We had a great time in Greece and had a wonderful holiday.
Some impressions/pictures from the trip:
- Hotels, ferries and ferry pick-up all went smoothly; there was always someone waiting for you on an island, especially if you were a bit late this came in handy.
- Athens was fun for a few days; the bike tour suited the slightly anarchistic character of this city. The car (Ford focus diesel) was good, pick-up was excellent; delivery to Piraeus not so good (no one showed up at the agreed time, had to call several times, pick-up driver was not in front of the head office, went well in the end but annoying that there was no office in Piraeus), but well we all sorted it out and were on time at the ferry to Syros.
- The Peloponnese car tour was fantastic; lots of variety and beautiful villages/towns with lots of Greek history. Also found the best hotel of the trip (maybe a tip for you) Atheminium suites in Naplion (http://anthemion.gr); very nice suites, delicious fresh breakfast, very nice people.
- Of the islands, we liked Naxos the most and Santorini and Syros less for various reasons. Syros because there was actually nothing to do except the beach (we love walking, nature, history and beautiful towns) and we got bored quickly; Santorini because it is really a spectacle; too many hordes of Chinese people taking selfies in Fira and Oia and a mass tourism atmosphere in Kamari (also at the Hermes hotel). The island is geographically very beautiful (and we enjoyed the walk from Fira to Oia) but not made for so many tourists (and we were not there in high season yet).
Naxos was delicious, we could have stayed a little longer (but hey, you don't know that in advance). Also, the hotel (Katerina) was clearly the best of the 4 (especially the friendly and hospitable owners who were very involved with their guests and their business)
One more small point for improvement for you: we had explicitly stated that we would have liked separate beds for the children (well, the children, they are 18 and 20 years old). You had already indicated that you could not guarantee this, but none of the hotels had received this request, so we always had a double bed. In 2 hotels (Paros and Naxos) we were able to organize something (due to the flexibility of the hotel), but other hotels unfortunately not.
Overall, a very successful holiday thanks to your advice and organization.
Good luck and greetings,
Remko