The Unknown Islands of Greece

Written
Aug. 31, 2016

There are many unknown islands in Greece just waiting to be explored.

Greece is a beautiful country with many different islands. The most famous of the islands is Santorini. Known for its iconic white and blue villas that sit along the hillside above the caldera, is the most typical tourist destination in Greece.

And you’ve really been wanting to go to Greece for some time now. You think Santorini would be the best place to go.

Being a typical tourist is not you, though.

That’s why you’re going to be different. That’s why you want to go explore the other unknown islands of Greece. Some locals of Athens don’t even know about some of these islands…but you do, or you will now.

If you’re looking to get off the beaten path and go see the true heart of the islands, then chartered boats, or Yachts, will be the way to go.

In a yacht, you still have the luxury of seeing all of the traditional hot-spots while getting to explore the other great islands this country offers.

Bonus: when traveling by yacht, you will also avoid multiple flights or checking in and out of hotels

Of all the unknown islands of Greece, there are three that stand out amongst the rest as unknown: Kea, Folegandros and Amorgos.

Kea

About 60km (37mi) southeast of Athens lies the first of the Cyclades archipelagos islands known as Kea. This tiny little island stretches only 19km (12mi), and has a population of around 2,400 people.

On this island, there is one experience that tops them all – a day adventure with Aglaia.

Who is Aglaia, you ask?

Aglaia is the owner and primary operator of Aglaia’s Table, a culinary artesian who offers one-on-one cooking classes using the finest local ingredients on the island.

If the local foods aren’t picked up from the market just down the street from her villa, the vegetables will come directly from her small farm.

An experience with Aglaia includes sipping wine as she teaches you how to create the best Mediterranean dishes in the world. You will also get to enjoy a guided excursion to the Ancient Karthaea archaeological site.

This is an opportunity many people will never get to experience.

After a long day on Kea, you can peacefully sleep while the captain begins the voyage to the next unknown island called Folegandros.

Folegandros

Called “the island of Peace, Folegandros is known by the locals for two prominent features: The Medieval town that resides of the cliff-sides of the island and the Folegandros caves.”

The largest of the three towns on the island, called the Chora (meaning the capital or largest village), sits on the edge of the cliff 200-meters above the Aegean Sea.

When you’re in the Chora of Folegandros, the attractions are few and far between. What you will find though is remarkable. There are a few restaurants available from the local organic farm for the purest of home-cooked meals.

You will also find donkey rides to be a main-stay of activities for the island (and no one is quite sure why) as well as relaxing on the pristine beaches.

Guided dinghy rides and venturing into one of the many caves that surrounds the island is another great way to pass the time. You can jump into the pure blue-green water, or just take in the beautiful views.

After venturing back onto the main yacht, you can settle in and enjoy the cruise as you head over to the final unknown island of Amorgos.

Amorgos

Some of the most beautiful sightseeing lookouts are on this island. The monestary is the main cause of this.

Amorgos is home to one of the scariest, yet most beautiful monasteries you will ever visit. The reason why? It’s on the edge of a 300-meter cliff!

When you visit, you will want to see the Monastery of Hozoviotissa, as it is the second oldest in the country (built in 1017). It’s also the only one in the world to ever be built into a cliff face.

A quick ride will bring you into the Amorgos Chora, where quaint cafés and authentic Mediterranean dishes await.

As you can imagine, these unknown islands of Greece are the best destinations for getting off the beaten path of the typical traveler and seeing the country like very few before.

With a yacht and the beautiful ocean view, anything can be explored in Greece.

Interested in exploring these islands for yourself? Talk to one of our Travel Designers today!