Why Greece?
If you're a naturist and are reading these pages with that interest in
mind the answer will be pretty obvious.
But few will want to spend every waking hour flaked out in the
sun, especially with modern worries about skin cancer.
The Greek Islands offer an enormous variety of different kinds
of holidays with the feel of the place differing markedly from one island
to the next.
If you're into lively night life, fish and chips, cheap lager and being
surrounded by hundreds of fellow Brits Corfu will surely suit. If (like
me) you prefer quiet places where you can simply relax and forget about
the pressures of everyday life the smaller islands and hidden parts of
the larger ones such as Crete will undoubtedly have something to offer
for you. The Islands are surely the ideal place just to switch off.
When to go
Bear in mind that it gets HOT. July and August will often see temperatures
in the 80s and 90s (over 30 celsius); they are also the busiest times.
Some islands can become very crowded at such times. However it's
also the easiest time to travel between islands as extra ferries operate
during the peak season.
In June and September temperatures in the 70s and 80s can be expected,
and it's much less crowded. It is possible to see the odd rainy day
towards the end of September, especially in the Ionian and the more northerly
islands. In Crete and Rhodes, however, good weather can be expected
well into October.
May is a nice month to travel; however it is still warming up and the
temperatures can be relatively cool.
The time of your visit may have a marked effect on the naturist possibilities.
Some acknowledged nudist beaches become mainly textile during peak season
but revert to their more natural state early and late in the season.
Package holidays
Package holidays are many and various, although with the increasing popularity
of Turkey some of the big holiday companies are cutting back on Greece.
Some will take you to quieter destinations but the majority of packages
lead to islands with a direct air connection and no further. The advantages
are that you know where you're going and you don't have to carry the money
to pay for a hotel. You usually have a local rep to rely on for information
and guidance.
Independent travel
A surprisingly practical alternative, especially to the quieter destinatons
and outside the peak season (although the author has never had any trouble).
It's easy to book a charter flight and sometimes possible to get good deals
on scheduled ones. A little research in advance will provide you with information
about domestic flights in Greece (best booked in advance as they tend to
fill up), ferries and hydrofoils. When you arrive at your chosen island
destination there will typically be numerous hoteliers at the port all
keen to rent rooms to you. They'll be happy to take you, either by foot
or by car or minibus, to look. Rooms can vary in quality, and if you've
got fixed ideas about the quality of room you want you may need to be firm.
Travelling as a couple, we find that the best technique is for one to go,
whilst the other settles in a taverna fora drink and looks after the bags.
That way there's no embarrassment about leaving the room if you don't like
it.
This way is generally cheaper than a package holiday; you can
move around freely if you wish and I would highly recommend it.
|
