my internet isn't working properly and this is the only bit of mumsnet i can get into. I need a Greek island. Which one?

[TheLogLady]

I haven't been abroad for 20 years. DH has never been (and won't be if he doesn't get offf his arse and get a passport)

I feel a nice Greek isand would be good.

WHich one?.

I need

Sun

Sea & beach

Nice villa type.

some ancient interesting stuff would be nice too.

Ideas please.

Santorini is beautiful :)

Milos is beautiful and unspoilt, fast ferries from pireaus.

Paros and Naxos. Gorgeous.

Thassos. Bit of bugger to get to but worth it.

I love Zakynthos. It's cheap and quiet (and bearably hot) if you go at the end of the season.

Lindos/Rhodes is beautiful - have also been to Corfu which is lovely too

Paros- fab. Great day trips to other islands such as Mykanos, Delos.
We stayed in Naoussa.

We are going to Kefalonia for the third time. I love it. We are going to hire a car for the whole fortnight this time though so that we can get to see the less touristy more out of the way places this time. It is so beautiful.

SleepingLion where have you been on Kefalonia? We have been to Skala twice, and are going to book again this year, but wondered what the other places are like? Sami seems lovely but we only spent a couple of hours there so not sure how baby-friendly it might be.

Naxos or Paros - lovely.

Can I hi jack and ask which would be best with a 10 month old on June?

Not too hot, bit cultural and quieter are what we are looking for

I went to Rhodes in August and it was lovely will be going again.

To PP I don't know how hot it is then but we went when DS was 9 months and although it was very hot he coped very well and everyone was child friendly

Greece is nice, but Turkey (if you avoid places like Marmaris) blows it out of the water and most folk who have tried both - prefer Turkey by far.

God I hated Turkey much prefer Greece,love Greece.

Curious, where did you go in Turkey MilaMae and Jajas?

over children years we have been to:
Crete, great, good mix of stuff. All ages loved this
Lefkas, lovely, lots of watersports stuff, friendly. Happy times
Aeghina, gorgeous island reached by ferry from athens. Quiet, lovely, friendly
Parga, on mainland. Gorgeous, loads to do and can visit sites
Paxos, pure bliss, very quiet island reached by ferry. Heaven please let me die there
Corfu, lovely, friendly, very busy in places but avoided brit spots, would go again
Would go back to each of these places. DH speaks greek so we are lucky as we find out of reach places by talking to locals. Always hire car or boat? Always have found great places to stay. My tip is find pace you like then se trip advisor or holidaywatchdog to find good accomodation and then search for best price. We often end up with Olympic holidays as they are keenly priced but have booked independently many times.
Before children visited symi, rhodes, skiathos, crete, athens, aeghina, all ionian islands as well as turkey, spain and portugal. We always return to greece though. We do greece in may half term and France in summer hols when we have money.
If you want recommendations, pm me.
Enjoy!

If you want sandy beaches and somewhere you can fly direct to I'd say Rhodes or perhaps Zakynthos/Corfu (but pick your area very very carefully)

Santorini is beautiful but very touristy and expensive (plus beaches not its strong point).

Naxos and Paros are good for sandy beaches and the odd ancient sight, but not sure if you can fly to them (good ferry connections though). Antiparos is a quieter version of Paros (maybe less so since various celebs discovered it).

Alonissos and Skopelos are gorgeous, unspoilt, quiet islands but beaches mostly stony, and no ancient sights.

Milos is undiscovered, has many beaches, and some sights, bit of a pain to get to though I believe.

Limnos and Lesvos definitely worth a look, though I don't know much about them.

I went to Zakynthos, a quiet part (Alykes maybe?). It was lovely. Officially in a heatwave in August but the beach was very bearable. Inland less so. However I didn't see much of ancient interesting things, perhaps I was looking in the wrong place!
I wouldn't go back because I can't cope with the toilet paper thing. I know it makes me a wuss but I just can't.

Find it hard to believe anybody would prefer Turkey to Greece. I couldn't leave Turkey quick enough

I like Turkey well enough but I'd never choose it over Greece.

If you're going in August, you need to think about crowds. If you're not into crowds, avoid all the popular resorts. Less crowded places are

• Lesvos (big, lots to see, direct flights, very nice I'd recommend it),
• Andros (hardly any tourists, need a car, beautiful beaches, culture - lots of art - but no ruins, convenient because 2 hours by boat from Athens),
• Sifnos (lovely, not too crowded, more of a Greek resort),
• Ikaria (traditional, good beaches, further so more of a pain to get to).

Milos has stunning beaches but is popular. Paros is totally overrun in August.

Renting a villa definitely a good idea.

If you're more specific with what you're looking for (particularly travel times and means of transport you're prepared to take and what you like doing and budget), I can suggest some more places. I used to live in Greece.

Fetiye and Olu Deniz.

Same as Jajas also locals very,very unfriendly and sooooo many people we met got ill. Not all in the same hotel. Waaaaay too hot,no island breeze either.

I got chased in the sea,very scary.

Just didn't like it-the Gk islands however,I'll always love them. They're beautiful and I liked the Gks. Loved Skaithos,Skopelos and Cephalonia,also that tiny one off Cephalonia the one in The Iliad or some such -god my baby brain

The dc are desperate to go(too much Mama Mia) but are only 7,7 and 6. Going to wait a couple of years.

Not been since the Euro,bet it's not the same. No yummy 3 course Gk meal in a Taverna overlooking the sea for a fiver now I'll bet.