This might sound daft but which are the nice bits of Greece?

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

I've only ever been to Crete and that was 10 years ago.

DS and DH want a pool and an aquapark.

I want places to go and visit, things to see / do.

And I don't want to go anywhere which smells of chips.

Where would you recommend?

I love Athens, Delphi and Olympia - but I'm a classics geek

Athens is a big smelly city though isn't it?

Do people go there for holidays?

hmm. tbh it is - I wouldn't be inclined to take the kids there any time soon
But breathtaking.

Paxos - it's great. A very hidden secret. We took our DD in September when she was 11 months old and had a great time.

So where would you take the kids then?

Bit of geekery for you.

Usual holiday stuff for them.

No English breakfasts.

ermmmmm
probably not Greece then

wait for someone who's done it eh?

sorry cbmum, I missed you earlier.

Paxos eh? I'll check it out. Thanks.

I should have mentioned further criteria (sory, criteria by stealth here) - we'll need to check out some accommodation so that DS might find someone else to play with. Deffo not a villa on our own. Maybe nice apartments with a pool where there's other children. DS is 8.

So it needs to be a bit touristy at least.

Paxos is lovely, but very quite, not much to see and do that doesn't involve a ferry ride (as in day trips). It is a beautiful small green island. It has pebble beaches and no aquapark! You fly into Corfu and transfer by ferry.

Not sure if you will find many aquaparks. Have you looked at Parga, Vassiliki on Lefkas, NE Corfu, Periyali Villas on Zante, Thassos, Skiathos?

Corfu is winning at the mo cos of the flights.

Tell me more about the NE bit?

I LOVE Corfu.

We last went around 7 years ago now, stayed in Kalami on the NE corner. Kalami was beautiful (I'm saying "was" because it was a long time ago that I was last there), it's a small pebbly cove, with around 4 tavernas, a couple of supermarkets and a couple of bars. You could get a boat (or walk) around to the next small pebbly bay of Agni which had a couple of tavernas. We went in May and there were plenty of magical fireflies. The NE corner is mountainous and green.

If you looking for a sandy beach then you may want to try the west coast Agios Gordios (which I haven't been to yet but plan on going to).

There are a few day trips, and a must is to visit Corfu Town, either in the day or evening.

Kalami is a small resort, you may want to hire a car to go further afield, or brave the buses!

These apartments in Kalami are built into the hillside and have 2 pools www.asonitisadonis.com (available through Portland Holidays), or Dimitris and Frosso apartments they share a pool. Most other accommodation is single villa or small groups of villas/apartments with pool.

Do have a look at Agios Gordios too, seems to be a bit busier there. www.agios-gordios.net

There is a water park in Corfu.

Am feeling very , I feel a holiday booking coming on!

Not sure about waterpark prospects but we went to Afitos in Halkidiki in August this year. It was really great. Very greek (many more greek families on holiday there than other nationalities). Fab restaurants and stunning scenery.

We stayed at Hotel Stamos which is relatively small - I think about 20 rooms? My DCs made loads of friends around the pool. The owner is very friendly and welcoming. We booked direct with the hotel and got it at 50% of the going rate in Thomas Cook brochure (which is the only UK operator who go to that particular place).

Can also recommend Parga - lovely old greek town with nice harbour and beaches. Aghia Paraskevi in Skiathos - blue flag beach, very small resort, literally a street with a few tavernas and hotels/apartments but only a 20 minute transfer from airport (no aircraft noise tho surprisingly) oh and Skiathos town is great for a wander in the evenings and is 15 minutes by bus.

Go to Northern Cyprus. So cheap. You have the lovely climate. They have a really good waterpark at Acapulco and I think it is all-inclusive there as well.