Lonely Planet's Greek Islands

THE Greek Islands have been a good place to escape the doom and gloom that has beset Greece.

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IT'S easy to forget the world's financial troubles when you're lazing on a beautiful uncrowded beach or sampling fresh local fare in a tiny taverna.

While the islanders have been feeling the economic pinch, tourism is being touted as one of the saviours in Greece's economic recovery. One of the best ways to explore the islands is as a day-tripper on a cruise line.

Despite the problems, controversies and endless passionate debates on the issues of the day, the islands are essentially laid-back and in many ways happy for their distance from the woes of the mainland.

As diverse as they are numerous, the Greek islands don't disappoint. Dive in.

Escape Before you even arrive, the Greek islands promise the ultimate sun-soaked getaway. You'll soon discover that this archipelago of more than 1400 islands and islets doesn't disappoint.
 
The days melt from one to the next, filled with big, blue skies and endless kilometres of aquamarine coastline blessed with some of Europe's cleanest beaches.

Wander through lush wildflowers in spring or laze on isolated sandy coves in summer with the warm sea lapping at your feet. You'll quickly become acquainted to the melancholy throb of rembetika (blues songs) and the tang of homemade tzatziki.

Tempt your appetite Head to an island harbour to watch the fishermen's daily catch tumble from their nets; seafood takes pride of place in many Greek kitchens and nowhere is it fresher than on the islands.
 
Cheeses, herbs and mountain greens you might never have heard of complement local seafood, meat and vegie dishes. These days, a renaissance in traditional cooking means that chefs are increasingly taking time-honoured dishes to new gourmet heights.

Stretch yourself It's easy to understand how so many myths of gods and giants originated in this vast and varied landscape, with wide-open skies and a sea speckled with islands.
 
The islands offer endless activities and are like floating magnets for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors. Wander along cobbled, Byzantine footpaths, hike into volcanoes, kayak with dolphins, watch for sea turtles and cycle through lush forests.

Greece is also an excellent place to try new pursuits, with some of the world's top kite-surfing, diving and rock-climbing locations.
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Top experiences:

Slowing down

Visit some of Greece's quieter or slightly more remote shores and island life will urge you to slow right down. Join locals as they contemplate life from the coffee houses or unwind on sandy stretches of isolated beach.

Try laid-back Leros with its colourful harbour and trendy bars and cafes; visit tiny Psara (two hours northwest of Chios) for its pristine beaches; or head to the lush jungle island of Samothraki, which sits alone in the northeastern Aegean, halfway between the mainland port of Alexandroupoli and Limnos to the south.
 
Time seems to stand still in these places or at least moves very, very slowly.

Santorini sunsets

There's more to glitzy and glamorous Santorini than sunsets, but this remarkable island, shaped by the nuclear fire of prehistoric eruptions, has made the celebratory sunset its own.

On summer evenings the clifftop towns of Fira and Oia are packed with visitors awed by the vast blood-red canvas of the western sky as the sun struts its stuff.

You can catch the sunset without the crowds from almost anywhere along the cliff edge. And if you miss it, you can always face east at first light for some fairly stunning sunrises too.

Rhodes' Old Town

The largest of the Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes is abundant in beaches, fertile wooded valleys, vivid culture and ancient history. Getting lost in its atmospheric Old Town a maze of cobbled streets spiriting you back to the days of the Byzantine Empire and beyond is a must.

Meander down twisting, turning, cobbled alleyways with archways above and squares opening ahead of you. The beauty of the Old Town lies in these hidden corners.

Explore the ancient Knights' Quarter, the old Jewish Quarter or the Turkish neighbourhood. Hear traditional music in tiny tavernas or dine on fresh seafood at atmospheric outdoor restaurants.

Wander along the top of the city's walls, with the sea on one side and a bird's-eye view into this living museum.

Preveli Beach

Stunning Preveli Beach comprises one of Greece's most instantly recognisable stretches of sand. Bisected by a freshwater river and flanked by cliffs concealing sea caves, Preveli is lapped by the Libyan Sea, with clear pools of water along its palm-lined riverbank that are perfect for cool dips.

The beach lies under the sacred gaze of a magnificent monastery, the historic Moni Preveli. Once the centre of anti-Ottoman resistance (burned by the Turks during the 1866 onslaught) and later a shelter for Allied soldiers in World War II, this tranquil building offers magnificent views.

Island hopping From islands filled with spirited nightlife to celebrity hideaways and tiny, far-flung specks with isolated sandy coasts, jumping from island to island is a Greek experience not to be missed.

Peppered with ancient ruins, mystical castles, lush scenery and rare wildlife, the islands are spread like Greek jewels across the sea.

Whether you're sailing into a colourful harbour, listening to the pounding surf on a sun-drenched deck, or flying low over azure waters in a propeller-driven twin-engine plane, you will undoubtedly be filled with a sense of adventure.

While the local laissez-faire attitude is worth emulating while island-hopping, a little bit of planning can also take you a long way. Deciding where and when you want to go and getting your head around routes and schedules before you go will take the work out of your holiday.
 
For the vast and varied Greek ferry network, Danae Travel (danae.gr) is a good website for booking boat tickets, while Greek Travel Pages (gtp.gr) has a useful search program and links for ferries.

This is an edited extract from Lonely Planet's Greek Islands Guide (7th Edition) by Korina Miller, et al.

Lonely Planet 2012. Published this month, RRP: $39.99, lonelyplanet.com