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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Greek Island(s) without a car?

28 replies

CleverSausages · 22/05/2022 17:48

DH and I hoping to send about a week on a Greek island in September this year- but there seem to be so many islands I'm feeling a little overwhelmed in my research!

Things that are important to us:

  • Not a large touristy resort type place
  • Options for walking and hiking around the island
  • Some nice beaches
  • Good food!

We're looking for a relaxing trip with some peace and quiet. We love walking and exploring, less bothered about spending a week lying on a beach sunbathing- but wouldn't mind a small bit of course :)

I was looking at Kefalonia originally, then a friend recommended Skiathos

Any recommendations please?

OP posts:
JassyRadlett · 22/05/2022 17:50

We enjoyed Sifnos - it ticks your boxes, I think, and has (or at least used to have!) a reasonably decent bus service as well as taxis.

Discovereads · 22/05/2022 17:51

I liked Kos alot. It is full of resorts but it also has a lot of historical sites and beach towns all linked by an easy to use bus system.

TheMildManneredMilitant · 22/05/2022 17:52

Skopelos is gorgeous. Fly to skiathos then ferry over but it's an easy journey - you just wait in a taverna until it turns up. Stay in Skopelos town then you can get bus round the island or go on boat trips. It's magic.

BIWI · 22/05/2022 17:53

Kefalonia is beautiful.

There are some busy/touristy places (Skala being one of them). Fiskardo, up in the North is beautiful but it's also where all the sailing crowd tend to go. It's more pricey up there too.

Last time we went we stayed in Katelios, which is a small resort - really just a strip of tavernas along the beach. All serving great food.

We didn't hire a car as we were only there for a week. Unfortunately half way through our week the Medicane struck - a Mediterranean hurricane - so we didn't get to do any travelling around the island!

There are companies who do tours round the island.

There's also a really good Facebook group called Best of Kefalonia which is worth joining.

jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey · 22/05/2022 17:53

Kefelonia all day long

Original poster
CleverSausages · 22/05/2022 18:45

Thank you all, much appreciated! Have had a look at all the suggestions.

@JassyRadlett Sifnos looks beautiful but I am slightly out off by the fairly long from what I can find? ferry journey - should maybe have mentioned I'm not a keen sailor!

I hadn't come across Katelios in my Kefalonia research @BIWI, it does look lovely. What a shame about the weather for you!

@TheMildManneredMilitant Skopelos could be the one...so green and lush which is exactly what I love! Looks well set up with hiking trails too.

OP posts:
midsomermurderess · 22/05/2022 21:12

I second Skopelos, it’s very pretty. I would also suggest the Saronic Islands, between Athens and the Peloponnese. Spetses and Hydra are car free and the others, Poros, Aegina and Agistri are small enough not to need a car. They all have nice beaches and you could stay in one and visit the others. Something like Rosie’s little village Rosie’s little village in Agistri could be nice.

midsomermurderess · 22/05/2022 21:25

I’m thinking of staying here on Agistri next year.

hearmywomanlyroar · 22/05/2022 21:26

I'd recommend speaking to Sunvil - they're experts on the Greek islands

Disneyblueeyes · 22/05/2022 22:02

We've booked to go to Karpathos for similar reasons.

hellcatspanglelalala · 22/05/2022 22:02

Naxos is my favourite.

CorsicaDreaming · 22/05/2022 22:45

Kos is lovely with possibility of day trip to Turkey by boat.

CharlotteSt · 23/05/2022 08:45

hellcatspanglelalala · 22/05/2022 22:02

Naxos is my favourite.

I second Naxos. Can't wait to get back there this summer.

Beautiful beaches, great walking, good bus service.

Happy sigh 😊

MsMiaWallace · 23/05/2022 09:38

Zakinthos have a great bus link to take you through different towns.

MsMiaWallace · 23/05/2022 09:38

& you can get the ferry to Kefalonia.

jimboandthejetset · 23/05/2022 10:18

I've been to Kefalonia twice. The first time i stayed in Katelios, but did a bus trip around the island one day. The second time I stayed in Assos which is STUNNING. We did hire a car, though so we could do some exploring.

RosehipSyrupForDinner · 23/05/2022 11:53

Naxos for the beaches, they're amazing.

But overall - Paxos. Beautiful, really friendly, great food, plenty of decent beaches especially on Anti Paxos, good bus service so you can easily manage without a car, lots of walks (there's a walking map for the island). You fly to Corfu, then take a hydrofoil to Paxos - it's about 45mins. There is nowhere lovelier.

GrannieMainland · 23/05/2022 12:11

I'd vote Naxos too. You have to get the ferry so it's a bit quieter, great beaches, beautiful old town, good bus service round the island.

MollyRover · 23/05/2022 12:26

Try Chalkidiki instead? On the mainland but definitely worth a visit.

NoisyBrain · 23/05/2022 13:52

Another vote for Naxos (I've been there eight times I love it that much!). Fly to Mykonos and it's only 40-ish minutes on the ferry. You can also get the ferry from Santorini, though that journey is around 2 hours. Or, you can fly to Athens and get an internal flight - Naxos has a (very) small airport.

I agree Kefalonia is beautiful and is probably my second favourite island. I found Skiathos nice enough, but it's tiny and apart from the main town the beaches are the only real attraction imo. It was also full of Brits, which may or may not put you off 😄We visited Skoplelos and it was like a different world - would have loved to spend more time there.

One word of advice - if you do choose an island with no airport/direct flight, always spend the last night of your holiday wherever you're flying home from!

CoQ10 · 18/09/2023 20:41

NoisyBrain · 23/05/2022 13:52

Another vote for Naxos (I've been there eight times I love it that much!). Fly to Mykonos and it's only 40-ish minutes on the ferry. You can also get the ferry from Santorini, though that journey is around 2 hours. Or, you can fly to Athens and get an internal flight - Naxos has a (very) small airport.

I agree Kefalonia is beautiful and is probably my second favourite island. I found Skiathos nice enough, but it's tiny and apart from the main town the beaches are the only real attraction imo. It was also full of Brits, which may or may not put you off 😄We visited Skoplelos and it was like a different world - would have loved to spend more time there.

One word of advice - if you do choose an island with no airport/direct flight, always spend the last night of your holiday wherever you're flying home from!

I'm looking at Naxos for summer 2024. Where on the island would you recommend staying?

NoisyBrain · 18/09/2023 21:45

CoQ10 · 18/09/2023 20:41

I'm looking at Naxos for summer 2024. Where on the island would you recommend staying?

Show quote history

We always stay in Agia Anna, went back again last month!

CoQ10 · 18/09/2023 21:48

NoisyBrain · 18/09/2023 21:45

We always stay in Agia Anna, went back again last month!

Show quote history

Thank you 😊

countdowntonap · 18/09/2023 22:28

@CoQ10 Personally, I like to stay in Naxos Chora.

CoQ10 · 19/09/2023 08:58

countdowntonap · 18/09/2023 22:28

@CoQ10 Personally, I like to stay in Naxos Chora.

Thanks for this. Could you explain why and whether you have children? We will have two 11 yr olds in tow!

Thank you 😊

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