| Greek island holidays offer a mix of holiday | | | | swim at one of the many beaches, ferry yourself |
| diversions from beautiful beaches and warm | | | | over to Paros for a stroll along the coast and |
| water to major cultural sites. One of the best | | | | dinner in one of the pretty port towns, Naousa is |
| choices for Greek island holidays are the Cyclades | | | | particularly nice. Paros has a mountainous interior |
| islands: awash with blue domed Byzantine | | | | with little scenic outposts of civilisation, so this is a |
| churches rounding off white villages that look they | | | | good island on which to rent a scooter and go for |
| have been painted by cubist architects then | | | | a drive. Head to the Hundred Doors Church and |
| decorated with bougainvillea and cats. These | | | | drive into the mountains then back along the |
| towns tumble down rugged, multicoloured hills to | | | | coast before packing up to literally sleep on the |
| golden, sandy beaches and crescent bays lining up | | | | beach at one of the campsites on small and quiet |
| against azure seas, and all coated in warm | | | | Antiparos. |
| sunshine. Holidays in Greece, particularly here, | | | | Greek island holiday day 8 & 9: From Paros |
| offer a nice travelling lifestyle. | | | | sail to Milos: a lower key version of Santorini, |
| There are around 200 Cyclades Islands so don't | | | | where the Venus de Milo was found, and a good |
| expect to be able to tick them all off in one | | | | place to try sea kayaking, then spend a night on |
| Greek island holiday. Most people plan their Greek | | | | another of the quieter islands, Kythnos; for the |
| island holiday to include Santorini, for the volcanic | | | | traditional villages and sandy crescent shaped bays |
| harbour and the famous whitewashed cubist | | | | which attract mainly Greek holidaymakers. |
| architecture and blue domed roofs, Naxos for the | | | | Greek island holiday day 10 - 12: Santorini is the |
| wide, sandy beaches and the Archaeological | | | | place of a million Greek Travel brochure photos: |
| Museum, and Mykonos for more beaches and the | | | | the volcano caldera with the picturesque towns |
| dancing in the cafes. A good Greek island holiday | | | | clinging to its slopes, anchored in the deep blue, |
| itinerary will mix them up with some of the | | | | deep blue harbour. Once you've settled in take |
| smaller, less touristy islands, though all the guide | | | | some time to appreciate the view on a |
| books say there's not really a bad Cyclades Island | | | | whitewashed cubist terrace. On the days that |
| Hopping itinerary, and some people just | | | | follow visit the Prehistoric Museum of Thera and |
| recommend packing your bags and playing it by | | | | swim off the black sandy beaches at Kamari and |
| ear depending on which ferry comes first. | | | | Perissa. |
| Here's a Greek island holiday itinerary example: | | | | Greek island holiday day 13 & 14: Crete, with |
| Holiday day 1 & 2: Popular Mykonos is one of | | | | all its archaeology and mythology is included in this |
| the easiest islands to start your holiday on, after | | | | island group, but Crete still has the kind of |
| which it's time to hit Mykonos Town's maze of | | | | coastlines you'll be coming to expect by the end |
| streets, cafes and bars, or hit the beach. From | | | | of your Cycladic fortnight. The Palace of Knossos |
| Mykonos, it's a short day trip to Delos for the | | | | is a highlight for the frescos and stories of the |
| historic Hellenistic ruins and excavations. | | | | Minotaur, the archaeological dig at Phaistos is a |
| Greek island holiday day 3 & 4: Set off to | | | | must-see for the layers of history it uncovers, |
| Naxos in the morning and arrive in time for a | | | | then spend some time on the beach. |
| swim and a stroll around town, visiting the Portara | | | | The best time for a Greek island holiday in the |
| and the castle. Wake up early and take a drive | | | | Cyclades islands is May through June or |
| into the interior to see the 7th Century frescos in | | | | September, at the beginning and end of the |
| the church of Panayia Drosiani, and the pretty | | | | season when it's not too hot, not too busy and |
| town of Apeiranthos then spend the afternoon in | | | | the accommodation is cheaper. Holidays in Greece |
| the Archaeological Museum. | | | | don't get any better than this! |
| Greek island holiday days 5-7: After a morning | | | | |