Which Greek island to choose
Greece has over two hundred inhabited islands and choosing wrong ruins the trip. The question isn't which island is best, but which fits what you'll actually be doing.
First: how many days
Under a week, one island only. Inter-island transport eats half a day per hop and ferries are irregular out of season. Island hopping only makes sense from ten days up.
Cyclades: the ones from the photos
Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros. The white and blue houses. Santorini and Mykonos are crowded and by far the most expensive in Greece. Naxos and Paros offer the same look with better beaches at half the price.
Dodecanese: history and fewer people
Rhodes and Kos have significant historic sites as well as beaches, and good air connections. Karpathos is among the quietest in the Aegean.
Ionian islands: green and family-friendly
Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos. More vegetation, very clear water and less wind than the Cyclades. Kefalonia is one of the better options with children.
Crete: the one that does everything
It's large enough to be a destination in itself, with mountains, gorges, beaches and cities. If you'll only visit Greece once and want to see it all, Crete is the answer.
The wind nobody mentions
The meltemi blows across the Aegean in July and August, especially in the Cyclades. It can cancel ferries and make north-facing beaches uncomfortable. The Ionian islands barely feel it.
Budget
Outside Santorini and Mykonos, Greece is affordable: 55 to 85 euros a day. In those two, expect double in high season.
Best time
June and September. July and August are crowded, expensive and windy. In May and October the water is still or already cool, but prices drop a lot.
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