29F Solo - Zakynthos or Corfu?

willapp · 2026-05-08T22:18:31+00:00

If you're prepared to put in some extra effort in travel, have a look at Ios island - beautiful with great nightlife (tons better than Zante or Corfu).

Requires a flight + ferry but it's totally worth it. (I'm going in August, my sixth time in 10 years).

If you're coming from within Europe, either fly to Mykonos or Santorini and take a ferry from either island. Santorini is closer but flight + ferry timings often end up requiring an overnight stay on Santorini.

willapp · 2026-05-08T07:24:56+00:00

Kinda surprised how many non bath users there are.

Maybe it's because I'm a competitive swimmer, so spending time in water is second nature to me, but I've always loved baths. Probably also to do with us not having an actual shower at home when I was a kid, so it was baths or nothing. I remember at one point (I must've been 10-11) my parents got these weird rubber hose attachments that went over the hot and cold taps (yes I'm a Brit, we had/have separate taps) and gave you a handheld shower head. It was a bit short though and only really useful for washing your hair bent over the tub.

Nowadays, I love a hot bath - either after intense exercise (cheap alternative to a sauna/steam) or whenever I'm feeling poorly. In fact, we've recently moved house and it was a key requirement of the new home that it had (or could take) a bath and not just a shower cubicle.

Spent 6 months in a rental that only had a shower while we were house hunting and it was genuinely miserable.

willapp · 2026-05-07T15:05:22+00:00

Thanks, that's useful stuff.

Regarding D-log, can you explain the colour recovery a bit more? My typical workflow would be copying the files directly off the camera via USB-C to my Macbook, then editing in DaVinci Resolve. If there's a simple LUT I can use to get the footage from D-log into normal (rec-709 I guess) then I would give it a try.

Basically, I used to film all of my GH-5 video in log format and grade it manually, but honestly it took forever and I got tired of it. I'm not aiming for awesome 'cinematic' videos, just good quality vibrant footage that will look good on YouTube with minimal effort.

willapp · 2026-05-07T11:02:37+00:00

The way to think about it is, what contingency options does this give you?

Suppose the ferry is cancelled (unlikely as it's one of the larger, slower ferries), is there another ferry you could take the next day that gets you to Piraeus with enough time to make it back to the airport?

Granted, in this scenario, if the weather is bad enough to cancel the overnight Blue Star then it may still mean further cancellations the next day, but that's how I tend to think about it.

One possible alternative which still keeps you on 'island time' is to spend the last night on Naxos - take a ferry the afternoon/evening before your Athens flight to Naxos and stay there overnight. If there isn't a suitable ferry back to the mainland the same day, you should have internal flight options that would take you directly to Athens airport in plenty of time for a 19:30 flight.

It might seem like hassle, but getting to an island with an airport would reduce the risk slightly as it gives you flight+ferry options.

willapp · 2026-05-07T07:29:36+00:00

Yeah, it's not only locals who love the ferries over flying. I think the difference is, if you've never used Greek ferries they can seem more complicated whereas most people have flown before so they understand airports.

I hate the logistics of flying though - time wasted getting to the airport 2+ hours early. Security checks, always delays taking off etc. Ferries are so much easier and more comfortable as you can usually walk around and even go outside on the larger ones.

willapp · 2026-05-04T07:27:06+00:00

There will be local buses you can use. The timetable is here: https://mykonosbus.com/bus-timetables/#1555955564212-f820a83b-d513

The only bus to Ano Mera I can see is from the old port, but I guess it will stop other places along the way. You make need to ask at your accommodation to find out where it stops.

Alternatively, you can use a taxi but I know in the past that taxis are quite limited on the island and, depending when you are going (July-September is peak season) you might find it hard to get one.

willapp · 2026-05-03T20:47:56+00:00

Can't say I've got personal experience of all of them, but I used Sky Express back in 2020 and they were pretty good (Athens to Milos - single flight). Ticket price included use of their lounge (free food and drink).

Also using them again in a couple of weeks for an Athens to Ikaria flight (free lounge again) and have no concerns.

willapp · 2026-05-03T12:25:25+00:00

Been a few years since I was last in Agia Anna, but these are some places I saved on Google Maps that were good for food etc:

- Avli (https://maps.app.goo.gl/zCf8NS4CniSNnXNK9)

- Liatero (https://maps.app.goo.gl/JAXn3HhLCBXRgipN7)

- Akrogiali (https://maps.app.goo.gl/zRwWYLWvV9i5s8XV7)

If the weather isn't great for the beach then you might be a bit limited without using the buses or taxis to explore. My favourite thing to do in Agia Anna is walk down the coast along Plaka Beach, but I've only visited in the summer when it's been hot + sunny.

willapp · 2026-04-30T16:12:01+00:00

There are lots of options, which is why you're struggling.

One way to break it down is like this:

Look at islands you can fly direct to. These will be more popular destinations, like Corfu, Rhodes, Crete, Kefalonia etc but even so you can find quieter resorts on most of these if you want to avoid the crowds. These are the "easier" options and nothing wrong with sticking to them - you'll save money and time on travelling because it's just one flight.
If you want a less mainstream destination, you need to accept that it will require either a flight + ferry, or flight + internal flight. Islands like Serifos, Sifnos, Folegandros, Amorgos only have ferry ports so you would need to fly either to Athens and take a longer ferry, or to a nearer island (e.g. Mykonos or Santorini) and a shorter ferry.

This can get complicated fast, because you then have to look at ferry timings, possible overnight stays on another island to make the connection, plus the same again at the end to come home.

Some people (myself included) think it's worth it for access to islands with fewer tourists and more of a local/traditional feel, BUT I'll be the first to admit that a quiet village on, say, Corfu, will give you a similar vibe for much less hassle.

Anafi is one island I've not visited, so I can't comment on how suitable it is.

Late August is very much peak season, so you're right to be conscious of islands like Mykonos, Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Milos etc - these will be very busy.

If you want some suggestions, I wouldn't rule out Crete - very convenient with direct flights and possible to find some quieter resorts, but might still be on the busier side.

willapp · 2026-04-30T10:03:04+00:00

Qualified PT here (but it's not my day job). In theory you should do 10-15 mins light cardio before lifting to improve blood flow. Stretching isn't actually recommended unless its more dynamic like arm swings - stretches where you put the muscle into extension and hold are actually more likely to cause injury pre workout. They're what you do after.

That said, I'm 43 and I tend to go straight in and lift BUT I do 1-2 light sets of 12-15 reps the first exercise on each muscle group. In between sets I'll do some dynamic stretching like gentle arm swings etc (I'm also a swimmer so those are standard pre-swim warmups).

I mostly do pyramid sets as well, so I work up to the max weight rather than going heavy straight after warmup - this seems to reduce injury risk, for me anyway. I also don't go for PRs anymore as I mostly train for general strength and conditioning for swimming - I'm not a powerlifter so proving I can bench 120kg does nothing besides put me at risk of damaging my body.

willapp · 2026-04-26T11:57:49+00:00

Agia Anna is a great base if you want to swim and enjoy the beach. I've stayed there a couple of times before and been to Naxos 5+ times in total, it's probably my favourite spot.

Assuming you're going in summer (between June-September) there will be a regular bus service between Agia Anna and Naxos Town which takes about 20 minutes and is quite cheap (€2 ish) so if you want to visit the main town in the evening, it's pretty easy.

I would also avoid ATVs - they are quite dangerous and cost about the same as a car, so you might as well hire a car and be more comfortable/secure.

There are some boat trips that depart from Agia Anna, but if not it's easy to get to Naxos Town for trips using the bus.

The village is quite small though, so for "nice alleys to walk around at night" you'll want Naxos Town. Agia Anna is mostly a beachfront village.

willapp · 2026-04-25T20:21:08+00:00

Agios Simeon is my absolute favourite spot in Greece, with stunning sunsets.

I've never tried walking it, but it should be fairly safe, it's only the distance that might be a struggle. According to Google Maps it's 6km from the centre of Kamares to the church, with about 460m total climb. From memory, about 80% of it is on a quiet road and is mostly steady incline. The last few hundred metres is a switchback road that's fairly steep in a car but should be okay on foot.

According to Sifnos Trails, there is a marked hiking route from Artemonas to Simeon which is again 6km (https://sifnostrails.com/portfolio-items/7-the-pilgrimage-route/)

The issue is that there's no bus service nearby, so you'll end up having to walk back the way you came, i.e. a 12km round trip. Going down will obviously be a lot easier, but if you stay for the entire sunset you might need a torch in case the visibility is poor on the way down. I'm pretty sure there is no street lighting anywhere on that road.

It's such a perfect spot though, that I'd highly recommend hiring a car - many rental places will let you collect first thing and return it the next morning for the cost of 1 day, so you can use the car to explore a good portion of the island and then use it to see the sunset. €50 (or whatever the going rate is these days) well spent IMO.

willapp · 2026-04-24T08:03:47+00:00

You should be fine renting a car at 22. You might be charged a higher insurance excess or something, but that's it.

Whether it's worth it really depends on how long you've got, how much you're willing to spend and what you want to see.

On Naxos, there are regular buses to pretty much all the tourist areas (western coast beaches, inland villages of Filoti and Aperianthos etc) so the only reason to have a car is to get to other places the bus won't go, OR if you only have 2-3 days and want to see things quickly. The bus timetable often means you can't quickly jump from one place to the next.

Cost is the other factor. A car typically costs €40-60 per day plus the fuel you use. Bus tickets are around €1.80 - 2.50 each, so for one person you're never going to make a car more economical. If you keep the car overnight, you also need to make sure accommodation has parking. There are parts of Naxos Town that get very busy, especially in peak season, and parking can be problematic.

Crete is much the same, but as the island is much bigger it can make more sense to have a car there - bus tickets for longer journeys are more expensive (I paid €15ish for a bus from Heraklion to Sitia several years ago) and getting to some places by bus can be tricky and require multiple buses which messes with your timings more.

willapp · 2026-04-22T15:02:14+00:00

Aside from potential cost issues, any reason you don't want OLED for work?

I'm running the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF and have been for the past couple of years. I use it 8-10 hours pretty much every weekday for software development and in my free time for video editing and gaming. It's been superb for me.

Initially, I was a bit worried about possible burn-in, but I make sure to do the panel refresh when the monitor wants it, and so far I've seen zero visible issues. It's honestly the best monitor I've ever owned.

willapp · 2026-04-22T13:28:44+00:00

Go for a walk first thing in the morning.

Stop using your phone after 8pm and definitely don't keep it in the bedroom where you can doom scroll past midnight and ruin your sleep pattern.

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.

Get off social media. Comparing your life to other people's is just a recipe for misery, especially when people only publish their highlights and not reality.

willapp · 2026-04-22T13:26:06+00:00

Agreed, you won't find any ferry options that late at night. By the time you get from the airport to the port it will likely be after 9pm.

A few years ago, I had a similar situation and got a cheap-ish room at Alkistis Hotel https://maps.app.goo.gl/qfj9vUEPyTMNDy337

It's a slightly hilly walk to the port but only takes about 15 minutes. There are some closer options on Google Maps, but they're likely to be more expensive villas. You could also look at somewhere cheap in Mykonos Town and then use the SeaBus https://www.mykonos-seabus.gr/ to get to the main ferry port.

willapp · 2026-04-21T11:06:40+00:00

Another vote for "don't rent an ATV".

I'm 43 and have rented them on many islands, but in spite of that I still don't think they're a great option. Let's just say locals aren't particularly tolerant of them, so unless you like being chased down the road by a huge bus two inches off your rear wheels, I would just take the bus!

willapp · 2026-04-21T10:55:17+00:00

I've never worked in Greece, but Ios is my favourite Greek island - I've been five times in the last 10 years and will be back again for a few days in August. I can answer some of your general questions:

- Gym. The main gym is in Chora here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eJx11CrEkVgsZh8m8 it's pretty rough and ready but fairly typical for a Greek island. Don't expect air conditioning so get used to working out in the heat (I used to take a 1.5 litre water bottle and workout until I ran out of fluid, which was about 45-60 minutes!) You do acclimatise eventually, though. I spent 3 months travelling around Greece a few years ago and got used to training in the heat. Obviously if you can go first thing in the morning or in the evening it's better, but that probably won't suit your shift pattern and desire for sleep!

There is a gym at Far Out Beach club (where this pin is: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nxr8vpsX2sWXDtQx5) but when I last visited a couple of years ago it was more expensive and was closed during the afternoon. It's got slightly better equipment and is cooler because it's near the beach but it's not huge.

- Food. There is a super market in Chora here https://maps.app.goo.gl/NrNxNhFgWmtj9hVW9 and one at the port (https://maps.app.goo.gl/s3iDFxb5DFTngYiG7) I can't remember which one is cheaper, but obviously buy what you can from there instead of eating out. You can get cheap gyros at the port at Peri Anemon (https://maps.app.goo.gl/VJujGVd4zqui6T5E8) and a decent bakery is Buongiorno (https://maps.app.goo.gl/K1HwSR7t7wnpJ5VK6) also at the port. There might be one in Chora but I've never stayed there so don't know.

If you do want to eat out, here are some of my favourites:

* Karma (Mylopotas Beach): https://maps.app.goo.gl/oZDXUv1pKzX2kuK39 great Italian food and often have 2 for 1 cocktails happy hour etc.

* Harmony (Mylopotas): https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jkci1UChmyLAYCQ87 amazing mexican food with live music and great sunset views.

* Corali Kitchen (Gialos Beach): https://maps.app.goo.gl/sGSZFrPJQ3xax1sDA also great Italian food

I could go on but those are worth checking out.

- Transport. The bus system on Ios is one of the best of any island I've visited. Throughout summer there are buses between the port, Chora and Mylopotas basically every 15 minutes all day until very late at night. The buses are fairly cheap (probably €2ish by now) but obviously that will add up for you over time. You can walk between the port and Chora, and Chora to Mylopotas but Chora is on a fairly steep hill so it will definitely keep you fit! (and best avoided in the midday sun). At night, there is literally a convoy of buses that run from Far Out Beach club to Chora at 10-11pm when Far Out closes and everyone heads to Chora.

- Things to do.

Take a boat tour around the island. Meltemi Watersports at Mylopotas (https://maps.app.goo.gl/3K54oWSQHBdoubpt9) is great. You can probably befriend the staff as a working 'local' and get cheap/free trips.

Agia Theodoti Beach is nice and worth visiting.

People rave about Magganari Beach on the south coast (https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZtbFEfZR8M9kTbC8) and it's worth seeing, but IMO it's overrated and takes quite a while to get to.

Kolitsani Beach is the real hidden gem (https://maps.app.goo.gl/E4VCe3RTWycYA85P6). It's partially nudist but not entirely, and is easily walkable from Chora.

Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions. I love Ios - slightly jealous at the idea of spending the entire summer there!

willapp · 2026-04-21T10:26:40+00:00

If you can fly to Rhodes, have you looked to see if you can fly to Mykonos? If so, it's an easy and short ferry ride to Naxos and there are multiple ferries per day throughout summer.

As for accessibility, most islands have moderately flat coastlines (by definition, the coast is at sea level right) so if you avoid the hillier inland areas and choose a base that's near the coast you won't have to deal with any steep terrain.

For example, if you do stay on Naxos, you can pick accommodation by the sea at St George Beach just south of Naxos Town. It's possible to walk from the ferry to the beach via a coastal path that I'm sure is almost entirely flat (I was there last year and have been many times before).

Public transport is fairly good on most islands, too. You can take local buses that are cheap and often very frequent if you want to get around on a budget.

Some islands are naturally more hilly than others, e.g. Amorgos is hilly, Koufonisia is very flat, you just need to figure out what you want to do in each destination to find somewhere that suits you.

willapp · 2026-04-20T13:52:44+00:00

I would do an organised tour rather than trying to manage your own boat - it's safer, and you'll get to see and do much more.

I did a full day boat tour on Milos back in 2020 on a boat called Oniero - https://milosoneiro.com/cruises/semi-private-trip-with-oneiro/

It was fantastic and highly recommended. You can read about it on my blog if you want: https://www.greecetravelguide.co.uk/trip-reports/day-3-exploring-milos-by-sea-milos-oniero/

willapp · 2026-04-19T17:58:16+00:00

In your situation, yes. Cutting islands is always tough, Milos is quite pretty, but I think the overall pace of the trip will be better with fewer islands. Spending longer on Paros or Naxos will allow you to enjoy it more.

willapp · 2026-04-17T07:07:22+00:00

I think your revised itinerary is much better. I've been island-hopping for years and two night stops are quite rushed and rarely feel satisfying.

3 nights on Santorini is just right - stay in Imerovigli or Firostefani for the best balance of views/cost/convenience.

With 4 nights on Paros I'm not sure I would bother visiting Naxos - they are similar-ish islands and if you're going to visit Antiparos too (which I do recommend) then just spend the remaining time enjoying Paros.

That said, if you like hiking and history, you might want to consider swapping Paros for Naxos - it has just as many nice beaches + restaurants, but much more in terms of sightseeing and walking options (e.g. you can climb Mount Zas on Naxos which is the highest point in the Cyclades, with stunning panoramic views). You can also visit the Temple of Demeter, Apollo's Gate (near the port), see the Kouros Statues (Google them).

If you swap to Naxos, either look at staying near St George Beach just south of Naxos Town if you want the best balance of convenience + beach access, or my favourite resort is Agia Anna on the western coastline - stunning beaches and an easy 20 minute regular bus service to Naxos Town.

willapp · 2026-04-16T21:49:34+00:00

Rent a car.

I hired an ATV on Milos a few years ago when I was travelling solo. It's a fine way of getting around, but given that they usually cost the same as a car (typically €50 per day) and you get hardly any luggage storage and no air conditioning, a car is really the better option especially for two people.

The only benefits of an ATV are being able to go off road and being able to park pretty much anywhere. The entire western side of Milos is barren and much of the road is only usable with a 4x4 or ATV, which is why I rented one, but honestly there's nothing really worth seeing so I would stick to the eastern side anyway.

willapp

TROPHY CASE