Here you will find incredible views, silence, and peace.
Snow-white towns nestled against steep coastal cliffs, bright blue domes of churches against the blood-orange sunsets of the Aegean Sea, and all kinds of postcard-worthy beaches surrounded by turquoise seas. Italy, Spain, and France may have their own charms, but when it comes to Mediterranean resorts, no country can match Greece, which consists of 227 islands.
The publication Travel off path has named five incredible places in Greece that everyone should visit at least once in their lives.
Monemvasia
Croatia has the world-famous city of Dubrovnik, but Greece boasts perhaps a more beautiful, more mystical, and much less crowded Monemvasia, a walled gem that has yet to be ruined by mass tourism.
Located on a huge rocky island connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited fortified settlements in Europe, with cobblestone streets, centuries-old stone houses, and small squares with rock-cut churches.
Most of what you see dates back to the Byzantine era, and unlike many coastal cities in Greece, it escaped the worst of the European wars and the Ottoman conquest.
The only way to get here is through a narrow isthmus, which made attacking it a nightmare – no wonder it remained virtually untouched – and even now the road doesn’t reach the Old Town, so there are almost no cars here. Therefore, if you’re driving, you’ll either have to park on the mainland and walk, or leave your car on the side of the road just outside the walls.
Unlike places like Santorini or Mykonos, Monemvasia is not about night parties and beach raves. Instead, it’s about slowing down, exploring the fortress walls, visiting all the taverns along the waterfront, and enjoying the sunset from the observation decks of the Upper Town.
Hydra
There is no more peaceful, old-fashioned, and dreamlike Greek island than the beautiful Hydra. This island, which is easily accessible by ferry from Piraeus, the main port of Athens, is famous for its complete ban on all wheeled vehicles. The only three ways to get around Hydra are on foot, by water taxi, or on a donkey.
Only necessary vehicles, such as emergency vehicles, garbage trucks, and a few cargo carts, are allowed, and even these are subject to strict licensing and limited quantities.
The main settlement, also known as Hydra, is a classic Greek island town: white houses arranged in an amphitheater around a picturesque harbor, ornate bell towers, and patios shaded by bougainvillea, flanked by family-run taverns.
Hydra is approximately 12 miles long and only a few kilometers wide at its widest point. Most of the beaches are easily accessible from the city, such as Kamini, a small pebble bay near the village of the same name, which is a 20-minute walk from the city, and Vlychos, a more remote beach with taverns that can be reached within 30-40 minutes on foot or by boat taxi.
Ioannina
Located on the shores of the pristine Lake Pamvotis, Ioannina is a historic city that has blended Byzantine roots with an Ottoman flair. Here you will find quaint townhouses with classic wooden sarayli balconies, cobblestone lakeside promenades, and squares where mostly gray-haired old men still feverishly play with their prayer beads, waiting for the evening to arrive.
The Ottoman fortress and Turkish-style bazaars are cool, but if you don’t have much time and don’t plan to stay overnight in Ioannina, take the nearest boat to the island of Pamvotis, located right in the middle of the lake.
It is about 700 meters long and can be fully explored in less than an hour. The island is home to many historical monasteries, traditional houses owned by several local families, and craft shops.
Ioannina is a rather peaceful city, but the island of Pamvotis has a special magic. It is like a city within a city, and the best part is that the boat crossing takes only 15 minutes.
Castellorizo
There are only 594 permanent residents on the island. It is located 78 miles east of Rhodes, the nearest inhabited Greek island, and is separated from the Turkish coast by only 1.2 miles of water. The only way to get there is by flying from Rhodes or taking a ferry. If you are in Kasha, a Turkish town on the opposite side of the strait from Kastellorizo, a boat ride will only take 10-20 minutes.
Despite its geopolitical status, Castellorizo has not completely shed its Turkish heritage, with a bright red minaret towering over a cluster of pastel-colored neoclassical houses.
Located on top of a steep hill, the castle of the Knights of St. John was built to repel foreign invasions from Asia Minor, and just a stone’s throw away from the island itself is Ro, a rocky island associated with Lela Karagianni, known as the Greek Joan of Arc.
Mount Athos
If you’ve ever looked at a map of mainland Greece, you may have noticed three narrow peninsulas jutting out into the Aegean Sea, almost like fingers. These are the three fingers of the Chalkidiki, a favorite vacation spot for residents of Thessaloniki, known for its golden beaches, peaceful coastal towns, and monastic communities.
The first two peninsulas are fully under Greek jurisdiction, but the third, which is centered on Mount Athos, is technically an independent republic within Greece. It is essentially an Orthodox Vatican.
Everyone is excited about Meteora and its monasteries that hang from the cliffs, but Athos has even more impressive monasteries that are home to hundreds of monks. Some of these monasteries were built over a thousand years ago, and their location on the cliffs near the coast makes them particularly breathtaking.
If you want to mark Mount Athos, then you should know that you need a “visa” – Diamonitirion, but only men can get it. Women are strictly forbidden to set foot on the peninsula. This rule dates back to Byzantine times and was intended to preserve monastic chastity and spiritual focus. Today it is enshrined in Greek law and protected by the Constitution as a religious exception.
Women can visit Ouranupoli, the last city on the mainland, or take a boat tour to see the ancient monasteries from the water.