Greek Islands

[Workmeltdown]

Talk to me about Greek Islands. Looking to book for September 2025 so have left it late. 2 adults. Never been to any of the Greek Islands & need recommendations. Anywhere within 30 minutes of an airport

Tsilivi/Planos on Zante
Sidari or Agios Georgios South on Corfu
Hersonissos or Gouves on Crete
All bustling but not clubby with great restaurants, ample pool bars and beach access, and decent trips out.
Also none are Santorini prices!

Scala in Kefalonia, Rhodes (old town area) , abound Mykonos like the plague
Kos, Crete (avoidMalia).

Been to a few but the absolute favourite was Skiathos.
Hire quad bikes and find hidden beaches off main roads.
Lovely restaurants and not too busy.
The island is not too big and has one main road with resorts along the route to stop at.
Airport runway is a bit of an experience though.

You are not going to experience the real Greece in a short hop from an airport. The best places are a ferry ride away from any island with an airport.

This is mostly true. There are some exceptions.

What are you wanting from the trip? “Greece” is too wide a brief

Skiathos is a small island but it has an airport (with aforementioned famous landing!).

No accommodation is far from the airport. There is an excellent (often heaving) bus service that takes you directly to many beaches. The beaches are glorious. Skiathos Town is attractive and has trillions of eating options and a nice old town and old port .

Kefalonia also has an airport . The beaches are not as good as Skiathos but the island as a whole is more interesting historically and more varied for day trips.

Kefalonia or Parga which is on the mainland but very pretty.

Also Corfu.

My plane out to Skiathos, by the way, and my hotel was full of people who had been coming back for 10 - 25 years. That tells you a lot.

Skiathos. It’s got mountains, beautiful beaches, clear sea, good food and Skiathos town is very pretty, especially with all the fairy lights at night. It’s easy to get around on the bus but, if it’s heaving, taxis are cheap. In September many Greek islands will be brown and arid but Skiathos stays green.

We’ve just booked to go to Kefalonia mid September, complete bargain which means we’ll not feel guilty eating out every night at the local tavernas.

Corfu - Glyfada - is gorgeous. Not much there but a really nice hotel at the bottom of a long winding road - good exercise walking up it! Lots of lovely walks. On the beach. Regular bus to Corfu town (and hotel buses). We’ve been a few times.

Corfu ,it just draws me in each time I go. Its beautiful and unspoilt, (ive never seen a hotel over five floors high). Full of olive trees and pine.

Never been to Greece but would love to. I like the idea of booking it the month before so I don't have time to fret!

I’ve been to approx 15 of the Greek islands over the years & tbh they’re all much of a muchness ,haven’t done Santorini though which is probably ‘ classier ‘ & definitely more expensive . If I had to pick one I had a great time in Zante & remember being super close to the airport , in fact I think we were just under the flight path . I also loved Rhodes , but can’t remember airport transfer time .

Do you mind me asking what type of accommodation you have booked? It all seems very expensive to me !

Naxos is where Greek people holiday. Much cheaper than the usual touristy options but just as beautiful.

I’m in Rhodes right now and it’s glorious here , the old town is stunning

Skiathos probably my fav. Do you like mama Mia / abba?
lassi in kefalonia loved it here. Argostoli is fab.
halkadki booked to go next year again. Amazing beaches
corfu book near the town
rhodes Lindos is beautiful. Very hot
santorini you can’t move. It is so busy!
zante ok
kos ok
crete huge island. Can visit spinalonga

What do you want?

Unspoilt and sleepy?
Glitzy?
Historic sites?
Sandy beaches or is pebbly ok?

My favourite Greek island is Alonissos because it’s quiet and unspoilt but has beautiful beaches (pebbly) and clear waters, plus a lovely scenic Chora . You get there by a flight to Skiathos and then a ferry- so probably need a night on Skiathos at the end, if not each end of the holiday. I also loved Paxos which you get to via a flight to Corfu and a short ferry. Bit more sophisticated than Alonissos as it’s popular with sailors/yachties.

If you want a direct flight I’d pick Kefalonia or Corfu

We had a lovely trip to Zante last October. It was very friendly and there were beautiful sites to see.

Our 2 favourites are Koutouloufari/piskopiano on Crete for a laid back Greek feeling holiday - can drop down to hersonissos/stalis for a busier night in 10 mins
also Kardamena on Kos, more ‘British’ but lots of lovely Greek restaurants beautiful coastline and a really warm and friendly place.

North Corfu, Roda, it's just lovely there. A holiday village where people return year after year. I'm on my 3rd year, my friend has been going for 36 years and the locals and their families are now friends.

Another favourite is Zante but away away from the main towns. We love Keri up in the hills overlooking Turtle Island.

Another vote for Skiathos, I have been to a few of the islands and this place stole my hear. We stayed in Skiathos town which is close to the airport, has plentiful bars and restaurant, it is a great place for a couple.

You can get a bus or taxi to Koukarnaris which has some stunning beaches.

It is true what they say about it being the boomerang island, people who go always end up going back!

We love Zante. We wrongly assumed it would be clubby based on what we'd heard of it but really that's only one specific part of the island (Laganas). Any of the other areas are lovely, and I don't really think you can go wrong. Keri and Vassilikos have beautiful beaches/harbours.

We love the chilled vibe and slow pace.

Paxos, it’s so beautiful