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The Greek islands are traditionally grouped into the following clusters: the Argo-Saronic Islands in the Saronic Gulf near Athens; the Cyclades, a large but dense collection occupying the central part of the Aegean Sea; the North Aegean islands, a loose grouping off the west coast of Turkey; the Dodecanese, another loose collection in the ...
- Overview
- 1. Crete
- 2. Kefalonia
- 3. Spetses
- 4. Santorini
- 5. Milos
- 6. Hydra
- 7. Kastellorizo
- 8. Mykonos
- 9. Karpathos
There’s a Greek island to suit every traveller — if you know where to look.
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Walk this way
Crete’s gorges and mountains echo not just with tumbling rocks, but with myth, infusing every realm of Cretan life just as olive oil infuses every Cretan recipe. According to Greek mythology, it was on this island that Zeus was born in a mountain cave and that Theseus braved the Labyrinth to slay the Minotaur. And the fridge of every taverna is well-stocked with Mythos, Greece’s best-selling beer.
The hardy souls who once made Samaria Gorge their home are gone now, moved out to make way for Samaria National Park in 1962. The 10-mile hike through the gorge isn’t particularly dangerous or difficult, but nothing motorised can reach down here and the nearest helipad is several miles down the track — break a leg, and you’re carried out the old-fashioned way: on the back of a mule.
Trees of cypress and maple shade the path as rock formations rear up on either side, the latter’s faces twisted and deeply ridged like carved flames. The air is heavy with the aroma of mountain herbs: wild thyme, oregano, Jerusalem sage. DANIEL STABLES
Ionia's wine country
The rugged mountains and cream-coloured beaches of Kefalonia have been winning over travellers for decades, but as Greek wine’s international profile grows, the Ionian island’s wine country is providing another reason to visit. Kefalonia is renowned for its signature Robola grape, which is used to produce an excellent, crisp white wine. The grape’s heartland is the Omala Valley, on the western slopes of Kefalonia’s Mount Ainos.
Island-hopping
For the perfect getaway from busy Athens, head to Spetses. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour cruise away, meaning it tends to avoid the bulk of the day-tripping crowds. Piney and beachy, it greets arrivals with a jigsaw waterfront of tile-roofed sea captains’ houses, palms and cypresses. The main square is carpeted in pebble mosaics and overlooked by a statue of a woman, dressed in traditional costume, with a pistol. This is Laskarina Bouboulina, a naval commander and heroine of the Greek War of Independence. Nearby, her family home now houses a small museum dedicated to her legacy.
Author John Fowles taught English on Spetses before writing The Magus, the novel forever linked to the island. Cinematic hits The Lost Daughter, with Olivia Colman, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, with Daniel Craig, were filmed here, and a TV miniseries of The Magus is in the works. Spetses is largely car-free (taxis are permitted), so hire a bike to pedal the 17 miles around the island; don’t miss Zogeria beach, where The Lost Daughter was filmed.
The best place to stay is the Poseidonion Grand Hotel (from £178, B&B), built in 1914 to lure wealthy Athenians to Spetses and the first Greek island hotel to offer bespoke spa treatments. DANA FACAROS
Volcano touring
Honeymooners love the Cycladic island of Santorini, where sugar-white villages and bubble-domed churches teeter on blackened cliffs, offering spine-tingling views over the fathomless caldera, formed in around 1620 BC in one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the past 10,000 years. Frescoes from the Late Bronze Age town of Akrotiri that were buried in ash following the eruption are on display at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera and are so charming you’ll wonder if Santorini really was Atlantis. To experience the volcano’s heat and sulphurous smell, sail across the caldera to Nea Kameni island, whose volcano last erupted in 1950.
Sea kayaking
To the west of Santorini, Milos was formed by a volcanic eruption and its 80-mile coastline is scattered with geological wonders. You have to go by sea, ideally in a kayak, to see its highlights, among them the formations of volcanic ash as white and frothy as meringue, the red-and-yellow precipices, and an abandoned sulphur mine with a yellow beach. Also look out for the black basalt cliffs, the towering sea rocks shaped like dancing bears, and the pocket-sized ports with colourful boat garages hollowed out of the stone. Stay at White Rock Milos Suites near the kayak base in Adamas (from £102, B&B).
Artist residency
Just two hours from Athens by boat, car-free Hydra has long been known as an island of artists, with galleries, studios and cultural festivals creating a spirited atmosphere. Gliding into Hydra’s harbour, tiers of stone houses glitter in the soft sunlight, rising up imposing rocky mountains. This car-free island in the Saronic Gulf attracts visitors with its lively port and sense of utter timelessness — there are no billboards or scooters here, and the influence of technology feels very far away.
A visit to Hydra is an immersion in the best of Greek life and art. Start your explorations by strolling beyond the cannons on the point to reach the DESTE Foundation, where an annual installation of art world stars fills a former slaughterhouse on the seafront. For a change of scene, take a walk along Hydra’s marble lanes and onto its rustic coastal trails, which lead to myriad craggy coves with deep cerulean waters. Settle down and enjoy the views over a coffee or cocktail at Hydronetta beach bar before strolling a mile down the northwest coast for a leisurely seafood taverna lunch at Marina in the beachside hamlet of Vlychos, or the Four Seasons — no relation to the large hotel chain — at Plakes Beach for sunbeds and iced cappuccinos.
For somewhere to stay, try the new Keresbino hotel (doubles from £150, room only) deep in the heart of Hydra town. ALEXIS AVERBUCK
Left: Lazaros Koundouriotis Historical Mansion in Hydra.
Photograph by Alamy
Cultural fusion
‘Airport’ is a grandiose term for the narrow strip of tarmac and shed that greet me on arrival on the island of Kastellorizo. Closer to the Turkish mainland than it is to Athens, it’s the country’s most far-flung island, where permanent residents number just 300 and the only action happens around the harbour, where wild turtles bob sedately between traditional fishing kaikia (boats).
Naturally, it’s there I’m headed. There’s just one taxi on the island and I jump in, bound for the pretty, pastel-hued coast. “Turkey,” says the heavily moustached driver, pointing to the mirage-like stretch of land visible across the sea when we arrive.
I’m here to meet yiadiades (Greek grandmothers) as part of my research for my next book, Yiayia, a collection of their recipes. The reason is simple: Kastellorizo is where Greek and Turkish customs and cultures collide, which means it’s home to some of Greece’s most interesting dishes. ANASTASIA MIARI
Beyond the nightlife
The beaches on Mykonos’s southwest coast are among the Med’s best for parties, but head east to find a different vibe among a rocky, filigreed coastline dotted with sandy coves.
Park your vehicle in the dirt lot and stride over the low dunes to find perfect little Fokos Bay, where deep, sheltered waters offer delightful swimming for all ages. Once you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite, head on over to the renowned taverna overlooking the sand for a lazy seafood lunch.
Stroll west around the headland to the next beach along — the gentle arc of Mersini beach, which is usually the least-crowded on Mykonos. Bring your own sun mat and even an umbrella as this beach is service-free: wild and raw, and perfectly matched to the nakedness of many of the sunbathers who make the pilgrimage out here. ALEXIS AVERBUCK
Traditional ways
Dropped into the inky Aegean between Crete and Rhodes, Karpathos feels like it belongs to a different age. This pristine, far-flung spot in the Dodecanese is locally renowned for its white-sand beaches, hugged by pine trees up until the water’s edge.
Jun 26, 2024 · Condé Nast Traveller reveals the 31 best Greek Islands to visit, including Santorini, Crete, Mykonos, Corfu and Rhodes.
- 1 min
Sep 16, 2021 · The Greek islands offer deserted beaches, active volcanoes and everything in between. Let us help you decide on the perfect island paradise for you.
Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Skiathos, Rhodes, Kefalonia, Zakynthos: from one end of the sea to the other, the Greek islands are the perfect holiday destination. It’s not just the emerald water and the idyllic beaches that make holidays on the Greek islands a world-famous holiday experience.
Feb 15, 2024 · Learn from a local expert how to choose and visit the best islands for your interests and budget. Find out the best time to go, how to travel around, and which island groups to explore.
The Greek islands ignite the imagination and satisfy the soul with a history laced in mythical tales and told through ancient, sun-bleached ruins.
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