Islands just off Athens

[blue b4 the moon]

Seems the islands around that area were overflowing with blues in the 90's but almost all of us passed over on the area to find somewhere else.

Strange that almost nobody on here goes to that pocket of Islands now.

In my case we found a place that hit the mark on Rhodes and spent years going to the same hotel, something I'd always call people for in the past.

 

[Bluesince1979]

Ditto. I went about 30 years ago.
Cheap holiday!

Quite an exclusive place now i believe. Read an article recently that its a place rich athenians visit and have holiday homes

My sister worked there for 2 summers when we went. Loved it. All the workers used to go in a pub called Byrons Bar . I played a few footy games for the workers team v the local side.
Always wanted to return and me and the mrs will donut as part of a little island hopping hol when the kids have fucked off

 

[Bluesince1979]

Went to Spetses 20 years ago and went again this summer. Lovely place and very stylish. Gone up market. Stayed in a lovely hotel run by a local family. Also had 3 days in Hydra afterwards. Also a lovely place. Only one bar with football on though! Was fairly busy but not too much outside the town.

Has it changed much in the 20 years? Or just gone upmarket..

 

[JASR]

Quite an exclusive place now i believe. Read an article recently that its a place rich athenians visit and have holiday homes

My sister worked there for 2 summers when we went. Loved it. All the workers used to go in a pub called Byrons Bar . I played a few footy games for the workers team v the local side.
Always wanted to return and me and the mrs will donut as part of a little island hopping hol when the kids have fucked off

I got a Byron’s bar T-shirt!

I know it’s meant to have been at the time I visited and before, the rich Athenians escape island, along with the private spetspinola (sp) island next to it, owned by a shipping magnate iirc.

But I found it incredibly cheap - as was the holiday - flights, transfers and 3 room apartment was about £130 (memory..) per person… though I was writing the software for the flight bookers at the time…
…also cheap beer and food.
At my time , there was 3 taxi’s on the island, the only cars.
It was very pleasant cycling around the island one day - except the island dump… down a cliff into the sea.

I also remember the daily arrival of the water tanker ship, as it didn’t have its own supply. I wonder if that’s still the case.

 

[dickie davies]

I’ve been to Aegina which is about 10 miles off Athens. Can’t remember which resort but it was nice

Also been here, very nice. Off the beaten track but gets busy at weekends

We went there about 1995 and haven’t gone back!

 

[JASR]

We went there about 1995 and haven’t gone back!

Yeah, went there the year after Spetses. Cheap again (see previous post), not as nice. Touristy and tacky. Iirc there was a large uncompleted concrete rotting apartment complex the other side of bay.
The beach was very dirty, only went once. Went for a walk ‘leftwards’ along coast and found a secluded empty rocky cove with no-one there… until the 3rd time and the local rep appeared - she agreed it was far better than beach

Edit: Villmar travel - was the travel company I booked with - went bust in 96

 

[ArdwickAlbert]

Has it changed much in the 20 years? Or just gone upmarket..

Has gone up market, but not overly so. A lot more bars, and the old harbour has been developed into a really nice area with upscale bars and restaurants and become a big yachting destination. The dapia is still pretty much the same with additional bars thrown in. Buses and water taxis to beaches. Big weekend place for Athenians so plenty of life.

 

[dickie davies]

Yeah, went there the year after Spetses. Cheap again (see previous post), not as nice. Touristy and tacky. Iirc there was a large uncompleted concrete rotting apartment complex the other side of bay.
The beach was very dirty, only went once. Went for a walk ‘leftwards’ along coast and found a secluded empty rocky cove with no-one there… until the 3rd time and the local rep appeared - she agreed it was far better than beach

Edit: Villmar travel - was the travel company I booked with - went bust in 96

Mentioned this thread to Mrs DD and she laughed and nodded in agreement about the beach being dirty
We sunbathed at a rocky cove and that was no better as it was absolutely littered with fag ends

 

[Turtlepath]

Booked flights to and from Athens that covers the European Cup final should we get there. Plan is to just have a holiday for 2 weeks if we don't and if we do, we'll still be having a holiday, just after we've lifted the European Cup in Istanbul.

Have any bluemooners been to any of the islands? Hydra, Poros, Kythnos or Agistri all look nice.

We're a couple in our early 40's. Not after nightlife, more a relaxing place with nice sand beaches and a decent amount of restaurants. We also enjoy rambling/hiking so somewhere we can do that would be preferable.

Crete also doesn't seem too far away so any recommendations for where to go in Crete might also be useful.

Cheers blues

I live in Chania (Crete). Its def the quiet side of the island but with enough cafes/bars/restaurants. Old town is particularly nice for an evening.
Plenty of beaches to choose from, id suggest taking a 10 min drive into Stalos for the beach bars around that area. We are surrounded by mountains and can drive up/walk. Standing high up on a mountian looking down at a cloud is a strange feeling and i recommend at least 1 day trying that.

 

[laserblue]

We've been to Poros many times with our Greek friends. At first there were very few non-Greeks holidaying there but as austerity bit there were fewer Greeks and more Brits/Dutch/Scandinavians, etc. We always enjoyed our time there but the last time we went in 2018 the place was full of Russians and Albanians whose ignorant and aggressive behaviour pissed off not only us but our Greek friends, the hotel staff and pretty much everybody else. Neither we nor our Greek friends have been back since.