Hopping Through the Greek Islands

Editor

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Created on Nov 3, 2020

Nov 3, 2020

Categories: Bareboats Destination

When you’re island hopping you’ll rediscover yourself while finding another soul and a different beauty on every island -just a few miles to each other-, presenting unforgettable views, the sea-scent of iodine, a pleasant breeze and crystal-clear waters. You do need a good planning for that, as the Greek Islands consist of around 6,000 islands and islets. But thankfully mother nature has already grouped these wonderful islands. All bearing traces from antiquity and offering delicious food and the delicate fragrances of an unspoiled nature, the first thing to do before island hopping around the Greek Islands is to select which group of islands you would like to set sail to. Then you can easily rent a boat through gotosailing.com in a few simple steps, and detail your route. So, where are you heading? Let’s take a look at the options…

The Cyclades

In the southern Aegean Sea, the Cyclades are among the most ostentatious places for island hopping, with 56 islands and surrounding islets. While Mykonos and Santorini are more popular for those who like to party, other islands such as Paros, Amorgos and Andros are great choices if you love to enjoy nature. If you’d like to see more islands, a week will not be enough for the Cyclades, as you can imagine. Once you’re here, you’ll fondly remember the Cyclades for a lifetime with lovely little villages of white houses, and churches with blue domes.

Saronic Islands

Here are the islands of the Saronic Gulf, to the south of Athens: Salamis, Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Spetses, Dokos, and Agistri. Off the northern tip of the Peloponnese Peninsula, the islands of Hydra and Dokos are considered to be in the Saronic Sea by some sources, while they are in the Mirtoan Sea according to some others. We certainly wouldn’t skip these two islands when renting a boat in the Saronic Islands. Hydra is especially worth a visit; it still has that Bohemian spirit and a unique cultural identity that differentiates it from the southern Aegean Islands. All these islands are geographically quite close to each other, which makes it easier to plan your charter route. If you have the time, we do recommend to spend a few days in Athens before sailing to the islands.

Ionian Islands

Situated in the Ionian Sea in the west of the Greek mainland, these islands are known as ‘the seven islands’ in Greece: Corfu (Kerkyra), Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaca, Cephalonia, Zakynthos (Zante) and Kythira. Their hilly terrain covered with forests and olive groves, these islands are not quite like the Aegean Islands, but they rather reflect the Italian, more especially Venetian culture. Especially the town center of Corfu is reminiscent of Italian towns with its Venetian-style houses. The pretty beaches and white shores of Paxos and Antipaxos –the smaller island against it-, the fishing villages and waterfalls of Kythira, the wonderful nature and delicious cuisine of Cephalonia mean gorgeous stops for your island hopping holiday. Oh, we should also add that Ithaca, where Odysseus had once been the king, is still a pristine island.

The Dodecanese

In the southeast of the Aegean Sea, there are Dodecanese making an arch between Samos and Rhodes, forming the southern end of the Sporades. Ionian, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Italian influence can be seen on the Dodecanese, and medieval architecture charms you in almost all these islands. Although the Dodecanese (dodekanisa in Greek) literally means ‘twelve islands,’ this group of islands now consist of fifteen main islands and 93 islets. Rhodes, among them, is an important attraction with its rich culture and cuisine, charming beaches, and many alternatives for outdoor sports. Kos, the hometown of Hippocrates, and Kalymnos with its famous sponges and the Vathy Fjord, are impressive islands. Many other islands, many tastes and many-a great views await you in the Dodecanese to be discovered.

Northern Aegean Islands

These islands are close to Greece’s land borders with Turkey. They are rather distant from each other, so are not among the most popular ‘island hopping’ destinations - but with their extraordinary beauty, they are definitely worth the effort to travel from one to another. The calm Lemnos and the white-coasted Thasos are better known, yet wonderful islands. Lesbos is large enough to spend a full week. Chios, Agios Efstratios, Ikaria, Psara, Oinousses and Samothrace are the other Greek Islands of the region. As you are here, you can also visit Imbros (Gökçeada) and Tenedos (Bozcaada) of Turkey.