Folegandros Island

[by gailhobson]

We will be in Santorini next month and have heard that Folegadros is a nice quiet island to visit after all the hustle and bustle of Thira. Does anyone have any experiences to share with me about this island?

[alexis]

Hello gailhobson,

Unfortunately I have never been there but heard much good about it!
One thing is sure: It will be defenitely more quiet than Santorini! Every other island is!
I checked on the web and saw http://www.folegandros.com/. The title of the site is "The Peaceful Island of Cyclades, Greece".
Should we trust them?

[by o_xenos]

There was an article in a British travel magazine about 5 months ago about Folegandros. The pictures made it look incredible!! I wish I could remember the magazine exactly, because there may be an online version. The article chronicled the writer's experiences in travelling there. The basic message was that the island was similar to Santorini if you could imaging Santorini before the development of all the tourism.

One thing I remember from reading is that getting there is a bit challenging. There are boats from Santorini maybe once or twice a week. Timetables seem to change frequently, so the author suggested booking when you are in Santorini with an agent.

There are far fewer facilities in Folegandros than in Santorini, but if you don't mind having things a bit 'rough', it is likely an excellent choice for a destination.

So, we may have to rely on you, gailhobson, to tell US your experiences when you return! Be sure to share...

[by delfini]

There was another article in the Conde Nast Traveller magazine, probably last November and I believe it sparked interest in travel to Folegandros.
I almost went there this year, en route to Milos from Santorini but was told it was probably too "quiet" and the rest of the group opted not to go. I've heard wonderful things about the island and did quite a bit of research on it prior to leaving for Greece this summer.

I used www.folegandros.gr as a source for my information and found it quite useful! It provides detailed information on all aspects of the island - not simply the nightlife/bar experiences one might expect to read about on other islands. I remember reading about a bakery located in Ano Meria which prepared a tasty dessert called "karpouzenia". I thought, "I will definitely make the trip to this village no matter where I am on the island." It's part of the charm of travelling - taking little detours to sample the pleasures of the island.

There is also a tour company (Sottovento) which provides around the island boat excursions. Some of the beaches are a little hard to get to, apparently.

I hope this information helps!
delfini

[by gailhobson]

Just got back from our wedding / honeymoon in Greece and I can definitely recommend Folegandros Island. We arrived there after visiting the hustle and bustle of Santorini and it was great. It is quiet, however at night the restaurants in the Chora are buzzing and there are a couple of very nice jazz / wine bar places to chill out in before or after dinner. It is one of the prettiest Chora's I have seen in Greece, especially the Kastro area with its medieval houses. Spectacular! So Greek, it was great to be there. The beaches are a little out of the way, but there is a bus that takes you to Aliki beach for 1 Euro and from there you can get boats to the other coves - or if you are like us and enjoy hiking, you can try the many donkey tracks that lead down the mountain sides. Just watch out for the numerous donkeys using them, carrying water and feed to cattle etc.!!
I defy anyone to visit Folegandros and not enjoy the experience - I will certainly return again and again.
Enjoy!!

[by delfini]

Hi gail and congratulations!

I'm glad you had a great time! It sounds like Folegandros is a wonderful island and I will try to include it in my itinerary for my next trip to Greece...
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
delfini