Best destinations in Greece

See the Byz­an­tine cas­tle of Nik­ar­ia in the vil­lage of Ko­si­ki and vis­it the lush moun­tain vil­lag­es of Mav­ra­to, Ox­ea and Mil­e­o­po. There are oth­er love­ly vil­lag­es to be seen on the Rahes pla­teau as you con­tin­ue on to the fish­ing port of Ar­me­nis­ti. Pret­ty beach­es line the coast; among them de­light­ful Na with its riv­er and its ruins and Me­sak­ti. In or­der to en­joy the swim­ming even more, you can es­cape on a caique to quiet­er beach­es. It is al­so worth tak­ing a short trip to the is­land clus­ter of Four­ni, about an hour from Agios Ky­ri­kos, where there are oth­er good beach­es.

A fine spot for a peaceful holiday, Astypalaia’s architecture is more reminiscent of the neighbouring Cyclades. The charming is well worth a visit, with its imposing Venetian castle lived in from the 13th to 15th c. by the Guerini family. Don’t miss the lovely scenery around the Monastery of Agios Ioannis with its spectacular view, gardens and mini waterfall. The best beaches are in the south part of the island.

Lefkada is connected to the mainland by two bridges which cross the narrow channel separating them. It is a mainly mountainous island, with a great deal of natural beauty, areas abounding with plane trees, historical and archaeological sites, as well as beautiful, verdant islets opposite the cosmopolitan port Nydri.

These include the famous Skorpios, the property of the late shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, Madouri, with the mansion of writer Aristotelis Valaoritis, and Meganissi, with its three caves. In one of these, the Papanikolis cave, the famous submarine of the same name concealed itself during World War II.

The island has pretty villages, like Agios Nikitas, and is not lacking in outstanding beaches, including the popular Porto Katsiki, with its white sand and turquoise waters, and Egremnous, where, although the beach is difficult to get to (250 steps), the sea is superb.

Worth visiting is the 13th c. Venetian fortress, next to the man-made canal, and the waterfalls in a gorge in the village of Rahi, 5 km from Nydri.