Greece - quiet holiday locations ?

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stevewestern

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Anyone got any recommendations for a quiet family holiday - all we really want is someplace quiet, ie not too much by way of late night noise, a pool, some proper Greek food, and some friendly local people who will expect us to manage a few words in Greek. Ideally close to a beach and ideally on an island with an airport as I am not a good sailor.
My ideal is salad and calamari, a glass of Retsina while sitting on a beach. A room with a fan and a view would be good, but I can cope with just a fan, as it will be late July or early August when we go.

Kalymnos was wonderful 18 years ago - we were at the very end of the 'road' in Melitsaha, in a hostal with 3 rooms, a beach 10m away with a bar, and guess what they served me every day for lunch...
A 10 minute walk took us into the town where there was more than enough for us - it seems like shame to go back in some way as there are so many more places, but where..?
 
Check out Arillas in North West Corfu, loads of restaurants/bars on the sea front, lovely beach some nice hotels and the locals are really friendly, Emglish is spoken so no problems there. I've been there on holiday now about 5 times, hotels/apt and my sister's villa there. It is not a noisy place and the holidaymakers tend to be more mature age group but not too mature if you know what I mean. If you want a late night at a bar then they are happy top oblige, I've found they won't close or push you out, they close when the last customer has gone.

http://www.villalinakis.com/arillas/
 
Pick any small village anywhere in Greece and you'll be fine. Agios Nikolaos in Crete looked fairly quiet, and so was most things further east. Just avoid obvious scum spots like Malia :)
 
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Agia Nikolaios (assorted spellings, depending on maps!!!) is Brit central as far as ex-pats goes on Crete. The South of the island is far quieter than the North coast but will be stinking hot (high 30s) in late July/early August. If you want relatively deserted after the coaches have left, try Elafonisi - not aware of any hotels with pools but the sea is warm enough not to need a pool. Very busy during the daytime. In fact, most of Crete is very busy with (apparently demanding) Greek tourists who flock there in droves, filling much of the available accommodation.
 
Have a look at the south coast of Santorini, Perissa and the surrounds. Has a few bars and restaurants but not overly lively.
 
Again, thanks for the replies - a quick look at Naxos seems promising, but then so do all the other suggestions !
 
Always found Kefalonia better than most Greek Islands for a quiter place to go.

Fiskardo in the north is nice.
 
I'd like to recommend Votsala hotel on Lesvos: http://www.votsalahotel.com/

We've been there twice, which is quite unusual for us, and keep trying to find ways of going back again during easter or the olive harvest time. Lesvos itself relies on the olive industry rather than tourism, and is much more like Greece was 25-30 years ago. The hotel has its own bit of beach, and is by the small town of Thermi, with tavernas etc just a short walk away. The people that own the hotel - Daphne and Iannis are lovely, and their team are also a great (sometimes a little 'interesting') bunch.
 
Sorry to be asking others questions in your thread but;
Me and my partner are thinking of heading to Greece most likely Crete for our honeymoon in June with our then 7 month old baby has any one got any recommendations for somewhere nice and quiet to stay? We'll most likely book an all inclusive package and i'll consider my first time driving abroad when we get to the hotel and I see what I think to it all.
 
frank said:
Check out Arillas in North West Corfu, loads of restaurants/bars on the sea front, lovely beach some nice hotels and the locals are really friendly, Emglish is spoken so no problems there. I've been there on holiday now about 5 times, hotels/apt and my sister's villa there. It is not a noisy place and the holidaymakers tend to be more mature age group but not too mature if you know what I mean. If you want a late night at a bar then they are happy top oblige, I've found they won't close or push you out, they close when the last customer has gone.

http://www.villalinakis.com/arillas/
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I was just about to say Arillas. We stayed in the Rainbow Apartments a few years ago (Nafsiki) and it was lovely. Lovely hosts. The town is quiet but not too quiet if you know what I mean.

We also really enjoyed Bali in Crete, a much bigger resort than Arillas but still not part town. We stayed at the Amalia appartments there.
 
Ben6 said:
Sorry to be asking others questions in your thread but;
Me and my partner are thinking of heading to Greece most likely Crete for our honeymoon in June with our then 7 month old baby has any one got any recommendations for somewhere nice and quiet to stay? We'll most likely book an all inclusive package and i'll consider my first time driving abroad when we get to the hotel and I see what I think to it all.
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I would encourage you not to do all inclusive. This might be quite controversial I know. The last time we were in Greece (Zante, Alikanas) the all inclusive hotels were strangling the local economy. The restaurants were empty and bars struggling because there were three all inclusive places on the go. A real shame as the restaurants were all dead cheap and served really good food, the owners were desperate. I doubt you would save anything either.

Driving in Crete was fine, no problems at all.
 
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ChrisJ_SLH said:
I would encourage you not to do all inclusive. This might be quite controversial I know. The last time we were in Greece (Zante, Alikanas) the all inclusive hotels were strangling the local economy. The restaurants were empty and bars struggling because there were three all inclusive places on the go. A real shame as the restaurants were all dead cheap and served really good food, the owners were desperate. I doubt you would save anything either. .....
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:agree: %100!!!!!

We went to Georgioupoli on Crete (Chania district) 3 or 4 years ago & loved the place & the people. It's not too busy & noisy.
Plenty of places to stay, from the expensive hotels to the more affordable guest houses. (there is the Fereniki all inclusive there, but DO NOT entertain them. it's an awful place!)
Eating out isn't too expensive & there are plenty of places to choose from.
 
Thank you both only reason we were swaying towards all inclusive is past experiences of them elsewhere in the world have been great and thought with such a young baby meal times would be easier with the flexible buffet style restraunts.
 
tbh, with a young baby (or any child really) you would probably be better off at a small guest house. The Greeks love kids (not to eat, obviously) & you would more likely receive more of a personal service than the larger hotels.
 
We don't generally re visit places, but have booked Crete again this June/July. We didn't get over to the Eastern side last time & wanted to visit Spinalonga, so have booked in Aghios Nikolaos so we can tour round a bit from there.
 
Ag Nik used to be the nightlife centre of the island, but maybe it's a bit quieter now. We stayed at Ferma, a few mile east of Ierapetra 27 years ago, so it may well have changed a bit by now. ;)
 
This is a bigger task than I had expected - so many replies and suggestions but please keep them coming.

Ben6 - I agree with OldCarlos about not going to an all inclusive (not that I have ever been to one) but having lived in Spain and traveled much of Europe while my girls were young any local place will welcome you and your baby and if anything will go out of their way to look after you. We found the local people actually went out of their way to make a fuss and look after us and we are still in touch with a couple of the families
 
Paxos. One hour from Corfu on the hydrofoil, inexpensive, beautiful and as quiet as I've seen in Greece. Andrikos Studios in Lakka is simply a wonderful place to unwind with a family.

I stayed in Perissa on Santorini and found it a bit unimpressive. I'd take Paxos over Santorini any day.
 
Astraeus said:
Paxos. One hour from Corfu on the hydrofoil, inexpensive, beautiful and as quiet as I've seen in Greece. Andrikos Studios in Lakka is simply a wonderful place to unwind with a family.

I stayed in Perissa on Santorini and found it a bit unimpressive. I'd take Paxos over Santorini any day.
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Sounds pretty good - how far from a beach, and is it a sandy beach or pebbles ?
I assume retsina is available (see how fussy I am ??)
 
Retsina is hugely variable! While one brand (or even batch) might be delicious, the next can be undrinkable. Even the nice tasting stuff doesn't ravel well, it needs to be drunk outdoors, ideally with a sea view in a warm climate.

Been thinking a little on this question especially with regard to potential places on Crete that might be suitable. The one "resort" that does spring to mind is Palaeochora in the South West of the island. Plenty of tavernas throughout the town, a choice of a sandy beach or a pebbly one, relatively quiet and plenty warm enough. Last time we stayed there, I even managed to catch an octopus barehanded, the waters are that unspoiled. Not sure which tour operators offer it as a destination, it's a fairly long drag from Heraklion, although Chania is closer. (The Chania retsina's one of the better Cretan ones too!)

BTW, in my earlier post, where I said that it gets bloody hot in the South in July and August, I wasn't kidding. Friends who have a bar there usually spend the nights on the sunloungers on the beach and go for a dip when (not if!) they get too hot. A lot of the beaches are in small, cliff backed coves and are like solar ovens.
 
stevewestern said:
Sounds pretty good - how far from a beach, and is it a sandy beach or pebbles ?
I assume retsina is available (see how fussy I am ??)
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I would presume retsina is available. One could always enquire with the accommodation. Again Andrikos were remarkable helpful with us.

The beaches are mainly pebble although there are some sandy beaches towards the south of the island (http://www.agni.gr/paxos/Beaches_on_Paxos/). The 'pebble' beaches are large, smooth pebbles (actually so beautiful I packed many in my suitcase for souvenirs in our home). It is as 'ancient' an island as you will find with an interior almost exclusively dedicated to stepped olive groves and citrus groves. It is entirely untouched by package holiday hordes and Lakka has the most peaceful bay and small beaches I have ever enjoyed. Andrikos Studios is a 5 minute walk from Lakka's small harbour with many lovely restaurants and shops, and another two minute walk from the beaches. The walk is down a road with next-to-no traffic (unless you count goats).
 
Symi (in four parts!). It's stunning. I know a lot of people there so if it looks a possibility to you, should be able to answer pretty much anything.
 
We went on a day trip from Rhodes and fell instantly in love with the place. We go for a month every summer now, if possible.
 
I quite liked Rhodes, nice island and some very interesting places if you hire a car, stay in one of the nice hotels about 20 mins bus ride out of Rhodes town.
Or Kos, I liked that Island also. Neptune hotel resort was very nice, again about 20 min bus ride from kos town and an interesting island to drive around.
 
Craig1912 said:
but which part- some of Rhodes you certainly can't describe as quiet.
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Sorry, should have made it clear. Symi is a small island about 50 minutes away by ferry (the only way to get there unless you have a helicopter). It's far less intensely commercial than most of the Rhodes resorts; no all night clubs, no big hotels, the beaches are not crowded. The whole place runs at a lower speed, and is so much better for it.
 
Well, it is out of my hands now - having been left alone to sort out our holiday destination my wife and kids are now chipping in with reasons not to go to places - so far not one reason to go TO a place, so I'll be showing them this thread and we will see what happens (nothing I expect..)
Symi and Lesvos have been added to my list of possibles, so as before, many thanks for all the help. I've not had the time to look into all the other suggestions but promise I will - got to get the girls off to school right now, as its the first day back..
 
Lesbos (or Lesvos) is good, or as far as I could judge from just a week there. I've got some stuff on it if you need some.
 
Never visited Lesvos but would like to - it's the birthplace of Ouzo!

A challenge...
DSC_5056 by gpn63, on Flickr
 
I still have a little of the Barbayanni (should really be Varvayanni, but they seem to have mangled the spelling in translation) ouzo we picked up in Plomari last time we were in Lesvos.

It's the taste of summer: you can imagine being sat at a long table spread with good Lesvian foods, while the waves lap gently at the shore 20 feet away and the moon rises over Thermi harbour. ;)

This site looks fun: http://www.ouzoplomari.gr/site_en/index.php
 
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Got several bottles of assorted Ouzos in the cupboard but after LOTS of research and many tastings, we've settled on Plomari itself as our favourite brand. As you say, it's best enjoyed looking at a sea view with the sound of the ripples on the sand. In September we rediscovered a kantina on the beach at Elafonisi in SW Crete who supplied us with the Plomari, 2 plastic glasses (we'll try to remember to take some proper glasses next time!) a bottle of water and a cup full of ice. Nature provided the sunset and the sunbeds were unattended so free! Took some shots of Mrs Nod in some Yoga poses for her website/Facebook and some of the sunset for me. Next time I'll do the shooting before the Ouzo!
 
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