An expert's honest review of every (major) Greek island

Telegraph

03-03-2025

It would be easy to think that one Greek island is pretty much like another. After all, they belong to the same country, swelter under the same – almost inevitably blazing – sun, and promise the same laid-back vibe. Their tavernas, reassuringly, offer the same delicious staples. In my decades of exploring them, however, I've discovered plenty of differences.
From the Minoans to the Romans, the Venetians to the Ottomans, successive invaders have left their mark on each island's culture, habits, clothes, music, and even food. A major hub of Western civilisation's earliest maritime trade routes, the Cyclades are littered with ancient sites, while the Dodecanese – occupied by the Italians from 1912 to 1943 – reveal a strong Italian influence, not only in the local dialect which uses a lot of borrowed words, but also in the cuisine – pizza obviously, but also in half a dozen pasta specialities that you won't find elsewhere.
Crete, birthplace of the mysterious Minoan civilisation, and the island Greeks themselves know as the megalo nisi (the big island), is a world all in itself – head for any village kafenion (Greek café) and you're bound to hear raki-fuelled talk of epanastasi (revolution), reflecting the islanders' oft-voiced (if not acted-upon) desire for independence.
So which should be on your travel bucket list? Which lesser-known spots are worth a visit, and which aren't worth the effort? Below, I've listed the 50 largest Greek islands. In ascending order, I've offered my candid verdict on their all-round visitor appeal, and given them a mark out of 10.
You may not agree, of course, in which case, please leave your comments below.
One of Greece's most LGBT-friendly destinations, this Cycladic island, whose emigrants helped build Athens, populating the picturesque Anfiotika district at the foot of the Acropolis, is like Mykonos before mass tourism. Expect feet-in-the-sand beach clubs, cosy bars and oodles of designer wear, without the whopping price tags.
My verdict: 5/10
49. Sikinos
'Sandy beaches make it a big hit with Greek families'
Population: 253
A welcome breath of authenticity in the centre of the Cyclades, this low-key island is a big hit with Greek families. They come here in summer for the gloriously sheltered sandy beaches and return in winter to eat katsiki lemonato (goat in lemon sauce) and other specialities in its handful of tavernas which – unlike those on neighbouring islands – stay open all year round.
My verdict: 7/10
48. Agios Efstratios
'Inhabitants cling doggedly to their own customs'
Size: 16.7 square miles
Population: 250
A prison for political dissidents during the Junta years (there's a museum telling the story), the island's few remaining inhabitants cling doggedly to their own customs on this chunk of rock, 30 kilometres south-west of Lemnos. There's not a great deal to entice tourists, with just one main village, beaches linked by dirt tracks, and a taverna serving dishes including locally caught lobster.
My verdict: 2/10
47. Psara
'The best lobster linguine you'll ever taste'
Size: 17.2 square miles
Population: 420
Dubbed 'the heroes' island' by Greeks because of its vital role in the country's 1821 War of Independence, the pristine waters of this rocky island, a short ferry ride from Chios, belong to Greece's largest lobster fishing ground. This translates as tavernas serving the best (and cheapest) lobster linguine you'll ever taste.
My verdict: 4/10
46. Nisyros
'As spectacular as Santorini – but without the crowds'
Population: 1,048
Seen from the air, this volcanic atoll is easily as spectacular as Santorini. Unlike that overtouristed island, however, Nisyros is an uncrowded time warp. Life is centred around the volcano-rim village of Nikia and capital Mandrakis, whose labyrinth streets lead to a medieval castle built by the Knights of St John.
My verdict: 6/10
45. Skiathos
'Come for white-sand beaches and raucous nightlife'
Size: 19.3 square miles
Population: 5,802
Cosmopolitan Skiathos has lively nightlife, but away from the main town this lush island's white-sand beaches, ancient archaeological sites and far-flung monasteries are perfect for lovers of nature and culture. Greeks flock here for tavernas serving katsikaki me patates (goat with potatoes) and other delicious dishes.
My verdict: 5/10
44. Hydra
'Traffic-free streets attract a bohemian crowd'
Population: 1,966
Expect cutting-edge galleries and boutique boltholes on this Saronic island, a ferry hop from Athens, whose striking stone mansions (including one that belonged to Leonard Cohen) and traffic-free cobbled streets have attracted a bohemian crowd – from Chagall to Callas – for decades.
My verdict: 6/10
43. Tilos
'A twitcher's paradise'
Population: 780
The first certified zero-waste island in the world, this unspoilt spot midway between Kos and Rhodes is a twitcher's paradise. Squeaky clean beaches and a surprisingly lively capital also make a visit worthwhile.
My verdict: 7/10
42. Symi
'A cosmopolitan island that lures yachties'
Population: 2,580
The Dodecanese's most cosmopolitan island, Symi's clock tower, fish market and Battenberg-cake-coloured shipowner's mansions lure yachties, who park in the harbour and climb the Kali Strata, the 500-stepped stairway to the heaven that is Chora's tavernas, with their breathtaking sunset views.
My verdict: 5/10
41. Kasos
'Perfect for would-be Robinson Crusoes'
Size: 26.8 square miles
Population: 1,088
Surprisingly for such a tiny island, Kasos in the Dodecanese has four blue-trimmed villages replete with kafenions, along with its very own ancient Mycenaean acropolis and an impressive gorge that locals have dubbed Greece's 'Grand Canyon'. Sand-strewn islets perfect for would-be Robinson Crusoes are a five-minute boat hop away.
My verdict: 5/10
40. Leros
'A barren place with curious attractions'
Size: 28.6 square miles
Population: 7,992
Beach holidays are not really a reason to visit this barren isle, once home of a notorious psychiatric hospital dubbed 'Europe's guilty secret' and still littered with architectural projects built on the orders of Mussolini, part of his attempts to Italianise the Dodecanese. Fans of curious historic attractions will be fascinated, however.
My verdict: 3/10
39. Sifnos
'Foodie delights abound'
Size: 28.6 square miles
Population: 2,777
From white cheese matured in wine lees to marzipan sweet amygdalota, foodie delights abound on this Cyclades island where chef Nicholas Tselementes wrote Greece's first cookbook in 1910. Some of the region's loveliest dusky sand beaches are the icing on the cake.
My verdict: 5/10
38. Serifos
'Sandy Psili Ammos beach regularly wins awards'
Population: 1,241
The vivid contrast between rocky, arid landscapes riddled with mining tunnels, Cyclades-style blue-trimmed houses and long scoops of sandy beach (Psili Ammos regularly wins awards) lends plenty of charm to Serifos. Having some of Greece's best seafood tavernas doesn't hurt, either.
My verdict: 6/10
37. Mykonos
'Avoid it in high season'
Size: 33 square miles
Population: 10,704
With the celebrity-loved clubs of Psarou and Super Paradise Beach, and the designer shops of pretty Chora, also known for its windmills, the glitziest Cyclades island needs little introduction. Given the shocking prices and elbow-to-elbow overcrowding, however, there are plenty of reasons to avoid it, especially in high season.
My verdict: 3/10
36. Aegina
'Lively nightlife and a sprinkling of archaeological sites'
Population: 12,911
An hour's ferry ride from Piraeus, the island where Nikos Kazantzakis wrote Zorba the Greek is also well known for its nightlife. Although there is a sprinkling of archaeological sites to add cultural appeal, its beaches aren't the best.
My verdict: 4/10
35. Santorini
'A poster child for overtourism'
Size: 35 square miles
Population: 15,480
Magnet for honeymooners and Instagrammers, and poster child for overtourism, Santorini's spectacularly beautiful caldera definitely merits the hype, but its most popular parts get overwhelmingly busy. When you're tired of playing sardines in Fira's narrow streets, however, there is a lesser-seen traditional side to this volcanic island found in villages away from the caldera.
My verdict: 4/10
34. Salamis
'Beyond the unattractive main town, there are a few pleasant surprises'
Size: 37.1 square miles
Population: 37,220
Just a hop from Piraeus port, the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf was the site of a naval battle that changed the course of history. It's gone downhill since then. Beyond the unattractive main town, however, there are a few pleasant surprises, including a 4th-century funerary monument and a couple of sandy beaches.
My verdict: 2/10
33. Skopelos
Size: 37.2 square miles
Population: 4,518
Britons might come here for Mamma Mia! tours, but Greeks take the ferry to this lush Sporades island to laze on white-sand beaches and scoff prickly platters of gemistoi achinoi (stuffed sea urchins) and other local treats in its string of traditional tavernas.
My verdict: 7/10
32. Kythnos
'Dusty trails lead to snowdrop-white chapels'
Size: 38.7 square miles
Population: 1,568
Expect mainly Greeks on this rugged island, a short ferry hop from Athens, whose unsung charms include blue-trim houses set against a backdrop of arid land stitched together by drystone walls, where dusty trails lead to snowdrop-white chapels (one for every day of the year, apparently).
My verdict: 4/10
31. Syros
'The unsung queen of The Cyclades'
Size: 39.3 square miles
Population: 21,124
Dominated by its two picturesque main towns – Ermoupoli and Ano Syros – perched upon separate hilltops, this is the unsung queen of The Cyclades. Highlights include a wealth of tavernas serving succulent local specialities, friendly locals, lovely beaches – and even its very own opera house.
My verdict: 9/10
30. Ios
'This party island now attracts a more sophisticated crowd'
Size: 42.1 square miles
Population: 2,299
Dogged by its party-island reputation for decades, new hotels like Calilo and Liostasi, overlooking the blond-sand beaches for which this Cyclades island is famed, are attracting a more sophisticated crowd. Main town Chora is still best avoided on Saturday nights, however.
My verdict: 5/10
29. Astypaleia
'A contender for Greece's most peaceful island'
Population: 1,376
It's known as the 'butterfly island' because of its central peninsula separating two 'wings' of land – one with near-empty beaches and the other home to the windmill-studded Chora, the island's only village. With a fleet of electric vehicles to get around, Astypalea is a contender for Greece's most peaceful island.
My verdict: 6/10
28. Ithaca
'It's a real odyssey just to get there'
Size: 45.5 square miles
Population: 2,862
With no direct flights it's a real odyssey just to get to this Ionian island, once a favourite haunt of Aristotle Onassis and Jackie O, where legend says Odysseus was born. Highlights that make the trip worthwhile include the intense blue waters of Kioni's fjord-like bay.
My verdict: 5/10
27. Amorgos
'It has retained most of its charm'
Size: 48.8 square miles
Population: 1,961
Despite the free-diving opus The Big Blue being filmed here back in the Eighties, Amorgos has managed to maintain most of its original charm, possibly because most of its main sights, including the lofty 10th-century Panagia Hozoviotissa monastery, and Lagada's traditional kafenions, are so hard to reach.
My verdict: 6/10
26. Alonissos
'Home to shipwrecks and pristine beaches'
Population: 2,804
Pristine beaches and a vast marine reserve, home to a thrilling underwater park with shipwrecks dating back to the 5th century BC, are the main lure for the handful of tourists who make it to this remote island in the Sporades, an hour's boat ride from Skiathos.
My verdict: 6 /10
25. Kalymnos
'My favourite lesser-known island'
Size: 51.9 square miles
Population: 16,411
My favourite 'hidden gem' Greek island? This fascinating sponge diver's isle, where kafenions in the capital Pothia serve unique dishes like xtapodokeftedes (octopus meatballs), and Easter celebrations involve flinging live dynamite from the surrounding mountain peaks, would probably be it.
My verdict: 10/10
24. Kea
'Off the mainstream tourist radar – for now'
Population: 2,335
Favoured by weekending Athenians and divers who come here to explore shipwrecks in the Kea Underwater Historic Site, this island's forested interiors and car-free capital have flown under mainstream tourist radars. A recently opened outpost of top-notch luxury resort One&Only could change all that.
My verdict: 5/10
23. Milos
'A siren call for Instagrammers'
Population: 5,302
Striking Sarakíniko beach, surrounded by a lunar landscape of chalk-white volcanic rock, is a siren call for Instagrammers. Out of season, however, you'll have the translucent seas and idyllic beaches of Milos, where the Venus de Milo (now in the Louvre) was discovered, almost to yourself.
My verdict: 6/10
22. Samothrace
'Ignored by tourists but loved by Greeks'
Size: 68.7 square miles
Population: 2,596
Famed for its seawater-drinking goats, whose tender meat is a base for countless dishes, northerly Samothrace's rugged volcanic interior, eerie landscapes and grainy yellow beaches are a turn-off for most tourists – a happy fact for the handful of Greeks who spend summer holidays here.
My verdict: 4/10
21. Paros
'The new Mykonos is on the cusp of being overtouristed'
Size: 75.8 square miles
Population: 14,520
With celebrities flocking to buy villas and influencers bleating about 'the new Mykonos', picture-perfect, windmill-studded Paros (and satellite atoll Antiparos) are on the cusp of being overtouristed. Out of season there are still a few pockets of authenticity – but you'll need to look hard to find them.
My verdict: 4/10
20. Skyros
'A hippy vibe floats over the island'
Size: 86.1 square miles
Population: 2,870
A hippy vibe floats over this island, where pint-sized horses roam freely, yoga centres flourish, and tiny traditional villages – whose tavernas serve island speciality astakomakaronada (lobster spaghetti) – have barely changed since great war poet Rupert Brooke was buried here in 1915.
My verdict: 6/10
19. Ikaria
'This place is all about slowing down'
Size: 98.6 square miles
Population: 8,843
One of only five Blue Zone regions in the world, the island where inhabitants 'forget to die' is all about slowing down: throwing away your watch, taking long siestas, soaking in hot springs and sipping tsipouro in laid-back kafenions are de rigueur if you want to fit in.
My verdict: 5/10
18. Kythira
'An adventure lover's paradise'
Size: 108 square miles
Population: 3,354
Just off the southernmost tip of the Peloponnese peninsula, this hard-to-reach island is an adventure lover's paradise where swimming in gushing waterfalls, hiking to idyllic pristine coves and exploring half-abandoned frescoed chapels is a constant leitmotif.
My verdict: 5/10
17. Kos
'The perfect all-rounder'
Population: 37,089
Families love Kos, and it's easy to see why. This Dodecanese island, where the father of modern medicine Hippocrates was born, has nightlife for teens, silky beaches for toddlers, and archaeological sites and family-run wineries for mum and dad – definitely the perfect all-rounder.
My verdict: 6/10
16. Tinos
'Expect magnificent scenery'
Size: 120 square miles
Population: 8,934
Expect magnificent scenery and a string of lost-in-the-past villages on this mountainous Cycladic island, whose roads wind up through bizarre rock-studded landscapes. Sculptors have chipped away at the local translucent marble since antiquity – even the main church of Panagía Evangelístria, a major site of pilgrimage, is made of it.
My verdict: 7/10
15. Karpathos
'Go soon, before it's ruined'
Size: 125.4 square miles
Population: 6,567
Greeks have flocked to this faraway Dodecanese atoll for decades, but tourists are only just starting to discover Karpathos' pine-covered hillsides, blonde-sand beaches and mysterious mountain villages where women still go about daily life in colourful traditional costume. Go soon, before it's ruined.
My verdict: 7/10
14. Lefkada
'Oodles of spectacular beaches'
Size: 128.8 square miles
Population: 21,900
Linking to the mainland by a causeway, the island where poet Sappho leapt to her death is one of only a handful that can be reached by road. Oodles of spectacular isolated beaches and some excellent fish restaurants make the trip well worthwhile – it's also a popular island for sailing.
My verdict: 5/10
13. Andros
'It attracts a bohemian crowd'
Size: 150 square miles
Population: 8,826
The second largest Cyclades island, and one of the lushest, Andros attracts a bohemian crowd, who come to hike trails leading to beautiful waterfalls and far-flung monasteries, or admire the works in the Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art in cobbled-streeted capital Chora.
My verdict: 5/10
12. Thassos
'The most stunning beaches you can find this side of the Caribbean'
Size: 150 square miles
Population: 13,104
A ferry ride from the Macedonian city of Kavala, this less touristed isle has some of the most stunning white-sand beaches you can find this side of the Caribbean. A generous sprinkling of archaeological sites and alpine-style villages add to the idyll.
My verdict: 7/10
11. Zakynthos
'There more to it than the notorious nightlife'
Size: 156.6 square miles
Population: 41,180
From the pristine beaches of Zakynthos Marine Park, to the labyrinthine streets of the rizochoria 'root villages', there's a lot more to the island dubbed 'flower of the Levante' by Venetians than its over-Instagrammed shipwreck and notorious Laganas nightlife.
My verdict: 6/10
10. Naxos
'Authenticity in spades'
Size: 170 square miles
Population: 20,578
Unlike glitzy sisters Mykonos and Santorini, the Cyclades' largest island, littered with its Easter Island-like kouroi statues, has authenticity in spades. Highlights include four-mile Agios Prokopios, one of Greece's loveliest beaches, along with a string of mountain villages where daily life is blissfully undisturbed by the tourist hordes.
My verdict: 9/10
9. Samos
'A spiritual centre'
Size: 184 square miles
Population: 21,900
One of Greece's most easterly outposts, Samos gets the earliest sunrise, which is fitting for an island that was an important spiritual centre in ancient times. Apart from a clutch of fascinating archaeological sites, having its own airport is also a major boon.
My verdict: 6/10
8. Lemnos
'A haven of peace'
Size: 184.4 square miles
Population: 17,752
A striking blend of sand dunes, pastures and rugged mountainscapes, this volcanic isle, which was a base for the British Empire forces during the Gallipoli campaign, is a haven of peace. Be sure to try the island's syrupy muscat of Alexandria, which is the Mediterranean's oldest wine.
My verdict: 5/10
7. Corfu
'A perfect combination of Greekness and Britishness'
Size: 235.9 square miles
Population: 99,134
Combining just enough 'Britishness' to make it feel familiar (philharmonic orchestra; Prince Philip connections; ginger beer on the menu) with the 'Greekness' of cosy tavernas, plus the sheer charm of its Unesco-listed Old Town, Corfu – known as Kerkyra to Greeks – is cosmopolitan, and a great fit for families
My verdict: 8/10
6. Kefalonia
'Untrammelled in the wake of Captain Corelli's Mandolin'
Size: 298 square miles
Population: 32,642
Thankfully untrammelled in the wake of Captain Corelli's Mandolin, the blockbuster film adaptation of Louis de Bernières' novel, Kefalonia's charm can still be found in forested mountains – home to the wild hare that features in traditional stews – and its dusky-sand beaches loved by rare sea turtles.
My verdict: 6/10
5. Chios
'Crams charm into every corner'
Size: 325.2 square miles
Population: 50,361
From pistacia lentiscus trees that produce the island's unique mastixa gum (try the mastixa ice cream at Pagoto Kronos) to geometric xysta wall decorations in villages like Pyrgi and Olympi and hideaway beaches (including my favourites Didima and Vroulidia), Chios crams charm into every corner.
My verdict: 7/10
4. Rhodes
'A magnet for culture vultures'
Size: 540.8 square miles
Population: 125,113
Home of the Lindos Acropolis and Europe's oldest inhabited medieval city, regal Rhodes is a magnet for culture vultures. A slew of chic beach resorts and glitzy nightlife venues bring the largest of the Dodecanese islands bang up to date.
My verdict: 7/10
3. Lesbos
'Beyond the yoga centres, glorious golden beaches abound'
Size: 631 square miles
Population: 83,755
Birthplace of 7th-century BC poet Sappho, this island just off the coast of Turkey, where punch-packing aniseed spirit ouzo was invented, is a favourite with alternative lifestyle seekers. Beyond the yoga centres, however, glorious golden beaches and traditional tavernas abound.
My verdict: 6/10
2. Evia
'Britons are only just cottoning onto its appeal'
Size: 1,422 square miles
Population: 207,726
A short drive from Athens, Evia is a favourite getaway for Greeks. Bizarrely, Britons are only just cottoning onto the appeal of the country's second-largest island, where forested interiors swoop to meet fine golden-sand beaches, and lost-in-the-past resorts bubble with healing hot springs.
My verdict: 7/10
1. Crete
'A dose of everything Greece does best'
Population: 624,408
With stunning landscapes, spectacular beaches, world-renowned archaeological sites, one of the world's healthiest diets, and a reputation for philoxenia (welcoming strangers), the Mediterranean's fifth-largest island is a concentrated dose of everything that Greece does best.
My verdict: 10/10
Don't agree? Have your say in the comment section below