but I've heard reports that it's still lovely!

[johnfm]

ignore the airport criteria.

Go to Kioni.

Incredible food.

[leothetiler]

Ultuous said:

Skiathos? Must admit I've not been in nearly 20 years, but I've heard reports that it's still lovely!

Skiathos was somewhere I was considering. Does anyone a good spot to stay.

[fat80b]

johnfm said:

ignore the airport criteria.

Go to Kioni.

Incredible food.

Have to agree - We went on a sailing holiday this summer and every single person we came across liked Ithaca / Kioni the best.

We spent a few days in various places round the island (in marinas) and both the pace of life and the food were excellent.

No Airport as johnfm says, but easily accessible from Lefkas or Kefalonia on the Captain Aristides ferry or various day tripper boats.

Bob

[johnfm]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

just been island hopping and Paris and specifically Nausea was lovely.

loads of taverns and boutiques

Did you not find Nausea a bit sickening?

[leothetiler]

johnfm said:

ignore the airport criteria.

Go to Kioni.

Incredible food.

I would love to ignore the airport criteria, but with a six year old and a three year old I am not that keen of jumping on a boat after the flight.

[Ultuous]

leothetiler said:

Skiathos was somewhere I was considering. Does anyone a good spot to stay.

In case you don't get a better answer/ one from someone who's been more recently, looking across the bay to the town used to be lovely and it was only a 10-15 minute ride into town (still looks idyllic judging by the pics on Google Earth)... Stayed more centrally on the island another time and it was nowhere near as charming or handy despite being in a better quality hotel!

[leothetiler]

Ultuous said:

In case you don't get a better answer/ one from someone who's been more recently, looking across the bay to the town used to be lovely and it was only a 10-15 minute ride into town (still looks idyllic judging by the pics on Google Earth)... Stayed more centrally on the island another time and it was nowhere near as charming or handy despite being in a better quality hotel!

Were you staying then? What was the name of the village

[Ultuous]

I think it was called Pounta - I was pretty young at the time!...

I remember very little of the actual area other than it was very scenic and a great location for the airport/ town (oh - and I caught my first ever view of a real lady's front-bottom on this tiny beach, and walked into the wrong hotel room having just been served by the lovely greek girl at the bar to be confronted by the fit dutch woman from the room next door; she was completely naked and bouncing up and down on the big dutch man - so my view of that holiday may all just be rose-tinted specs! )

[HarryW]

Lemnos

[chris390]

leothetiler said:

Skiathos was somewhere I was considering. Does anyone a good spot to stay.

i regularly go to Skiathos, all the beaches along the only main road on the south of the island are overcrouded in high seaon particularly during scool holidays but the beaches on the other side of the island are far nicer and quiet ( my favorite is agristos ), a 4 x 4 is most suitable vehicle as the "roads" are not tarmac.
Small airport, usualy only 2 planes down at same time. Arival is always easy, usualy bags collected and out in less than 20 mins. Departure can be a pain in the arse, departure lounge small, hot and overcrouded although there is a taverna just outside the airport so you can check your lugage in then go for a drink until you see your plane arive.
There are no vilages with traditional tavernas as such, just small resorts along the road with resort style tavernas if that makes sense. I allways go to the main town in the evening which is easy, there is only one bus route with buses running about 20 min intervals, 2 euro for adults or flag a taxi down for around 10 euro. Plenty of choice for food in town from gyros and a mythos from 2.5 euro near acropolis bus stop up to around 50 euro for a good meal and drinks for 2 people down by the harbour.
I stay in Troulos, probably the best beach on the buisy side of the island and only a short trip to the quiet side.
One of the highlites is the landing and take of, if you can get a beoing 757 flight (monarch) you wont need to stop in greece for refuel which can take up to an hour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJzby8tWvfw&fea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2sqWSp-Rdw&lis...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtpZ6yujDFA&lis...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgwZ-D4Di08&lis...

[Flat6time]

Kefalos in Kos.

Exactly what you describe. been 3 times now. lovely little place with enough going on to keep you interested. and if you want to pick up the pace, Kos town is more lively.

[hot metal]

Flat6time said:

Kefalos in Kos.

Exactly what you describe. been 3 times now. lovely little place with enough going on to keep you interested. and if you want to pick up the pace, Kos town is more lively.

What he said