Nanette,

May I recommend Agia Efimia on Kefalonia?

We stayed there 2 years ago and found it the perfect place to unwind. It's a smallish place based around a harbour. The beaches and coves are flat pebbles rather than sand (this personally wasn't a problem for us as we aren't great sunworshippers). There are no burger bars, just quiet tavernas with good local produce and a few bars (one does show footy and F1 though). The locals are extremely friendly. In the village you can hire a boat, a car (and there are lots of nice places to visit on the island too) or go diving and there's a ferry which runs a few times a week to various locations (we booked this ourselves in the village rather than through the tour op and it was much cheaper).

We booked through Olympic.
Hope this helps.

We like the quieter and more traditional resorts too and here are some suggestions based on recent holidays - all these are on the Peloponnese, won't be busy in May and you certainly won't find burger or sports bars.

Finikounda - small resort in the southern Pelopponese with about a dozen tavernas, a small harbour and some good beaches. Some lovely places to visit, especially if you hire a car e.g. Methoni, Koroni, Pylos and the beautiful Voidokilia beach. Thse are some pictures from our visit there.

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/166201/index.html

Paralio Astros - a very Greek resort, only a few British tour operators use it. In July/August it would be full of Greek tourists in May it is very quiet. We were there in May this year and went independently, these pictures are from our fly/drive tour and include Paralio Astros.

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/296138/index.html

Stoupa - a lovely resort in the Mani area, a couple of sandy bays, some very good tavernas and lovely mountain villages. For all things Stoupa related see http://zorbas.de/scripts/phpBB2/index.php

Nanette : Kokkari in Samos is not really what you would call traditionally Greek although it is a very pretty resort and Samos is a lovely island. We stayed in Samos this year but in a very quiet location called Ag. Nikolaos near Karlovassi on the north coast. It is a 15 min drive to Kokkari. Ag. Nikoaos is just a tiny horseshoe bay with a few private villas and the place we stayed in called Villa Violetta - around 12 rooms (very clean and good standard) situated around a pool right on the sea. So quiet - the sunset and sunrises are amazing! Only one taverna there sitting on the edge of the rocks and is, according to the locals, one of the best and most traditional in Samos - Psarades Fish Taverna. Check out my review on my website mentioned below to read about Villa Violetta. Hope you find somewhere suitable.
http://www.clearspray.co.uk

Hi Nanette. Lesvos is very Greek. We stayed at Petra which is a nice resort and it's a short taxi ride away from Molyvos which has lovely winding streets up to the castle and nice bars around the harbour.
I love traditional Greece but we have booked for Alykanas next year. Hope we aren't going to be too disappointed.

I'd support MariaH recommendations - perhaps going a bit further.

Would you consider DIY? If so, add Yialova to your list. Some details on my website.

And other wayout, genuinely Greek spot for the DIY traveller who'd consider going to Samos are the Fourni islands. These are a a very small group of islands which you'd reach by a local fishing vessel from Samos. There's only one village (called Fourni, would you believe) but it's quite well populated (about 1,500 residents). And it has a beach.

Or try Lipsi, up the north end of the Dodecanese. Again - DIY.

I found all these while living aboard my yacht and cruising around Greece for some four years.

JimB
http://www.jimbaerselman.f2s.com for more details.

Thanks for all the info. After reading all your advice and have now changed my mind completly and have narrowed it down to Paralio Astros, Finikounda or Ayios Nikoalos (nr stoupa)

Pargalover, when you get to Alakynas, if you dind Dannys apartments, turn down the road at the side, its a very tradtional part of the resort, with a couple of lovely tavernas, and a leafy walk to a small beach (much nicer than the town one). If i remember correctly, there are two old greek people who collect the money for the beds there, best to stick to the same bed all week, as I changed on my last day (by mistake) and got a tirade in greek!

If you want to check out Finikounda beach as it looks at the moment, try http://www.finikounda.com - you'll see a real time picture from Eleni's restaurant, with reports on temperatures etc!

JimB http://www.jimbaerselman.f2s.com

Good choices Nanette, if you want any further information on any of them, please ask. As Jim said, DIY is also an option. We've been on many packages to Greece and normally hire a car to get out and about but last May did our own fly/drive, booking scheduled BA flights to Athens and hiring a car. It worked well for us and we had a variety of accommodation from the expensive Athens Sofitel at the airport to a large apartment at Paralio Astros for 40 euros a night.

Think I'm going to book Agios Nikolaos, which is near Stoupa. I cant find any mention of this Agios Nikolaos on the forum (there arequite a few others!)

Can anyone let me know whether this may be more traditional than Finikounda, finding it difficult to make up my mind!

Thanks

We visited Agios Nikolaos when we went to Stoupa- it's possible to walk from there (in daylight) along a coastal path. it takes about an hour to walk, or it's a short drive. There's a handful of tavernas around the harbour and about 15 minutes walk from that is a sand and shingle beach. You'll find a lot more information on the Zorbas web-site - ask on there as there are lots of regulars to the area who will probably know specific accommodation, etc. You'll also find some pictures on their picture gallery. We ate there one night at a harbourside restaurant called Vesuvio - we had a very good meal and I can recommend it. I don't think you will go far wrong with either Agios Nikolaos or Finikounda to be honest. Do you intend to hire a car?

Thanks for this Maria

I've never hired a car abroad (worried about driving on the wrong side of the road!), so will just be relaxing for a week and hopefully eating at a few nice tavernas

Nanette,

It sounds like you may have already made your mind up, but just in case you're still open to suggestions, I think Loggos on Paxos sounds like just what you're looking for.

If you're interested, have a look at my Paxos Info Page and Photo Gallery

Elaine

In case you didn't find it, the picture gallery that includes Agios Nikolaos and other villages in the area.

http://www.zorbas.de/webcam/gallery.php

Thanks for that Maria, its made my mind up and I've booged it!

Sorry, too excited, that should have said "booked it"

Have travelled several Greek Island my favorite is Kefalonia we always stay in Lixiuri a working town and still very Greek but there are many parts still very Greek would avoid Lassi and Skala if you like it very quiet Assos is beautiful to quiet for my husband and myself 67 year olds but lovely for a day, Also loved Lesvos but It was a while since we were last there,
Hope you find your ideal spot.
pojo

There are some good suggestions in this post and we've been to them all. As a general rule concerning the islands have a look at the ones without airports big enough for jets. Naxos is a favourite and if you dont want to rent a car Patmos is good. Although we dont like touristy places some of the islands have virtually no tourist infrastucture at all and are just too quiet for us. Of the mainstream islands I would agree with others, Lesvos is excellent but to make the most of it you need a car, its the 3rd largest Greek island and some of the resorts are miles apart, we loved Eftalou within walking distance of Molyvos, a spectacular Greek town.