GREEK ISLANDS

Greece has about 6.000 islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and the Ionian Seas, 227 of which are inhabited.

The largest Greek island is Crete, which is located at the southern edge of the Aegean Sea. Crete is divided into four prefectures: Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Lassithi.

The second largest island is Evia (Euboea), which is separated from the mainland by the 60 m wide Euripus Strait.

The rest of the islands are divided into the following groups:

1) The islands of Argosaronic, in the Saronic gulf near Athens: Angistri, Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Spetses, Salamina.

2) The Cyclades, a large group of islands located in the central part of the Aegean Sea. They are so called because they form a circle (="Kyklos", cycle). The most known of the Cyclades are Amorgos, Anafi,Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Serifos, Sikinos, Sifnos, Syros, Tinos, Folegandros as well as the "Minor Cyclades" (Donousa, Irakleia, Kofonissia and Schinoussa)

3) The Northeastern Aegean Islands: Agios Efstratios, Thassos, Ikaria, Lesbos, Limnos, Oinousses, Samos, Samothrace, Chios, Psara.

4) The Dodecanese = "twelve islands" , in the southeast between Crete and Turkey. They are a group of 12 big and 150 small islands, 26 of which are inhabited. The most known are Rhodes, Kos, Patmos, Astipalea, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kassos, Kastellorizo, Leros, Nissyros, Symi, Tylos, Agathonissi, Chalki, Farmakonissi, Lipsi, Pserimos.

5) The Sporades, a small group located between the mainland and the islands of the North Eastern Aegean: Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros.

6) The Ionian Islands, located to the west of the mainland in the Ionian Sea. They are 12 small and large islands. The seven larger are Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Ithaca, Paxi, Kythira and they are also called Eptanissa ="7 islands". Antipaxi, Erikousa, Mathraki, Othoni, Skorpios, Strofades and Meganissi are smaller islands in Ionian Sea.

Picturesque villages, wonderful beaches, sunny weather, breathtaking landscapes, archaeological treasures, delicious food, warm hospitality: these are some of the reasons that make the Greek Islands unique and worth visiting.