Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Holidays

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

Help! Little fishing village, near to beach, not touristy - help me find the holy grail!

82 replies

ExistentialThreat · 30/04/2025 11:49

Me, 46, grumpy, tired. Likes: culture, being warm, peace, little cafes, walking, off the beaten track. Dislikes: crowds, all-day-breakfast type of places, resorts, everyone being English, tourist traps
DH, 47, grumpy, tired: Likes: not having to drive anywhere, having a quiet beer, tasty food. Dislikes: tourist traps, other people
DD, 6: Likes: swimming, exploring. Dislikes: 'forced fun' (holiday clubs etc)

We would like a direct, low cost flight (3.5 hours max); a place to find an AirBnB or similar (self catering not hotel); with a pool - guarenteed sun.

Budget is an issue - looking for somwhere pretty cheap on the ground.

Last year we went to Marrakesh and had a great time. Looking for something else this year.

I'm going round in circles looking at Morocco, Montenegro, Greexe, Turkey. Can anyone help?!

OP posts:
Forgottenmyphone · 30/04/2025 13:03

You can’t get to Morocco or turkey in less than 3.5 hours. Have a look at Fiskardo and Agia Effimia in Kefalonia, and Brela in Croatia.

crackofdoom · 30/04/2025 13:07

Hmmm...well, if it's not touristy at all then there probably won't be anywhere for tourists like yourselves to eat or sleep will there 😆

But that aside, maybe the villages in SW Crete that you can only get to on foot/ by boat would appeal. Loutro/ Agia Roumeli etc.

CoolShoeshine · 30/04/2025 13:58

Collioure near Perpignan in the South West of France is charming arty beach village if you want something that's not Brits abroad.

Radiatorvalves · 30/04/2025 14:00

Marina del cantone (south of Sorrento) about an hour or so from Naples.

Crikeyalmighty · 30/04/2025 14:01

@CoolShoeshine I’ve been there- gorgeous!!

Insertfootnote · 30/04/2025 14:07

CoolShoeshine · 30/04/2025 13:58

Collioure near Perpignan in the South West of France is charming arty beach village if you want something that's not Brits abroad.

I've been there and it is heaving with people in the summer. Not what the OP wants at all.

drwitch · 30/04/2025 14:10

hard to get near beach +pool unless near beach is cycling distance? Longville sur mer in the vendee is nice

Crikeyalmighty · 30/04/2025 14:22

How about somewhere like this on skopoles OP - fly to skiathos and quick ferry - rustic kind of pension with nice pool - it’s a very pretty port but not as overrun last time I went as skiathos - problem is at all depends when you go , June and September great - July and August - all the nice Greek islands pretty much heave and to be honest anywhere on the med that’s attractive that I’ve been to with a ‘fishing village vibe’ in my opinion is capitalised on and is very busy ‘in season’ - this however looks great on a budget -

https://www.booking.com/Share-N4uKaOR

Orangemintcream · 30/04/2025 14:26

You are unlikely to get a low cost short flight to somewhere that isn’t a tourist trap. Not without also driving/taking a boat.

Lamelie · 30/04/2025 14:47

Hotel Xuroy in Menorca fits most of your boxes. We’ve been via Tui and independently. Most beautiful place on earth. Very quiet, no other English tourists, has s/c apartments. If you go dm me- second time round I worked out how to sc lunch and second walking distance village for meals which didn’t involve clifftop walk in the dark.

Help! Little fishing village, near to beach, not touristy - help me find the holy grail!
Help! Little fishing village, near to beach, not touristy - help me find the holy grail!
Help! Little fishing village, near to beach, not touristy - help me find the holy grail!
saywhatdidhesay · 30/04/2025 14:49

Have you looked at Montenegro? I know nothing much else about it other than it’s meant to be lovely and quite under developed tourist wise. So it could be perfect!

wishIwasonholiday10 · 30/04/2025 15:40

saywhatdidhesay · 30/04/2025 14:49

Have you looked at Montenegro? I know nothing much else about it other than it’s meant to be lovely and quite under developed tourist wise. So it could be perfect!

Coastal areas of Montenegro are extremely busy in summer. Lots of tourists from Russia, Serbia and other places in Eastern Europe and cruise ship tourists in some places. Kotor is beautiful but not many beaches nearby. Greek Islands could be an option. Places like Naxos and Paros have good bus systems if you don’t want to hire a car. The nicest ones will involve a flight and a ferry to get there. Croatian islands are nice too - Vis, Hvar and Korcula amongst others.

CurlewKate · 30/04/2025 15:43

Corfu?

FrenchandSaunders · 30/04/2025 15:45

Sami in Kefalonia.

Silsatrip · 30/04/2025 15:49

We got that in Cabanas, Portugal one year - it was April though so the summer may be busier. Its near Tavira which was lovely too.

Walk down to the fish market every morning to get fresh fish for the day...gorgeous beach you had to get a boat out to.

Get the train to Faro if you want to see it or travel around more.

BigDahliaFan · 30/04/2025 15:55

Kefalonia - Fiskardo - enough places to eat and drink but not awful Brit mode.

Ezzee · 30/04/2025 16:00

Panormo Crete, Self catering, not touristy, amazing food.

Waitingfordoggo · 30/04/2025 16:01

I wonder if you’d consider a large lake instead of being by the sea? Lake Geneva for example has plenty of beaches (but no sand), boats and watersports. The towns and villages near the lake don’t tend to be as touristy as the Med in summer, but the weather is great and the views are spectacular. You also don’t really get the depressing English breakfast/Irish pub nonsense that you get in some med resorts. And if you get bored of the lake, you can go into the mountains where there are villages, shops, restaurants, lovely walks and more beautiful views.

CyberStrider · 30/04/2025 16:01

I'm not sure it exactly fits your requirements but I've been to Soller in Mallorca (not Port Soller) in August and it was lovely. We had a self catering place with a pool. Can walk into Port Soller (which is more touristy but still ok) or take the tram. Soller itself has restaurants, small supermarkets, walks from the town. There are tourists but wouldn't consider it a tourist trap.

Keepingbusyeating · 30/04/2025 16:01

Forgottenmyphone · 30/04/2025 13:03

You can’t get to Morocco or turkey in less than 3.5 hours. Have a look at Fiskardo and Agia Effimia in Kefalonia, and Brela in Croatia.

Was coming on to suggest Fiskardo although don’t want more people to find out about it 😂. I got married there!

MrsEmmelinePankhurst · 30/04/2025 16:01

Burgau in Portugal. Fly to Faro 2.5 hours from UK, then drive 1.5 hours

ItsSoStimulatingBeingYourHat · 30/04/2025 16:03

We went to Elounda in Crete a few years ago.
It ticks quite a lot of your boxes, but don’t know if it’s too touristy for you.

TuesdaysAreBest · 30/04/2025 16:23

Sicily.

herbygarden · 30/04/2025 17:34

Look at Bali in Crete, haven't been in many years but I think it ticks your boxes!

Cognacsoft · 30/04/2025 18:59

CoolShoeshine · 30/04/2025 13:58

Collioure near Perpignan in the South West of France is charming arty beach village if you want something that's not Brits abroad.

It's also rammed with tourists all year and difficult to park.