Santorini is a shutterbug's dream: sheer rock faces striated in multitudinous shades, villages and towns clinging to the tops of cliffs, the caldera filled with clear deep turquoise water and home to the occasional cruise liner that against the soaring rock facades appears like a toy ship.
Best scenery: Santorini —
Santorini is a shutterbug's dream: sheer rock faces striated in multitudinous shades, villages and towns clinging to the tops of cliffs, the caldera filled with clear deep turquoise water and home to the occasional cruise liner that against the soaring rock facades appears like a toy ship.
Sanjay Surana
Mykonos is Greece's answer to Ibiza, but without the attitude and posturing.
Best nightlife: Mykonos —
Mykonos is Greece's answer to Ibiza, but without the attitude and posturing.
Sanjay Surana
Traditional villages on Naxos are hard to get to, and therefore a tourism-free glimpse into local life.
Best traditional village life: Naxos —
Traditional villages on Naxos are hard to get to, and therefore a tourism-free glimpse into local life.
Sanjay Surana
The island and waves for true giant turbine fans.
Best kiteboarding and windsurfing: Paros —
The island and waves for true giant turbine fans.
courtesy of Rebecca Olsen
With a heavily indented coastline (on a map Milos resembles a mutated crab) and pretty little coves at every turn, Milos has about 80 fine beaches, many only accessible by boat.
Best beaches: Milos —
With a heavily indented coastline (on a map Milos resembles a mutated crab) and pretty little coves at every turn, Milos has about 80 fine beaches, many only accessible by boat.
Zdenek Senkyrik, creative commons
For such a small area -- 99 square miles, the geographic variation is astounding -- Ikaria has rivers and tiny lakes, high forests of pine and oak, and hills at every turn that combine to make it an Elysian Field for outdoor buffs.
Best for nature lovers: Ikaria —
For such a small area -- 99 square miles, the geographic variation is astounding -- Ikaria has rivers and tiny lakes, high forests of pine and oak, and hills at every turn that combine to make it an Elysian Field for outdoor buffs.
Ilias Nokas
Koufonisia's remoteness and lack of tourism-contrived facilities have kept it a hidden bohemia.
Best Robinson Crusoe destination: Koufonisia —
Koufonisia's remoteness and lack of tourism-contrived facilities have kept it a hidden bohemia.
Wendy Hannan
Folegandros, where houses perch on clifftops above bays with crystal clear water, is the perfect escape for lovebirds.
Best couples getaway: Folegandros —
Folegandros, where houses perch on clifftops above bays with crystal clear water, is the perfect escape for lovebirds.
Demmis Nikolarakos
Eat at a traditional taverna (even a touristy one) or kafenio (Greek café) and you'd be hard pushed to have a bad meal, because the raw ingredients are so darned good on Crete.
Best food: Crete —
Eat at a traditional taverna (even a touristy one) or kafenio (Greek café) and you'd be hard pushed to have a bad meal, because the raw ingredients are so darned good on Crete.
Sanjay Surana