Mykonos, a celeb-favorite but costly destination, showcases boutiques, buzzing nightlife and a cultural side with a boat trip to Delos island. Photo / 123rf
Mykonos, a celeb-favorite but costly destination, showcases boutiques, buzzing nightlife and a cultural side with a boat trip to Delos island. Photo / 123rf
While Greece’s best-known islands have much to commend them, there are so many more to be discovered, writes Ben West
Most people, when you mention the Greek islands, will think of around four or five, and they’ll most probably be something like Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Crete and Corfu.
However, Greece has anything from around 1500 to 6000 islands, depending on the minimum size to take into account, and 227 are inhabited.
Here’s a rundown of a selection, both some of the better-known and less-known, including suggestions of where to stay. All have regular ferry connections with Athens and often neighbouring islands, and Mykonos, Santorini and Corfu also have airports.
This lovely, small, easygoing island feels like it’s in a time warp from 50 years ago. The little harbour has a handful of boats and cosy tavernas, with a bigger choice in the main town, which is graced with traditional architecture, stone-paved streets, attractive squares and churches.
STAY: Blue Sand Hotel and Suites, a chic boutique hotel.
Folegandros, a small island in a time warp, captivates with a charming harbour, traditional architecture, and stone-paved streets. Photo / 123rf
Syros
This charming island is not reliant on tourists and therefore mainly Greeks holiday here. The attractive, laid-back capital, Ermapoulis, is home to numerous elegant neoclassical buildings and it’s lovely to stroll up the twisting lanes of the old town - if you have the energy in the heat - to the two churches that are so prominent on the skyline. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars and lovely beaches.
STAY: The Good Life, with stone villas in olive groves, looking over a bay.
Syros, less reliant on tourists, reveals an attractive capital with neoclassical buildings and pristine beaches enjoyed mainly by Greeks. Photo / God's Little People
Mykonos
If you enjoy being parted from your money at eye-watering levels - in high season a sunbed at Nammos beach can cost €130 ($230) - then you can’t beat the Cycladian island of Mykonos. Yet despite the costs and the crowds, it is worth visiting. Loved by celebs, the capital, Chora, has boutiques laden with designer gear, plenty of restaurants and buzzing nightlife. Best to go in low season, when both the beaches and hotspots are quiet. For a dose of culture take a boat trip to nearby Delos island, a stunning archaeological site with Doric temples and an amphitheatre.
STAY: Kalesma - it’s not cheap but the best Mykonos hotel I’ve stayed in. The 25 suites and villas are gorgeous, the food is excellent.
Karpathos
Overlooked by most visitors to the Greek islands, Karpathos, the second largest of the Dodecanese, has villages from another age and some fantastic beaches - there are 200 in total. There are 125 miles of hiking paths and if you can stomach the narrow, twisting mountain roads you can discover delightful villages such as Arkasa, which has been inhabited for 3000 years, or Mesochori, with its whitewashed houses and pretty Vrysiani church, one of some 300 churches on the island.
STAY: Comfortable Konstantinos Palace in Pigadia, the main town, with a seafront lined with restaurants.
Karpathos, often overlooked, surprises with villages from another age, 200 fantastic beaches, and 125 miles of hiking paths. Photo / 123rf
Corfu
Being located between the Greek and Italian mainlands, the local cuisine here is distinctly different, with traditional dishes that have an Italian touch, which is not surprising considering that the Venetians occupied the island for four centuries. Their influence is also plain to see in the pleasantly compact Corfu city, with its elegant Venetian architecture. Having quite a lush and green interior, the beaches on the west coast tend to be sandy, and more pebbly and sheltered on the east coast.
Corfu, influenced by Venetian occupation, offers a lush interior, distinct cuisine, sandy west coast beaches, and pebbly east coast beaches. Photo / 123rf
Poros
Located close to Athens, Poros is made up of two islands, Kalavria and Sferia, which are connected by a small bridge. Poros makes a great base for water sports, having some great beaches, and you can hike and bike through its pine woods. Pretty Poros town boasts a seafront lined with neoclassical buildings. It’s a good destination for culture vultures too, with museums, the 18th-century Zoodochos Pigi Monastery, and archaeological sites such as the temple of Poseidon, dating from 520BC.
STAY: The inexpensive New Aegli Hotel is located by blue-flag accredited Askeli Beach.
Poros, located near Athens, boasts two connected islands, great beaches for water sports, and cultural attractions like Zoodochos Pigi Monastery. Photo / 123rf
Sifnos
Life is deliciously slow on this idyllic Cycladic island known for its excellent isolated sandy beaches and coves, traditional villages, picturesque windmills, pottery and ceramic art. Yet among the tranquillity, the bars and restaurants of the hilltop capital, Apollonia, come to life in the evenings, especially on Saturday nights. A must-see is the traditional village of Artemonas, known for its neoclassical mansions.
STAY: Kamaroti, unpretentiously stylish, and loved by families and romantic couples alike.
Sifnos, a Cycladic gem, offers a slow-paced life, isolated sandy beaches, traditional villages, and vibrant evenings in Apollonia. Photo / 123rf
Kythnos
Another of the lesser-known islands of the Cyclades, its south is almost uninhabited. The capital, Chora or Mesaria, offers a smattering of those ingredients visitors to the Greek islands adore, such as whitewashed houses and cobbled streets, windmills and little churches, peppered with a few tavernas and bars. There are further traditional villages to explore such as the port, Merihas, Dryopida and Agios Dimitrios, and beaches are seldom far away. Thermal springs and Byzantine monuments also beckon.
STAY: Kythnos Bay Hotel. Chic and stylish and a short walk from the beach.
Santorini
Despite being one of the priciest and busiest islands, Santorini’s blue-domed churches and spectacular caldera are beautiful to behold. There are lovely hikes to quiet villages, and watching the sunset at Oia is not to be missed, although this can be taxing in high season because of the crowds. Be sure to take the 10-minute water taxi to neighbouring Thirasia island, which is so unspoilt, you feel like you are living in 1950. Explore Thirasia can fix up walking tours and e-mountain bikes for exploring.
STAY: Ikies at Oia is a charming, romantic cave hotel hideaway.
Santorini island, Greece, beautiful view of blue ocean and traditional dome church architecture. Photo / 123rf
Thasos
The northernmost of the islands, located in the North Aegean, it is also one of the greenest, its mountains framed by sandy beaches. You can explore the charming mountain villages and ancient ruins, but essentially this is the perfect island to laze away the days. There are plenty of tracks perfect for hiking and biking.
