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Oia’s white houses and blue domes on the rim of the Santorini caldera Oia’s white houses and blue domes on the rim of the Santorini caldera Sailing boats by the sea caves of Kleftiko, Milos The Venetian castle at the entrance to Naoussa harbour on Paros

The city guide to Greek Islands, Greece

Best of the Greek Islands

White villages above a blue sea, ferries from island to island, golden beaches, tavernas on the quay and sunsets that stop everyone in their tracks.

Where to eatChoose your island

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to the Greek islands

The Greek islands are among the most beautiful places on earth, and each one has its own character: glamorous Mykonos, romantic Santorini, easy-going Paros, generous Naxos, colourful Milos, Crete with its Minoan palaces, the medieval city of Rhodes and Venetian Corfu. We help you choose your islands, plan the ferries and flights, and find the best beaches, tables and places to stay.

Island hopping 101: how the ferries work

Island hopping

Plan your ferries

Piraeus·In depth: island hopping

Island hopping is easy once you know the ports, the boats and the wind. Start with our guide, then build your route.

How the ferries work

Crete: the island like a country

Minoan palaces, Venetian harbours, the Samaria Gorge and the lagoons of Balos and Elafonisi: our headline island, and the one to give at least a week.

The Venetian harbour, shipyards and lighthouse of Chania, CreteHeadline islandCreteChania, Rethymno, Heraklion & EloundaThe north entrance of the Palace of Knossos, CreteMinoan CreteKnossosEurope’s first great civilisationBalos Lagoon on the Gramvousa peninsula, CreteBeachesBalos LagoonThe turquoise lagoonThe Samaria Gorge, CreteThe great walkSamaria GorgeWhite Mountains to the Libyan Sea

Which island is for you?

Glamour or peace, parties or walking, sunsets or food: start with our in-depth features, then pick your islands.

Chora on the cliff edge of FolegandrosIn depthWhich island is for you?Match the island to your moodImerovigli, Firostefani and Fira along the rim of the Santorini calderaIn depthWhen to goSeason by seasonA ferry in the harbour of PiraeusIsland hopping from AthensHow the ferries workPiraeus, Rafina & Lavrio

The Cyclades

The island-hopping classics, a few hours by ferry from Piraeus and Rafina.

Oia’s white houses and blue domes on the rim of the Santorini calderaIsland guideSantoriniThe calderaThe windmills of Kato Mili above Mykonos townIsland guideMykonosGlamour & beach clubsThe Venetian castle at the entrance to Naoussa harbour on ParosIsland guideParosParikia & NaoussaThe Portara, the great marble doorway of an unfinished temple, at sunset on NaxosIsland guideNaxosBeaches & mountainsThe white volcanic rocks of Sarakiniko on MilosIsland guideMilosColours & sea cavesKastro, the medieval village on a rock above the sea on SifnosIsland guideSifnosThe gourmet island

Rhodes & Corfu

The medieval city of the Knights in the Dodecanese, and Venetian Corfu in the Ionian.

The Street of the Knights in the Old Town of RhodesThe DodecaneseRhodesThe city of the KnightsThe Old Fortress of CorfuThe IonianCorfuVenetian elegance

Plan your island hop

Ferries, flights, the wind and the best time to go.

A ferry in the harbour of PiraeusGetting thereFerries & flightsPorts, operators and airlinesA ferry in the harbour of PiraeusBefore you goIsland essentialsMoney, wind, healthThe Venetian castle at the entrance to Naoussa harbour on ParosItineraryOne week, three islandsParos, Naxos & Santorini

ULTIMATE City Guides: Balkans & Central Europe

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

The old town of Belgrade above the Sava, with the spire of the Cathedral Church of St MichaelSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Acropolis of Athens by day, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The Blue Mosque at nightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide The spires of Zagreb Cathedral above the rooftopsCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Triple Bridge over the LjubljanicaSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide Skanderbeg Square with the Et’hem Bey MosqueAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide The Stone Bridge over the VardarNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide St Alexander Nevsky CathedralBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: travellers and locals talking about the Greek islands, ferries, beaches and food.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Sarakiniko

    This season's pick

    Sarakiniko

    Sarakiniko·Beach

    October is perfect for Milos: the sea is still warm, the crowds have gone, and Sarakiniko’s white rocks glow in the low autumn light.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    The Venetian castle at the entrance to Naoussa harbour on ParosItineraryOne week: Paros, Naxos & Santorini7 days, 3 islands, by ferryThe windmills of Kato Mili above Mykonos townItineraryTwo weeks: Mykonos to Crete14 days, 6 islands, ferries and one flightSailing boats by the sea caves of Kleftiko, MilosItineraryOne week: Milos, Sifnos & Folegandros7 days, 3 quieter islandsSailing boats by the sea caves of Kleftiko, MilosItineraryVolcanic & photogenic: Milos, Folegandros & Santorini7–8 days, 3 islands, by ferry from Piraeus

    Know your island groups

    The Cyclades

    White villages, windmills and the island-hopping classics: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and more.

    Crete

    The largest island: Minoan palaces, Venetian harbours, gorges and lagoons.

    The Dodecanese

    Rhodes and its medieval city of the Knights, close to the coast of Asia Minor.

    The Ionian

    Green, Venetian-flavoured Corfu on Greece’s western sea.

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    Beaches

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    Hotels

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    Restaurants

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    Bars & Nightlife

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    Luxury

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    Ferries & Flights

    1. 1Island hopping 101: how the ferries workPiraeus · In depth: island hopping
    2. 2Flying or sailing to the islandsAthens · In depth: getting there
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