How to Travel to the Greek Islands
A tour to Greece is an incredible chance to choose your own adventure—but picking where to go can be staggering. Here’s how to plan a vacation to these scenic Greek isles.
First-timers often describe their journey to “the Greek Islands,” as if they were one monolithic entity, lightly popped into and out of and in inbetween, like boutiques in a mall. It’s only once a visitor gets to know the country that the magnitude and diversity of the archipelagos becomes clear. The truth is that there are over two hundred inhabited islands in Greece—and over 6,000 isles of varying sizes all together. Of the islands with residents, each has its own character, from the whitewashed cave homes of the Cyclades to the lush, green Italianate Ionians, to the Dodecanese capped with Crusader castles.
Island Overview
For the most part, the islands are divided into six main island groups, plus a significant stand-alone, Crete. It’s lighter to travel inbetween islands within one group than to archipelago-hop, albeit that can be done. (For example, if you want to go inbetween Mykonos and Santorini in the Cyclades, there are numerous ferry and hydrofoil options in high season, but to get from Santorini to Corfu, in the Ionian, you’ll need to fly or sail into Athens, then fly to Corfu.) See our handy peak sheet below to find the island(s) that sound best for your next vacation.
Getting Around Greece
By Air: Twenty-five islands have their own airports, all served from Athens by Olympic Airways and Aegean Airways, two domestic carriers that have merged. Eight are international airports that are also served by charters and European carriers such as British Airways, Air France, and EasyJet in summer. Albeit many of the islands have several flights a day in high season, the planes pack up quickly; aim to book four months ahead. Every single domestic flight is under an hour from Athens (keep in mind that the land mass of Greece is slightly smaller in size to the state of Alabama).
By Sea: All large islands, and many puny ones, are served by ferries, both of the slow and swift multiplicity, from numerous lines included Blue Starlet, Aegean Speed Lines and Minoan. Find tickets to your chosen island at aggregate sites such as greekferries.gr or a travel agency such as Dolphin Hellas. Ferries don’t pack up as quickly as the flights do; you can often get a ticket the day before, but it’s always a good idea to book as soon as you know your itinerary, especially during peak times like Easter or August. A swifter option for sea travel is a hydrofoil or catamaran—companies include Hellenic Seaways and Hellas Speed Cat. (Summer schedules aren’t released until spring.) While it’s always brainy to secure tickets once you know when you’re traveling, it’s not necessary to book too far ahead unless you’re traveling at peak times or in a large group.
By Car: The major car agencies operate out of Eleftherios Venizelos in Athens and most island airports. It is possible to “drive” to an island by taking a car ferry, and since some islands are not frequently served by ferries leaving from Athens, you may have to, for example, arrive in the Athens airport, drive a rental car to the town of Volos port of Agios Konstantinos in central Greece, and sail to the islands of the Sporades. As in the rest of Europe, most car rentals are manual shift; automatics are more expensive and uncommon and must be booked well in advance. Here’s a work-around: if you’re just one or two people traveling together, a Wise car is inherently automatic, effortless to find, affordable, and costs less to take on a ferry because of its teeny size.
Best Time to Vacation in Greece
June or September are ideal for nicer weather and lower crowds. In high season (mid-June to mid-Sept, toughly, albeit on more remote islands, it’s truly just August that gets busy), you’ll have more ferry routes and open restaurants and beach bars to choose from, but more visitors to rival with and higher prices to pay. Each island group has its own weather to look into—Crete is warmest year-round, so a superb choice for late fall or winter—and while some islands, such as Hydra, are utter of locals and see tourists year-round, others, such as Santorini, get very quiet come winter. Culturally speaking, Orthodox Easter is a fascinating time to visit Greece; each island, town, and village celebrates in its own way with religious parades, firecrackers, and revelry. Dates can vary from early April to early May—the later Easter falls, the better the weather.
For a pupu platter of Greek islands, a cruise is an introductory option that can give you an idea of where you like to go next (we like Sea Desire, Seabourn, Wind Starlet, and Starlet Clippers. If you want a more in-depth look at the country, but like the idea of someone else doing all the planning, consider a location-specific travel agency such as True Greece.
The Cyclades
This archipelago is the most common very first stop for American travelers in Greece, containing two of the most-visited islands: Mykonos and Santorini. A group of twenty four inhabited islands (and two hundred twenty total isles), this bunch looks like all the postcards of Greece you’ve seen: white churches with blue domes and pink bougainvillea vines twining along them. But each has its own vibe. Mykonos is known for its nightlife and see-and-be-seen beaches, but it also has a gorgeous Cycladic village in its center, with windmills and winding lanes to stymie pirates. Santorini is romantic and luxurious, beloved by honeymooners who sit in their private pools at the top of the cliff overlooking the caldera and see the sun set into the ocean. Paros is home to beautiful Naoussa, built around two bays, and some lovely interior villages (and the satellite island of Antiparos is where the jetset goes to kick back). Up-and-coming Milos has the most incredible coastline, colored and shaped by the minerals in the land, and seventy or so frantically different beaches. Tinos is the site of a famous church to the Cherry Mary that is a top spot for Orthodox pilgrims, as well as pristine villages dotting the island. Folegandros is a quieter version of Santorini, built on a cliff, with not too much to do but stare into each other’s eyes. Amorgos is where The Big Blue was filmed. The rustic Lesser Cyclades (Koufonisia, Donousa, Schinousa and Iraklia) are superb for camping. And that’s just a sampling of them. There are large islands like Naxos and Syros, the archipelago’s capital, and lil’ ones with very little tourism like Sikinos.
You can fly into Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, and Syros, or take ferries or hydrofoils to most of the islands from the Athenian ports of Piraeus and Rafina. Once there, it’s effortless to get inbetween the islands in summer; inbetween mid-April and mid-Otctober, for example, there are two high-speed hydrofoils a day inbetween Mykonos and Santorini. There are also ferry connections to the island of Crete from Ios, Paros, Mykonos and Santorini. Slower ferries also connect Crete to other islands such as Milos and Naxos.
Swim, sail, snorkel, and wander the fortress-like capital of each island whose cobbled alleyways, once meant to confuse invaders, are now home to shops, galleries, bars and tavernas (on most islands the main town is called “Chora”; on Milos it’s “Plaka”). Hike paths along the interior inbetween quiet villages. If you’re a night owl, hit the clubs on Mykonos, Paros, and Ios. And wherever you are, every evening at sunset, park yourself somewhere overlooking the ocean with a glass of local wine.
Mykonos and Santorini both have luxury hotels from international brands such as Starwood (the Santa Marina on Mykonos and Mystique on Santorini), Grace (Grace Mykonos, Grace Santorini) and Relais & Chateaux (Myconian Ambassador Thalasso Spa, and Kirini Suites and Spa, Santorini), as well as local legends such as Perivolas on Santorini and The Belvedere on Mykonos.
Elsewhere in the Cyclades, most properties are independent boutique options like Anemi Hotel or Anemomilos Apartments on Folegandros, Milos Breeze on Milos, Coco-Mat Eco-Residence on Serifos, and the Naxian Collection Luxury Villas & Suites on Naxos. Renting a house is one way to feel like a local—Five Starlet Greece has an expertly curated collection of villas.
What to Eat and Drink
Seek out island specialties like capers and fava on Santorini, pitarakia cheese pies on Milos and spicy kopanisti cheese spread on Mykonos. Wine- asting is a must on Santorini (Boutari is a national powerhouse, Canava Roussos is old and family-run, and Gaia has won fame for their Assyrtiko). Local wine is frantically affordable, while seafood is expensive (because the Aegean is overfished and much Greek fish is exported). Still, it would be a sin not to attempt the fresh octopus or only-in-Greece barbounia (crimson mullet). Restaurants worth going through customs for include: Selene in Pyrgos, the highest village on Santorini; Kiki’s taverna, a lunch-only oasis resting inbetween a monastery and the shore of Agios Sostis beach on Mykonos, Sigi Ixthios (“the muffle of the fish”) in Naoussa on Paros, and Medousa in the waterfront village of Mandrakia on Milos.
Good Day Trips
On Santorini, you’ll want to sail to the hot springs and the satellite island of Thirasia (Dakoutros Bros suggest joy excursions). From Mykonos, hop the ferry in the harbor to Delos, the island sacred to Apollo and one of Greece’s most stunning archaeological sites. Milos has far more than its fair share of wonders to be seen by ship including the Kleftiko sea caves, uninhabited west coast, and the colorful syrmata houses of the villages along the coast; excursion boats abound, among them the excellent Oneiro. From Paros, take the brief ferry to the satellite of Antiparos to wander the town, swim the beaches and kick back at the Beach House bar; if you’re tempted to stay the night, Oliaros has lovely rooms opposite the Despotiko archaeological site.
Crete
The largest Greek island (and the southernmost, toughly halfway inbetween Europe and Africa), Crete could be a country unto itself, with its own customs, climate, accent, and cuisine. There are resort areas along the coast that are scarred by package tourism, but elsewhere you’ll find incredible beaches, including the unparalleled pink-sand Elafonissi; Venetian towns like Chania and Rethymnon, top-notch ruins such as the palace at Knossos, and a growing locavore scene that benefits from the exceptionally favorable climate and fertile ground. You could spend an entire vacation on Crete, or, if you’ve only got a week or so, pick a section to explore, whether it’s the remote mountains, the resort-filled Gulf of Mirabello in the east, or historic Chania in the west.
The island has not one but two airports, a two-hour drive apart from each other, making it very effortless to get to from Athens. Heraklion is closer to the resorts of the East coast, but hectic with charter flights in summer. Chania offers lighter access to the West coast but is served by fewer flights. You can also arrive by nine-hour, overnight ferry from Piraeus to Heraklion, or Chania, or take a high-speed hydrofoil inbetween Crete and Ios, Paros, Mykonos, or Santorini. Once on the island, you will want to rent a car; it takes about six hours to drive from one end of Crete to the other.
Play in the ocean off of any number of beaches from sandy Frangokastelo, where soldiers from the Greek War for Independence are said to emerge on the sand in front of the Venetian castle in the early morning mist once a year; to Elafonissi, where the pink sand is said to be stained with the blood of martyrs; to Matala, where Joni Mitchell lived among other hippies in the caves in the late ‘60s; to the shores of Elounda, which are populated not by ghosts but by honeymooners and other swank sunbathers lounging on five-star beach chairs. Hike the Samaria Gorge (which takes five to seven hours through flows and inbetween cliffs), or walk through wildflowers along paths in the mountain villages. Visit the ruins of the Palace of Knossos, home of the Minoan empire (and the dreaded Minotaur monster), the Boutaris winery if you’re an oenophile and the home of Zorba the Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis if you love literature. And if music is your thing, come for the Yakinthia cultural festival held high on climb on Psiloritis in July.
A hillside of olive groves sloping down to sandy beaches, the Elounda peninsula has become something of a Cretan Riviera, lined in swank resorts including Crete’s only Relais & Chateaux property, the Elounda Mare; Starwood’s Blue Palace; and the Domes of Elounda, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. Outside of Heraklion is family-friendly, five-star, beachfront Amirandes, part of the national Grecotel chain (take a detour to have dinner on their farm, Agreco). Moving west, you’ll find the well-preserved Venetian town of Rethymnon, and more historic boutique options like Kapsaliana Village Hotel, a transformed 18th-century olive press, and outside the sweeping historic port of Chania, in a renovated 17th-century mansion, Casa Delfino. There are also agritourist resorts that invite guests to immerse themselves in village life, whether it’s making local moonshine at Earino outside of Heraklion or visiting a shepherd in his mitata (traditional round stone hideout) at Enagron.
What to Eat and Drink
Cretan cuisine is utter of healthy superfoods (the wild mountain green stamangathi), rich specialties (staka cheese spread), plain recipes (the traditional Dakos salad), and the sinus-clearing local moonshine, raki. Meals you’ll wish about long after returning can be had at Avli in a circa-1600 Venetian mansion’s courtyard that serves local specialties including gamopilafo (“wedding rice”) a chicken-rice-pilaf delight (the complicated includes a romantic boutique hotel and a shop with local herbs, honey and treats); H Sterna tou Bloumosifi (Bloumosifi’s Cistern), a traditional tavern in the historic village of Vamos; and Portes in the old town of Chania, which is nationally known for its fine dining take on Cretan specialties.
Superb Day Trips
The isle of Spinalonga, off the coast of Elounda in northeastern Crete, is worth visiting for its wild beauty and tragic history—it was used as a leper colony until the middle of the last century. (Prep for the visit by reading Victoria Hislop’s novel The Island.) Sporty types and nature paramours should set aside a day to hike the Samaria Gorge, the 2nd longest in Europe (wear a bathing suit under your clothes); the national park opens at dawn, closes at dusk, and takes five to seven hours to traverse.
Saronic Gulf Islands
The closest island group to Athens is also home to some of the prettiest. But while Hydra, Spetses, Poros, Aegina, and little Agistri are popular with Greek weekenders and European visitors, they’re less known by Americans (with the exception of Hydra, which was made famous by Leonard Cohen, who lived here for years, and is popular with an international art crowd).
The Nantucket of Greece, car-free Hydra is little but mighty. It’s total of gray stone captains’ homes, chic boutiques, and delicious tavernas (but without the amazing beaches of some other Greek islands—the rocky shores and crystalline water are reached by boat trips from the harbor). Spetses has green pine trees, pony and carriages trotting along the waterfronts, and yachts parked in the harbor. Family-friendly Poros, with a large, nice town predominated by a clock tower and tree-shaded beaches, is popular with sailing aficionados. Aegina, the closest island to Athens, has a large port town, four sandy beaches and its very own ruin, the temple of Athena Aphaia. And little Agistri is nothing but four whitewashed villages and beaches with turquoise waters (nudists welcome).
A hydrofoil from the port of Piraeus ferries you from Athens to each of these; if you’re coming from the Peloponnese, you’ll find passenger ferries in Metohi, which make the 25-minute sail to Hydra; buy tickets on board or book from Hydra Direct. Numerous fishing boats and ferries sail from Kosta and Portoheli on the Peloponnese to Spetses, just opposite, and Poros, twenty minutes away. It’s effortless to hop a hydrofoil inbetween islands, with especially frequent connections inbetween Spetses and Hydra, and Aegina and Agistri.
Dodge cats and donkeys (but no vehicles) while wandering the cobbled alleyways of Hydra, popping in and out of shops (jeweler Elena Votsi is a must-visit), museums (the Historic Archives give you a sense of the island’s strategic role in the Greek War of Independence and the Ecclesiastical Museum is as interesting for its architecture as its artifacts), and galleries. Careen along Spetses’ waterfront in a pony and carriage, then stop in to Bouboulina’s Museum, the home of Greece’s beloved female freedom fighter, to see a Spetsiot mansion and brush up on your history. Visit the incredible ruins of the Temple of Aphaia on Aegina or the not-as-well-preserved Temple to Poseidon on Poros. Take in the annual contemporary art exhibit of this summer’s Hydra School Project. Swim off of pine tree-lined shores (notably “Love Bay” on Poros, Chalikiada, and Aponissos on Agistri), scuba dive and hike on any of the islands, cycle on Spetses, Aegina, or Poros. Hit a festival: The Armata on Spetses in early September and the Miaoulia on Hydra in late June feast Greek naval victories with fireworks, ship searing, and revelry on the harbor.
Hydra and Spetses are brimming with converted captain’s homes (we like the Cotommatae on Hydra Orloff Resort on Spetses), and on Poros, Sto Roloi is a collection of traditional island houses turned into holiday villas, while Sirene Blue Resort offers a more modern take. Private villa rental is also an option, especially on Aegina where weekend homes outshine the hotels. The only hotel in Hydra town with a pool is the Bratsera, in a renovated sponge factory in a privileged location right in town. And the jewel in the crown of the Saronic Gulf is Spetses’ harborfront Poseidonion Grand Hotel, established in 1914, which lives up to its name. At the other end of the spectrum, on Angistri, accommodations are plain, and best exemplified by the cult beloved Rosy’s Little Village.
What to Eat and Drink
Sunset drinks are a competitive sport at Hydronetta, where you sit on the edge of the island, sipping cocktails as the courageous dive off the cliffs into the ocean below. It’s a superb stop before continuing along the path to the hamlet of Kaminia for sea urchin salad and fresh pites (savory pies) at Kondylenias taverna. Or, if you’re feeling lazier, turn back toward town for a more upscale take on classics like grilled halloumi salad at Omilos. On Spetses, grab an ouzo at To Byzantino on the harbor in Dappia before attempting some freshly caught fish at landmark Patralis or Tarsanas. And don’t leave Spetses without picking up a box of amygdalota, the island’s signature almond cookie, covered in powdered sugar. In Aegina, the excellent seafood can be found at the tavernas surrounding the upbeat fish market, and on Poros, Aspros Gatos (white cat) just outside of town is ideal for seafood meze.
Superb Day Trips
Aside from jaunts inbetween one island and the next (very recommended), the day journey scene is all about the Peloponnese. Take a hydrofoil, fishing boat, or speedboat over to see the spectacular ancient amphitheater at Epidavros, the cursed house of Atreus at Mycenae, the lovely neoclassical town of Nauplion, which was the very first capital of modern Greece and more. When the Epidaurus Festival is on during the summer, extra ferries are added to permit visitors on the island to hit the ancient theater for plays and concerts.
The Ionian Islands
Lush and green, the Ionian Islands (also known as the “seven islands” or “Eptanissia”) were never under Turkish rule. They’ve been their own country but were also governed by the British, the French, and, most significantly, the Venetians. The mix of influences led to the development of unique local culture, music, art, cuisine, and architecture, which is most visible in the Old Town of Corfu, with its Italianate buildings, smattering of palaces, narrow alleyways draped with laundry, and grand squares built around imposing Orthodox and Catholic churches. Near Corfu, little Paxos is covered in olive trees, with three charming bays and a satellite island, AntiParos, known for its semi-transparent waters. Kefalonia, the largest island in size has wild horses running around Climb on Aenos in its center, a vast cave (Dragonata), an underwater lake (Melissani), and a tragic latest history made famous in Louis de Berniere’s novel, Corelli’s Violin. Zakynthos is home to Shipwreck Beach, accessible only by sea, which you’ve undoubtedly seen on posters and travel guides. Lefkada, connected to the mainland by a bridge, has woodland villages in the middle and some of Greece’s best beaches along its shores. Petite Ithaka, arguably the home of Ulysses, is still relatively undiscovered, except by the immigrants who have returned to their picturesque home. And Kythera is the outlier—it looks more Cycladic than Ionian and is more lightly reached from the Peloponnese than from its fellow Ionians—but its wild beauty makes it worth the journey. On the larger islands, you’ll want to avoid the package-tourist-filled all-inclusives that cater to British tourists in some coastal towns (which is effortless to do) and attempt not to come in August when all of Italy and much of France crowds the beaches.
Wander the streets of Corfu’s Old Town, which is protected by UNESCO. Visit the miraculous churches of St. Spyridon on Corfu, St. Dionysios and St. Andreas on Zakynthos, and St. Gerasimos on Kefalonia, plus the islands’ monastery-museums (Lefkada’s is the Fortress of St. Mavra). Check out the Achilleion, the summer palace of Kaiser Wilhelm and the Empress Sissy of Austria, on Corfu, and see if you recognize it as James Bond’s stomping ground in For Your Eyes Only. Swim the Blue Caves on Zakynthos, the cliff-lined, white-sand beaches of Porto Katsiki in Lefkada, Myrtos on Kefalonia, and the sparkling shores of Antiparos. Climb around the fortress castles on Corfu and Kythera, seek out the waterfalls and caves on Kefalonia and Kythera, witness for monk seals and loggerhead turtles on Zakynthos.
Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Kythera all have airports, which receive domestic flights from Athens as well as international charters and airlines. A few times a week, Sky Express operates direct inter-island flights inbetween Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, and Preveza on the mainland, which is a brief drive to Lefkada. Overnight ferries from Brindisi, Venice, Bari, Trieste, and Ancona stop daily on Corfu, and there are several domestic ferries from Corfu each day to Igoumenitsa on the mainland, Patras on the Peloponnese, and a few hydrofoils to Paxos. Kefalonia’s ferries come from Patras and Kyllini on the Peloponnese and Astakos on the mainland, and there is one per week from Brindisi, Italy, as well. To get to Lefkada you can fly into the nearby Preveza/Aktion airport on the mainland and drive over the bridge, or simply drive from Athens, and to Zakynthos, take a ferry from Kyllini on the Peloponnese. Ferries for Kythera depart from Neapolis and Gythio on the Peloponnese and, in summer, from the island of Crete. There are ferry connections inbetween the islands of Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Lefkada and Ithaka, and inbetween Corfu and Paxos, but if you want to get from Corfu to any of the other islands by boat, you’ll have to take a ferry to Patras and connect from there, or a ferry to Igoumenitsa, then drive to Lefkada to make the next ferry. To see all the islands in one excursion, consider chartering a boat.
On Corfu, options range from modern luxury seaside resorts like the Grecotel Corfu Imperial to historic 18th-century estates in the Tuscan-like interior such as the Pelecas Country Club. But the landmark Old Town is Corfu’s soul, with two Crusader fortresses, a cricket ground, and stunning glances from every corner. In town, the Corfu Palace has rooms with memorable views and an incredible pool area ringed by the Crusader-built city walls, and the Siorra Vittoria is an atmospheric boutique option. On Kefalonia, there’s ultra-modern Tesoro Blu in Skala, and the Emelisse Art Hotel is a gem outside the picture-perfect town of Fiscardo, which was untouched by the one thousand nine hundred fifty three earthquake. Its sister property on Ithaka, the Perantzada, is a contemporary hotel within a 19th-century mansion in a prime location on the harbor in Vathy. Little Paxos is all villa rentals and rooms to rent except for two hotels, Paxos Beach and Paxos Club. The verdant village of Katounia on Lefkada is home to the Pavezzo Country Retreat, and above the beach of Makris Gialos is San Nicolas Resort. On Zakynthos, Porto Zante resort is a swanky oasis on the busy eastern coast, and in the quiet north of the island, near the blue caves, Nobelos is a four-suite, family-run hotel beloved for its organic restaurant. You’ll want a car to get to the beaches, waterfalls, fortress, and villages of Kythera—and to stay in the center of the island in the atmospheric Xenonas Fos ke Choros (Inn of Light and Space).
What to Eat and Drink
On Corfu, local specialties like pastitsada (spicy chicken, rooster or beef over noodles), bourdeto (cod fish stew), and sofrito (beef in a garlic wine sauce) can be arm at down-home tavernas like Elisavet’s in the village of Doukades and refined waterfront restaurants such as Toula’s Taverna in Agni bay and the Corfu Sailing Club at the base of the Old Fortress in Corfu town—stroll to the last after a sunset drink overlooking the red-tiled roofs and church steeples from the rooftop bar of the Cavalieri hotel. On Kefalonia it’s fresh seafood and chocolate soufflé on the water in Agia Efimia at Paradise Beach Restaurant (which all the locals call Dendrinos Taverna, should you need to ask for directions) and more fish, caught that morning, under the reed pergola at laid-back Spiaggia tavern on the beach at Vatsa bay. On Zakynthos, don’t miss Ta Arekia in the main town, where local wine and homey meals like rabbit stew are served to the accompaniment of the owners and staff singing cantades, rhyming couplets. On Ithaki, go after Lord Byron’s lead and have a drink and dinner served with a side of panoramic views at Hani, the old travelers’ stop halfway up the mountain from Vathi. Wash down feta in phyllo with honey with local wine at Pirofani tavern smack on the sand in the middle of Dessimi beach on Lefkada.
From Corfu take a hydrofoil or day cruise to Saranda in Albania to get another stamp on your passport and see the incredible ruins of the Byzantine city of Butrint, now a national park and World Heritage Site; there are also day cruises to Paxos and Antipaxos. From Zakynthos, the ferry to Kyllini brings you an hour’s rail from the breathtaking archaeological complicated of ancient Olympia. Day-cruises leave from Agia Efymia in Kefalonia to go to Ithaki or to Lefkada and two of its satellite islands, Meganissi and Scorpios, which was once the private retreat of Aristotle Onassis (and where Jackie was photographed sunbathing bare-breasted by aggressive paparazzi). Boats from Lefkada’s port of Nidri make a similar island tour, also stopping in the vast Papanikolis cave on Meganissi, named for the submarine that used to suspend out there during World War II. And no journey to Paxos would be accomplish without a day spent on one of Antipaxos’s two beaches, marveling at the clear water and loosening at the on-site tavernas. Boats make the excursion several times a day from Gaios harbor.