© Captain Barefoot 2020
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. 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 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 well 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 mid 20s Celsius 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, generally good weather can be expected well into October - but don't be surprised if it's sometimes windy. 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.
Why Greece?
Package travel
Package holidays are many and various, although with the increasing popularity of Turkey some of the big holiday companies have been 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. And if things go wrong you have someone to complain to, and potential for remedies.Independent travel
These days it's easy to book a no-frills flight online and 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. Air fares even with easyJet and Ryanair are not necessarily as cheap as you might hope. Being flexible on dates and destination, and booking well ahead, will help you get the best fares. At smaller destinations and outside peak season, 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 for a drink and looks after the bags. That way there's no embarrassment about leaving the room if you don't like it. This way of finding rooms may not be as reliable as it once was, however, since even smaller hotels and rentable rooms are taking advantage of online booking services. For complete confidence about having a berth for the night it’s easy to book ahead from a smartphone. This way is generally cheaper than a package holiday and has the distinct advantage of flexibility.
cap’n barefoot’s naturist guide
TO THE GREEK ISLANDS
© Captain Barefoot 2020
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. 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 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 well 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 mid 20s Celsius 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, generally good weather can be expected well into October - but don't be surprised if it's sometimes windy. 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.
Why Greece?
Package travel
Package holidays are many and various, although with the increasing popularity of Turkey some of the big holiday companies have been 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. And if things go wrong you have someone to complain to, and potential for remedies.Independent travel
These days it's easy to book a no-frills flight online and 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. Air fares even with easyJet and Ryanair are not necessarily as cheap as you might hope. Being flexible on dates and destination, and booking well ahead, will help you get the best fares. At smaller destinations and outside peak season, 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 for a drink and looks after the bags. That way there's no embarrassment about leaving the room if you don't like it. This way of finding rooms may not be as reliable as it once was, however, since even smaller hotels and rentable rooms are taking advantage of online booking services. For complete confidence about having a berth for the night it’s easy to book ahead from a smartphone. This way is generally cheaper than a package holiday and has the distinct advantage of flexibility.
