Greek Islands
The Greek Islands include over 6,000 islands just off the mainland of Greece. Of these 6,000, only 227 are inhabited, and fewer still are frequented by outsiders. The best way to get to know these islands is first to understand their geographic groupings into which they are divided below, with the exception of Crete— listed separately for its notoriety as a travel destination and its size.
Crete
Crete is the largest island in Greece, located in the south of the Aegean Sea. It is also one of the most popular travel destinations along with Santorini. The island offers a wealth of history and geographic variety for every type of traveler, as well as a coastline of stunning bluffs and beaches next to a brilliantly sapphire sea.
Cyclades Islands
One of the more well-known island groups in Greece, the Cyclades include Santorini and Mykonos, the two most popular islands in Greece. Both are awash in a tourist-flavored industry, but smaller islands, Andros, Amorgos, and Sifnos, are equally beautiful and preserve a degree of local flavor without the commercialized bits of tourist opportunities everywhere. On any of the islands there is a plethora of things to do for everyone from sun-worshippers to active hikers and culinary enthusiasts.
Northern Aegean Islands
They are generally a less popular group than the Cyclades or the Dodecanese, but this in many ways has allowed the Aegean to retain a more traditionally untouched Greek identity than the other frequented clusters of Greek Islands. Of the Aegean, the most famous are Chios, Ikaria (hot springs), Limnos, Lesvos,—full of ancient Greek ruins and churches—Samos, Samothraki, and Thassos.
Saronic Islands
The Saronic Islands are an archipelago situated close to Athens in the Saronic Gulf. Of the group, the cosmipolitan island Hydra is the most popular for the jetsetting bunch, the rest are more popular destinations for vacation homes belonging to the Greeks themselves with a handful of deserted islands open for exploring.
Sporades Islands
The Sporades Islands are an archipelago near the Greek east coast consisting of 24 islands, only five of which are usually inhabited (Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Peristera and Skyros). These islands are known for their spectacularly green landscapes and eclectic beaches, some of the best in Greece. Check out this guide to the islands.
Dodecanese Islands
The Dodecanese refer to a group of 12 larger islands plus the 150 smaller islands in the Aegean Sea near Turkey. They are a group of islands with a particularly rich history, decked with Byzantine churches and medieval castles. The islands have been inhabited since the prehistoric period
Ionian Islands
Consisting of seven islands in total, the Ionian Islands have an interesting history. Ruled by Venice from 1204 for several centuries, the islands eventually acquired Venetian names. Their names today are something of a hybrid between Greek and Venetian nomers—Kerkya (Corfu), Paxi (Paxos), Lefkada (Lefkas), Ithaki (Ithaca), Kefalonia (Kefalonia), Zakynthos (Zante), Kythira (Cerigo). The English names are listed in parentheses. Today, Kerkyra has a population of 113,479; Zakynthos 38,680; Kefallonia 39,579; Lefkada 22,536; Ithaki 3,052; Kythera 3,000; and Paxi 2,438. The main industry is tourism—traditional industries of fishing and agriculture have declined with emigration. Kerkyra is famous for its scenic shorelines and ruins and castles.