Cyprus or Crete, help me please?

[nilbyname]

I have never been to either but fancy one of them for our family holiday. We will be renting a villa in May.

We would hate it to be a London pub full English breakfast over developed resort. Would really like somewhere fairly quiet with a market, coupled of nice places to eat and a beach. Some her family friendly but not wall to wall resorts with kids clubs and stuff.

We have little kids and grannie in tow. We will have a car.

Can any of you lovely people recommend me a nice area to stay. Really really don't want karaoke bars, tribute acts or any of that Blackpool pleasure beach type stuff. Sorry to those I may offend by that!!

Anyone?

Sorry - this may not be a terribly useful suggestion but would highly recommend Cirali in Turkey: family-friendly, very low-key and beautiful beach (we went there with baby last year, as well as a holiday to Crete).

Cirali is quite easy to get to from Antalya, has plenty of accommodation options but isn't in any of the holiday brochures! And Turkey is considerably cheaper than Greece, we have found.

DP sleeping at the mo but will ask him about Crete when he wakes up as he lived there for several years and knows it well.

Paleochora South of Chania in western Crete. Stays open all year. Not nigh clubby. Wonderful sandy beach. Great for windsurfing. Or anywhere round Chania. Avoid north west central of island places like Malia. Other places in south are quieter too.

The Greek part of Cyprus is really developed. Probably west is best for young families. Round Paphos or further afield. Personally I'd fly to the north (Turkish part) and holiday there.

Thank you both,castle do you know the name of any of the places in the north?

Crete always .Cyprus is horrible although northern Cyprus is quite nice.

Crete is great. Haven't been to Cyprus. But you'll find it difficult to avoid the British.

Vai is a lovely beach. Sitia or Agios Nikolaos in North east. Resorts west of Chania (capital) like Kalives and Almiridia are nice.

Thanks guys, this is really helpful!

Elounda in Crete is beautiful

Elounda in Crete is beautiful, not much for kids to do though. Agios Nikaolios (sp?) is very close by (5 mins by car) and is great, a very small town, but bustling, multicultural, a lot of Greeks holiday there I believe. Can't remember seeing much for kids though (I was pregnant with my first DC so was not really aware of child appropriate stuff).

Paphos in Cyprus is great, one of our favourite places. It feels quite Greek, though it is a busy working town too, loads of locals living their every day lives, it's not just a 'resort'. Loads for children though, and some lovely restaurants. A nice harbour too. I'd choose there I think.

However, do not go to northern Cyprus. The Turkish occupy this land illegally and gained it by invasion, so the land and properties were in effect, stolen from true Greek Cypriots. It would be wrong to allow people to profit from illegally and unethically gained land IMHO.

Deniz kizi resort in northern cyprus is where we've been going for 15 years (since I was 15!), lovely quiet family run hotels - there are two small hotels in the resort, private beach.

Would recommend the Deniz Kizi hotel over the Deniz Kizi Royal as it's recently been refurbished to boutique hotel standards.

Alwaysonemissing, go read some history books.

We have booked to go to Sissi (review here) later this year. I know it is quite near Malia, but I think it is far enough away to avoid the lager louts.