mister_e

Dear Folks

Have always been helped hugely by advice here.I had planned a long break after quitting my job but all of it went with supporting very elderly parents who became unwell. Now that things are a bit stable I feel I need a break for myself before going back to work. So looking at travelling in the next few days. I live in UK and in April was looking where best I can have a 10 day approx vacation and thought perhaps the Greek Islands..

i have been to Athens , Santorini and Naxos . I was considering the following options:

Ten days in Crete or Rhodes
Ten days split between Milos Sifnos and may be a day in Hydra
Any alternative suggestion you might suggest

Will be flying solo.Am in my mid fifties. My interests include dabbling in photography. Sadly cannot swim.

Hoping to find relaxing time, bit of exploring(not very fit so not strenuous hikes but relaxed walks) good food, photo opportunities, local people, bit of history.hopefully some sunshine and sand too .

Would really appreciate your advice..also if doable by public transport or car essential.As used to driving other side not sure how easy to drive in hilly roads but not completely averse.

On a separate note always wanted to go to Meteora. Is it best to do by a tour from Athens?

Thank you!
(Also considering Sardinia and will post a similar thread and decide guided by yourselves)

KayF

If you plan to go in the next few days, have you already checked flight times and cost? Also what accommodation is available. Check when Easter is this year, Greece has different Easter dates to other countries.

I'd choose Crete or Rhodes. There's a lot of history on Rhodes. Symi was great, we did a day trip from Rhodes. We had a few days in Chania (Crete) and loved the town but saw little else.

mister_e

Hi KayF
Thank you. I believe Easter in Greece is early May. I am looking to go now.
I have not checked for accomodation et al.Will do once I decide where am headed after getting some advice from the members hopefully.
kr

Travel_Nerd

Hi OP, I think what KayF is trying to say is checking the overall availability of flights and accommodations at your potential destination(s) might end up swaying your ultimate decision. Imho, if it were me, I'd hate to land on, say Crete, and find out where I want to actually go has no availability. While that may not be an issue this early, but it could the later you get into this month.

I'd imagine any of the ideas you threw out for your ideal vacation would work for what you want to achieve in any of these places. The choice is really up to you.

If you're looking for suggestions, can you be more specific? If you are wanting to hear what peoples "favorites" are in any of these places, I find it best that you word it that way accordingly. You'd get a lot more responses.

However, what I do is peruse each destination using Google maps. Since photos and other basic information link to the map, I find it useful to see what is there to help me choose. My upcoming trip to Apulia was planned in this manner. So was a prior solo trip to Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia. YMMV.

neckervd

Rhodos has actually the mildest climate and tons of antique and medieval sites.
You may also walk thruugh he now blooming landscape to ancient monasteries and ohurches with partly stunning frescoes (ask where you can get the key before starting).
Epta Piges (7 springs) west of Kolimbvia is a kind of hiking trail hub.
Good hiking from Archangelos eitgher to Tambika Monastery or to Stegna and along the coast up to Feraklos cruisader castle and Charaki.
Walking guidebooks in English available.
Frequent public buses along the East coast up to Lindos and Gennadi.
The West coasts is less scenbic IMO.
Daily ferries to the neighbour Islands of Chalki, Tilos and Symi as well as to the former Greek Anatolian village of Makri which is now called Fethyie and part of Turkey (stunning landscape and archeological site).

IMO A MUCH BETTER CHOICE THAN SARDINIA

happy_traveler_too

I’d do Sifnos for all of it. That’s what we did last year. We had planned on visiting Milos too but the timing was off day wise. I’m a non swimmer too, late 50’s but still love beaches regardless. We spent 9 days on Sifnos and found that there was so much more we didn’t see, mainly because of a holiday we didn’t know about, our fault. This year we’re heading to Folegandros and Milos bookended by Athens, mainly because of flight changes. It’s all good though since we’ll see things in Athens we didn’t see last year. It’s unplanned because our flights originally went through Santorini which would’ve been more expensive than Athens. Anyway, good luck.