I'm looking for someone who has visited Folegandros and island in the Cyclades. We are well traveled adventurous ladies planning to visit, along with Santorini and Naxos, September '16. I've read a little about it but would love to hear from someone who has been there. What were highlights of your visit? What would you recommend - sightseeing, hikes, drives, beaches, villages, restaurants?
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3122 posts
You might want to ask your questions in the Folegandros Forum on www.tripadvisor.com
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3320 posts
I spent a very enjoyable 3-day weekend on Folegandros in early June 2011, at the invitation of a friend & Fellow "destination expert" on Trip Advisor (whom I first met on various forums and then several times in person). Her husband was head of music dept at the islands small Gymnasium (Hi school) and the first day I arrived, the entire faculty (all 14 of them) was celebrating the close of school the day before, with festive lunch at Chora's main Estiatoria (Taverna serving grillled/roast meats).. this took 4+ hours and we demolished an entire roast lamb!
My friends booked me into a €35 room at Hotel Anemousa on brink of cliffside in Chora ... a STUNNING view; I was one of only about 3 guests (15 units) there. Has an infinity pool; when u are in it, you can only see sky and sea; I felt as if I were in that old perfume ad (except that the hunky guy in the speedo didn't suddenly appear!). I loooved that hotel, except for one drawback which they may have remedied; the highway is ABOVE the reception office & pool/room levels, you walk down a Steeep dirt ramp (45° angl?) with NO hand-rails, I found myself edging sideways. In fact on the evening that I was solo for dinner, I quailed at coming back from a taverna in the dark, with a flashlight to negotiate that... so played it safe with take-away to dine on my patio. I hope Anemousa finally has popped for a handrail.
My 2nd morning I did the one "postcard hike" on the pathway up to the Church on the island peak. Thought I was doing well to chug right up there without a stop; until I met a woman doing the same thing, pushing a stroller!! (But i was 2x her age)
Chora is one of the most PERFECT cycladic villages I have ever explored... I spent an hour walking its many tiny lanes thinking, surely there is one shabby area, something unkempt or rundown but no, whole darn thing is a postcard! Amazing. My friend had a car and we enjoyed a swim at a pebbly beach, almost totally empty at that time of year. NO tavernas, facilities, changing rooms. I hear that there are busses to the beaches several times a day, didn't see any that day. We also had an enjoyable rustic dinner (goat stew) at a small taverna out on a quiet road. My friends said they enjoyed many hikes in the island ... from my observation, most of the locals use cars or scooters. On my 3rd day they dropped me at the port at my request, with a couple of hours to have a lazy late lunch & read while awaiting 5 pm ferry. There were 2 tavernas, only 1 had any food that day. A memorable serene afternoon ... only 2 fishing boats came in during 3 hours, spent an hour watching crew clean a few fish & sell them to housewives... and the local cats getting the scraps. Watched a sailboat vainly attempt to catch the right breeze to sail into harbor & give up after 45 mins & use motor. Then I fell asleep.
Summary: VERY restful Off-season; 3 days seems like 2x that much. Only evening life is in Chora. Certainly worth a weekend.