Greece has over 6000 islands of varying sizes, scattered throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Only 78 of them have over 100 people living on them, but that is still so many to choose from! The Greek Islands are considered by many travellers to be the ideal holiday destination, but how can you determine which island is the most beautiful? If you could only visit one island, which would it be?
Many people have debated over this topic, and it is still not clear which Greek island would win the beauty pageant. However, here are some of the contestants which consistently make it through to the final round:
Santorini
This beautiful island is probably the one that you picture in your head when you are day dreaming about Greece, as it is a frequently photographed stunner. It is actually a volcanic island, located in the Cyclades group. The fact that it was a volcano makes it very unique in its landscape, as it is made of a half-submerged mountain with a volcanic caldera on the top. It’s steep and dramatic hillsides with white-washed houses slope down to the crystal clear blue sea. The sunsets here are stunning, and there are naturally black, white and red beaches.
Samos
In an online poll, Samos Island was voted the most beautiful of all the Greek Islands by tourists. It is one of the North-Eastern Aegean islands, along with Lesbos and Ikaria. Pythagoras, the ancient Green mathematician, made his home here long ago. Samos is filled with crystal clear coastal coves and sandy beaches. There is also an archaeological site with the ruins an ancient temple. The island of Samos is also a popular location for water sports, such as jet-skiing and water skiing.
Paxos
The reason why Paxos is such a stunningly beautiful Greek Island is because it has no airport. It can only be reached by boat, which keeps it unspoiled by large numbers of tourists. There are only 200 people who live year round on this isolated island, and it is one of the most peaceful places you could imagine. Paxos is a great place to soak up the scenery in tranquillity with your loved one.
Ithaca
This island is famous in legend, and was where the great Odysseus was born. Many poems, songs, and other literature have been composed about the beauty of this Greek island. The landscape of Ithaca is different than other islands, as it is very rocky and rugged. This gives Ithaca its own unique sense of beauty. It is also home to the largest natural harbour in the world, and the beaches along the coastline look picture perfect next to the sparkling turquoise waters. Ithaca is made complete with the tiny fishing village of Vathy Town on its southern coast.
These are just a few of the Greek Islands which are considered the most beautiful, but they are all so stunning that it would be impossible to choose a winner. They are each beautiful in their own unique way, and each offers a different experience for the traveller.
Which of the Greek Islands do you think it is the most beautiful? Book cheap Mediterranean cruisesto find out for yourself! Image by davey-boy
