Grecian getaway: A journey to the Greek islands

Posted 21 August, 2019 Jane Foster

With more than 200 inhabited islands dotting the coastline of Greece, travellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to turquoise-coloured waters, private cabanas and sandy white beaches. Join us as we journey to 5 of Greece’s most beautiful islands.  

Santorini, for the romantics

Beguiling and otherworldly, Santorini’s extraordinary beauty was created some 3600 years ago, when a massive volcanic explosion blew the middle out of the island. The result was a dramatic caldera (sea-filled crater), rimmed on one side by plummeting black and red cliffs. High above the caldera, a handful of clifftop villages provide some of Greece’s most Instagrammable views – white cubic Cycladic cottages, blue-domed churches and pastel-coloured neo-classical mansions, gazing into a hazy blue of sea and sky. Most majestic of all is tiny Oia, on the island’s northern tip. Here, former cave homes now host boho-chic boutique hotels with gorgeous whitewashed interiors and private infinity pools.     Gourmet eateries serve exquisite dishes based on local produce (shrimp, white aubergines and cherry tomatoes), alongside chilled nykteri – a crisp white wine made from grapes harvested at night and unique to Santorini’s volcanic soil. To escape the crowds, try a private sailing trip around the caldera. Ask your skipper to take you to the tiny black volcanic islet of Palea Kameni, where you can soak in therapeutic hot springs. From there, visit the neighbouring islet of Nea Kameni, where you can hike to the top of the smouldering volcanic crater. For a super romantic evening, drive inland to the medieval hill village of Pyrgos. Drink sundown Bellini cocktails at the legendary Franco’s Café, affording mesmerising views over the surrounding vineyards, before dining on the terrace at award-winning Selene Restaurant.  

Crete, for the history buffs

Crete, Greece’s largest and southernmost island, rises proudly from the deep blue Aegean Sea to bathe in sunshine and mysticism. With more than 1000km of coastline, soaring mountains and long sandy beaches, it possesses a beauty that is both proud and awe-inspiring. In the centre of the island, Mount Idi (also known as Psiloritis) was believed to have been the childhood home of Zeus – the king of Gods. East from here, almost 4000 years ago, the Minoans built a splendid palace at Knossos. Centring on a vast courtyard, it was monumental and elaborately decorated with muted colour frescoes, such as the Prince of the Lilies and Bull-Leaping, now displayed at the Archaeological Museum in the port city of Heraklion.     Crete’s rugged peaks, towering more than 2400m high and snow covered through winter, are traversed by deep rocky gorges, populated by wild native kri-kri goats, falcons and vultures. The most popular to hike is the Samaria Gorge, running 17km from Omalos down to the remote south coast to greet the Libyan Sea. Hikers usually choose to spend the previous night in the lovely Venetian-era port town of Chania, which also makes a good base for day trips to two glorious but isolated west coast beaches, Elafonisi and Balos. Here, pale pink sands give way to iridescent turquoise waters. Indeed, nature has been kind to this magnificent land. With fertile soils, Crete is blessed with typical Mediterranean produce, such as grapes, olives, lemons and tomatoes, as well as more exotic fruits, like avocado and bananas. It’s no wonder locals are claimed to have one of the healthiest diets in the world.  

Mykonos, for the socialites

Mykonos, the party island, is famed for its sandy beaches and hedonistic nightlife dating back to the 1960s. The hype centres on pretty Mykonos Town, a warren of stone alleys and whitewashed cubic houses draped in pink bougainvillea, typical of the Cyclades. It’s packed with sophisticated eateries serving contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, stylish cocktail bars shaking fragrant mojitos, and hip boutiques that stock clothing and accessories by young Greek designers. Long, hot summer days draw suntanned bathers to the sandy beaches of the glorious south coast. Best known is Paradise – young, flirty and boozy, the epitome of the Mykonian spirit, and home to the notorious Super Paradise Beach Club.