Our places – THE GREEK ISLANDS

With over 250 inhabited Greek islands with distinct Geography, History & Culture, choosing which to visit is not always easy. Some general info may help narrow things down.

For those short of time, choose the Argo-Saronic Gulf group of Hydra, Spetses, Poros, and Aegina, close to Athens. The nearer Cycladic Islands including Andros & Tinos with good ferry connections. Or larger Islands with airports such as Crete, Rhodes, Santorini, or Skiathos may also help provide the best use of your time. For those with more time, the choices open up for hopping between Islands in the same group. Main considerations as follows.

The Sporades Islands of Skopolos, Skiathos, and Alonisos with its marine park are the greenest Islands. These have a wealth of timeless picturesque fishing villages literally out of the pages of a movie (location of Mama Mia). They are also one of the world’s most beautiful locations to go sailing with calm seas, idyllic isolated beaches & windless harbors. In general, these are less trodden but still well connected by ferries.

In the South Aegean lie the rocky Cyclades. Rich in Historical sites they include the popular Santorini & Mykonos. To the south is Crete, large enough to provide lots of variety for longer stays. Closer to Turkey are the Dodecanese Islands including Rhodes with its very impressive Castles & Ancient Cities. Lastly, on the West coast of Greece the Ionian Islands with Kefalonia a favorite for families.

For those with limited time our one or two Day Tours from Athens to nearby Islands such as Andros with its beautiful main town, or Aegina with its impressive Temple of Aphaia are made with you in mind.

However, with more days to spare & for the first time highlights, our tours to Santorini & Mykonos with all transfers and luxury Hotels in the best locations will provide everything & more. Similar to our Packages they are also personalized & tailorable from top to bottom.

If you have been there & done that & perhaps want something that takes advantage of the rich history of Greece with fewer crowds, then a perfect option is our Peloponnese Tour. This visits a wealth of UNESCO & other sites, & ends in the unspoiled Islands of Spetses & Hydra.

For full Island Hopping, then see our 7-Day Skippered Sailing Holidays in the main Island groups of the Cyclades, Ionian, Argosaronic and Sporades Islands.

Alternatively, a nice combination for island hopping is one of the main Cycladic group like Santorini or Paros followed by Crete which has lots to see & do & is suitable for any style. For family gatherings, we have quiet villas, local excursions for Knossos for example for History lovers, or idyllic Beach retreats. These are some of our most personalized & tailored Packages. Whatever your need just get in touch!

4 of the most popular Island-Tours are listed below, but you can see all Day-Tours, Multi-Day Tours, and Island Tours from our main menu.

What to Do

If you are looking for something more than History, Local sites & Beaches then we also have some great suggestions.

Most simply, ask us for any cultural options you need to add to an existing trip such as so a cruise of the Caldera in Santorini, a food & wine experience on Mykonos, or a local ‘highlights-tour of the island for example.

More extensively, we can organize a Hiking or multi-activity Holiday on the unspoiled Islands of Andros & Tinos with unique renovated mansion houses or small friendly boutique Hotels with a pool.

Sailing options can not be overlooked and for private skippered packages we have low prices for private groups. Take a look at our flagship tour for example which visits Skiathos, Skopelos of Mama-Mia fame, along with the Marine Park of Alonissos with its underwater Archaeological Museum.

Whatever your needs just let us know!

Make the most of your time with a combination of mainland sites & Islands. A great tip is to spend some time sightseeing the amazing UNESCO sites & landscapes on the mainland before a more relaxed period of Island life. Especially for families & small groups, this will give a great balance as well as having something to please everyone.

Sometimes less is more! For Families & groups with senior travelers, be aware that the more places & Islands you visit, the more time you will spend traveling & less sightseeing or relaxing.

Don’t Miss

Whilst our Greek Islands Tours & Holiday Packages can incorporate the big names of Santorini & Mykonos, spare some time to look at the hidden gems of the smaller islands like Andros, Tinos, Kea & Aegina. Each of which has good connections & is unique in History, Geography & local Culture.