Islands of Greece
The Greek Islands make people think of whitewashed buildings, blue domed churches, sun drenched and crystal clear water beaches, and of course Greek food and celebrations. While that is an accurate thought of the Greek Islands there is so much more and a huge variety sites, styles and landscapes throughout the many regions. There are Ionian Islands, Crete and Aegean Islands. The Aegean Islands are split into regions such as the Southern Cyclades that circle around the historic Island of Delos and the South Eastern Island towards Turkey called the Dodecanese. When traveling through the Islands you can see volcanic islands, olive groves, vineyards, walled medieval cities, ancient ruins and temples, beautiful churches, beaches and a varied landscape. We have been to six Greek Islands that are in the Ionian, Cyclades, and the Dodecanese regions. We went in 2016 to the Island of Rhodes and in 2019 we went to Corfu, Kefalonia, Santorini, Mykonos, and Delos Islands.
Getting to the Greek Islands and Transportation
There are a few different ways to get to the Greek Islands. Many of the Islands have International Airports so you can choose to fly to them. There is also Fast Ferry Service from major cities such as Athens to many of the islands if you want to stay on a particular island. You can also visit a variety of the islands by cruise ship. We have visited all our islands by cruise ship. While you do not get to spend the night and have limited time on each island it is more affordable since the transportation and food are all covered and you see more than one island. While on the island the best option is to book tours or walk the cities on your own. There is limited public transportation on some islands and you could take a taxi or a water taxi in some cases.
Other Country Information
Greece is part of the the European Union and is also a part of the Schengen agreement so once you have passed through a Schengen countries passport control you do not have to again. We passed into the Schengen zone in Italy on our 2019 cruise. The currency is the Euro which is usually worth a little more than the US Dollar. The language of Greece is Greek but we had no problem with English in the areas we visited
The Ionian Islands
Located South of the Adriatic Sea bordering Italy, Albania, the Mediterranean Sea and Greece the Ionian Sea is a small part of the Mediterranean. There are a few Greek Islands located West of Greece in the Ionian Sea. The Ionian Islands differ from the Aegean Islands when it comes to architecture and terrain. The Ionian Islands do not have the White Washed buildings but a more Venetian or French style architecture. The Ionian Islands are greener especially Kefalonia than the Aegean Islands. The Ionian Islands have been ruled by the Romans, Venetians, Ottomans (Kefalonia), French and British. During World War II one of the worst massacre occurred on Kefalonia as the Italians fought the Germans late in the war. In 1953 Kefalonia Island was devastated by a massive earthquake. The islands today have been decreasing in population and Kefalonia even though its recovered from the earthquake still has a low population. The islands have a great tourism industry, olive and wine business and beautiful countryside and beaches. We visited Corfu and Kefalonia Islands on our 2019 cruise.
Corfu Island
Corfu Island lies just of the coast of Southern Albania and Norther Greece. The island is heavily mountainous with many narrow and winding roads. Its a fairly large island compared to some of the Greek Islands. Like most of the Greek Islands it has beautiful crystal clear water and some nice beach areas. There are olive trees on the island and other agriculture. A nice souvenir is a carving made from the local olive wood. We purchased some praying hands. The architecture is the Venetian or French style. When we visited on our cruise we visited several places on the island. From the main city of Corfu Town we visited a winery where we tasted local wines, Corfu olives that were smaller and tasted a bit different than others, candied kumquats, and a Greek drink called Ouzo. Ouzo is a clear high alcohol content that is usually mixed with water. They mixed our drink with sparkling water. After we visited the winery we drive through the island to one of the highlights of the island. The Achellion Palace was built as Empress Elizabeth (SiSi) of Austria’s summer palace. Its a beautiful palace on top of a hill that provides a breathtaking view of the ocean and the rocky Albanian coast in the distance. There are many statues throughout the gardens and property and inside there are beautiful paintings, ceilings and stairs. We walked through the home and saw some of the Austrian Empresses possessions and rooms. After the Austrians left the palace sometime after the Empresses’ assassination for a time the home became a casino so we saw some of the remnants of the casino like a luxury elevator. On the balcony area there are two huge statues of the Greek hero Achilles, who the palace was named after. The James Bond Movie “For Your Eyes Only” was partially filmed at Achellion Palace. We also spent some time looking at Albania in the distance only a few miles away. After visiting the palace we stopped at the Unesco World Heritage site Old Town Corfu. There is a large fortress called the Old Fortress along the sea opposite the old town that was built by the Venetians and was also used in filming for the James Bond movie. We walked through the small streets of Corfu town and went to some of the shops in the area. We also visited some churches within the Old Town. Being the summer time it was extremely hot so we stopped to get some Ice Cream before we headed back to our ship. Corfu has many more things to see such as touring the old fort, other castles, museums, ruins of temples and of course plenty of beaches and great food. Its a wonderful place to visit!
Kefalonia Island
Located South of Corfu just of the coast of mainland Greece you will find the large Island of Kefalonia. Kefalonia has a lot of agriculture and they produce the Robola grape (white grape) wine, olives and high quality olive oil. The island is mainly rural with small villages and farms. Kefalonia is a lot quieter than the other Greek Islands but has much of the same beauty as the other Islands. The population of the island is less than 50,000 people and has stayed low after the devastating 1953 earthquake that destroyed most of the Island. The island offers a lot of outdoor activities and has some other interesting sites to see. During World War II there was heavy fighting between the Italians and Germans after Italy became an ally and is where one of the worst massacres occurred in World War II. Before we visited Kefalonia we know very little about the island compared to famous islands such as Santorini and Myknos. After leaving it we fell in love with this charming place. We started our day in Kefalonia’s capital city of Agrostoli and drove past the newly built homes towards a small village. We drove past many pretty hills and farms throughout our tour. We stopped at a small village on a hill that had great views of the ocean and the area. A wealthy shipping company owner paid to rebuild all the homes in that village after the massive earthquake. Donna and I took the chance to have a walk through this quite village and see the church, and the flowers growing at each home. We tried a local beer at an ice cream shop and went back to our tour. We made our way past the large Castle of Saint George that the Venetians used when they ruled the Island. We made our way to Saint Andreas Monastery. The setting of the Monastery is beautiful will surrounding hills, the view of the fortress, old churches and grapevines all around. We visited a museum holding historic pieces of other churches around the island a chapel and we visited the church that holds the relic of the right foot of the Apostle Andrew. We were able to view the relic. After visiting the monastery we drove through the olive groves and hills, and passed olive presses for olive oil. Just before we arrived at the Robola Winery we passed by the huge Saint Gerasimos Monastery. Saint Gerasimos is the patron saint of Kefalonia and believed to be able to heal illness. The relics of the saint are in the church and during a popular celebration people hope to be healed by the saint. At the Robola Winery we tried their local wines and purchased some Olive oil and honey. We finished our drive through the countryside and viewed a small church in a valley under a very small bridge. We spent a little time walking around the city of Agrostali and the wonderful waterfront. We finished off our time at a great museum on the Ancient Greek inventions such as the first vending machine, an ancient alarm clock, a cup that teaches limits made by Pythagoras that will leak if you put too much wine in it, and a robot that will refill your drink. Many of the inventions (all replicas) worked and our guide demonstrated them. As a final send off as our ship was leaving the port we got to see the endangered Loggerhead Sea Turtles swimming in the lagoon around Argrostali. We really loved this lesser known but charming Island and would like to go back again someday.
The Cyclades Islands
Located in the South Aegean Sea South East of mainland Greece is the Cyclades. They are named the Cyclades since they are said to circle the sacred island of Delos (the birthplace of the Greek god Apollo and goddess Artemis). The Cyclades are home to many islands but most people know of the famous Santorini and Mykonos Islands that are part of the Cyclades. The Cyclades Islands have the whitewashed buildings that you see in many Greek pictures or postcards. The Islands are beautiful and full of history as well. With that popularity the crowds can be intense especially in Santorini. We visited three of the islands in this region. We visited Santorini, Mykonos and the uninhabited island of Delos with its well preserved ancient ruins.
Delos Island
Located in the center of the Cyclades is the the ancient Greek sacred island of Delos. It was believed to be the birthplace of the god Apollo and the goddess Artemis and was a vibrant ancient city. The city on the island had multiple market places, a large theater, huge temples and many beautiful homes. It was a commercial and religious center for many years in the ancient world. Delos was also home to the Colossus of Naxos. It was a nearly 30 foot tall statue of Apollo near the temple and harbor on the island. The island was controlled by different groups overtime such as Athens. After invasions and piracy the island eventually declined to a point the island became deserted. Today it is only inhabited by some of the archaeologists excavating the ruins and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The island is located close to Mykonos and we visited the island by ferry from Mykonos. The ride takes around 45 minutes. The site is home to extensive preserved ruins. We visited the theater, the House of Dionysus (a wealthy families home), the market places, temple of Apollo and other sites. The House of Dionysus still had some of the colored walls preserved, the white columns of the courtyard, and a beautiful mosaic of the god Dionysus riding on a tiger in the courtyard. There were other homes where you could see statues or places where there were stairs and writing in the buildings. At the temple you could see ancient writing on the former roof area of the temple. There is not much left of the Colossus of Naxos but you can see his torso and in the museum on the island you can see the Colossus huge hand. As you walk through you can feel the history and imagine this bustling city and the life the ancient Greeks used to live. We also saw on of the highlights the Avenue of the Lions. There are quite a few Lion statues along a wide avenue in the city. They are replicas as the actual lions are in the museum on the island. We visited the museum and saw the many Greek statues, the lions, part of the Colossus of Naxos and a history of the island. There is also artwork of featureless people throughout the island meant to try to bring the island to life in a way. You will also see many cat throughout the island that are very friendly. After our guided tour we took a ferry back to Mykonos and ended our time on the island. One thing to be warned that the winds can be strong near Mykonos and the ferry ride back was very rough so be prepared for possible motion sickness if you get that. Taking some time to leave the very busy Mykonos to visit this important historic site is well worth it!
Mykonos Island
Very close to Delos is Mykonos Island. Mykonos was the port of call for our cruise but we took a ferry over to Delos on a guided tour. We had some time to visit the main city on Mykonos called Chora. We got off our ferry from Delos right in the downtown area of the small town. We walked to the Church of Panagia Paraportiani which is one of the most famous churches in Greece. It is a whitewashed small church that lies right next to the waters edge. From there we walked through the area called “Little Venice” that has small corridors through the whitewashed shops and restaurants. There is a beautiful waterfront where the waves crash onto some of the buildings and the walkway (its pretty narrow) that does remind you of a Greek Venice. We continued up to see the famous windmills of Mykonos. We spent a little more time walking through the town (be careful and give yourself plenty of time if you have a cruise to catch as we did the streets can be somewhat confusing). We bought a few souvenirs on the way out. The cruise has a bus line that will take you back to the cruise but the line can be very long since the Mykonos is very popular. During the summer there can be multiple cruise ships and the other tourists on the island. It can also be very hot as it was for us so bring water with you as you walk. We decided to pay around $5 to for a water taxi to take us the 15 minute or so water ride back to the cruise terminal. We enjoyed our time visiting both Mykonos and Delos Islands!
Santorini Island
One of the most famous of the Greek Islands and the Island most people see pictures of with its blue domed churches and white buildings sitting on the side of a mountain. Santorini is a beautiful island South of Delos and Mykonos. It is the remnants of a volcano caldera that you can see easily while there. You can see the rim of the volcano crater where the cities are and near where the cruise ships anchor the center of the volcano that is a small black island. The volcano is still active we occasional tremors and gas leaking. There are a few ways to get from the cruise port where the tender ships drop you off (there is no dock for the cruise ships) to the top of the island where the roads and cities are. You can take a aerial tram up to the main city of Thera, you could ride on a donkey up the stairs from the old port to Thera, or you could walk up the 588 stairs to the top. One other option is if you book a tour they take you to another port where a bus drives you up the steep mountainside. We booked a tour so going to Santorini we were driven to the top. We stopped at a beautiful winery where we tried local wines (the sweet dessert wine was my favorite) and were able to sample delicious Greek Olives, cheeses and bread. After we relaxed a bit and enjoyed the views we got back on the bus to go to the famous town of Oia. Oia is the city home to the blue domed chruches, windmills and buildings on the volcano rim. We took a short walking tour and then went off on our own to walk through the small streets and to get our pictures of the cities. The views are breathtaking but unfortunately so was the crowds as this small city of a few hundred people was jammed packed with six cruise ships worth of passengers. The crowd did thin out a little as we walked through the city. We stopped by some of the shops for some souvenirs and some drinks as it was extremely hot on the island. We visited inside one of the stunning Greek Orthodox Blue domed churches before we headed out on the bus back to the larger city of Thera. We left the bus behind in Thera and took some time to walk through the busy town and stopped to get some Gyros. We decided against taking the aerial trams down to the port as the line was over two hours long so we instead decided to walk down the stairs. The views are nice walking down the 588 steps but be warned you will be walking with donkeys and the steps being very old can be slippery. We saw a lady fall and I even nearly slipped once. It took us 45 minutes or so to make it back to be tendered over to the ship. It costs around $10 if you want to take a donkey down. We enjoyed our visit to be sure but I have to say the overcrowding made it much more difficult to enjoy this beautiful island.
Dodecanese Islands
Located in the South East Aegean sea near the coast of Turkey these Islands are the furthest East of the Greek Islands. There are quite a few islands in the chain with the largest being Rhodes Island. Like the other Greek Islands they have been rules by multiple different countries and groups over the years including the Ottomans, Romans, The Knights of St. John, Germans during WWII, and Greece. The Island of Rhodes is famous for the Colossus of Rhodes that was one of the original wonders of the world. We visited our one and only Dodecanese in 2016 on our Mediterranean cruise.
Rhodes Island
Located just South of Turkey the Island of Rhodes is a very large Island that has a lot of history. At the time of this writing Rhodes Island is the furthest East we have ever been in the world so far. The main city of Rhodes is a medieval walled city that was also home to the Colossus of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that was over 100 foot tall and stood at the mouth of the harbor. It was to the Greek god Helios. Nothing is left of the Colossus due to a massive earthquake that destroyed it. The Walled Old Town of Rhodes is listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. When we went to Rhodes we took a tour that took us to the city of Lindos on the coast of the island. From there we walked through the shops and small corridors that took us to a stairway up the the acropolis. At the top of the acropolis there is a fortress built by the Knights of St. John, a Temple to Athena and a Roman temple. The views from the top of the medieval walls of the surrounding area are stunning. There are crystal clear water sandy beaches and a small bay/cove that is called St. Paul’s Bay that can be seen from the top. The bay is a place that the Apostle Paul took his boat to wait out a storm. We spent time walking the extensive castle before walking back down the stairs/trail to visit the shops of the city. We of course got one of the many miniature models of the Colossus of Rhodes at the shops and a few other trinkets from the island. We got back on the bus and were dropped off in Rhodes city. Donna and I spent some time walking through the Unseco World Heritage Site walled city. Walking through it you can see the East meets West clash of cultures and architecture. There were people playing traditional music in the streets and there were plenty of shops and restaurants to visit as we walked the old town. We also took some time to visit the harbor and see where the Colossus was said to have stood before it was destroyed. After our walk we went back to our cruise ship and we continued on to the country on Malta on the 2016 cruise.
Other Tips
The Greek Islands are great to visit with the differing landscapes, architecture, cultures and histories. To me the most affordable way to visit the Greek Islands is to visit by an ocean going cruise. Otherwise you would need to either have a lot of time or need to pick just a couple islands. It could get expensive visiting islands by ferry or airplane if you go to quite a few islands. Most cruises to the Greek Islands are in the summer like we took so be prepared for the hot and humid climates during the summer. In general the food and attractions are not overly expensive but some of the dinning in Santorini we found to be a bit pricey. Most Greek Islands cruises also include Montenegro and Croatia as well on the itinerary so they are an added bonus to that kind of cruise. Also while you are in Greece be sure to try olives as they are very good in Greece and give a local drink like Ouzo a try.
If you are Interested in this trip:
Contact Donna Miller and she can help you book your dream trip today including customized trips, guided tours, cruises and much more. Her travel planning services are completely free if you book with her. Contact her at donnamiller.etfamilytravel@gmail.com to book today!
