Hidden Greece

05/12/2024

Sifnos and Serifos, September 2024

Janice and David stayed at Morfeas Apartments in Kamares on , and Vasillia Apartments in Livadi on Serifos.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/cyclades/sifnos.html

"We decided to do a three island fortnight this year and our first attempt at Greek island hopping. We would make all the arrangements ourselves, or so we thought. When it comes down to it, arranging convenient flights, one night stays, ferry bookings that coincide with accommodation bookings, is not as easy as you first imagine. So we decided to find an agent who could help. We found Hidden Greece by chance on the internet, and we are so glad we did! Graham received the initial enquiry and handed us on to Claire who took charge and advised us wisely. Everything she told us was 100% correct and together with the island agents working with her we had a great holiday.

We flew from Manchester to Mykonos where we stayed in the excellent little Hotel Zephyros, in a small but immaculate double room. The staff were exceptionally helpful and friendly, and safely transferred us on arrival and departure. We saw little of Mykonos, but what we saw was very commercialised and busy in September.

Next day we caught the ferry to Sifnos, arriving in the main port of Kamares where our accommodation was. I had a preference to stay in Faros because of its picturesque nature, but Claire advised against… and she was right! Faros is beautiful but there isn't much there. Three restaurants and a coffee shop. It's great for one or two days, but a week. The main port of Kamares sounds industrial, but it isn't. It's a deep harbourside town of moderate proportion (for a Greek island). There are ample waterside restaurants, an excellent sandy beach, and one of the best bays for swimming you'll find. If you have small children, rest easy. You can wade out 100 metres and be up to your waist. The bay is well protected with life-guard posts and a buoy line of netting where the water exceeds 3 metres depth.

On arrival at dusk to Morfeas Apartments we were greeted by owner Maria who showed us to our roomy ground-floor apartment. The initial impression was of stark minimalism with its bare whitewashed walls and basic furniture. We arrived during a heatwave, so we had to put the air conditioning on overnight. Unfortunately this malfunctioned causing a pool of water edging toward the bed… The following morning we took a shower only to find this out of order too! These complaints were put to owners Korstas and Maria who had them sorted on day 1 and we had no further issues. Sifnos is quite a beautiful island, and thankfully accessible to every part by the excellent and cheap public transport buses. The main town inland is Artemonas and this is the main bus terminal, but Kamares being the main port has a regular bus service to Artemonas, so it is quite possible to get everywhere on Sifnos by bus. No need to hire unless you really go wild… This was another point Claire had made in favour of Kamares, and again she was correct.

We really enjoyed our week on Sifnos and by day 3 had really warmed to our hosts and the accommodation, and it's easy access to town and beach. We would go back to Morfeas… Then we moved onto Livadi in Serifos, specifically the Vasillia Apartments. Our stay here was only three nights, about which we were rather pleased. Our hosts at Vasillia apartments, a mother (Vasillia herself) and two sons, were helpful and welcoming. The apartment buildings are beachside along with their own bar and basic restaurant. The beach is a long but narrow strip, which can get a tidal wash when the big ferries come in. Be on your guard! Our room at Vasillia was tiny, and poorly appointed. There was perhaps 60cm around all sides of the double bed, a small sink and cooker for those self-catering, but with little in the way of utensils, and a bathroom not much larger than a wardrobe containing a small toilet, a small washbasin, and a small shower. The shower had significant mould bacteria growing above the tray level. We would have asked for a move but we knew the apartments were all taken and we had only a short stay. We wouldn't go back… Serifos, unlike Sifnos, has very little public transport. Surprising, as Livadi is larger than Kamares, even though the island is smaller. Consequently we saw little of the island. There are regular buses up the steep hill to the old town Chora which is a worthy expedition. There are some great restaurants along the harbourside in Livadi, and two of our three evening meals were exceptional.

We took the ferry to Piraeus and the bus to Athens. Although these are two distinct places, from a casual observers eye it is hard to know where one stops and the other starts. The bus takes an hour to complete this journey. It was standing room only with cases, and the bus driver appeared to be in training for Grand Prix. We were thrown about, and gripped onto safety rails for dear life. Overall we enjoyed our Greek island adventure. Great sea, sand and food. Sifnos and Kamares being the highlight, I'd recommend anyone going to Serifos to hire transport, otherwise you won't see it. Claire told us this upfront. She was right again. When we do our next Greek island we will look to Hidden Greece again.

14/11/2024

Steve and Jackie's anniversary trip to Santorini, , , ,

We have been back home for a week after a wonderful Island hopping holiday in the Cyclades and we cannot thank you and Hidden Greece enough for putting together the perfect itinerary for us based on our vague plans to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary on islands we had not previously visited in our beloved Greece.

https://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/cyclades/sifnos.html

SANTORINI Our first stop was Santorini where we spent two nights at the Sunrise Hotel in Fira. The hotel is basic but is well located to walk to the Caldera for the sunset and the full buzz of Thira and around the corner from the bus station for an early morning ride to Oia before the cruise ships disembark then another bus to Kamari for lunch and an afternoon on the beach.

The accommodation was good with a pleasant pool area to relax and the staff were pleasant and extremely helpful. It was a great start to our trip although Santorini was a bit manic for us and after one day it was time to move on!

FOLEGRANDOS We stepped off the Speedrunner ferry at Folegrandos and were greeted and taken up to the Hotel Meltemi in Chora. Within 10 minutes of arriving on the island we were in our lovely room where a wonderful basket of local produce awaited us to celebrate our 50th wedding Anniversary.

We loved Folegrandos and the village of Chora,it is the Greece of our memories. We celebrated our anniversary at one of several excellent traditional tavernas and enjoyed the celebration of a Festival Day with music and dancing which continued into the night.

There was a strong westerly wind blowing for much of our time on Folegandros which prevented us from enjoying a day and bus trip to Agali beach but Vardia beach which is a short walk from the Port is a good beach with excellent swimming and is sheltered from the wind and close to refreshments!

We hired a car for one day which was more than long enough to see the whole island and the bus service was also good. We hope to return to Folegrandos and the Hotel Meltemi if only to buy a replacement Folegrandos tee shirt which I left behind!

MILOS Arriving in Milos was a bit of a culture shock after 'laid-back' Folegrandos and it took a few hours to adjust to the relative buzz of Adamanta Port and Pollonia.

We collected our hire car and by using Google Maps found our way straight to our apartment at Polyegos View. The accommodation is a 5 minute drive from Pollonia village but a pleasant short walk along the beach. The accommodation suited our needs with a balcony view overlooking the islands of Polyegos and Kimolos.

There are at least three quality restaurants in Pollonia and some nice bars too.

Milos is a beautiful island with stunning colours in the rock formations and beaches. With the use of the car we got to see the Catacombs, Sarakiniko beach and Klima where we had a wonderful lunch at the fish restaurant. We missed the boat trip to Kleftiko Cove due to choppy seas but there are many more beautiful beaches to relax and swim from but beware sunbed charges of 20 Euros(& more).

There is still much to see on Milos and a longer stay would have been justified but it is getting very busy so perhaps we got there just in time.

SIFNOS We loved everything about Sifnos including people and traffic watching when a ferry comes in and sleepy Kamares comes alive with buses, heavy vehicles, cars and motorbikes together with trails of suitcase dragging holiday makers.

Maria welcomed us at Pension Morfeas and to our ground floor apartment which had a lovely balcony. Pension Morfeus is across the road from the lovely beach and was ideal for lazy days. We took the bus up to Artemonas and walked down to Apollonia on our first day then hired a car for two days so we could visit the rest of the island. We loved walking around Kastro and visits to Faros,Chrissopigi,Heronissos, Vathi & Platis Gialos.

Maria,family and staff were lovely and very helpful and it will be a real temptation to return if only to sit at the harbour wall drinking ouzo whilst watching the little fishing boats bob up and down at sunset.

SERIFOS Serifos is another gem.It is a barren, rugged island centred around the port of Livida and the Chora village.It has an interesting industrial history, the relics of which can be explored. Unfortunately when we were there [Ed: last week of September], businesses were beginning to close for the Season and Chora was virtually shut but nevertheless the walk up to the Castle provided beautiful views and photos.

A days car hire was useful in getting about and provided a visit to Megalo Livadi to see the mining and where they were preparing for a wedding and an afternoon on the award winning beach at Psili Ammos.

Vassilia on the Beach had met us at the port and throughout our stay Froixos,his mother, Vassilia and the whole family worked tirelessly to look after our needs.

We did have a dispute with Froixos about our room and the lack of a reasonable balcony. We overcame the issue and we had many pleasant conversations and laughs together. The complex is well situated on the beach and the bar and restaurant are very pleasant but on reflection we prefer quieter and more spacious accommodation. Froixos showed me his apartments at Almiriki (just around the corner) and perhaps they would have suited us better.

PIRAEUS Well, time to go home, another fast ferry,this time to Piraeus and Hotel Anemoni which was ideally placed near restaurants for our overnight stay before a Jet 2 experience!

Stephanie,Thank you so much to you and all at Hidden Greece for providing a perfect trip for Jackie and I to remember forever. We really did have a ball from day one to day twenty three.

We will be in touch to organise our 60th Anniversary or more likely before that, our 51st.

Great for beaches, walking and scenery, Sifnos is a very attractive island. All ferries arrive at Kamares in the NW, which has a nice waterfront and a good beach and is as far as most of the Martians get.

31/10/2024

Sue and Millie visited , and

Another great Greek Odyssey for me and my daughter, organised brilliantly by Claire and all at Hidden Greece. Naxos, Amorgos and Iraklia.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/cyclades/iraklia.html

In Naxos we stayed at Golden Beach Studios, run by Nikoletta and Dimitri, who made us feel completely at home and encouraged me to speak Greek! A 10-15 minute walk from the ferry, easily doable even in my 70's...or a short taxi ride. The rooms were spotless and fabulous with a balcony. A great position for exploring the Chora, castle and Portara and a few minutes walk the other way from the beautiful Agios Georgios beach, which is clean, sandy and spacious with many beach bars with sunbeds, but plenty of room to lie on the sand. Naxaki beach bar was my favourite with white towels, and €15 a day for a sunbed for a single person. Great food, drink and service as you relax. I loved the Flamingo bar in the evening along from the port with live Greek music as you watch the sunset. Jazz and Blues in the little paths behind the port and 520 for a cocktail watching the sunset.

Hotel Miké in Amorgos on Aegali beach a few metres away from the small port of Aegali is an absolute gem. Theo's grandfather started the hotel and it has passed down the family. There is a photo album of the hotel throughout its life. All rooms have a balcony and sea view. Breakfast is delicious and you can sit outside overlooking the sea. There is also a bar. A great beach at Aegali a couple of minutes walk away and a great walk up the mountain to the mediaeval village of Tholaria. Good bus service to the beautiful Chora, with winding streets and spectacular views from the windmills high up behind. Good bus service to the port which has many lovely tavernas and hidden little beaches.

Iraklia is the island of complete peace. You can hear a pin drop! Picked up at the tiny port by Angelos and driven up to Zografos studios. Another fabulous place to stay. Breakfast with a spectacular view. A steep walk down the road to the quiet Livadi beach, with a lovely restaurant Pere Panta. Another walk across the mountain with amazing views down to the port. Another lovely beach and a couple of shops and little tavernas.

Good journeys both ways. We flew out to Mykonos. My daughter flew back from Santorini from Amorgos which was fine apart from the challenging strong winds! I flew back later from Mykonos. I would revisit all these places as they were so special. Thank you all again!

28/10/2024

Clare and Alan enjoyed

We loved Chios! We have been to a number of Greek islands over the years but this is by far the least "touristy" that we have had the pleasure to discover! Total absence of tourist tat shops and tavernas with laminated pictures outside! It is an island getting on with doing its own thing -but the local people are most hospitable and friendly.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/E_Aegean/chios.html

We got to know more about the "real" island than we ever have done before. Splitting the fortnight between two locations - and - worked really well for getting around the whole island and emphasising the contrast between North & South. The Ostria studio at Katarraktis was light and bright and comfortable with friendly helpful staff, and the sound of the sea lapping just beyond the balcony. Avgonyma is magical and the Spitakia stone cottage apartments are delightful - traditional but stylish within! Our host George has such a deep knowledge and love of the island , and was always able to advise and inform and even led us, completely unprompted , on a personal tour around the Kampos area, taking us into houses and gardens we would not have dared enter ( even if we had found them!) on our own! The family taverna in the square of Avgonyma felt like home by the end of the week. We found beautiful secluded beaches with hardly any one else on them and drove for miles in the stunning mountainous countryside. (You do need a driver not afraid of long distances on "sinuous" roads with multitudinous steep hair pin bends - but luckily Alan was up for it!) So thank you - may such parts of Greece long remain Hidden! We will be back!

28/10/2024

Cherylyn and Gary visited Naxos and

What can I say another wonderful holiday sorted out by , These islands are definitely a favourite with us , especially Iraklia .

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/cyclades/iraklia.html

We love all the restaurants there but the ‘ U BOAT ‘ is amazing, Kosta the waiter is the best we’ve ever encountered anywhere , nothing is too much for him . Zographos is paradise, with the lovely Angelo and Zoe , views are amazing and an added bonus is the turtles that swim in Livadi bay which my husband catches a glimpse of most days .

Iraklia is the first stop south of Naxos. It has a quiet harbour at Ag. Georgios with a long sandy beach allowing you to view the shipping without moving a muscle. Two kilometres out of town at Levadia is the island’s main beach, a long stretch of good sand lapped by the sheltered waters of the st...

28/10/2024

Louise and Catriona back from

We had a great time on Paros. Moschoula is lovely and baked us banana bread, and her husband gave us a lift to the port to catch our ferry. The studios are clean and pretty and have all you could need including Greek cats.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/cyclades/paros.html

We found the place eventually although the locals were a bit vague- I don't think they really go by names of side streets! Stella Nikolaou is easy enough to find so just a description of what is on the corner at the correct turn-off from it would probably have eliminated the trial and error!

October is the perfect time to go. I suspect that in July we might have struggled for towel space on the beach, but in October the sea is still warm enough for swimming, everything is still open and there are enough people but not too many. It was probably always a bit over-optimistic to think I was going to wangle my travel sick 13 year old onto coach trips, but besides the beach we really enjoyed the Archaeological Museum and finding the old Kastro and had some pleasurable shopping experiences. We also managed the hop-across to old favourite beaches on Antiparos.

I would recommend Pepe's Souvlaki for an authentically Greek inexpensive dinner that works for picky kids- the chicken gyros went down a treat there.

28/10/2024

Tara and Thomas visited , and in September: "another great Hidden Greece holiday!"

We had a great holiday and the islands were so different which was interesting. Serifos was perfect. Froixos [Vassilia on The Beach] was very hospitable and the setting was absolutely spot on.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/cyclades/serifos.html

The beach was great and good swimming, his restaurant was always welcoming and good. The room was good, very clean and balcony spot on, when the sun left the beach it was on the balcony for a couple more hours - I like sun! - the view wasn't too pretty but it didn't matter. The distance between Vasillias and the town was just right, not too far to need a taxi and just far enough for a walk after dinner.

When we got to Milos it was very windy (40mph) and we initially didn't warm to the island, although the scenery was spectacular. However after a couple of days the wind died down and all was fine. Noon Beyond was clean and nice room. Hot water didn't work on the first evening but it was fixed. Not a great fan of ordering breakfast on a app the night before so we didn't bother and found a fantastic breakfast bar 500 meters away.

, however was the star, in the last few days. Quiet, peaceful, just lovely, how long it will last with large ferries stopping now.

Anyway, another great Hidden Greece holiday! Thank you.

Serifos is an island of lovely beaches, mountains and a stunning chora with views. The moment you step off the ferry, you are in the midst of local life – the village in front of you, the long sweep of Livadiou beach to your right and the much less busy Livadakia beach to your left five minutes aw...

18/10/2024

Daphne and David enjoyed September in

"First, absolutely full marks to Stephanie for arranging this 2-week holiday to Kasos, which involved a flight from Stansted to Athens, a transfer and overnight at the Avra hotel [ ], a flight from Athens via Crete to Kasos and being met by our apartment owner for a 2-week stay at Angelica’s Apartments.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/Destinations.html

The apartment was great - top floor, roof terrace, everything we needed, plus the walls and floors which were wonderfully decorated by Maria, our hostess and her mother. Angelica’s is one of the oldest homes in Phry, and has superb views of the town, harbour, surrounding hills and villages and the sea - as far as Karpathos and beyond. We visited the last fortnight of September - outside the tourist season - but the town of Phry still had a buzz. A good range of small shops and eating places and a wonderful small museum. We did a lot of walks, to neighbouring villages, to the village of Poli and its Mycenaean acropolis, to Agia Marina and beyond to the amazing cave of Ellinokamara where archeologists have found evidence of human occupation since 5,000 BC. We swam in Emborios Bay - sheltered and sandy, walked round Phri’s 2 harbours: traditional Bouka with its fishing boats and cafes, and the main ferry port.

Finally Maria invited us on a magical walking trip to what seemed like the top of the world with a group of local people. This included stunning views and coffee and biscuits at the church of Agios Mamas, plus the most incredible sunset. We have visited many Greek islands, and Kasos will always be very dear to my heart. A combination of wonderful views, amazing weather, excellent accommodation, Maria, our charming and generous host plus the friendliest local people one could hope to meet made this trip really memorable. Thank you Stephanie and Hidden Greece for another Greek adventure. The journey home worked a treat too!"

Agathonisi Arki Astypalea Halki Kalymnos Karpathos - please ask Kasos - please ask Kastellorizon Kos Leros Lipsi Nisyros Patmos Pserimos Rhodes Symi Telendos Tilos

14/10/2024

Eric and Clare back from

Hidden Greece has done it again. Kythera is, right now at least, a predominantly undeveloped island but the main towns of Potomos, Chora and Kapsali have Greek style new housing in excellent condition. The old Greece of black shawls, worry beads, downbeat cottages and poor food has been swept away. Kythera gives off a feeling of well being. We had an excellent 8 days (Acropolis Museum in Athens was also a marvel). It is a beautiful island, quite mountainous in all except the scrubby bit surrounding the airport.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/ionian/kythira.html

Although we encountered many travellers from the USA (somewhat amazing) and a few from the UK when we were there, it was mainly visited by Greeks. The mountains reach a height of only 500m but green gorges and valleys are everywhere. Our Fiat Punto was hard pushed to manage the steepness of some of the S bends and hills. The main roads are really good. You can get to most places without having to use those that are unsurfaced.

Kapsali, a superb bay on the southern tip, is a gem and, since the island is 29 kms from north to south and 20 kms from east to west, an excellent base. The beach there is said to be mediocre. Nonsense, underfoot may not be sand but it is not stony and is easy to walk on the tiny pebbles in bare feet. One can swim for hours in warm crystal clear water, not unusual in Greece. When we arrived on September 25 four tavernas were open and only one had closed when we left on 2 October. The food was very good but the house wine was not. But at 5 euros per 500ml carafe, who should complain?

The best eating was in two family run restaurants, Pierros in Livadi (15 minutes drive) and Floreana in Plateia Ammos in the north east corner. The best Greek coffee was in Mitata. A lovely lady without a word of English served us in a restaurant on the main square. We succeeded in negotiating a mug rather than those one-mouthful cups and drank them gazing at stupendous views for miles of the valleys below. A ghastly 6.9 earthquake in 2006 demolished some houses and severely damaged the beautiful church, which still sits there partly demolished and with cracks everywhere, very sad. Another sadness was a visit to a lovely valley gorge, Mylopotamos. A fast running stream ran through this town along which were a number of mills and also a waterfall. Since 2023 no water has reached the stream. The mills and the waterfall no longer operate. We had a delightful lunch in the tree laden square at Platanos, a well known taverna. But it was shock to see the trees dying along the non-existant stream. Oh, climate change, what devastation art thou reeking?

As for beaches, there are thirty eight according to the map. We swam in three, so we are in no position to make a proper report. The fabulous turquoise sea at Diakofti is a wonder to behold. But, even giving the fact that this is now the main port, there did not seem to be much life there. Aviemonas was also a disappointment. A former fishing village, it is now dominated like Diakofti by tourists/second home-owners with swimming in a small narrow gorge. Agia Pelagia down the road has a sandy but plain beach. On the brighter side, Plateia Ammos has a wonderful mainly sandy beach with trees for shade at the rear. We hugely enjoyed our swim there. We set out to go to what is known as the most beautiful beach on the island, Limonias . But we noticed the amazing steepness of the road down to it and Fiat Punto would not have made it, so we reluctantly turned back. Then there was Chalkos beach tucked away at the bottom of the south-east. A new road has been built right down to the beach. At 11am my wife and I were the only two people on it. With cliffs on both sides and one tree providing shelter from the sun, no umbrellas and no facilities, it is a stunning place to swim.

That leaves Potomos and Chora towns, both beautiful-the most beautiful of all. We went to Potomos on a Sunday morning to witness the flea market. This was held in the lovely main square with a sun-proof roof over a lot of it. Since the temperature was 30 degrees we were glad of it. Underneath were very many tables and chairs occupied by noisy chattering very well dressed Greeks. There were a few stalls with people selling objects they had made. Potomos is the commercial centre of the island. The houses and shops in this town are immaculate and present a feeling of wealth and order, everything spotlessly clean. The same can be said for Chora, which is dominated by a huge rundown Venetian Fortress looking out over Kapsali and the sea. There is the inevitable wonderful square, lovely shops and friendly people. It is simply a lovely place with narrow streets which cars hardly fit, thank goodness. Such a delight to experience. That sums up the whole trip.

11/10/2024

Nick and Christine back from

[We]had a wonderful holiday. Thank you so much for recommending Lipsi to us. I've been to several Greek islands but this was one of the most memorable. Highlights for us were the 5 island boat trip on the Rena and the wine tasting at Lipsi winery hosted by Sally. Katsadia beach was our favourite with Delilah's taverna a standout for food and glorious views from under the flower-strewn pergola. A little piece of heaven!

All your arrangements worked well - taxi transfers, ferries. We loved Hotel Aphroditi. It was welcoming, clean and comfortable with a wonderful sea view.

It was Christine's first time to a small Greek island and it was wonderful to see her enjoy it so much.We will be back for more next year without a doubt - a longer multi-island trip is definitely on the cards....

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/Dodec/lipsi.html

11/10/2024

Rob and Alexandra booked a last minute break to

The holiday was good, thank-you; just not long enough!. Another year it might be nice to go for 2 weeks but cover 2 or 3 islands. We hadn't been to Greece for 16 years; it hasn't changed much; still scruffy around the edges, which is part of the charm.

Your organisation was just about faultless; but the plane from Bristol was seriously delayed, and we had to wait a short time for the taxi driver to find us, but the taxi in Kos was superb; highly luxurious, both ways, a well appointed minibus for the two of us! very posh! The ferry was punctual, and the taxi waiting in Leros.

http://www.hidden-greece.co.uk/destinations/Dodec/leros.html

The accommodation [Nefeli Apartments] was between the two main areas of restaurants, but nicely set out in spacious grounds. The room itself was typically Greek, but a bit tatty, especially the shower room with stained tile grouting and the like, the floor was tiled with rough stone which is impossible to clean, so towelling slippers provided. So the general feeling about the room was that it was not as clean as it might have been ( not the cleaner's fault though, just a consequence of the finishes). Breakfasts just ok. Staff friendly and helpful. We 'wouldn't not' go back there, but it is time the owners invested some money, and made the place easier to clean. Another time we might look elsewhere, perhaps the windmill studios you mentioned. This isn't a complaint; we didn't feel the need to make a fuss.

The bikes from Leros Bikes were a great success, by the way, and we used them every day, including some evenings. A really good company, 120 euros for two decent electric bikes for 5.5 days. When we go again, we will make sure that the island is suitable for cycling, and bikes are available. We got to some 'out of the way' beaches and explored without a car..

An unusual island in that it has some 15 villages within a very small area. The island is easy to explore on foot or scooter but too small really to justify car hire unless there are more than two of you. There are steep hills, one topped by a ruined castle with a wonderful panorama of Alinda Bay. R...