What are your favorite islands? We don’t know how many times we’ve been asked this question. With over 35 visited islands, the answer is not so simple and yet we can say that it is mainly the unknown Greek islands far away from the crowds that have enchanted us. Here you can still walk in the footsteps of the original Greece.
“We love Greek islands that are authentic, that don’t pretend to be for tourism and that have their own strong identity, which they preserve despite many external influences.”
Almost all of our favorites are still Greek Islands Insider Tips, at least as far as international tourism is concerned. And these beautiful places are far too good to remain a secret. We would like to share them with you below, because we are sure that a trip to the Greek islands will also enrich you.
- #1 Andros: The noble island of seafarers
- #2 Amorgos: The Queen of the Cyclades
- #3 Nisyros: At home on the island
- #4 Patmos: A truly sacred place
- #5 Kasos: Insider tip at the end of the Dodecanese
- #6 Chios: Treasure chest of the North Aegean
- #7 Kythira: The Unknown Island Gem
- #8 Trizonia: The Happiness of Silence
#1 Andros: The noble island of seafarers
The northernmost island of the Cyclades feels like it’s just a stone’s throw away from Athens. So you might think that Andros can hardly save itself from tourists. But the opposite is the case. During our visit at the end of May, it was tranquil, no trace of mass tourism.
Andros – we liked it right away, a sympathetic island, very scenic and varied. For us, the island’s capital Chora is one of the most beautiful in the Cyclades. The white houses with their red roofs shine impressively on a rocky spur that juts far into the sea.
In front of it lies an old Venetian Kastro and in the middle of the sea the waves whip against the Lighthouse of Tourlitis, which has become the symbol of the island. Architecturally unique in Greece, it rises almost like a fairy tale from the deep blue sea.
Numerous well-signposted hiking trails through the green Mesaria Valley or the rugged mountain landscape of the north invite you to extensive discovery tours. In between, you can relax in the cozy coastal town of Batsi unwind or refresh yourself on the beautiful sandy beaches of the west coast.
The Island of Seafarers and Kapitän also has a lot to offer in terms of culinary delights. Not only did we learn how to roll the delicious dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) properly in a cooking class, but on Andros we also tasted what we consider to be the best red wine in Greece!
What there is to see on the Cycladic insider tip, we will tell you in our article: Andros Highlights
→ fancy a Island hopping from Andros? Discover the enchanting island world of the Cyclades with our travel guide. Eight Cyclades islands are described in detail, including useful tips on how to organize your island hopping. Available as an e-book (PDF) or, from time to time, as a paperback. All information and excerpt at: Cyclades Travel Guide
🗺️ 8 Islands with route maps
🏖️ Beautiful beaches & swimming spots
🏛️ All top sights
🔍 Valuable planning tips
🍽️ Accommodation, tavernas & cafés
#2 Amorgos: The Queen of the Cyclades
Amorgos – an island of rugged, wild beauty. It was love at first sight. The mountainous, barren profile of the island, the lovely mountain villages in the north, the dreamy hamlets in the south, the white sea of houses of the Chora, which huddles together on a ridge framed by windmills and of course the spectacular Chozoviotissa Monastery, which seems to float on a rock face.
The Island in the heart of the Cyclades is a sacred place for us. You can feel the special aura of Amorgos at the latest when you drive along the coastal road from Aegiali to Chora at sunset or enjoy the evening spectacle over the island’s capital.
Also on Amorgos you might think that the island is overcrowded with all its beauty, but even when we visited at the beginning of July, we still had some bays almost to ourselves. It can only get a little crowded in August because of the holiday season.
Did we mention the excellent island cuisine? Even today, our mouths water when we think of the delicious dishes in the island’s traditional taverns and creative restaurants.
We will be back, not only for the good food, but also for the lovely locals who enriched our island visit.
You can find all our travel tips to the beautiful Cyclades island in our article: Amorgos Highlights
#3 Nisyros: At home on the island
Every visit is like coming home for us. The small island in the eastern Aegean Sea with its almost 1,000 inhabitants is known as neighboring island of Kos a contrasting program. Basically, Nisyros consists of only one volcano, whose crater is one of the few in the world that is even accessible.
To Nisyros you don’t come for a beach holiday. You come to soak up a touch of the original Greece. When the day tourists from Kos have left the island, the true magic of Nisyros unfolds. You become part of the community, sit with the locals in the taverns in the evenings.
You feel like you’re on a journey through time when you walk through the alleys of the white mountain villages of Emporios and Nikia. They cling spectacularly to the edge of the caldera, on one side you look into the deep blue Aegean Sea, on the other into the sulfur-shrouded crater. What a unique backdrop!
Especially in the low season, there is not much going on in Nisyros and that is exactly what makes this one so appealing. Greek volcanic island from. It is the simple life that we love and that draws us here for a few months every autumn.
We’ll tell you what there is to see on our favourite island here: Nisyros Highlights
#4 Patmos: A truly sacred place
The small island in the east of the Aegean, which belongs to the Dodecanese archipelago, seems almost Cycladic. Even the entrance to the harbor bay of Patmos is spectacular. Like a fortress, the St. John’s Monastery on a hill above the white sea of houses of the Chora.
The Apostle John was already so attracted to the island in 95 AD that he is said to have written the last chapter of the Christian Bible here in a cave below the Chora. The Cave of the Apocalypse can still be visited today.
Patmos is a sacred place for us and at the latest when walking through the photogenic alleys of the Chora you can’t get rid of the feeling of being able to touch the sky.
In a compact area, the seahorse-shaped island offers everything a holidaymaker’s heart desires. In the lively coastal town of Skala, you can linger in one of the numerous cafés or refresh on the beautiful sandy beaches of this Greece Insider Tips.
The most beautiful sunset can be enjoyed from the highest mountain on the island, on which the white monastery of Profitis Ilias is enthroned. No clapping disturbs the idyllic scenery here when the red fireball sinks into the sea.
You can find everything you need to know about the island of Patmos in our article: Patmos Highlights
→ Discover the beautiful Islands of the Dodecanese from Patmos to Kasos. In our island hopping travel guide, we take you to nine islands of the Dodecanese and give you numerous travel tips and important information on how to organize your island hopping. Available as an e-book (PDF) or, from time to time, as a paperback. All information and excerpt at: Travel Guide Dodecanese
🗺️ 12 Islands with maps
🏖️ Beautiful beaches & swimming spots
🏛️ All top sights & attractions
🔍 Our best planning tips
🍽️ Accommodation, tavernas & cafés
#5 Kasos: Insider tip at the end of the Dodecanese
The island of Kasos in the Southeast of the Aegean Sea is usually overshadowed by its big sister Karpathos. Yet it is precisely this unadulterated atmosphere that makes Kasos so appealing. The island with its 1,100 inhabitants is so small that you can easily reach the individual villages on foot.
In the cafés of the main town of Fry we quickly got into conversation with the friendly locals. Here, as a tourist, you are still one of the rare species even in the high season and are greeted with a lot of curiosity and hospitality.
Our chance visit to Kasos we will not forget July 17 in a hurry. As soon as we had set foot on the island, we unexpectedly became part of a large church consecration festival in honor of Saint Marina, to which even the Kasiotic relatives from the USA had traveled.
With dancing and singing, there was plenty of partying, laughing and enjoying life. This is Greece, as you would imagine. What a great day in Kasos! By the way, the delicious dolmadakia of Kasos are still fondly remembered today and the best we have eaten so far!
In our article on Karpathos, we also report on the little sister island in a short chapter: Day trip to Kasos
#6 Chios: Treasure chest of the North Aegean
Rarely have we visited a Greek island with such a strong identity. Chios, however, was not love at first sight, the main town looks rather unadorned when entering the harbor. But in the hinterland, the authentic Greek island in the northern East Aegean from its most beautiful side.
Shortly after our arrival on Chios we walked a little through the alleys of the capital and were spontaneously invited by some locals to coffee and loukoumades at a small chapel. What a warm welcome!
Despite its size, Chios is still a real Insider tip among the Greek islands. The island is very varied in terms of landscape, offers wonderful beaches and bays and numerous beautiful villages, including the impressive mastic villages.
With our mouths open, we walked through the mastic village of Pyrgi, rarely have we seen such bizarre architecture. The memory card of our camera was soon filled to the brim. No less beautiful is the fortress-like Mastic Village Mestawhere we stayed.
Speaking of mastic: It is the figurehead of the island. The resin is scraped from the trunk of the mastic bush (Pistacia Lentiscus) in late summer and marketed in the form of drops, chewing gum, liqueur, cosmetics, etc. The tears of Chios, as the resin is also called, is said to have a healing effect, especially for the gastrointestinal tract, of which we ourselves are convinced.
We tell you the best tips for visiting the island insider tip here: Chios Highlights
→ You need help with the Greece Holiday Planning: You don’t know where to start and how to plan your vacation in Greece? No problem, benefit from our years of experience with Greece travel and let us help you. We advise you on all your questions and concerns, even via video chat. You can book your consultation here: Travel Advice Greece
#7 Kythira: The Unknown Island Gem
Hardly any international tourist knows this island – before the South coast of the Peloponnese a real Greece insider tip is waiting for you! Kythira in the far west of the Aegean Sea was actually only planned as a stopover on the way to western Crete.
Shortly after arriving at the port of Diakofti on Kythira we sat in a small café with a view of the turquoise lagoon landscape. What a fantastic backdrop! Kythira presented itself to us in May as a green island with lovely landscapes, pretty villages and empty beaches.
The Waterfalls at Mylopotamos remain in our memories as well as the island’s capital Chora, which impressively sits enthroned on a mountain ridge with its Venetian kastro, below the photogenic bay of Kapsali.
If the six-hour journey from Piraeus to the island’s insider tip is too arduous for you, you can also fly from Athens to the national airport of Kythira in 50 minutes with a small propeller plane.
We tell you what there is to see on the island in our article: Kythira Highlights
#8 Trizonia: The Happiness of Silence
Anyone who thinks that there are only Greek islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas is mistaken. Trizonia is the only inhabited Island in the Gulf of Corinth and a true gem. When the small passenger ferry docks in the only town on the island, you will be greeted by an absolute postcard backdrop. The white houses with their red roofs crowd picturesquely around the tranquil harbour bay.
No car noise penetrates this peaceful setting, because the Island of Trizonia is completely car-free. Perfect for families with children and of course for the cats that are already hungry waiting on the quay for the arrival of the fishing boats.
You can confidently leave your smartphone at home when visiting Trizonia. People come to the two-square-kilometre island to slow down, switch off from everyday life and recharge their batteries. Except in July and August, when Greeks are also drawn here, there is heavenly peace on Trizonia.
In the cozy taverns right by the sea you could linger forever with a glass of wine. Meanwhile, the little ones use the modern playground, which seems almost oversized for the tiny island creature. We almost forgot it – Trizonia even has beautiful beaches, which are mostly deserted in the low season.
Trizonia is still a real Greece Insider Tip and enchanted us from the first minute. We will definitely come back to enjoy the simple happiness of silence again.
→ You can find even more travel inspiration about Trizonia and the region in our article: Gulf of Corinth
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