If you are here, that means you probably searched for something like “What are the best Greek Islands?” or “Top Greek Islands.” or “hidden places in Greece” I get it that you are desperate, looking at all those viral Instagram reels and TikToks, marking the best places, foods, activities, and other fun spots for your next Greece trip, or you already planned it and now finding the hidden destination out of crowd and deep in nature, or tasty food spots for your Instagram story.
I hear you, and I understand. Well, it is an exciting work to do, but it gets boring and consumes too much time, and worst of all, after spending hours finding and selecting the Best places to visit in Greece for your bucket list, it turns out not as appealing and amazing as you expected and imagined in your mind. To solve that, my boys (Antigoni's Deli Concept Team) searched and selected the best Greek islands and the hidden spots there.
List of the Top 9 Best Greek Islands
So get ready, we are going to dive into those best Greek islands and explore places that you definitely need to pick for your next visit.
- Rhodes
- Folegandros
- Samos
- Sifnos
- Crete
- Hydra
- Corfu
- Naxos
- Santorini
1. Rhodes: Gateway to a mini heaven
Our first for best Greek islands list is Rhoades; is a beautiful Island, a literal meaning of a mini heaven in itself surrounded with turquoise and blue ocean making it a perfect place for you to squeeze it into your bucket list, my every visit to rhoades island feels brand new, an experience of rich heritage of history, old wonders, and beautiful streets of old medieval town, a perfect alley to enjoy your drink while on a move, and yes don’t make me talk about the amounts of frame, pictures, and snaps you can get here is diabolical, so whether you want to take pictures of sandy blue beaches for your Instagram story or want to unlock the memory of ancient Greece it has everything to offer.
Rhoades also has a very energetic nightlife, banquets, festivals, and restaurants with delicious foods, drinks, and desserts. A perfect blend of beautiful nature and crazy, energetic nightlife, all packed inside this beautiful Greek Island.
2. Folegandros: the hidden beauty
The nightlife of Rhodes is amazing; it’s full of energy, vibrant lights, and strange experiences, in a good way. Let’s take a rest somewhere calm and laid back embedded in Mother Nature, something like a beautiful small island surrounded by the almighty Aegean sea, our second pick for this best Greek islands list is this island, welcome to Folegandros, the hidden beauty of the Aegean sea, untouched by many tourists, even the native people don’t know the significance of this beautiful and peaceful island, this Greek island has brown mountains, with pretty looking white houses, and they all together is going to represent you a vivid image of how ancient Greece was looked like.
If you are a person like me, a nature lover, then this place is going to surprise you with its beautiful, calm beaches, rich alleys, winding hillside roads, and authentic culture. From my personal experience, this is one of the best places to visit in Greece, all because of its laid-back, kinda relaxing, and soothing environment, and don’t forget to take pictures and snaps because the amount of picture spots you’ll get here or Instagram reels you can make on this untouched Greek Island is crazy.
3. Samos: home to the best Greek wines
For our third pick in this list of the best Greek islands, we are going to the island with a deep culinary heritage, and that is Samos, my hometown. A beautiful island in the blue Aegean Sea, soaked with lush green landscape, valleys, and hills, this island got everything you name it, so you'd better come with a lot of storage in your mobile because you're getting a lot of memories from this.
Samos is full of diversification. One moment you’ll see beautiful sandy beaches in a setting sun, the other you’ll be exploring the old ruins, making TikToks, trying the traditional foods at Shop Antigoni's Deli Concept, and after night hits, you’ll find yourself in the vibrant nightlife of the island, and festivals that look like a miniature of ancient Samos. As a native of the island, here are the top things to do in Samos:
- You'd better try this out, even if you find historical places boring. Visit the Tunnel of Eupalinos, and the Heraion, the only thing I’ll say about the experience is unforgettable, and that’s the only thing I can say because I don’t want to spoil the experience.
- Imagine you visit Samos and didn’t try its traditional wine, you are missing out true flavors of life, visit the shiny beaches of Samos, because this island is part of best Greek islands for beaches and drink the sweet wine while watching the golden sun setting, just picture this you are recording these moments, where you enjoy every sip as you see the sun is setting in the vast blue ocean.
4. Sifnos: the beauty without a crown
If you want to explore beauty and charm, then this one is your hit, Sifnos wins the place of best Greek islands, a beautiful island with in vast Aegan sea, the favorite part of this island for me is it’s mesmerize white Chrysopigi Monastery, and scenic views you get from that building are next level, this place is not the first pick for tourist when they visit Greece, but my memorable experiences of this Island speaks to me that they are missing a key memory of their trip.
Sifnos gives very scenic pictures, and a perfect lost island to visit, not only because of the pictures, stories, and TikToks, but the live scenic views this charming island has.
It is also home to the country’s exquisite culinary inventions, which are not only going to fill you up but every bite of it will take you on a little trip of gourmet flavors, although the dishes aren’t here Michelin but the authenticity, and depth of flavors they offer is unimaginable, must try chickpea stew, mastelo, or revithokeftedes.
5. Crete: A miniature Greece
If I were to advise you on only one island out of the best Greek islands to recommend for first-timers in Greece, it would be Crete. Without any doubt, this has it all.
To simply put, why I said “this has it all” earlier is that this Island is a small Greece in itself. It is the biggest island in the country, and comes in different variations.
Anyone visiting first time Greece and is lost, thinking what to pick, then pick this one blindly and add it to your list. You can come here from both Planes and ferries, while passing through Athens. You have the actual ancient ruins like Knossos, beaches that can be featured in a postcard, such as Elafonisi and Balos, dramatic hiking gorges, ancient towns such as Chania and Rethymno, and without any doubt, the best food in all entire Greece (even Greeks will agree with that part).
Crete is a well-connected place as well. You can take a ferry to Heraklion and get to Santorini, or even just fly somewhere in a few minutes. So, if you are thinking where to land, except Athens, you have your answer now.
6. Hydra: budget-friendly island
It’s safe to assume that it is your first time hearing about the Island Hydra, it's not because you are bad at geography or anything, but many first-time visitors and even a large number of tourists haven’t heard about this lost island. Why then did I add a relatively low-key island in this list of the best Greek islands to visit first? Due to the fact that sometimes the best things in Greece are those that do not shout in your face.
If you are itching to enjoy the Island way of life, then this is your place to make your wish come true. It is within a few hours of ferry ride from Athens, Hydra is the perfect place to start your Greek island voyage on an easy, no-stress basis, without necessarily having to embark on an extensive island-hopping trip.
Want to feel like a time traveler? Then prepare yourself because that’s how the best Greek islands feel, due to no cars and only local transport being donkeys (yes, real donkeys), local people with baskets, and cobblestone streets with their paths to the sunbaked cafes, ruins of fortresses, and artist studios. You should stay on the waterfront and have boats coming in as you enjoy your morning coffee, and then you can board a water taxi (a boat) and make the rounds of some of the more peaceful beaches on the island. Plus, you can hike the mountains like the locals by using donkeys, a strange but memorable experience.
7. Corfu: The Island with French touch
Our next destination for the best Greek islands is my favorite one: Corfu. It is the best Greek island to go to, and it’s not a question of why or whether I should go there, because the very existence of this question is stupid; this is by far the amazing Island with amazing features, that you can avail from the trip.
Corfu is located in the deep-carning Ionian Sea, with elegant, clear blue beaches, and lush green mountains. The best part of this island is the medieval French touch it reflects. On our last trip, we enjoyed the cold coffee while walking across the old town, which is a UNESCO-protected town. From the experience I collected, I suggest the first thing you should do is explore the old town. Some other things you get to see are palaces, gigantic French-style fortresses, medieval towns, and rich countryside. Remember, we talked about bringing in more storage space in your devices earlier same thing will apply here, plus you should definitely get a good quality sunscreen here, because the charm of Corfu’s beaches makes you forget about home.
Now, let’s talk about food you’ll get here, due to the rich history and different influence Corfu contains numerous dishes and ways of preparation, I’ll tell you the top picks that you should definitely give it a try: Pastitsada, Sofrito, Bourdeto, and drink it up Corfu Beer.
8. Naxos: Gateway to the temple Apollo
In case you are dreaming of feeling the beauty of the Cyclades without a major loan, Naxos will help you. It has the classic whitewashed houses, sunny bougainvilleas, and sandy beaches that you may be imagining, without the expense and cruise ship congestion. Naxos is a good choice for first time visitors who want to see the best Greek islands.
This is the right island when you need to be relaxed and explore at the same time. Here is the best thing about this island: you get to spend your mornings in the cool waters of the Plaka Beach and your afternoons in the villages of the mountain, and your evenings in the sun setting behind the Temple of Apollo. That is going to be your best moments, words are that the sunset view from Portara is something straight out of fantasy books. You can use both route Air and water to come here from Athens.
Although Naxos is not as popular as its neighbors, it is becoming popular. The word spread (now through the viral social media videos), and it will not remain underrated forever. However, until then, it remains to be of the most hospitable places where you can begin your Greek island adventure.
9. Santorini: the land of magic
For your last pick, go with something magical, something like a fairytale, something melodious, a land with beautiful beaches, mountainous roads, green grassland, and beautiful whitewashed houses with matching blue tombs by the sea. Wondering what is this beautiful Greek islands, it is Santorini, also known as the land of magic and charms, my experience from this land is deep and unforgettable, the scenic mornings mountainous valley, afternoon in magical town and evenings at beach, speaking of beaches if you are fan of beaches then you are getting different colors to choose from, iconic landmarks that you only get to see on wallpapers and postcards.
Closure: Picking the best Greek Island for You
For the first time, visitors don’t overthink and overcomplicate things. I know you want to get the best outcome possible, and trust me, you will be surprised. There is no kind of trip you intend to go there that you can miss an island that catches you, and there’s no single island crowned as the best Greek island.
If you love wildness and fan of nightlife, go to Samos or Rhodes. Feel like being on those relaxing beaches and beautiful villages without emptying your wallet? Naxos is your best call. Something more local, less publicized, and less noisy? Sifnos and Hydra are it. And in case you're looking for an island to cover everything, then you have Crete, let’s call it your miniature Greece.
And if you are still confused about what to pick, I got you. You can check Discover Greece, where I talk about the things in different personas.
FAQS
What is the most famous thing of Rhoades to visit and post on Instagram?
The place you should not skip in your Rhodes trip is the medieval part of this Island. It is by far the best place to take pictures and upload them on social media with captions like just wake up in medieval Greece, or time travel to ancient Greece.
Why is Samos known as the best place for Greek foods and meals?
Oh, because Samos has a very deep relation with the cooking in history books, we can see the rich story of Samos practicing traditional culinary arts and preparing the traditional Mediterranean dishes.
What are the best places to pick up souvenirs and Greek food items?
You should definitely pick some souvenirs for your friends and family, and also for you, because why not? I suggested you choose the old and traditional markets and handicrafts over the malls, famous places. You can visit Antigoni's Deli Concept for the delicatessen foods in Greece.
