7 Of The Best Greek Islands To Visit In 2025

Have you set your sights on Greece for your next big holiday? Check out our guide to Greek island hopping before you book. We asked Natasha Martsekis, CEO and Founder of Bright Blue Villas to take us through what each of the major islands has to offer, including the best picks for families, food, wellness and more.

Greek Islands: A Guide

Villa Elvire, Paros

Best For Families/Multigenerational Travellers: Paros

The island of Paros, which rises out of the heart of the Cyclades, has unrivalled natural landscapes and sandy beaches that offer a unique holiday destination in Greece for those seeking water sports adrenaline, coupled with all the wonders of island living.

Paros beaches are famous for their turquoise waters and golden sand. Golden Beach in the south is particularly popular for swimming with families and teenagers, while neighbouring New Golden Beach attracts windsurfers and has in the past been the venue for the Windsurfing World Championships. 

Pounda Beach, overlooking Antiparos, is a paradise for kitesurfing fanatics, as the Meltemi winds create the perfect conditions for those who seek to master the waves on their kite boards.

Don’t Miss: The island action is centred around the unique little town of Naoussa, once a pirate port, where numerous waterfront restaurants, tavernas, bars and quaint shops can be found in the buzzing, labyrinthine streets. Along the coastline or perched on the hills, sugar-white villages, byzantine monasteries and hiking paths make Paros a perfect destination for the off-season months like May, September and October.

Where To Stay: Extraordinary, newly built six-bedroom Villa Elvire is located in a serene landscape in eastern Paros, and offers rare views of moon-shaped Molos Bay, just 15 minutes away from Naoussa. brightbluevillas.com

Villa Ismena, Antiparos

Best For Star-Spotting: Antiparos

Just less than one nautical mile across from Paros, Antiparos is a small island with white and blue houses, cobbled streets and a Venetian castle located right in the historical centre of the coastal town. Think Instagrammable restaurants in tiny alleys, and neighbourhoods full of gardens and bougainvilleas.

The western part of Antiparos is rugged and volcanic, creating numerous caves and white cliffs perfect for boat day trips where you can jump in the turquoise waters from porous sandstone rocks, before heading off to admire the islet of Despotiko, where recent excavations have discovered an important late archaic sanctuary which seems to have been devoted to Greek god Apollo.

Don’t Miss: Bump into Tom Hanks, an Antiparos regular among other Hollywood celebrities, and swim the channel between Paros and Antiparos in an open sea race of 1.1 nautical miles, an event which takes place every year in early July.

Where To Stay: Combining eco-friendly design with modern Cycladic luxury, seven-bedroom Villa Ismena boasts incredible views of the Aegean horizon, and a 25 meter infinity pool next to an open air amphitheater. Feel like practicing an ancient Greek tragedy during your holidays? This is the place for you. brightbluevillas.com

Villa Idalia, Patmos

Best For Culture And Quiet Glamour: Patmos

A small Greek island in the complex of the Dodecanese, Patmos has gained worldwide recognition as the holy place where St John wrote the Book of Revelation and is renowned as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Patmos has evolved over the centuries but has not lost its air of tranquility.

With no direct airport service, this island has maintained a spiritual atmosphere, and over the years has attracted royals and other notable guests. Lace-like beaches and volcanic-formed bays, some accessible only by boat, offer unique views to the surrounding islands and even the Turkish coastline. The Holy Monastery of the Apocalypse in Chora dominates all views; it is a must-see labyrinth of cells and arcaded courtyards that looks like a Byzantine castle and was built like a fortress. Its famous library, dating back to 1073, consists of 3,000 printed books and thousands of documents.

Don’t Miss: The annual Patmos Festival in early September is staged in the grounds of the Apocalypse Monastery, and showcases top-notch Greek and international choral performers.

Where To Stay: Villa Idalia, a 380-sqm recently renovated villa with a very large private roof terrace with seating, boasting an unrivalled 360-degree view of the Monastery, the port, the iconic windmills and the Aegean sea. brightbluevillas.com

Syros

Best For A Peaceful Break With Venetian Class: Syros

Syros is a beautiful island only two hours’ ferry ride from Athens and 40 minutes by high speed ferry to buzzing Mykonos, and yet it still feels like you are visiting another world.

Although Syros belongs to the Cyclades islands, its architecture is more Venetian. Different cultures and influences have created the character of the island over many years, demonstrated through its colourful alleys, historical churches and stunning public buildings that are also proof of a past glory. One of the island’s best kept secrets is the Cave of Pherecydes, close to Ano Syros, named after the philosopher who lived there around 600 BCE. It is well worth a visit, as the views across the Aegean islands from the cave are spectacular.

Family-friendly beaches like Kini, Galisas and Agathopa are ideal for spending a whole day under the Greek sun while sipping some local wines at the nearby tavernas. In Poseidonia and Galisas, windsurfers and kite surfers will love the waves.

Don’t Miss: Visit the famous Apollon Municipal Theatre, built in 1864 on Vardaka square in the heart of the town, designed by the Italian architect Pietro Sampo as a small replica of La Scala in Milan. During the summer months, look out for theatrical performances, concerts, exhibitions, dance events and musical performances taking place at the island. 

Where To Stay: Villa Cressida located in Poseidonia, a beautiful four-bedroom property by the sea that mixes traditional charm with modern style. With touches of nautical design, such as steel parts from an old ship, the villa has a unique and cosy atmosphere, ideal for a relaxing family vacation. brightbluevillas.com

Villa Callas, Mykonos

Best For The Jet-Setting Nightlife: Mykonos

Uber-trendy Mykonos, regularly included in roundups of the world’s must-visit islands, is a rather small island in the Cyclades drawing an amazing mix of jet-setters, families and tourists every year, who come here not only for the sandy lace beaches, but for the party scene and the glamorous atmosphere. Stroll around its narrow marble streets filled with stylish shops and restaurants, admire the whitewashed houses with vividly colourful doors and discover hidden churches with purple bloom bougainvilleas in their yards.

In a unique setting where glamour meets simplicity, you can opt for casual barhopping in your flipflops, or dress up and soak in the atmosphere in world-famous restaurants and beach bars that gather the ‘see and be seen’ crowd of the island.

Visit Mykonos in early June or early September, and don’t get too carried away by the island’s party vibe and leave without spending a day full of ancient history in the little island of Delos, the cradle of Cycladic civilization and now a UNESCO Heritage Site.  

Don’t Miss: A day boat trip to Rhinia, a small islet 15 minutes away, a blue water paradise of white sand and crystal clear waters. Perhaps the perfect opportunity to take off your designer beachwear for the day?

Where To Stay: Villa Callas is one of Mykonos’ largest residential estates built on aesthetically landscaped grounds close to Agrari Beach. This exquisite villa, designed by Ed Tutle, offers a heated pool, a secluded heliport, a cinema room, a cosy firepit and a leather padded half basketball court. Don’t you already feel like a movie star? brightbluevillas.com

Villa Olivia, Sifnos

Best For The Foodie Scene: Sifnos

Sifnos is a little island in the western Cyclades, the richest of all its neighbours according to the historian Herodotus. It’s an island of unparalleled elegance, authentic Cycladic environment of perennial character and has a rare Mediterranean-rich food tradition. Look out for tavernas tucked away in terraced hills offering local specialties including revithada, fennel fritters and chickpea croquettes.

Meanwhile, monasteries on the coastlines, close to pebbly beaches, await visitors to discover their graceful beauties. Sifnos harbour, idyllic Kamares with picturesque, white Cycladic houses, challenges you to dive into its bright blue aquamarine waters and discover what lies beyond. Walking around the paved narrow streets of the village of picture-perfect Artemonas is a unique experience, as the visitor can see some of the most beautiful mansions of Sifnos scattered among vibrant gardens. 

Don’t Miss: Take a pottery class in any of the colourful ceramic shops that have produced handmade cooking objects for centuries. Don’t leave without tasting the best traditional pastry-making shops in the Cyclades, with mouthwatering sweets and treats such as amygdalota (almond based). 

Where to stay: Built with local stone, Villa Olivia sits above the bay of Vathi, within a beautifully-landscaped plot planted with olive, carob and wild pear trees; its pool offers dramatic sunsets facing two beautiful Cycladic islands, Kimolos and Antimilos. brightbluevillas.com

Villa Zenna, Milos

Best For Rare Cycladic Beauty: Milos

Milos is famous for its unique natural landscapes, beautiful beaches (more than 70) and volcanic formations. The island offers a dazzling array of vertical cliffs and rocks, including Sarakiniko or must-see Kleftiko, once a pirate hideout.    

Visit the multicoloured settlements like Klima and Mandrakia where you can see Sirmata the cave-like structures used to store the island’s boats. Watch one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Med in Plaka, the capital of Milos where numerous white and blue domed churches create magic sceneries; here in Plaka several restaurants and cafes offer epic views. 

The Catacombs of Milos is also a famous attraction close to Klima, where the statue Aphrodite of Milos, now at the Louvre, was found by chance by a farmer. 

Don’t Miss: A boat trip to nearby islands of Kimolos and Polyaigos (also a Natura habitat for its endemic wildlife) famous for its cobalt-blues waters, chalk-white sea caves and swimming spots. 

Where To Stay: Part of Bright Blue Villas’ Private Collection, Villa Zenna in the southern part of Milos, is a 7-bedroom ultra-modern mega villa offering absolute privacy and isolation. brightbluevillas.com