Short trip to Greece-Island ideas

We could give the best advice if you'd just tell us WHEN you are planning this trip ... recommendations can vary greatly depending on whether you'll be in Greece in June or September, or in the tourist-packed period between mid-July and late August. For example, during that High Season, paradoxically, Athens can be LESS crowded, because the big push, not only bly tourists but Athenians, is to head for the islands.

Your request sounds as if you haven't done any research yet; I recommend it highly. For example, it's easy to check online which islands have airports, instead of us doing it. And as for crowds, Corfu in high season is very popular for British & continental package holidays -- are you aware of this? And if you are looking for the iconic "white houses with blue shutters" that are seen on every travel poster... Corfu & Kefalonia don't have that look; you need to look at the Cycladic isles for that. As for buildings, Corfu was governed & dominated by the British (and German) for centuries, so that's the main influence, and the cuisine is Italian-influenced. So if you want what's considered the most Greek architecture and food, look elsewhere ... and the most interesting archeology may also be elsewhere.

To avoid worst crowds in high season, look at islands with airports but don't accommodate large jets, ports that don't take cruise ships, and which don't cater to package-holiday crowds. In the Cyclades these include Naxos, Paros, and Milos. In all of these, an ATV or scooter are good transport, and each has fine sandy beaches to lie on (only hens lay). If you don't care for guidebooks, here's a good online overview of islands -- http://www.greektravel.com/greekislands/

If you choose any of these, book flights promptly because they only have a few per day, either on Aegean/Olympus or Sky Express.Your best timing outbound would be an early morning flight out (which also will be the best price)

I will be traveling the last week of July. I am new to this forum of asking strangers for guidance, especially on the internet, where people can criticize. I thought I was researching by asking for help. I found between websites, Rick Steves' guide books, and Lonely Plant, finding which island to visit is a bit daunting. If I were aware of Corfu's high season or which airports accommodate large jets (is there an indicator for this), I would not be soliciting advice. I am not asking anyone to do anything for me, like check which islands have airports. Since this forum is voluntary, one does not need or have to respond to cry for help.

As far as which island, I was hoping someone could recommend one that was a little more laid back. One does not have to be so specific, as I am reading several guidebooks, as mentioned above, to familiarize myself with said island.

I find the best laid (I wondered where those hens laid their eggs) plans are those given without any snarky comments, as I am just asking for some help to plan my vacation. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

I apologize; I should not have responded when I was having a grumpy morning. I do believe the 3 islands I recommended would give you the best experience -- they all have extensive beaches, and no large package-holiday hotels. In July on Naxos, I'd recommend staying out on Plaka beach -- it's so lengthy, room for all. Place called 3 brothers enjoyed by my friends. On Milos, I would recommend staying in outskirts of the port town, (which has the most restaurants & nightlife but a meh beach) and using ATV or scooter to visit beaches all over (there are 22 of them!). As for Paros, I'd recommend fllyng there, and then hopping the little ferry for 10 minutes to ANTIPAROS, a gem of a small island with excellent beaches and charming nightlife. In all of these, in July rooms will be in demand so recommend looking at booking.com because it does not just offer hotels but also rooms... and its maps show exact location of lodgings, so y ou can see if something is really on the beach when it claims to be.

Please don't overreact braxton, Janet is absolutely one of the most helpful and knowledgeable volunteers here, someone I would for sure want the advice of were I returning to Greece this year! This forum is a conversation, you ask and we ask--knowing the month is a vital piece of information. I can see how one might surmise you had not done done any research yet, and she did not criticize you, she just suggested a strategy.

If I were in your situation with your parameters, I would consider taking a flight or a ferry from Athens to Crete and staying on Crete for a few days. This is one of those islands where it is easy to kind of "choose your experience" as there are a lot of things to do and you can decide much of your itinerary randomly when you get to the island. You can rent a car once you get to the island. Hire a taxi for an excursion or even for the day (taxi drivers on the island are open to this). You can scoot to a not-as-touristed part of the island to relax on a very quiet beach. You can go for a hike. You can see historical landmarks, enjoy some nightlife, etc. Basically if you want crowds and landmarks, you can find it on Crete, and if you want peace and quiet, you can also find that on Crete.