With 227 inhabited islands, surrounded by crystal clear waters and offering world class beaches and landscapes, it is only natural that Greece is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world.

Some of the Greek islands have become so popular that their entire economies are now centred around tourism. However, there are others that have only been discovered recently as holiday destinations.

Every island has its own distinct character.  Some are rocky, others green. Some our mountainous, others flat. Many are infamous for their nightlife, while others are renowned for their tranquillity and relaxed lifestyle. Quite a few cater to high-end tourism and exclusive crowds, while there are islands that attract the young and alternative tourist.

The northernmost Ionian island, Corfu has a mixture of influences ranging from the Venetians to the French, Italian and British. The old town with the two fortresses is an UNESCO world cultural heritage site, and the nature one of the best you can find on any Greek island. Fine beaches with freezing cold waters on the eastern side attract thousands of visitors every summer and as in every large tourism- orientated Greek island the range of holidays one can enjoy is enormous.
 

Crete is the largest island and attracts a quarter of all visitors to Greece. Its still possible to find some peace and quiet by visiting the west coast, the rugged mountainous interior and the villages of the Lassithi plateau.

Crete was the centre of the Minoan culture, Europes first advanced civilization, which flourished from 2800 BC - 1450 BC. The palace of Knossos which is situated just outside Crete’s largest city, Iraklio, is the most magnificent of Cretes Minoan sites. While Iraklio is a modern, wealthy but somewhat charmless city, the other large towns such as Hania and Rethymno are packed with beautiful Venetian buildings.

Paleohora on the south west coat was discovered by hippies in the 1960’s and from then on its days as a quiet fishing village were numbered, but it remains a relaxing place favoured by backpackers.
Many travellers spend a day trekking through 18km long Samaria Gorge to get to Agia Roumeli on the South West coast. Further along the South coast are the villages of Loutro and Hora Sfakion, linked by boat. The climate on the South coast is so mild that swimming is possible from April to November.

It is impossible to see all of Crete in one visit so try to concentrate either on the East (based around Agios Nikolaos) or West (based at Chania or Rethymnon). A car is necessary in any case.
 

Just an hour and fifteen minutes from Piraeus, Hydra is one of the prettiest  Greek islands with a unique architecture that has been preserved due to a strict development policy. Large houses belonging to historic figures loom on the hills on both sides of the picturesque harbour and there is a total car and motorbike ban on the island. Instead mules lining up with their owners undertake all the transportation of locals and visitors. To go to one of the sandy beaches of the island, one must hire a sea-taxi, but the deep blue waters just off the harbour are where most people go to swim. Nightlife is basic but adequate for a relaxing holiday.
 

The whitewashed houses of Hora, its main village, hide a frenetic but not high quality nightlife, that you’ll appreciate more if you are under 25. Its beaches though, are at par with the best in the Cyclades and indeed the whole country. Ios is only a short ferry ride from the island of Santorini.
 

Louis De Bernieres worldwide best seller Captain Corellis Mandolin is set on the island and the film that followed sent the islands tourism fortunes soaring overnight. Myrtos is the most famous of its beaches, but inland there is also a plethora of things to do and nature to appreciate. Argostoli and Lixouri are the two main towns, while Fiskardo and Sami (the village where the film was set) are well worth visiting.
 

Mykonos is the most expensive and most visited of all the Greek islands. It has some of the best beaches and the most sophisticated nightlife and is the indisputed gay capital of Greece. Celebrities, gays, and wannabes flood the island every summer.
 

Paros is a convenient base for island hopping around the Cyclades due to its excellent ferry connections. The beaches, nightlife and accomodation choices are all above average and many holiday makers return year after year. Parikia with its lovely old town is the capital and the port of Paros, but most nightlife is concentrated in picturesque Naousa. Regular international windsurfing competitions are held at noisy Chrysi Akti beach but you can easily find quiet and isolated beaches if all you want to do is relax and enjoy the blue waters. And if really quiet holidays are more up your street, Antiparos is the tiny alternative neighbour just minutes away on a local boat.
 

Once home to one of the seven wonders of the world the ‘Colossus’, Rhodes is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country. The wonderful medieval old town is an UNESCO world heritage site. Most holiday makers arrive on charter flights as the ferry from Piraeus can take many hours. There is a good choice of holiday on the island ranging from the top all-inclusive five star hotels, to down market ‘sun and booze’ holidays. There is plenty of sightseeing to do, and a number of museums.
 

Santorini is known for its breathtaking volcanic views and one of the best sunsets in the world.Thousands of tourists come every year to look at the sea-filled calderas, a vestige of what was probably the worlds largest volcanic eruption. Its beaches are very unusual  due to the black and red volcanic sand. Fira, the lively capital of the island is built on top of the caldera cliff and has fantastic views.
 

Skiathos and the other Sporades islands are covered with pine trees that reach the sea and surround its numerous sandy beaches, like Koukounaries, one of the prettiest and busiest in the country. Hora, the capital of the island is an idyllic village with red- roofed white houses built on a hillside surrounding the harbour. An ideal destination for families and those not attracted by the harsh and rocky natural beauty of the islands of southern Aegean. Easy access to the rest of the Sporades, Skopelos, Skyros, and Alonissos,  makes local island hopping possible.
 

Zakynthos (Zante) is the third largest of the Ionian islands and is rich in beauty and tradition.  The varied climate of the island with hot summers and the rainfall of the winter, allows for strong growth of produce so the island is covered in olive groves, grapevines and citrus orchards. The island has a wide selection of landscapes from the mountainous terrain of the west coast to the fertile areas of the south and east.

The most famous inhabitant of the island is the Loggerhead turtle however the most endangered species is the Mediterranean Monk seal, with only about 400 believed to be resident in and around the waters of Zakynthos.

Zakynthos has many places you’ll want to visit.