Greece

The Greek Islands

The first step in planning your Greek holiday is choosing the right destination from the wealth of all the available options. Here at Sunvil, we have decades of experience in matching islands and resorts to client requirements – so we’re able to advise you on the finest places to go, and the best times to head there. Take a look at some of the best Greek Island destinations below – or check out our favourite Mainland Greece destinations

The Ionian Islands

Amongst the most popular Greek Island destinations, the Ionian group comprises:

• Corfu
• Ithaca
• Kefalonia
• Lefkas
• Meganissi
• Paxos
• Kythira
• and Zakynthos

With an abundance of clean sandy beaches, traditional Greek villages and plenty of sunshine, these pretty olive and pine-clad islands are perfect for family holidays as well as a couples retreat.

The Cyclades Islands

Made up of a group of 24 islands clustered around Delos, these are some of the most romantic destinations in Greece. The Eastern Cyclades are the best known and most visited. Santorini is, with Mykonos, the busiest, and world famous for its stunning scenery – particularly the unique views (and sunsets) from the volcanic cliffs which plunge steeply into the dark waters of the caldera below. Naxos and Paros are popular, white-washed and picture-postcard pretty. Tinos and Syros are popular with the Greeks and offer an authentic island experience.

The Western Cyclades are equally as attractive but lesser known, although the secret is now getting out and they have seen a recent increase in popularity. Andros is a green and tranquil island popular with walkers; Milos's volcanic past has shaped its amazing geology and coastline; Folegandros (also volcanic) has similarities with Santorini, but without the crowds; Sifnos is an upmarket gem and known for its cuisine; Serifos remains a peaceful backwater; traditional Kythnos has few visitors and offers walking holidays.

Least known of all are the cluster to the south of Naxos, known as 'the small Cyclades' - we feature Koufonissi, known for its golden beaches, and sleepy Schinoussa next door. Lying just to the south, long and narrow Amorgos is mountainous and remote, and a magnet for walkers.

The Cyclades are perfect island hopping territory and we can arrange completely flexible holidays to nearly all of them.

Eastern Cyclades - Mykonos, Paros, Antiparos, Naxos, Ios, Santorini, Tinos, Syros

Western Cyclades - Andros, Kythnos (we offer walking holidays here), Serifos, Sifnos, Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros

Small Cyclades - Koufonissi, Schinoussa, Amorgos

The North & North East Aegean Islands

Settled towards the maritime borders with Turkey, the North & North East Aegean Islands offer a range of resorts, scenery and holiday ideas for those who like a little variety. Sunvil offers holidays to Chios, Fourni, Ikaria, Lemnos, Samos and Thassos – all of which enjoy stunning scenery, ranging from the mountains of Samos (wonderful for walkers) to the attractive harbour town of Myrina on Lemnos and the olive groves of Thassos, known as ‘the Emerald Isle’. Remote Ikaria is named after Ikarus, the Greek boy who plunged into the sea here after flying too close to the sun – and is a wild and wonderful island with a special appeal to those looking for unspoiled nature and beauty.

The Dodecanese Islands

Some of the most attractive and peaceful Greek islands are grounded together in the Dodecanese Island group, which includes Rhodes, one of the best known of all Greek islands. There’s a huge amount of choice when it comes to picking a Dodecanese island – from the tranquillity of sleepy Tilos through to the liveliness of historic Rhodes Old Town – making the Dodecanese group perfect for an island-hopping holiday. We feature nearly all the Dodecanese islands, including Kalymnos and Telendos, Pserimos, Astypalea, Halki, Karpathos, Kastellorizo, Leros, Lipsi, Nissyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Kos and Kassos, so feel free to create your perfect Greek Island holiday – including as many destinations as you desire.

The Sporades Islands

The three green and golden islands of the Sporades are very close to one another yet remarkably varied, each having its own distinct culture and character. Choose from Alonissos, Skiathos or Skopelos. Alonissos is a sleepy backwater for much of the year, perfect for walkers and those who love the sea, which is a protected Marine Park here. Skopelos is larger and forested – the town here is especially attractive with over 100 chapels hidden amongst its narrow lanes. Skiathos is lively, fashionable and has almost 50 superb sandy beaches. These are some of the most relaxing holiday destinations in Greece. 

The Saronic Islands and the Greek Mainland

The Saronic Islands are nestled close to the mainland coast by Athens, and many Athenians have holiday homes on these beautiful islands. Hydra has a wonderful and historic port climbing up the hillside, and has particular appeal to those looking for green holidays – all forms of private motorised transport are banned here! We also feature Aegina, Agistri, Poros and Spetses. If you’re looking to combine an island retreat with a trip to Athens, then a holiday to one of the Saronic islands is a good bet - the closest are less than an hour by frequent ferry service from Piraeus.

In addition, we feature the islets of Elafonissos and Ammouliani off the coast of the Peloponnese and Halkidiki respectively. Multi-centre holidays and fly-drive itineraries are on offer.

Crete

On the same latitude as Tunisia, one of the reasons Crete is so popular is due to its fair weather year-round, with long hot summers often tempered by a cooling breeze from the high mountains. The largest of all the Greek islands, it’s a destination within itself. We concentrate our programme on Crete's western side. The North West coast boasts a pair of historic Venetian harbour towns in Chania and Rethymnon, and enjoys super beaches and many traditional villages in the foothills of the White Mountains. Our small seaside villages of Kalives, Almirida and Panormos encapsulate the charm of this coast. If you’d like to sample the remote South West coast , with its dizzy mountain scenery, then look for holidays to Paleochora, tiny car-free Loutro, or Plakias and Agia Galini a little further east. North East Crete was the first area of the island to be developed for tourism and as such has some busy resorts between Heraklion and Aghios Nikolaos. However the history (including the famous Palace of Knossos along with lesser known Minoan sites and various monasteries), the mountain scenery (do visit the spectacular Lassithi Plateau) and the attractive villages of Elounda and Sitia in which to stay makes this a perfect fly-drive area in our opinion. Mountain lovers should include a stay at the Idi Hotel set in the valley below Crete's highest peak.

The classic Greek holiday minus the hassle! We will organise the whole thing – including all transfers and ferries – leaving you to simply enjoy the journey. Our team of local agents and reps on the ground are there to provide support and information if and when needed, and we will re-book ferries and accommodation automatically at no additional cost to you in the event of ferry schedule changes, delays or cancellations.

There are myriad island hopping combinations - too many to list here so we have grouped together the islands that combine most easily i.e. that have the most frequent/reliable ferry connections and are not too far apart. Please feel free to design your own itinerary or call us for advice - the holidays are very flexible and you are not tied to 1 or 2 weeks (except for Sporades).

For those willing to go the extra mile and take their time there are no boundaries. Prices can vary considerably depending on a number of factors, including class of hotels, seasonality and flight prices (which increase as time goes by), so we will have to quote on a tailor made basis each time. Please see the relevant resort pages for island and hotel descriptions.

Saronic (via Athens) 

Group 1: Agistri, Aegina

Group 2: Poros, Hydra, Spetses (note: can combine the groups with a change of ferry at Piraeus) 

Western Cyclades (via Athens or Mykonos) 

Group 1: Sifnos, Serifos, Milos, Folegandros

Group 2: Andros, Tinos, Syros (also Mykonos)

Eastern Cyclades (via Mykonos or Santorini)

Mykonos, Syros, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini (note: can combine with Western Cyclades Group 1 in season) 

Small Cyclades (via Mykonos)

Koufonissi, Schinoussa, Amorgos (also with Naxos) (note: can combine with Eastern Cyclades or Western Cyclades Group 1 in season) 

Sporades (via Skiathos, weekly durations only)

Skopelos, Alonissos, Skiathos 

Dodecanese (via Rhodes or Kos)

Rhodes, Symi, Kos, Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi, Patmos. (Tilos and Halki are also possible to include but more tricky as the ferry schedules do not link very frequently with the rest of the island chain)  

Booking, pricing, flights and ferries

The first step is to contact us to discuss your proposed itinerary and obtain a price quote. This cannot be done instantly but we endeavour to revert within 24 hours (may take a little longer if we need to request hotel rates for any reason). Should you accept the price we will then request the hotels. Please note that the hotels on these islands are small and so it can take a few days for confirmation, especially during the winter when they are closed. We do not book the flights until the finalised itinerary is in place in case dates or prices change. Once the hotels are booked we will reconfirm the final price and ask for a deposit before booking the flights - this deposit will include payment for the flights which are non-refundable, so do ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place in case of cancellation.

Please note that the 'from' pricers are just a guide because we base these holidays on 'bought in' flights, usually on low cost airlines, which can vary considerably in price from one day to the next and depend on how early they are booked. In order for us to source the best value flights for you it is advisable to give us as flexible a date range as you can at the time of enquiry (first day you can travel out and last day back). By the same token, these price indications were based on flight prices sourced up to one year in advance for travel in May and will increase as time goes by. We will give you a current price quote at the time of enquiry. Ferry timetables are not always published early so we may base them on the previous year. Even when published they are subject to change and we will amend itineraries accordingly at no additional cost should this become necessary.  

The Greek Mainland

Think of a holiday to Greece and most people's thoughts turn to her many sun blessed islands. But ignore the mainland at your peril!  Those who know and love Greece often choose a mainland area as their favourite spot.  And with good reason. The mainland boasts beaches just as good as those on the islands, the lion's share of Greece's most famous archaeological sites, the most spectacular scenery, and is generally a lot less crowded.  So, whether you’re a Greece devotee or you’re planning a first ever trip to the country, at Sunvil our travel advisers have an outstanding knowledge of where to go and what to see. Take a look at some of the best holiday destinations in mainland Greece below. (If you’re looking for a Greek island, you can find equally great holiday ideas on the previous tab).

The Peloponnese

Within the Greece mainland, there are also a huge number of potential holiday destinations. Many of the most popular areas fall within the Peloponnese which forms the southern region of mainland Greece and is about the size of Wales. Within the north of the Peloponnese, Nafplion and Tolon are wonderful holiday destinations for those who wish to explore the area’s turbulent history as well as spend some time on the beach.

The south Peloponnese comprises three peninsulas. The western finger, the province of Messinia, is fertile and gentle, housing a variety of seaside villages such as Chrani and Finikounda along with a scattering of historical fortified small towns such as Pylos and Methoni. The area appeals to visitors who want to find a quiet, very traditional side of Greece, and there are miles of splendid sandy beaches to discover. The mountainous central finger called Mani is unique, famed for its tower houses and spectacular mountainous backdrops, and still little developed. Half way down are the villages of Kardamili, Stoupa and Aghios Nikolaos. Pretty Kardamili is upmarket and under a strict preservation order; it holds great appeal for walkers, artists and writers (it is no accident that Patrick Leigh Fermor made his home here). Stoupa is the closest the area has to a small thriving little resort thanks to its fine sandy beaches; and Aghios Nikolaos remains a traditional fishing village. The eastern finger is famous for the fortified rock at Monemvasia, one of the biggest attractions of the southern Peloponnese. It is also the jumping off point for the islands of Kythira and Elafonissos. Holidays to this area can be incorporated into a fly drive or, more commonly, via internal flights from Athens to Kythira.

Epirus

Located on the Ionian Sea, the region of Epirus is home to the wonderful green holiday destinations of Parga and Sivota . A lush paradise through the summer, a holiday to Parga offers both beautiful countryside, super beaches and a characterful bustling harbour to explore. Parga is an established destination and attracts plenty of visitors, many of them Greek. Nearby, the smaller village of Sivota is another remarkably beautiful destination with a number of small off-shore islets to explore by boat and more super beaches to explore. The village retains a strong Greek character, and you’ll find the locals are incredibly friendly and accommodating to guests. Inland Epirus is mountainous and a natural paradise – especially in the national park area of Zagoria which hides gorges, rivers and some forty preserved stone villages. Accommodation can be arranged here on request for those with a car, perhaps as a side trip from Parga or Sivota for a few days.

Halkidiki

With golden beaches backed by pine forests, Halkidiki is a summer playground for visitors. The region is comprised of three peninsulas extending into the Aegean Sea, with the most eastern peninsula, Athos, the least commercial. It’s this peninsula which is home to Mount Athos and the world-famous male only monk’s republic. Stay in the authentically Greek fishing village of Olymbiada some 40 minutes’ drive to the north, or include the area on a fly-drive holiday to northern Greece. To the south the tiny island of Ammouliani - just 15 mins by ferry from the mainland - offers one bustling village and an array of Caribbean-like sandy beaches. We also offer accommodation on Kassandra and Sithonia peninsulas. A few nights’ stay in historic Thessaloniki (Salonika), Greece’s second city, can be easily included in all our holidays here.

Pelion

A wonderful combination of green landscapes, golden beaches and sleepy seaside hamlets, the Pelion holds great appeal for walkers and those looking for a quiet, authentically Greek holiday in a largely undeveloped area. The peninsula is dominated by mountains – the top of Mount Pelion is a ski area in the winter – and in legend was home to the Centaurs! The many small seaside villages below are very tradionally Greek, but also allow for exploring the countryside and beautiful mountain villages, famed for their unique architecture, only a short drive away.

Western Pelion is typically Mediterranean in character, with olives and Cyprus trees, and gorgeous sunsets as viewed from the villages of Kala Nera, Afissos and Lefokastro. South Eastern Pelion  is uncrowded and remote with gorgeous hilly countryside all around and a selection of fine sandy beaches – the best Pelion has to offer. Choose from tiny Katigiorgis or Platanias. The North East of Pelion (I think this area has been removed as we have no featured hotels here now) is steep and thickly forested, with green mountains plunging into the blue Aegean below. Inland mountain villages afford another face of Pelion.  

Tailor-Made and Fly-Drive Holidays

Sunvil also offers fly-drive holidays to the Greece mainland, allowing you to visit as much of this wonderful country as you desire. If you wish to see Athens or Thessaloniki, a few nights in the city are easy to arrange before or after your tour, Should you not wish to drive  we can create a tailor-made itinerary especially for you, combining mainland with islands, or just an island hopping trip. Or, for a straightforward multi-centre holiday, many islands or mainland areas can be easily combined – please ask for details.

Multi-Centre Holidays

Many islands and resorts featured by Sunvil can be combined and some of the most popular pairings are shown below. It is usually, but not always, the case that you need to spend a week in each centre. You will have to contact us for an exact costing as our additional administration, local agent handling fees and transfer costs vary considerably from area to area.

As a rule of thumb we recommend you book the quieter resort or island as your second centre (please ask us if in doubt).

• Corfu and Paxos
• Crete: North and south coast or Paleochora and Loutro
• Cyclades: Paros and/or Naxos and/or Santorini
• Dodecanese: Symi and Tilos, but there are many other combinations, please enquire
• Kefalonia and Ithaca
• Parga and/or Lefkas and/or Meganissi and/or Sivota
• West Pelion and East Pelion
• North Peloponnese and South Peloponnese or one South Peloponnese resort with any other.
• Samos with Patmos or Ikaria
• Skiathos and/or Skopelos and/or Alonissos
• Athens can be combined with many islands/areas but amongst the easiest are Andros, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Hydra, Tolon and most mainland flydrives

For other combinations and for holidays of a longer duration or of more than two centres please call us.

Depending on the area mid-holiday transfers may be effected via the Airport which will inevitably mean a wait of a couple of hours whilst formalities are completed for our departing/arriving passengers. If you would like to avoid this wait please check with us. At an additional cost, private taxi transfers can be arranged in some areas, either for the whole mid-holiday transfer or (if via the airport) for the second part – supplement on request. An alternative option may be car hire for your second week, either from your first resort or the airport. Please note a Welcome Pack (if applicable) is only provided in your first centre.

Extended Stays

Most holidays can be extended over and above the normal two weeks at a reasonable cost (note: a Flight Extension charge will also be payable, cost varies depending on the date). Please call us for a quote. Only a limited number of extended stays are available in high season.

Tailor-Made Holidays

If you wish to design your own holiday – perhaps you would like a duration of other than 7, 14 or 21 nights, prefer Heathrow over Gatwick, or simply want to mix areas/islands not normally possible from our regular flights – we can help.

Once you have an idea of what you would like to do, our tailor-made department is happy to advise and quote. There are of course some restrictions, but within these you can do pretty much as you please. These holidays are based on daily scheduled flights into Athens or Thessalonika, so the duration is up to you.

Any island or area we feature which is easily accessible from Athens can be included.

Mainland areas include Tolon or Nafplion (2 hours from Athens by taxi or self-drive), Halkidiki (1¼ hrs from Salonika), the South Peloponnese and Pelion (self-drive 4-5 hours). Many of our featured islands have domestic flight connections from Athens.

Ferries also connect daily to the Cyclades and flights from Gatwick to Santorini and Mykonos are several times weekly and can be mixed.

All of these options can also be combined with a mainland fly-drive itinerary and/or a few nights in Athens. We can advise you of any restrictions that may apply (e.g. some accommodation may have a minimum stay or set changeover days).

One call to us will save you considerable time and effort, and probably cost no more (in the end) than trying to arrange it all by yourself. Most important of all, it is much safer: we are fully ATOL-bonded so your money is 100% protected, and by law we take full responsibility for our arrangements, which is not necessarily the case with ‘internet only’ operations who act only as ‘agents’.

We firmly believe that, taken together, these benefits will allow you to make the most of your designer holiday with complete peace of mind!

Greek cuisine

Eating on holiday in Greece

Whatever your base, breakfast is easily put together, Greek style, with creamy yoghurt, local honey and fresh fruit – nectarines, peaches, figs – while eating out in local tavernas makes perfect sense lunch-time and evening, unless perhaps you fancy the occasional evening BBQ chez vous.  Why slave in the heat to do more than simple shopping when it’s so enjoyable – and so inexpensive – to spend the evenings amidst the buzz of restaurant life, people-watching and soaking up the atmosphere?

For the basics of eating well at home in Greece, you simply need fresh fruit – perhaps a melon, grapes, nectarines and peaches – chilling in the fridge, some of the plumpest, reddest tomatoes imaginable, exuding the sort of flavour and rich colour that is seldom found in a tomato bought in the UK,sitting in a bowl on your kitchen worktop, some local cheese and yoghurt in the fridge, together with fat black Greek olives and locally-grown cucumber, and some local olive oil and honey in the cupboard, with perhaps some oregano (again, locally-harvested). 

And, of course, importantly, visit a local bakery for delicious freshly-made bread, cheese pies (each island has its own version of this Greek staple), and maybe a slice or two of spanakopita (spinach pie – delicious!).  All bakeries have honey-soaked desserts (some look like Shredded Wheat –kateifi in Greek, pronounced kat-ey-eefi, which hails originally from the Lebanon) and almond and orange flavoured delicacies galore – try one of each, and decide which ones you prefer having sampled them all.

In the heat of the summer months, a simple salad with feta cheese and a sprinkling of oregano and olive oil over the sliced tomatoes and cucumber, plus a glass of chilled local beer (Mythos is a well-known Greek brand) or dry white wine (it’s come a long way since the early days of Greek retsina, back in the 1960s, when it was ‘resinated’* in the taverna’s casks to keep it fresh!),along with some goodies from the bakery, will work brilliantly for a light lunch by the pool or a picnic on the beach.

(*The ancient Greeks used pine resin to seal the amphorae in which wine was stored and shipped, keeping the air out and thus stopping the wine from oxidising, before glass bottles and corks came into use.  By the early 1800s, there were some 6,000 tavernas in Athens adding resin to the local wine in casks to give it that distinctive taste. Retsina is now drunk more by foreigners than by Greeks.)

For early-evening drinks, as the sun goes down, local rusk-like sesame-seed bread sticks are great as an accompaniment to dips.  You can try making your own taramosalata by buying ‘tarama’ – cod’s roe – at the supermarket’s cheese counter, and mixing it to your preferred taste and consistency with a little boiled potato, yoghurt and lemon.