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Greek Holiday recommendations please?

34 replies

SongforSal · 17/03/2019 18:00

Family of 4 including 2 teens. Never been to Greece before and we have decided to go AI for 2wks in the summer.

Where do we go? There are so many different areas that look beautiful! We definitely want a beach front hotel, or within walking distance to a beach. None of us are sun worshippers, but love swimming in the sea.. Also an area where we can explore and see some traditional Greece is a must.

Budget around 5k (not including spending money whilst there). I love the look of the Mitsis hotels, but the prices are very steep in summer hols. Any other recommendations?

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DelurkingAJ · 17/03/2019 18:08

In the 90s I did a two centre holidays in Greece with my family. We had four nights in Athens and then 10 days on the beach in the Peleponesse. It wasn’t AI but the last 10 days could have been. My DM braved Athens traffic and drove us...which meant we could stop at Delphi too. Would a mix like that work?

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SongforSal · 17/03/2019 18:27

That sounds great! I actually didn't think of splitting the time up. Definitely something to look into :)

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MoreSlidingDoors · 17/03/2019 18:29

Kefalonia.

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MoreSlidingDoors · 17/03/2019 18:29

We never do AI, so can’t comment on that. But Kefalonia is heavenly.

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RoseReally · 17/03/2019 18:32

Another vote for Kefalonia!

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TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 17/03/2019 18:33

I love Kefalonia and have been several times, but because of the earthquake in 1953, it's not "traditional" if you're thinking of those gorgeous sugarcube houses and blue roofs kind of thing.

Fiskardo, on the north coast of the island, remained pretty much untouched and it is beautiful. I love the whole of the island, and would always recommend it to people, but I don't want to mislead you!

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delilahbucket · 17/03/2019 18:35

Skiathos is a fantastic quiet island, but it depends what kind of holiday you want. Don't go AI. The food out there is amazing!

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bluetit101 · 17/03/2019 18:41

We went to Kos last year and the year before ( we never usually go to the same place twice)

We are a family of 5 with a 15, 12 & 7yr old and we all loved it.

Beautiful island, everyone is so friendly, lots to do and see and weather was amazing

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Graziass · 17/03/2019 18:42

Greece is not the best place to do AI. Go B&B and you will find far better food in restaurants.
Your teens might want somewhere with a bit more going on in an evening. Skiathos better than Kefalononia (which is beautiful but v quiet).
Or Crete or Zakynthos.

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SongforSal · 17/03/2019 18:49

I have considered not doing AI. I suppose the cost of eating out, drinks snacks and day trips. Plus going to a supermarket for basics it wouldn't feel as much as a 'holiday' to me.........Or maybe with a villa and pool I would like it?? Sorry to drip feed, DP and I work full time. Youngest at secondary and eldest just started Uni.

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Graziass · 17/03/2019 18:53

We took 3 18/19 year olds to Tsilivi in Zante. Stayed B&B in the hotel Phoenix Beach. It's right on the beach and surrounded by fab tavernas. It's cheap to eat out and even forking out for beer / cocktails in the evening didn't break the bank. DS rates it as his best holiday ever (and we've done many more expensive and AI holidays).

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SongforSal · 17/03/2019 18:53

bluetit101 Thanks

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Discoshoes · 17/03/2019 19:06

Kos has lots to see. We have stayed at The Aegean Village in Kardamena with TUI/First Choice before but it was very pricey last time I looked. Last time we went on a very tight budget and stayed at The Sovereign Beach also in Kardamena. It had it's own beach. Both hotels are either side of the main Kardamena town so about 15 minutes walk along the seafront into the town/village Centre. The Sovereign Beach is a fab hotel but when we went we were just a handful of British tourists. We booked through the now gone Cosmos /Monarch Holidays snd most of the hotel clientele were Italian. Not a problem for us but maybe a factor why we got the hotel so cheap on the UK market.
We caught buses into nearby KosTown, dud a trip to Bubble Beach and car hire to Zia. There are many boat trips to other smaller islands for volcanoes, monasteries etc and even Turkey.

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LoafEater · 17/03/2019 19:17

I would never do AI in Greece. The food is so beautiful, why would you restrict yourself. We have spent many happy holidays in Pefkos on Rhodes. Its a fairly new town (built 1980's) a few miles down the road from beautiful, ancient Lindos. Pefkos has a lovely beach, is a great base for trips around the Island/boat trips and has the most amazing restaurants. We absolutely love it. There are lots of places to stay from higher end hotels to posher hotels.

Have been to lots of places in Greece, but we keep going back to Pefkos.

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Charley50 · 17/03/2019 19:42

Do you want to go to mainland Greece or an island?

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isseywithcats · 17/03/2019 20:15

we went to Kos last year just outside of kardamena and loved it the island is small enough to get round but has plenty of things to do and kardamena is a nice little resort we enjoyed ourselves, we went AI as the price difference between half board and AI was almost nothing and being buffet there was enough choice for everyone ok the food wasnt haute cuisine but we didnt starve and the cocktails at zero spend were well worth it

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SongforSal · 17/03/2019 20:25

Charly50 not fussed!

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TheNoodlesIncident · 17/03/2019 21:13

We love Greece and have been to many Greek islands, never visited the mainland though. We always do self-catering as there are loads of lovely restaurants and cafes, and by buying lunch and dinner at these we are contributing to the local economies more than if we went to an AI hotel (although if you prefer that, totally up to you). We buy bits and pieces from the local supermarkets and have breakfast in our apartment on the balcony, although we could go out to a restaurant for breakfast too (and always do on our last day).

Favourites are Corfu and Crete, our ds is younger than your dc but we like boat trips to other islands (did Santorini from Crete; Paxos and Antipaxos from Corfu), swimming in the sea (and pools), waterparks, the glass blowing studio (Crete), visiting the main towns nearby. There are also water sports available, pedalos for hire, snorkelling trips...

We've now got favourite accommodation we prefer to book in both islands: apartments with separate bedrooms, kitchens, bathroom with washing machine, TVs & WiFi, etc.

We have Corfu booked this year, counting the days now... Smile

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StrumpersPlunkett · 17/03/2019 21:16

Crete not ai caramel boutique hotel awesome good for all sorts of day trips. Hired a car saw lots

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Lwmommy · 17/03/2019 21:23

Been to Crete twice near Rethymmnon , beautiful beaches and amazing food. The kind of restaurants where you can pop in during the morning to tell them what kind of fish you would like and they go out and catch it then cook it fresh for dinner.

I always went self catering, bought bread, cheese, fruit and drinks for the apartment, breakfast on the balcony then cafes and restautants for every other meal. Cheap but delicious fresh food.

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Crunchymum · 17/03/2019 21:33

Another vote for Kefalonia. No need to do AI though?

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Baconislife · 17/03/2019 21:40

Kefelonia is just beautiful

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LtJudyHopps · 17/03/2019 21:45

The Mitsis hotels are beautiful! Amazing service, lovely restaurants. You can use the facilities at others on the island I think as well. Kos is a lovely island and the mitsis hotels in Kardamena are a 20 minute walk (if not more!) to Kardamena but it’s along a sea road and it’s lovely, then get a cab back.
We’ve also been to Rhodes and stayed at the Mitsis Faliraki - really nice. Rhodes is an amazing island with lots of towns to visit - would recommend doing a boat trip to Lindos.
We do AI in Greece as the difference for a nice hotel isn’t much more, mainly for the drinks and breakfast/lunch. We then always eat out a few times - we went to Kos for a week last October and ate out 4 times as the restaurants in Kardamena are our favourites!

I’ve noticed the Mitsis hotels seem expensive this year, try looking at them directly you can get a good deal sometimes. Search the hotels on Facebook and see other guests photos Smile

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guessmyusername · 17/03/2019 21:52

We did Crete but not AI. We ate out each evening in tavernas and the food was lovely. Most meals less than 40 Euros for 2 of us including drinks. If you eat fish (I don't) there is even more choice. I want to go back, but to a different part of the island.

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RubyViolet · 17/03/2019 22:16

Completely different view on Mitsis. I stayed at the one on Corfu and thought it was way too busy. Hated the long queues for food,hated the human froth in the pool, so grubby. The entertainment and reps singing at the pool, the communal dancing.... a little bit like Butlins to me.
That was my one and only AI trip in Greece, much more suited to smaller hotels and/ or self catering.
Corfu is amazing though.

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