These 4 Authentic Greek Islands Have Smaller Crowds & Cheaper Prices

Dreaming of a picture-perfect, Mamma Mia-coded summer season, with loads of island-hopping, whitewashed cities topped with blue-dome church buildings, and all of the souvlaki you’ll be able to eat?

Until you may have a giant finances and a need to go on a splurging spree, perhaps you’ll need to avoid Santorini, Mykonos, Ios, and the like: beautiful as they might be, they get pricier with each passing yr, and it isn’t just like the crowding is dwindling, both.

Fortunate for you, Greece remains to be a rustic of over 200 islands. It is simply that vacationers can not help however flock to the identical locations yearly.

Listed here are 4 Greek islands which have not fallen sufferer to TikTok, and that can make a jam-packed Oia pale as compared with their unspoiled Aegean appeal and cheaper costs:

Kythira

A largely unheard-of island south of the Peloponnese peninsula, Kythira is ringed by sandy seashores and peppered with all of your Greek must-haves, from quaint hilltop settlements to jaw-dropping monuments relationship again centuries.

Its capital and largest city, Chora, has slender alleys that lead as much as a Thirteenth-century Venetian fortress, whereas Avlemonas is the extra idyllic sister, overlooking a scenic bay, and Mylopotamos, additional inland, attracts in wine lovers with its family-run Porfyrousa Property, well-known for its dry rosé.

Kythira’s best attraction, nevertheless, is its myriad seashores: it’s located between two of essentially the most lovely branches of the Mediterranean Sea, the Ionian and the Aegean, and belief us after we say the water is at its clearest in that ‘in-between’ zone.

Assume Kaladi Seaside, a sandy strip backed by picturesque cliffs and pine timber, straddling teal-colored seas, Melidoni, with its shallow waters and comfy beachfront taverns, and even Chalikiada, a secluded pebbly cove identified to host the occasional naturist.

Thassos

A type of offbeat North Aegean gems that should not have an airport, and which might be solely accessible by ferry from the mainland, Thassos is without doubt one of the most lush islands in Greece, with a densely forested hinterland and historical cities constructed from stone.

Your first level of entry will doubtless be Limenas, the island’s capital, proper on the coast, and on the foot of an acropolis, however with a view to discover a few of that selfmade olive oil and fresh-out-the-oven koulourakia, you will have to go up the mountain in direction of Theologos:

That includes Thassos’ landmark quarry-stone homes and cobble-paved alleys, it’s the island’s most picturesque city—ask any native, they usually’ll inform you you have not likely been to Thassos till you have tried katsikaki (roast goat) in a tavern up right here.

For extra Thassos, take a look at Panagia, yet one more historic settlement additional up within the mountains, dotted with ouzo bars, drive down in direction of Potamia, nestled in a valley, inside brief strolling distance of lovely waterfalls, and for a style of the native, laid-back nightlife, there’s nowhere higher than Potos.

Syros

A small Aegean island solely about 10 miles lengthy from north to south, and 5.6 miles at its widest level, Syros is positioned proper on the coronary heart of the Cyclades, the identical island group that features Santorini and Mykonos, although it is normally ignored by vacationers.

A culturally-charged hotspot, it’s best identified for Ermoupoli, capital of each the island itself and your complete Cyclades, a string of coastal villages the place time appears to have stood nonetheless for hundreds of years, and crowd-free seashores hugged by turquoise waters.

Ermoupoli is, with out query, the primary attraction right here: a port city dominated by a blue-dome cathedral, it’s characterised by its marble-paved pathways, Neoclassical homes, and buying scene, significantly alongside Eleftheriou Venizelou Road.

For those who’re seeking to expertise Syros past the hustle and bustle of Ermoupoli, nevertheless, you will need to head out to Ano Syros, a hilltop settlement criss-crossed with medieval cobbled lanes, Kini, a fishing village on the west coast, and Galissas, a preferred resort city straddling a sandy seaside.

Chios

Mendacity simply off the Turkish Coast, Chios is Greece’s fifth-largest island, and someplace you could possibly simply keep in a whole week (or two), and nonetheless not run out of fantastic sights and enjoyable issues to do, beginning with Chios City:

Like most Greek island capitals, it sits on the waterfront, besides this one is simply distinguished by its assortment of well-preserved historic windmills, occupying a stone jetty stretching out into the ocean, a contemporary promenade lined with seafood eateries, and a full of life atmosphere.

For those who love medieval historical past, then you’ll be able to’t miss out on the trio of Mastic Villages: Pyrgi, the place townhouses are clad in black-and-white-patterned tiles, Mesta, with its maze-like grid of winding alleys and defensive partitions, and Olympi, raised from stone again within the Center Ages.

Cannot get sufficient of the tradition? Nea Moni is an eleventh century Byzantine Monastery, and UNESCO World Heritage Website a brief 13-minute drive inland from the primary port—now, if you happen to love unruffled seashores and will do with a tan, Apothika, close to Mesta, or maybe Agia Dynami would possibly simply do the trick.

Going to Greece this summer season?

Be sure you examine the entry guidelines making use of to U.S. passport holders prematurely utilizing our TOP Entry Checker Requirement.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead author at Journey Off Path, has over 60+ international locations beneath his belt (and at the moment weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative tales that can have you ever packing your luggage.