Five lesser-known Greek islands to visit in 2025
I am fortunate enough to travel a lot, yet year after year, instead of heading somewhere new, I find myself returning to the Greek islands for the summer. Apart from some select Italian coastal towns, I don’t believe there is a better holiday destination than the Cyclades between May and September. And I’m not sure there is a more beautiful place on the planet than the Aegean at sunset. There is something about the way the sun hits the water, the endless rippling blue waves, the sailboats and yachts bobbing glamorously in the distance, the neighbouring islands in every direction lying like sleeping dinosaurs on the horizon, shrouded in mist or crystal clear depending on the weather that day. I’m also a sucker for a good Greek myth.
But I’m not alone, and the Cyclades are now seeing unmanageable levels of tourism. The good news is that there are hundreds of other islands to visit, with far less footfall than Mykonos or Santorini. The holiday company Original Travel is helping by crafting itineraries to quieter Greek islands as part of its Secret Series, which is designed to encourage travellers to discover a new side to a well-trodden place.
Here are some of my favourite lesser-visited islands in Greece…
Sifnos
Sifnos has flown under the radar, but it’s not going to stay secret for long – especially not since Margot Robbie was spotted pulling her own suitcase (gasp) off the ferry there last summer at the height of the Barbie frenzy. The actress was on to something. The island has hundreds of blue and white churches and, unlike the one in Oia in Santorini, they’re unlikely to have a queue for a snap.
Sifnos also has a long culinary tradition, since it was the birthplace of the cherished Greek cook Nikolaos Tselementes, whose contribution to the nation’s cuisine was so great that for a time the word for cookbook was simply ‘tselementes’. Each year a food festival is held in Artemonas – I somehow ended up at last year’s edition with the mayor of a trio of Cycladic isles, the entrepreneur behind the Sigma Residences hotel and a fellow British travel writer. We tried the wares of each stall representing a different island, watched the traditional dances and cooking demonstrations, and chatted to some islanders. Random, yes, but a heartwarming insight into Greek island life.
As with many places that are harder to reach (there’s no airport on the island, so the only way to arrive is by sea), it’s all the better for it, attracting travellers in search of a deeper connection and slower journey. Its towns and villages are beautiful, from Artemonas, with its historic houses, ceramics workshops and confectionery shops (don’t miss the amygdalota almond cookies and the chalvadopita vanilla halva), to the former capital Kastro. The latter is the perfect place for an evening stroll; stop for a drink at the Loggia wine bar before having dinner at Cantina in Seralia, the beach below the village.
Swim off the rocks near the monastery in Chrisopigi, where the water is said to have healing powers, and don’t miss sunset at an outdoor table at Troulaki in Cheronissos, a pretty cove in the north of the island.
Where to stay Sifnos’ original boutique hotel was Verina Astra, which is a peaceful, authentic base for exploring the island, from its position on the coast near Artemonas. It’s home to the acclaimed Bostani restaurant and a spa where you can enjoy Elemis treatments with a view of the Aegean for added serenity.
New to the scene last year was Nos, which imports a little Mykonos glamour to the island, along with a restaurant by the star chef Athinagoras Kostakos, who is also busy in kitchens all over the world, including at Bacchanalia in London. And if you want an apartment-style suite with an incredible view at the edge of a valley overlooking Kastro, it has to be Sigma Residences.
Syros
As the capital of the Cyclades, Syros has a distinct feel compared to the other islands in the archipelago and is as metropolitan as it’s possible to get around here. Instead of the signature whitewashed sugarcubes, the island is home to colourful neoclassical villas and streets paved in marble.
Join the locals with a morning swim off the rocks in the capital Hermoupolis (named after the Greek god Hermes), before walking up to Ano Syros, a hilltop village that was built during Venetian rule, to explore its narrow alleys and mediaeval architecture. The Kois family opens its neoclassical mansion to visitors hoping to see its famous fresco, starring Greek gods and revolutionaries.
The north is the most mountainous part of the island, with vineyards and olive groves. Beautiful beaches include Kaminaki, Azolimnos and the isolated Fokotrypes. Its cosmopolitan nature makes Syros a year-round destination, unlike many of its more seasonal neighbours, with cocktail bars, a university and cultural calendar of art, jazz and film festivals. It’s very easy to reach – the fastest ferry from Piraeus in Athens takes just two hours; from Mykonos, it’s a half-hour crossing.
Where to stay The nine-suite, family-run Aristide Hotel, set in a neoclassical mansion in Hermoupolis, is a labour of love for the namesake clan and it shows. It has the kind of interiors where you know every piece has been considered and painstakingly selected. There’s no whitewash, cave vibes or neutrals in sight – instead, it’s tastefully colourful, with bold green walls, high ceilings, parquet floors and eye-catching artworks. Three of the rooms have plunge pools.
There’s a rooftop terrace for sunset drinks and a restaurant in the courtyard that regularly hosts visiting chefs – this summer, Michael Wignall, from the Angel at Hetton in Yorkshire, held a pop-up. The boutique hotel is within easy reach of Hermoupolis’ main swimming spot and its marble-paved central square.
Kéa
Few had heard of Kéa, or Tzia as it’s also known, before the One&Only hotel group arrived last summer – but it had long been a secret of Athenians in the know, not least because it’s the closest Cycladic isle to the Greek capital. Unlike other Greek islands, where the population is congregated in villages, life on Kéa has been solitary, with isolated houses dotting its mountainous landscape. Its roads are winding, with hairpin bends and bumpy tracks the norm. The main town, Ioulida, breaks from the Cycladic tradition of whitewashed buildings, with colourful architecture and terracotta rooftops instead. It was once the home of the artist Alekos Fassianos, dubbed the Picasso of Greece, who helped give the artistic town its reputation of ‘Little Paris’.
In antiquity, Kéa had four city states, one of which was Karthea, whose ruins can be visited on a hike down to the water’s edge. The island is home to several kilometres of hiking trails and no fewer than 54 beaches, with lots of coves created by its curving coastline.
Where to stay Built on two hillsides above a sunset-facing cove, One&Only Kéa Island is an architectural spectacle. Even by Greek-island standards, it’s impossibly photogenic, with pinch-me panoramas fanning out in every direction. The villas are huge, with private pools, vaulted ceilings with retractable shades, and both indoor and outdoor living areas. The vast spa, with its living roofs, outdoor pool and perfect proportions, looks so immaculate, it could be an architect’s model. The Australian brand Subtle Energies has created some treatments especially for the resort.
A slick black speedboat from the port of Lavrio on the outskirts of Athens whisks guests to the hotel in less than half an hour, for an arrival fit for a Bond villain. The skipper encourages passengers to connect to the subwoofer to ensure it’s a well-soundtracked voyage. There are of course helipads on the island for even more glamorous arrivals. Down at the shore, the aptly named Bond Beach Club, with a jetty to accommodate the day-trippers, is the spot for Japanese lunches on the sand.
Antiparos
Paros’ smaller sibling is much sleepier than its cosmopolitan big sister. Antiparos, reached by a swift ferry from Paros, departing either from the main port Parikia or Pounta, is the perfect Cycladic isle for fans of time travel – the island has had little development so it’s still very rural, with lots of remote beaches to visit. It’s famously where Tom Hanks owned a villa.
The main town is at the port and is excellent for shopping, so it’s easy to head over on the ferry from Paros for a day trip without a car. The water between the two islands is one of the best places in the world for kitesurfing and you’ll be able to watch the many boards and kites in action during the ferry crossing.
Where to stay The Rooster blends into its surroundings so well that it’s barely visible on the landscape, all part of the conservation efforts of its Greek owner, who spent her childhood summer holidays in Antiparos. At night, the pathways are low-lit so the light pollution doesn’t disturb the local wildlife. The hotel is formed from standalone bungalows, promising guests total seclusion in their high-spec suite, with an ayurvedic spa on hand for transformative treatments. The buildings lead down through the herb-scented grounds to a beach, with some tents to stop off at on the way should you be in need of refreshment.
Santorini’s sunsets get all the attention, but if you ask me, it’s just as captivating from anywhere in the Aegean – not least over cocktails at the Rooster’s terrace. At the restaurant in the walled garden, produce from the hotel’s farm is put to good use in dishes such as lamb patties with a fresh green sauce, grilled supersize prawns, and steak with harissa, chimichurri and crispy potatoes. My sister and I were also thrilled to see the sourdough and focaccia from the bakery at the farm make an appearance at both dinner and breakfast the next morning.
This summer, the hotel added the Beach House, a set of charming rooms down at the shore. They're just steps away from Antiparos's Cookoovaya outpost, a smart restaurant that has been imported from Athens. These simple seaside suites, complete with old-school taverna chairs out on the small veranda, promise a 1950s-style Greek holiday.
Folegandros
Slightly harder to reach than many of the Cycladic big hitters such as international-airport-toting Santorini and Mykonos, Folegandros is another isle that rewards the more intrepid traveller. It is one of the smallest islands that encircle sacred Delos (and thus form the Cyclades), with a population of around 700, which of course swells in the summer. It’s eight miles long, with just one road from one end to the other and many beaches reachable only by boat.
Unsurprisingly, it has a slower pace of life, with electric signs banned in favour of painted ones, and locals who love to stop and chat. The island’s main town, or Chora, is where to head for evening wanders and alfresco taverna dinners; another scenic stroll is along the zig-zag path up to the Panagia church. Don’t miss the matsata pasta, the official dish of the island, bestowed by Italian immigrants.
Where to stay New to the Cyclades last summer was Gundari, a series of suites and villas clinging to the cliffs of Folegandros’s south coast. Much of the resort is powered by solar energy, including the heated pools in the rooms. The Michelin-starred Lefteris Lazarou, who was the first Greek chef to be awarded the accolade, oversees the three restaurants and two bars at the hotel, with Gundari’s organic farm supplying many of the ingredients.
Activities on offer include scuba-diving and snorkelling, boat trips, Mini Moke or e-bicycle tours, cooking classes with a local grandma (or yiayia) and hikes on the island’s 56 kilometres of ancient trails. At the spa, guests can enjoy treatments with local herbs and tonics, sound baths, energy healing, yoga and more.
Original Travel can organise Greek-island itineraries, as part of its Secret Series collection of trips to lesser-visited areas of popular destinations. For more information, visit originaltravel.co.uk or ring 020 3958 6120. For help mastering the ferry schedules and mapping your route between the islands, the Ferry Hopper website and app makes booking a breeze.
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