The Greek Islands

Skopelos, Sporades Islands

There are some 1400 islands around Greece of which 169 are inhabited. In fact, more than a fifth of Greece's land area is made up of islands. Most of the islands are spread throughout the Aegean between mainland Greece and the Turkish coast. There are two large islands in the Aegean: Crete and Evia. The remaining islands are in four main groups: the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the islands of the north-east Aegean, and the Sporades. Away from the Aegean the other two groups are: the Saronic Gulf islands south of Athens and the Peloponese; and the Ionian islands between Greece and Italy.

The Saronic Gulf islands are very close to Piraeus, the main Athens ferry port and attract many Greek holidaymakers. The four major islands are Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses. Hydra has an attractive port and has long attracted artists and musicians, including (at one time) the Canadian poet Leonard Cohen. Spetses has attractive beaches and a lush interior.

Crete is the largest of all the Greek islands with a long and important history in the mediterranean.The ancient Minoan capital of Knossos has been (somewhat garishly) restored but is a definite must-see for anyone with an appreciation of the past.

• The Greek Islands
• The Ionian Islands
• Corfu
• Kefalonia
• Zakynthos (Zante)
• Crete
• Cretan History
• Cyclades
• Paros
• Rhodes