The first of the modern Olympic Games was held in Athens in 1896. The Olympics returned ‘home’ in 2004. Greece and the Greek islands has long been a favourite destination for European holidaymakers and is a popular destination for travellers from America and Australia when tracing their roots. Whether you are there for the olympics, or, tracking dowm your ancestors, those Greek Islands holidays are calling.
Greece, the southern most country on the European mainland, delivers beauty, charm and warm hospitality. It enjoys great weather, beautiful and diverse landscapes, many scenic beaches and crystal clear waters. There are hundreds of islands scattered in the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea. Some islands like Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes are popular holiday destinations, but you can easily discover off the beaten track islands and experience Greek tradition and hospitality.
As you would expect from a country that has given so much to the world, you will find art and architecture, mythology, philosophy and culture, or, just a beautiful beach and a friendly village with whitewashed walls cottages.
Here are some great quotes from famous Greek philosophers
“Only the dead have seen the end of the war.” – Plato
“Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” – Archimedes
“Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” – Aristotle
There are over 160 permanently inhabited Greek islands and hundreds more small uninhabited islands. Many of the islands are hugely popular holiday destinations for tourists throughout Europe, with millions of package deal holidaymakers visiting every year. For the more independent traveller island hopping around the Greek islands is also very popular.
Listed below are the names of some of the major Greek islands, split into island groups, with the name of the capital city, and the population.
Greek Islands
Ionian Islands
A group of 7 main islands found on the western most edge of Greece in the ionian sea
Ithaki (Ithaca): Capital – Vathy: pop 5,000
Kefallonia (Cephalonia): Capital – Argostolia: pop 32,314
Kerkyra (Corfu): Capital – Corfu: pop 105,043
Kythira (Cerigo): Capital – Kythira: pop 2,500
Lefkada (Lefkas): Capital – Lefkada: pop 20,900
Paxi (Paxos): Capital – Gaios: pop 2,000
Zakynthos (Zante ): Capital – Zakynthos Town: pop 38,957
The Cyclades Islands
The Cyclades are a large group of islands located in the Aegean sea off the SE coast of main land greece. There are over 200 islands that make up this group, many of which are very small and uninhabited. The group of islands were named because originally they formed a crude circle around the central island of Delos.
Amorgos: Capital – Amorgos: pop 1,800
Anafi: Capital – Anafi: pop 300
Andros: Capital – Andros: pop 10,500
Antiparos: Capital – Kastro: pop 600
Delos: uninhabited
Folegandros (Pholegandros): Capital – Folegandros: pop 700
Ios (Nios): Capital – Ios: pop 1,100
Kea (Tzia): Capital – Ioulis: pop 2,415
Kimolos: Capital – Hora: pop 700
Kythnos (Thermia): Capital – Kythnos Town: pop 1,500
Milos (Melos): Capital – Plaka: pop 4,500
Mykonos (Mikonos): Capital – Mykonos: pop 6,200
Naxos: Capital – Naxos: pop 18,000
Paros (Paro): Capital – Parikia: pop 7,000
Santorini (Thera): Capital – Fira: pop 10,700
Serifos: Capital – Serifos: pop 1,200
Sifnos: Capital – Apollonia: pop 2,000
Sikinos: Capital – Sikinos: pop 300
Syros (Siros): Capital – Ermoupolis: pop 21,000
Tinos: Capital – Tinos: pop 9,000
The Dodecanese Islands
The most eastern group of Greek Islands just of the SW coast of Turkey in the Aegean sea. Consists of 12 major islands, hence the name.
Astypalaia (Astipalaia): Capital – Astypalaia Town: pop 1,300
Halki (Khalki): Capital – Nimborio: pop 500
Kalimnos (Kalymnos): Capital – Port of Pothia: pop 17,100
Karpathos: Capital – Pigadia: pop 6,700
Kassos: Capital – Fri: pop 1,100
Kastellorizo (Megisti): Capital – Megisti: pop 250
Kos (Cos): Capital – Kos: pop 30,100
Leros: Capital – Platanos: pop 8,000
Lipsi: Capital – Lipsi: pop 600
Nissiros (Nissyros): Capital – Mandraki: pop 1,000
Patmos: Capital – Patmos: pop 3,000
Rhodes (Rodos): Capital – Rhodes Town: pop 130,000
Simi (Symi): Capital – Symi: pop 2,600
Tilos: Capital – Megalo Horio: pop 600
