Greece’s Top 10 Islands for 2025, Ranked by Lonely Planet, are a list of delights — and numero uno is an unconventional choice.
Even in an age of bucket lists and geo-tagged everything, Greece retains a unique magic. Its islands—scattered like stepping stones across sapphire waters—still invite a slower kind of travel. You arrive not just to see, but to feel: the warmth of sun on stone, the hush of olive groves at noon, the sea’s eternal rhythm.
This year, Lonely Planet has unveiled its Top 10 Greek Islands for 2025, and while a few familiar names appear, the list gently subverts expectations. The deeper you go, the better it gets—until, finally, the number one spot lands somewhere beautifully unexpected.
10. Santorini – Still dramatic, still worth it
Yes, it’s busy. Yes, you’ve seen it a thousand times on postcards. But there’s a reason Santorini keeps showing up. Sailing into its vast caldera—a flooded volcanic crater rimmed with cliffs—is the definition of cinematic. White houses tumble down the rock. Blue domes pop against cloudless skies. And every sunset feels choreographed specifically for you.
Sure, it’s not undiscovered anymore, but early spring or late autumn strips away the crowds and reveals why this island remains the gold standard for Greek romance.
9. Kythira – Where time drifts slowly
Perched where the Ionian kisses the Aegean, Kythira is a detour in every sense. Few tourists make it this far south, which is exactly the point. The roads are sleepy, the beaches serene, and the villages untouched by trend or rush. Waterfalls tumble through canyons. White-washed chapels cling to cliffs. Even the island’s mythology whispers of beauty—locals insist Aphrodite was born here, not Cyprus.
8. Kefallonia – The Ionian epic
Kefallonia may not shout the loudest, but it lingers in the soul. Blush-gold beaches slide into translucent seas. Cypress-draped hills rise above Venetian harbors. This is the island that seduced moviegoers in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (A 1994 war film based on the Louis de Bernières novel), and its charms haven’t faded. Wander through the photogenic village of Assos, swim in Myrtos Bay’s blue perfection, or hop to nearby Ithaki, forever tied to Homer’s Odysseus.
7. Samothraki – The island of gods and waterfalls
Wild, mystical, and rugged, Samothraki doesn’t just ask you to visit—it compels you to slow down. Dense forests spill into emerald pools. Peaks rise dramatically toward the heavens. And on a high perch, where Poseidon once watched the Trojan War in the 13th century BC, you’ll feel the pull of myth. Home to ancient cult rituals and the famed Sanctuary of the Great Gods, this is a place where legend breathes through the trees. In case, a small prayer to Eros, the god of love, might come in handy.
6. Rhodes – A layered masterpiece
Rhodes is a kaleidoscope of history and natural beauty. One moment you’re inside a medieval citadel built by Crusader knights; the next, you’re swimming in a turquoise bay below white-washed Lindos. Cypress groves and golden beaches dot the countryside. And in Rhodes Town, a walk through the walled Old City is like flipping through the pages of Western civilization—Byzantine, Ottoman, Italian, all in a single afternoon.
5. Mykonos – For glitter and grit
Still Greece’s undisputed queen of nightlife, Mykonos knows how to put on a show. But beyond the glitz—beach clubs, DJ sets, Instagram influencers—you’ll find a quieter soul. Bike along backroads to wind-whipped chapels. Watch the sea foam over Agios Sostis beach. Wander through Hora’s ancient alleyways and stumble upon a quiet café, still untouched by the party circuit. It’s not all champagne and flash. Tranquility amid nature's wonders is indeed within reach.
4. Nisyros – Santorini without the spotlight
Just a short hop from Kos lies Nisyros, an island forged by fire and shaped by quiet. Its volcanic heart still smolders, puffing whispers of steam from a crater said to trap a sleeping giant. White villages with blue domes cling to cliffs. Olive trees lean in the breeze. And in the evenings, the taverna tables fill slowly, as if the island itself refuses to be rushed.
3. Crete – Greece in high definition
Crete isn’t an island; it’s a universe. Rugged gorges, Bronze Age ruins, palm-fringed beaches, and mountain villages full of music and wine—it’s all here. You could spend a week chasing Zeus through mythological caves or wandering fresco-filled Minoan palaces like Knossos. Or simply hike the Samaria Gorge and let silence be your guide. There’s nowhere else quite like it.
2. Alonissos – Where the sea still whispers
Neighbor to its famous sister Skopelos (of Mamma Mia! fame), Alonissos sings a quieter tune. Think pine-framed bays, stone footpaths to time-stopped villages, and chapels glowing with candlelight. Skip the summer crowds and you might have Chora’s flower-strewn alleys and sea-view cafés all to yourself.
But the real marvel lies offshore. The island is home to the largest marine park in Europe, where dolphins play and rare monk seals glide beneath the surface. Below the water, history waits—the underwater museum at Peristera offers divers a glimpse of a 2,500-year-old shipwreck.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
1. Ikaria – The island that outlives time
And so we arrive at Lonely Planet’s top pick for 2025: Ikaria, the island that keeps its secrets close and its visitors forever changed.
Far from the beaten path, Ikaria isn’t the easiest place to reach—but that’s the point. Here, people live long, laugh deeply, and rarely look at the clock. It’s one of the world’s five official “Blue Zones,” places where longevity isn’t rare—it’s expected. The recipe? Mountain air, slow food, strong wine, steep trails, and stronger community.
You’ll need a car, and a willingness to get lost. But lose yourself you will—along narrow roads that wind past rock houses once used to hide from pirates, into sulfuric hot springs in the village of Therma, and toward the frosted-white shores of Seychelles Beach. You might visit the cliff said to mark Icarus’s tragic fall. Or sit in a vineyard sipping wine made as it was in Homer’s day.
Ikaria doesn’t try to impress. It simply is. And in a world that moves too fast, that might just be the greatest luxury of all.