Naxos, Paros or…

[wowsaidtheowl]

I had amazing advice for planning our holiday to Sardinia and am hoping to pick up some tips for 2024.

I’ve booked flights to Athens for me and my two children (12 & 9) - it will be our first holiday without their dad, we’re separating imminently.

The last few years we’ve been off the beaten track in Croatia and then to Sardinia this year and it’s usually involved lots of driving for me. I’m keen to reach a compromise of being somewhere unspoilt but where I don’t have to hire a car.

my childhood holidays were with my single mum in Symi and Paxos and I think I’m looking for something similar.

My children want an adventure so maybe some island hopping? They also love swimming and snorkelling.

Any top tips would be hugely appreciated.

Yes to island hopping! I don’t think there’s enough to do in Paros to fill 2 weeks, but you could get the ferry across to Antiparos and spend a few days there? It’s also lovely (I actually preferred it to Paros). We did a great boat tour around the island.

I haven’t been to Naxos but I’ve heard good things.

Naxos is beautiful, highly recommend it. I would take advantage of islands you can’t fly directly to from the UK if you are going via Athens.

What’s it like travelling around Naxos? Can we stay where the ferry docks? And finally is it a good base for trips to different islands - it looks like there are lots of options but sure whether to stay on Naxos or pack up and stay on differently islands.

We did Athens, Paros and then Naxos this summer before flying out of Athens. We did an afternoon in Anti Paros. 3 days was plenty on Paros, likewise Naxos. I wish we had flown out of Mykonos or Santorini.

Thanks, that’s useful to know - looks like we might need to plan quite a bit of island hopping to fill two weeks!

Any thoughts on Hydra?

Naxos is great, plenty to do for up to a week. The ferry docks at the main town where we stayed both times we visited. There are buses but car hire allows you to see more.

Sifnos and Amorgos are also great or you could go to the small Cyclades near Naxos.

@wishIwasonholiday10 or @wowsaidtheowl have you considered Milos? It’s on my research list for next year.

@wowsaidtheowl we’ve enjoyed Naxos, Paros and Antiparos - but last Syros and Tinos.

You need to look at flight times and ferry timetables, some islands are a PITA from Athens due to arrival/departure times.

Amorgos is far but weirdly works well as it’s an overnight ferry from Athens (book a berth). Then you could work your way back to Athens via other islands. Or even catch a domestic flights to Athens at the end to connect with your homebound flight. (Some islands have small airports running domestic flights only eg Astypalea)

@minipie @wishIwasonholiday10 - super useful, thanks. I’m slightly overwhelmed with planning this! May be back with more questions!

We're going to Naxos in October half term so I can post back after that. Having researched it, I get the impression that there's more to do if you're willing to hire a car for a few days, so we will probably do that.

I’ve not been to Hydra. I get the impression it’s very nice but doesn’t have that classic Greek island feel, as it’s a weekend bolthole for well off Athenians.

I’m now thinking Andros as a first stop and then two other islands. It’s flipping hard to choose, they all look so lovely! Good to know that Hydra isn’t classic Greek island. Thanks.

Syros and Tinos are very close to Andros and are incredible.

I do know someone who's been to Andros and said it was very windy- I've been to Paros by ferry from Athens port and it's a beautiful island.

@Blueberrycreampie I was avoiding Tinos because of the wind! Arghh! Too many variables are frying my brain!

@wowsaidtheowl the wind will vary on
the islands on given days through August. If you have a car, you can drive to avoid it. Paros was very windy early this August, but it meant the heat was more manageable.

Try Poros and Aegina

We loved Ios and Folegandros for off the beaten track. Milos had no public transport and was really weirdly expensive. We loved Naxos and enjoyed the size of the island after the other smaller islands.

@Cismyfatarse (love your username!) please can you tell me what you liked about Ios and when you stayed? We did consider it for next August but we’re worried about it attracting mainly youngsters.

We stayed in a tiny Air B&B near but not on the main beach. We are definitely not youngsters (50s) and we liked how tiny it is. There is an all day beach club somewhere but we stayed by the port and it was quiet and like Greece used to be. A square of about 6 restaurants with kids playing on bikes in total safety. The beach was shallow, sandy and had action from arriving ferries. We loved the bakery right by the pier. We also found it cheap and welcoming.

Stay by the port and you can walk to restaurant etc but there is a bus to the "town" which is also pretty small.

Maybe there is a party side to the island but we didn't see or hear it.

We stayed here. www.booking.com/Share-f8Np4s

Cheap and very basic but had air conditioning and was really quiet.

Ilias Place on Booking.com if the above link doesn't work.

Kamares in Sifnos is brilliant. Even when it's windy, the bay is sheltered so the sea is calm and shallow for some distance. It's sandy but with a bit of interest at each end for snorkelling. Ferries come and go, so a bit of bustle and then it quites down. Lovely tavernas along the water's edge. Opportunities for combining with Milos or Serifos, or even just visit a few different resorts on the island. They all have their own character but have lovely beaches in common.

Apollonia is lovely for an evening out and the island is easy to navigate by bus or book a boat trip. Faros is a resort I've had my eye on. It's very small but looks lovely. Plati Gialos and Vathi are also popular (in the scheme of things for a smaller island) so you could split time between them all.

It's got a lovely mix of nationalities and no Brits abroad vibe. We've been several years and are only not going back again because there are so many other islands (plus Barak Obama, Margot Robbie, Tom Hanks and Dua Lipa were apparently all there this summer 🤣).

It's between 2-5 hours from Piraeus, depending on speed of ferry but would recommend making sure you take one that takes vehicles as they are better if the sea is choppy! We used a Greek travel agency called Aegean Thesaurus, who are based on the island and were fantastic.

@OneOfTheThree So helpful! Thank you so, so much. I’ll research all if those options over the weekend but your suggestions sound just what I’m after.

Yay! Booked one week in Kamares and now ready to think about island number two!