Greece is one of the most popular travel and holiday destinations for tourists worldwide. Places like Thassos, the Olympic Riviera, or Halkidiki have become true Balkan tourist territories for Romanians, Bulgarians, and Serbians. Once you arrive, you hear the homeland’s language spoken at every turn. Other Greek islands are very popular for international wanderers: Lefkada, Corfu, Zakynthos, Rhodos, Crete… and then the cosmopolitan Santorini and Mykonos are invaded by hoards of tourists in high season.
But what do we do if we want to get to a quieter Greece? Or what do we do if we’ve visited pretty much everything that’s very ‘commercial’ and want new places, perhaps not so exploited and taken over by the on-the-beaten path tourists? I wrote here about a foray into northern Greece, which is related to the country’s superb mountainous area.
But below, I’ve selected 10 lesser-known Greek islands, showing their main sights, best beaches, best hotels and restaurants, and how to get there. The selection includes examples from several archipelagos because, as we know, the diversity of Greece’s islands makes them all the more beautiful and… magnetic. You will therefore have a preview as a travel suggestion. For each island, please click on the link.
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When we say Ithaca, Homer’s Odyssey immediately comes to mind. Where Odysseus, the hero of the Trojan War, returns home after ten years of battles and adventures among monsters, cyclops, and mermaids to his beloved Penelope, who is waiting in his kingdom, the island of Ithaca. Where is Ithaca? In the Ionian Sea, near a much more touristy island – Kefalonia. You could even say that Ithaca is a smaller, quieter replica of Kefalonia.
Legend aside, Ithaca is an island inhabited since the 2nd century BC, initially ruled by Mycenaeans. During the Hellenistic period and the Middle Ages, Ithaca’s population declined sharply under Venetian rule, and the war with the Turks left the island virtually uninhabited. Today, however, Ithaca is a picturesque island with a relaxed atmosphere. Ithaca offers secluded beaches and mountain villages steeped in stories and legends for visitors.
Read the article about Ithaca Island: sights, beaches, hotels, restaurants, how to get there
