Tip of the day – Plan your summer 2026 | Greece’s best secret towns and villages for summer | The Times

• February 26, 2026

British The Times travel expert picks out the country’s most beguiling escapes, far from the throngs of Santorini and Mykonos, that are holiday havens untouched by mass tourism.

James Litston chose on January 30 2025 his 25 of Greece’s best secret towns and villages for summer,

1. Ermoupoli, Syros, Cyclades islands
2. Manolas, Thirasia, Cyclades islands
3. Macheria, Rhodes, Dodecanese islands
3. Macheria, Rhodes, Dodecanese islands
5. Spartochori, Meganisi, Ionian islands
6. Old Perithia, Corfu, Ionian islands
7. Patmos, Dodecanese islands
8. Vradeto, Zagori
9. Edessa, Macedonia
10. Kalavryta, Peloponnese
11. Ierapetra, Crete, Aegean islands
12. Agia Galini, Crete, Aegean islands
13. Karystos, Evia
14. Monemvasia, Peloponnese
15. Koroni, Peloponnese
16. Olympiada, Halkidiki
17. Piraeus, Athens
18. Skala, Agistri, Saronic islands
19. Assos, Cephalonia, Ionian islands
20. Petra, Lesbos, North Aegean islands
21. Patitiri, Alonissos, Sporades islands
22. Portaria, Pelion peninsula
23. Chorio, Kimolos, Cyclades islands
24. Kastellorizo, Dodecanese islands
25. Aitoliko, Western Greece

Dana Facaros gives her option to The Times An insider’s guide to Greece’s prettiest villages:

1. Papigo, Epirus
2. Oia, Santorini
3. Pyrgi, Chios
4. Monemvasia, Peloponnese
5. Tsagkarada, Thessaly
6. Chora, Astypalaia
7. Anogia, Crete
8. Ioulis, Kea
9. Leonidio, Peloponnese
10. Chora, Folegandros
11. Vourliotes, Samos
12. Chora, Skyros
13. Metsovo, Epirus
14. Chora, Patmos
15. Arachova, central Greece
16. Chora, Ios
17. Dimitsana, Peloponnese
18. Nymphaio, Western Macedonia
19. Kastro, Sifnos
20. Lindos, Rhodes
21. Chora, Amorgos
22. Edessa, Central Macedonia
23. Theologos, Thassos
24. Makrinitsa, Thessaly
25. Chora, Alonissos

Have you ever been in one of those destinations? Do you know another “secret” destination to share with us?