Cyclades 2019

TWO multi-island trips to Greece in the SAME year?! Yes, please!

Following my brief but fantastic trip to Amorgos in May/June, I planned another Greek holiday for mid-July with my girlfriend.

I didn’t particularly enjoy Santorini on my first visit back in 2017. Still, I figured it was worth a second try, especially as it strikes me as the sort of island that is better with some company, being quite a picturesque/romantic destination. The fact that you can fly directly to the island from the UK also helped, as my girlfriend isn’t mad about ferries, so anything to reduce time spent on a boat was a bonus.

Arriving late in the evening, we spent our first night in a cheap(ish) hotel away from the popular clifftop accommodation, moving to Firostefani for the next two nights.

From there, we took a short ferry to a new island for me: Folegandros. It turned out to be a great choice, and its quiet and traditional atmosphere contrasted nicely with the crowds and expense of Santorini. Three nights was a good decision, as the island lacks sightseeing opportunities, and the beaches are nothing special. I was glad we chose a hotel with a pool.

Having visited Naxos three times (four if you count my double visit in 2018), it quickly became my favourite island. Excellent beaches, great food, lots of traditional Greek charm and just the right level of tourism made it a perfect choice for the last six nights of our trip.

The ferry ride was unpleasant as we had to backtrack via Santorini, spending 2.5 hours on the small Seajet 2. Still, once we arrived, we settled into a relaxed pace and thoroughly enjoyed our time at Naxos Resort Hotel, just south of Chora and right next to St George’s Beach.

Unfortunately, the end of the trip was somewhat spoiled by our Mykonos flight home being cancelled due to bad weather in London. I’ll never forget spending a night on the airport floor (good luck trying to get last-minute accommodation on Mykonos in peak season!), but, as with all things, time has made the bad bits fade, and I still look back on the trip with fond memories.

Start reading about the trip here.