Which Greek island???

[MotherBuckets]

Please give me your suggestions of islands / resorts / even hotels as I am just going round in circles with my inability to choose...

It'll be me, DH and 2 teens for a week at the end of August. We want:
Beautiful and green
Sandy beach within easy walking distance
Easy to get around (too scared to drive abroad )
Not too busy but not too quiet!

Oh and not too expensive... <hollow laugh>

Thanks!

Crete ticks all of your criteria and is fantastic

Thanks @Justmemyselfandi999 , any part in particular?

I spent a LOT of time looking at this recently.

Corfu would fit the bill as it's got well connected bus routes.

We ruled out Crete as we couldn't stay in the pretty part we wanted (Chania) whilst also being able to visit Knossos as the bus journey was just too far.

Agreed - the south west coast of Crete is magical, inexpensive and diverse. Or the Chania region - loads of buses to take a day trip to Chania city. Maybe look at the Bali area?

We really enjoyed the Rethymnon area in Crete, but the whole island is easy to get around

Plakias is a really nice area - great beaches and lots of taxis if you don’t want to drive.

Crete doesn’t really do scenic beachy villages unfortunately - 1960’s concrete got to them before they realised, but some places are prettier than others. The north coast is all the resorts, the south coast is all small villages, basic (cheap!) hotels and pretty coves.

Lots of gorges with v well organised tours for tiring your teens out too!

How do you find Crete temperature-wise in August?

Skiathos is a beautiful green island.

Naxos?

@gingergingerginger HOT. But in common with all the Greek islands, the wind and maritime climate keeps it doable. Early morning beach (8am?), lunch in a lazy taverna, afternoon nap and beach again from 4pm is the ideal day.

The Ionian Islands tend to be lovely and green - have been to a few and Kefalonia is wonderful. However, it was largely rebuilt following an earthquake in 1953 so doesn't have the beautiful buildings or villages that a lot of the islands have - that is apart from Fiskardo which escaped the quake. Captain Corelli's Mandolin was set there and round about. We stayed in Lassi which I loved and would definitely stay there again. Public transport is not great however but it is really safe and easy to drive around the island.

Oh and gorgeous beaches! The ones in Lassi are fab!

We went to Parga in 2022 - admittedly on the mainland but had a real island feel - the children loved it as did we! Last year we went to Skopelos which was stunning - very green and beautiful. The hotel we stayed in had its own pebbly beach (which we prefer to sand!) but there are loads of sandy beaches on the island - and a visit to the Mama Mia church is a must . Off to Crete this year - can't imagine going on summer hols anywhere but Greece now!

Thanks everyone, deffo food for thought and time for more frantic googling. Crete looking like a front runner, which is good as I forgot to mention history as one of the criteria...

I just wish I could get over my fear of driving abroad (am v competent at home lol) it would make things so much easier. Maybe next year.

Saying that Crete is a front runner, I do also fancy Skiathos. @Riapia where would you recommend?

@TheBirdintheCave did you go with Corfu in the end? Where did you choose.

I just feel so much responsibility to get it right when we are going to be spending so much money (for us at least) and get overwhelmed by all the options!

If you want green then the Ionian islands are your best bet.

Though I would also recommend Skiathos and no driving necessary as there’s a brilliant bus service.

@MotherBuckets A combo of Santorini and Paros, totally not what I was originally looking at but the best in terms of price, convenience and activities available for us.

It's not even for this year though, it's for next June/July 😅 I just love planning holidays.

I would recommend

Skaka or Lassi - Kefalonia
Parga Town - mainland
Stoupa - mainland
Skiathos Town
Aghois Gordios - Corfu

Skiathos ticks the boxes. Luscious and green. Beautiful beaches. Great bus routes. Direct UK flights and short transfers. Skiathos town is great for eating out and has a lively cosmopolitan feel without the Irish bars and full English restaurants that blight so many popular resorts. Megali Amos has a great beach but pebbly and is walkable to town but there's loads of sandy beaches on the bus circuit. It is maybe more expensive than some islands and there's less flight choices in peak season.

We also loved Plaka in Crete and Molyvos on Lesbos. This year we're trying Lefkada which is cheaper than other Ionians and looks lovely.

Where are you staying in Lefkada?

Skiathos

Bus goes every 10 mins all round the edges to all the beaches

Best sandy beaches in Greece

Not overrun with Brits but in August overrun with Italians lol

Stay anywhere as you can just get the bus to wherever

Skopelos a nice day trip

Highly recommend wine tasting at the vineyard above Skiathos Town. You’ll need a taxi

Our favourite place is Paleochora in South West Crete. From Chania airport take a taxi into Chania Town and stay a night or two and then get a bus or taxi over to the South side of the island. A taxi either from the airport or from Chania is not too bad about €150 and takes about 1.5 hours. There's a price list by the airport taxi rank. We always stay at the Lissos Hotel where a double room with a mini kitchen is around €55/night http://lissos-hotel.gr/en/ The rooms opening onto the garden are nicest I think. If this doesn't appeal then there are a lot of other places to chose from including the impressive Libyan Princess Hotel. There's huge sandy beach on the West side of town.

There's fairly good public transport but it's a bit of a stretch to say that the whole island is easy to get around. From Sitia in the East to Paleochora in the South West took 5 or 6 hours driving last summer.

I was just about to suggest Agios Gordios in Corfu on the west coast. So beautiful, sandy beach, loads of nice restaurants, some bars, half an hour on bus to Corfu town which is my favourite island capital. We have stayed a couple of times at Stevens on the Hill. Crete is also lovely but for greenery there is no comparison with Corfu.

I went to Skiathos with my dd (18) last summer and we both loved it. The bus service is fantastic and it seemed like a good place for teens, plenty of stuff to do but not a real party place. In fact most families there when I was (early August) seemed to be parents with young adults.