Greece experts- need your help!

[bitofabelly]

Ok, so we are restricted to fights to the following airports: Athens, Chania or Corfu.
Kids will be 14,11,9. Looking to go next June. We like culture, good food, we like seeing different places (not sitting on beach for 2 weeks), but we also love a good waterpark. Our kids loved Italy and the sights so would like to include some culture, but would love them also to see beautiful villages, eat great food and swim in the sea in beautiful beaches. Where would you send us? We can rent a car and are open to 2 or 3 bases over a 2 week trip. Budget is not explosive but not cheap cheap either. We like villas but also think our kids could do well in a sporty resort. Thanks in advance.

Oh and I love the idea of a nit too crazy raft ride down Lousios river

Crete could be ideal.
Fly in and out via Chania airport.
week one, Chania area - Chania old town is gorgeous and ideal for a day out or popping in for evenings, if you are close enough.
There is a waterpark near Chania.
Resorts near Chania to consider are Almyrida, and Agia Marina.

For week 2, you could go further along the island to Rethymnon area (several water parks in that area) or further along to Elounda, which is gorgeous. Would be a fair drive back to Chania airport from there, but do-able.

June is a great time to go to Crete.

Thank you sealsong..will look at your recommendations...it's so hard to know where to go...I feel u have a handle on other countries but not Greece

We are currently in a villa in rethymno. 1 hr drive from chania. Only slightly further to Heraklion. Lots of gorge walks, beaches, old town centres on ports. Haven't been to a water park but seen at least one. My kids are younger but our villa has pool, basketball hoop, football goal, fully fitted gym, spa, sauna ... we've been pretty chilled here

I would fly into Crete, spend 7/8 days there go by boat to Santorini for a few days and then boat/fly to Athens for a few days.

In Crete you can do all the above that SealSong mentions plus Knossos and all these www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g189413-Activities-Crete.html

In santorini you can go to the volcano and visit Akrotiri en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akrotiri_(Santorini)

In Athens there's The Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum which is fantastic plus other museums and cultural places to visit.

Corfu is lovely. Corfu Town is great, lots of shops, a castle, great architecture. There are day trips to Paxos from the harbour. Paxos is glorious!

We stay in the North East of the island where its quieter than the touristy parts. You can hire small motor boats and potter along the coast. There are lovely walks in olive groves. There are lots of small beaches and the sea is great to swim in. The food is amazing. The tavernas at Agios Stephanos (especially Eucalyptus which is on the beach) and Kouloura are particularly good.

There is a huge waterpark in the middle of Corfu. Friends have said its fantastic.

I love Crete, and there is probably more history to see there. The south of the island is the bit I know best. Loutro is lovely, but maybe a bit small for what you want, but maybe good for a few days.

If you go to Crete, I recomment autorentals crete for car hire, I used them last year and they were brilliant. Dimitris the owner was really helpful. They brought the car to the airport exit, for pick up, it was really easy. Decent car, full insurance (unlike some firms).
Link

Loveka, I don't know the NE of Crete well, where is nice? Where do you stay? And where do you hire boats from? Love the sound of that!

Its the north east of Corfu we stay! Agios Stephanos to be precise. You can hire boats in the harbour in most of the villages on that north east stretch. It's paradise...

I second auto rentals! We are using them now

Sentenceinterrupted could you pm the Vilma you are staying in...is the basketball hoop any good..mine are basketball mad..saw a cool house in your area with a 1/2 basketball court..my kids would be in heaven

Oops sorry yes Corfu! Thanks

Are the boats easy to manage, Loveka?

following as we are looking at Crete for next year.

Yes, they give you a lesson before you go. I find mooring quite hard, you have to concentrate quite hard, but driving them is very simple.

Belly... not sure how to pm on the app and off to airport this morning. It's a multi-height type hoop. Not on a court ( in a AstroTurf area) Currently set at kiddie level (my kids are 2 through 8). Google sportsvilla.gr should get you to it. Friends of ours (3 families) stayed nearby at giacoumaki's villa (not sure of spelling) which had a hoop - no court but a large hard surface to play if I recall correctly. Huge villa and grounds.

I flew into Athens got a boat to naxos then to Crete. It was me and my two boys for the first week then met with my partner and his two girls for the second in Crete. We hired cars and stayed in a lovely villa in Sitia and explored beautiful beaches to the east. I can tell you the villa if you like it had a treehouse, cave, olive grove and on the beach.