Top 10 Greek Islands To Visit - Greece Travel Guide

What's up guys my name is Ryan. In the last few summers I spent exploring Greece and its islands and I want to share with you my favorites so here's my Greek islands top 10. With over 6,000 islands and islets it's safe to say that Greece is home to some of the world's most beautiful islands. From the unique beaches of Crete to the daunting cliffs of Zakynthos, the Greek islands are waiting to be experienced. Let's start this video off on the island of Santorini. I think of all islands in Greece, Santorini is probably the most famous. Hundreds of thousands if not millions of tourists come to this island every year to experience the iconic villages and Mediterranean scenery of the island. I came to Santorini a few summers ago and it lived up to its hype. Now to get there you can take a ferry from Athens or you can also fly there from most European cities. Now one of the most famous places on Santorini is the village of Oia. I mean when you think of Santorini this is what you probably imagine, whitewashed houses, blue roofs, and just an insane backdrop. I went here early in the morning and just had the most incredible sunrise ever. I'd say if you want to come to Oia make sure you visit as early as possible to avoid the crowds. Now a really cool beach on Santorini is Red Beach. It's famous for its maroon colored sand and red cliffs that make you feel like you're on Mars. Another beach I really liked was Vlichata. It's located on the southern side of Santorini and there's just these really unique looking cliffs coupled with a narrow black sand beach. I like this area a lot because it wasn't too crowded compared to the other places. While we were here we got on top of the cliffs and it just was an epic place to watch the sunset. After Santorini we're going to head over to the nearby island of Milos. Now to get to Milos you can take a ferry from Santorini or you can also make the short flight from Athens. A few years ago Milos was relatively unknown but has been growing in popularity and with its incredible landscapes it's easy to see why. The capital of Milos is Plaka. It's this beautiful town that's perched on a hill and overlooks the island. It's a wonderful place to just chill and watch the sunset. Now one of my favorite places on the island is Kleftiko. The easiest way to get here is by taking a boat but you can also hike there. They have these gorgeous white rocks and the water is just crystal clear. When I imagine Greece this is the landscape that I think of. I mean such a stunning place. On your way there you can stop at the Sikhi cave and take a small boat into its cove. Now another really cool spot on Milos is it's not really a beach rather it's a moon-like landscape made of lava that's been bleached by the sun and sea. There is a little beach there and also a swimming hole that opens up to the ocean and there's also some great cliff jumping spots. Now another thing I really loved about Milos is all its fishing villages. There's just several little idyllic villages right on the water. One of my favorites is Mandrakia. It's this tiny little village that has a harbor with colorful garages for the boats. Now afterwards we're going to head over to the island of Mykonos. After Santorini I'd say Mykonos is Greece's second most famous island. It's known for its vibrant nightlife and white buildings. You can reach Mykonos by ferry or plane. Now Mykonos is named the island of wind and there's some really cool windmills that you can check out. Now it's an ideal island if you want to relax during the day and party up during the night. While you're there you can stroll the cobblestone paths or relax on one of Mykonos many beaches. Such an incredible island. After we're going to visit Rhodes. Located in the east Aegean Sea near Turkey, Rhodes is the fourth largest island in Greece and it's full of beautiful landscapes and intriguing history. One of my favorite places on Rhodes is its old town. During the 14th century the Knights of Hospitaller occupied Rhodes and converted a former Byzantine fortress into the palace of the Grand Master. It's one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece. Now one of my favorite places on the island is the town of Lindos. Its crowning feature is its Acropolis that overlooks the city. The first temple that was built here dates back to around 900 BC and over the centuries the Acropolis was added onto by Romans and Byzantines. Today it stands as one of Greece's most well-preserved and popular archaeological sites. After we're going to visit the nearby island of Symi. Now located right above Rhodes just a few kilometers from Turkey's coast, Symi is this idyllic island and it's been nicknamed the jewel of the Dodecanese island group. Now to reach Symi there is no airport so it can only be reached by ferry or boat. If you're staying in Rhodes it can make a great day trip to this little island. The highlight of Symi is its harbor. It's full of colorful houses that overlook the Aegean Sea. Now aside from the harbor the island just offers so many hidden gems, incredible beauty, definitely worth a visit especially if you're already on Rhodes. Afterwards we're going to visit Crete. Now Crete is by far the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean. I mean it's huge and home to some massive mountains and phenomenal scenery. One of my favorite cities on Crete is Chania. The history of Chania is really interesting. During the 13th century it was ruled by Venetians who built the fortifications that can be seen today. I love the lighthouse that overlooks the harbor. It was built in the 16th century and later modified by the Egyptians in the 1800s. One of the most popular beaches on Crete is Balos beach. Now to get there it's about an hour drive from Chania on this dirt road and when you reach the parking lot it's a decent hike down. Now the beach and lagoon are pretty insane. I mean just this remote peninsula with this absolute stunning scenery it's definitely one of the most unique and beautiful beaches in Greece. After we're going to head over to the island of Corfu. Now located right on the border between Greece and Albania, Corfu is one of the greenest Greek islands in my opinion. The island is just so lush especially compared to the other islands in this video. One of my favorite places on Corfu is Porto Timoni. It's this incredible horseshoe shaped bay with beaches on both sides. It's a short hike down there and well worth it with its amazing views. Another interesting spot on the island is Cape Drastis. It's this cliff area with these really unique shaped sea cliffs that are worth checking out especially during sunset. After we're going to visit Lefkada. One thing that's convenient about Lefkada is that if you're already on the mainland you can drive there since there's a causeway connecting the island to the mainland. Now the landscape of Lefkada is full of white cliffs, green vegetation, contrasted with the Cerulean Sea. One of my favorite beaches on the island is Milo's Beach. It's this long stretch of perfect white sand that's the ideal place to enjoy on a summer afternoon. Another really cool spot is Porto Katsiki. It's located more towards the end of the island. It's surrounded by steep cliffs and it just looks so incredible especially during sunset. I mean it's hard to beat the views of this Greek island. Afterwards we're going to the island that's right below Lefkada called Kefalonia. To get to Kefalonia you can take a ferry or a flight over. Kefalonia looks a lot like Lefkada with its white cliffs and green vegetation. One of my favorite places there is the village of Assos. It's this little idyllic village full of colorful houses that's built uniquely on this peninsula as it overlooks the sea. There's this little cove that creates a phenomenal setting. I mean just such a charming Greek village. If you're more into beaches you can visit the famous Myrtos Beach. It's a massive 1.5 mile long white sand beach that's been voted Greece's best beach many times. Another popular place on Kefalonia is the Melissani Cave. According to legend the cave is where the nymph Melissani was drowned after being rejected by the god Pan. Even though the legend is a little depressing it's a beautiful underground lake with crystal clear waters. For our final destination we're going to visit my favorite Greek island Zakynthos. I've been here twice so far and I just keep wanting to come back. It's one of the most impressive locations I've ever been. From thousand foot white cliffs to the bluest water you've ever seen, Zakynthos has it all. The most famous place in Zakynthos is the Shipwreck Beach. Back in the 1980s a cargo ship from Turkey was carrying illegal contraband and the Greece Navy chased them into this cove where it crashed. Over the years the sand has built up around the ship and it's created one of the most visually stunning locations in the world. The is only accessible by boat so I got on one and headed to the beach. I was just baffled by the size of the cliff walls they're over a thousand feet high. After checking out the beach I decided to get a view from the cliffs above. I just had a good time exploring the cliff there's no other site like it. I waited to see the sunset and the view was just as impressive. I was amazed how the ocean water turned into this milky blue color while the setting sun turned the cliffs to an orange hue. It'll be a sunset I'll remember for the rest of my life. One of my favorite things I did on Zakynthos was rent a boat. Me and my buddy George got one and headed off to explore Zakynthos coast. We first went to this little island called Marathonisi. It's a beautiful little island and there's a nice beach you can dock on. After we headed over to this cove on Zakynthos and were surrounded by these gigantic cliffs. We got here later in the day and we pretty much had the whole cove to ourselves. We threw in our anchor and just had a wonderful evening jumping off the boat and enjoying one of the many wonders of Zakynthos. I just freaking love this island. Well that is it for my greek islands top 10. There's still hundreds of islands I left out so I hope to return soon to make more videos on them. Let me know where your favorite greek island is in the comments below. You can find me on instagram and tiktok at shirley.films. It's Ryan and we will see you later.