67 Best things to see & do in Greek Islands

A 6-mile hike along the rim of Santorini’s caldera, this relatively easy three-hour trek is one of the most memorable in the whole of the Aegean. The route links Fira, the island’s capital, with Oia, its most picturesque village.

Walking the caldera – the rim of a sunken volcanic crater – is the best way to appreciate the island’s unique geography and to soak up those spectacular landscapes. As you walk, you’ll see whitewashed houses perched on vertiginous slopes, and colourful, striated caldera cliffs that plummet into the azure sea.

If you do one thing in Santorini, make it this. These fully customisable excursions aboard luxury catamarans – both full sail or motorised – allow you to take in Santorini’s spectacular volcanic scenery in stylish comfort.

You can sail all day, or select to stop at sights like Akrotiri, the Red and White Beaches, Thirassia and the hot springs, or sail off to a remote island for a day’s swimming and snorkelling. A gourmet lunch is served on board, while moored up in an idyllic bay. A day in paradise.

Knossos is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, and is known as Europe’s oldest city, dating back to the Neolithic period.

It was the palace of King Minos, founder of the Minoan civilisation that flourished 4,000 years ago. This is also where Theseus slayed the mythical Minotaur, after navigating through the labyrinth with the help of Minos’ daughter, Ariadne.

The size of a small town, the palace itself resembles a labyrinth. With its stunning frescoes, mosaics, ceramic vessels, and painted columns, the site is remarkably well preserved (though some archaeologists object to Arthus Evans’ partial reconstructions of the site).

Cruising the island’s half-submerged, cliff-rimmed volcanic crater is like floating in an open-air geological museum.

A full-day boat trip takes in three equally extraordinary attractions: climbing the charred, hissing crater of Palia Kameni, wallowing in the sulphurous hot springs of Nea Kameni, then shinning up the steep islet of Thirassia, a charming time warp miraculously overlooked by mass tourism.

Running from a plateau in the White Mountains all the way down to the Libyan Sea, Samaria Gorge is one of the longest and most spectacular canyons in Europe.

Well-trodden and well-maintained, the 16-kilometre trail goes through incredibly diverse scenery. You might spot some of the 450 species of flora and fauna, alongside freshwater springs, abandoned villages, and isolated chapels. Look out for the increasingly rare kri-kri goats, an endangered breed endemic to Crete.

It’s possible to hike a much shorter route, if you start at the end point: the coastal village of Agia Roumeli, where you can cool off with a plunge into the Libyan Sea.

There are dozens of gorges on Crete; so if you’re looking for a shorter (and less busy) alternative to Samaria, the Aradena gorge ticks all the boxes.

The 7.5-km trail takes you from the ghost village of Aradena (abandoned in the 1950s, after a bloody vendetta between two local families), along very old, cobbled mule tracks (called kalderimia), crisscrossing the riverbed and climbing up and down the sheer cliffs. The rock face is covered in tiny flowers in spring. (Be warned: you need a head for heights.)

The route ends at the pebble cove of Marmara on the Libyan Sea. This beautiful, hard-to-reach beach is also home to a fantastic taverna.

Santorini’s arid, volcanic terrain produces some of Greece’s finest wines – a tradition that dates back more than 3,500 years. The practice of cultivating vines in niabelos (specially pruned baskets) to protect the grapes from the harsh winters also dates back centuries.

There are ten professional wineries and several smaller concessions on Santorini. The bone-dry, citrus-and-smoke Assyrtiko, Aidani and Athiri whites, and smooth, sweet Vin Santo are the island’s most famous exports.

The character-filled town of Oia stands at the north-western tip of Santorini’s own little archipelago, with postcard-perfect views west and south. At sunset, the soft pinks and pumice-grey strata of the caldera walls turn to deep crimson and pewter, with the sea beneath deepening from shimmering azure to a dark indigo abyss.

Regrettably, Oia’s main street becomes shoulder-to-shoulder crowded, so come early and walk to the westernmost point and the rocky promontory further beyond. Later arrivals will act as a natural barrier, and your gaze will remain relatively unencumbered.

Another option is to book at a restaurant or café (with views) beforehand. The best place is the King Neptune restaurant, whose terrace stands above the throngs below. It’s a good-value family taverna with traditional staples such as moussaka, and its sunset location can’t be matched.

A UNESCO Heritage site, the Old Town (Xopoli) lies between the Old and the New Fortress and grew horizontally inside the fortified walls along twisted, narrow cobbled alleys (kantounia). Great for a lazy wander.

Pleasure boats leave daily for day trips to the small islands around Naxos. Expect clear, pristine beaches overlooked by simple tavernas at Iraklia and Schinoussa. Book through any of the travel agencies by the main bus station.

Second only to the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, the astonishing collection focuses on Minoan art. Highlights are: vivid frescoes from Knossos,  tablets inscribed with the syllabic Linear B script, and the enigmatic Phaistos disc whose spiral pictograms and signs have yet to be deciphered.

Crete’s luminous ‘blue lagoon’, Balos is a shallow turquoise bay with powdery sand that could be in the Caribbean. It’s a bumpy, dusty 40-minute drive down a dirt road, followed by a 30-minute hike down to the photogenic beach. For a more relaxed experience, sail there from Kissamos port with Balos Sailing.

Rising in a dramatic setting, up a 116m high clifftop and a stiff climb from Lindos village, the Lindos Acropolis dedicated to the goddess Athena is the best-preserved archaeological site in the Dodecanese. Votive inscriptions are clearly visible,  and the monumental staircase is in perfect shape. (Fire that consumed the main temple in 392 BC).

The conspicuous ‘Gate to Nowhere’ should have led to the never-completed Temple of Apollo, but today it’s is the perfect place to watch the glorious Aegean sunsets. It was allegedly built on the spot where the cad Theseus abandoned faithful Ariadne who’d helped him kill the Minotaur.

Lepers were once marooned on this tiny island opposite Elounda. Uninhabited since 1957, it’s now a haunting national monument, accessible by fishing boat or on a day cruise. Go early: the crowds and heat get pretty intense by midday.

A long, sandy and uncrowded beach on the island’s east coast. Go for authentic fish tavernas and a back-drop of spectacular volcanic rock formations.

This creepy cavern is where St. John the Evangelist had his apocalyptic revelations (which became the last book of the New Testament). Adorned with 12th-century wall paintings and shimmering icons, the sacred grotto is often packed with Greek pilgrims, as well as day trippers from the many cruise ships that service Patmos.

Maybe the most picturesque of bays on the island, this is the cove that St. Paul was shipwrecked on during his proselytising voyages. Up towards the Acropolis you can discern the Cave Of The Virgin that served as a secret Christian place of worship, complete with 3rd-century inscriptions.

Easter is the biggest event in the Greek calendar, and it’s celebrated on Patmos with great pomp.

Pilgrims throng to the island to attend liturgies in the Cave of the Apocalypse; on Easter Thursday, the Abbot bathes the feet of a dozen monks in imitation of the Last Supper; and on Easter Sunday, the Second Resurrection is read in seven languages and red eggs are handed to the congregation.

Easter on Patmos offers a unique immersion into Greek culture, but it’s deeply traditional and almost exclusively attended by locals and Greek pilgrims, so don’t expect to party.

The majestic, mystical Monastery of St John dominates Chora and the whole island. Built in 1088, the monastic complex is surrounded by buttresses and battlements, originally intended to protect the monks from pirate attacks.

As well as an extraordinary collection of icons (one allegedly by El Greco), the on-site museum brims with rare books, carvings, silverware and religious robes. It’s both a place of worship and scholarship, with more than 2,000 manuscripts dating from the late fifth century.

The monastery contains no less than ten chapels (though most of them are off-limits to the public).

The Regina is a wooden kaiki (fishing boat) available for slow cruises from Aliki. The skipper, Dimitris Skiadas, comes from a long line of local fishermen and knows the Aegean inside out. You can try fishing using traditional nets, and grill your catch on board, or just snorkel around hidden coves and sea caves.

Chorio, the upper town, offers a glimpse of bygone Greece with its faded 18th-century mansions and narrow stone archways, and is ideal for a lazy wander.

Simply walk up the 500-odd steps of Kali Strata, the handsome walkway that connects Yialos to Chorio. Once there, stop by for a look at the fine collection of Byzantine and medieval artefacts in the local museum. Nearby, the Hatziagapitos mansion contains ornately carved wooden chests and frescoes.

At the pinnacle is Symi’s ancient acropolis, with vertiginous views of the harbour.

High above Hydra’s harbour, the remote monastery of Profitis Ilias dates from 1813.

It’s an hour’s stiff trek uphill, but you’ll be rewarded with fresh spring water, and phenomenal views of Hydra town and the Peloponnese shimmering on the horizon.

There are some other fine hiking options, including: Hydra–St Nikolaos (1 hour, easy), Profitis Ilias–Eros (30 minutes, hard), Hydra-Vlychos (35 minutes, easy). Ask your hotel for details.

An undeveloped, quiet pebble bay accessible by water taxi (15 minutes) or along a scenic coastal footpath (40 minutes). After your swim, feast on red mullet and Greek salad at Marina’s fantastic fish taverna. Watch the sunset from the shady terrace.

Boat trips to remote beaches are a major highlight of a visit to Symi – notably the dazzling pebble beaches along the island’s east coast.

Nanou, Marathounda and Agios Giorgos Dysalona all have translucent water and a ravishingly wild setting (albeit with sunbeds and umbrellas for shade).

Agios Giorgos Dysalona is the wildest of all, backed by a 300-metre sheer cliff, which means the shade comes early here. Nanou is a long stretch of white pebbles with an excellent little canteen for lunch.

The taverna at sheltered Marathouda Bay is equally lovely. A herd of peckish (and very friendly) goats roam the pebble beach in search of snacks. Marathouda is also accessible by car; the bus that takes you to the Panormitis Monastery also stops here.

More easily accessible on foot from Yalos, Nos, Nimborio, and Pedi are also pleasant swimming spots, but likely to be a lot more crowded.

Local Symi travel specialist Kalodoukas arrange excursions aboard the Agios Nikolaos, a beautiful wooden caique. The fare includes a buffet lunch.

Seasonal, local, and traditional, Cretan food is phenomenally fresh and tasty. With its balmy climate and diverse landscape, the island produces a vast range of amazing produce, from olive oil, honey, wine, and cheese, to more atypical crops such as avocadoes, bananas, and mangoes.

Grilled, roast, or stewed meat is much loved by locals, particularly goat and lamb, which is often free-range. There’s less of a fishing industry than on smaller islands.

Cretans are generous hosts. Portions are generally huge, and you’ll be offered shots of raki (local grappa) wherever you go.

At 1001m, the highest peak in the Cyclades is a challenge to hikers; start either from the bus terminus in the village of Filoti or, if you have a car, drive to the chapel of Agia Marina. The trail is easy, shaded and well-signposted with some incredible panoramas at the top.

A tranquil beach in the north of the island, famous for its beautiful, multicoloured pebbles. But beware: you can be fined if you remove any pebbles from the beach.

The only road on Symi ends at this vast, waterfront monastery, a popular site for Greek pilgrims and day-trippers from Rhodes. Visit in the late afternoon, when the day-trippers have departed, and you can admire the icons and frescoes in peace. There’s a snack bar, bakery and gift shop on site.

Over half a mile long, Golden Beach catches the north wind, so the sea is often choppy. The sandy shore is lined with beach bars and surf clubs, with conditions suitable for beginners and experienced windsurfers alike. (Nearby New Golden Beach is better for advanced windsurfers.) The Professional Windsurfing World Cup takes place here every August.

A wide, sandy beach on the narrow strait between Paros and Antiparos, Pounta is the island’s kitesurfing centre, thanks to the steady sideward winds. Even if you aren’t a kite boarder, it’s entertaining to watch the action from the comfort of a sunbed.

Patmos is short on sandy beaches, but Psili Ammos (meaning ‘fine sand’) is a gem. It’s only accessible by water taxi from Skala or a one-hour hike over the hills from Grikos, rewarded by ice-cold beer and stewed goat at the shady taverna on arrival.

A perfectly preserved ancient Minoan settlement, buried beneath volcanic ash 3,500 years ago. It offers a unique insight into an ancient civilisation, which some speculate could be the lost city of Atlantis.

Located in wind-protected Marathounda Bay in the southeast corner of the island, this authentic beach-side taverna serves up excellent home-cooked Greek food. Dine on the terrace overlooking the pebbly beach and idyllic-blue water, then relax on sunbeds after. Just beware the inquisitive local goats. Access by road or water taxi.

Naxos was the capital of the 13th-century Venetian conquests in the Cyclades, and the Kastro fortifications bear witness to its importance. Gothic gates, cobbled narrow streets, Roman Catholic cathedrals, mansions with heraldic coats of arms, an Ursuline school (now the Archaeological museum) – are all still lived in.

Built in 1890 by the Empress Elisabeth of Austria and subsequently bought by Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II, this is a Victorian folly dedicated to Achilles with classically inspired statues, murals, colonnades and gardens but, admittedly, breathtaking views.

The black beaches of Santorini’s east coast, made up of volcanic gravel, are one of the island’s big attractions and Kamari is a resort for those who want the full sun, sea, and sand summer experience.

Cretan wine has come a long way since the days of home-made retsina. At the exceptionally well-run Manousakis winery, not far from Chania, tastings, pairings, and cooking classes take place in a beautiful olive and orange grove. Before you go, pick up beautifully packaged olive oil, tsikoudia (Cretan grappa), and sea salt, along with a case of the excellent Nostos Pink rosé.

A UNESCO World Heritage site and the best walled medieval town in Greece, Rhodes Old Town is pock-marked by monuments built by the Knights of St. John who ruled the island for 200 years after the Crusades.

Visitors enter this time bubble through the moated gates of St Amboise, St Athanasios or St John, ambling along the cobbled Street of Knights full of 15th- and 16th-century buildings, and marvel at the superbly preserved Knights Hospital.

This unassuming village, 16km from the capital, claims 13th-century frescos in the Panagia Protothronis church and a 17th-century Venetian Tower. But it’s the Valindras kitron distillery that everyone comes to visit: tour the factory, take part in tastings, and buy some bottles to take home.

With no fewer than five quirky museums, and the air of a forbidding mountain lair, the village of Apeiranthos, all laid out in Naxiot local marble, is the perfect place to experience the island’s wild mountainous interior.

The Chapel of Theoskepasti, suspended between sea and sky in a nook on Skaros rock, is a spectacular spot to watch the sunset. Enjoy with a bottle of chilled Assyrtiko.

This huge church, whose name derives from the Greek for ‘100 entrances’, has architectural, artistic, and historic interest. Look out for the 11th-century frescoes and 4th-century sculptures taken from the temple of Demeter nearby. The Byzantine Museum on site has an interesting collection of icons and wood carvings.

A 600-care nature reserve where Jersey tiger moths congregate between June and September to mate (and subsequently starve themselves to death). They nestle in droves on branches of the indigenous gum tree forest and fly about in their black- and orange-tinted wings creating a surrealistic spectacle.

The Kanoni peninsula is one of the most photographed tourist spots in Greece. Climb up Analipsis hill to reach the small square, from where you can enjoy the view to a the wooded island of Pontikonissi, and the 17th-century Vlachairna monastery in the middle of the bay, connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway.

A protected natural monument and twitcher’s paradise, comprising 126 bird species nesting among salt cedars, reed beds and tamarisk groves. It lies by the small village of Agios Matthaios near Corfu’s two best beaches, Chalikouna and Issos.

Near Leonard Cohen’s old house is the former home of the late painter Panayiotis Tetsis – an evocative trove of tender portraits and luminous landscapes of Hydra. Downstairs, the general store run by his grandparents has been preserved as they left it, with dusty bottles of cherry brandy and hand-dipped beeswax candles.

For an authentic Greek tavern experience, try the Kozas’ family taverna at the outskirts of Stegna, on one of the island’s most beautiful beaches. It’s renowned for its fish, and no wonder, for its network of eleven fishing vessels ensures that the place is well-stocked for seafood, especially lobster.

Local Symi travel specialist Kalodoukas arrange excursions aboard the Agios Nicolaos, a beautiful wooden caique. The fare includes a buffet lunch.

In the hamlet of Paidohori, in the foothills of the White Mountains, Manousos Chalkiadakis moulds and throws clay into collectable homeware and sculpture. As well as decorative boats, pomegranates, and fish, you’ll find beautiful stoneware lamps and Cycladic-style figurines. Pottery workshops can also be arranged.

Art museum exhibiting over 10,000 pieces from China, Japan, Korea, India, Central and Southeast Asia – all bequests from wealthy Greeks. It’s housed in a remarkable building – the Palace of St. Michael and St. George – an early 19th-century Georgian-style palace and seat of the British High Commissioner.

This charming, unassuming fishing village, with its quiet Blue Flag beach, has become famous because of the Durrell family who used to live there.  Their family mansion, The White House, is now a popular museum. Book a boat tour along the eastern coast; it includes a stopover at a small private beach.

The headquarters of the Grand Masters of the Order of St. John is an exceptional fortress-cum-palace, mainly because of the daring Italian facelift in the 1930s. The makeover was criticised by historians, but for many art lovers, the final gothic/art-deco fusion works surprisingly well.

Whitewashed, donkey-ridden and narrow-laned, this Rhodian village could have just been plucked out of the Cyclades and magically transported below the acropolis. Dignified mansions overlook the streets and finely frescoed churches crown the cul-de-sacs, for trading Lindians survived passing invaders and prospered throughout their history.

This convivial family taverna opened its doors to the public in 1960 and has stuck to its tried-and-tested formula of no-frills traditional Greek fare and fresh seafood ever since. Its location at the tip of a sandy beach and just 800m from the archaeological site of Kameiros, is also unbeatable.

The most unusual sight on Naxos is the unfinished statues of Kouros, still half-chiselled in-situ in two separate ancient marble quarries. One, measuring 12m, stands above the village of Apollonas, while two smaller ones (ca 5-6m) sit by the village of Flerio. It’s still a mystery why they remained unfinished.

Reached easily by car in central Naxos, this partly reconstructed temple that dates back more than 2500 years was a stylistic milestone for many reasons – explained comprehensively through the English signage – but, most importantly, it was the first in Greece to be built wholly in marble.

With a terrace overlooking the sea, a wood-fired oven, and meat and cheese from the owner’s own flock of goats and sheep, this lovely taverna on Marmara beach is as authentically Cretan as it gets. Order braised lamb tsigaristo, boureki (baked, layered vegetables with feta), dakos, and loukoumades (honey-drenched donuts) for dessert.

More than a religious landmark, this 16th-century monastery is a symbol of the Cretan struggle for independence from Ottoman rule. In 1866, hundreds of locals took refuge inside the monastery, but were besieged by Turkish troops; rather than surrendering, they blew themselves (and their enemies) up. The fortress-like compound is still inhabited by a handful of monks.

A small archaeological museum stuffed with frescoes and figurines from Bronze Age Akrotiri. Furniture and figurines, tools and weapons, seals and ceramic vessels all reveal aspects of how the inhabitants lived thousands of years ago.

Tucked away behind the harbour, it serves divine home-made pistachio and strawberry ice cream. Flora grows her own fruit and nuts on the nearby islet of Dokos.

This small but interesting museum outside Kamari offers great insights regarding Santorini’s unique viniculture: and 400 years if wine-making history. You can sample the winery’s offerings, too. Here the vines are twisted into crown-shaped baskets so the grapes are protected from harsh winter winds.

A neoclassical mansion, originally built by the British High Commissioner, later summer residence of the former Greek Royal Family and birthplace of Prince Philip, it now houses the Museum of Palaiopolis. Palaiopolis was the ancient Corfiot capital whose ruins– including the Agora and the Temple of Apollo (c. 500 BC) – are within the Mon Repos estate.

This seaside village enjoys a spectacular setting amid olive groves and pine forests facing off a jagged coastline spanning no fewer than six coves, each with golden sandy beaches and crystalline turquoise waters. Climb the hill to the monastery of Panagia Theotokos for some breezy views; then book in for exceptional seafood at seaside taverna Vrahos.

This Italian 1930s ghost town in the centre of the island is an out-of-the-way curiosity. Built from scratch for Italian settlers in the mid-1930s, the piazza laid out like a hippodrome and garishly arcaded administration buildings are a bizarre blot on the landscape.

This small, compact museum – the best in Rhodes – is well laid out and full of interesting exhibits. Don’t miss the dainty statue of Bathing Aphrodite – so modern, it could’ve been fashioned by Bernini – and the head of God Helios that served as a prototype for busts of Alexander the Great.

Antiquarian bookshop in Oia with many rare first editions some on sale for over £1,000, attracting clients from all over the world. Just walking through the doors feels like visiting a museum of books.