The islands of Greece have been a popular tourist destination for a long time, and each island of Greece with its unique topography, history, and culture attract thousands of visitors from around the world every summer.
Tourists flock to the Greek islands every year to enjoy a few days of beautiful weather, unique architecture, and the character of Greek hospitality. With so many islands to choose from, one is bound to find their favorite vacation spot, and while many preffer to island hop, others return to the same island year after year.
Some of the best Island destinations in Greece:
Alongside the most touristy islands of Greece are the quiet holiday spots with sleepy villages, picturesque promenades, endless sunny days, and crystal cool waters.
People will tell you that the Greek islands are not what they were, but they've been saying that for a long time. In 1878, Edward Lear complained bitterly that Paleokastritsa in Corfu had been overrun by badly behaved English tourists, and Odysseus probably disapproved of all the new villas put up in his absence by the suitors.
There are more than 150 inhabited
Greek islands and fewer than 30 ever get seriously overcrowded. Even the busiest islands have places where you can escape the crowds, and sometimes the crowds can be fun. Here's a selection in no particular order, some well known, some not.
Kefalonia Island
Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands of Greece filled with lush green, fir-capped mountains reaching high up into a clear azure sky - picturesque headlands, watery inlets, golden bays and fantastic beaches.
The Kefalonian people are known for their friendly banter and sense of humour and while the island may have a relaxed atmosphere it is far from old fashioned - it is home to some of the most trendy apartments and hotels. Kefalonia was devastated by an earthquake in 1953 that has given rise to a modern island, reborn from the ruins with new buildings. The only village that survived the earthquake is Fiskardo in the north with its beautiful Venetian buildings and pretty harbour. Highlights of
Kefalonia include visiting the sister-island of Ithaka, a short boat trip away. The underground lake at Melissania cave and the stunning Myrtos beach.
Amorgos Island
Amorgos is a 12-hour boat ride away from Piraeus. Now, imagine us, a bunch of 16-year-olds at the time, spending those 12 hours awake on that boat, at night, doing whatever we felt like doing: playing cards, watching movies, visiting the bar, narrating creepy tales to each other with a view to the sea and a rather chilling wind forcing us to wear our jackets mid-July. Its remoteness is actually the reason why Amorgos had been neglected by mass tourism for years. Thankfully, all this changed when Luc Besson filmed some key scenes of "The Big Blue" there, thus making people realize how seductive this island is. Of course, you don't need to watch the film to see that. You just have to look at the pictures; I'm pretty certain that will be enough to convince you.
Skiathos:
Skiathos is a microcosm of a Greek Island and the smallest of the three inhabited islands of Greece in the northern Sporades. The island's stunning coastline is made up of rocky headlands covered in pine trees and olive groves, punctuated by one sandy beach after another. Skiathos Town itself is littered with church towers and paved alleys. During the day it is busy with the hustle and bustle of the locals, their fishing boats and the arrival of numerous ferries. At night the whole area is transformed into an array of waterfront restaurants and cafes welcoming locals and visitors alike. The history of Skiathos is also fascinating.
The Cretans were amongst the earliest settlers here and its present name may be derived from the Cretan “Skiathos” or Dionysis. The Ionians came here in the 8th century BC and must have been pleased to discover an island as green and fertile as their own. Modern Skiathos is very much like its larger Ionian counterpart, Corfu.
It has magnificent beaches, bustling resorts with a cosmopolitan and sophisticated nightlife on the one hand, but also quiet, secret valleys, wooded hillsides and cliff top paths the air filled with waves breaking far or a bell sounding the hours from a tiny village church. An island of contrast with something for everyone.
