Over the past couple years, I’ve visited several Greek islands across two separate trips, and there are four destinations I still find myself recommending to everyone: Milos, Paros, Naxos, and Crete.
While Milos, Paros, and Naxos were part of one island-hopping adventure through the Cyclades, Crete was a trip entirely on its own—and for good reason. Crete is so large and diverse that it deserves dedicated time to explore.
What I loved most about these islands is that each one offered something completely different. Whether you’re looking for incredible beaches, charming towns, outdoor adventure, scenic drives, amazing food, or a mix of everything, there’s truly a Greek island for every type of traveler.
Milos: Adventure, Hidden Beaches, and Incredible Landscapes
Milos was unlike anywhere I’ve ever been.
We flew from Athens into Milos and stayed near Adamas, the island’s main port town. Adamas made a great home base, with plenty of restaurants, shops, and easy access to ferries, beaches, and boat excursions.
If you visit Milos, rent an ATV.
Some of my favorite memories from the trip came from driving around the island exploring hidden beaches, dramatic cliffs, fishing villages, and viewpoints that felt completely untouched. Every corner seemed to reveal another incredible landscape.
Milos is known for its volcanic geography, which creates some of the most unique beaches in Greece. Between the crystal-clear water, white rock formations, sea caves, and rugged coastline, it felt like a place that was meant to be explored rather than simply lounged on.
For travelers who love a little adventure mixed with their beach vacation, Milos is hard to beat.
Paros: Charming Streets, Great Restaurants, and a Mini-Mykonos Feel
Of all the islands we visited, Paros felt most like a more relaxed and approachable version of Mykonos.
We stayed in Naoussa, a beautiful harbor town on the northern side of the island, and I absolutely loved it. The waterfront is lined with restaurants, cafés, boutiques, and winding whitewashed streets that seem to lead somewhere beautiful no matter which direction you walk.
Paros had some of my favorite evenings of the trip. We’d spend the day exploring beaches and then wander through town for dinner, drinks, shopping, and sunset views along the harbor.
Like Milos, Paros is easy to explore by ATV, which makes it simple to visit different beaches and villages throughout the island.
If you’re looking for classic Greek island charm, beautiful scenery, and a lively restaurant scene, Paros delivers all of it.
Naxos: Endless Beaches and a More Relaxed Pace
Naxos felt completely different from both Milos and Paros—and that’s exactly why I loved ending our trip here.
We stayed on Plaka Beach, which remains one of the best beaches I’ve visited anywhere in Greece. The stretch of golden sand seems to go on forever, with crystal-clear water, and a much more relaxed atmosphere than many of the more famous islands.
Naxos also has a charming port town and beautiful mountain villages worth exploring, but what stood out most to me was how easy it was to slow down and enjoy the island, especially the sunsets.
Naxos also has its own airport with connections to Athens, making it an easy addition to a Greek island itinerary. Like Milos and Paros, renting an ATV is a great way to explore beaches and different corners of the island.
For travelers looking for beautiful beaches and a laid-back atmosphere, Naxos is the perfect balance.
Crete: The Island That Has Everything
As much as I loved the Cycladic islands, Crete was by far my favorite destination in Greece.
Crete feels less like an island and more like an entire country packed into one destination. You have incredible beaches, mountain landscapes, hiking trails, historic sites, charming towns, scenic drives, and some of the best food we experienced anywhere in Greece.
Because Crete is so large, I highly recommend splitting your time between different parts of the island. We stayed on both the Eastern and Western sides of Crete, which gave us the opportunity to take day trips by car all around the island.
The Eastern Side of Crete
Our first stop was Agios Nikolaos, on the north eastern side of Crete, where we stayed right in the center of town overlooking the famous Lake Voulismeni. I loved being able to walk everywhere—from waterfront restaurants and cafés to the marina and shopping streets. The atmosphere felt relaxed and picturesque, with beautiful views around every corner and plenty of opportunities to enjoy long dinners by the water.
The Western Side of Crete
For the second half of our trip, we stayed at a beachfront property just outside of Chania, in Platanias. This was a classic beach town, with lots of tourist shops and restaurants. It gave us a chance to enjoy the laid-back beach side of Crete, and everything was within walking distance from our hotel. This was also a great location to take day trips to explore beaches on the western side of the island.
If you are staying on the western side of Crete, Rethymno and Chania are some of the best historic towns nearby to wander, browse local shops, and eat at restaurants along the harbor.
Unlike the smaller islands, Crete is a place where I would absolutely recommend renting a car. The island is simply too large to experience without one, and you absolutely need a car or boat to travel to many of it’s remote beaches.
To my surprise, Crete is also incredibly mountainous. One of the highlights of our trip was getting lost driving through the mountains because our phones died. We must have driven hours through the most remote parts of Crete, stopping in towns we never heard of, and finding some of the prettiest views along the way. It was one of the most memorable experiences of our entire trip and a perfect reminder that Crete offers so much more than beaches alone.
If I had to choose one destination to revisit tomorrow, it would be Crete. It combines everything I love about travel—beautiful scenery, adventure, incredible food, charming towns, and endless opportunities to explore.
The Laur Edit 