The Top-5 Under the Radar Greek Islands

That’s why we reveal our best picks for the less-traveled shores that can provide you with all sorts of wonders.

Tinos

Pigeon House in Tinos Photo Credit: grassrootsgroundswell

This island is known for its breathtaking natural beauty but in recent years it has been distinguished by its visitor for an extra reason: its food. Local food resources are numerous and tasty which by itself helped promote an idea that has become a highly influential event for a fifth year in a row: the Tinos Food Paths, an organized movement of mainly young entrepreneurs on the island who bonded with others in the food sector to highlight Tinos as a gastronomic destination.

Lemnos

Beach at Lemnos Photo Credit: ThruTheseLines

If there is one island with long history in Greece that has somehow managed to remain blissfully out of the limelight, that’s undeniably Lemnos! Very far from Athens, it remains peaceful even in the summer months. Don’t forget to swim in one of its most popular beaches, Keros that’s ideal for windsurfers as Lemnos enjoys steady winds over the summer. Generally, the island boasts unique ecosystems like Pachies Ammoudies which is home to sand-friendly vegetation.

Serifos

Livadaki Beach at Serifos Photo Credit: Kostas Limitsios

Perfect for nature – lovers, Serifos is going to dazzle you with its simplicity and ability to stay unspoiled by mass tourism. Reflective of this is the fact that on occasion of World No Tobacco Day observed globally on May 31, the island announced the launch of Greece’s first smoke free beach. You are advised to get lost in the charming Chora, walk through its labyrinthine alleys with the stairs and among the whitewashed houses.

Karpathos

This place insists on staying authentic and historical and there is only its unobtrusive charm, aromas of sea delicacies and the view of unlimited blue. But there’s more to this: it’s the second largest island in the Dodecanese which also preserves and enhances a tradition widely seen in this specific chain of islands: the dominance of women and their role in the community derived from the female fearless resistance shown during the Italian and German occupation.

Alonnisos

Alonnisos Photo Credit: Karen Eliot

If you want to get away from it all and still experience the traditional Greek life, head to Alonnisos. This lush and green Sporadic island is full of beautiful beaches which you need to explore along with the tiny fishing villages or the old town of Chora, which was partly destroyed by the 1965 earthquake. Don’t forget to visit the National Marine Park, a site of special interest due to its environmental value and home to many endangered species.

Cover Photo Credit: michael clarke stuff