How many Greek islands are there? Actually, no one can agree. Depending on what you qualify as an island (as opposed to a rock) there’s up to 6,000, with 227 of them inhabited. Scattered within the Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian seas, essentially there’s a Greek isle for everyone, from off the grid (Gavdos) to large and historic (Crete) to the ultra-hip (Santorini, Mykonos).
Then there’s the islands looking to reinvent themselves. At the end of the alphabet, Zakynthos has long enjoyed (endured?) a popularity among Brits and northern Europeans, who renamed it Zante for easy reference. Now eschewing the bachelorette and budget scene, it’s embracing more authentic experiences and lodgings, leaning into its roots (it’s mentioned in Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey”) and the rich heritage of its Mycenaean and Venetian inhabitants, whose architecture is evident in floral-laced villages.
The US market needs to tap into European hubs to fly there (or ferry from Athens if you are not on a time crunch) but the stunning 158-square-mile island is worth it, and there’s plenty of unspoilt scenery and upscale lodgings to tempt you on that long haul.
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