The Case for Going Further
Why the Famous Islands Are Not the Only Islands
Greece has 227 inhabited islands. Most visitors see two or three of them — Santorini, Mykonos, and perhaps Crete or Rhodes. This is understandable: these are extraordinary places, and their reputations are deserved. But the concentration of tourism on a handful of islands means that the vast majority of the Greek archipelago remains largely undiscovered by international visitors.
The islands beyond the postcard offer something the famous ones increasingly cannot: space, quiet, authenticity, and the sense of discovery that is the deepest pleasure of travel. They are places where the taverna owner knows your name by the second evening, where the beach is empty at noon, where the landscape has not been shaped by the demands of mass tourism.
They are also, in many cases, places of extraordinary natural beauty and cultural richness — islands with ancient histories, distinctive local traditions, remarkable food, and landscapes that rival anything in the more celebrated parts of the archipelago.
Islands Worth Seeking
The GREEX Selection
Folegandros, in the southern Cyclades, is perhaps the finest example of what the undiscovered Greek island can be — a small, steep island of dramatic cliffs, a beautiful chora perched above the sea, and a pace of life that feels genuinely unhurried. It has no airport, limited accommodation, and a population of around 700. It is perfect.
Ikaria, in the North Aegean, is famous for the longevity of its inhabitants — one of the world's five Blue Zones, where residents regularly live past 100. The island has a distinctive culture of late nights, communal festivals, and a relaxed relationship with time that is unlike anywhere else in Greece. Its beaches are among the finest in the Aegean.
Tilos, in the Dodecanese, is a small island that has made sustainability its defining characteristic — the first island in the Mediterranean to run entirely on renewable energy. Its landscape is extraordinarily varied for its size, its beaches are uncrowded, and its medieval castle and Byzantine churches reward the curious visitor. Halki, its tiny neighbour, is one of the most beautiful villages in the Aegean.