Best Greek Island for first timers

[TheFastandTheCurious]

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Fiance and I would like to visit Greece in June, having never been before we are unsure of where to concentrate our search. Here is a list of what we like/want and we could have some suggestions/recommendations, that would be great. Not looking for hotel recommendations, just area

Not a party place, nice restaurants and bars, but relatively quiet
Coastal, not inland
Plenty of places to walk, flat preferably
Nice coastal walks
Nice beaches
Places of interest to visit

We're quite easy to please really 😊

Pelirocco I loved Lefkada too!

I got married in santorini
ITS A MUST!!!
Amazing views! Gorgeous food! Lots of places to visit (boat trips are amazing)
It isn't flat though, uphill and steps. But best place in Greece I've been!!! ❤️

My mam also visits Rhodes/Lindos a lot and books a Greek bed and breakfast and hires a car and tours around which again looks amazing on all her photos.

I absolutely love Greece
😬

Oohh thanks @Starbucks! That is actually one of the ones offered by the hotel so will check it out

Another vote for Kefalonia! Dh and I had our first holiday together there and we both loved it.

Kefalonia is stunning.

Tsilivi in Zante was nice when I went a few years ago. Lots of bars and restaurants etc and a decent beach.

Santorini is beautiful except got the beaches.

*for

Kefalonia is amazing. We have been a few times. Lovely walking, gorgeous beaches and very friendly.

Santorini used to be lovely and
unspoiled but it is now far too touristy. The beaches are volcanic so black sand, which isn't great.

Western Crete, Tilos, Samos, Ikaria i(if you want an idyllic Greek island but very quiet), Skiathos and Skopelos also lovely. Lonely planet and the rough guide series do books on the Greek islands

I’ve never been to a Greek island I didn’t like ( though Simi was borderline) but another vote for Crete here.

Chania, often called Hania is so lovely. You know how most costal towns have a nice bit around the harbour, then it quickly turns to modern office blocks a few roads inland? Well in Chania you can wander down shady lanes looking at the gorgeous brightly painted ancient architecture and balconies with lemon trees and sleeping cats pretty much all day.
You come across little markets and museums, bars, restaurants, and ancient remains.
It’s really charming.
Crete also has nice beaches and an amazing mountainous interior, with several beautiful gorges you can walk along.
The south cost is spectacular, nd it’s Europe’s southern most point.
Public transport is good, and you can easily hire a car for a day .

Great food, really welcoming, relaxed people, and very low crime rate ( like all of Greece).

I think I should work for the Greek tourist board.

Kefalonia is lovely, we went last year, after not travelling to Greece for nearly 20 years. Fiskardo in the North of the island was fantastic, we hired a villa a few miles away and ate in Fiskardo in the evening. Not a big village but lots of great restaurants and fun to watch the 'big' boats come in to the harbour area at night. Great for people watching. A boat trip to Ithaca is a must do. The only thing is Fiskardo was not 'reasonably' priced to eat out, we paid what we would for a meal at home but the food was superb.

My teenager and I stayed in Lassi in the south for a few days, as my husband flew home for work. Good beaches very near Argostoli. The food here was good but more homely and very reasonable, reminded me of trips to Greece in my 20's!

Yet another vote for Kefalonia - justbeingelle has already mentioned my favourite destination of Agia Efimia . Waterside Apartments very highly recommended. The beaches around Agia Efimia are pebbly , apart from AntiSamos beach .
Ithaca, Lefkas and Killini ( on the Greek mainland ) are easily accessible by ferry.

Skiathos is lovely.

Corfu is beautiful. We stayed in Agios Gordios (not to be confused with Agios Georgios) 2 years ago and loved the mix of gorgeous beach for peaceful relaxation & plenty of tavernas for lunch/dinner. Loved it so much I’ve just persuaded DH agree to booking again for next summer.

Also been to Almyrida near Chania in Crete which was also lovely. Could definitely recommend the Almyrida Beach Resort hotel.

I’ve only been to kefalonia and I loved how green it was, it was beautiful and good walking.

Rhodes was an absolute dive when we went. Terrible holiday all round, we got scammed a couple of times in shops. We did get about, we drove down to Lindos which was the only nice beach. Would not recommend.

I really want to go to Kefalonia and Chania now though from reading this thread!

Crete is lovely! I like Chania, but also the eastern end, nearer Aghios Nikolais. At Elounda, you can go over to Spinalonga (the subject of Victoria Hislop’s the Island), and visitors ancient Knossos.

One of my very favourite, after over 20 visits to Greece, is Naxos. You need to get the ferry there - either from the mainland, or fly to Mykonos and go from there. Naxos town is big enough to have tonnes of restaurants, and bars, but has a proper old town, and some archaeological sites (google Naxos portara). There’s lots of lovely beaches, and it’s worth having a car for a few days to venture into the mountainous interior. We had a lovely boat trip to some of the smaller islands and towns round about. It’s largely Greek people on holiday there, and I bloody love it. 😍

Ps. The fried cheese in pastry, with honey is a local specialty... and so yummy. Just as well I don’t live there, or my veins would run with cheese! 🤣

I have been to Rhodes and Paxos.

I was not impressed with Rhodes when I went at the end of last year. The hotel I stayed in was beautiful but the surrounding area was a complete dump (Falaraki) and so I wouldn't go back.

Paxos is a tiny island off the coast of Corfu. Absolutely stunning with lots of walking, beaches, sailing etc. Certainly not a party island at all. It is one of my favourite places in the world!

Kefalonia is beautiful!

I lived on Lesvos for a while and it's lovely there.

Also agree re Paxos - absolutely stunning but quite remote and a trek to get to if the hydrofoil isn’t running for any reason.

Santorini was certainly breathtaking when I went there 30 years ago.

Santorini remains beautiful, but, from about 10:00 - 19:00 every day, it’s chock full of cruise ship passengers. So busy in the little streets that you can hardly move. 😖
I wouldn’t go in the June - September period again.