This summer again, the Greek islands will be among the big stars of holidays in Europe.
Which does not mean that there are not some sweet enclaves, also worthy of appearing on a postcard but whose name is not on everyone's lips in June and September.
Santorini, Rhodes or Mykonos, to name a few, do not have a monopoly on the Aegean Sea.
Especially if you are looking for a more peaceful, wilder destination in Greece, spared from the floods of tourists.
To discover
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“
Fortunately, some islands are still preserved and little known to international markets, particularly because they are a little more difficult to access
,” says Ingrid Wicke, Greece product manager at Voyageurs du Monde, one of the leading companies. in the area.
Our selection therefore leans towards destinations that will take a little more time to reach, whether by boat or by domestic flights, and which appeal to local rather than international tourism.
Forget the idyllic but very popular Cyclades: head for the Sporades, the Dodecanese and the Ionians!
Alonissos, the Sporades aquarium
To the east, Péristera is the marine cemetery where countless ships still lie at the bottom.
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A diving temple in the shadow of the better-known Skiathos and Skopelos, this island in the Aegean archipelago is the beating heart of a fabulous underwater park, one of the main ones in Europe.
Heavenly diving spots, buried ancient wrecks, exceptional marine ecosystem... But Alonissos can also be discovered on land.
This 65 km island is typical of the Sporades with its pine forests and villages with red-roofed houses.
Its port, Patitiri, is just a concrete pontoon just wide enough for the ferry to dock there.
Then head to Chora, its historic capital, some sublime beaches like that of Chrissi Milia or Aghios Dimitrios, the caves of Gioura to the north...
“
Attention
, informs Ingrid Wicke:
now is the time or never to book your accommodation
.”
Alonissos has few places to stay - mainly rental villas - and you have to book well in advance.
Getting there:
The closest airports are on the neighboring islands of Skiathos or Skyros
.
There are regular boat taxi or ferry connections to Alonissos.
By sea, several regular lines are operated from Kymi on the island of Euboea, Aghios Konstantinos and Volos on the continent.
Chios, gateway to the Orient
The Agios Isodoros church, in the north of the island.
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In the northeast Aegean Sea, the fifth largest Greek island neighbors Turkey.
Its tormented history and geography create a powerful but little-known identity, despite its status as a global producer of mastic resin.
You must visit Chora (common city name in Greece), capital at the crossroads between East and West.
Drink mastiha - a liqueur -, bathe in the Turkish baths and explore the surrounding areas, in the agricultural and medieval south of the island where the famous mastic is collected, get lost in the alleys of the Genoese fortified villages...
“
The Sporades archipelago is generally relatively unknown, at least among French speakers
,” explains Ingrid Wicke.
But Chios is very popular with the Greeks, which says it all!
»
Getting there:
by boat, counting 8 to 9 hours of crossing at night from the port of Piraeus.
By plane, the island is only 45 minutes from Athens.
On site, the island is large and the winding mountain roads sometimes increase the distances, it is advisable to rent a car.
Cythera, wild land
Between the cliffs, beautiful beaches nestle.
Here, that of Kaladi.
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Praised by painters and poets, the island of Aphrodite (it shares this nickname with Cyprus), gallant and forgotten, inspires.
However, few people have set foot there.
Located between Crete and the Peloponnese, where the Aegean and Ionian seas meet, it is difficult to access.
But Cythera embodies a symbol: the ideal of beauty of the Greek islands.
A preserved jewel, it deserves to be discovered and respected for its authenticity.
We are dazzled by its wild character: a large bare plateau, notched with a few gorges, gentle hills, a steep coast where beautiful beaches are nestled between the cliffs, like Kaladi, and its majestic rock, Paleopoli, and its tombs. sculpted Minoan churches, Melidoni and its cove nestled at the end of the world... “
The island is ideal for hiking, with several marked paths, which is rare in Greece!
», adds Ingrid Wicke.
Getting there:
Cythera is worth it.
It can be reached by propeller plane from Athens or after a long journey by boat.
Or...
Ioulída (or Ioulís), capital of Kea.
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If you have a few days left to wander between the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea, and you don't want to immediately find the cosmopolitan crowds, the trilingual restaurant menus and the
resorts
lining each beach, three islands will serve as an alternative .
Ithaca, more than the mythical Homerian city, is “
a still preserved paradise
” off the west coast, and a few kilometers from Kefalonia (reachable directly by plane from Paris), recommends Ingrid Wicke.
Another “
small island very popular with the Greeks
”, Kea is a destination “
little known to international markets
” while being close to Athens, for those familiar with the Cyclades.
We must hurry, the island risks gaining light with the opening in April of a new One&Only establishment, a luxurious hotel complex.
Finally, the World Travelers specialist advises the mystic Patmos, well known for having inspired John the Evangelist with visions of
the Apocalypse
.
Also renowned for its monastery, this summer the island will retain its reputation as a “
calm and confidential
” retreat.