Half Board Holidays to Greece

Some resort areas combine good hotel dining with a short walk to the sea and plenty of places to eat out.

• Chalkidiki: Chalkidiki is a peninsula with three finger-shaped headlands and sandy beaches that shelve gently into the sea, which makes it a calm choice for families. Many hotels here serve generous half board dinners, and the nearby villages have tavernas for lunch or an occasional change of scene. Its main drawback is distance, as the regional airport is the main access point and transfers take a while. We still rate it highly for half board because the beaches are easy to reach from most hotels. It is exactly the brief our Cheap Greece Holidays deals are built around.
• Crete: Crete offers long sandy beaches on its north coast, including Malia, where resort hotels are built around half board dining. The island's main airport serves the coast, so transfers to resort areas are straightforward for most travellers. The trade-off is that some resort areas are spread out, which makes evening meals out less spontaneous than in a town. For half board, we find Crete rewarding because the included dinner sits comfortably alongside lively local food.
• Corfu: Corfu has sandy beaches and shallow bays that suit younger children, with the island's historic town close enough for an evening meal out. Several resort hotels offer half board in a relaxed setting, and flights from several UK airports keep the journey manageable. Some coastal areas are quieter and offer fewer restaurants after dark, so the choice of hotel matters. For half board, Corfu is a reliable pick when you want included dinners and easy access to a town.
• Rhodes: Rhodes has sandy beaches at Faliraki and Ixia, where resort hotels are well set up for half board guests. Faliraki is about 15 km from the island's medieval Old Town, so you can take a bus or taxi there for an evening out after dinner at the hotel. The main downside is that the beach strips can feel busy in peak months. We rate it well for half board because the mix of included meals and a historic town nearby suits many travellers.
• Naxos: Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades and offers a quieter alternative to busier islands, with beaches and hiking alongside its harbour town. Hotels here commonly offer half board, and the harbour is a short stroll for a relaxed dinner out on nights you prefer to eat elsewhere. The island has fewer large resorts, so choice of restaurants is smaller than on the bigger islands, the same brief our Greece holidays deals are built around. For half board, it works well for travellers who value calm and a good included dinner.