The best Greek islands for travellers in 2023
Let the summer hordes have Mykonos, Santorini and Crete. Dig a little deeper and there are plenty of other low-key and languorous Greek islands to visit on your next trip.
Is the sight of all that Mediterranean blue dripping from your social media feed leaving you red in the face? Shared by travellers island-hopping around the Aegean as though their last name was Onassis, it’s an endless scroll of turquoise water, bleached sky and whitewashed houses enlivened with cobalt blue doors. Or perhaps it’s triggering a covetous shade of green. Whatever your ailment we have a remedy: a primer on the least-traversed islands in Greece for upcoming jaunts. It might well inspire a last-minute winter escape, inform a sun-splashed getaway next year, or distract from the lacklustre spanakopita you had for lunch.
Folegandros
The backstory: Perched between swamped Santorini and mobbed Milos, this small Cycladic island remains surprisingly peaceful. The fact it has no airport, no cruise terminal and scant traffic ensures its enduring tranquillity. Hora, its cliffside town, brims with sugar-cube buildings, cobblestone alleyways and tavernas offering local specialities, including honey-infused raki, cheese and onion pies, and matsáta (a ribbon-like pasta served with chicken, goat or rabbit). Aside from walking, swimming and tippling, there’s little else to do on Folegandros. It’s the perfect place to tick off your summer reading list – from Herodotus to Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Stay here: Overlooking the Aegean, the 44-room Anemi Hotel has chicly minimal rooms, innovative fare and a yoga studio.
Getting there: A ferry from Santorini, or from nearby Cycladic islands.
Tinos
The backstory: Elsewhere in Greece, you can do a pub crawl. On Tinos, pilgrims crawl to church on their hands and knees along a strip of carpet. A 30-minute ferry ride from Mykonos, and from bacchanalian clubs like Paradise Beach, this Cycladic haven is light years away. Its pious reputation is reflected in its 750 chapels and churches and the religious devotees who arrive in early August to ascend Panagia Evangelistria, a venerated Greek Orthodox shrine. The island is dotted with picturesque villages, blessed with sandy beaches and arrayed with Tinian art – it was a vibrant hub of marble sculpture. Famously windy, it even has a surf scene.
Stay here: The Thinking Traveller has a collection of polished villas on the island with sea views, infinity pools and sleek interiors.
Getting there: Arrive by ferry from Athens, which takes almost four hours, or nearby Mykonos.
Ithaca
The backstory: Though shrouded with mythical allure – the Ionian island is the legendary home of Odysseus – Ithaca remains relatively undiscovered by tourists. The town of Vathy is aeons from the classic island look: verdant hills, colourful cafes, and neoclassical abodes in shades of honey and sienna. Get active by hiking up to the ruins of Alalkomenes, mountain-biking in its hilly interior, or kayaking in turquoise coves and the emerald-hued waters of Sarakiniko Bay. You’ll spy statues and plaques devoted to Odysseus around the islet, even though scholars are still debating the legitimacy of Homeric sites.
Stay here: On the northern tip of the island, Levendis Estate offers four rustic cottages set in an olive grove. Greek-Australian owners Spero and Marilyn Raftopulos are thoughtful hosts.
Getting there: There is no airport on Ithaca but fly to Kefalonia and connect with a ferry. Ithaca is also connected by ferry with Lefkada.
Kimolos
The backstory: With its dramatic coastline, mineral-rich landscape and bottle-green water, the volcanic island of Milos has long been a hit with the Instagram set. Right next door in the Cyclades is the underrated Kimolos. This island shares the otherworldly beauty and striking geology of its famous sibling, as well as chalky-white villages, thermal springs, and bewitching beaches. Though the resident population is tiny, a handful of excellent restaurants serve local specialities. Ladenia, a tantalising flatbread topped with tomato, onion and olive oil, is one worthy of trying.
Stay here: Close to Psathi port, Windmill Kimolos is a five-room bolthole in a former windmill. Owner Aria Hotels has a cluster of stylish beach-house options, too.
Getting there: Fly to Milos from Athens and then it’s a brief ferry ride.
Astypalea
The backstory: Scented with thyme and sage, and shaped like a butterfly, this rugged island in the Dodecanese leaves visitors in a flutter. Architecturally it features a blend of Dodecanesian, Cycladic and Venetian buildings – the 13th-century castle of Querini, hovering majestically atop a hill, was a fortress against pirates. Beaches near the capital of Chora are easy to access, but there are plenty of secluded spots with barren hills, pebbly sand and pellucid, sapphire-tinted water. Green-minded travellers rejoice: with its focus on building a sustainable energy network and investing in electrical transport, Astypalea has recently become the poster-child for “climate-neutral mobility”.
Stay here: Situated near Livadi beach, Pylaia is a 27-room hotel with an exquisite whitewashed design, sparkling pools and an Italian-inflected restaurant serving the likes of sea bass ceviche and spaghetti alla chitarra. There’s even a spa with cinnamon-laced massages.
Getting there: A 50-minute domestic flight from Athens, or by ferry from Naxos, Paros, Amorgos and other islands.
Kythnos
The backstory: It’s not that Kythnos is a secret – Athenians flock to this magical Aegean islet with gusto – but its appeal is less obvious to foreign tourists. The island offers a magnetic mix of Cycladic villages, therapeutic springs, dreamy beaches, and medieval castles. The village Dryopida at its centre has a vivid ceramic art scene owing to Kythnos’s plentiful clay. So enlist in a pottery class, wander the cobblestone alleyways of Hora, and dip into the extensive array of beaches – numbering over 100. At a family-run taverna, order sfougato, fluffy cheeseballs prepared with local cheese and served with ouzo.
Stay here: Set in Kanala, close to Antonides Beach, Canal Suites offers nine quirkily decorated rooms, a pool, and terrace.
Getting there: A two- to three-hour ferry ride from Athens, or island-hop from Kea, Serifos and Sifnos.
Leros
The backstory: Architecture buffs, history lovers and culinary devotees would all relish this multifaceted and mountainous island in the Dodecanese. With its intriguing collection of Rationalist-style buildings commissioned by Mussolini, the town of Lakki is a testament to three decades of Italian occupation. Architects Rodolfo Petracco and Armando Bernabiti softened the austere look with playful elements including Art Deco. The result is offbeat, diverse and strangely beautiful. Divers also flock here for the underwater museum composed of WWII wrecks of boats and planes. Elsewhere, visitors will discover charming fishing villages, pretty churches – some of which date back to St John in the 10th century – and buzzy shoreside tavernas.
Stay here: Archontiko Angelou is a handsome guesthouse that takes shape in a mansion from 1895. Expect vintage furnishings, romantic gardens and generous vegetarian fare.
Getting there: Leros’s small airport serves domestic flights from Athens. Or arrive by ferry from several other Aegean islands.
Alonissos
The backstory: Set in the remote Northern Sporades archipelago, and home to a sprawling marine park known for monk seals, bottlenose dolphins and seabirds, Alonissos has a more bucolic vibe than its neighbours, Skiathos and Skopelos. Come here for a nature immersion, with ample hiking trails through pine forest, bird-watching opportunities and a citizen science project that assists marine biologists. In the mountain village of Milia there’s a homeopathy academy to learn about folk medicine. Naturally, there are breathtaking beaches, too, including Kokkinokastros famed for its cerulean water and rust-red cliffs.
Stay here: Marpunta Resort has three private beaches, access to the marine park and understated design that evokes a fishing village.
Getting there: The nearest airport is located on Skiathos island. Ferry connections between Alonissos and other islands including Skopelos are available.