For many travellers the islands are the essence of Greece: white houses, blue-domed chapels, little harbours with fishing boats, seaside tavernas and crystal-clear water. But every group has a different character, and even neighbouring islands can be very different.
The main island groups
| Group | Character | Main islands |
|---|---|---|
| Cyclades | The heart of the Aegean: white houses, windmills, wind, beaches and light | Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Milos, Ios, Syros, Tinos |
| Crete | A world of its own: mountains, gorges, Minoan palaces, Venetian towns | Crete, with Gavdos and nearby islets |
| Dodecanese | Close to Turkey: knights, Italian architecture, green and arid islands | Rhodes, Kos, Patmos, Symi, Kalymnos, Karpathos |
| Ionian Islands | Green and rainy, Venetian influence, turquoise sea | Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Lefkada, Ithaca, Paxos |
| Sporades | Pine forests down to the sea, golden beaches | Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros |
| Saronic and Argolic Gulfs | Very close to Athens, ideal for day trips and weekends | Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetses, Salamis |
| North-East Aegean | Large, authentic, little-touristed islands | Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Lemnos, Thassos, Samothrace |
Which island to choose
| If you want... | Try |
|---|---|
| Spectacular views | Santorini, Folegandros, Amorgos |
| Nightlife | Mykonos, Ios, Paros, Zakynthos (Laganas) |
| Sandy beaches | Naxos, Milos, Crete, Elafonissos, Skiathos |
| Archaeology | Crete, Delos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini |
| Families with children | Naxos, Paros, Corfu, Kos |
| Nature and hiking | Crete, Andros, Ikaria, Samothrace, Karpathos |
| Peace and authenticity | Anafi, Sikinos, Tilos, Kasos, Agios Efstratios |
| A weekend from Athens | Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Kea |
| Sailing | Ionian, Saronic Gulf |
Getting there
Most islands are reached by ferry from Piraeus, Rafina or Lavrio near Athens; the Ionian Islands from Igoumenitsa, Patras and Kyllini, the Sporades from Volos and Agios Konstantinos. The larger, busier islands have an airport with domestic flights from Athens and, in summer, direct international flights. See island ferries and airports.
All the islands on Grecia.cc
- Cyclades: Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Delos, Folegandros, Ios, Kea, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Syros, Tinos.
- Dodecanese: Astypalea, Halki, Kastellorizo, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kos, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos.
- Ionian: Kefalonia, Antikythera, Kythira, Corfu, Elafonissos, Ithaca, Lefkada, Meganisi, Paxos and Antipaxos, Zakynthos.
- Sporades: Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros.
- Saronic and Argolic Gulfs: Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Salamis, Spetses.
- North-East Aegean: Agios Efstratios, Chios, Fourni, Ikaria, Lemnos, Lesbos, Oinousses, Psara, Samos, Samothrace, Thassos.
- Crete: Crete, Heraklion, beaches of Crete.