THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Korina Miller Alexis Averbuck, Michael Stamatios Clark, Des Hannigan,

Victoria Kyriakopoulos, Andrea Schulte-Peevers, Richard Waters

AroundAthens &

p312Dodecanese

p256Crete

p156Cycladesp135

Gulf IslandsSaronic

p62

p387Aegean IslandsNortheastern

p449the Sporades

Evia &p477

IslandsIonian

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z .................. 564Transport ......................... 573Language ......................... 581Index ................................. 594Map Legend ..................... 606

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

Accommodation There is a range of accom-modation available in Greece to suit every taste and pocket. All places to stay are subject to strict price con-

ols set by the tourist police. aw, a notice must be

ayed in every room, stat-category of the room

ice charged in each cult to gener-

tion prices end

» A mandatory charge of 20% is levied for an ad-ditional bed (although this often is waived if the bed is for a child).» During July and August accommodation owners will charge the maximum price.» In spring and autumn prices can drop by 20%.» Prices can drop even further in winter.» Rip-o s are rare; if you suspect that you have beeexploited make a rep

touri

fope

If caof summsheet to ryour tent. Otents that arcolder countrsweat lodges. and mid-Septeweather is warmsleep out underMany camping gcovered areas wwho don’t have sleep in summeby with a lightwbag. It’s a gooda foam pad to waterproof cosleeping bag

Some oth» Campinfrom midthe en» C€

Directory A–Z

PAGE

60

PAGE

563

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

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PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to the Greek Islands ................. 216 Top Experiences ......... 6Need to Know .................. 14First Time ......................... 16What’s New ...................... 18If You Like ......................... 19Month by Month .............. 21Itineraries ......................... 24Island Hopping ................ 29Cruising ............................ 38Eat Like a Local ................ 45Outdoor Activities ........... 50Travel with Children ........ 54Regions at a Glance ........ 57

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND GREEK ISLANDS

Greek Islands Today ....... 526History .............................. 528The Islanders ................... 539Art & Literature ............... 543Island Architecture ......... 547Music & Dance ................. 550Greek Cuisine .................. 553Nature & Wildlife ............. 558

1500–1200 BC

The authoritarian Mycenaean culture m the Peloponnese usurps much of the

Cretan and Cycladic ures. Goldsmithing

is a predominant ature of Mycenaean

life.

800–700 BC

Homer composes the ‘Iliad’ and the

‘Odyssey’ around this time. The two epic

poems are Greece’s earliest pieces of

literary art, and are still praised for their

poetic genius.

he Mycenaean kin doms and enslaving the inhabitants. The Dorianso s read their tentacles into the Greek islands, founding the cities of miros Ialysos and Lindos on Rhodes in about 1000 BC, while Ioni-

eeing to the Cyclades from the Peloponnese established a religiousctuar on Delos.

The following 400-year period is often referred to as Greece’s ‘dark ’, however in their favour they introduced iron and developed a new ricate style of pottery, decorated with striking geometric designs. They o introduced the practice of polytheism (the worship of many gods),mving the way for Zeus and his pantheon of 12 principal deities.

rchaic Agering the so-called Archaic Age, from around 800 to 650 BC, Greek cul-e developed rapidly; many of the advancements in literature, sculpture,

Beyond their rich artistic and cultural legacy,

the Minoans also invented the

earliest ‘flush-ing’ toilet and

advanced sewer-age systems, described in

detail on www.theplumber.com.

IMA

GE

BR

OK

ER

©

» Woodcut of Homer

Greek Cuisine Simple, nutritious and avoursome, Greek food is one of the pleasures of travels through Greece.

The cuisine of the Greek islands, spread across the seas from Italy toTurkey, draws on Greece’s rich culinary heritage, with in uences fromvarious invaders and historical trading partners. Arid landscapes and thelimited availability of local produce on many islands also meant makingthe most of the fruits of the sea and whatever grew wild, from capers toartichokes.

Greek food traditions have emanated from home cooks rather thanrestaurant kitchens. Those fortunate to have eaten in a Greek home haveoften lamented that the cuisine was never done justice in a restaurantsetting, let alone at generic or ‘tourist’ tavernas. More recent shifts to-wards neuvo-Greek cuisine with fancy foams and takes on internationaltrends were hit-and-miss a airs.

But a welcome culinary awakening has been taking place across theountry, with a newfound appreciation for traditional cuisine, regional

s ecialities and produce with a designation of origin. Changing lifestyles, with people now cooking less at home, have also fuelled nostalgia for the familiar avours of yiayia’sf (grandmother’s) cooking, while

FooGreekAgla

exphistoand

the ispreseand n

from ttraveNew Y

vos r

Escape Before you even arrive, the Greek islands irt with your imagination, promising the

ultimate sun-soaked getaway. You’ll soon discover that this archipelago of over 1400 islands and islets doesn’t disappoint. The days melt from one to the next, lled with big blue skies and endless miles of aqua-marine coastline with some of Europe’s cleanest beaches. Soak up the majestic beauty of Santorini or dive head rst into the pulsing nightlife of Mykonos. Take in the ancient sights like Knossos that you’ve read about all your life, or the exhilarat-ing possibilities of the islands’ mountain-ous interiors. Wander through lush wild- owers in spring or laze on isolated sandy

coves in summer with the warm sea lap-ping at your feet. You’ll quickly become acquainted to the melancholy throb of rembetika (blues songs) and the tang of home-made tzatziki. Many travellers sim-ply settle down and never go home.

Tempt Your Appetite Head to an island harbour to watch the shermen’s daily catch tumble from their

nets; seafood takes pride of place in many Greek kitchens and nowhere is it fresher than on the islands. Greeks pride them-selves on their cuisine and will go out of their way to ensure you are well fed. Ba-sic ingredients like feta and olive oil are at home in kitchens across the country,

Welcome to the Greek Islands

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PAGE

525GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

can make sense of what you see

urge you to slow right down. Join locals as contemplate life from the co ee houses orunwind on sandy stretches of isolated beaTry Leros (p 372 ) with its colourful harbourtrendy bars and cafes; visit tiny Psara (p 41for its pristine beaches; or head to the far jungle island of Samothraki (p 437 ). Time sto stand still in these places – or at least mvery, very slowly.

Chic Capital 2 Life in Athens (p 62 ) is a magni cent mup of the ancient and the contemporaBeneath the majestic facades of venerablelandmarks, the city teems with life and creity. And Athenians love to get out and enjoyall. Galleries and clubs hold the exhibitionsformances and installations of the city’s boing arts scene. Trendy restaurants and humtavernas rustle up ne, ne fare. Ubiquitoucafes ll with stylin’ locals and moods run fpunk rock to haute couture. Discos and baabound…and swing deep into the night.

16 TOP EXPERIENCES

1

PLAN YO

UR TRIP IF YOU

LIKE

Great Food From rich mousakas to grilled souvlaki and honey-laced baklava, Greek cuisine has a homemade authenticity. The freshest produce, pressed olive oil and fragrant herbs create stand-out avours as a local renaissance of traditional dishes oods restaurant kitchens. You’ll also nd gourmet chefs adding their own are. Dining in Greece has never been so tasty. Italian In uence The Italians left the streets strewn with pas-ta that the Greeks added to their own dishes; try makarounes (homemade pasta cooked with

Live Music There’s nothing shy or sub-dued about the Greek music scene. This is where the passionate national charac-ter is expressed fully. Clubs throughout the country continue to host traditional rembetika bands, play-ing evocative Greek blues music, while contemporary Greek musicians make their way across the charts. Live music is most often accom-panied by dining or ouzo, making it a well-rounded experience. Cafe Chantant It’s di cult to get more authentic than this atmospheric club (p 324 ) in

Shopping If you enjoy shopping, or even if you usually don’t, Greece will surprise you with its diverse o erings. In addition to the chic shops in the cities that get fashionis-tas’ wallets thumping, Ath-ens has over owing markets that make shopping a cul-tural delight – in fact, you’ll nd local markets in almost

every destination that will tempt your curiosity. Leather Strappy sandals, hand-bags, belts, Cretan boots –Greek leather goods are high quality, support the local economy and look great (p 117 )

Market Stalls Hats, olives,

CH

RIS

TE

R FR

ED

RIK

SS

ON

/ LON

ELY P

LAN

ET IM

AG

ES ©

» The ubiquitous Greek salad (p555)

20

I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -899 -9

9 781741 798999

99225

greek-islands-7-cover.indd 2greek-islands-7-cover.indd 2 8/12/2011 8:25:19 AM8/12/2011 8:25:19 AM

Look out for these icons:

o Our author’s top recommendation

Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first

S A green or sustainable option F No payment required

ATHENS & AROUND . . 62ATHENS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63ATHENS PORTS . . . . . . . . . 125Piraeus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125Rafina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Lavrio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130AROUND ATHENS . . . . . . .130Cape Sounion . . . . . . . . . . .130Elefsina (Eleusis) . . . . . . . . 131Mt Parnitha . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131Marathon & Around . . . . . . 131Vravrona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Peania & Around. . . . . . . . . 134

SARONIC GULF ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . 135AEGINA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137Perdika . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141ANGISTRI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141Skala & Around . . . . . . . . . . 142POROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142HYDRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145SPETSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

CYCLADES . . . . . . . . . 156ANDROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158Gavrio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159Batsi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160TINOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162SYROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166Ermoupoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168Galissas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170MYKONOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171DELOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

PAROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Parikia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Naousa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187Lefkes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188ANTIPAROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189NAXOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191LITTLE CYCLADES . . . . . . . 200Iraklia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201Schinousa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202Koufonisia . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203DONOUSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205AMORGOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206Katapola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207Moni Hozoviotissis . . . . . . 209Aegiali. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209IOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210Hora, Ormos & Mylopotas 211SANTORINI (THIRA) . . . . . 215Fira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Oia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223Thirasia & Volcanic Islets 226ANAFI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226SIKINOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228FOLEGANDROS . . . . . . . . . 229Karavostasis . . . . . . . . . . . . 231Ano Meria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241MILOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241Adamas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242Plaka & Trypiti. . . . . . . . . . .244KIMOLOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245SIFNOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Kamares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246Apollonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247SERIFOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

Livadi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249KYTHNOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251Merihas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252KEA (TZIA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Korissia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253Ioulida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254

CRETE . . . . . . . . . . . .256CENTRAL CRETE . . . . . . . . 261Iraklio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261Knossos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268Arhanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273Zaros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273Matala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273Rethymno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274Moni Arkadiou . . . . . . . . . . .279Anogia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279Mt Psiloritis . . . . . . . . . . . . 280Spili . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281Plakias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281Agia Galini . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284WESTERN CRETE . . . . . . . .285Hania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285Samaria Gorge . . . . . . . . . .293Hora Sfakion . . . . . . . . . . . 294Frangokastello . . . . . . . . . .295Anopoli & Inner Sfakia . . .295Sougia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296Paleohora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296Elafonisi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298Gavdos Island . . . . . . . . . . 298Kissamos-Kastelli . . . . . . . 299EASTERN CRETE . . . . . . . . 301Lasithi Plateau . . . . . . . . . .301Agios Nikolaos . . . . . . . . . 302

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

Mohlos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307Sitia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307Kato Zakros & AncientZakros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309Ierapetra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310

DODECANESE . . . . . . 312RHODES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314Rhodes Town . . . . . . . . . . . . 317HALKI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330Emborios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331KARPATHOS . . . . . . . . . . . . 332Pigadia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334KASOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339Fry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340KASTELLORIZO(MEGISTI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341SYMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .343Gialos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345TILOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348Livadia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349Megalo Horio . . . . . . . . . . . . 351NISYROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351Mandraki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352KOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355ASTYPALEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363Skala & Hora . . . . . . . . . . . 364Livadi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366KALYMNOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367Pothia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368Myrties, Masouri & Armeos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371Telendos Islet . . . . . . . . . . . 371Emborios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372Vathys & Rina . . . . . . . . . . .372

LEROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372Platanos & Agia Marina . .373Pandeli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375Vromolithos . . . . . . . . . . . . .375Lakki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375Xirokambos . . . . . . . . . . . . .376Krithoni & Alinda . . . . . . . .376PATMOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377Skala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .378LIPSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382ARKI & MARATHI . . . . . . . . 385AGATHONISI . . . . . . . . . . . .385Agios Georgios . . . . . . . . . 386

NORTHEASTERN AEGEAN ISLANDS . . 387IKARIA & THE FOURNIISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389Agios Kirykos . . . . . . . . . . 390Evdilos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .392The Fourni Islands . . . . . . .397SAMOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399Vathy (Samos) . . . . . . . . . 400Pythagorio . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403CHIOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409INOUSSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417PSARA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418LESVOS (MYTILINI) . . . . . . 420LIMNOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432Myrina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433AGIOS EFSTRATIOS . . . . . . 436SAMOTHRAKI . . . . . . . . . . . 437Kamariotissa . . . . . . . . . . . 438THASOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441

EVIA & THE SPORADES . . . . . . . .449EVIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451SKIATHOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456SKOPELOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461ALONNISOS . . . . . . . . . . . . 465SKYROS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471Magazia & Molos . . . . . . . . 474

IONIAN ISLANDS . . . 477CORFU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479PAXI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492Gaïos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493Loggos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493Magazia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494Lakka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494ANTIPAXI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495LEFKADA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495MEGANISI . . . . . . . . . . . . . .500KEFALLONIA . . . . . . . . . . . . 501Argostoli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503Paliki Peninsula . . . . . . . . 506Sami & Surrounds . . . . . . .507Assos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508Fiskardo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508ITHAKI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509Vathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .510ZAKYNTHOS . . . . . . . . . . . . 512KYTHIRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518Kapsali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521Potamos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521Agia Pelagia. . . . . . . . . . . . .522ANTIKYTHIRA . . . . . . . . . . . 523

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HydraOne of Europe's most

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ITALY

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FORMER YUGOSLAVREPUBLIC

OF MACEDONIA

ALBANIA

KOSOVO

Hydra

Skiathos

Poros

Antikythira

Spetses

Kefallonia

Corfu

Zakynthos

Lefkada

Kythira

Evia

Ithaki

Skopelos

Aegina

Alonnisos

IonianSea

Kotor

AdriaticSea

ALBANIA

PELOPONNESE

ATTICA

STEREAELLADA

EPIROSTHESSALY

KassandraPeninsula

IONIAN ISLANDS

Sporades

PelionPeninsula

MACEDONIA

Halkidiki

MyrtoönSea

Gulf ofKassandra

LakonianGulf

Gulf ofCorinth

SaronicGulf

MEDITERRANEANSEA

LakeKremasta

LakeAliakmonas

LakeKoman

LakeFierza

LakeShkodra Be

li D

rim

Evros Majae Paces

Mt Olympus

Mt Vodno

Mj eJezerces

Mt Iti

Mt Parintha

Mt Parnassos

42°N42°N

21°E

20°E

40°N

39°N

18°E

42°N

41°N

38°N

37°N

36°N

35°N

22°E

23°E19°E

19°E

Kyparissia

Nafpaktos

Kotas

Sami

Diakofto

Tirnavos

MycenaeOlympia

Delphi

Mystras

Loutraki

Perahora

Nafplio

Areopoli

PylosMonemvasia

Piraeus

Kalambaka

Gythio

Mytikas

Marathon

Rafina

Sagiada

Kakavia

Mertziani

Lavrio

AgiosKonstantinos

Kalamata

Neapoli

Paleohora

Geraki

Epidavros

Kristallopigi

KylliniAgios Nikolaos

Parga

Karpenisi

Megalopoli

Volos

Trikala

Giannitsa

Kastoria

Larissa

Argostoli

Arta

Kalamaria

Messolongi

Corfu Town(Kerkyra)

Florina

Patra

Ioannina

Kilkis

Sparta

Edessa

AmaliadaZakynthos Town

Alexandria

Lefkada Town

Veria

Naoussa

Lamia

Karditsa

Kozani Katerini

Pyrgos

Preveza

Igoumenitsa

Agrinio

Ptolemaida

Thessaloniki

DramaSerres

Corinth

Tripoli

TIRANA

ATHENS

Thiva(Thebes)

LitohoroKonitsa

Metsovo

ExohiPromahonas

DoïraniEvzoni

Niki

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› Greek Islands

HaniaLabyrinth of Venetian

architecture (p285)

Samaria GorgeEurope’s longest

gorge (p293)

AthensAncient and contemporary

come together (p62)

Corfu TownFrench, Italian and

British influences (p482)

National MarinePark of Alonnisos

Pristine waters (p467)

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Magical walledmedieval town (p317)

PsaraTiny island with immaculate

beaches (p418)

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TURKEY

Serifos

Sifnos

KimolosSikinos

Folegandros

LittleCyclades

Donousa

Nisyros

Fourni Islands

Halki

Saria

DODECANESE

AgiosEfstratios

Gavdos

BULGARIA

Samothraki

Antiparos

Psara

RhodesAnafi

Patmos

Chios

Imvros(Gökçeada)

Limnos

Samos

Naxos

Kastellorizo(Megisti)

Thasos

Andros

Karpathos

Kos

Ikaria

Skyros

Crete

Tinos

Paros

Milos

Kea

Amorgos

Kalymnos

Ios

Kythnos

Astypalea

MykonosSyros

Santorini(Thira)

Kasos

Tilos

Leros

Lesvos

Delos

Symi

DatçaPeninsula

GallipoliPeninsula

AegeanSea

Black Sea(Karadenız)

Sea ofMarmara

NORTHEASTERNAEGEAN ISLANDS

CYCLADES

THRACE

Sea ofCrete

KarpathianSea

ThracianSea

MEDITERRANEANSEA

TheDardanelles

AegeanSea

(Maritsa)

37°N

39°N

29°E

E

27°E

2

28°E

26°E

24°E

42°N 42°N42°N

40°N

38°N

26°E

36°N

28°E

29°E

Nea Styra

Çeşme

Matala

Ierapetra

Rethymno

Sitia

AgiaGalini

Olymbos

Kuşadası

Kastanies

Kipi

Datça

Didymotiho

AgiosNikolaos

RhodesTown

Kos Town Marmaris

Milas

Pigadia

KattaviaLindos

Hora (Naxos)

Gavrio

Chios Town

Karystos

Myrina

Edirne

Xanthi

İzmir

Bodrum

KavalaAlexandroupoli

MytiliniTown

Komotini

IraklioHania

İstanbul

Orestiada

Plakias

Ormenio

KnossosMoniArkadiou

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1000m

2000m

3000m

4000m

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0

ELEVATION

Top Experiences ›

r

LerosColourful harbour and

trendy bars (p372)

SantoriniSophistication and spectacular

landscapes (p215)

KnossosRestored Minoan

palaces (p268)

Preveli BeachWatched over by a picturesque

monastery (p283)

SkyrosEclectic history and

artistic delight (p471)

SamothrakiFar-flung jungle

island (p437)

LesvosQuiet beaches and cool

pine forests (p420)

Victoria Kyriakopoulos Eat Like a Local, Understand Greek Islands Victoria is a Melbourne-based jour-nalist and travel writer who has written about Greece for more than 15 years. She wrote Lonely Planet’s Athens Encounter and Crete, and contributed to Greece and Greek Islands, as well as international newspapers and magazines. Victoria was editor of Odyssey magazine, covered the 2004 Athens Olympics and has worked on several television shows about Greece.

Andrea Schulte-Peevers Crete Andrea has travelled the distance to the moon and back in her visits to around 70 countries, but she’ll forever cherish the memory of fi rst setting foot on Crete some 15 years ago and being instantly charmed by its people, the rich tapestry of their traditions and their long and proud history. She has written or contributed to some 60 Lonely Planet books, including the Crete regional guide. Her current home is Berlin.

Richard Waters Dodecanese Since gorging himself on whitebait in Corfu in the ’70s, Richard has been back to Greece more than 15 times. He loves its people, its varied landscape and perhaps most of all its myths, and has written about them for various news-papers including the Sunday Times. He lives with his family in the Cotswolds, works as a freelance journalist and photographer, and when he’s not travelling, pre-tends he’s still a surfer. You can read some of his work at www.richardwaters.co.uk.

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Korina Miller Coordinating Author, Plan Your Trip (except Eat Like a Local), Finding Your Perfect Island, Survival Guide Korina fi rst ventured to Greece as a backpacking teenager, sleeping on ferry decks and hiking in the mountains. She has since found herself drawn back to soak up the dazzling Greek sunshine, lounge on the beaches and consume vast quantities of Greek salad and strong coff ee. Korina grew up on Van-couver Island and has been exploring the globe since she was 16, working, study-

ing and travelling in 36 countries en route. Korina has written nearly 20 titles for Lonely Planet.

Alexis Averbuck Athens & Around, Saronic Gulf Islands, Ionian Islands Alexis lives on Hydra, Greece, and takes regular reverse R&R in Athens, and makes any excuse to travel the isolated back roads of her adopted land. She is committed to dispelling the stereotype that Greece is simply a string of sandy beaches. A travel writer for two decades, she’s lived in Antarctica for a year, crossed the Pacifi c by sailboat and written books on her journeys through Asia and the Americas. She’s also a

painter – visit www.alexisaverbuck.com.

Michael Stamatios Clark Northeastern Aegean Islands, Evia & the Sporades Michael’s Greek roots go back to the village of Karavostamo (Ikaria), home of his maternal grandparents, and one of his destinations for this guide. His fi rst trip to the islands was as a deck-hand aboard a Greek freighter, trading Greek lessons for English over backgam-mon. For this edition, Michael roamed the trails of Skopelos, tested the thermal sea waters of Ikaria, and happily sampled the retsina and tsipouro along the way.

Des Hannigan Cyclades Des has been wandering around Greece for years. In a previous life he worked at sea, valuable experience for coping with the Greek ferry system although he’d really like to hop the islands in a fast yacht or even an old caïque. Des has covered the Cycladic, Ionian and Saronic Islands and eastern Crete for Lonely Planet. He lives in the far west of Cornwall, England, where on very sunny days it can sometimes feel like Greece, except for the chilly Atlantic Ocean.

Read more about Alexis at:lonelyplanet.com/members/alexisaverbuck

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9837th edition – March 2012ISBN 978 1 74179 899 9© Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs © as indicated 201210 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

OVERPAGE

MORE WRITERS

Itiner-aries

AEGEANSEA

AEGEAN SEA

Andros

Tinos

Mykonos

Delos

Naxos

Santorini (Thira)SEA OF CRETE

MYRTOÖN SEA

CYCLADES

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10 DaysAthens & the Cyclades

Begin your tour with a couple of days in Athens, home of some of the world’s most important ancient sites. Take in Athens’ markets, contemporary art scene and bril-liant nightlife. From here head to the Cyclades.

Catch a ferry from Rafi na for a day or two on the classy island of Andros, enjoy-ing its fi ne beaches and art galleries. Move along to Tinos, a pilgrimage island for many Orthodox Christians, with its dramatic landscape and countless Venetian dovecotes. Next in line is chic Mykonos, famous for its colourful harbour, bars and beaches. From here take a day trip to the tiny, sacred island of Delos to explore its ancient ruins. Hop back on a ferry to Naxos, the greenest and most fertile of the Cyclades and a haven for walkers.

Your fi nal destination is spectacular Santorini (Thira). The dramatic sheer cliff s of its volcanic caldera were created by one of the largest eruptions in history and off er an amaz-ing perch from which to watch the sun sinking into the sea. From here you can hop on a fl ight back to Athens.

Whether you’ve got six days or Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these 60, these itineraries provide a itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online toHead online to lonelyplanet. lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.travellers.

24

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ITIN

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RIES

ALBANIA

PELOPONNESE

Corfu

Zakynthos

Kefallonia

Lefkada

Ithaki

Paxi

Antipaxi

MEDITERRANEANSEA

IONIANSEA

Myrtos Beach

Paleokastritsa

Assos

Argostoli

ZakynthosTown

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Two WeeksIonian Experience

If you’ve a hankering for island life along with beautiful architecture and dramatic scenery, a tour of the Ionian Islands will more than satisfy you. This is doubly true if you’re keen to toss some outdoor activities into your trip.

Begin your tour in Corfu where you can easily spend a couple of days wandering through Corfu Town, with the amazing blend of Italian, French and British architecture of its Old Town, indulging in gourmet cuisine, exploring picturesque coastal villages and lounging on fantastic sandy beaches. If you want to expel a bit more energy, Corfu is also a great place for windsurfi ng and biking in the island’s mountainous interior. Also include a day trip over to the west-coast resort of Paleokastritsa, lingering long enough to enjoy the sunset.

Next up is tiny Paxi, where visitors can explore a lost world of ancient, gnarled olive groves and derelict farmhouses, along with pretty harbour towns. Hire a boat to explore hidden coves or a scooter to roam the interior. Take an excursion boat over to Antipaxi to fl oat in dazzlingly clear water.

With no ferry connections south, hop back on a boat to Corfu or Igoumenitsa to make your way south to Lefkada. The beaches of the west coast are the fi nest in the Ionians, while the southern Vasiliki Bay is renowned as a prime windsurfi ng spot.

Southern Lefkada is also the departure point for ferries to Kefallonia. Overnight in the picturesque village of Fiskardo, kayak to isolated golden beaches and sample the island’s well-reputed local wine. Hop across from Fiskardo to Ithaki and spend a couple of days exploring the homeland of Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ before returning to Kefallonia. Call in at the stunning west-coast village of Assos and the magic beach of Myrtos on the journey south to Kefallonia’s lively capital, Argostoli.

From Kefallonia’s south coast port of Pesada, you’ll fi nd connections to Agios Nikolaos on Zakynthos. Known to the Venetians as the ‘Flower of the Orient’, the island’s capital, Zakynthos Town, boasts some fi ne examples of Venetian and neoclassical architecture, some great museums and a strong Greek vibe.

25

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ITIN

ERA

RIES

Nisyros

Rhodes

Patmos

Kos

Crete

AEGEANSEA

MEDITERRANEANSEA

Sitia

AgiosNikolaos

Iraklio

ATHENS

Knossos

Peza

Kefalos Bay

LasithiPlateau

Kato ZakrosGolden Beach &Istron Bay

MaliaSpinalongaIsland

RhodesTown

Vaï

SEA OF CRETE

GREECE

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TURKEY

DODECANESE

Three WeeksCrete & the Dodecanese

Once considered out-of-the-way, Crete’s eastern half has some fantastic sights and excellent towns that are making it an increasingly magnetic region. From here, you can reach the neighbouring Dodecanese by ferry or on a short fl ight from Iraklio. The Dodecanese have a wealth of diversity and speedy catamaran service that makes

island hopping a joy. Begin in Iraklio, taking in the excellent Archaeological Museum and taking a day trip to

the impressive Minoan ruins of Knossos. It’s worth taking in the surrounding Peza wine region en route, which is nestled amid a landscape of shapely hills, sunbaked slopes and lush valleys. From Iraklio head east along the northern coast to the relaxed resort town of Agios Nikolaos, which dishes out charm and hip ambience in equal portions. This makes a great base for exploring the surrounding region. Take in Golden Beach (Voulisma Beach) and Istron Bay for long stretches of sand. Off the north coast, visit the massive fortress on Spinalonga Island, a fascinating island that’s just a short ferry ride across the Gulf of Mirabello. Visit the nearby Minoan ruins like Malia, a palace still fi lled with mysteries, and rent a bike to explore the tranquil villages of the fertile Lasithi Plateau, lying snugly between mountain ranges and home to Zeus’ birthplace.

From Agios Nikolaos, continue east to Sitia from where you can head for the white sand of Vai, Europe’s only natural palm-forest beach. You can also travel south from here to Kato Zakros to hike through the dramatic Valley of the Dead.

From Sitia, get settled on a 10-hour ferry ride to Rhodes Island. Spend a couple of days exploring Rhodes Town’s walled medieval Old Town and some of the surrounding beach-es, fascinating Byzantine chapels and the white-sugar-cube village of Lindos. Catch one of the daily catamarans to lush Nisyros to explore deep within its bubbling caldera and then carry on to Patmos to experience its artistic and religious vibe and to visit the cave where St John wrote the Book of Revelations. Backtrack to Kos to spend a fi nal couple of days on gorgeous, sandy Kefalos Bay and sipping coff ee and cocktails in Kos Town’s lively squares. From Kos Town you can catch onward fl ights to Athens.

26

PLAN YO

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GREECE

PELOPONNESE

AgiosEfstratios

Rhodes

Limnos

Chios

Samos

Kos

Tilos

Leros

Lesvos(Mytilini)

SymiAEGEAN

SEA

MEDITERRANEANSEA

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Three WeeksThe Eastern Island Run

For intrepid travellers without a tight time schedule, Greece’s eastern periphery of-fers languid coasts, lush scenery, amazing sights and divine beaches. Scheduled fer-ries are regular but not always very frequent; thankfully you won’t be in any hurry to leave and many island hoppers would happily extend their exploration from three

weeks to three months. Begin your journey with a few days on Rhodes, wandering through the walled medieval

Old Town and soaking up the contemporary, atmospheric nightlife. Visit the Acropolis of Lindos and the crumbling fairytale castles on the north coast with their phenomenal views. If you have time, take a day trip to Symi to enjoy its picturesque harbour and the ornate Moni Taxiarhou Mihail Panormiti.

From Rhodes, set sail for the remote-feeling Tilos, a great place for bird lovers and walk-ers, with ancient cobbled pathways and tiny coves only accessible on foot. Head north to Leros with its Italian-inspired architecture, ultra-relaxed vibe and fascinating bunker mu-seum revealing the island’s starring role in WWII. Continue north to Samos, where you can hike through lush forests to secluded waterfalls and laze on idyllic beaches. From Samos, head to Chios where you can get lost in the labyrinth of stone alleyways in the southern vil-lage of Mesta and then head into the interior to hike through citrus groves under the shade of towering mountain peaks.

The next stop is Lesvos (Mytilini), birthplace of the poet Sappho, producer of some of Greece’s fi nest olive oil and ouzo and – not surprisingly – home to a hopping nightlife. Visit the island’s fantastic modern art gallery and the hilltop Byzantine monastery of Moni Ypsilou with its glittering ancient manuscripts. Its landscape is as diverse as its cultural of-ferings, with salt marshes to gushing hot springs, dense forests and soft beaches. From here hop to Limnos to dine on the day’s catch at Myrina’s waterside seafood restaurants. Carry on to secluded Agios Efstratios to stretch out on volcanic sand beaches before jumping on an overnight boat to Athens.

27

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GREECE

Crete

RhodesAnafi

Samos

Naxos

Karpathos

Kos

Kythira

Ikaria

Mykonos

Santorini(Thira)

Kassos

Delos

AEGEANSEA

AEGEANSEA

MEDITERRANEANSEA

Sea of Grete

Kissamos

HaniaIraklio

ATHENS

Knossos

#•

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#_

One MonthThe Grand Tour

With time on your hands and the Aegean as your horizon, get into some serious island hopping on this 1350km-long voyage around the periphery of Greece’s world of water and rock. Making use of scheduled ferries, this is a good trip if you want variety and the odd challenge.

After exploring bustling Athens for a few days, catch a fl ight or a ferry to spectacu-lar Santorini (Thira), whose capital Fira perches precariously atop the sheer walls of a volcanic caldera created by one of the world’s greatest eruptions. Next unwind for a few days on some of the smaller islands such as Anafi and Koufonisia, both perfect for beach lovers. Next visit fertile Naxos, famous for its crops and fi ne wines, and when you’re fully recharged, hit the bars and clubs of hedonistic Mykonos, favoured by backpackers and socialites alike. Be sure to take a day trip to visit the temples and sanctuaries of sacred Delos before moving on to laid-back Ikaria – where Icarus crash-landed after he fl ew too close to the sun.

Next head to Samos, where the unspoiled villages of the interior off er lots of opportuni-ties for walkers and nature lovers. Rent a bike on Kos to explore its sandy southern coast and jump on the daily catamaran to Rhodes, with its amazing walled fortress city built by the Knights of St John. Along with the scrumptious cuisine and laid-back nightlife of the city, be sure to take in a few of the stunning Byzantine churches dotted across the island and the sugar-cube buildings and tower houses of Lindos.

Journey west from Rhodes on a fl ight to Karpathos where you can explore the atmos-pheric mountaintop village of Olymbos. From there, catch another fl ight to the Cretan capi-tal of Iraklio, from where you can visit the nearby magnifi cent Minoan ruins of Knossos. Rent a car and head out along Crete’s northern coast to charming Hania, with its beautiful harbour and labyrinth of backstreets. Detour south to Elafonisi Beach – Crete’s most stun-ning stretch of sand and then return to the northwestern port of sleepy Kissamos. Hop on a ferry to the delightfully unspoiled island of Kythira, from where you can catch a ferry back to Athens.

28

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