5X GREEK ISLANDS TO VISIT THIS SUMMER

19 Jun 5X GREEK ISLANDS TO VISIT THIS SUMMER

Posted at 22:37h in Europe, Greece by Wander-lust 1 Comment

This is great news for Greece lovers because it won’t get any better than a trip to the Greek islands! Below a selection of our favourite Greek islands that we visited.

Folegandros

Located near popular Santorini, this island has something special. The island is not that big and you get, unlike the neighbouring islands, an instant sense of peace and tranquility when you get here. At night, the inner town of Chora transforms into a romantic courtyard, with trees filled with lights to give it a bohemian atmosphere. Folegandros has beautiful beaches of which Livadaki and Agali are the most pristine. To really enjoy the island, we would recommend you to stay at least 3 days. When you arrive in Folegandros by boat, you can take a public bus for 2 Euro that takes you to the village of Chora. Read everything about Folegandros in this post.

South West Crete

You may have heard of this huge Greek island ;-). However, Crete is more than a crazy tourist location for party teenagers. If you travel South West, you get to small villages and you’ll get to experience the real Crete culture. Must have: a car. Without it, you won’t be able to explore the region very well. Places of interest are Fragokastello, Loutro, Samaria George and Chania (which is a bit more touristic though). If you have more time and you want to really go Off the Beaten Track, take the boat to Gavdos. This is a hippy island where people walk in their birthday suits all day, enjoy nature and the amazing crystal clear waters.

Chania

Lefkas

One of our favourite Greek islands! In fact, we love it so much, we came here twice! This island has it all, great food, small villages, beach bars, and the most beautiful Greek beaches I have ever seen. For example, our favourite beaches on the island are Egremni beach (400 steps down!) Porto Katsiki and Kathisma beach (pictured). The water is so blue, you’ll think it’s a swimming pool! Visit restaurant Rachi for the most beautiful sunset while enjoying high standard Greek food for a small price (reserve your spot to avoid disappointment). Read all about the Ionian Islands here.

Santorini

Ok, there are two sides to this island. 1. it’s incredibly beautiful, 2. it’s often crowded with tourists. That being said, the volcanic island has another side. Did you know Santorini is also known for its wine region? In fact, the Santorini vineyards are the oldest in the country, and amongst one of the oldest in the world! Rent a scooter and visit the traditional villages and try to avoid Oia. If you want to stay somewhere that include the stunning sea view (which is really something), try to book your stay in Imerovigli which is a bit more relaxing, plus you can easily walk to Skaros Rock from here.

Naxos

Back in 2016, we visited Naxos, only 2 hours by boat from Mykonos (you stop at 2 other islands before arriving). The island is quite big so rent a scooter with some power in order to explore the West and East coast of the island. Naxos is a great island to for about 3-4 days if you’re travelling through the Cyclades. It’s authentic, great for all sorts of travellers and won’t hurt your wallet. Folegandros and Santorini are not far, so you can make Naxos part of your Greek island hopping tour.

Naxos Old Town