Picking which Greek Island to visit when planning a holiday in Greece can be overwhelming. There are so many beautiful islands to choose from, where would you even start? Should you pick the well-known Greek islands or the more secluded, less touristy islands? Well, why not try sailing the greek islands so you can hit them all!?

This summer I had the opportunity to sail for a week with Yacht Getaways and explore six beautiful islands. For me, this was the best way to see Greece and get a taste of each island.  If you’re looking for a way to see Greece in all its beauty, I cannot recommend taking a sailing trip with Yacht Getaways enough.

Interested in seeing what each island has to offer? Here is a snapshot of what it’s like spending a week on the Adriatic Sea roaming through picturesque Grecian towns:

Sailing the Greek Islands

Naousa

Naousa was one of my favorite towns we visited and set the bar high for the rest of sailing trip with Yacht Getaways.

This fisherman’s village by the sea is more magical than pictures could ever show.  Beautiful streets that one could get lost in, live music, restaurants over looking the water.  Naousa is also filled with lots of cute boutiques where you can find handmade jewelry, leather shoes, and Greek inspired clothing. 

If you’re looking for a place to relax by the water with delicious, fresh seafood, then Naousa would be the perfect spot.

Mykonos

Mykonos Island was one of the most charming islands we visited during our seven days of island hopping in Greece.  From beautiful alleys to restaurants over looking the ocean and the iconic mills, this island was so stunning.

We arrived on a popular spot, Ornos Beach, where our catamaran dropped us off to explore the rest of the island.  Ornos Beach was full of beautiful lounge chairs, water activities, cozy Greek restaurants, and of course crystal clear water. We enjoyed a bit of time there before exploring the rest of Mykonos, but we could have certainly enjoyed relaxing at Ornos Bech for a full day.

The Old Town of Mykonos was my favorite. The white washed walls and great shopping might have helped. Although a very touristy island, it still had an authentic feel about it and was well worth the visit.

You can see more photos from our time in Mykonos here.

Naxos

The largest of the islands visited, Naxos had some of the prettiest water with rocky cliffs.  It felt like the least touristy of the islands.  We enjoyed seeing some of the main sites like the temple on top of mountain, the harbor at sunset and trying authentic delicious Greek food.

Naxos is also famous for it’s wine and untouched, secluded beach.  It was the perfect island to rent a scooter and get lost in!  Definitely an island worth visiting if you’re looking for a more authentic and calm vacation in Greece.

Little Cyclades

By far the clearest water I have ever seen and the prettiest white sand beaches were in the Little Cyclades.  This island was such a dream and it was the most relaxing day of the whole trip with Yacht Getaways.

We docked in a small harbor where there was an abundance of delicious restaurants overlooking the ocean and beach bars that were practically floating on the water. We started our day off with the beach and stayed there for hours mesmerized by the clear, blue water.

The city center of Koufinisia in the Little Cyclades is small, but quaint and cute.  The town was filled with local Grecians and it felt like a true cultural experience. We tried the towns local ice-cream “κανέλα”, which means cinnamon in Greek, and it was divine.

The Little Cyclades was different than the other islands in its landscape, speed of pace, and overall atmosphere.  It felt more like living with the locals and having a quiet getaway.

Ios

Ios completely took me off guard.  I had heard that Mykonos was considered the “party island” and had not heard many people say much about Ios.  In my opinion, Ios is where all the young people go for great music, parties on the beach, and a week of fun with friends.

Granted, we were only there for a day and an evening, but the energy of the island was at whole different level than the other islands.  The landscape was also extremely different.  Upon arrival we docked at the harbor and took a 15 minute bus ride up the mountain and down to the other side. There were beautiful beaches with water activities, bars filled with people, and DJs rocking their music at 2 p.m. in the afternoon.

I think if you’re staying on Ios island there is no time for sleep, it’s just a “go, go, go” island.  From the time we arrived to leaving, we saw so much of the island.  Known for it’s delicious cocktails and sunset views, we enjoyed dinner with the most spectacular views.

The hilltop church of Panagia Gremiotissa, is also well known for tourist to watch the sunset.  The church hovers over the rest of the town and gives you a gorgeous 360 view of the island. Definitely one of my favorite parts of Ios was all the great views.

Paros

Both Paros & Antiparos had an inviting warmness and charm about them. Just one nautical mile apart from one another and connected by a local ferry.

Paros was the island we spent the most time on because it’s where you begin and end your trip with Yacht Getaways.  It provided a lovely first impression of Greece with its Cycladic architecture and flat roofs, whitewash walls, and blue-painted doors.

We enjoyed our first and best Gyro in Paros at Yiannoulis Taverna where we made a rookie mistake by taking it to go (it’s too big to walk and eat!).  Also on our first day I picked up a beautiful handmade Turkish towel that came in handy during the rest of the trip.  There are so many boutiques selling them, but Paros had the best price and quality.

If you plan to take a trip with Yacht Getaways in the Greek Islands, staying the night in Paros the day before is a must.  Otherwise, it would be too stressful trying to board the yacht on time.  We stayed at the beautiful Paros Palace just a 10 minute walk from the harbor.  It was an absolutely beautiful resort with a delicious restaurant and gorgeous views.

Antiparos

Antiparos, although much smaller than Paros, still had so much charm about it.  There we met many local shop owners that live in Antiparos during the summer to sell their goods and go back to Athens in the cooler months.  Because of that, the shopping was exceptional and there were so many lovely pieces to choose from. Still wishing I would have brought an extra suitcase to take a few goodies home with me!

The island is quite small and cozy feeling.  The main shopping area is about one street long and their is a beach just a 5 minute walk away.  We took advantage of the local shops and spent most of our time browsing and talking with the owners.  We also had an incredible meal on the water at Kalokeri and had one of our best meals from the whole week.

My week sailing with Yacht Getaways was an unforgettable week.  It was so relaxing simply waking up each morning and having our skipper sail us to the next island.  We were always given such great recommendations by the Skipper & Host on what to see and do.

One of the other passengers on board kept saying how she thought this was the perfect way to get a “taste of Greece”, and I could not agree more.  Yacht Getaways provided a beautiful way to see Greece and so much of it.

Thank you, Yacht Getaways, for hosting us and for a week of a lifetime!

Pin Sailing the Greek Islands for later: