The Greek Islands

The beautiful Greek islands are one of the best Mediterranean destinations. Greek sovereign land includes 6,000 islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, of which only 227 islands are inhabited. The Greek Archipelago takes up 7,500 km of the country’s total 16,000 km coastline, offering a highly diversified landscape: beaches stretching over many kilometers, sheltered bays and coves, sandy beaches with sand-dunes, pebble beaches, coastal caves with steep rocks and dark colored sand typical of volcanic soil and coastal wetlands.

There are seven Groups of Island has been found at Aegean Sea.

• The Northeastern Aegean Islands
  Agios Efstratios, Thasos, Ikaria, Lesbos, Limnos, Inouses, Samos, Samothrace, Chios, Psara.
• The Sporades
  Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros
• Evia
  The prefecture of Evia (which also includes the island of Skiros), is next to the prefecture of Viotia on the east and on the south touches the Aegean Sea, on the north and northwest to the Pagasitiko and Maliako Gulf, while on the west and southwest with the north and south Evian Gulf.
• Islands of Argosaronic
  Angistri, Aegena, Methana, Poros, Salamina, Spetses, Hydra.
• The Cyclades
  A group of 56 islands, with the most important being Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Serifos, Sikinos, Sifnos, Syros, Tinos, Folegandros, as well as the “Minor Cyclades” comprising Donousa, Irakleia, Koufonisia and Schinousa.
• The Dodecanese
  Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastellorizo, Kos, Lipsi, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Chalki.
• Crete
  Crete is divided in to four prefectures. From west to east: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi.

The Ionian Sea has only one island complex:

The Ionian Islands
Zakynthos, Ithaca, Corfu, Kefallonia, Lefkada, Paxi, and Kythira which is situated opposite the southern Peloponnese (Laconia). These islands, which are the biggest of the Ionian Sea, constitute the famous Eptanissa (meaning seven islands; epta in Greek means seven).

Antipaxi, Ereikoussa, Kalamos, Kastos, Mathraki, Meganissi, Othoni, Skorpios, Strofades are smaller islands of the Ionian Sea.

The islands of Gavdos (situated south of Crete), Elafonissos (in the Gulf of Laconia) and Trizonis (in the Gulf of Corinth), do not forme a group but are still of unparalleled natural beauty.

What to do:
Hit one of the splendid beaches in Mykonos, Rhodes, Corfu, Crete or Zakynthos, where you can jet-ski, windsurf or parasail. Take a ferry or a boat to get around between the islands. Try the traditional Greek cuisine, taste some local olives and grapes. Music is a huge part of the Greek culture — you can catch a concert or festival almost any night of the week. Enjoy the pulsating nightlife in Mykonos (Paradise Beach), Crete (Hersonissos, Gouves, Sissi, Malia, Chania), Rhodes (Lindos, Pefkos, Rhodes Town), Corfu (Agios Gordios, Kavos) or Zakynthos (Kalamaki, Tsilivi).

In Zakynthos you can have a swim at the wide sandy beaches in the company of sea turtles. Take a sailboat, go snorkelling or scuba diving between rocks.

In Crete you can enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities here like hiking, mountain climbing, horse riding, gorge trekking, swimming and more. History lovers will want to explore the many historic and archaeological sites that dot the island such as Knossos Palace, which dates back to the Minoan civilization.

Visit one of the great island harbor towns: Rhodes, Mykonos or Corfu. Explore the medieval towns and fortresses in Corfu and Rhodes. Santorini and Mykonos are honeymoon favorites.

Santorini

Santorini is a beautiful Greek island located in the Aegean Sea, and it is part of the Cyclades island group. It is known for its picturesque villages, stunning beaches, and breathtaking views of the caldera, the underwater crater of a volcano.

One of the most popular villages on the island is Oia, known for its white-washed buildings with blue roofs, as well as its sunset views over the caldera. Another popular village is Fira, the capital of the island, which offers a variety of shops, restaurants and nightlife.
The beaches in Santorini are also a major draw for visitors. Some of the most famous ones include the black sand beaches of Perissa and Kamari, and the red sand beaches of Santorini such as Monolithos and Red beach.
Other popular activities include visiting the island’s ancient ruins, such as the Akrotiri archaeological site, and taking boat tours of the caldera to see the volcano and hot springs up close. Visitors can also take a cable car from Fira down to the old port of Athinios.
Santorini’s Wine production is one of the most famous in Greece, visitors can take wine tours, visit vineyards and wineries and taste the famous Vinsanto and Santorini’s white wines.
Overall, Santorini offers a mix of natural beauty, history, and culture for visitors. With its beautiful landscapes, picturesque villages and great variety of activities, it makes a great destination for a summer holiday.

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