Best Greek island for a week stay

It would help if you'd say what week this is ... any reason why you cannot?

Oops! Forgot to say the week we are going. We will be in Greece from August 4-11.

Where are you going to be the prior two weeks? I would focus on somewhere I could fly to and away easily--August being so crowded and all.

At that time of year when it will be hot, I would head to the Ionian islands, as there is usually a gentle breeze there to make the temperatures more bearable. Kefalonia, Corfu and Lefkada were my favourites.

With a whole week I'd suggest Crete, especially if you want to do more than swim, lie on the beach, and eat. Chania is a good place to stay. Heraklion has an excellent museum and other attractions, Knossos is nearby. Good hikes on both ends of the islands. But maybe this is your veg time after two more intense weeks beforehand. Crete is good for that too.

I agree with Chania, Crete.

I would also vote for Crete... main reason being this is THE most crowded week of Entire Summer ... have you read anything about Greece before booking this trip? August 15th is THE biggest holiday in Greek Calendar next to Easter,...so you not only have all the foreign visitors Flying In (August is the Month of vacation for most European countries), but you also have millions of Greeks flooding the islands. At least Crete is the largest island in the entire Mediterranean/Aegean, so it can cope betterl And since you are planning ahead, you may be able to book something a bit away from the "madding crowd". I'd suggest something in West Crete, outside of Chania... but NOT in beach "resort" areas that are purpose-built for European "package holiday" crowds. Finding the right place will require some serious research. because of your "peak week" timing. Good luck!

With just a week, you'll want to fly into and out of your island. Also keep in mind that many Greek islands have rocky/pebbly beaches (not sand) (if that matters to you).

Islands that we've been to that have airports and sandy beaches include Naxos and Paros. They are more popular, though, and may well be very crowded in August.

For fewer crowds, there are sandy beaches at Vatera and Skala Eresos, on the west side of the island of Lesvos. Vatera has 7 kilometers of uninterrupted sand. And the little known island of Leros has some absolutely gorgeous beaches and no crowds. Both Lesvos and Leros have airports.

We just got back from Crete and while the beaches were beautiful, most of them were pebbly. Chania is definitely lovely, but it's a city and not my idea of a place to veg out. (It does have one small beach.) Our absolute favorite spot on Crete was a small town on the southern coast called Sougia. The beach was pebbles but it's lined with tavernas (all with sunbeds) and some of the best restaurants we found in Crete. You could fly into Chania for a day or two, then bus to Sougia for 4-5 days, then bus back to Chania.

I agree with Charlene about Sougia. We try to get there on every Crete trip. Indeed there are three tavernas there with absolutely outstanding food. Rebetiko, Ancorage and Polifimos. You should consider booking hotels as soon as possible as its a a small village and rooms can be had to get.
Here are some images of Sougia

Sougia 2015 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157653311291723
Sougia https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157696633322660/with/45364786821/

Another option would be Plakias. It too is on the Libyan Sea. Its about a 45 minute trip from Rethymnon. It has a beach 1KM long which is framed by towering cliffs, mountains with tiny villages and the sea. Plakias has a lot more hotel options than Sougia as well as several great tavernas too.

While it can be windy on the south coast there are several other beaches in the area some of them with different orientation from Plakias which means you have a good chance of finding a beach which is calm when its windy in Plakias.

Here are some images of Plakias.
Back in Plakias https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157688831637594
Plakias 2022 https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720299863731

We went to Sougia too this year snd also loved it. The beach is pebbly though. It is hard to explain why it captured our heart but we clearly are not the only one. It is not fancy or anything. Our accommodations were very modest but the restaurants were surprisingly sophisticated. At one of them, we chatted with people at a couple other tables. One couple had come here every year for seven years and it was another’s fourth trip.

We met a lady from Austria at our hotel who has been coming to Sougia for the entire month of September for 20 years!

I always say, buy a pair of "water shoes" at CVS for $6.95, and you can enjoy ANY beach in Greece ... and sometimes avoid crowds that Demand Sand. My favorite secret beach, near Nafplio in Peloponnese, is a tiny cove... across the bay is a sandy beach lined solid w hotels and cafes, packed with people... but my little Gem has just one little taverna above the water, where you can sun on the pebbly frontage, wade in & swim almost alone, before going up to a terrace for lunch or a snack. Have found similar joys on Crete, Samos, Chios ... many islands.

My interest has been piqued by the description and pictures of Sougia. What is the best way to get there? Is a having a car necessary or recommended?

I don’t know if it’s the best way, but we did not have a car for our visit to Crete. You can get to Sougia on a bus from Chania.

We actually took a bus from Chania to Paleochora, spent a few days there, and then took a ferry to Sougia. From Sougia we took another ferry to Loutro. I guess it’s time I wrote a trip report!

There is a bus that goes to Sougia from Chania. We took it back to Chania. We started in a different place on the coast and had taken a bus there and then a ferry to another town and then after one night a ferry to Sougia. There are no roads along part of the coast as the terrain is too mountainous.

We rented a car for part of our trip to Crete but did not have it here and never felt like it would have been useful.

There are two or three buses a day from Chania to Sougia. The route goes over the white mountains which is full of hills and switchbacks. The bus is by far the best option where you can just sit back and enjoy the scenery.

At the risk of too much information here are some images of our trip before covid. We did Chania, Sougia and Plakias. Images of the bus trip are in this album.
Chania Sougia and Plakias 2019
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157711266062752

Crete is the best place

Deedee, Patmos was apparently David Bowie's fave place on earth. He'd stay with royalty and other celebs. Lambi beach there holds a major surprise. Oh and if you might want, we can suggest a superb rental, a reasonably-priced 'spitaki' beside a peerless cafe up in Chora. Actor John Malkovitch had rented it just prior to ourselves.

Maybe also check out Folegandros? Great beaches and restaurants that time of year, plus some compelling views and rural life long gone from many other isles. Can recommend a superb splurge hotel with world-class views there.
I am done. the hyperbole

Hi, your provided details are too general and can be fulfilled to any of the inhabited islands. If you need something more than nice beaches and restaurants, then we can give you more suggestions to fit to you.