Wednesday, 21 August 2013

Greek islands top -9 (according to CNN)




CNN presents the top nine islands in and around the Cyclades, each with its marquee attraction

Best scenery: Santorini
Best nightlife: Mykonos
Best traditional village life: Naxos
Best kiteboarding and windsurfing: Paros

Best beaches: Milos
Best for nature lovers: Ikaria
Best Robinson Crusoe destination: Koufonisia
Best couples getaway: Folegandros
Best food: Crete





But of course I can't resist writing few comments about the list. Here they are:

Best scenery: Santorini – I can agree with this, but there are too many options here. Santorini is just the best-known-for it's scenery- island. Everyone knows about Santorini and the magnificent scenery in all the famous spots of the island. Still, I believe that the best scenery is the island itself when you approaching it with the ferry. And of course I can think of many more islands with excellent scenery like: Amorgos, Symi, Folegandros, Anafi and Sifnos to name just a few and if we have just to stay close to Cyclades.
Best nightlife: Mykonos – Nothing to say here. Only that you are not really a traveller if you choose an island for its nightlife.
Best traditional village life: Naxos – Well, I love Naxos, and I’d choose the village life there especially around the mountain Za and the picturesque vilafe of Apeirathos but still l think there is more traditional village life in Sikinos and many others.
Best kiteboarding and windsurfing: Paros - This is true. Only keep in mind that Paros is so overcrowded especially in August that even I was a surfer which I’m not, I would choose Lefkada.
Best beaches: Milos   It is very risky when it comes to decide about the island with the best beaches. Everyone has his preferences but I wouldn’t recommend to someone to put it so simply. The best beach is always the one that you prefer. It is a different issue if there is an island with many beautiful beaches or many sandy beaches and another thing to say that this one has the best beaches. Oddly enough in my book I write about the beaches in island of Skopelos, not exactly in Cyclades, but this is not the point. The point is that almost every island of the Aegean Sea has a lot of beautiful beaches. And it’s up to you to enjoy them and then choose about the best.
Best for nature lovers: Ikaria – This is yesterdays news, or better said: ‘60s news. And this is for an island that I really and truly love. Nature lovers would enjoy it. But, please, if you are a real nature lover, go to another less inhabitant island. Or choose one of the thousand Greek islands which are not inhabitant at all.
Best Robinson Crusoe destination: Koufonissia – Well, there are two of them. There is Ano (Upper) and Kato (Lower) Koufonissi. The second one has no inhabitants and you could play Robinson Crusoe’s part, even if I can’t see any reason for Crusoes just few minutes away from a really wonderful island -and a real paradise for tourists such as the other Koufonissi. And as I mentioned before there is a thousand of deserted islands in Greece. Just find the way to approach them and then you ‘ll play Crusoe for real.
Best couples getaway: Folegandros – No, definitely not. In my guide the best island for couples is Astypalea. Not that a couple can't find the ideal island in Folegandros. The newcomers (and the fresh couples) always seems to find everything fantastic anyway. But, really I would prefer Amorgos, especially in May, or Santorini (definitely in May) or Hydra (preferably in autumn) or Schinoussa (any time) and then I would perhaps think of Folegandros.
Best food: Crete – Ok, but never say it to a native of Crete that you chosen the island just for the good food. People there are very sensitive about their island and you may have some troubles. Just say that Crete is the best island you have ever seen. I say the same. What else can I do?  I live here.


 PHOTO: the village Klima (Milos): for me the best coastal village I 've seen
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FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, INFOS & COMMENTS ABOUT THE ISLANDS

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