How to discover Greece’s lesser-regarded islands like a regional

A perennial beloved between holidaymakers, Greece consistently ranks amid the major 10 getaway places in Europe.

But now it wishes visitors to get to know lesser-known places throughout its thousands of sprawling islands.

“We’re transferring outside of sea and sunlight. We want to extend the tourism period in both time and area,” Olympia Anastasopoulou, secretary-typical for tourism coverage and advancement at Greece’s Ministry of Tourism, explained to CNBC Vacation.

For that, the country is investing in its additional remote places, which includes Syros, Amorgos and Milos, as aspect of its “All you want is Greece” campaign.

To simplicity overtourism, common hot spots these as Mykonos and Santorini are becoming repositioned as shoulder period destinations.

“It’s our target for individuals islands to grow extra in seasonality, too. We would like it for the tourism flows to be expanded in other months,” stated Eleni Mitraki, director of tourism advertising at the Greek National Tourism Business, noting the year could run March as a result of November.

The ideas coincide with the growth of direct flights from the United States to Greece in March 2023.

Now, Germany and the U.K. stand for Greece’s major inbound tourism marketplaces by earnings, adopted by the United States, France and Italy. Even so, Anastasopoulou claimed even more growth from other markets, most notably Canada and India, is anticipated.

Below are CNBC Travel’s top picks to get you off the overwhelmed observe in Greece.

Rock climbers’ paradise

Positioned within Greece’s Dodecanese island chain in the southeastern Aegean Sea, Kalymnos is famous for its sponge-diving — underwater diving to collect natural sponges from the seabed — which introduced sizeable prosperity and recognition to the island in the preceding century.

Far more not long ago, the island has grow to be a world-renowned area for rock climbers, with far more than 3,000 climbing routes spanning the many crags, caves and overhangs of its rugged landscape.

Kalymnos’ tourism season peaks in the slide with the Kalymnos Climbing Pageant. But journey junkies can get their kicks year-round, with a host of other things to do which include scuba diving, climbing and boating.

How to get there: Kalymnos can be very easily attained by boat from close by Kos, with crossings having 45 minutes by ferry and 25 minutes by speedboat. In large period, it is really also accessible by plane from Athens. 

Haven for heritage buffs

Ios, also recognized as Io or Nio, is located among Santorini and Naxos, and was when found completely as a bash location. But the Cyclades island has revamped its impression more than new yrs to embrace its historic and purely natural attributes.

Household to 1 of Greece’s most ancient archaeological settlements, the Skarkos monument, Ios also offers a strong link to the Greek epic poet, Homer, who is said to have favored the island and, probably, finished his days there.

Together with history, readers to Ios can also examine its plentiful shorelines, and mountaineering and diving places, right before tucking into some of the nearby cheeses for which the island is famed.

How to get there: There is no airport in Ios. The island can be accessed by ferry or speedboat from both equally Athens and the other Cyclades islands. It can also be achieved by helicopter from Santorini.

Motion picture lovers’ delight

Skopelos grew to become renowned as the filming site for the hit musical rom-com “Mamma Mia,” and has given that emerged as a preferred destination for weddings, honeymoons and film excursions.

Portion of the Skopelos archipelago in the northwest Aegean Sea, the island brings together gorgeous seashores and picturesque villages with a host of diving, yachting and biking routes.

Legend has it the island was founded by the son of the Greek god of wine. And nevertheless numerous of its vineyards were destroyed by pests in the 1940s, smaller-scale, domestic creation proceeds to this working day. In the meantime, natively developed plums, almonds, chestnuts, figs, citrus fruits, olives adorn the local cuisine.

How to get there: Skopelos is reachable by ferry or speedboat from the port metropolis of Volos on Greece’s mainland. Solutions run calendar year-spherical, with further routes from other islands included in superior period.

Mountaineering retreat

A person of most significant islands of the Cyclades and just two several hours from the Greek mainland, mountainous Andros has a different landscape of forests, waterfalls, beach locations and regional vegetation, creating it perfect for an outside escape.

Site visitors can take a look at the island through its significant network of climbing trails, or attempt their hand at windsurfing or scuba diving, ahead of sampling the area cuisine.

Arts and lifestyle enthusiasts can test out Andros’ assortment of monasteries, galleries and museums, including the Archaeological Museum of Andros and the Museum of Present-day Artwork.

How to get there: There is no airport in Andros. The island can be achieved by ferry from Rafina port on the outskirts of Athens.

Isle of innovation

1 of the Dodecanese islands, Astypalea has a loaded ancient record. But it is positioning by itself firmly in the 21st century with the target of turning out to be the very first sustainable and intelligent island of the Mediterranean sea.

As element of a offer with the Greek federal government and Volkswagen, Astypalea options to put into action islandwide, zero-emission mobility by 2030, with standard car or truck rentals to be replaced with electric autos, e-scooters and e-bikes. Somewhere else, charging factors and renewable electrical power resources will also be extra.

Tourists arriving on the so-identified as Butterfly Island can also delight in its normal landscape, house to stunning beach locations, rocky hillsides and varied flora and fauna, as perfectly as its picturesque villages of bougainvillea-clad white houses.

How to get there: Astypalea is available from Athens by equally ferry and aircraft.

Island-hopping

Surrounded by a necklace of 24 islets with dozens of blue-green beaches, Lipsi in the Dodecanese is regarded the Polynesia of the Aegean Sea and an eco-paradise.

With a wealthy expanse of flora and fauna protected by the European Union, the island is house to assorted wildlife, like Mediterranean monk seals and sea turtles. Dolphins are also popular in the location, and a new Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary for dolphins is set to open quickly on the island.

Holidaymakers can love times put in boating, diving, seaside-dwelling and mountaineering, before tucking into seafood dishes and experiencing local festivals, these kinds of as August’s wine celebration.

How to get there: Lipsi is only obtainable by ferry or velocity boat, with frequent companies managing from Athens and Leros.

Divers’ delight

Alonissos, portion of the Sporades team of islands, is a diver’s paradise and the internet site of Greece’s initial underwater museum. That includes “Parthenon of the Wrecks,” a person of the most significant Classical-era shipwrecks dating again to 425 B.C., the site delivers leisure divers a special insight into the region’s record.

The island is also residence to the Countrywide Maritime park of Alonissos and Northern Sporades, currently Europe’s greatest marine secured region, providing visitors the prospect to see a extensive array of plants and animals.

Kayaking, mountaineering and cycling are between the other things to do available on the island, even though museums and a area theater group showcase the island’s arts and culture scene.

How to get there: Alonissos can be accessed both by aircraft or by ferry from the ports of Volos, Agios Konstantinos and Kimi.