Greek Islands : Athens,
Corfu,
Crete,
Rhodes,
Mykonos,
Kos,
Santorini
Obviously the most popular islands, Crete, Corfu,
Rhodes, Mykonos will be well known to you but the smaller islands
tend to be much quieter and a pleasure to visit but will entail
additional travel by sea. If you prefer to fly and flop on the
beach that is then stick to the better known tourist islands
and enjoy the famous greek hospitality and sun.
Greece is one of the most popular tourist destinations
worldwide. Annually it welcomes more than 14 million tourists.
Greece has over 670,000 tourist beds, distributed over 352,000
rooms in approximately 8,900 hotel units. ?n most of the Greek
islands and mainland Greece, visitors can also find accommodation
in private houses (rooms to let) which are operating under the
special seal of the Greek National Tourism Organisation. Moreover,
there are more than 340 camp sites all over the country, offering
30,000 camping spaces and 2,500 villas.
Greece is a country with a vast wealth of cultural
tradition and folklore. As wel as lying on the beach why not
get involved by attending the various cultural or sports events
held in the area you have chosen to holiday.
Greek Islands
The islands an integral part of the greek civilisation
and tradition. The Greek territory comprises 6,000 islands and
islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Sea, a truly unique
phenomenon on the European continent; of these islands only
227 are inhabited.
The Greek Archipelago takes up 7,500 km of the
country’s total 16,000-km coastline, offering a highly
diversified landscape: beaches stretching along many kilometers,
sheltered bays and coves, golden stretches of sand with dunes,
pebbly beaches, coastal caves with steep rocks and black sand
typical of volcanic soil, coastal wetlands... Many Greek beaches
have been awarded the European blue flag for cleanliness and
quality of water. Apart from swimming, they lend themselves
to scuba diving, snorkeling, water skiing, sailing and windsurfing.
As they are the cradle of some of the most ancient and prosperous
European civilisations (the Cycladic, Minoan civilisations,
etc.), the islands boast unique archaeological sites, an outstanding
architectural heritage and centuries-old, fascinating local
traditions of a multifaceted cultural past. Nearly 60% of the
country’s lodging establishments and over 60% of hotel
beds are found on the islands. All the above, combined with
the ideal climate, the safety of Greek waters and the short
distances between ports and coasts, have rendered the Greek
islands extremely popular among Greek and foreign visitors.
Most islands lie in the Aegean Sea and are divided
in seven groups (from north to south):
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The
Northeastern Aegean Islands: Agios Efstratios, Thasos,
Ikaria, Lesvos, Limnos, Inousses, Samos, Samothrace, Chios,
Psara.
-
The
Sporades: Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros
Evia
-
The
Argo-Saronic Islands: Angistri, Aegina, Poros, Salamina,
Spetses, Hydra and the coastal area of Methana.
-
The
Cyclades: A group of 56 islands, its most important
ones being Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios,
Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini,
Serifos, Sikinos, Sifnos, Syros, Tinos, Folegandros, as well
as the “Minor Cyclades” comprising Donousa, Irakleia,
Koufonisia and Schinoussa.
-
The
Dodecanese: Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Thasos,
Kastelorizo, Kos, Lipsi, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi,
Tilos, Halki.
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Crete
The
Ionian Sea is home to one sole island group:
-
The Ionian Islands:
Zakynthos, Ithaca, Corfu, Cephallonia, Lefkada, Paxi, Antipaxi,
Ereikoussa, Mathraki, Meganissi, Othoni, Strofades.
These islands, together with Kythira, which is however cut-off
from the rest, opposite the southern Peloponnese (Lakonia),
as well as neighbouring Antikythira, they constitute the Eptanissa.
The islands of Gavdos (situated south of Crete), Elafonissos
(in the Gulf of Laconia) and Trizonis (in the Gulf of Corinth),
although not forming part of any group, are of unparalleled
natural beauty.
Best 5 Beaches in Greece
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Megali Paralia (in Elafonisos
Island, Peloponnese)
Simos beach is right around the corner and just as great of
a beach! For such a tiny island, Elafonisos at the Southern
end of Peloponnese offers three of the best beaches in Greece
(Panagia beach is the third one), and just about the best
looking water in the world.
-
Egremnoi (Lefkada)
One of the best kept secrets in Greece. Beautiful scenery,
crystal clear turquoise water, and soft white coarse sand
make this beach one of the best to visit. Its out-of-the-way
location on the West coast of Lefkada, and the thousand make-shift
concrete steps down (and then up), separate the huge crowds
from this beach. Excellent by all measures.
-
Myrtos (Kefalonia)
Myrtos was voted as the best beach in Greece a few years ago,
and for good reason. Fantastic water and bright-white pebbles,
nested among steep cliffs on the west coast of Kefalonia.
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Erimoupolis (Crete)
At the very northern tip of Eastern Crete. Nested between
rugged rocks and an ancient cemetery, Erimoupolis is named
after the "abandoned town" of Itanos, the ruins
of which you have to pass on your way to the beach. Although
the beach gets too crowded during the weekends, it is a joy
to visit during weekdays.
-
Myrtidiotissa (Corfu)
The road to Myrtidiotissa is a real hazard for any car, so
travellers have to park high up the hill near the monastery
of Myrtidiotissa, and then walk down about a half mile of
a goat track. The water is crystal-clear, and the strip of
soft brown sand is sheltered by tall cliffs on all sides.
This small beach tends to feel overcrowded during full season,
but a real pleasure early in the summer.
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