I know it is sacrilege to ask this question in a halkidiki forum, so please don’t be too hard on me! I went to hanioti in 2004, stayed at the Leese Studios (which I fully recommend to anyone going to hanioti!) and had a fantastic time. However, we like try a new destination each holiday. Could anyone who has been to hanioti recommend a similar type of resort else where in Greece? So far we have been to Dasia – Corfu, Argassi – Zanti and all have seemed to be the same sort of place, i.e. attracting the same crowd, night live etc.

Any suggestions would be appreciated,
Thanks,
Dave

I stayed in Kos town, Kos. Very beautiful, great night life. It was a late deal so can't remember name of appartments, about 10 min walk out but loads of accommodation nearer centre. Harbour, nice walks, beautiful beach. Shops, restaurants and bars galore. Other parts of Kos are supposed to be really nice too, quieter and lively too.

I didn't see Hanioti yet (we will visit Halkidiki next summer) but I was in Dassia and Argassi, so I know very well what you mean.
I hope that I don 't missunderstand you, and that you don 't like the attracting the crowd with night life. If not: you don 't have to read the rest underneath.

As we are travelling to Greece since 1994, and we mostly choose for another greek destination, I have seen a lot. The very most of them were very good.
First of all: if you don 't like place for attracting the same crowd... never choose a stay in Laganas on the island of Zakynthos. What a terrible place: the one british bar near another british karaoke bar near another british fast food place... (I don 't have anything against British people, certainly not, but when I go to Greece, I like tot eat in a GREEK restaurant.)
Nevertheless, Zakynthos has one good advantage: a lot of charters are coming there, and it is easy to travel further (with the ferry) to the very beautiful island of Kefalonia.
Kefalonia is amazing beautiful!!! The combination of high mountains with a phantastic coastline, small villages and real greek life. Not the 'plastic stuff'.

Hi,we've holidayed in Greece & the Islands most years since '92 .....our favourites [besides Halkidiki] were Stoupa {Pelopanese mainland}, Rhodes {Lindos}, Lesvos & Samos are nice too.
Terry

We have been to quite a few places, mostly by ferry when we lived in Halkidiki. I know what you mean about trying different places, we have been going to Halkidiki for over 25 years, but it is nice to see the islands too and other parts of the mainland. Our ideal would be to be based in Halkidiki for 8-9 months of the year as it is near to Thessaloniki which is a fantastic city, hospitals and dentists etc. (which as you approach 50 is a MUST, believe me, I ended up in hospital in Thessaloniki with an almost extinct gall bladder !). And of course we have fantastic Greek friends over there who we would miss like crazy if we didnt see them each year.

Other places we liked and have visited. Well we have never disliked one place in Greece yet.

We have been to Chios (beautiful, not touristy apart from one village, but even then very low key tourist, and very very Greek as it is a working island). Quite a large island too. Some gorgeous isolated beaches where you don't see another soul - and we went in July.

Leros, again a working island and dont believe anything you read about it being depressing as it used to house a much maligned mental hospital. It is a lovely island, very friendly people and again very Greek and beautiful.

Skopelos, we have been three times, it is a lovely island. Quite touristy, but not in an over the top way. Gorgeous harbour on a hillside, sitting at tables that are on such a downward slope you wonder if you are going to slide down.

Makrinista on the mainland. Beautiful village up in the hills, very steep to reach and you have to walk up the cobbled way as you leave your car at the bottom, but a lovely place. Bit touristy in the way of the shops, but a lovely place to visit and we found some lovely beaches not so far away too. Apparently they have good winters there too, loads of snow.

Corfu, well we went there years and years ago, so I do not know what it is like now, for us it seems to be too touristy.

Lesvos, called in by ferry for a short while (a few hours) but it looked very nice and peaceful where we went. Would certainly try again.

Athens, on a stop over before driving up to Halkidiki. Marvellous historical sites to see, but I am not really a city girl and Thessaloniki is a much prettier city, and more user friendly.

Our next stop, we would like to visit Ikaria (would have gone during our third year in Halkidiki but we lost our credit card in our first week there in April, and the credit card company would not send it over to Greece, so we had no extra money until we got back to England in October!).

Looking next year at trying to visit Sifnos, Andros, or Serifos.

My sister has been to Stoupa in the Peloppenese and it was marvellous. Very olde world Greek and beautiful, so that is another stop I am looking at too.

If you like Greece, I dont think there are many places you will not like. They are all friendly, beautiful if one way or another. I try to visit places which arae a little more difficult to get to rather than the well known ones (even Halkidiki has only just become well known, for years nobody had heard of it, which I must admit in a selfish way suited me fine !).

Would like to hear of any other really good Greek islands or destinations too.

Thanks for the imput everyone, descisions descisons! I'll have a look at all the destinations you've suggested, then i'll have to let my other half vet them of course!

Dave

Thassos is nice. Mind you I went 12 years ago but I don't suppose it's changed that much.

Stalis in crete is very nice loads to do but not over the top going out there next year for the second time.But i must disagree about laganas in zante we all had a fab time and ate greek food everynite you must jusy stay out of the main drag,it also had the best beach i have ever seen i too have been to many greek resorts.

I was in Corfu last year,we hired a car and found Kassiopi,beautiful harbour and not too touristy. I will definety return there in the near future though next year we will try Kefalonia as i have heard it is beautiful.