While some equate vacations with nocturnal revelry and loud, busy beaches, others seek only solace, beauty and utter respite. For those yearning for a peaceful island getaway, free from throngs of vacationers cramming streets and shores, we suggest five remarkable Greek islands where the essence of unwinding and recharging can be wholly embraced.
Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo personifies the ideal island for a peaceful sojourn. The harbour town bursting with colours from the charming neoclassical buildings, the slow-paced rhythm of daily life and the cobalt, crystalline waters, set the stage for an unparalleled experience. Here, preparations are kept simple: book your lodgings, unconcerned about their precise location, as the island consists of a single settlement centred around the port. Pack minimal essentials and surrender to the island’s unwinding spirit. Anticipate a slower pace rather than in most beloved islands, and drift along enticing trails that meander to quaint chapels and panoramic spots offering expansive sea views.
Traditional sandy beaches adorned with umbrellas and sun loungers may be scarce, but delight in diving off small rock formations into the stunning azure waters. Noteworthy spots include the Lighthouse, Kavos, Megalo Nifti’s Cape, Agios Stefanos, and Navlakas. Many favour Plakes, just across from the town hall.
Despite its size, the island has several attractions well worth a visit, such as the Paleokastro, built on the ruins of the ancient Doric Acropolis from the 4th century BC, the Castle of Knights, the Lycian Tomb, and the archaeological museum. A trip to the 18th-century monastery of Agios Georgios atop the mountain is strongly recommended. Above all, ensure you experience the awe-inspiring Parasta Cave or Blue Grotto, one of the country’s largest sea caves, where you can even swim.
Sikinos
This slender islet between Folegandros and Ios, is one of the most serene Aegean islands. A quintessential Cycladic island with an arid, stony terrain, vivid blue waters and the classic white cubist houses. It’s home to two key settlements: Alopronia, the harbour, built on an inland ridge, and Chora, with its medieval ambiance, which is split between the Village and the Castle. Limestone-paved alleyways, churches with azure domes, old windmills on tiny hills narrating tales of yesteryears, enchanting beaches with crystal clear waters, pathways leading to tiny, whitewashed chapels and Byzantine monuments, and a mere scattering of houses.
Sikinos guarantees easy-going and ultra-relaxed holidays, at its lovely, easly accessible beaches like the harbour beach, Agios Georgios and Dialiskari. If you’re a hiking enthusiast, consider a trek to Agios Panteleimon for spanning views and fresh perspectives. The island is also known for its outstanding festivals and the “Documentary Days” film festival, hosted every summer at various open spaces around the island.
Nisyros
Nisyros, one of the Dodecanese’s most singular islands, has seen a surge in traveller interest in recent years. Yet, it retains its ruggedly genuine charm and promises laid-back holidays marked by swimming, feasting, slumbering, and endless dives into its bewitching waters. Being a volcano, or more accurately, a submerged volcano peak, Nisyros radiates a surreal allure and mystical aura.
Narrow lanes, whitewashed stone houses, pebbled walkways, vistas of sea and volcano, cosy tavernas, welcoming squares, and crystalline waters for refreshing dips collectively sketch this island’s portrait. The main attraction here, however, is the active volcano, known as Stefanos Crater. This and the island’s intricate network of trails and 23 unique geotopes, along with a rich biodiversity, make it a nature lover’s paradise. For a dip, pencil in Hohlakoi, Pachia Ammos, Gialiskari, Lies and Avlaki. Plus, don’t forgo the healing qualities of a dip in the volcanic springs, a tradition dating back to Roman times.
Halki
Halki is a diminutive island with a solitary settlement, and that alone promises the ultimate reprieve. It may have only one settlement, yet it is an absolute gem. Colourful mansions, neoclassical in their design, adorn almost the entire seafront, and this is the first sight that greets a visitor, as it is the port, the so-called Nimborio. You won’t need a car, just a pair of sturdy trainers to traverse the island’s trails and explore sites like the old, now ruined, capital – the Village – with its medieval castle, dominated by the emblem of the Great Magister of the Order, Pierre d’Aubusson, and its churches, like the quaint stone chapels of Agia Paraskevi, Agios Nektarios, and the Monastery of Agios Ioannis. You’ll swim in Pondamos, the most popular beach, Kania, Yali, Ftenagia, Tracheia – reachable by boat – and also the beaches of Agios Georgios and Aretas.
Leros
Leros, a delightful island marrying Art Deco style remnants of the Italian occupation with traditional Greek island architecture, offers diverse landscapes ripe for exploration. While more developed in terms of tourism than the previously mentioned islands, it maintains a balance, providing tranquil holidays without overwhelming crowds. The island’s port, Lakki, and the capital, Agia Marina, serve as the main points of reference, along with Platanos, Panteli, and Alinda. If a quieter experience is what you seek, opt for settlements like Partheni, Drymonas, Xirokambos, or Temenia.
A must-see is the castle of Leros that stands majestically on a hill above Platanos, the church of Agios Isidoros, built on an ancient temple on a small islet which you can approach by walking, the War Museum and the tunnels created by the Italians on the island. If you’re wondering where to lay your towel, the island has numerous beaches, organised or not, all beautiful such as Vromolithos, Panteli, Alinda, Agia Marina, Xirokambos which is perfect for diving, Duo Liskaria, Krithoni, the ideal for solitude Agia Kioura, Gourna, and others.
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The Unusual Charm of Lakki, Leros: Greece’s Most Bizarre Town
