HOME
Real Estate
Guestbook
Mail me...
Favorite Hotels
Special Hotel Deals
Naturism &
naturist beaches
Island ratings
Maps
Useful Links
Restaurants
Car Rentals
Taxi Reservations
Greek Ferries
Your Stories
Updates
Newsletter
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Argo-Saronic islands which are situated close to the capital Athens. At a mere 20 kilometer south of the Athenian harbour Pireaus it is one of the most touristed islands in Greece. It is a nice destination for people that have one or two days of holidays left before they fly back home from Athens.
Agathonissi
Agathonissi is the most northern island in the Dodecanese group (163 islands of which 29 are inhabited). Agathonissi is a small island that is visited by some of the ferries on the route from Samos to Patmos. It is situated about one hour to one an a half hours away from the village of Pythagorion on Samos island. It is a rather barren island and there are not so many houses and people (about 150).
Agistri
Agistri (or: Angistri) is on of the Argo-Saronic islands situated in the Gulf of Aegina not far away from Athens. The island is 17 km2 in size and has a population of about 550 people. It is situated west of its larger neighbour the island of Aegina. Agistri is a green island that is covered with pine trees and even though it is not very large there are a good number of beaches including one official naturist beach (Chalikiada in the southeast).
Alonissos
Alonissos is one of the Sporades, a group of green, pinetree-covered islands in the north of Greece. Patitiri is the main town and the first village you will see when you arrive on the island. It is also the largest village. The old village or Chora is situated 3 kilometers up the hill.
Amorgos
Amorgos island is 117 km2 large and has around 1800 inhabitants. It is the most easterly of the Cyclades islands and also one of the least touristed of the large Aegean islands. It is rugged, it has high mountains and is often battered by the sea. The sight of Amorgos on arrival by ferry is impressing and maybe a bit imtimidating, but once ashore it turns out to be very friendly and unspoilt.
Anafi
Anafi is probably the most desolate of the Cyclades and of all Greek islands we have ever put foot on shore, allthough tourism is increasing over the last couple of years. The island of Anafi is 38 km2 in size and has about 350 inhabitants. The highest point of the island is the 579 meters high mountain Vigla.
Andros
Andros is mountainous and rough, and it's big. You need time to see it all. Compared to the other Cyclades it's really green, even at the end of september when we were there. There are green valleys and tree-topped hills everywhere, and beautiful bays and nice little villages around every corner. I can only compare it to Crete. If you've been there: it looks like the west of Crete.
Antiparos
The island of Antiparos in the Cyclades is located southwest of Paros, from which is divided by a shallow and about 4 metres deep channel. It is diverse, with a friendly and lively north and a very quiet south of the island, and it has plenty of sights and lots of naturist beaches. Antiparos is defenitely one of my favorites.
Arki
Arki is an island, or actually more a group of small islands, east of Patmos in the Dodecanese group, between Patmos and Agathonissi / Turkey. On the largest of these islands (7 km2) about 50 people live and some more live on the nearby smaller island of Marathi. You can reach the island from Patmos and also on the ferry on the route Samos - Agathonissi - Arki - Patmos - Leros - Kalymnos - which makes a stop here at around three times a week on the way up and the way down.
Athens (city)
Athens is large and it's vibrant and off course the city has all the historic sights and monuments that everybody wants to see. On the other hand you could also say that some parts of it are too busy and crowded, noisy and smelly and polluted from the numerous cars that drive around in the city. If you want to go there to check out the Acropolis and the other Greek masterpieces and you want to visit the National Museum than do so.
Chios
The island of Chios is very close to the mainland of Turkey (5.5 kilometer). This is the fifth largest island in Greece but still small enough to offer you a very special kind of hospitality and culture. Like many of the Greek islands, Chios has a colourful and sometimes violent past. Today you will find superbly preserved medieval villages, Byzantine monasteries, interesting architecture showing the various influences of the island rulers.
Corfu
Corfu has long be considered one of the most beautiful islands in Greece because of the beautiful green nature and the friendly people. The capital and most of the touristic places are all on the eastcoast. The busiest part is from Corfu town down to Benitses in the south. Outside this area it gets more quiet. The north and the westcoast have lots to offer.
Crete
Crete is without a doubt my favorite island. It is the largest and probably the most beautiful of them all. Crete has got everything that you could want from a holiday island. The lovers of peace and quiet, and beautiful, quiet beaches find their place in the southeast of the island, where there are also many naturist beaches. There are cozy villages like Mirtos, Kato Zakros and Makrigialos where you find restaurants, shops and nice beaches, or even more quiet spots like the villages of Ferma and Xerokampos where you can also dive into the sea without your bathing suit.
Delos
The small, rocky, dry island of Delos near Mykonos, which supposedly was the birthplace of Apollo, holds the biggest and the most important archeological site of the Cycladic islands. It was thought to be in the middle of all the other Cycladic islands, and it was heavily populated in its days. Now it has no hotels, no restaurants and no inhabitants. You can only visit it during the daytime on a daytrip.
Despotico
If you want to feel like Robinson Crusoë and find deserted beaches and see an ancient town you go here! The island of Despotico is a small uninhabited island at a short distance south of Antiparos island in the Greek Cyclades group. Geographically seen it is as good as in the middle of all the Cycladic islands (and so Delos is arguably named the centre of the Cyclades). The old centre of the Cyclades and the real centre have much in common. Both of the islands are relatively small and both Delos and Despotiko were heavily populated in ancient times.
Diplo
The naturist beach and the camping beach of Antiparos Town both overlook the island of Diplo. It takes about ten minutes to get there walking through the sea. It's not so hard, because the sea isn't very deep in the bay there. Diplo is only a very small island, with some small beaches and I think only one house on it. The island is uninhabited.
Donoussa
One of the smaller islands situated on the eastside of Naxos. It is seperated from the other islands and not frequently visited by ferries. Donoussa is nice to visit for a day or two and make walks. If you like it quiet you came to the right place. The sunsets were along the most beautiful I've ever seen.
Evia - Euboea
The green and mountainous island of Euboea Evia is the second largest island of Greece (Crete is even larger). It measures 3580 km2, and has approximately 165,000 inhabitants. Evia is a very green island and still hardly discoverd by the mass tourism. It is ideal for people who like peace and quiet and nature. You can do wonderful hiking.
Folegandros
Folegandros is one of the more remote Cycladic islands and situated northwest of the island of Santorini. It is 32 km2 large and has around 650 inhabitants. It is concidered romantic and an up-market island for people with a bit of money to spend. Because of its remote position in the islandgroup it is still relatively quiet and has retained most of its traditional character.
Fourni
Fourni or Fournoi is the name of an archipelago of twelve small islands in Greece, which lie between Ikaria, Patmos and Samos. The two largest of this island group, Fourni and the Island Thimena (or{ Thymena) are inhabited, as well as the smaller eastern island Agios Minas. On the main island is the largest village, which has the same name as the island, namely Fourni. Fourni has about 2000 inhabitants.
Gavdos
The most southerly part of Europe, Gavdos (near Crete) is worth a visit if only for curiosity value. The 40 inhabitants of the island live isolated, the villages are abondoned.
Gramvousa
Gramvousa island is one of the small satelite islands of Crete. It is situated on the north west side of the island and can be reached by boat in about an hour from the town of Kastelli Kissamos. Here you can visit the Venetian castle, that was built on the top of a rock, 137 meters above sea level.
Ikaria
The island of Ikaria is located just west of the island of Samos in the northern Aegean Sea. It is named after the unfortunate Icarus who according to the Greek myth flew too close to the sun with his wings which were glued to his body with wax, and fell into the sea here. The mountainous island of Ikaria also has the shape of a wing, and its hills are scattered with pine trees. Ikaria is a quiet island that many of the tourists seem to ignore.
Iraklia
The island of Iraklia is one of the islands of the so called Small Cyclades which surround the much larger island of Naxos. Iraklia measures 17,5 km2 and has around 110 inhabitants. The island is served by ferries but also sees visitors that come for a daytrip with an excursion boat from Naxos Town.
Ios
Ios is an island that belongs to the Cyclades and is located north of Santorini and southwest of Naxos. Since the 60's when Ios became a popular destination for students it has gained a bit of a reputation as a party island. The reality is different from the myth and it all depends on when you go, where you stay and which part of the island you visit.
Ithaca
Ithaka (or Ithaki, Ithaca - the island somes with many names) is one of the Ionian islands and is situated a bit to the east of the larger island of Kefallonia. The island of Ithaca is not very large and it is quiet. It is also a very hilly island.
Kalymnos
Kalymnos is a medium sized island, located in the Dodecanese archipelago, close to Kos. The island of Kalymnos still has to embrace the real mass tourism. The first impression is that of a dry island, but hidden in between the mountains are parts with beautiful green nature. The big speciality of Kalymnos are its caves, of which there are many to be found on the island.
Karpathos
The island of Karpathos in the Dodekanesos is 301 km2 large and it has about 5500 inhabitants. It is a quiet and relatively unspoiled island. Because there is an international airport in the south of the island most tourists come by plane. The connections with the ferries are less frequent. Karpathos is more or less a bit unfriendly in the middle of the island and this is why the ferries stop both in the north (Diafani) and the south (Pigadia or Karpathos town). Karpathos has high mountains and green areas with a lot of trees.
Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo is a special and an unusual Greek island at a 6 hours eastwards journey away by ferry from the island of Rhodes. Actually it is situated 90 km east of Rhodes and only 3 km from the Turkish coast. Sometimes the island is called Megisti, which means 'large' but the island is only 9 km2 in size and has only 250 inhabitants.
Kea
Kefalonia
Kefalonia is the largest island in size in the group of the Ionian islands and it is a mountainous island with quiet beaches. In 1956 the island was hit by an earthquake and most buildings were destroyed. The island is an island of visual contrasts. On the one hand are the spectacular mountains and coasts with the pine trees on the hills and the beautiful sandy beaches just like a postcard, and on the other hand many of the old buildings have been lost and much has been rebuilt in a hurry. Yet even without old buildings Kefalonia is an attractive island.
Kimolos
The small island of Kimolos in the Cyclades is a good destination for those wishing to escape the crowds and commercialism that prevails in some other islands. Kimolos is named after the lime or 'kimolia' which was mined and where porcelain was made of. On the northeast side of the island the landscape is therefore affected by mining. How ever from the sea upon arrival with the ferry this gives a false impression of the island, because the south coast is very friendly and there are a number of beautiful sandy beaches (Aliki, Kambana and the naturist beach Ellinika).
Kos
Kos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, and it is the third largest island of the Dodecanese (Twelve Islands). It is in front of the Turkish coast, northwest of Rhodes and southeast of Samos. There are good ferry links between Kos and other Greek islands. Personally it is not on my fevaorite list
Koufonissi
Koufonissia is one of the smaller islands in the neighbourhood of Naxos, with a lot of beaches on its coastline. It is a quiet island and you can see it in no time. The sand on the beaches is very good though and the beaches are pretty. Especailly the large beach in the east, which is in a lagoon, is worth a visit.
Kythira
The island of Kythira is 278 km2 in size and has about 2700 inhabitants. It lays separated from other island groups, between the mainland (Peloponnesos) and the west of Crete. The only other nearby island is smaller Antikythira. Because it is so on its own the ferry connections are limited and it is quite and unspoiled island.
Leros
Leros island is a part of the island group called the Dodecanese. It is situated in the Agean Sea between Patmos and Kalymnos. The island has a little over 8000 inhabitants, is 15 kilometers in lenght and it is about 53 km2 in size. Leros is an island with green hills and fertile valleys and beaches. Most of the tourists leave the island as it is and do not visit it. The islands Kalymnos in the south and Patmos in the north attract many more tourists, allthough Leros is really quite charming.
Lesbos
The island of Lesbos or Lesvos is the third largest of the islands in Greece after Crete and Evia. The island is still unafected by mass tourism. The east is green and the west is dry, mountainous and imposing. Here you can find long beaches, quiet places and also some entertainment.
Lipsi
Lipsi (also known as Lipsos) is one of the quiet small islands north of Patmos (like Agathonissi and Arki). It is the most developped of the three and it offers good beaches and a get away from it all atmosphere. The island is surprisingly fertile for such a small Dodecanese island.
Marathi
Meganisi
Meganisi is a small island in the Ionian archipel. It is situated southeast of its larger neigbour Lefkada or Lefkas. The island is very fertile and lush with vegetation. The island can be reached by ferry from the capital of Lefkas, called Nidri. Also there are several tour boats from Lefkas to the island of Meganisi.
Milos
Like Santorini the island of Milos is originally a volcano, with the main harbor Adamas situated in the crater of it. The island owes its reputation mainly to the discovery of the statue 'The Aphrodite of Milos' which dates from the Hellenistic period, of which a copy can be seen in the local Archaeological Museum.
Mykonos
Mykonos is an island where it is fun (at least that is what I think) if you visit outside the high season. Every year the island gets about 750,000 tourists that visit it. The combination of the beautiful harbor, the beautiful sandy beaches and the possibility for naturism on some beaches makes it a popular destination for many people. Also the nearby island of Delos with its excavations contributes to the number of visitors.
Naxos
Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades. The nice capital of the island is topped with a large Venetian Castle. Naxos is a good destination for the lovers of sun because it has endless large sandy beaches.
Nikouria
Patmos
Patmos is one of my favorite Greek islands. It is situated in the group of the Dodecanese islands (of which it is the most northern island). The small, about 34 km² large island has a vulcanic origin and is inhabited by around 2600 people. The island is famous for its large monastery and attracts many cruise boats. Still you can find your peace and quiet here and the atmosphere is great.
Paros
The island op Paros is quite large and is centrally located in the Cyclades. Therefore it is called upon by many ferries. Actually the island is hard to be avoided (if you should wish to) by the islandhoppers. This is one of the reasons why during the peak in high season it can get very busy. This is partly to blame on the charm of Paros, because there are plenty of good sandy beaches, it's quite fertile and there is also some kind of nightlife for the people who enjoy that.
Piraeus (harbour)
Rafina (harbour)
Rematonisi
Rematonisi is the only small inhabited island surrounding Antiparos. It's privately owned by someone called Goulandry, and it comes with nice houses, palmtrees and some nice beaches. I'm jealous :(...!!
Rhodos
Rhodes has plenty of beaches. Not only the stretch of sand on the wescoast with the villages of Trianda and Ixia, but there are also the dotted small beaches of Kalithea, the big sand beach of Faliraki and many more. Rhodes has also got plenty of antiqueties, and one of the most beautiful capitols of all the islands: Rhodes town feels like you have been trown back into time.
Samos
Samos is a large and diverse island with beautiful nature, high mountains, great beaches and friendly inhabitants. I can recommend this island to everybody. Next to the quiet villages you can find some livelier places like Pythagorion and Vathi. Samos has got something to offer to any tourist.
Santorini
Santorini is high on the wishlist of Greek island hoppers and lots of people have told me how much they loved the island. The spectaculair sunsets, the unrivaled landscape, the historic sites and the views over the sea set Santorini apart from other islands in Greece. In fact most of the postcards that you can buy on other islands are shot on the island of Santorini
Schinoussa
Schinoussa is one of the small Cyclades that surround the larger island of Naxos. Together with Donoussa Schinoussa is one of the most unspoilt and quiet islands. Transportation by ferry to the island are not the best, but this also keeps it quiet. On Schinoussa there are plenty of beaches.
Serifos
Sifnos
The island of Sifnos is the most popular destination for visitors of the western Cyclades, but according to 'Cycladic standards' it is still reasonably quiet. In peak season there are besides the ferries from Pireaus also direct connections with the more busy island of Paros in the central Cyclades. The island is popular because of its hilly landscape which has typical white cycladic villages dotted around it, and because of several good beaches.
Skiathos
Skiathos is one of the Sporadic islands in the north of Greece. None of these islands is really big, and Skiathos is no exception. From the four main islands this one has the best beaches, most of them very sandy and very large, but they are also very cultivated.
Skopelos
Skopelos island is one of the Sporades, just like Skiathos and Alonissos. This was for me love at first sight. Skopelos-town is wonderful. It's big, the houses are build against the mountain and the harbour is very attractive with lots of shops and terraces, and a beautiful, big white church on the right side of the boulevard. Within a couple of minutes I thought that I wouldn't mind living here.
Spinalonga
Symi
Simi (also spelled as Symi) with its capitol with the same name, is a small Greek island in the Dodecanese island group. Symi is an island that I enjoyed immediately. Not only does it look beautiful from a distance, but also as soon as the ferry turns into the bay and you suddenly see the main town, is very impressive. I found Yialos (or Gialos, the harbour of arrival) one of the nicest and prettiest villages on the Greek islands that I have ever visited, together with Skopelos town and Mykonos Chora.
Syros
Syros is a relatively small island, but when your ferry sails into the harbour of the capital Ermoupolis it's quite an impressive sight, no matter if it's day or night. Ermoupolis is the biggest of the Cycladic towns and also the Capital of the islandgroup. The waterfront and its environments is backed by two hills, each topped with a church (set in heavy lights if you arrive during the night), one Roman Catholic and the other Orthodox.
Telendos
Thassos
Popular Thassos is a large and beautiful island in the north Aegean sea. It is the most northerly island of Greece and it is mountainous and green. Large parts of the island (about 50%) is covered with cedar, oak and pine forests. The island has 95 kilometers of coastline and good sandy beaches on its shores.
Thirassia
After the eruption of the vulcano Santorini two major islands were left: Thira (or better known as Santorini) and the much smaller island opposite it, which is called Thirassia. Besides laying opposite eachother in the Aegean Sea they are also opposites in almost every aspect. While Santorini with its many houses build on the vulcano cliff is an island totally depending on tourism, Thirassia hardly has any houses on it and you will not see the crowds here.
Thymena
Thymena is the second island in size in the Fourni archipelogo, with only a handful of inhabitants that live in the one village that can be found on the island. Thymena is very quiet and not many tourists visit it. You can reach the island by ferry from Samos.
Tilos
The island of Tilos is part of the Greek Dodecanese islands and it is situated 65 kilometer north west of the larger island of Rhodes, in between Kos and Rhodes. The island measures 63 km2 and has about 500 inhabitants. Even during high season the island of Tilos remains a relatively sleepy and quiet place with several castles on its hills, fertile and green valleys and empty beaches on the shores.
Tinos
This medium sized mountainous Cycladic island lies at a 30 minutes sailing distance from Mykonos. It is much quieter than it's neighbour. The landscape is dry and rugged with white dots (the villages) and hundreds of churches. Tinos has nice sandy beaches. It is called the Lourdes of the Aegean because of an icon in the Panagia Evangelistria church that attracts many pelgrims.
Zakynthos
This is the most southern island of the Ionian islands and best known for its beach with the stranded shipwreck (Shipwreck Beach) which you can see on almost every postcard. The island measures 406 km2 and is the biggest in the islandgroup after Corfu and Kefalonia. The west is mostly steep with cliffs and caves, and very pretty (and sometimes unreachable) beaches, and on the east and southcoast the coastline is more smooth.

Soros Beach in the southwest of Antiparos View from the taverna on Apandima Beach in the west of Antiparos Flowers in Antiparos Antiparos sea caves, Antiparos zee-grotten
A look at Paros from Agios Prokopios on Naxos. A church on the way from Filoti to Panermos bay, Naxos island... Samos landscape, Pirgos flowers Oia in Santorini
Hans Huisman Welcome to my homepage of the Greek islands.
My name is Hans Huisman, the superfan of Greece, and I live in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. I've been visiting the Greek islands for a long period and one day I started a small website that just kept growing and growing. I go to Greece two or three times a year, usually in May, September and October. Over the years I've seen around 30 islands and some I have visited more than once, sometimes up to ten times or more. I have visited the Cyclades, the Sporades, the islands in the Northern Aegean, Rhodes and the biggest and the most beautiful of them all (for me so far): Crete. If you navigate the islands on the left you will notice that some islands contain much more information than others. These islands that have more info and pictures are mostly my favourite islands that I visit once or twice a year (Crete, Mykonos, Samos, Patmos, Tinos, Paros, Lesbos, Antiparos). The website is regularly updated with new pages and new pictures, so check it from time to time. I want to thank all the people that have contributed to my website with their tips, stories and pictures. If you want you can subscribe to my newsletter and get noticed for updated, special offers and discounts for some of the hotels!

PS: below are some answers to the most asked questions :)! Please read them first and if you still have questions feel free to send me an email. For questions about the ferries please check the internet...I don't know all the schedules, if it is possible and at what time and how much it costs :/, sorry... If you cannot find your connection from island A to island B than just assume there is none at the time that you want to and make another plan. If you want to go island hopping than stick to one island group. Going from Samos to Paros to Skiathos is not a good plan. If you want to visit the small islands and go hopping than take your time: seeing 4 islands in 1 week is also not a good plan. Take at least 2 days for each island, or better 3 and for the larger islands take a minumum of a week. If you go to for instance Crete than a year is not enough to see it all. Also please read the notes about the ferries below on this page.


My top 5 luxury hotels, apartments and villas.
Below are some of my favorite luxury accommodations on the Greek islands. Most of them are private villas / holiday homes, sometimes with pool, sometimes with the beach closeby. You might think it is expensive, but if you go with a number of people (for example with a number of friends or if you have children, with the whole family) than sometimes it can be cheaper than reserving in a good hotel, but the difference is that you have the whole place to yourself. The peace and quiet, the luxury, and the fact that you have everything you need in your own villa make it even better. There are no other people around you and if there is a pool you have it all to yourself. Often there is a dishwasher, a washing machine and a complete kitchen. There have been places where I simply did not want to leave anymore, and where I only wanted to read a book, swim a bit and stare at the sea or the landscape. The back of the car is loaded at the supermarket and I sometimes even cook my own meals at "home", simply because I don't want to leave. For us a reason to spoil and treat ourselves from time to time. The experience is really great! It doesn't even have to be expensive. The beautiful Villa Sophia for instance (sleeps 6, private pool, not overlooked, beautiful seaview) starts at 418 euro a week for the whole villa!!!) Below is a list of five fantastic accommodations on the beautiful island of Crete.
Villa Sophia's House Almirida Crete Ol Fountain Villas Crete Aetos Vigla VIP Villa Crete Villa Pantazis Crete Villa Renata Crete
Sophia's House Crete
Luxury villa
with private pool		 Old Fountain Villas Crete
Private villas with
private pool		 Aetos Vigla Villa Crete
Large private VIP villa
in Milatos		 Villa Pantazis Crete
Grand Luxury stone
house on Crete		 Villa Renata Crete
Brandnew beautiful villa
with private pool
For more luxury apartments, hotels, holiday houses and villas click here for the top 10 with also luxury apartments and beach houses on Lesbos island, luxury apartments on Mykonos and the most beautiful hotel on the island of Leros. Traditional Homes Crete
Extra luxury accommodation tip: Elounda Traditional Homes of Crete
Affordable luxury private holiday homes. Elounda Traditional Homes is situated in the peaceful village of Mavrikiano, just a 10-minute drive from the centre of Elounda. These traditionally built houses combine rustic features with luxurious features. Traditional Homes of Crete offer you spacious properties with private gardens and Jacuzzi bathtubs. Most of these charming properties also feature private swimming pools or shared facilities with another house. Clean linens and cooking utensils are provided at the house or villa. Benefit from free wired internet access and free private parking. The interior of the Traditional Homes features exposed brickwork, wooden beams and elegant furniture, creating a warm and homely environment. Enjoy a beautiful countryside setting close to Elounda Village.

. My top 5 of quiet villas, holiday homes, apartments, studios and hotels.
Almost always I search the peace and quiet and I prefer staying in a place with a nice view. Below are a number of such accommodations: nice studios, apartments and hotels in a small and quiet village or sometimes completely separate from everything. A nice beach in the area is a plus. No busy roads with cars, no crowded discos in the area and only the silence. At these places you can relax and avoid mass tourism. Nice restaurants are in the vicinity, but if you want to go out all night and visit lots of bars and discos these are not your places.
Archipelagos Hotel Fourni Studios Ioanna Samos Villa Lambros Tertsa Crete Mathio's Studios Patmos Dolphin Apartments Antiparos
Archipelagos Hotel Fourni
The most luxurious hotel
on the island & cheap!		 Studios Ioanna Samos
Such a lovely village
100% recommended, top!		 Villa Lambros Crete
Apartments & Studios
near the beach		 Mathio's Studios Patmos
Superspot, no cars
secret beach closeby		 Dolphin Apts. Antiparos
Beautiful and quiet
near the beach
For more of this type of studios, apartments and hotels, including nice houses on Samos (near a Kastania Lodge beautiful and quiet beach), apartments and bungalows in Crete and beautiful hotels on the islands Fourni and Alonissos click here for the top 10.
Extra peace and quiet tip: Kastania Lodge in Crete (picture left)
I also especially want to recommend the Kastania Lodge (see picture on the left) in a small village just above Kissamos on Crete. They rent out one studio, one apartment and one house and all three of them are wonderful. It comes with a swimming pool. Very private, very quiet and the people that run it are super friendly. It is also not expensive. The "lodge", which is a complete house, starts at 70 euro a day in low season (2009) and is still only 90 euro a day in high season, the studio starts at 35 and it is really big and beautiful. Great views over the sea from a large terrace. A real gem! They have a special discount for certain periods if you book through my website (see "hoteldeals" on the left). For the people that like to swim naturist style: the beach of Falassarna is not far away!

My top 5 of low budget apartments, studios and hotels.
Below is my top five of cheap apartments, studios and rooms on the various islands: nice places and expensive. Some accommodations are really value for money and some are also very beautiful, like the stylish Ikia Studios with large and beautiful studios and apartments near the sea in the village of Aliki on the island of Paros: one of my favorites. They are in short, nice places for people that don't want to pay much money but still want a nice place to spend their holidays.
IKia Studios and apartments Paros Mike's Place Antiparos Nassos Guesthouse Lesbos Andros Hotels - Batsi - Maistrali Studios Zakynthos Hotel Villa Theo
Ikia Studios Paros
Comfortable studios and
apartments on Paros		 Mike's Place Antiparos
Beautiful views and I
love the owner Lilian		 Nassos Lesbos
Cheap prices in this
guesthouse in Molyvos		 Maistrali Studios Andros
Luxury studios incl. breakfast
near Batsi Beach		 Villa Theo Zakynthos
Beautiful and cheap
near the beach
To see more low budget accommodations such as good and cheap studios and apartments on Samos, Villa Bellevue Paros, Antiparos and Crete go to this page for the top 10, or go to the hoteldeals page for special offers.
Extra low budget tip: Villa Bellevue in Crete (picture left)
People that like a friendly atmosphere and that are looking for a fun and friendly (and also child friendly) village maybe Villa Bellevue (see picture on the left) in Agia Pelagia is a good option. The village of Agia Pelagia is situated in a picturesque bay and it is one of my favorites. As a matter of fact none of our holidays on Crete takes place without a visit to Agia Pelagia. It is a village with a variety in restaurants and small shops and there are several beaches. It is hard to explain, but there are such good vibes in this village and the people here are so very friendly. There is also close to no traffic in Agia Pelagia. The village is situated not far from the airport (but no noise from planes as they arrive from te other side of the island) and it is very centrally located to have a look at the main attractions. It is not concrete village like for instance Malia, but much more authentic with small white houses. Villa Bellevue has got a large pool and the prices in 2009 start at 36 euro for a (large) studio. You can also book here including breakfast or half board,

Click here to see my favorite hotels and apartments on the islands

 I hope one day these pages are going to be one of the best and most complete website for Greece on the internet. I am working on it all the time. You will find many links to other beautiful pages, and guides to beautiful desolate beaches and quiet villages that I have been to over the years. Some of the pictures are from the pre-digital camera times and I hope to replace them when I get the chance. There are plenty of tips for people that are looking for quiet naturist beaches. I will continue my search for peaceful villages, beautiful nature and empty naturist beaches on the Greek islands. You can email me if you have any questions and you can write in my guestbook. There is also a section for a couple of the hotels that I always enjoy staying at, because they are so special and they are run by dedicated, friendly and special people. They are hotels on Antiparos, Andros, Alonissos, Chios, Corfu, Ikaria, Crete, Leros, Lesbos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Patmos, Rhodos, Samos, Syros, Santorini, Tinos en Zakynthos and some other islands. Have fun on these pages and off course have even more fun in Greece!!
The windmills of Mykonos town Pythagorion, Samos A restaurant in the harbour of Mykonos Paros, Naoussa
Tsamadou Beach, Samos Windmills in Mykonos Chora Fira in Santorini Kerk bij Potami strand
The best periods to visit the Greek islands.
During the holiday season in July and August it can get very very busy (and hot ....) in Greece. I would recommend if possible, to travel in May, June, September or October, so outside the busy season. In July and August it is not only much busier and more difficult to find a nice accommodation, but it is also more expensive. In this period it is wise to book a holiday or a hotel before you leave. In May and June the islands of Greece are much greener and full of flowers. The temperature of the seawater is a bit colder, but you can still swim in it ;). Just jump right into it and don't try out the temperature with your big toe. I recommend everyone to rent a car when you arrive on a Greek island, otherwise you miss the most beautiful places. Especially on the large islands of Greece such as Crete or Lesbos you can not do without a car because there is so much to see. At the top of the page is a button for car hire at various islands. These are my regular suppliers of good cars. In your car you have the freedom and you can visit the most beautiful beaches and places.
Agia Pelagia in Crete. Crete, my terrace in Kato Zakros Crete, church in Kounavi Agia Triada monastery, Crete
The mountain village of Livadas in the south of Crete Crete, boat in Matala A rock in the sea at Kali Limenas on Crete Mirtos, Crete
Why go islandhopping?
I like islandhopping in Greece so much because the Greek islands are all so different and because it's so easy to hop on a ferry when you think you are finished with one. When I travel I only take about 5 or 6 kilos of handluggage with me and no suitcase. This way it is easy to visit diferent places without having to carry so much stuff and you are very mobile. You just go to the next island. I've created this page because I'm Greek-island-crazy and I'm always browsing the internet going from one page to another in my 'favourites'. This way I have all these websites on one page, including the maps of the Greek islands and the Greek ferryschedules. My favourite islands are Mykonos, Tinos, Antiparos, Anafi, Patmos, Paros, Samos, Patmos and Crete, or maybe an island that I haven't seen yet.
Syros island A look down from Ano Syros to Ermoupolis, the capital of the Cyclades on the island of Syros Kini Beach, Syros Skala Kallonis Lesbos
Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Kreta Balos Beach, Crete, Kreta Gramvousa Kreta, Crete, Tertsa, Mirtos
GREEK ISLAND TIPS - ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
For the people that are looking for a quiet spot I recommend in the first place to travel outside the high season, but if that is not possible than there are a couple of islands and places on islands that are relatively quiet. Normally it will get more quiet if you travel away from the main village of an island or stay away from the touristic coastal settlements. Many people stay in the village where the ferry docks, but if you are looking for some peace and quiet it is better to book something at the other side of the island, or take a taxi and ask a suggestion from the driver. The easiest would be to pack your suitcase very basic (I always only have handluggage, about six kilo, to make it convieniant to travel from one place to the next) and rent a car to have a look around for yourself and see if there is a village on the island that you really like and where you want to spend some time. In almost every village where the ferries sail in there are one or more car rentals. Only at Donoussa, Gavdos and Anafi couldn't rent a car in the harbour. On these two islands there are only a few hotels and it would be wise to book something upfront. This would also be a good thing for people to do if they travel in Greece in the highseason. The nicest and cheapest hotels are easily booked out first. The most quiet islands I have been are the ones I have meantioned here (Donoussa, Gavdos and Anafi). To these islands there is very little traffic from the ferries, so you must check the schedules before you sail to them, so you know when you can go back or go to the next island. In the south of Crete, the south of Antiparos and on the islands of Lesbos, Andros and Chios there are also quiet spots, but as I said before: on almost every island there are quiet places, you just have to look for them. On Crete you avoid Chersonissos and Malia and large parts of the northcoast. Intimate and cute are for instance the villages of Agia Pelagia, Bali, Georgioupolis and Analipsi (also in the north of Crete). On Kos and Rhodes Town it can become quite buzzling, but I have to say that I personally don't like Kos, but I think that Rhodes and Rhodes Town have their charm. Rhodes Town is beautiful and filled with old glory and cozyness, and on the island of Rhodes there are also large beaches with plenty of space.

Hans Huisman, Samos Ireon THE PRETTIEST ISLANDS
What the most beautiful islands are is a matter of opinion and if I think that an island is attractive you might think differently. Very often it depends not only on the landscape and what the villages and the beaches look like, but also on the atmosphere and the people that live there. Personally I believe that Crete is the prettiest island of them all, but it is also the biggest of them all, and there is something for everybody: culture, museums, excavations, nightlife and beautiful beaches: Crete is the total package. The biggest mistake would be to stay in one spot. You really need to rent a car and explore the island. I must have spent almost a year all together on this island and I still have seen only a fraction of it. This island has enchanted me so much that one day I want to buy a house on Crete and live there. But watch out in what village on Crete you book your accommodation and check my website for tips!! You might end up in a tourist trap and be surrounded by drunk teenagers every evening if you don't. If you are looking for a vibrant destination on Crete in a nice way you might for instance want to try places like Agia Galini, Agia Pelagia or Mirtos. If you are looking for the quiet places and the nice beaches: there are so many on Crete. Just give it a click here and there on my Crete website. The nature and the landscape of Andros and Lesbos are much like Crete: green and mountainous with a beautiful nature. The island of Tinos, situated between Mykonos and Andros in the Cyclades, is the opposite: brown and dry with oasises dotted around it. This island with its old terraces (against erosion) also has a beautiful landscape. In the south of Paros you can find many nice small beaches that are usually empty because they can only be reached on foot. Also on Naxos there are quiet spots, and even on the party island of Mykonos (you would need a car though). I want to make a quick note that the money that is made from the tourists on Mykonos and Naxos is not spend on the roads, because the roads are often very bad on these islands or there is none (dirttracks). Overall said and with exceptions the northern islands like Alonissos, Skopelos and Skiathos (the Sporades) and islands like Lesbos, Corfu and Zakynthos are more green than the islands in the south. Big exception is the big green island of Crete, that is one of the most southern islands of Greece (only Gavdos, Gavdopoula and some satelite islands of Crete are situated more south). Another one of my favorites and a really beautiful island is Samos: green, mountainous and with beautiful bays and friendly people. The nearby island of Patmos with its stunning vistas, cozy beaches and lovely people is also a must.

THE FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE
It's the people that make the island. First there has to be a basis off course (a great hotel, nice beaches, good weather, delicious food etcetera), but in the end the atmosphere on an island makes you like or dislike an island. On all the islands the people are a bit different. The islands with the kindest people are in my point of view Antiparos, Samos, Mykonos, Patmos, Leros and Crete. Do nots are in this case Santorini, where I found the people very unpleasant first time (but then again it was end of season and it was 40 degrees Celcius at the time - and at a second visit to the island they were actually quite nice), and in Donoussa there was a language barriere (on which I was told there was some improvement). On both islands the people could have been friendlier in my opinion, in Santorini you were ignored and the people were rude and for this reason they will not quickly see me back. In the case of Donoussa this is a real shame because it is really a very attractive small island and all the other ingredients were there to make it MY island: it's quiet, the nature is pretty, and we found a lovely empty beach after a long walk. And yes: in the meantime we have been back to Santorini to give it a second chance and we were pleasantly surprised and really liked it / loved it even... We found some really pretty and quiet beaches and made an interesting trip to the nearby island Thirassia, plus we had a super-location (Leandros Traditional Houses - see the Santorini page).

NIGHTLIFE ON THE ISLANDS OF GREECE
To some islands you go just to rest and lay on the beach, to others you go to party and enjoy the nightlife, and it is easy to combine these two things by hopping the islands on your holiday. On Mykonos, Rhodes and Crete you can party until early in the mornings, and in most of the islands capitols there is some form of entertainment. Even small islands like Antiparos have a square with a couple of nice bars, and so nobody has to feel bored. As for myself I prefer usually to stay at home late in the evening and have a drink on my balcony while looking at the sea. Lately I have started to make restaurant guides for some islands. As for now it is just for Mykonos, Lesbos, Andros and a bit for Paros and Antiparos (update: in the meanwhile it is for more Greek islands), but more islands will follow soon. And as for guides for discotheques and bars: there will probably be none from my hand.

Fourni town Fourni, Kampi Beach Fourni beach Fourni town
The beach at Isternia Bay on Tinos A cottage on the beach of Isternia Bay on Tinos A donkey near a windmill on Tinos Leros
FOOD AND DRINKS IN GREECE
Prices in the supermarkets in Greece are a little bit higher that in the supermarkets of Holland, but going out to dinner is much cheaper, with the exception of maybe Mykonos (but also here you can have a cheap bite if you look around, take a look at my restaurant guide of this island). Pretty expensive is the coffee. This is why I always bring my French press (a small coffee maker) and often make a cup of coffee myself. This is especially great for the mornings when you just woke up, so you don't need to leave the hotel while your face is still all cracked. This way you can have a quick and delicious cup of coffee and you save a lot of money. For the people that like an alcoholic drink there is good news: the spirits and wines that are made in Greece, like ouzo, metaxa (a kind of cognac) and the raki (made of grapes) are very cheap.

The Weather in Greece
Well .... what can I say about the weather in Greece? Most people do not book a holiday in Greece because they like the cold and the want to see snow :)... In July and August mainly in the Cyclades there is often a breeze which they call the meltimi. This can be nice to cool you down on hot days, but there can also be days that it makes you look for a sheltered beach. In May and in October there can be a bad day sometimes in between, with clouds and sometimes a splash of rain, but usually it doesn't stay like that for very long. And the water of the sea in May is still a bit fresh. Well, most of this info probably does not sound like a surprise. This is the normal behaviour of the weather, but off course I only write this down and I don't actually make the weather and neither can I predict it 100% accurate.

NATURISM / NUDISM ON THE BEACHES OF GREECE
Naturism is mostly not allowed on the Greek islands, but sunbathing without a top on the beaches outside the villages mostly is. On some islands like for instance Crete, Lesbos, Samos, Mykonos, Paros and Antiparos there are one or more beaches for naturists, and on most islands you can find a way somehow. The Greek Islands where I didn't swim in my birthday suit has not been invented yet. Usually it is just a matter of making a walk to a secluded beach and just take off all of your clothes. Most beaches where nudism is allowed are as far as I know on the island of Antiparos and in the south of Crete there is one official nudist beach (Filaki) but on most of the other beaches in the south everybody just take off all their clothes, sometimes on a separate part of the beach (usually at the end). On the beaches that are situated directly in the villages you are supposed to wear a swimsuit, because Greece is still a pretty traditional and religious country. Having said this I want to ad that they are in my opinion very friendly and tolerant. People that are looking for a lively village with restaurants and bars and a beautiful sandy nudist beach within walking distance you can keep dreaming. Lively and naturist beach do not go hand in hand. These beaches are usually more remote and sometimes you can find an accommodation nearby, but they all tend to be without evening entertainment. Most people that prefer naturist beaches over textile beaches are looking for quiet places without large families with (sometimes screaming) children. Mostly these naturist beaches tend to also not be the best beaches on the island. As soon as houses appear the naturist beach usually disappears at the same time. Some of the villages with a little bit of nightlife and a naturist beach within walking distance are for instance Kokkari on Samos, Tertsa on Crete (you book something in Mirtos) and Antiparos Village. Beautiful sandy naturist beaches are mostly to be found in Crete (but they are quiet). Some of my favorites: Tertsa (again) and Agios Pavlos.

SPECIAL AND / OR CHEAP HOTELS
Hotels and apartments, studios and rooms.....I have seen so many in the course of years. I keep getting questions from people if I had any tips for a nice hotel on this or that island. At a certain moment I started adding the nicest hotels to my website in such a way that you can contact the owner by mail and/or telephone. On some islands I always go to the same place, like for instance on Paros with the sweetheart Anna, on Tinos with uh....Anna (another one with the same name), Lilian on Antiparos, Ioanna in Limnionas on Samos, Jakoumina on Patmos, and on Lesbos I have several favorites, amongst which a fantastic beachhouse in Mystegna and a couple of other great and cheap hotels on the island, two hotels on my favorite island of Crete where I always go to, well...the list is endless. There is a special page for the hotels and some hotels I have persuaded to make a special offer for just my website. I think that there is something for everybody because they range from simple rooms to luxury villas (that are not by defenition expensive, see Villa Sophia and the stone house at kastania Lodge, both on Crete - two super-accommodations on a super-location). I like some variety in the places where I stay but most of them have in common that they are in a peaceful spot. Er zit voor iedereen wat tussen dunkt me en het gaat van hele simpele kamers tot en met luxe villa's (die niet eens altijd zo duur hoeven te zijn getuige Villa Sophia of het stenen huis van Kastania Lodge, beide op Kreta - twee superlocaties en tevens twee top-accommodaties).

Places for people with small children
I get many questions from people with small children / babies that want to go on a holiday and that are looking for an island or a village where the sea is a bit shallow or where it just is fun for children. I always give them two tips. Tip number 1 is the village of Agia Pelagia on Crete where a lot of toddlers / young children and 2 is the island Antiparos where the beaches are very shallow, and where there are many children. The people of the island seem to love all of them (just like almost everywhere in Greece by the way...). Other places that come to my mind are the village of Alyki on Paros, the villages of Bali, Almyrida and Georgioupolis on Crete and perhaps Pythagorion on the island of Samos. Wherever you go it's better to avoid places like Chersonissos and Malia on Crete, which is more suitable for teenagers and twins. Here many a glass of alcohol is lifted in the evening hours.

I am looking for a good camping - free camping
Sorry people, but I cannot help you here with information. I never stayed at a camping neither do I intend to do so in the future. I know that there are campings on many islands (f.i. Mykonos, Antiparos, Paros), but I have just never visited them. Free camping in Greece is another issue. There used to be places for free camping on the beaches of Anafi island (but I heard that it is no longer tolerated) and there is I presume still free camping on the island of Gavdos. Many of the Greeks are not very fond of free camping on beaches etcetera and I understand this: it is nice for you with your tent on the beach, but for me it also makes the beaches look ugly if there are tents on them, plus I don't believe everybody is equally hygienic this way. Sometimes you suddenly bump into pieces of toilet paper in the bushes around such places.

I travel in high season and I am looking for a quiet place - where can I go
Yes people, I wish I had the anwer to this one...

PLANE TICKETS OR A HOLIDAY PACKAGE??
Usually I buy just a ticket for the plane and not a holiday package. On an island like Crete or Lesbos, that is a bit bigger than the usual island in Greece, I make sure that there is a car for me at the airport, and on the smaller islands where you arrive on the ferry you will usually be picked up by the owner of the hotel where you booked your stay. You just have to give your flight information or give them the name of the boat that you are on and they will pick you up at the airport or the harbour. If you buy a separate ticket and book the hotels also separate it will normally be cheaper than buying a combined trip to several islands.

Car rental in Greece
Where I visit Greece, I always rent a car on the island, even if it is only for 1 or 2 days. This way you get to see the most beautiful and peaceful places. It is also great to stay at the pool of your hotel or at a nearby beach for a day, but personally I like to see as much as possible. On the large islands of Crete and Lesbos car rental is a must, but on each island I personally think a car is essential. On this page on the left are some links to companies for car rental (Crete, Tinos, Samos, Santorini and Lesbos), where I always rent my car. These are reliable companies, and perhaps the information is useful for other people. Whatever you do I would advice you not to rent a car at the hostess of your travel agency because she is likely to charge you twice as much. You can better to find a car hire yourself. We usually reserve a car and have it delivered at airport and leave it behind there as well when we return, which is possible if you pre book your car.

I'd rather rent a bicycle, now what?
I haven't done much bicycling myself during my holidays in Greece, but I can tell you that it is populair on the island of Kos where it is quiet flat. Even I did some bicycling of my own once when I was there a zillion years ago. Other islands that I can think of that are suitable for riding a bicycle would be Paros and Antiparos. On Antiparos I also rented a bike for three days but I didn't ride it very much I am afraid, ahah. These two islands are just the first two that I can think of. You can rent bicycles here, just don't ask me where, but find out when you get there.

I want to rent a boat
The only places / islands where I know that you can rent a small motor boat are Corfu, Skiathos and Antiparos. For Corfu and Skiathos I have the e-mail addresses on my website so you can ask for information. This is as far as my knowledge goes. I would not know where to charter a sailing boat without a crew or a large motor boat, so you are on your own there and have to find it out yourself...

THE FERRIES
Many people ask me about connections and times of the ferries in Greece, but people....I don't know it all. You can check these things on the internet. Often the schedules are not ready yet or they haven't been approved yet, and this way you will still know nothing at all. If you book a hotel on one of the islands usually the owner of the hotel will know the times of the boats and where they come from and go to on what days, how long it takes etcetera. Many people fly to Athens and get the boat there to the destination island sailing from Piraeus. As for myself I always go to the other harbour of Athens, called Rafina. This harbour is close to the airport and you don't have to drive all through Athens to get there. There are regular busses from the airport to Rafina and if you take a taxi this is not so expensive. The only disadvantage of Rafina is that there are only boats in the morning and in the late afternoon, and they only go to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos, and occasionally to Evia. From Tinos or Mykonos you can travel to a lot of other islands like for instance Syros, Paros and Naxos. For me this is better than the chaos in Piraeus. By the way: Rafina is a cozy small coastal settlement and it is absolutely no punishment if you have to spend the night there. There are good restaurants in the harbour and there is a beach, so you can make a short stop and be on your way the next morning. There are highspeed boats (the fast ones) and normal ferries. I prefer the normal ferries, not just because they cost only half of the ticket that you pay for the fast ones, but also because the highspeeds are smaller, have little fresh air and they make you throw up when the sea is rough. On the normal boats you can go and sit on the deck and see the islands go by: much nicer. Some tickets (Crete / Italy - Corfu for instance you can book ahead if you want at the website of Aferryto ferries.

Book ferry tickets and hotels ahead or not
Depending on the time when you travel it can be wise to book ferry tickets and hotels ahead. Especially during high season (Juli and August) you can find yourself without a seat in the ferry to the destination where you want to go to or even without a hotel room. The tickets for the high speed ferries with limited seats tend to be sold out rapidly. Buy these tickets ahead or buy them a couple of days before you want to go there. When you want to go from island A to island B than buy them first thing when you arrive at island A. Even out of high season don't wait untill it is close to departing time if you want to be on board of a high speed. It has happened to me also during the month of May: no seats left. During the weekends when the people from Athens make a little weekend break the ferries and the hotels quickly fill up. If you want to stay at a certain hotel which is cheap or highly recommended or just small in size than it is also smart to book ahead if you already know where you want to go to. This way you can avoid disappointment. If you travel with more than two people (families, groups of friends) and you need a larger accommodation: these kind of rooms, family rooms and large apartments are more scarse and more difficult to find.

THE WEBSITE
On the left side of the website are the navigation buttons to go to the island. These are: Alonissos, Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Chios, Corfu, Crete, Delos, Diplo, Donoussa, Gavdos, Ikaria, Ios, Kalymnos, Koufonissia, Kos, Lesbos, Mykonos, Naxos, Nikouria, Paros, Patmos, Rematonisi, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos, Skopelos, Spinalonga, Symi, Syros, Telendos, Thassos, Tinos and Zakynthos. There are also links to real estate on Corfu, Crete, Lesbos and Greece, the Peloponnesos, plus tips for hotels, nice beaches and car rental on the islands of Greece. Because I regularly get questions from people about naturistbeaches in Greece I have also made a few special pages for nudism. I hope that everybody will have a wonderful time in Greece. If you have tips or nice pictures or a nice story that you would like to share than please send them to me and I will put it on the website (with your name if you like to).


Hans Huisman, www.angelfire.com/super2/greece 2000 - 2008 - 2009 <XMP></body></xmp>