From Corfu to Mykonos: island guide Greece: 7 islands where your dream vacation will come true
White or black beaches, barren mountains or green valleys, small mountain villages or large ancient sites and always crystal clear water: Greece's islands are in great demand right now. We present seven islands and show for whom they are suitable.
- The Cyclades island of Santorini is considered to be Greece's most beautiful island because of its steep coast.
- Hikers and those seeking peace and quiet feel at home on the green island of Naxos.
- Those who like to celebrate wild parties are in the right place on Mykonos – there are also many clubs on Kos.
Where island dreams come true: No other European country has as many islands as Greece. More than 3000 islands can offer everything a vacationer's heart desires. From sandy to pebble to rocky beaches always with excellent water quality, secluded bays and party miles, spectacular sunsets, volcanoes and mountains to whitewashed cube houses, historic sites and small mountain villages with cozy taverns on the church square.
As different as the islands are, one thing is lived on all of them: the legendary Greek hospitality. We present seven of the most popular and beautiful islands and also an insider tip.
1. Santorini: island of longing for romantics and volcano fans
Black lava beaches, snow-white houses clawing at 300 meters of cliffs jutting vertically out of the sea and impressive sunsets: The Cycladic island of Santorini is considered the most beautiful island in the country due to its extraordinary appearance and the ultimate destination for romantics.
The magical aura that clings to the volcanic island comes not only from the spectacular landscape, but also from its formation. For some it is the remnant of the mythical kingdom of Atlantis, for others it was born from a gigantic volcanic eruption more than 3,600 years ago.
The fact is that the whitewashed houses, the churches with their blue domes and many chic boutique hotels such as eagles' nests are enthroned on the cliffs and offer sensational views of the Aegean Sea, glistening in indigo blue.
Steep stairs lead from the black lava beaches up to the places on the crater rim, where legendary sunsets can be observed. It is understandable that a particularly large number of lovers and honeymooners are drawn to the island, which is only 76 square kilometers in size.
2. Rhodes: island of gods for culture lovers and surfers
Just lying on the 32 beaches and worshiping the sun? That is not possible in Rhodes. Because the 78-kilometer-long Dodecanese island has several cultural highlights that will delight even those who don't want to see sightseeing.
For example, the medieval capital of Rhodes, which is surrounded by a five-kilometer-long city wall with mighty gates and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Life pulsates in the narrow streets and in the historic squares.
The cultural highlight of the city is the Grand Master's Palace, the origins of which go back to the 14th century, when the building was built for the Grand Master of the Order of St. John.
The special thing about Rhodes Town is that there is also a beautiful and well-kept beach – right in the city center. Otherwise, the popular sand and pebble beaches are lined up on the east coast – all the way down to the south, where the sand dunes of Prasonisi are one of the best strong wind areas for windsurfers and kite surfers.
Towards the west coast it becomes more pristine, narrow tar roads and many hairpin bends lead over small mountain villages to lonely beaches in sheltered rocky bays.
3. Mykonos: party island for gays and hipsters
Exhilarating nights and openness to homosexuals – this is what the Cyclades island is internationally known for. It all began in the early 1960s when nudists discovered Paradise Beach in the south of the island and made it a nudist retreat.
In the meantime, the party scene has firmly established itself there. The lavish parties usually start in the afternoon and there is dancing and partying until sunrise. A cosmopolitan, young audience meets here, including the gay holiday-maker scene.
If you need a little break from the nightlife, you will be enchanted by the island's capital: designer boutiques, traditional weaving mills, churches and hip gay clubs are next door to each other.
Conclusion: If you want to spend a quiet beach holiday, you should choose another island. If you want to party until you drop, Mykonos is the place for you.
4. Kos: For families, cyclists, surfers and young people
20 kilometers of coastline and some of the most beautiful beaches in the country: the island of Kos is back on the tourist favorites list. The reason is the refugee pact between Turkey and the European Union, through which hardly any refugees come to the holiday island.
It now belongs entirely to the families who stay in the large hotels along the dream beaches of the north coast and the young people who come because of the greatest density of discos in the Aegean. But athletes also love the relatively flat island, on which there is a 30-kilometer network of cycle paths and perfect wind conditions for windsurfers and kite surfers.
There is of course culture on the Dodecanese island as well: Four kilometers southwest of Kos town, on a 100 meter high hill, is the Asklepieion, a sanctuary from the 4th century BC. In the columned halls with terraces and steps made of marble, which were dedicated to the god of healing Asclepius, the sick were treated and doctors trained.
5. Naxos: Green island paradise for hikers and those seeking peace and quiet
Big, green and fertile: Naxos is the name of the largest Cycladic island, which has a special position due to its appearance. Viewed from the coast, the island looks as barren as its neighbors, but springs gush in the middle and lush meadows with flowers sway in the wind. Figs and almond trees also grow there – farmers plant potatoes and vegetables on the fertile soil.
A mountain range runs through the island from north to south, with the highest mountain Zas rising up to 1000 meters. Hikers love this area, where there are many sights in mountain villages and on mule tracks. The ruins of the ancient Demeter temple near Ano Sangri, for example, which was built from native marble around 530 BC.
From Naxos town, more than 20 kilometers of beautiful beaches with turquoise water extend south. The following applies: the further south, the quieter it gets between unspoilt sand dunes and magical mini bays.
The peak of romance can be experienced every evening at the Portara, a six-meter-high gate of a temple of Apollo on the peninsula in front of the city of Naxos. From the gigantic building made of Naxos marble you can perfectly watch how the glowing red sun dips into the glittering Aegean Sea.
6. Kastellorizo: insider tip for individualists who appreciate peace and seclusion
Alexander the Great and the Knights of St. John knew the tiny island in the southern Aegean Sea well because it was an important trading post. But nowadays only very few holidaymakers know it: Kastellorizo. Almost 300 people live in an area of just nine square kilometers.
There are almost no roads or cars, just an island bus and an island taxi. But there are many turtles, seals and dolphins around the island.
Due to its strategically important location in the far east of the country, only three kilometers from the Turkish coastal city of Kas, Kastellorizo is particularly subsidized by the state. In the main town of Megisti, the port has been restored, which is built like an amphitheater around a sheltered bay on the northwest coast of the island – a real gem.
David Gilmour, guitarist and singer from Pink-Floyd, who for years owned a villa on the island of Rhodes, 120 kilometers away, was inspired by Kastellorizo for the album "On an Island". And sums up the beauty and mood in words like "Remember that night … sharing a dream, on an Island, it felt right …"
7. Corfu: The beach queen on the west side
Finally, a classic among the islands with top beaches: Corfu is on the other side, in the west of Greece, off the Albanian coast. The 217 kilometer long coastline is peppered with beaches, 32 of which have been awarded the blue flag, the eco-label for bathing water quality. They range from white, kilometer-long sandy beaches to small bays between cliffs and pebble beaches. Divers, sailors, swimmers and water rats will find the best conditions here.
The tourist centers with the well-known, wide bays of Kontokali, Gouvia, Dassia, Ipsos and Pirgi are mainly located on the east coast. Hikers enjoy the lush vegetation, the many orchids, olive trees and cypress forests as well as mountain ranges with valleys, bays and limestone cliffs that slope steeply to the sea.
There is also a lot on offer for culture fans: The center of Corfu Town is named Unesco World Heritage Site and impresses with its ancient Temple of Artemis, a Venetian fortress and a new fortress with many underground passages. By the way: Empress Sissi also loved the island. In 1890 she had the Achilleion Palace built about seven kilometers south of Corfu Town near Gastouri, which can still be visited today.