Greek islands A to Z
Browse all Greek islands in the directory and what they are known for from A to Z. This list includes the complete index of populated Greek islands as well as the most popular uninhabited and abandoned Greek islands. This is the Greek islands full list – in order; most relevant to travellers, tourists and prospective residents.
| Island | Description |
|---|---|
| Aegina | Pistachio island. Famous PDO pistachios, Temple of Aphaia with Parthenon views, fishermen at Perdika, and 45 mins from Athens so big weekend scene. |
| Agathonisi | Northernmost Dodecanese. 3 hamlets, wild thymes, close to Samos and Turkey, 2 ferries a week feel. |
| Agios Efstratios | Silent island. Used as political exile island, now almost empty, Mediterranean seals. |
| Agios Georgios | Small pine islet off Iraklia / Venetiko area, bird nesting, day anchorage. |
| Agios Minas | Monastery islet. Part of Fournoi, monastery with 3 monks, old church, goats. |
| Agistri | 1 hour from Athens. Pine island, bike everywhere, Chalikiada and Aponissos beaches, Saronic quick escape. |
| Alimia | Bay with WWII wrecks. Uninhabited deep bay anchorage between Rhodes and Chalki, German war wrecks diving. |
| Alonissos | Marine park island. Center of National Marine Park of Alonissos with endangered monk seals, old Chora on hilltop, crystal snorkeling. |
| Ammouliani | Chalkidiki’s only inhabited island. Former monastery island, sandy beaches like Alykes, close to Mount Athos views. |
| Amorgos | The Big Blue. French film Le Grand Bleu filmed here, 300m cliff monastery Hozoviotissa bolted to rock, endless hiking and freediving. |
| Anafi | Anafi rise. Monolith Kalamos – second highest rock in Mediterranean after Gibraltar, wild hiking, empty beaches. |
| Andros | Greenest Cycladic island. Waterfalls at Pythara, Chora with neoclassical shipowner mansions, contemporary art museum, and strong hiking network. |
| Antikythera | Mechanism island. Where Antikythera Mechanism ancient computer found in wreck, bird migration station. |
| Antiparos | Paros’s laid-back little sister. Famous huge cave, Soros beach, developed by Tom Hanks / celebs, but still boho low-key beach bars. |
| Antipaxos | Vineyard islet. Famous for Voutoumi and Vrika beaches – neon blue water, no villages just vineyards and one taverna. |
| Antipsara | Uninhabited sister of Psara, bird reserve, no beach facilities. |
| Arkoi | Four people island. One taverna at port run by island’s family, goats, anchorage for yachts. |
| Arkoudi | Bear-shaped. Uninhabited Ionian between Lefkada and Ithaca, bear silhouette, one beach. |
| Aspronisi | White volcanic fragment. Part of broken Santorini volcano rim, uninhabited white ash islet. |
| Astypalaia | Butterfly island. Shape like butterfly, Venetian castle Chora like Santorini but empty, Dodecanese + Cyclades hybrid architecture. |
| Atokos | Private Onassis island. Uninhabited goat island owned by Onassis family, Ionian. |
| Chalki | Restored elegance. Once abandoned, now restored Italian mansions, Nimporio harbor painted in pastel, car-free peace. |
| Chios | Mastic island. Only place in the world where mastic gum grows, medieval mastic villages like Mesta and Pyrgi with xysta scratching, Anavatos ghost village. |
| Chrissi | Golden island. Off Crete, golden sand + Europe’s largest natural cedar forest, uninhabited protected park. |
| Corfu | Most Italian / Venetian of the Ionian islands. Known for Liston arcade in Corfu Town, Achilleion Palace, Paleokastritsa, and Kavos – the 18-24 foam party, boat party, strip capital. |
| Crete | A country in itself. Largest island in Greece, known for Knossos Minoan palace, Samaria Gorge, Elafonisi pink beach, Balos lagoon, and Malia’s party strip plus Heraklion / Chania nightlife. |
| Delos | Holy birthplace. Birthplace of Apollo + Artemis, entire island is archaeological site UNESCO, no overnight stays. |
| Despotiko | Apollo sanctuary. Massive archaic Apollo temple excavation next to Antiparos. |
| Diaporos | Chalkidiki hidden lagoon. Green water, shallow, hidden houses for rich Thessalonians. |
| Dokos | Ancient wreck island. Oldest known shipwreck in world found off it (2700 BC), off Hydra, one shepherd. |
| Donousa | Remote Small Cyclades. Kedros beach nudist + free camping history, tiny Donousa Town, off-grid. |
| Elafonisos | Caribbean Greece. Simos beach double bay with white sand and emerald water, tiny island off Peloponnese, often called best beach in Greece. |
| Erikoussa | Tiny Diapontia. Beaches with coral sand, one village, cedar forest, next to Othonoi. |
| Evia | Second largest after Crete. Known for Edipsos thermal spas, strange tidal phenomenon at Chalkida Euripus, mountain villages, and Dragon Houses at Karystos. |
| Farmakonisi | Hippocrates exile. Where Hippocrates was exiled, now military outpost near Turkey, disputed. |
| Folegandros | Cliff-edge drama. Chora perched 200m over sea, Kastro medieval walls, Ano Meria, and Agali beach – known for minimalist luxury and quiet romance. |
| Fournoi | Pirates’ archipelago. 20+ islets, old pirate base, best fishermen in Aegean, wasp hives of archaeological wrecks. |
| Gavdos | Europe’s southernmost point. Off Crete, cedar forest, Tripiti chair at Libyan Sea edge, hippie / nudist history. |
| Gyali | Pumice island. Volcanic pumice quarry that supplies world, white pumice + black obsidian, uninhabited work island. |
| Gyaros | Dark history exile. Big barren island, WWII and junta prison, now Natura reserve. |
| Hydra | No cars at all. Donkeys only, stone mansions, Leonard Cohen’s house, Hydra art school, chic yacht crowd, and sunset drinks at Hydronetta over the sea. |
| Ikaria | Blue Zone island where people live past 100. Known for wild Panigiri all-night festivals with Ikariotikos dance, anti-stress attitude, Seychelles Beach, and thermal springs. |
| Ios | The ultimate backpacker party island. Mylopotas Beach + FarOut Beach Club by day, Chora pub crawl by night with Scorpion, Sweet Irish Dream, and Disco 69. Young, cheap, and relentless. |
| Irakleia | Wild caves. Livadi bay and Cave of Polyphemus where Cyclops lived per myth, Small Cyclades quiet. |
| Ithaca | Homer’s island. Home of Odysseus, Vathy horseshoe harbor, Afales Bay, myth + quiet sailing island with no mass tourism. |
| Kalamos | Ionian forest island. Densely pine-covered, two villages, no airport, quiet yacht stop. |
| Kalolimnos | Goat island. Between Kalymnos and Leros, lighthouse keepers, wild goats. |
| Kalymnos | Sponge divers island turned world climbing capital. 3,400+ climbing routes, sponge museums in Pothia, and quiet beach bars. |
| Karpathos | Time-capsule island. Mountain village Olympos where women still wear traditional embroidered dress and speak Dorian dialect, windy south for surf. |
| Kasos | Bare and brave. 100-year unspoiled Dodecanese, heroic 1824 massacre history, Bouka pirate port, strong traditional music. |
| Kastellorizo | Megisti. Farthest east Greece 2km from Turkey, pastel harbor, Blue Cave that glows blue inside, film Mediterraneo. |
| Kastos | Low flat Lefkada satellite. 30 people, 1 taverna, no cars, old windmills. |
| Kato Koufonisi | Uninhabited twin of Koufonisi. Taverna in summer only, Pori extended beach, no houses. |
| Kea | Tzia. Stone Lion of Kea ancient sculpture, Karthea ruins hike, oak forests – closest Cycladic to Athens, so Athenian yacht weekend island. |
| Kefalonia | Cinematic island. Myrtos Beach, Melissani underground lake cave, Assos village, Fiskardo yachts, and De Bosset Bridge. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin filmed here. |
| Keros | Cycladic mystery. Uninhabited, major Early Cycladic cemetery – source of Cycladic figurines. |
| Kimolos | Chalk island. White chalk cliffs, Prassa beach, medieval Kastro, quiet neighbor of Milos with hot springs. |
| Kinaros | Lone woman island. One woman lived here alone until death in 2013, now empty lighthouse, most remote Aegean. |
| Kira Panagia | Marine park monastery island. Abandoned monastery, monk seals, center of Alonissos Marine Park. |
| Kos | Hippocrates birthplace and cycling island. Known for Asklepieion ancient hospital, long sandy beaches, Roman ruins in Kos Town, and all-night clubs in Kardamena. |
| Koufonisi | Tiny paradise. Barely 3.5km, but Pori beach and Gala – sea pools – voted among best beaches in Europe, no cars needed. |
| Kythira | Off the Peloponnese. Waterfalls at Neraida and Fonissa, Chora castle, Kapsali double bay, and myth of Aphrodite washing ashore here. |
| Kythnos | Hot springs island. Kolona – sandbar connecting two islands with beach both sides, Loutra thermal springs bubbling into the sea, 65 beaches. |
| Lefkada | Connected to mainland by causeway. Known for towering white cliffs at Porto Katsiki, Egremni, windsurfing at Vassiliki, and lively bars in Lefkada Town / Nidri. |
| Leipsoi | Calm Dodecanese. 24 islets around, Panagia tou Harou icon that blooms lilies, natural harbor, eco ethos. |
| Lemnos | Volcanic north Aegean. Pakies sand dunes desert, Myrina castle, Muscat of Alexandria wine, Hephaestus worship, and strong winds for kitesurf. |
| Leros | War island. Italian Art Deco town Lakki, WWII war tunnels and wrecks, mental hospital history, and calm yacht harbors like Alinda. |
| Lesbos | Third largest island. Ouzo capital (Plomari), petrified forest, Sappho birthplace at Eresos, sardines from Kalloni Gulf, and hot springs. |
| Levitha | One family island. One family lives here with taverna, halfway between Patmos and Leros, anchorage. |
| Makronisos | Exile prison island. Civil war political prison ruins, off Lavrion, dark history. |
| Marathi | Yacht anchorage. 5 people, 2 tavernas famous among yachtsmen, next to Patmos. |
| Mathraki | Smallest Diapontia inhabited. 174 people, Diaplo islet next door, completely unspoiled. |
| Meganisi | Sailors’ hideout. Three villages on ridge, hidden sea caves like Papanikolis used by submarines in WWII, next to Skorpios. |
| Milos | Island of colors. Where Venus de Milo was found, Sarakiniko white lunar rocks, Kleftiko sea caves, colorful syrmata boat garages, and growing boho beach bar scene. |
| Moni | Deer island. Off Aegina, wild deer and peacocks, climbing + beach day-trip, no inhabitants. |
| Mykonos | The Ibiza of Greece. Known globally for luxury beach clubs at Paradise / Super Paradise, Cavo Paradiso clifftop megaclub, Little Venice, windmills, and A-list / gay party scene that runs sunrise to sunrise. |
| Naxos | Largest Cycladic island. Portara Temple gate, Mount Zas highest in Cyclades, endless sandy beaches like Plaka, kitesurfing, Kitron liqueur, and Ocean Club parties. |
| Nea Kameni | Active volcano islet. Walkable smoking crater in middle of Santorini caldera, boat tours. |
| Nisyros | Volcano you walk into. Active Stefanos crater with sulphur vents you can walk inside, whitewashed Mandraki, and tiny black-rock beaches. |
| Oinousses | Shipowners island. Wealthy shipping families from this cluster of 9 islands, goats + yachts + monastery. |
| Othonoi | Westernmost Greece. Lighthouse, Calypso myth cave, last island before Italy. |
| Pachia | Flat rock off Astypalaia, wild goats, anchorage. |
| Palea Kameni | Hot springs islet. Thermal sulphur springs where you swim next to Santorini volcano. |
| Paleo Trikeri | Only inhabited Sporades islet off Pelion. Old monastery, female monastic history, 10 people. |
| Paros | Chic cosmopolitan Cycladic hub. Naoussa fishing port turned luxury bars, Parikia, Kolymbithres rock beach, and world-class windsurfing at Golden Beach. Balanced party + family. |
| Patmos | Jerusalem of the Aegean. Where St John wrote Revelation in the Cave of the Apocalypse, huge fortress monastery of St John, Chora UNESCO, quiet spiritual luxury. |
| Patroklos | Atica islet. Private, near Sounion temple, pine + ancient fort. |
| Paxos | Tiny Ionian jewel. Dense olive groves, Tripitos Arch, Blue Caves, Gaios harbor with yachts, and nearby Antipaxos with insane blue water. |
| Petalas | Largest Echinades, private Ionian, scrub and swamp, uninhabited. |
| Polyaigos | Wild goats island. Largest uninhabited island in Greece, countless beaches, endemic goats. |
| Poros | Two islands joined by a bridge. Clock tower over strait, lemon forest across at Galatas, pine scent, and historic Russian dockyard. |
| Proti | Ionian hermit island. Old hermit monastery, Maronnisi beach, off Marathopoli. |
| Psara | Heroic rock. Home of admiral Konstantinos Kanaris who burned Ottoman flagship, black pebble beaches, tiny population 300. |
| Pserimos | Day-trip beach island. Off Kalymnos / Kos, one beach, one taverna, beach barbecue boats. |
| Rhodes | Medieval capital. The largest Dodecanese island, known for the UNESCO Knights Old Town, Lindos Acropolis, Faliraki’s Bar Street and Club Street, and 300 days of sun. |
| Rineia | Delos necropolis. Used as cemetery for Delos, now wild with ancient ruins and beaches. |
| Ro | Patriotic island. Where Lady of Ro raised Greek flag daily for 40 years alone, one house, next to Kastellorizo. |
| Salamina | Largest Saronic island, known for 480BC Battle of Salamis, naval base, pine forests, and as a working island suburb of Athens, not tourist resort. |
| Saliagos | Smallest known Cycladic settlement islet. 0.014 km², uninhabited, famous Antiparos obsidian source and earliest Cycladic settlement 4300 BC. |
| Samos | Lush and mountainous. Birthplace of Pythagoras, Eupalinos Tunnel, Heraion UNESCO temple, sweet Muscat wine, and Karlovasi / Pythagorion bars. |
| Samothrace | Wild mountain island. Mount Fengari 1,611m, source of Winged Victory of Samothrace statue, Vathres natural waterfall pools, and hot sulphur springs. |
| Santorini | The caldera. Oia sunsets, black sand beaches, volcano in the middle, luxury honeymoon caves, Assyrtiko wine, and PK Cocktail Bar – not clubbing, but high-end sunset drinking. |
| Sapientza | Cedar forest islet. Off Methoni, dense forest, Calypso myth islet, free wild horses. |
| Saria | Pirate ruins. Wild north of Karpathos, ancient Nisyros ruins, Eleonora falcons. |
| Schinoussa | Gastronomy in Small Cyclades. Fava and local products, Tsigouri beach, flat low island with great food. |
| Serifos | Iron island. Abandoned iron mines and rusting loaders at Mega Livadi, wild Cycladic minimalism, and Chora high on the hill. |
| Sifnos | The chef’s island. Home of national chef Nikolaos Tselementes, pottery kilns everywhere, endless food festivals, and beautiful terraced hills. |
| Sikinos | Empty Cycladic. Manalis temple, Chora on ridge, one of least-visited inhabited Cycladic islands. |
| Skiathos | Mamma Mia island. 60+ beaches, Koukounaries pine beach, Bourtzi peninsula, and Skiathos Town with a dense nightlife of bars around Papadiamantis Street. Famous for low plane landings over the beach. |
| Skopelos | Greenest Sporades. Mamma Mia Agios Ioannis cliff church, dense Aleppo pine forest, plum-based cuisine, and traditional Platania. |
| Skorpios | Onassis private island. Where Jackie O married Onassis, private weddings, off Lefkada / Meganisi. |
| Skyros | Most southern Sporades. Skyrian horses – tiny wild horses, Mouria stone forest, Achilles hiding myth, and woodcarving tradition. |
| Spetses | Pine-covered Saronic luxury. No cars on waterfront – carriages, Bouboulina heroine mansion, Armata festival, old money Athens families, elegant cocktail bars. |
| Spinalonga | Leper island. Venetian fortress turned leper colony 1903-1957, famous from book The Island. |
| Strongyli | Lighthouse islet. Easternmost Greece, lighthouse, 4.5 km² off Kastellorizo. |
| Symi | Dazzling neo-classical harbor. Pastel mansions stacked like theater set, sponge diving history, Panormitis Monastery, and day-trip from Rhodes. |
| Syros | Capital of the Cyclades. Ermoupoli with neoclassical mansions, Miaouli Square, Ano Syros medieval town, Catholic + Orthodox mix, and refined café / bar scene, not beach-party. |
| Telendos | Rock island off Kalymnos. 500m strait, car-free, huge cliff for climbing, old early Christian basilicas. |
| Thassos | Emerald island of the north. Green marble quarries, ancient marble beach Giola lagoon, olive groves, and pine-covered mountains. |
| Therasia | Santorini’s mirror. What Santorini was 30 years ago, caldera views without crowds, Riva port. |
| Thymaina | Fournoi cluster fishing hamlet. 30 people, old stone houses, Keramidou islet. |
| Tilos | Ecotourism pioneer. Dwarf elephant fossils, nature reserve, open-air museum of WWII, off-grid sustainable. |
| Tinos | Religious and artistic. Panagia Evangelistria – Greece’s Lourdes pilgrimage, 750 marble-carved dovecotes, marble sculptors, surf at Kolymbithra, and Exomvourgo rock. |
| Trizonia | Only inhabited island in Gulf of Corinth. Tiny pine island with red beaches, no cars. |
| Zakynthos | Shipwreck Beach / Navagio from postcards, Blue Caves, and Laganas strip – 2km of clubs like Rescue and Zeros. Also loggerhead turtles at Laganas Bay. |
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Last Updated on August 26, 2026 by admin