If you are looking for a small, non-touristic spot somewhere to relax and enjoy for a few weeks you can visit Paros and Naxos. It’s very easy to get to those islands as ferries run frequently and the tickets are very cheap. They are closed to many other island so if you don’t like one you can always move easily to another. You can rent car or moped and explore the islands. Paros is much smaller than Naxos but they are very similar. Santorini is different more touristic but still you can fine some places where you can relax and enjoy. Next to Santorini hour and half away is a island called Anafy. This one it’s not very popular and has hand full of people. If you decided to go there you will have the beach for yourself. On territory the island is larger than Santorini and you can get there for maximum 10 Euro with a ferryboat from Santorinan port. You can go in the morning and come back in the next day to Santorini. Another quite island is located close to Naxos. It is very small and it’s called Koufonissi. For few days there you will get to know everyone on the island. Try to go there June or September if you go there in August you will see only Greek people and it will be very noisy and hectic.
I will mention just few others small islands that I love:
• Alonissos -Sporades Island. Green and fertile, perfect for walking and nature-loving people. You can go to this island by flying to Skiathos, followed by a 75-min. ferry transfer.
• Paxos -Ionian Island. Here you can enjoy old architecture, wild flowers, wooden landscape and white pebble cover. You can go to this island by flying to Corfu, followed by a ferry transfer.
• Ithaca - home of Odyssey and visitors can discover the legendary places mentioned in Homer’s The Odyssey. It is a great place for people interested in history and archaeology. Many ancient monasteries. You can get to this island by flying to Kafalonia, followed by a ferry transfer.
Hi Friend,
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are very nice. Now i am very eager to visit Greece seeing your blog.
Thanks & Regards
Wisteria
Thanks, you should come and visit. These places are better in real life.
ReplyDeleteHello, Milena - My husband and I will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary in October of 2010 and want to visit Greece. Neither of us has been there before and we are eager to stay in a cottage or apartment and experience some of the village life and beautiful scenery. Not interested in night life, fancy hotels or tourist places. We have been thinking about staying in the Peloponnese region. Do you have any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Sandrina
Peloponnese has a lot of things to offer. This is one of the most historical areas in Greece , beautiful nature, villages with a remarkable architecture, developed cities and a high touristic infrastructure. Stone villages perched on rocks or in woods with planes, chestnuts and conifers as in Arcadia, cosmopolitan resorts in Argolida, Korinthia, Achaea, immense beaches in Ilia, towers in Mani, fertile plains in Argolida, Messinia and Ilia. Patras is the capital of Peloponnese is the third largest city in Greece. It is a major port in Greece and receives all the traffic arriving by sea from Italy.
ReplyDeleteYou may have Kalamatianos (from Kalamata), a circular group dance very often seen at weddings and family celebrations. If you go close to the circle you will be asked to join in.
The closest airports are in Athens and in Kalamata (in the Southern Peloponnese). You can go by Ferry as well. Hellenic Seaways high-speed car ferries sail four times daily in summer from Piraeus to Porto Heli (two hours; about EUR 23); you can purchase tickets online.
www.hellenicseaways.gr
If you need information you can talk to the Tourist police, who often speak English, can be useful in emergencies; they can also help you find accommodations, restaurants, and sights.
Pharmacies, are identified by red-cross signs, take turns staying open late. It is best to check at your hotel to find out not only which pharmacy is open but how to get there.
Because of the absence of Greek National Tourism Organization offices in the Southern Peloponnese, you will come to count on the tourist police for help and information. You can reach them by dialing 171 or local numbers. Beware of good-intentioned locals if you ask for directions to the tourist office—they may lead you to private travel agents (who can indeed be helpful) or to municipal offices that are not geared to helping the public.
Travel by taxi or rent a car. For the taxi in rural areas drivers may not switch on the meter if the destination has a fixed price, but make sure you agree on the cost before getting in—remember that it's the same price whether you're alone or in a company of four. It's the mileage that counts.
Me personally love the Saronic Islands (very very close to Peloponnese)in particular Aegina. I stayed in a hotel named Panorama, small family hotel right on the sea site. In front of the hotel they have a beautiful restaurant called also Panorama where I spent many relaxing days. They are small steps and from there you can get to the water. Blue, clear Mediterranean water you can see 6 miter below crabs crawling at the bottom of the sea. Local people are very friendly and the food in delicious. I haven’t been there for few years if you are interested I can call them and give them your e-mail or opposite so you can see for yourself if you would like the place and the people. After all marriage is very special. I got married in Aegina Island in a small place called Agia Marina. I went in Greece on holiday and met my husband to whom I am married 15th years. So Greek Island do have some special atmosphere and charm.
Check the info for Aegina from my blog. I hope this info help if you have any question don't hesitate to ask. By the way Aegina is only half hour with the speed boat from Pireus - Athens. You can visit Athens for a day and go back in the night to the island. Also there is a trip to the rest of the Saronic Island and it is worth it. They are all very native and beautiful. Let me know how it goes.