We have 5 free days, Oct 9 to 14, after we finished our RS tour of Greece. We are looking for a quiet island to explore, not too far from Athens. We will not have a car. We are thinking of Tinos. If anyone has been there would you recommend it? Or any other ideas?
Thank you.
Trish
I like Tinos. The main town is lively, with Greek antmosphere annd some nice restaurants, and the north of the island has some nice quiet beach villages: Paralia Isternion for example.
If it were me though I would go to Andros. The main town - Chora - is on a headland with winding alleys at one end. The main shopping street is pedestrianised and has a busy local atmosphere. There are two big beaches, one on each side of the town, and a good and well marked network of footpaths. There are also a number of buses to get around the island. We go every couple of years and always really enjoy it.
https://www.androssecrets.com/en/
For either Tinos or Andros it is best to use the port of Rafina which is about an hour from Athens by bus. On the way back you can get a direct bus from Rafina to the airport.
I’m sure you’ll have a great time whichever you choose.
Alan
I went twice to Tinos, (the last time was last year). It is an island still preserved even in summer from mass tourism which invaded the Cyclades and an island with many natural beauties, some beaches, many typical villages and a lot of hiking possibilities.
However if you go there I advise you to rent a car, the bus service is very limited as in most less frequented islands (in Tinos in October only 4 bus lines with 2 to 4 buses per day, the last one around 4:30 p.m. ).
Otherwise I don't see how you can fully enjoy Tinos.
In Tinos you can rent a car for example with Vidalis Rent a Car, it was 28€/day in May 2022 for a small car.
I split my time between Tinos and Andros with Tinos far better.
Tinos in fact is one of my top 3 favorite Greek Islands and has some of the most beautiful villages I've seen in Greece.
Nice beaches, archeological/historic sites, welcoming locals and one of the most unique landscapes near the village of Volax with hillsides dotted with huge boulders cascading down the hills.
Spectacular mountain road on the west side of the interior of the island and just a wonderful and very Greek Island.
If there is any way you can rent a car do so because bus service is limited (at least in October) and you want to go to parts of the island that are truly unique and out of the way.
Check out my photos of Tinos. It's best to open the first photo to get a better view and captions and continue clicking the right "arrow" for the next photo
TOmmy a lot of times people say they won't have a car is because they just aren't comfortable driving one... so I don't like to insist without knowing backstory. And you are right, Tinos is hard to explore without a car, just as Milos is .. especially if you have 5 days.
As a nondriver, I have found several islands that can be explored/discovered via good local transport -- Sifnos (in October, best to stay in port town of Kamares & bus to beaches & hill villages), Naxos (stay in Ag. Giorgios, beach directly adjacent to Naxos townl), Paros (stay in Parikia - bus all over the island). In October in all these, plenty to occupy 5 days, crowds will be gone, lots to do/see.
