There was so much interest in my Greek islands post that I thought I’d expand on it a little, in case you’re thinking of heading to Greece.
- Hydra and Poros (that’s Poros, not Paros!) are both easy to reach from Athens – head to the port of Piraeus and hop on one of the super-fast hydrofoils, known as “Flying Dolphins”.
- Skiathos has an airport, sandy beaches and a lovely town to wander round. Many of the best beaches are a bit of a mission – a drive and then a walk – but worth it for the peace and quiet.
- Skopelos is one of my all-time favourites. It’s about 20 years behind Skiathos in terms of tourism, and it’s where lots of Greeks go on holiday. Still the Greece I love.
- Rhodes – I haven’t been, but my daughter loved it, and there are plenty of archaeological sites, as there are on Crete.
- Kefalonia and Ithaca – I only know them from my sailing days, tying up in ports like Fiskardo, but they’re green, lush and very beautiful.
As I’ve got older I’ve found myself drawn to the greener islands rather than the Cyclades. And there are a couple of others I’m not going to mention, because friends go there and they’re still lovely and quiet. Is that mean?
How do I find the quiet spots? Lots of research – and quite often I find the hidden gem because I visited somewhere once, came home, investigated, and thought: that’s the area I want to be in next time.