The Best Greek Islands Paros

Best for Friendly Locals and Long Beaches

Though not quite as big a secret as it used to be, most recently thanks to its cameo in One Day on Netflix, Paros is still one of the quieter islands, mainly frequented by Greeks, island hoppers in the know, and those in search of an authentic taste of Grecian life.

Though the pace here is altogether slower than on nearby islands, such as neighboring Mykonos, there’s still a vibrant restaurant and bar scene in popular Naousa.

The sweet spot though, is that while the island has been gearing up for tourism in a way it hasn’t done historically (thanks, in large part, to the new luxury hotels strung around the coastline).

Much of it remains calmer, more rustic and—crucially cheaper—with villages dotted high and low across the landscape, sprawling out across interwoven pathways (often without car access), and lined with outdoor eateries, private homes, and quaint boutiques selling locally-made wares.

In short, for travelers willing to part with the familiar streets of Santorini or the mecca of the masses, Mykonos, the rewards are sweet, with a charming mix of cubist villages, long beaches and coves, wandering goats, and old monasteries. A mixture of hospitality, informal ease, and wildness.

Where to Stay in Paros

For romance: Cosme or Parocks
For a beachside location: Avant Mar
For views: Mythic
For a private stay: Sunset Airbnb villa for two
For modern design: Parīlio

Santorini

Best for Honeymooners and First-Timers

Cooing American and Chinese honeymooners line up to take selfies as the sun sinks behind Santorini’s caldera, the flooded volcanic crater.

That view may be a romantic cliché, but it still takes your breath away.

A volcanic explosion blew out Santorini’s heart 3,500 years ago, leaving black-sand beaches, vertiginous cliffs in psychedelic hues, and swirling rumors about Atlantis in its wake.

The eruption also preserved the ancient city of Akrotiri under layers of ash, and created fertile ground for exceptional Assyrtiko grapes and Vinsanto wines. (Sample them at Domaine Sigalas and Vassaltis wineries, paired with delicate dishes that let the grapes sing.)

Apart from a boat trip to the smoldering crater of Nea Kameni and hot springs at Palia Kameni, there’s not much to do but gaze at the mesmerizing views from your suite, dangling on the edge of the caldera.

Most places to stay are concentrated in Oia and Imerovigli, but the inland village of Pyrgos is up and coming.

Go for a twilight Bellini at Franco’s Cafe and visit Emporio, with its smattering of old-school coffee shops and Airbnbs.

For a glimpse of Santorini before the onslaught of cruise ships and Instagrammers, explore the quieter south (but keep your discoveries to yourself).

Where to Stay in Santorini

For laidback luxury: Perivolas
For glamour: Nobu Hotel
For romance: Andronis Boutique Hotel
For the wine: The Vasilicos
For groups: Elilia Superior Villa (sleeps 8)
For something unique: Cave house

The Best Greek Islands Crete

Best for Antiquities, Active Adventures, and Sunshine All Year Round

Greece’s largest island and the birthplace of Zeus, Crete has ancient ruins, snow-capped peaks, and beaches galore. Sunshine is pretty much guaranteed year-round, but spring is especially lovely for rambling and sightseeing.

The Minoan palace of Knossos is glorious, despite the steady stream of coach parties (go early: it opens at 8); but there are stunning ancient sites, such as Aptera and Malia, peppered all over the island.

The 10-mile-long Samaria Gorge also teems with pilgrims, but there are hundreds more canyons to explore, often with only the elusive kri-kri (wild goats) for company.

One of the most staggeringly beautiful hikes is through the Aradena Gorge in the wild and rugged Sfakia region, ending at Marmara, a translucent cove on the Libyan Sea, for a cooling dip and lunch at one of Crete’s finest tavernas, Dialiskari.

With the exception of Elounda—a pocket of bling popular with oligarchs—the northeast coast is scarred by over-development.

Head west to the Amari Valley or Apokoronas for authentic villages surrounded by olive and orange groves.

Or go south, where you’ll find the best beaches in Crete—try Ligres, Sougia, or Kedrodasos. Alternatively, take a back-to-nature break at Milia Mountain Retreat, a 16th-century hamlet powered entirely by solar energy.

Everything on the mostly organic menu is grown, caught, or reared locally.

In fact, it’s almost impossible not to eat well on Crete, which produces superb cheese, honey, and olive oil, as well as delicious goat, rabbit, and smoked-pork dishes.

Time slows almost to a standstill in the mountain villages, where locals with formidable whiskers welcome you with shots of raki (Cretan grappa) for breakfast and celebrate saints’ days with a volley of gunshots.

Even the road signs are peppered with bullet holes.

Where to Stay in Crete

For families: Domes Zeen Chania and Cretan Malia Park
For romance: Acros Wellness Suites
For a great location: Blue Palace Resort & Spa
For a village stay: Kapsaliana Village
For a private stay: Azure Awe
For a group: Cien (sleeps 16

Naxos

Best for Endless Sandy Beaches

Naxiots once made considerable fortunes exporting potatoes, cheese, marble, and eme

Locals bequeathed undesirable seaside plots—useless for farming—to their laziest offspring.

When tourists cottoned on to the island’s scores of fabulous beaches, these wastrels found themselves sitting on gold mines.

The west coast of Naxos is fringed with mile upon mile of powdery sands. Agios Prokopios and Agia Anna delight toddlers and teenagers alike with their shallow waters and beach bars.

As you head south, the beaches get wilder: Plaka, where you can gallop across the dunes on horseback, Mikri Vigla for windsurfing and kitesurfing, and crystal-clear Kastraki.

Should you tire of frolicking on the shore, three supersized kouros statues are hidden in the hills and there are dozens of drowsy villages to explore.

Try Kitron, the local citron liqueur, at the Vallindras distillery in Halki, or sample homemade wine and arseniko cheese under the plane trees in Ano Potamia village. No wonder Herodotus described Naxos as “the happiest of islands.”

Where to Stay in Naxos

For romance: Naxian on the Beach
For laidback luxury: Kavos
For a private stay: Eye of Naxos Sky
For families: Hidden Hill)

The Best Greek Islands Naxos

Best for Decadent Parties and Five-Star Hotels

Mykonos had LGBTQ+ clubs and sunrise parties long before rave culture was even invented.

Its bohemian allure hasn’t faded since the 1960s, although the once-naked beaches now have nail bars, personal trainers, and house music pumping out all hours.

The influx of supermodels and superyachts has inspired hot new hotels and restaurants.

The hippest place to show off your abs is Scorpios, a louche beach bar that puts Ibiza’s finest in the shade (book a cabana to watch the sunset).

After hours, it’s always Astra, where you might find Keith Richards chatting up Karolina Kurkova.

The LGBTQ+ crowd has dwindled, but drag queens and oiled bodybuilders make a splash at Jackie O’, overlooking Super Paradise beach.

If the glitzy excess gets too much, escape to Fokos taverna for superfood salads and lamb chops, or Kiki’s, an off-grid grill-shack overlooking Agios Sostis Bay, where even Naomi Campbell has to queue for a table.

Or cruise over to the tiny island of Delos, an archaeological sanctuary that once thronged with 30,000 sun worshippers (the temple is dedicated to Apollo, the Greek god of light).

Where to Stay in Mykonos

For romance: Cali Mykonos
For the party scene: Soho Roc House
For a laidback stay: Once in Mykonos
For families: Santa Marina resort