Recommandations for 3 islands in Greece

I have been to Tinos, Naxos, Amorgos and Astypalea among other islands. All of them are excellent, more traditional and not over-the-top touristy. However, Summer is High Season, so even these islands will have crowds, not like Santorini/Mykonos but still busy.

Tinos has some of the most beautiful Greek Villages I've even been to and the mountain ride in the west of the island is spectacular and is famous for it's dovecotes. One village in particular is noted for them and is quite amazing. The doves are still using them!

Astypalea has one of the most beautiful Chora's in the Aegean and maybe the best food in Greece!

Amorgos is a gem of an island with the famous monastery built into a cliff, beautiful villages, mountains, a few archeological sites, great food and is a gem.

Naxos offers the best of Old & New World Greece, spectacular mountain road, lovely interior villages, beaches, great food, archeological/historic sites, centuries-old Byzantine Churches and lots more.

I haven't been to the other islands you mentioned but the ones I stated above could be exactly what you are looking for.

Check out Matt's Greek Island Guide for lots of info:
http://www.greektravel.com/greekislands/

I am very glad for your description of the islands you mentionned.Thank you for the details about each island.

My last question is : what are in your opinion the villages and ports in Naxos, Amorgos and Astypalaia or in the other islands of cyclades which are as beautiful and pituresque as Naoussa in Paros or more than it.
Riadhou

In Naxos . . . Naxos Town has a nice waterfront a bit of touristy and non-touristy shops but the back streets are very lovely leading to the Old Town which is classic Greek. We stayed in St. George Beach just a short walk from the waterfront. A little quieter, nice beach and a small square with shops, markets and tavernas if you don't want to go to Naxos Town. Lots of other options for where to stay but we found St. George Beach perfect for us. The interior villages of Chalki, Apiranthos, Filotti, Koronos among others are beautiful and the road from Naxos Town over the mountains all the way to and past these villages to Appollonas is spectacular.

In Amorgos: We stayed at Katopola, one of the main ports. Nice, small waterfront lined with shops, markets and tavernas, nice back streets, just a short walk to another village across the bay and a short distance to Chora which is a class hilltop village and very nice & the mountain villages of Tholaria and Lagada with Lagada the nicer of the two. You can walk to the hill top archeological site of Minoa from Katopola which has scant remains but spectacular vistas.

In Astypalea: We stayed just outside the Chora with outstanding views of the hilltop village and Kastro. There aren't a whole lot of other villages but Vathi, Analipsi, & Livadi would be other options. Staying in or near Chora would be best but if you want a beach experience the other villages would be fine.

Dear Tommyk5
Now it's more clear for me.Thank you for your help.

Please as last questions, i would like to ask you:

As a feed back of visiting much islands, if you are going to make a trip to the cyclades,

1) Which are the islands that you put in priority to visit during 3 weeks (your personnal opinion).

2) what is the simplest order to join them from and to Athens, using the plane and the ferry
and how many days /nights would you program to stay in each one of them without getting bored.

3) In the other hand ,which are the islands where:

a)- from six o'clock in the evening, the nightlife becomes intense and people find something to fill the evening without getting bored until a late hour of the night, and where the streets, beachfront promenades and terraces of cafes and restaurants remain lively and do not close quickly.

b)- you can fill everyday with a promenade through the alleys of beautiful villages, pretty harbors and chora's with a little farniente and where you can everyday discover new things and make new visits .

Thank you very much in advance.

Riadhou

Since you'll be in Greece during the Tourist Season just about all islands will be lively with lots to do . . . some more, some less than others but most will keep you from being bored . . . depending on why you are going.

If I had to pick from the islands you mentioned it would be:

Fly to Astypalea for a 3-4 days;
Ferry to Amorgos for 5-6 days;
Ferry to Naxos for the remainder of your trip.

You can either fly or ferry from Naxos to Athens.

Naxos will provide you with the most to do with Amorgos second and Astypalea third.

I base my opinion on why I go to Greece but also on off-season travel, October, so can't speak about how things how during the Tourist Season.

There are many other Greek Islands that can provide you with what you want and to be able to combine them:

Milos & Sifnos
Paros & Antiparos
Aegina & Angistri
Ikaria & Fourni
Chios & Samos
Naxos & Small Cyclades

Then there is Crete which will take weeks to fully explore, enjoy and experience.

It's up to you to do more research . . . I can only provide basic information . . . so check out good web sites, not travel agents or glossy travel websites.

Thank you very much for your help.
If you have to choose 3 islands between Samos ikaria fourni and Astypalaia amorgos and naxos what would you choose?

Sincereky yours
Riadhou

Astypalea, Amorgos and Naxos are on the same line and are easily reached from one another.

Ikaria, Fourni and Samos are also connected.

Either would be great.

You need to start researching what you want. My reasons for going to Greece may not be what yours are let alone others. I've been criticized because of my "elitism" for not recommending Big-Name Islands because I feel they are too touristy, crowded, and expensive, not to mention whether they are more for tourists than locals, especially High Season and just how "Greek" they are!

Everyone has their own idea of what they want from a Greek Island Experience.