Greece. Recommendations please

[Parisbanana]

I went to Crete for a girls student holiday in the late 80s. Dh has never been. So we know very little.
We like it fairly quiet, not fond of big resorts. Prefer self catering in a rented house. Enjoy walking, quiet beaches, small towns with a bit of culture thrown in.
Where would anyone recommend we start our search? TIA

we went to elounda in crete on the east side and it was perfect. very quiet and laid back town but still loads to see and do in the area. lots of villas out of the way with great views towards the island. would definitely go back.

Thank you mummymeister that sounds lovely. Exactly the type of recommendation I'm looking for.

Sissi is also a low key resort, no sandy beaches though.

Lefkada, mainland Peloponnese, lesvos, many many other spots.

Avoid the kiddy drunk places- kavos, malia, faliraki and a couple of others. Beyond that - get a rough guide from the library and see what appeals.

Second the peloponnese region. We fly into kalamata and stay in Gialova region (lots of self catering places and amazing horseshoe bay / public beach with ancient castle perched atop just a short drive away). Methoni is another lovely beachside town with self catering and a magnificent old sea fort. We love driving up to Sparta for a few days of history then heading down to the sea.