Wine, Gyros & Sea - Here Are the 11 Most Beautiful Greek Islands

Summer is just around the corner, and it's finally time to start planning summer vacations! How about a trip to an island in Greece this year? Charming white villages, delicious gyros, stunning beaches and bays, a wealth of history, and rich Greek wine sound incredibly tempting, don't you think?

With 3,054 Greek islands to choose from, fans of Greece-and those who aspire to be-really face a tough choice in picking their next holiday island. To make the decision a bit easier, the travel experts at Travelcircus took a close look at all the islands with hotels. We found the 11 most beautiful Greek islands-some with surprising results.

With 3,054 Greek islands, it's hard to know which one to explore first. In search of the best Greek island for the next holiday, we first looked at the 105 inhabited islands. After that, all islands without hotels, according to Booking.com, were eliminated. Next, islands without 4-star hotels were excluded as well.

Furthermore, the islands Ios and Hydra were excluded due to their ambiguity, as they would have had a significant advantage in several categories otherwise. The analysis of the remaining 47 islands resulted in the following eight categories:

Greece boasts over 3,000 islands. Each is more beautiful than the last, and each possesses its own charm and appeal. But which of the 48 examined islands truly deserves the title of the best and most beautiful Greek island?

Kicking off our Top 11 is the stunning island of Samos. It belongs to the (still) somewhat lesser-known islands, which we truly cannot understand. The island has so much to offer. For those craving beautiful beaches, extensive mountain hikes, picturesque villages, and a wealth of history, Samos is just the right spot.

This 477.4 km² island scores particularly well in the categories of 'Sun Hours', 'Hidden Gems', and 'Price'. With an average of 12.73 sun hours per day, Samos is the sunniest of the Top 11 islands. Additionally, it also has the lowest overnight price among the Top 11 islands. If you'd like to stay in a nice 4-star hotel on Samos, you'll only pay an average of €53.33 per person. Another plus is the low hotel density of 0.2409 hotels per km², for which Samos proudly earns 4.02 out of 5.00 points.

Taking 10th place is the charming island of Salamina near the Greek capital, Athens. This island is also one of the less-known Greek islands, earning it just 1.30 of a possible 5.00 points in the 'Demand' category.

However, Salamina ranks at the top in two other categories. It is the warmest island, with an average temperature of 28.22 °C. Additionally, it has the lowest hotel density-making it a little hidden gem. According to Booking, there are only three hotels on Salamina, which results in an unbeatable low hotel density of 0.0073 hotels per km² over its area of 411 km².

Salamina does fall short in the Experience Score and Instagramability sections. Currently, it is not possible to book tours or activities on the island via GetYourGuide. But don't worry; there's still plenty to experience on this island.

With just a tiny 0.03-point lead over Salamina, the island of Symi claims 9th place in our ranking. With an average Google search volume of 2,250, Symi is also one of the less sought-after Greek islands. But it is truly a stunning beauty!

Although Symi does not have its own airport, it is easily accessible. Travelers can fly to Rhodes and take a ferry to Symi from there, with the crossing taking about an hour. In our island check, Symi shines mainly in hotel density, hotel prices, and temperature. In the summer months, temperatures on Symi typically reach an average of 26.17 °C. It's pleasantly warm, yet not too hot-though it can occasionally spike close to 40 °C. Then, a dip in the sea provides a refreshing cool-off.

The 8th place goes to a dream island that is particularly suitable for those who are in the mood for a lot of parties, action, and meeting other people: Mykonos. The island is well-known for its legendary parties, beautiful photo spots, and high prices. Mykonos is rightly referred to as the island of the rich and famous.

Particularly regarding Instagramability, Mykonos can score a lot of points. Currently, there are 5,241,820 posts on Instagram with the hashtag #mykonos. That's an incredible 60,866.47 posts per km². Only one other Greek island surpasses it in this category-but we'll keep that a secret for now! As mentioned earlier, Mykonos is also among the pricier islands. A night in a 4-star hotel here costs an average of €165.17 in the summer months, which is certainly not a bargain and earns Mykonos just 1.28 points in that regard.

Countless dream beaches, an average water temperature of 27.33 °C, and an average outside temperature of 25.67 °C-sounds like the perfect island for water lovers and beach enthusiasts, doesn't it? Lefkada is said to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Mediterranean. There are fine white sand and pebble beaches, some hidden in small bays while others are more crowded in summer. But each one is beautiful. The most stunning include Mikros Gialos, Porto Katsiki, and Egremni.

This lovely island is not only excellent for beach lovers but also for water sports enthusiasts and hikers. Water skiing, surfing, snorkeling, or wakeboarding are just a few examples of water sports that vacationers can try on the island. For those who enjoy hiking, there's a variety of trails of varying difficulty.

When thinking of a holiday on a Greek island, one cannot overlook this one: Crete. It is super sunny, warm, diverse, and simply incredibly beautiful. Whether you're looking for a girls' trip, an adventurous vacation, a romantic getaway with your loved one, or simply a beach break, Crete is the perfect island for everyone's taste.

Crete even wins in one of the categories. With an impressive average Google search volume of 98,000, it is by far the most sought-after island. Crete also scores many points in the category of 'Hotel Density'. There are 1,721 hotels spread across the largest Greek island. Although this sounds like a lot of hotels, it's only 0.2037 per km². For this, Crete receives 4.19 out of 5.00 points.

This year, travelers pay an average of €78.17 for a night in a 4-star hotel, which is quite a good price compared to some of the other islands. Last summer, it was €10 less, but prices in many areas have risen this year in Greece.

The 5th place goes to the island that is even more popular on Instagram than Mykonos. We're talking about Santorini. With 7,554,416 images or 99,153.64 images per km² with the hashtag #santorini, it is clear that Santorini is the most photogenic Greek island. The island is also simply picturesque. Especially the charming white villages of Fira, Oia, and Imerovigli have captured the hearts of many amateur photographers.

Santorini not only achieved full points in the 'Instagramability' category but also in the 'Experience Score' category. Thanks to 397 offerings on GetYourGuide, the 76.19 km² dream island gets an Experience Score of 5.2197 experiences per km²-which is nearly three times as many experiences as the island with the second-highest Experience Score. Santorini is popular not only for its photo spots and stunning sunsets but also for its fascinating volcanic landscape, beautiful beaches, wineries, and numerous cultural sites worth visiting. Alt-Thera and Akrotiri are among the absolute must-see spots on the island.

With a narrow lead, Paxos takes 4th place in the island check. This tiny island of just 25.3 km² remains one of Greece's lesser-known and less crowded islands. To reach Paxos, it's best to fly to Corfu and take a ferry from there, as the island does not have its own airport.

However, Paxos is definitely an island that deserves more attention. It does not have to hide behind the more popular islands in terms of beauty, warmth, beaches, and excursion options. This stunning island is also a true paradise for hikers and beach lovers. Impressive cliffs, old olive groves, charming little villages, and beautiful beaches invite long strolls. A highlight is the imposing Tripitos Arch, from which you can even catch a glimpse of the island of Antipaxos.

The first island in the Top 3 is the enchanting island of Kos. Demand for this beautiful island has soared significantly in the past year. Last year it received only 1.90 points in the 'Demand' category; this year it has already risen to 4.19 points. The island indeed has a lot to offer.

Average temperatures of 24.73 °C, an average water temperature of 23.60 °C, and 12.67 hours of sunshine daily make Kos an ideal summer destination. It can get quite hot on the island, but it's still very enjoyable. This is also reflected in the 2,750,276 photos on Instagram with the hashtag #kos. In terms of island size, that's 9,313.5 photos per km²-therefore, it earns a well-deserved 4.35 out of 5.00 points.

What makes Kos such a beautiful travel destination is the variety of things that travelers can experience on the island. Beach lovers should check out Paradise Beach, Agios Stefanos Beach, or Cavo Paradiso Beach. Romantics must see the sunset in the mountain village of Zia or admire the colorful peacocks in Plaka Forest.

Not warm enough in Kos? Then head to Rhodes. The beautiful island takes 2nd place in our island evaluation, boasting an average of 12.67 hours of sunshine per day, making it just as sunny as Kos, but a bit warmer. With an average temperature of 25.73 °C and a water temperature of 25.23 °C, Rhodes performs even better than our 3rd place island in these categories.

Rhodes is also one of the most sought-after islands in Greece. With 4.80 points in the 'Demand' category, it's clear why. Last year, there was an average of 61,400 Google searches per month for Rhodes and vacation in Rhodes-only Crete had more.

A vacation in Rhodes is worthwhile for anyone looking for beautiful beaches, exciting water activities like snorkeling or parasailing, great hikes between olive and lemon groves, as well as the typical Greek lifestyle.

The well-deserved 1st place goes to an island that unexpectedly surpassed all the other Greek islands: Poros! This truly enchanting island, only 22.9 km² in size, has an average monthly Google search volume of 2,213, making it a hidden gem. The combination 'Vacation Poros' even has a mere Google search volume of 30. Although its low demand earns it just 1.51 out of 5.00 points, it allows you to keep Poros a bit more to yourself.

In several other categories, this lovely island can score significant points. It is super photogenic, warm, sunny, and relatively affordable. If you want to stay in a 4-star hotel on the island, you'll pay an average of only €61.00. This makes Poros the second cheapest of the Top 11 islands.

With 12.67 hours of sunshine per day and an average temperature of 26.57 °C, vacationers can really enjoy their time on Poros. The island is said to be a perfect place for relaxation. Here, the Greek motto 'siga-siga', which means 'nice and slow', is still truly lived.

Each and every Greek island is undoubtedly beautiful! Picturesque places, delicious food in traditional tavernas, stunning beaches, plenty of sunshine, and lots of adventure they all have to offer. With the multitude of islands, there truly is the right one for everyone's taste.

If you really can't decide on one Greek island, you should consider island hopping instead. Thanks to the many ferry connections between the islands, it's easy to visit more than one island. How about Mykonos, Naxos, and Andros? The crossings are truly affordable and add an extra adventure.

One thing is for sure: no matter which Greek island(s) you ultimately choose, a summer vacation in Greece is guaranteed to be wonderful!