Which island in Greece is the most beautiful? There are thousands of Greek islands, but some of them stand out. Each of the Greek islands mentioned below is rightfully one of the most beautiful islands in Greece, but they won’t always be the right choice for everyone. Luckily, we have information to help you choose!
It always depends whether you want perfectly clean sea, perfect facilities for families with children or you want perfect photos of white houses with blue roofs. Let’s take a look at each island in detail.
What are the greenest and most beautiful islands in Greece?
While it’s clear which is the largest island in Greece, some will probably quibble with us when it comes to the ones we call the most beautiful island in Greece or the greenest island in Greece. 😁
It doesn’t matter, we all have different tastes and the most beautiful Greek island might be different for everyone. Nevertheless, we hope that this list of the most beautiful islands in Greece will help someone in choosing a holiday. Read carefully so you know what to expect from each island.
The greenest island in Greece – Zakynthos
Among the greatest pearls of Greece are Zakynthos often described as the greenest island in Greece, known for its lush vegetation and beautiful beaches.
With more than 850,000 visitors a year, this island attracts tourists for its sandy beaches, Caretta Caretta turtles and crystal clear water. Zakynthos is suitable for both holidays for two and family holidays with smaller children.
In Zakynthos you can go on a number of boat trips, snorkelling and caving. The beaches of Zakynthos are perfect. However, there are not as many activities for hiking enthusiasts as in Crete.
Best hotels in Zakynthos: Where to stay
Zakynthos is one of the smaller but highly sought after destinations, so the best accommodation tends to be gone very quickly if you are lucky enough to still have availability in Viatzo Villas , definitely don’t hesitate
For families with smaller children, an all-inclusive hotel is a good choice ; our favourites include the Bitzaro Grande Hotel & Suites. You can’t usually get one at the last minute, but maybe you’ll get lucky.
Tip: Read our detailedarticle about holidays in Zakynthos.
The most beautiful island of Greece – Santorini
Santorini is often considered the most beautiful island in Greece, at least it is the most popular among influencers for its whitewashed, blue-roofed houses and breathtaking sunsets.
But if you’re after white sand or pebble beaches, Santorini is not the ideal choice. Santorini’s beaches are black and red sand, so it ‘s more likely to be for sunsets over white villages with blue roofs. Santorini is more suitable for a romantic holiday for two than for a holiday with children.
Where to stay in Santorini to make sense
Santorini is worth the extra cost, if still available, we recommend AVAL All Suite Hotel . This hotel has absolutely gorgeous apartments where you can book a room with a veranda. You’ll find it in Messaria, in the middle of the island, which is just an absolutely perfect location for exploring the island.
The most beautiful island of Greece – Corfu
Now that we’ve named Santorini as the most beautiful, we can give Corfu the title of the most beautiful. 😁 Why not? Forbid me to… It’s such a nice island that doesn’t play games and you can still experience the authentic Greek atmosphere even in the midst of the tourism.
Lukas and I are extremely keen to return to Corfu as we find it absolutely perfect for a peaceful holiday at great prices.
In Corfu you have absolutely everything you need for a perfect active and leisurely holiday. You won’t be bored here whether you’re 10 years old or 70. There is something for everyone. We wrote more about Corfu Here.
Best hotel: where to stay in Corfu
If you’re lucky enough to get a free room, we definitely recommend staying at Angsana Corfu Resort & Spa.
The largest island of Greece – Crete
Greece’s largest island is also the most visited of all Greek destinations (over 4.7 million tourists visit it annually). And no wonder.
The island offers stunning beaches, archaeological excavations, mysterious stories of the Minoan civilization and plenty of activities for children in the form of snorkeling and kayaking trips in the footsteps of pirates.
If you haven’t been to Crete yet and are thinking about where to go in Greece, I would probably choose Crete. Especially if you are going to Greece for the first time and you don’t know what you want from a Greek holiday. In Crete you have everything.
Tip: Read our detailed article on Crete .
Where to stay in Crete? Tips for the best resorts
For families with children there is Stella Village Seaside Hotel which offers both on-site slides and an all-inclusive package. Which is a guaranteed recipe for a peaceful holiday, even for those who have small or bigger pets at home.
If you’re unlucky and it’s already full, check out Arina Beach Resortwhich has a great location and water slides for the kids. ☺️
The southernmost island of Greece – Rhodes
Rhodes is rightfully one of the most beautiful islands in Greece, as evidenced by the statistic that over 2.5 million tourists visit it every year. Rhodes is also known as one of the warmest islands in Greece, so people start coming here for swimming and sun in May and the season stretches into October.
The biggest tourist attraction is probably the Valley of the Butterflies, but Rhodes is also known for a very diverse range of historical sites such as the medieval Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights, a rare example of Gothic architecture in Greece, the Archaeological Museum located in the Great Hospital of the Johanites, or the Clock Tower in Rhodes Town.
Rhodes also has beautiful beaches and you can go on boat trips and snorkelling again. However, there is not as much on offer as in Crete or Zakynthos.
Tip: Read the detailed article about Rhodes .
Hotel tips: where to stay in Rhodes
Most of the resorts are located in the northern and eastern part of the island, where there are also the best facilities for families with children. For example, try an all-inclusive hotel Atlantica Dreams Resort .
Where to next?
Are none of the above mentioned Greek islands appealing to you or have you already visited them all? Never mind, we have an article for you: 29 tips on where to go on holiday in Greece.
If you disagree with us and have other favourites among the Greek islands, be sure to let us know in the comments. And don’t be mad at us. We all have different tastes and everyone liked the most somewhere a little different. 😁
Where to buy tours to Greece
After you have chosen the most beautiful island of Greece to your liking, it’s a good idea to decide whether you want to go to Greece on your own or with a tour operator. I have done both and everything has its advantages and disadvantages.
If you’re travelling on your own, book your accommodation early and often you can’t do without a car – unless you just want to lounge around in a hotel (not a bad thing either, if you enjoy it, don’t let it talk you out of it 😁). Book a car through RentalCars.
If you fly on your own, be sure to check out our article, on how to get cheap flights.
And where to look for tours? I recommend checking out the portal Invia, because there are probably all the tours offered by Czech travel agencies, so there is a choice from 150 Czech travel agencies that are verified by this portal so you can be sure that they are trustworthy. There won’t be any small local travel agencies, but I would be afraid of that. 😁
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly to Greece on my ID?
Yes, you just need an ID card or passport.
Which Greek island is the most beautiful?
The most beautiful Greek island is Santorini, but it doesn’t have the most beautiful beaches.
When to go on holiday to the sea in Greece?
Flights to Greece are most common from June to September, and to the Greek island of Rhodes from May to October.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
