Must-see attractions in Greek Islands

  • 16 July 2018: Excavations on the Greek island of Delos.

    Ancient Delos

    Delos

    Delos has a special place in Greek mythology. When Leto was pregnant with twins Apollo and Artemis, she was relentlessly pursued by a vengeful Hera – the…

  • Tourists looking at the Phaistos Disc inside the archaeological museum of Heraklion in Crete that hold the most important and complete collection of the Minoan civilisation of Crete on the 28th of August 2022 in Crete, Greece. Many of the artefacts  in the museum come from Knossos, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on the Greek island of Crete. (photo by Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images)
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    Heraklion Archaeological Museum

    Iraklio

    This state-of-the-art museum is one of the largest and most important in Greece. The two-storey revamped 1930s Bauhaus building makes a gleaming showcase…

  • Ruins of the ancient temple on the Acropolis of Lindos.
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    Acropolis of Lindos

    Lindos

    A short, steep-stepped footpath climbs the rocky 116m-high headland above the village to reach Lindos’ beautifully preserved Acropolis. First fortified in…

  • Courtyard at the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes.

    Archaeological Museum

    Rhodes Town

    A weathered, sun-kissed stone lion, visible from the street, invites visitors into the magnificent 15th-century Knights' Hospital that holds Rhodes’…

  • The ruins of ancient Thira, a prehistoric village at the top of the mountain Mesa Vouno, Santorini, Greece.; Shutterstock ID 2073629570; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Ancient Thira

    Santorini

    First settled by the Dorians in the 9th century BC, Ancient Thira consists of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine ruins and is an atmospheric and rewarding…

  • Skiathos, Greece- Avg 10, 2019. People are on vacation at  Koukounaries beach,  Skiathos Island , Greece.; Shutterstock ID 2118799838; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Koukounaries Beach

    Skiathos

    Framed by electric-green pine trees, two forested headlands and a small salt-water wetland, Koukounaries' silky 1200m-long sweep of bleach-blonde sand is…

  • Monastery of St John the Theologian

    Dodecanese

    As this immense 11th-century monastery-cum-fortress remains active, only a small portion is open to visitors. The entrance courtyard leads to a…

  • Monastery of the Apocalypse

    Dodecanese

    Nestled amid the pines halfway to Hora, the Monastery of the Apocalypse focuses on the cave where St John lived as a hermit and received his revelation…

  • Aerial drone view of an old Venetian fortress island and former Leper colony (Spinalonga, Crete, Greece); Shutterstock ID 1809885124; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Spinalonga Island

    Elounda

    Tiny Spinalonga Island became a leper colony in 1903 and catapulted into pop-cultural consciousness thanks to Victoria Hislop's 2005 bestselling novel The…

  • The main church of Arkadi Monastery, symbol of the struggle of Cretans against the Ottoman Empire , Rethymno, Crete, Greece.; Shutterstock ID 586702175; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Moni Arkadiou

    Rethymno Province

    The 16th-century Arkadi Monastery, 23km southeast of Rethymno, has deep significance for Cretans. As the site where hundreds of cornered locals massacred…

  • Elafonissi beach with pink sand on Crete.

    Elafonisi

    Hania Province

    Tucked into Crete’s southwestern corner, this symphony of fine pink-white sand, turquoise water and gentle rose dunes looks like a magical dreamscape. As…

  • Turkish medieval fortress at Ancient Aptera in Chania, Crete, Greece.; Shutterstock ID 1575956149; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Aptera

    Hania Province

    The ruins of the ancient city of Aptera, about 13.5km east of Hania, spread over two hills that lord grandly over Souda Bay. Founded in the 7th century BC…

  • Chania, Greece - April 15, 2017: Exposition of Archaeological Museum of Chania, Greece.
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    Hania Archaeological Museum

    Hania

    The setting alone in the beautifully restored 16th-century Venetian Church of San Francisco is reason to visit this fine collection of artefacts from…

  • The remains of the ancient city of Karthaia founded in the 12th century BC on the south-eastern coast of the Greek island of Kea in the Cyclades archipelago.

    Karthaia

    Cyclades

    From the 8th century BC until the 7th century AD, this remote twin cove was the site of the ancient city of Karthaia, one of Kea's four historic city…

  • Photo taken on April 18, 2022 shows a visitor in the Tunnel of Eupalinos, which is situated in Samos, an island in the eastern Aegean, Greece. The Tunnel of Eupalinos is a water pipeline running through Mount Kastro in Samos, built in the 6th century BC to supply water to the ancient city of Samos. (Photo by Marios Lolos/Xinhua via Getty Images)
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    Evpalinos Tunnel

    Samos

    In a word: extraordinary. In 524 BC, when Pythagorio (then called Samos) was the island’s capital and a bustling metropolis of 80,000, securing sources…

  • The path to the cave of Zeus; Shutterstock ID 1827561248; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Ideon Cave

    Rethymno Province

    Although just a huge and fairly featureless hole in the ground, Ideon has sacred importance in mythology as the place where Zeus was reared by his mother,…

  • ELEUTHERNA, CRETE, GREECE - March 19, 2019. Inside the museum of the archaeological site of ancient Eleutherna, Rethimno; Shutterstock ID 1387762328; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Museum of Ancient Eleutherna

    Rethymno Province

    A must-see for anyone visiting the ruins of Eleutherna is the accompanying modern museum that contextualises the ancient city through the exhibition of…

  • CORFU,GREECE-APIRL 16,2019 : Tourists walking around Palaio Frourio in corfu city; Shutterstock ID 1545626501; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Palaio Frourio

    Corfu Town

    The rocky headland that juts east from Corfu Town is topped by the Venetian-built 14th-century Palaio Frourio. Before that, already enclosed within…

  • Melidoni Crete September 1 2019-Melidoni cave, an amazing historical and archaeological cave with the impressive formations of the stalactites and stalagmites.; Shutterstock ID 1501663331; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Melidoni Cave

    Rethymno Province

    About 2km outside the village of Melidoni is this stunning cathedral-like cave, an evocative underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. A place of worship…

  • HJEKE2 Panoramic view to the ruins of Paleohora, the old capital of the Aegina island located in the Saronic gulf, near Athens, Greece
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    Paleohora

    Aegina

    This enchanting remote hillside is dotted with the remains of a Byzantine village. More than 30 surviving churches punctuate the rocky heights of the…

  • Aerial of the Stefanos volcano crater on Nisyros Island, with the Aegean sea in the background.
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    Caldera

    Dodecanese

    A visit to the caldera is like stepping into a science fiction movie, cows grazing amid strange coloured rocks in what resembles a lunar landscape.

  • Exotic Chryssi island at the south of Crete, with the amazing Golden Beach, Greece; Shutterstock ID 2084304211; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Chrissi Island

    Ierapetra

    Ierapetra is the launch pad for boat trips to uninhabited Chrissi Island (also known as Gaïdouronisi or Hrysi Island). It is famous for its golden beaches…

  • Chania, crete greece - 05 12 2022: Venetian harbour of the pittoresk cretan town with colorful old houses; Shutterstock ID 2227253445; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: digital; full: poi
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    Venetian Harbour

    Hania

    There are few places where Hania's historic charm and grandeur are more palpable than in the old Venetian Harbour. It's lined by pastel-coloured buildings…

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    Moni Agias Triadas

    Hania Province

    Akrotiri Peninsula’s major cultural site, the impressive and beautiful 17th-century Moni Agias Triadas, is an active monastery with a rich library and is…

  • The ancient town of Kamiros.

    Ancient Kamiros

    Rhodes

    Cradled in a natural hillside amphitheatre 1km up from the sea, the remarkably complete ruins of ancient Kamiros stand 34km southwest of Rhodes Town…

  • Aerial view of Livadaki beach on the northwest coast of Samos.

    Livadaki Beach

    Samos

    Follow the north-coast road out of Vathy for 10km and look for a signposted dirt road to the left leading to Livadaki Beach. Here, tropical azure waters…

  • Koules fortress in the old Venetian harbor. Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Shutterstock ID 2256844939; your: Barbara Di Castro; gl: 65050; netsuite: Digital ; full: poi
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    Koules Fortress

    Iraklio

    After six years of restoration, Iraklio’s symbol, the 16th-century fortress called Rocca al Mare by the Venetians, reopened in August 2016 with a brand…

  • Temple of Aphaea in Aegina Island,  Greece. Ancient greek architecture
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    Temple of Aphaia

    Aegina

    The well-preserved remains of this impressive temple stand proudly on a pine-covered hill with far-reaching views over the Saronic Gulf. Built in 480 BC,…

  • Paros Park at sunset.

    Paros Park

    Paros

    This 80-hectare park north of Naoussa features impressive rock formations, caves, hidden coves and gorgeous beaches. There's a lot going on here, with…

  • Ancient pottery in Museum of Prehistoric Thera.

    Museum of Prehistoric Thera

    Fira

    Opposite the bus station, this well-presented museum houses extraordinary finds excavated from Akrotiri, which has been settled since neolithic times…

  • Chios Island, Greece - September 03, 2019 : Koraes central public library view in Chios Island of Greece.; Shutterstock ID 1495179110; your: Erin Lenczycki; gl: 65050; netsuite: Digital; full: POI
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    Korais Library & Philip Argenti Museum

    Chios

    On the upper floor of the remarkable Korais Library, the Philip Argenti Museum contains a 19th-century birthing chair, along with shepherds' tools,…

  • NAXOS ISLAND, GREECE - OCTOBER 24, 2016: Restaurant in Naxos Chora old town, Naxos island in Greece; Shutterstock ID 1946588611; your: Erin Lenczycki; gl: 65050; netsuite: Digital; full: POI
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    Kastro

    Hora (Naxos)

    The most alluring part of Hora is the 13th-century residential neighbourhood of Kastro, which Marco Sanudo made the capital of his duchy in 1207. Behind…

  • Tourist boat anchoring at beautiful Apella beach on Karpathos island, Greece; Shutterstock ID 1194560110; your: Erin Lenczycki; gl: 65050; netsuite: Digital; full: POI
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    Apella Beach

    Karpathos

    However determined you may be to reach Olymbos, allow time to take the precipitous spur road that drops seawards from the east-coast highway 17km north of…

  • Front entrance of Panagia Ekatontapyliani church at the island of Paros in Cyclades, Greece.

    Panagia Ekatontapyliani

    Paros

    The Panagia Ekatontapyliani, which dates from AD 326, is one of the finest churches in the Cyclades. The building is three distinct churches: Agios…

  • Stalactites and stalagmites in the cave of Antiparos.

    Cave of Antiparos

    Antiparos

    Signposted off the main coastal road some 10km south of the port, this huge and atmospheric cave remains impressive despite much looting of stalactites…

  • Ruins in Archaeological site of Aliki, Thassos island,  East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece.

    Archaeological Site of Alyki

    Thasos

    Alluring and easily accessible, the island's crown gem includes the considerable and photogenic remains of an ancient temple where the gods were once…

  • Beautiful sunny coast view to an amazing paradise holiday bay with crystal clear blue water sandy beach, Seychelles, Ikaria island, Greece.
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    Seychelles Beach

    Ikaria

    This small, stunning beach is 3km east of Manganitis. Its marble pebbles, emerald water and giant rocks polished by the waves make you feel you've been…

  • Original Naxian Lions statues in the Archaeological Museum of Delos, a museum on the historic island of Delos, near Mykonos in the South Aegean, Greece.

    Archaeological Museum

    Delos

    A vast haul of artefacts has been protected from the elements and displayed in this must-see museum, including the originals of many of the frescoes,…