Greek Islands travel guide

Greek Islands travel guide

Finding out exactly how many islands there are is like trying to get your head around the Greek alphabet. To most people it remains a mystery. And in some ways that is how we love it. Because, as visitors, we know that there will always be a new island to discover, an ancient trail to hike or yet another beach that makes you blink twice just to check it’s not an Hellenic hallucination. In fact there are between 1,200 and 6,000 Greek islands, although only 227 are inhabited.

Every island has its top beach, or must see ancient site. But it's the people that stay in your hearts. The violin maker on Crete, the Cyclades sipper and the vintner on Lefkada are some I will never forget.

Think of this Greek Islands travel guide as the prologue, the beginning of your journey – be it sailing around the Cyclades, beach hopping on Ithaca or saluting the sun on Skyros. Whether you are dreaming of myths, mountains, myriad beaches or marine life, let the dramatic land and seascapes unfold.

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The Greek Islands are...

where writers have escaped to for years. Gerald Durrell, Rupert Brooke, Sappho and Homer. Because they understand beauty.

The Greek Islands are not...

just about sailing and swimming. The Hellenic idylls are heavenly for hiking too.

Things to do on the Greek Islands...

The archetypal archipelagic adventure is, of course, on a boat. Whether you are sailing the Cyclades, immersing yourself in the Ionian or drifting through the Dodecanese, Greece’s islands are a mecca for mariners. You don’t need to be an expert sailor either, with small group vacations that take you on, for example, a traditional sailing vessel from Santorini to Syros. Or on an odyssey around the eponymous god’s homelands of Ithaca and equally heavenly Oxia. On all these trips you can wake up with a swim, have a beach bbq for lunch, a late afternoon exploration of olive grove covered hills or an ancient site, and then watch the sunset from a beach bar or on board. Or combine it with a diving vacation for the ultimate Big Blue experience. Whether you are on a sailing vacation but also like to stretch your land legs or simply seeking Hellenic hiking at its finest, then walking vacations on the Greek Islands must be the reason for the word Elysian still to exist in the world. Such as the Cycladic island of Syros where empty hilltop trails take you through medieval villages, past blue domed churches, mountain springs and gorgeous gorges. Or head to the Ionian Lefkada where wanderlust will be more than satisfied by its Faneromeni monastery, flamingo filled Gira Lagoon or up to the ancient oak forest at Skaros peak. And last but not least, Crete, where the White Mountains, Samaria Gorge and endless beaches have enticed serious hikers for generations.

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Things not to do on the Greek Islands…

You can’t ignore the fact that Greece’s islands have been one of the most affected areas in the world’s most galling humanitarian crisis, with thousands of refugees landing on their shores, sometimes daily, after enduring treacherous journeys across the Mediterranean. The most severely affected islands are those in the east, closest to Turkey, including Lesvos, Samos, Kos, Leros, Symi, Agathonisi, Chios and on Rhodes. It is important that we do not overlook the Greek Islands as vacation destinations because of this humanitarian disaster, as it is a vital time to keep money flowing into the local economy. Many of the islands remain totally unaffected, particularly the Cyclades and the Ionian which are further west.

Don’t think the Greek Islands, whether you are on water or land, are just for summer. In summer, searing heat means that hiking and, indeed, sitting out on deck, becomes impossible for several hours in the day. Come in spring instead, which brings explosions of wild flowers from Crete to the Cyclades, while autumn brings olive and grape harvests, and perfectly warmed seas for bathing in. If you are going in summer, take all the usual precautions in order to stay hydrated. Seriously hydrated, not just a small bottle of water, but bring a hydration backpack, salts, the lot.