Advice

[Georgie2002]

Hi all,

I know you'll be stunned to read this but I'm probably not going to return to San Stef next year and try out somewhere new instead!  If I had lots of money I'd do two holidays and definitely return to San Stef, but as things are I want to carry on seeing more of Greece so San Stef will have to remain a wonderful memory for now!

I know this question isn't San Stef related but as there's lots of well travelled people on here I thought I'd ask anyway!  Has anyone ever been to Kalamaki in Zante?  I keep reading different descriptions and sometimes I think it sounds nice and others it sounds too busy and commercial so I don't know what to do!  It's next door to the party town of Laganas and I don't want an overflow of lager louts so if that's what it's about I'd rather go somewhere else!

Can anyone help?! 

Yammas

[Ioanna]

Hi Georgie ,
 Although I have been to many other places in Greece I must admit that I have never been to Zante .
One thing I know for sure , give it a year and you will be hot footing it back to Aghios Stefanos - that is what happened to me in the early 80's and now I cannot keep away ! I have been out in February right through to November and each month brings something different ! Good luck but like the man said ' you will be back '
 Ioanna x

[DavidFid]

Hi Georgie

We've been to Zante and really enjoyed it. Haven't stayed at Kalamaki but if you decide it isn't for you I'd recommend Alykanas as a good quiet resort with a nice beach.

Yammas

DF

[rilo57]

  Hi Georgie. I have been to Zante but it was 1993, we stayed at Alykes which was a very quiet village with a very beautiful beach.Cant say how it is now.
We did a day trip over to Kefalonia, had dolfins riding the bough waves of the ship.

  Thassos is a very nice island also, there is no airport on the island, so you get the ferry over, a nice start to the holidays.

[Rob.tc]

Hi Georgie
We've been to Zante several times, the last time in 2009.
Although have never stopped at Kalamaki it can get the overflow from Laganas which is often not great.
One of my daughters worked for the turtle protection charity Archelon and thet were based near Kalamki and said that there were often drunken party goers wandering up the beach from Laganas and could be a bit of a problem.
We've stopped in Tsilivi on 3 occasions which is quite a busy resort but nice enough, although recently it has become much busier and rowdier - one of the reasons we stopped going there.
Kefalonia is much quieter island, and if you want to be a bit more adventurous (ferries etc) try Thassos or Kalymnos

[YANNIS26]

Hi Georgie
I have spent 2 holidays in Kalamaki and found it to be a excellent resort.It is nothing like Laganas and is a relaxing resort with a nice beach.The beach is the breeding place of the protected loggerhead turtles,I have enclosed a link to an interactive map.If you click on the balloons you will be able to select a street view of the area and take a virtual walk around the resort.
http://www.justzante.co.uk/kalamaki.htm
I stayed at the Venus Hotel during my visits and found it excellent.Today it is rated no 1 of 40 hotels in the resort.Link enclosed.
http://www.venushotel.gr/
Kalamaki & Laganas are at opposite ends of a 4km stetch of beach which makes a nice walk.
I have just read Robs posting and I can only say that during our last visit which was 3 year ago we never saw any drunken party goers. I fully understand that things can change dramatically over a 3 year period and Kalamaki may no longer be the resort I remember.
Yammas
Yiannis

[lilly]

Hi Georgie, Thassos gets my vote too and the ferry over to Thassos from keramoti port is a wonderful start to your holiday, I think though that only Thomsons fly into Kavala airport although I have to say the short [ 8 mins] coach to ferry port then 35 mins on ferry which has a bar serving drinks and snacks then a coach waiting to take you to resort once off the ferry is  very well executed by Thomsons, no hassle at all plus the seagulls follow the ferry over to Thassos and if you are lucky then you will get to see the dolphins.

We stayed at ' Golden beach' in Panagia which is a  lovely resort, amazing sandy beach, with lots of friendly taverna's serving lovely food in a chilled out place. Thassos is only 90 kilometres all round with very good roads, you can hire a car or motorbike to visit some of the other stunning beaches such as Paradise beach or Marble beach, Thassos town is worth a visit too. The old quaint village of Panagia just above Golden beach resort is worthy of a visit, a lovely old village, you can either walk or catch the frequent bus service, only takes around 15 minutes by bus and there are some lovely local shops there too.

Having said that SS is the only place that we have ever been  drawn back too, can't explain it but just love it, next year will be our 3rd visit to SS having previously stayed at nearby Agios Georgios North until we discovered SS.

Good luck with your plans.

[Rod]

Georgie,

Our other favourite Greek places are Skiathos town, on the island of Skiathos obviously and Stoupa which is a lovely quiet resort in the Peloponese area.  Skiathos town is very cosmopolitan with plenty of bars and tavernas but also relaxing.  The dowside being the prices to go there are a little more expensive due to that Mama Mia film.  Stoupa is a total chill out where you can actually here a pin drop on the beach.  I'm sorry but we have not been to Zante.

[Gavlah1973]

Georgie

My vote would go to Skala in Kefalonia. Very similar resort in size, no loud bars, mainly tavernas.

Hotel wise I would book the 9 Muses always as it's got a great beachfront location. It's not the cheapest though. Read the reviews they speak for themselves. Lots of return visitors year on year

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g664630-d500164-Reviews-9_Muses_Hotel_Skala_Beach-Skala_Cephalonia_Ionian_Islands.html

Check out the travellers photos

You can immerse yourself in the whole Captain Correlli thing and both the tour operator and the independant guys run superb trips. A trip to savour would be the island tour which takes in Assos, Fiskardo and the caves....stunning. There's also boat trips to Ithaca which is meant to be where Homer set the Odysssey.
A really quiet resort where you will enjoy total chillax.

[Denise]

Hi Georgie, we have been four times to Zakynthos but never stayed in Kalamaki.
We have been through it and it looked very busy.
We used to stay in the Ionian beach area of Vasilikos, (the village was known locally as Potamia)
We loved it there but used to go with Direct Greece, which is no more.It was taken over by Direct Holidays for a while
and then they just kept a few of the properties.
I didn't like Kalamaki at first glance but sometimes you need to make your own conclusions on a place.
You would love the quieter areas.It is very pretty like Corfu and I'm sure you'd love it, although we have been to several islands
and have never found one quite as friendly as Corfu.

[Georgie2002]

Thanks for all your help guys!! Seems a mixed bag as with the website reviews I've seen! Still totally undecided! I wanna go everywhere!! 

[Gavlah1973]

Hols are very funny things and are very particular to each person.

I had a work colleague who was in Kalamaki around 4 years ago (we were in Kef at the same time) and he hated it but he loves Corfu and Kefalonia.

The one thing that does demonstrate the friendliness of the 9 Muses staff was the waitress, Athina, who remembered us after a 4 year gap!! She even remembered what I'd christened one of the stray cats at the hotel! How do they do that after a 4 year gap!!??
When we left this year, her and one of the other waitresses finished work after a 10 hour day and went out and bought us both a present.

The barman only got to bed at 4am but was up at 9.30am to see us off....... amazing personal service!!

I also love Egypt but my nephew has just been and he hated it!! One mans music is another mans noise and all that!

[Lesley]

Just to throw a spanner in the works/discussions has anyone tried Spetses, one of the Argo Saronic islands a little difficult to get to. so you fly into Athens and then coach/taxi down to the port, upgrade to  hydrofoil and you can be there in 2 hrs the ferry takes over 5 hours.  want to know more read The Magus which is imaginary but set in spetses which in the early 90's had one of the first private british schools in Greece.  I lived there for 5 years it was amazing........
BTW yoiu wont find Thomsons, TC or any major tour operator there this is really Greece at its best (well in my opinion).......

[Gavlah1973]

Used to send the odd intrepid traveller there Leslie when i was a travel agent in the early 90's!!

[Georgie2002]

You've all been a great help guys! I think I've found one I like in Alykanas, Zante - does anyone know if Thomas Cook prices go up and down like Thomson?!