| -Travel Greece Guide- | by Chris Deliso, Lonely Planet |
With more than 2,000 islands, ranging from tiny atolls to the veritable continent that is Crete, maritime Greece is unmatched for sheer variety. Beaches, history, walking, cycling, water sports, festivals, food ecology: chances are if you want it, they’ve got it.
Here are just a few of the incomparable offerings Greece’s islands hold.
Best for beaches: Crete, Lipsi, Kefallonia, Skiathos, Mykonos
Almost every Greek isle has great beaches, but few come with a Venetian castle, like laid-back Frangokastello Beach in southern Crete. For lapping turquoise waters, try Platys Gialos and Kambos on quiet Lipsi, and the stunning cove at Myrtos Beach in Kefallonia. To see and be seen, bowl up to one of Skiathos‘ 65 beaches, join the mainstream masses at 1200m-long Koukounaries Beach or bronze up on nudist-friendly Banana and Little Banana Beach, popular with the gay and lesbian set. Even more full-on are the legendary Paradise and Super Paradise beaches on decadent Mykonos.
Best for history: Rhodes, Delos, Corfu, Patmos
Gape at Rhodes‘ magnificent, walled old town, where the Knights of St John ruled from 1309-1523, and explore their quarter before visiting the 14th-century Palace of the Grand Masters. Tiny Delos, near Mykonos, was once dedicated to Apollo; see ruins of shrines to the gods and explore mosaic-rich ancient dwellings. Kick back in Corfu‘s old town, with its Venetian, French and British architecture. On ethereal Patmos, visit the Monastery of St John the Theologian, and see the grotto where the saint wrote the Book of Revelations.
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