With hundreds of Greek islands to choose from, here’s my very personal guide, recorded from Crete.
Crete is the biggest island – five to six hours end to end – with two airports, Chania in the north-west and Heraklion in the north-east. It’s changed enormously since I first came in the late 1970s: Elounda, once a sweet little fishing village, is now very bougie. I’m on the much quieter south coast near Ierapetra.
Hydra is a ferry ride from Athens. There are no real beaches, but it’s very beautiful and has a lovely Greek feel. I used to love Naxos and Paros in the Cyclades, but from what I see on social media they’ve become rather overrun. And Santorini? Those famous blue-domed photos are all taken from one spot, cruise ships come in every day, and it’s mobbed.
My favourites:
- Paxos – fly to Corfu, then ferry across. Loggos, Gaios and Lakka are all beautiful.
- Skopelos – where they filmed Mamma Mia! Fly to Skiathos and take the ferry.
- Kefalonia – also beautiful.
I usually book everything independently, but I do recommend GIC (The Greek Islands Collection) and Simpson Travel for flights, villas and car packages. This year I used Simpson but booked my own flight and car, which saved quite a lot. Now – shower, hair, and evening drinks!