We want a self catering holiday in Greece in early June any ideas please?

[Merlot]

We have a 7 year old and a 16 month old. We would like to go in the May half term. Have been to Crete lots of times and would like a change.

As well as a picturesque place, we would like a little town nearby where we could walk round in the evening and which offers some choice on the eating out front.

We are interested in private villas or self catering apartments and will hire a car. Kids clubs not a requirement. Anyone got any ideas - all suggestions would be much appreciated

Beety was tempting me to go to Naxos....and there were some great deals there, too. She's the expert, we didn't quite make it there, but it's on mmy list - call for Beety!

Thanks Blu, will do

Would recommend Stoupa for kids of this age and your requirements. Two excellent beaches with safe shallow water for a long way, range of tavernas, and v kid friendly. We stayed at Maniatiko villas with Greek Options and I couldn't fault it. Villas set out over a large property - didn't feel like a complex to us at all. Pool and restaurant on site but only a five minute drive into Stoupa and car is included. Stoupa is about an hour transfer from Kalamata airport. One of our best ever self catering family holidays.

That sounds lovely Jan, offer to google Stoupa now

Merlot - just noticed that Greek options are offering two weeks for the price of one in June for a lot of their Stoupa properties: see here www.greekoptions.co.uk/offers.html

ah ah ah merlot...sorry to hijack the thread, but i've been trying to get an answer on this on another thread to no avail:

is it easy to get goats milk/milk products on crete???

and have you looked at simplytravel?

Hi sophable. Sorry, no idea about the goats milk. We've stayed most times near Chania (beautiful) and Rethymnon (sp?) and also Aghios Nikolaos (pretty, but more for suitable for party goers!)

We went to Crete before ds1 was on the scene and not again until he was 4, so didnt really have a problem with milk or food

Haven't travelled with Simply Travel before, but they look good. We travelled with Manos and cant remember the others.

Good Luck

Sophable, I have answered on your other thread! Merlot,I get back on this soon..

How about Ithaca, next to Kefalonia. Gorgeous organic olive farm here this

Some really lovely suggestions here, thank you

Spotted the offer Jan (would be very tempted but ds2 is at school and it would mean a battle to take him out, have to give it some serious thought though - it looks very beautiful)

Could you predominately self cater in Stoupa or would most meals be best eaten out? Ideally, would like the option to do both.

also, a special thank you to Beety for answering my call

I'd recommend a lovely low-key place called Daphnes, on Zakynthos. Simply Travel do accommodation on this island but not half as nice as this. We found it on the internet - look up www.daphnes.com (or something like that - google it). Just a few one storey self-catering villas and apartments set in a lovely olive grove, very quiet, in an undeveloped part of the islamd, 2 minutes next to a lovely beach with a fab beach bar, 5 minutes by car to the best beach on the island where turtles hatch - all very calm waters. And a 1 minute walk to local shop, tavernas.

The capital is about 20 minutes drive away. Zakynthos is incredibly accessible from all regional airports - we could even go from Glasgow - which means you can probably get there from anywhere!

Daphnes is run by a lovely couple, a Swedish woman, Maria and her Zakynthon husband Dionysis - they keep the place absolutely spotless and are very friendly. There's a lovely children's play area with sandpit etc - the whole set up was really nice - and we're used to 5 star luxury hotels worldwide - but this, in a simpler way - was just as enjoyable. A real find. Look it up!

i would reccomend lagana's in Zante, beautifulpalce, ideal for everyone as there are loads of 'family' bars/resteuaunts, turtle beech is beautiful , but cant tell you about accomodation cos we stayed in the alexandra hotel ob b+b and it was shocking.

also kassiopi in corfu is very pretty and not a 'big' place, beach is stoney tho, but they have a lovely family resteraunt called Yannis and ive never had food like it[samile], cheap and delicious and you always get a discount when you go back..and believe me you will, we eat there most nights.

click on to icelolly.com - really cheap s/c holidays!!!!

have you tried laskarina?

also the algarve is great, gorgeous sandy beaches and loads of villas near the town/beach in alvor..very clean and friendly,lovely village

Thanks all - some great suggestions. Off now to do my research

I'm glad I found this - I have just started my internet research, and DP suggested "somewhere like Stoupa" which is where we spent our last childfree holiday. Our appartments were up a steep gravelled road and the trip on the bus from the airport precarious, so we weren't sure whether it was suitable for small children. But seeing as you lot are saying that it is, I reckon we'll go back there. We loved the choice of restaurants, the friendliness, the quietness, how it was pretty and small. I like the idea of the villas you talk about janinlondon, I will go and look them up now. Just one question - we loved it because it was so quiet and peaceful and we were able to completely keep ourselves to ourselves (sorry, we're shy people, we don't go on holiday to make new friends, we both find that stressful!). In villas like you suggest, janinlondon, would we be able to just potter around quietly on our own, or would there be loads of people and children on top of us? Daytime sleep will also be a priority seeing as we're planning on taking an 8 week old baby!

The villas were fairly spread out, though I know there have been more built since we were there two years ago. Ours was a 1 bed (DD sleeping in the living room) semi-detached, but we never saw the people in the one we were attached to - they had a separate entrance gate and we had out own little walled garden where DD ran about naked while picking olives and chasing butterflies, or occasionally running through the sprinkler. We were there in 1st week of July. Very quiet and peaceful.

idyllic jan . Just trying to sort out taking ds1 out of school for the second week as it would be too good an opportunity to miss!

Just reserved the 2 bed villa. It doesn't have the private garden, but it is supposed to be very nice.

Can you remember what the 2 beds were like Jan - I know that's asking an awful lot , but I like the sound of the walled garden now and want my cake and eat it!

just to add to this thread, we've just returned from Daphnes on zakynthos (booked on the strength of rubyone's recommendation) and would really recommend it. We loved not having to hire a car, and the quiet nights.....low key but very relaxing.