I am thinking of taking my 2 and 4 year old kids to Greene next spring on a short break.
Can you recommend the best island / place to go?
I am not after island hoping, just want to stay in one place near sandy beach and warm sea.
Not a fan of "family" resorts, would still like to experience "real" Greece rather than being stuck in a big faceless hotel.
Would love some villa/apartment recommendations.
Thank you
Ly
Hello Lyangee! It's good to say where you're coming from (If u were from N. America, "short break" not possible!!); by clicking on your name I find you're now in UK. And "spring" covers many months ... if you want beach & warm sea, I think your best time would be mid-May onward. Beach is fine for sunning earlier, but water would be too chilly, for both adults & children. Mid-May is perfect, and the Perfect Island (AND beach) would be NAXOS, and the shallow sandy beach Ag Giorgios (St George) just adjoining the port town. .
Naxos is not a package-tour destination (because its tiny airport doesn't take direct flights), its visitors are independent travelers, both families and "grown-ups." And St. George is not a "family resort" --- in fact (thank God) it is not a "resort" at all, in the UK package-tour sense. The beach is lined with mostly family-run hotels (10-20 rooms) The Scandinavians love this beach & time of year for holidays with pre-schoolers, water is shallow at edge, and warms quicker than elsewhere ... I love sitting on a sunlounger and watching Norwegian toddlers waddling along the water's edge lugging sandpails. Some lodgings that are especially handy for you are Studios Kalergis, Studios Thomais, Sigma Studios, Hotel Asteria. Many have units w. a bedroom plus mainroom (w daybeds) and w kitchenette + balcony, all right on the sands. You can feed the tots on their schedule. Also Low-key tavernas (restaurants) right on the beach. AND when u want to sample the town's eateries, winding lanes, shops, nightlife, it's an easy flat 10-15 min. stroll along the seafront. You can bring a push-chair for the youngest ... let them have ice-cream while you eat dinner, & fall asleep while u linger over coffee. No need to rent a car; if you want to explore the island, the bus network is very good. Don't Delay in visiting Naxos -- Trip Advisor just named it in its "Ten Best in the World" list, and it's being "discovered," alas.
Naxos usually has just 1 flight per day (usually late morning) in modern small jet (35 seats) thus flights fill up months in advance, so knowledgeable folks book waaay ahead. There are also 2 sailings per day (7:25 am, 5:30 PM) on the large modern Blue Star Ferries (1200-1500 psgrs)... these larger ferries are good for younger children, if they are restless u can walk them around corridors, and on deck; reserve "air seats" inside for napping during the 5 hr trip. Many UK travelers seem to find flights that arrive ATH airport in wee hours, 2:00-3:00 ... They take a x96 bus (1 hr ride at those hours) to the Port for the early sailing. When u book ahead, a hotel/pension will have someone meet u at dock w. car or van, and you'd be in your room within 20 minutes of landing.
Here are some photo albums by another Naxos Fan, showing town, beach etc:
A week in Naxos June14 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157645113682278/
St George Beach - https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632113170279/
Antiparos is a charming small island with a friendly village "feel" and a couple of child-friendly beaches within easy walking distance to the village center. You get there from nearby Paros, and Paros is accessible on a daily basis by plane or ferry from Athens and several other nearby islands including Naxos, Santorini, Ios and Mykonos.
I agree that Antiparos is another good choice ... I stayed across from the small ferry dock, and walked about 1/2 Km to a sandy beach ... with a toddler you'd need a pushchair ... The beach had some shade but, in May, no sunbeds & umbrellas for rent yet. There were some lodgings 50 yards or so from that beach, sorry I do not know names.
You won't get a warm sea in Greece in spring, it has not had the summer months to warm up, sea temperatures peak around August.
UK charter flights direct to the Greek islands start very roughly around mid-May, though for the larger commercialised islands somewhat earlier.
As you will know UK package operators cover large hotels to small villa/apartment places.
I can't point you in the right direction there as I never do packages to Greece.
However here are some suggested places to aim for:
Skiathos - There are no massive hotels there at all, and a direct flight from UK.
Kefalonia - Maybe specifically the resorts of Lassi or Nea Skala, though the latter has rather a pebbly shingle beach. Those are modern resorts as such, for more Greekness as it were Argostoli the main town over the hill from Lassi has it. Pretty sure there are some UK operators doing villas and apartments around the island.
Crete - A vast choice here with direct flights to Heraklion and Chania, I would pen in places like Paleochora in the far West and Makri Gialos in the far East of the island, with many other places in between.
Rhodes - There are possibilities here like Pefki/Lindos, and smaller resorts like Haraki.
Kos - Maybe Mastichari or Tigaki, the disadvantage with those two is that their great beaches face the Meltemi wind so the sea somewhat rough most of the time.
There many other island choices but some island hopping is required.
Does it has to be an island?
Many parts of the Messinian Gulf in Peloponnese have very shallow waters (such as Stoupa, Finikounda, ..) and there are direct flights from the UK to Kalamata. Compared to the Aegean side, the sea was much warmer there in June and it's a lovely part of Greece.
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