Top 10 Greek Islands to Visit in 2027

1. Santorini

Santorini ranks first because no other Greek island matches its caldera setting combined with this level of access. The island is the crescent remnant of a volcanic eruption, with Oia and Fira perched on cliffs above the water, both free to wander. Akrotiri, the Bronze Age town buried by that eruption, charges €12. Ferries from Athens take about 5 hours; flights take 45 minutes.

This suits couples and photographers over budget travelers. Summer doubles run €150–€300, and cave suites in Oia routinely top €300–€600 in July and August. Beaches are volcanic rather than soft — Red Beach, plus black sand at Perissa and Kamari. Naxos below delivers comparable Cycladic scenery for roughly half the nightly rate, but without the caldera. Visit in May, June, or September.

2. Naxos

Naxos ranks second because it delivers Cycladic beauty at roughly half Santorini's cost. Doubles run €60–€100. The largest island in the Cyclades is also the most self-sufficient, with farms, marble mountain villages, and long sandy beaches at Agios Prokopios and Plaka. The Portara, a giant marble temple doorway by the harbor, is free and frames the sunset. Ferries from Athens take 3.5–5.5 hours.

This is the pick for families and budget-minded travelers who want one island to cover everything. It trades Santorini's caldera drama for range: Mount Zas hiking, the Kastro's 13th-century Venetian castle, and Apeiranthos inland. Food is a genuine draw — local graviera cheese, potatoes, and kitron citron liqueur in family tavernas. Crowds thin considerably after the day-trippers leave.

3. Milos

Milos ranks third for dramatic scenery without Santorini's crowds, at doubles of €80–€150. Sarakiniko is a stark white moonscape of wind-carved volcanic rock, free to visit. The Kleftiko sea caves are boat-only, typically €40–€70 for a day trip. The island holds more than 70 beaches, each with different rock and sand color. The original Venus de Milo was found here.

This fits travelers willing to drive for scenery rather than have it outside the hotel door. Public transport is limited, so a rental car or quad bike is effectively required to reach the scattered coves. Klima's syrmata boathouses sit at the waterline; hilltop Plaka handles sunset. Compared to Naxos above, beaches are stranger and more photogenic but harder to reach. June through September.

4. Crete

Crete ranks fourth on sheer variety — it is Greece's largest island and a destination rather than a stop. The Palace of Knossos near Heraklion charges €15. The pink-sand Elafonisi and Balos lagoons in the west are free, though parking and boats add cost. The Samaria Gorge hike is about €5 for a 16-km descent. Doubles run €50–€120.

This suits travelers with a full week and no interest in ferry-hopping. The trade is distance: driving between regions takes hours, so most visitors pick one base — Chania for the west, Rethymno for the center, Agios Nikolaos for the east. Chania's old Venetian harbor is the prettiest town. Two airports beat Milos above for access. Cretan food runs on olive oil, wild greens, and raki.

5. Rhodes

Rhodes ranks fifth for combining history, family resorts, and direct international flights. The medieval Old Town is the best-preserved in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site free to walk. The Palace of the Grand Master charges €10 and the Acropolis of Lindos €12. Doubles run €60–€130. Good beaches sit on both coasts, and the sunny season often stays warm into October.

This works for families wanting resort infrastructure alongside real history. It trades the Cyclades' whitewashed-cliff aesthetic for a bigger, more developed Dodecanese island near Turkey. Hilltop Lindos is the scenic highlight, reached by a steep climb or donkey ride. The Valley of the Butterflies draws Jersey tiger moths in summer for a small fee, and pastel-harbored Symi is an easy ferry day-trip.

6. Mykonos

Mykonos ranks sixth because its appeal is nightlife rather than scenery, and it charges the most for it. Summer doubles often run €150–€400, and beach clubs at Paradise and Super Paradise charge €30–€100 for a sunbed pair in peak season. Wandering the maze-like Chora and photographing the 16th-century windmills costs nothing. Little Venice is the signature waterfront.

This is for travelers who want glamour, cocktails, and a lively scene, and it trades away value outright — Paros below offers similar beaches and food at €70–€140. The sacred ruins of Delos are a quick boat away, €12 site fee plus the crossing. June and September dodge the steepest prices while keeping the bars open.

7. Corfu

Corfu ranks seventh for greenery and a mild climate rather than Cycladic starkness. The Ionian island is lush, with strong Venetian and British history. The Old Fortress in Corfu Town charges €6, and the Achilleion palace built for Empress Sisi of Austria runs €10. Doubles sit at €50–€110. The cliff-backed Paleokastritsa beaches are the postcard image.

This suits families wanting resorts and shade over whitewashed villages. Access is easy — ferries from the mainland or direct European flights — and the Albanian coast is visible across a narrow strait for a side trip. Readers of the Durrell memoirs will recognize the setting of My Family and Other Animals. Pelekas village and its "Kaiser's Throne" viewpoint give a free sunset sweep across both coasts.

8. Paros

Paros ranks eighth on balance: decent beaches, good food, and nightlife without Mykonos prices. Doubles run €70–€140 against Mykonos's €150–€400. The two towns, Parikia and Naoussa, carry the island — Naoussa's fishing harbor is free to enjoy, as is the 4th-century Byzantine church Panagia Ekatontapyliani. Windsurfers favor Golden Beach on the east coast.

This is the smartest base for an island-hopping trip, since Paros is the central hub of the Cycladic ferry network with frequent fast boats to Santorini, Naxos, Mykonos, and Milos. It trades away a single knockout landmark — nothing here matches Sarakiniko or the caldera. A short ferry reaches car-free Antiparos next door and its stalactite cave.

9. Zakynthos

Zakynthos ranks ninth on coastal drama that is mostly seen from a boat. Navagio, or Shipwreck Beach, is among the most photographed beaches in the world and reachable only by boat tour at €25–€40. The Blue Caves on the north coast are another boat-only highlight, with glowing turquoise water. Doubles run €55–€110. Laganas Bay is a protected loggerhead sea turtle nesting site.

This fits families wanting easy beaches plus one genuinely spectacular sight. The catch is access: viewpoint access to Navagio has been restricted at times for safety, so check current rules before booking. Compared with Corfu above in the same Ionian sea, Zakynthos is drier and less green but has the more famous single beach.

10. Hydra

Hydra ranks tenth as the lowest-effort escape rather than a full week's destination. It sits 1.5–2 hours from Athens by fast ferry, and there are no cars or scooters at all — transport is by foot, donkey, or water taxi. The preserved 19th-century stone harbor town is free to explore. Doubles run €90–€180 in the Saronic Gulf.

This is for a quiet, elegant day trip or overnight, and it trades away beaches entirely: swimming is from rocky platforms and small coves, not sand. Artists and writers have long come here, Leonard Cohen among them. Anyone wanting sand and a longer stay should take Zakynthos or Paros instead; Hydra rewards travelers short on time.

How we ranked these

Ten islands were scored on five weighted factors: scenery and coastline drama, beach quality and variety, ease of access from Athens or direct European flights, food culture, and value against 2026 high-season lodging rates. Entry fees were checked against published site pricing — Knossos €15, Akrotiri €12, Lindos Acropolis €12, Delos €12 — and typical double-room bands recorded per island, from Naxos at €60–€100 up to Mykonos at €150–€400.

Deliberately ignored: Instagram follower counts, hotel-brand prestige, and nightlife rankings, which reward marketing spend rather than the trip itself. Also excluded were islands with no scheduled ferry link from Piraeus or Rafina, since a 2027 trip that needs a charter isn't a realistic first booking. Winter conditions were set aside because most island businesses close November through March, making off-season comparison meaningless.

Related questions

How many Greek islands can you realistically visit in one week?

Two, or three if they sit on the same fast-ferry line. Cyclades hops like Paros–Naxos–Santorini run roughly one to two hours each, but every move costs a half-day of packing, port time, and check-in. Most travelers get more from a five-night base plus one two-night neighbor than from four rushed stops.

Is Santorini worth the price compared with Naxos?

For the caldera view and the Oia sunset, yes — nothing else in Greece matches that setting. But you're paying €150–€300 a night in summer, versus €60–€100 on Naxos, largely for the vista. If beaches, hiking Mount Zas, and taverna food matter more than the cliff panorama, Naxos delivers more trip per euro.

Which Greek island is easiest to reach from Athens?

Hydra, at 1.5–2 hours by fast ferry from Piraeus, with no flight or overnight required. It's car-free, so transport on arrival is foot, donkey, or water taxi. Santorini is 45 minutes by air or about five hours by ferry, and Naxos runs 3.5–5.5 hours by boat depending on the vessel.

Do you need a rental car on a Greek island?

On Milos, effectively yes — public transport is limited and the best coves are scattered, so a car or quad bike is standard. Crete also demands one, since driving between Chania, Rethymno, and Agios Nikolaos takes hours. Hydra bans cars entirely, and Santorini's compact clifftop towns are walkable with buses filling gaps.

Which islands are best for families with young children?

Corfu and Crete. Corfu's lush Ionian setting, mild climate, and cluster of family resorts keep doubles at €50–€110, and mainland ferries make arrival simple. Crete's two airports and €50–€120 rooms suit longer stays. Zakynthos adds loggerhead turtles nesting in Laganas Bay, which children remember longer than any beach club.

What does island-hopping actually cost in the Cyclades?

Budget separately for boats and beds. Fast-ferry legs between neighboring Cycladic islands typically run under two hours, and Paros sits at the network's center with frequent links to Santorini, Naxos, Mykonos, and Milos. Boat-only sights add real money: Milos Kleftiko tours are €40–€70, and Zakynthos Navagio access runs €25–€40.

Which island has the most unusual beaches?

Milos, with more than 70 beaches and a different rock color at nearly every one. Sarakiniko is a wind-carved white moonscape and free to visit. Santorini competes with volcanic Red Beach and the black sand at Perissa and Kamari, while Crete's pink-sand Elafonisi and Balos lagoon draw the biggest crowds in the west.

Is Mykonos worth visiting if you don't drink?

The Chora maze and the 16th-century windmills are free and genuinely beautiful, and the boat to the ruins of Delos costs €12 plus fare. But you're paying €150–€400 a night in summer for a nightlife premium you won't use. Paros offers similar Cycladic charm and food at €70–€140, with quieter evenings.

FAQ

Which Greek island is best for a first visit?

Santorini and Crete are the two easiest starting points. Santorini packs the iconic scenery into a compact, walkable island, so a first-timer sees everything without ferry logistics. Crete is large enough to fill a week on its own, mixing beaches, Minoan history, and real towns. Both have direct flights from Athens and many European cities.

When is the best time to visit the Greek islands?

Late May to mid-June and September deliver warm seas, sunny days, and noticeably lower prices than the July–August peak. Those two windows also soften crowds in Santorini and Mykonos, where high-season rates climb hardest. July and August run hottest and busiest, while many island businesses close entirely from November through March.

How do you travel between the Greek islands?

Ferries are the main link, run by lines including Blue Star and SeaJets, with the Cyclades the best-connected group. A Santorini–Naxos hop takes roughly two hours by fast ferry, and summer sailings should be booked ahead. Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, and Corfu also have airports, so you can fly one leg and sail another.

Are the Greek islands expensive?

It depends sharply on island and season. Mykonos and Santorini sit at the top, with summer doubles frequently above €200 and beach-club sunbeds at €30–€100 a pair. Naxos, Paros, and Corfu keep comfortable rooms at €60–€110. Eating at local tavernas and traveling in shoulder season pulls the total down substantially.

Which island has the best food?

Crete, by most accounts — its cuisine is built on olive oil, wild greens, and local raki, and family tavernas often close a meal with a free round and dessert. Naxos runs a close second thanks to its farms, producing graviera cheese, celebrated potatoes, and kitron citron liqueur you won't reliably find elsewhere.

Can you visit the Greek islands without flying?

Yes. Piraeus and Rafina ports connect Athens to the entire Cyclades network by sea, and Hydra is only 1.5–2 hours out by fast ferry. Corfu is reachable by ferry from the Greek mainland, which also puts an Albanian coastal side trip within range. Only distance and time change, not access.

What is there to do beyond beaches?

Plenty. Rhodes has Europe's best-preserved medieval Old Town, a UNESCO site that's free to walk, plus the Palace of the Grand Master at €10. Crete's Samaria Gorge is a 16-km descent for about €5. Naxos offers the hike up Mount Zas, and Santorini's Bronze Age Akrotiri site charges €12.

Which island is quietest?

Hydra. It bans cars and scooters outright, so the preserved 19th-century stone harbor town stays remarkably calm, and it has long drawn artists and writers — Leonard Cohen among them. Swimming is from rocky platforms rather than sand, which keeps beach crowds away. Doubles run €90–€180 for that quiet.

Is Navagio Beach on Zakynthos still accessible?

Reach it by boat tour at €25–€40, and the Blue Caves on the north coast make a natural pairing on the same trip. Viewpoint access above the beach has been restricted at times for safety reasons after cliff instability, so confirm current rules before booking. The shipwreck itself remains one of the world's most photographed beaches.

Which island works best as an island-hopping base?

Paros. It sits at the center of the Cycladic ferry network with frequent fast boats to Santorini, Naxos, Mykonos, and Milos, so you can day-trip outward and sleep in one bed. Doubles run €70–€140, the towns of Parikia and Naoussa are pleasant, and car-free Antiparos is a short hop away.

Sources

• https://www.visitgreece.gr/
• https://www.gtp.gr/
• https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/493/
• https://www.lonelyplanet.com/greece/the-greek-islands
• https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Santorini
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/greek-islands
• https://www.heraklionmuseum.gr/en/knossos-archaeological-site/

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